and her cub.”

Before Sarafina or Kilia managed to say, there is no cub, rest of the pride ran out from cave.

*

Kilia was so scared, but also so excited, that she was speeding across the plain, aside any path. She was also so concentrated on running faster and jumping higher, that she just missed running group of lions, that passed her about hundred meters on west.ef and harder cuddled... cuddled... cuddled...

“Sarafina?” asked Kilia in silence of cave.

“Yes?” replied lioness with sleepy voice.

“Is Hawaa with you?” asked Kilia with anxiety.

“Yes... that mean: no.” answered queen’s mother. “Why do you ask?”

Kilia’s hear froze. She stood immediately and looked on darkened chamber. Everyone was in place, but l She was dying from hunger, laying on Priderock’s ledge. Suddenly, team of golden huntresses returned with heavy portion of meat. Lioness raised her head, hoping, that they give her some. But Golden Ones, led by Zira, started to eat they prey alone. Kilia smelled delicious smell of fresh meat and cried from hunger.

Zira was leading her army in hurry. Pridelanders were alarmed by this bloody hornbill, so there was no time. They couldn’t let Simba to prepare defence.

“As we fixed!” she called to Horen, Daki and Laki. “We will distract them and draw from Priderock.”

The rescue team departed from main strike force.

 

13 – Baptism of fire

 

Of course, it could be coincidence that Kovu was not there. He had been planning this trip to the mountains long before. And in fact, Zira ordered it, for prove his strength and endurance. But why he departed just that night? Well, answer on this questions could be found on the sky.

“Right, my friend... You are going well.” Was whispering evening wind, when Kovu was ascending on western slope of Dark Mountain. “Don’t look back, just go ahead.”

But winds don’t talk. At least, not ordinary winds. However those caused by King of the Past could. Mufasa was blowing into lion’s ears with gentle but decisive message: Up! Ahead! Not to look back! Zira’s son was drawing away from his pride with success. Dead king, who couldn’t show to living lion, was using long taught whisper of wind to direct Kovu. Thanks to this, Outlanders were weaken.

Kovu sat down to rest for a while and turned his eyes on home below him. Mufasa was prepared for that and pushed light clouds to dimmed view of southern area and blackmaned lion saw only his land, to the river. He didn’t notice twelve silhouettes, slowly and silently entering to water. He just stood and started again, on east, away from his attacked pride.

Mufasa smiled and blow some whispering winds again. But then some shadow covered the sky. Kovu didn’t notice this, because he cannot to. This was a shadow of lion’s ghost – blackmaned just like young lion on the slope.

“You have broken the pact!” called Amini to Mufasa.

“Good! Ahead... WHAT?!” amazed dead king and turned his head to newcomer. “And who are you?” examined stranger with heavy stare. “You are not any of kings I know.”

“That is not odd.” Replied Amini with anger in his voice. “I hang in rather exclusive company.”

Mufasa smiled, hearing hard reply of lion, but he was still thinking, on whom he was looking.

“I know you... I saw you...” muttered king.

“Think!” gasped Amini. “Whom I remind you?” he stepped closer to Mufasa. They both were floating just over marching Kovu.

“Kovu...” whispered king. “But it’s... You are Kovu’s father!”

“Point for you.” Said Amini with cold voice. “Now, another question: Why did you send him here?”

Mufasa giggled with malicious laughter.

“This is question for you, I think.” And he added with certain voice. “And I haven’t broken the pact with Tarki and Scar. After what happened last time, I interfered, they dictated very hard conditions. They thought about all... almost all.” He smiled again, proud of his plan. Maybe we was dead almost since seven years, but for the first time he had chance to outwit his brother. This was delicious taste of victory and Mufasa wanted to show his clever. “We established that no Ancient could speak with living one and no Ancient could physically interfere in world below. But I’m not doing that. I just... blowing with the wind... I’m the spirit of the wind...” he finished with playful voice.

He knew, that his and his father’s plan was going to be revealed, but it was meant to work that night. Zira should be killed, Golden Pride should surrender to Pridelanders and Kovu, who couldn’t help his kins in fight, should returned to Outlands and find new order already established. He would soon accept his situation and being convince by Simba’s pride. Then, his marriage with Kiara would end all war and hostility... SooNormal">But winds don’t talk. At least, not ordinary winds. However those caused by King of the Past could. Mufasa was blowing into lion’s ears with gentle but decisive message: Up! Ahead! Not to look back! Zira’s son was drawing away from his pride with success. Dead king, who couldn’t show to living lion, was using long taught whisper of wind to direct Kovu. Thanks to this, Outlanders were weaken.

Kovu sat down to rest for a while and turned his eyes on home below him. Mufasa was prepared for that and pushed light clouds to dimmed view of southern area and blackmaned lion saw only his land, to the river. He didn’t notice twelve silhouettes, slowly and silently entering to water. He just stood and started again, on east, away from his attacked pride.

Mufasa smiled and blow some whispering winds again. But then some shadow covered the sky. Kovu didn’t notice this, because he cannot to. This was a shadow of lion’s ghost – blackmaned just like young lion on the slope.

“You have broken the pact!” called Amini to Mufasa.

“Good! Ahead... WHAT?!” amazed dead king and turned his head to newcomer. “And who are you?” examined stranger with heavy stare. “You are not any of kings I know.”

“That is not odd.” Replied Amini with anger in his voice. “I hang in rather exclusive company.”

Mufasa smiled, hearing hard reply of lion, but he was still thinking, on whom he was looking.

“I know you... I saw you...” muttered king.

“Think!” gasped Amini. “Whom I remind you?” he stepped closer to Mufasa. They both were floating just over marching Kovu.

Mufasa and Ahadi would be free from guarding their pride. And Scar would be free too. Maybe, not in way he considered as right, but it wasn’t matter. “I do it for you, brother.” Thought Mufasa. “Soon, all reasons of hatred between us will disappear.”

“Tarki will get know about this.” Gasped Amini. “O!” thought surprised Mufasa. „My uncle’s friend? How...” But Amini continued. “Now, turn him back.”

“Do it yourself... If you can.” Smiled dead king. “You are neither Scar nor my uncle. You are free to speak with him. Just try...”

This was unfair. Amini had no skills to speak with living ones. He was strongly connected with his beloved son, but this kind of connection was to tight to allow normal contact. It was... just like Scar and Zira – too close to communicate.

“No, you do it!” yelled Amini. “He must return to Outlands. He must see with Kiara! It’s last chance to stop the war...” he noticed smile on Mufasa’s face. “...but you are waiting on the war! You wanted it all the time.” Shouted with anger.

“No.” Mufasa shook his head. “I must just correct, what Simba failed three years ago. To eliminate Zira. Only then my plan could...” dead king noticed expression of rage on Amini’s face. “But... you are that lion, who saved Zira then...” whispered amazed.

And Amini ran down to rocky path and stood before Kovu.

“As your father, I command you go back!” said with wilful voice. “Your mother is in danger!”

Blackmaned lion stopped and turned back, with confused stare. He thought, he forgot about something. But what? He promised Vitani to practise wrestling? No, it was something more important. Hawaa... yes, Hawaa said something, that he had an eye on Nuka because...

“Just go!” growled Amini. “Don’t think, just go! You mother is in danger!”

“Mommy!” whispered Kovu, although he had no idea why. He felt sudden fear in his heart, like Zira was calling him. He turned back and started to descend from the slope. But there was a long way before him.

“Goody!” gasped Mufasa. “But you can’t help him there. And I know some ways to support my kins... without breaking the pact.”

Amini looked on him with anger, but then he smiled, showing his teethes.

“Maybe, but you won’t get there!”

He pounced on star body of dead king and pinned him to the ground. Ghost couldn’t kill or even hurt ghost... but good hold of one dead could stop another dead one. Mufasa was laying immobilized by blackmaned lion.

“What are you doing?!” called dead king. “We are both dead! You can’t kill me!”

“Probably I can’t.” agreed Amini. “But I was wondering thought whole my afterlife... does it hurt?” asked with curious voice and slashed Mufasa’s face with extended claws.

Lion’s ghosts started to fight bloodless fight, but Kovu was still descending from the slope in Outlands direction.

*

Vitani was sleepy and bored. There was cold and wet, so she wished only to get back in Golden Hall and go to sleep. But Nuka was unbearable. He was insisting her so strong that she had agreed to follow him. She had had been to sleepy, to understood what she was accepting. But there was too late. They were laying on cliff above river bank, completely pointless. Her brother was obviously waiting for something.

“Nuka, how long?” asked with weary voice.

“Just a minute...” answered her brother. “I must be sure that are they.”

“What <they>?” asked Vitani with some surprise. Her brother was gazing on river with focused stare.

“Well... Simba and his sidekicks.” Answered honestly. “I think, he will go with almost full pride, but on that kind of terrain he will be

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