Lions stood and started in Golden Hall’s direction. After short walk, they saw pride’s keep at silence. All was running without any command, because everybody knows what to do. Four lionesses, fighters for that day’s expedition, were probably still sleeping inside of mound. Two other, Anga and Ndugu, too wounded to fight, were just returning with part of prey. Two remaining pridesisters, that Zira hadn’t allowed to attack Priderock, were probably hunting somewhere farer. Daki and Laki were lying before Golden Hall’s entrance and Vitani and Nuka were trying to wake them up. To no purpose.

“Sir, wake up!” yelled Vitani. “I want go swim and mommy is not here.”

“I don’t know, boss.” Replied sleeping lion. “Maybe Laki ate it.”

Twin even in slumber were talking together.

“It’s not me!” murmured Laki, nudging by Nuka. “Some vultures, I guess.”

“It’s useless.” Judged Nuka. “We must wait for mom.”

Zira went to her cubs and gave them lick for a greeting.

“I’m here, my dears.” She looked on her daughter, trying to open Daki’s jaw and grab his tongue. “Vitani, stop this!” cub left lion’s head and rouge smiled with relief. Still sleeping, of course.

“Great team work.” Judged Amini. “Whole pride took your advises seriously...”

“Mom, we want to go to river.” Demanded Nuka.

“I’m afraid, not today.” Replied Zira. “Today is very special day... We will go for Yakta!”

Cubs looked on each other, then turned again to mother.

“Yuppi!” called siblings.

“But you will stay here!” added instantly queen.

“E...” murmured Nuka with discontent.

“Someone must guard your keep, while we will be on trip.” Said Amini. “Someone brave and smart.”

Nuka nodded, but he seemed be not fully convinced. He took sister and they started to play in catching termites from living colony on mound nearby. Amini came to Daki and wake him in only sure method – he stomped on his tail.

“AW!” screamed lion. “And what for that was?”

“Sorry.” Replied blackmaned. “But I’m looking for boss. Where he went?”

“With Doria.” informed him twin. “I have no idea where.”

“Right... he will be back soon, I hope. And you?” asked with curious voice. “Why don’t you want to help in hunting?”

“Get of me.” Murmured twin and in next second he was sleeping again.

Zira laughed and nudged Amini in side.

“Come on, he looks, like hasn’t sleep this night too.” She yawned. “I said <too>. I mean, that we should rest, until we can.” They went inside Golden Hall.

On hill nearby was laying pair of lions and talking with tensed voice. At least, her voice was unrest. Doria was looking on her new mate with inquiring stare.

“I hope you know, what this means. You have to take responsibility!”

“Cool.” Muttered Horen. “But I haven’t ordered any <responsibly> to this meal...”

*

Day on Priderock passed in merry atmosphere. Once again, hunt was successful and pride feasted on royal meal. After dinner, most of pride laid to afternoon nap, only Kilia was playing with her daughter. But small Hawaa was probably only sad member of pride.

“Mom... I don’t want to do it again.” Said, when they finished to scare of quails from savannah’s clearing.

“So... what do you want to play now?” asked lioness.

Cub sat on the ground and look on her mother with serious stare.

“Mom, we must talk, heart to heart.” She whispered. Kilia narrowed eyes in surprise.

“What happened, my dear?”

“Mom... why don’t you like Golden Lioness.” This question amazed lioness even more.

“I don’t now what you mean. Those outsiders are our enemy now.” Replied and Hawaa turned her stare to the ground.

“But... week ago, they were friends.” Noticed with sad voice.

“No, you don’t understand.” Said Kilia. “They were always hostile, but... we have no chance to deal with them. When Simba returned...”

“Mom!” exclaimed Hawaa “This exchange I real bad. We have only one mister Simba for all Golden Ones.”

“Simba is our king!” said lioness hardly. “Remember that. I don’t want to back in this stupid discussions about Scar and Zira. Got it?”

“Don’t be angry, mommy.” Sobbed cub. “I just... want, that we are together again.”

“Let go back.” Said Kilia with fatigued voice. “You are unbearable today.”

So they returned to silent Priderock. Meanwhile, on Outlands the real day has just began.

*

“Mom, please: be careful!” asked Nuka, when Zira was checking her small army. “You will be back tomorrow, right?”

“Of course, my dear. And we’ll bring Shakisa and Yakta with us.” She noticed, that heavy wounded Anga was trying to join the team. “I said: no!” she shouted, but in next second she calmed down. “Forgive, my friend, but not this time. You must recover.”

Older lioness went out with heavy heart. Four lioness was looking on theirs queen with respect but also with anxiety. This expedition was something crazy, even with support of rouges.

“Mom, please, try to bring Hawaa here!” begged cub. “I’m sure, he is all the heart with us... just her mother...”

“So, do you want to separate her from her mother?” asked Zira with surprise.

“Well...” replied Nuka. “If you bring Hawaa her, her mother would have to came here to. And we would convince her, that Simba is evil. How do you think.”

Queen closed her eyes and recalled night of Scar’s death. She was boiling inside from anger and sorrow. She was ready to kill every single lion from Priderock, but not only because of her revenge. She wanted to make sure, that common fate would never hit anyone else. Pridelanders were dangerous, maybe not evil, but hurting others. Mercy is a luxury for safe ones. Zira and her pride weren’t save. They had only drastic methods to provide themselves peace: full scale war. And that day was about to begin. But Nuka’s sympathy... “We can’t become like they are.” Thought Zira. “If I have chance, I will propose Kilia surrender. Only that I can do.”

“We will try.” She assured her son.

Nuka went to Amini and cuddled to his paw. Lion raised him and placed on his mane, so cub could hug him.

“Amini, please... Watch our mother.” He whispered. “Bring her back, as soon, as possible.”

“That is my duty, Nuka. I won’t fail you.” He promised and put cub down on the ground. “Be brave. Your father is watching from the sky.” Added with some unnatural voice.

“Mom... could we wait on river bank?” asked Vitani.

Zira looked on her with sad stare.

“No, better...”

“Zira, we won’t stand here.” Said Anga honestly. “We are with you with all our hearts, but we want to be closer anyway.” She noticed uncertain face of queen. “We will watch your cubs.”

“Hm... all right!” agreed Zira. “So, take Vitani and we are going to river. Follow me!” she ordered, but then she discovered, that serious part of her division is absent. “Where is Horen?” she surprise. “Where are twins?”

“Don’t worry!” replied Amini. “They are... somewhere there.” He pointed hill’s top. “They will catch us on a way.” He inhaled deeply and called. “Guys! It’s time to go!”

“We will meet on the beach.” Answered Horen, sitting on height nearby.

Twins were looking on him with amaze in theirs stares. Yes, this was shocking decision, but necessary. Horen had no doubts on it.

“Guys, understand it!” he repeated. “We are just a cannon fodder! They want us only to fight!”

“But... we can’t just leave like that!” exclaimed Laki.

“Hush! They will hear!” gasped Horen.

“Right. Sorry.” Muttered Laki. “But we just can’t!” he repeated quieter.

“Yes, we could. Just let go.” Disagreed leader.

“I promised Vii...” added Daki.

“What did you promise?” asked Horen.

“What I will save Shakisa. She is her friend... so...”

“Lionesses fooled you!” gasped Horen. “Shakisa, lioness that I have never seen, is probably dead right now. So what in this case?”

“Boss?” asked Laki, staring on redmaned. “What happened? Yesterday you was determined to stay here.”

“You don’t understand!” said Horen with unnatural voice. “Think for a while! We are only doing a favour to Amini. When we will leave, he will became real king...”

“Or he die in battle.” Noticed Daki.

“He won’t, because there will be no battle!” gasped redmaned. “When they see, we are gone, they won’t attack... unless they are completely idiots, right?”

“Actually, you said that Amini is an idiot, because he felt in love with Zira.” Reminded Laki and Horen shook his mane in gesture of hopelessness.

“Boss... something happened, that you decided to leave Doria.” Said Daki with firm voice. “We want to know, what.”

Horen was silent for a while, looking on his teammates. He opened his jaw and closed it right after, don’t knowing, what to say. Finally, he made a deep breath and said with grave voice.

“That time is now?”

“Early evening.” Said Laki.

“What season?”

“Early rainy season.” Said Daki.

“When lionesses are in heat, most likely?” asked and seeing amaze and fear on faces of friends, added. “Yes, now. I had no idea about that before. Don’t look on me like that! I have never be with lioness before...” and they hadn’t too. Consciousness, what really happened night before hit them hard. “And Doria hasn’t known too! We were told... by other lionesses... just today’s morning. I can’t be a father! I have no idea about that!”

“Boss...” muttered Daki. “There is problem... Last night... I was with Vii...”

“...and I was with Thela. Is this means, that...”

Horen smiled with bitter smile.

“So, now maybe you reconsider idea of leaving.”

Twins were shocked.

“But...” yelled Laki. “Leave Thela...”

“...and Vii...” added Daki.

“...with cubs? Our cubs?!”

Horen clutched his fists and hit into surface of rock. He pointed his stare in twins and said slowly and clearly.

“We can’t be good fathers. We are just rouges... outsiders. We were banished, because we wasn’t fitting to our prides. And we won’t fit anyone. Only Amini have this gift to bound with this pride. He will be a king... and he will be caretaker of your cubs. We

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