of Priderock?” That they started their swim.

"MsoNormal">“Weakness?” surprised Zira. “I see no weakness in your acting. Maybe hope, unwarranted hope... but maybe also a wisdom. It’s good, that you gave them last chance. It’s good, you have tried with Pridelander you know and who has fondness for you. It increased your chances... But you have not failed. They failed to accept the truth.”

Hawaa looked on Zira and asked with disbelief.

“So, aren’t you angry on me? I did because of my sympathy to the enemy.”

“I’m just sure, that this sympathy won’t fool you on battlefield.” She sighed and looked on mound-keep. “I’m sure of your loyalty and determination... If you were weak, you would retuned on Priderock. But you are still here.”

Hawaa looked on her queen carefully. Some heavy matters were seen on her face. This was fear and anxiety, clearly connected with rest of the pride.

“My queen.” Yelled young lioness. “Please, forgive me! That was a moment of weakness. It won’t happened again, I promise.”

“I will stay where I belong... Pridelander!” she pronounced this word with so clear scorn that Sarabi froze.

“What I have done?” she thought. “I hurt her. I...” she wanted to say something, but Zira nudged her in side.

“Come on, we have to back to river.”

“But I...” yelled Hawaa. In her voice cry could be heard.

“She is my quest as well.” Interrupted Zira, loud enough for whole pride to hear. “Come on, Sarafina.”

Outlands queen and Pridelanderess started to walk uphill in silence. Sarafina noticed, like some light built lion male ran to Hawaa and hugged her. But Zira was hurrying her with gently nodes. They left Golden Valley.

“Zira, I didn’t mean to...” Zira answered with angry voice.

“Hawaa loved you once deep. Tonight, she sacrificed her pride to save you... to try to save you. It was helpless, but remember it.”

They silently came to river bank. Zira hugged Sarafina and whispered.

“There are no friendly caresses. I must take care, you won’t drown. I’m doing it only for Hawaa.”

“Who is Hawaa for you?” asked Pridelanderess, when they went to water.

“Beloved subject. She is almost like daughter to me... I learned from Scar to love once, that fate gave into my power. And Hawaa soon will became my daughter-in-law.” She added with cold voice. “Maybe even queen of Priderock?” That they started their swim.

mal">“Zira... what happened? You are worried about something...”

Queen sighed again and replied.

“About this all. About our quest. We don’t strike this year, because we want to. We must.” Hawaa wanted to interrupt, but Zira was still talking. “In some ways, it would be better to wait, maybe even year more. I would have sure, that you are ready, Kovu  would be full mature and ready to king’s duties. And... maybe Nuka and Vitani would establish families... or we would make a reconnaissance to Golden Sands... Year from now, Simba would be older, probably oldest lioness from his pride would be dead. But... time is not on our side, here. For year from now, I would be older and probably not so effective in combat. But I’m just secondary detail... We won’t survive another year as a pride.”

Hawaa froze in amaze, hearing this. She was able only to ask with confused voice.

“But... but why?”

“Don’t you say, you can’t see this.” Replied Zira with grave voice. “We barely made last dry season. We were in constant hunger, morale was... surprisingly good as that extreme conditions. I fear, that for the last time. There is no spirit so great, to endure such a trail for so long. I have no right to waste you lives... in those wastelands. We must retake Prideland and start to live like lions!”

“I live like lion!” disagreed. “I’m happy here! And whole pride is happy and proud to live under your leadership.”

“To time.” Whispered queen. Then she added loudly. “Yes, I’m wrong. There is someone, who would stand everything... It’s you.” Zira smiled and stroked favourite’s head. “But now, go to sleep. It was long day and... long night.”

Hawaa bow to her queen and went back to mound. Nuka was still awoken and he waved to lioness in darkness of sleeping chamber.

“All right?” he whispered, when Hawaa went closer.

“All right.” Replied Outlanderess. “Except that shame, I felt because that Pridelander. But... don’t talk about it. Let rest.”

“Right.” Agreed Nuka. “For next time, she will come here on her knees, with apologies.”

Lions hugged to themselves and immediately felt asleep. Right after that, Zira returned and laid herself next to Golden Throne. For long time, trunk was empty. “Kids... they are growing so fast.” Thought Zira and closed her eyes. She slept without dreams, but this was right what she hoped for.

*

Next day, on Priderock, live awoke with usual scheme. After few minutes of careful examine, Simba judged, that no one tried to invade them at night, what caused immediately relief between pride. Especially, for Kiara and Tanabi.

“This chamber stinks!” muttered prince. Pumbaa, who had just got up, next to him, narrowed his eyes in shame. “No, I mean, that is small and sultry. Even Green Den is better than this.”

“Don’t say that.” Replied Kiara. “If dad hear, he would probably send us there...”

“...for our own good and safety!” finished Tanabi. Siblings burst in laughter. “Kiara, when you will be queen, never be so cruel for your subjects.” Added prince and went out to main chamber.

Kiara nodded with amusement, but then she understood, that words of her brother could be heard in few ways. Somewhere sounded a tune of envy, that she, not he, would be ruler of Prideland. But lioness quickly gave up those heavy thinks and turned to Pumbaa.

“Uncle.” She started with innocent voice. “Because dad forbid me to depart from Priderock... I must practise my hunting skills nearby.”

“So?” asked warthog with anxiety in his voice.

“I must have some... sparing partner.” Added.

“No, problem, my lady.” Smiled Pumbaa and went out, following lioness.

Timon stayed on place and sighed.

“Whatever they called it, it remains the same. We are preys!”

*

That day Sorphi was leading hunting team, so she discovered that strange carcass on savannah’s path. She stopped lioness and came closer to dead body of zebra.

“Vinia, what do you think?” she asked her friend. Other lioness smelled the meat and started to examine it.

“Well... partially devoured... To old to eat, at least for the lion... Numerous tracks of biting... very numerous. Fresh ones... They eat such a rotten food!”

“Hyenas?” asked Sorphi with anxiety.

“Most likely... But anyway, king should see this.”

Team continued hunting, but Vinia went on Priderock to get Simba on northern path. After about two hours, they both find carcass and king examined it himself. Then he looked on north, to see Elephant Graveyard Ford nearby. He sighed with irritation.

“Hyenas once again settled on graveyard. We must rid them of definitely!”

“Eee... now, sir?” asked Vinia with uncertain voice.

“No, of course not! This is an job for bigger expedition. We will go... tonight. I’m sure, that this will be surprise for those scavengers.”

*

Nuka was sleeping in shade of mound, to restore his strength. He was preparing for nearest night, to fulfil his plans. He had no warranty that Simba would catch the bait in first try, but somehow, he felt that. In his dreams, he was already king of the Prideland, ruling with his beloved queen at his side.

Dusk was coming fast, carrying a new hope for Outlanders.

*

“Okay, okay, okay! Okay!” was screaming surprised Rafiki. “All right-- okay! I don't think this is going to work... but I trust you. I just hope you know what you are doing!”

Mufasa’s spirit smiled and ceased wind in shaman’s keep. Then, he started to ascending to firmament, but when he lifted just over Rafiki’s baobab, he noticed Tarki, watching him carefully.

“Good evening, my nephew!” smiled starcub with his airy smile. But this time, on face of dead king’s uncle was waiting silent question.

“Good evening, uncle.” Replied little nervous Mufasa. “What guided you here?”

“A idea of asking you with the same question.” Replied Tarki and went closer to dead king. “I was just wondering... if you aren’t giving instructions to living...”

If Mufasa was alive, he would probably gulped. But ghost just turned his stare on the ground and replied with innocent voice.

“I was visiting my old friend. There is nothing wrong with that, I said him nothing.” Thanks to shaped senses of Ancient Ones, they both saw mandrill, looking on broken coconut shell. “I didn’t break our pact!”

“Not literally.” Agreed Tarki. “But you again are stepping on the edge of law. Please, stop that.”

“Soon, I will.” Assured Mufasa with proud smile. “Soon, this all will be over.”

Tarki froze him with his acute, green eyes.

“I hope for... Because if someone die because of your game, I will let Scar to do his turn. And I see, you don’t want of that.”

Dead king shook his head and replied, faking calmness.

“It all will work. No one will die. Peace will be restored.”

“You said.” Muttered starcub. “I hope your word is so valuable, as your brother’s.” then he disappeared in evening’s air.

 

12 – Friends and foes

 

When Amini awoke, he was laying still for few minutes, just to gaze at Zira, sleeping in his hug. But queen awoke too, when sun came out from behind cliff of Border River. She opened her eyes, saw Amini, then narrowed her eyes, recalling, what had happened previous night. But after while she smiled.

“Good morning, my queen.” greeted her lion.

“I’m afraid that is not morning anymore.” Noticed Zira with laughter. “But quite nice anyway.”

Amini gentle toughed Zira check with his nose and licked her face. She surrendered to this caress, but when he finished, she whispered.

“Right, enough. Today, we’ve got work to do.”

Lions stood and

Previous Page

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

Next page