14 – The royal match

“All right, I must admit... It got out of hand.” Said Tarki unwillingly.

Two lion’s ghost were following after Golden Pride and Amini. They wished to walk like any other lion does, or at lest Scar wanted that. He had said, that he must be so close to Zira, as it’s possible. So Tarki agreed to accompany nephew, under one condition – dead king had to carry him on back. So Tarki was riding on Scar, cuddling to his mane, if not a dramatic situation, starcub would look as he was enjoying this trip. But face of greeneyed was serious, unexpectedly serious.

“Outrun them.” Ordered Tarki. “I must see everything.” So Scar increased his speed and joined to lion’s group. On left side of Zira Amini was marching, so Scar came on right side of his mate. He matched they speed and looked on lioness with love and devotion. He was gazing on beautiful face of Zira for some time, then he noticed, that from opposite side the same stare was adoring queen. Amini was as focused on lioness as dead king.

“But you have an advantage.” Said Tarki, almost reading in mind of nephew. “You have a stunning handsome guy on your back. Point for you!” Scar shook his mane in irritation. “Come on, look at her! Are you jealous? Zira living by your memory and loves you as no other in this world.”

“I know.” Replied king. “And somehow I’m jealous, because he is with her alive and I’m just a shadow... But this is stupid. I feel, what she feels. And... I really wish, that she would be with Amini, love him and raise cubs with him. He is... almost worthy to be her mate. Maybe more than me.”

Tarki sighed with both sympathy and irritation.

“Stop this... I like such romantic stuff, but no before the battle.” Muttered. “Come on, faster. I want to see, what is happening there.” He pointed on Priderock, growing before they in bright light of full moon.

Meanwhile, Zira was giving last instructions to her army.

“No charging. We are only the decoy, to draw pride out of Priderock. Honen and twins will do the job, right?” some murmurs affirmed queen’s orders. “Stay close in tight formation, just like Sparthi once taught us.” Zira recalled face of Golden King and called in mind: “Brother, help us!’ the she added aloud. “Don’t risk, this is to be just... aggressive defensive. Let try to focus on one target... If Simba is guarded well, we will get Nala. If she is in second rank, attack first lioness, I hit. Right?”

“I’m impressed.” Said sandymaned lion, who appeared next to group. He looked directly on Scar and Tarki, so they knew, he was a ghost too. “She have never listened to my advises, saying I think too much... But she remembered them anyway. Good work sis!” he said in queen’s direction, but of course, she didn’t hear him. So desert lion turned again to Ancient Ones. “Looks pretty grim, right?”

Scar immediately recognized Sparthi, although they had known each other just for few days and Golden King was already too sick, to talk.

“Good to see you again, Sparthi.” Said dead king. “This arrogant on me names Tarki and he is my uncle. Are you here to help?” newcomer smiled with bitter smile.

“No, just to congratulate my sister and brother-in-law marriage, birth of cubs and to condole... of course only to widow.” Tarki burst in laughter but got silent, after another shock from Scar. “Sorry, I’m to guard Zira with all my might.” But he added with quieter voice. “But I must say, that I was really glad, when you become mates. I wish I were alive to that time.”

“Thanks.” Replied Scar. “But answering to your question: yes, they’re in grave danger. We can’t count on those rouges from second division. They will leave after slightest menace of defeat... Or when they won’t find Shakisa on Priderock.”

“So... One lion against one lion and five lionesses against at least eleven lionesses? To get draw is very optimistic plan.”

“When you were not here, we were thinking just about defeat.” Replied Scar. “Help us. You are dead since over two years.”

“I’m over thirteen years.” Boasted Tarki. “But it doesn’t make me more creative.”

For a while, they were marching in silence, breaking just with orders of Zira and short replies of lionesses. Finally Tarki asked.

“What do you can? I mean, if you have any influence on your sister.” He sighed and confesses. “Because we have not. I’m too far from her... I like her, she is quite hot...” he was nudged by Scar. “...but I have never known her during her life. And my nephew is... too close to interfere on Zira. I can’t explain it, but his love to her... and her love to him somehow disturb any contact. Have you tried?”

“No.” said Sparthi with sorrow. “But I will try. What about other members of pride?”

“I made short contact with Amini.” Reported Scar. “But it was extremely hard. I’m new here and I know almost nothing.”

“Who is against us?” asked desert king with serious voice.

“What?” amazed Scar.

“Don’t say that no other Ancient One supports Pridelanders. This whole situation was clearly set up.”

“But who...”

“Mufasa, for sure.” Replied Tarki. “Probably Ahadi, my brother, is supporting them too.”

Scar froze in place, that two lionesses passed him thought.

“You haven’t said me that!” exclaimed.

“Surprise.” Muttered Tarki. “And what would this changed? Go!” dead king started again and outran living lions. “I will deal with any Ancient One... and you will try to contact someone from your pride, Sparthi.” He nudged Scar’s back. “And you will be supporting Amini with all you might. How? I have no idea. You can’t? Great, but you must. Some questions? No, thank you.” Starcub finished his monologue and nudged nephew again. “Faster! Let see, what is waiting on our old home.”

*

“There is no time to wait!” screamed Kilia. “We must find Hawaa! Go with me!”

Sarafina knew, that they had no other choice, but she grabbed her friend to calm he panic. She easily pinned her to the ground, because terrified mother was in shock.

“Listen to me!” said Sarafina with calm and slow voice. “We will go for Hawaa, but you have to calm down. Where will we go? Think!”

“To... a...” Kilia understood, that she had no idea, where her daughter might be. “I don’t know.”

Older lioness sighed and closed her eyes. She was intelligent lioness and she considered herself as rather self-possessed. But this was an extreme situation and she was scared that her wrong decision would cost life of innocent cub. She was sure that Kilia was too panicked to think rationally. All responsibility laid on her.

“There was no possibility that someone stole her. I was on ledge all the time since you went sleep. She had to gone herself, I could have failed noticed her. But think: where?”

Kilia was shaking in fear, but hard grab of her friend was slowly restoring her reason. She narrowed her eyes in mind effort and said uncertainly.

“In last days, she was still talking about Nuka... Zira’s cub. She... wanted Golden Ones back.”

Sarafina’s brain was working on the highest rate. She quickly combined recent melancholy of cub with rumours about Zira’s pride. That she realised, that cub could hear her talk with Sarabi and Nala. She whispered in mind. “Ow, Ahadi! She think, we are going to hurt Nuka, her best friend! She...”

“To the river!” ordered and let loose her friend. She instantly turned to cave’s exit and started with full speed outside. Kilia followed her with blot of new hope. If Sarafina was sure of something, she was too. Two lionesses ran to Priderock’s ledge, then speeded downhill on path to rock’s foot. Kilia outspeeded older friend and directed ahead, right on west.

“Wait!” screamed Sarated Tarki. “But it doesn’t make me more creative.”

For a while, they were marching in silence, breaking just with orders of Zira and short replies of lionesses. Finally Tarki asked.

“What do you can? I mean, if you have any influence on your sister.” He sighed and confesses. “Because we have not. I’m too far from her... I like her, she is quite hot...” he was nudged by Scar. “...but I have never known her during her life. And my nephew is... too close to interfere on Zira. I can’t explain it, but his love to her... and her love to him somehow disturb any contact. Have you tried?”

“No.” said Sparthi with sorrow. “But I will try. What about other members of pride?”

“I made short contact with Amini.” Reported Scar. “But it was extremely hard. I’m new here and I know almost nothing.”

fina. “There!” she pointed north and terrified mother turned in this direction. “Follow me!” ordered queen’s mother and Kilia barely obeyed. She was burning to find her daughter as soon as it was possible. But she needed guidance. Only because of that she joined Sarafina and was marching with her speed.

“Faster! Faster!” she was repeating, but still going with her guide. They passed next to moderate shrub and started to run north. From the bushes three silhouettes came out.

“Don’t ask me.” Said amazed Horen. “I have idea, what they are doing. But this is only helping us in our work.”

Three rouges stood from savannah, giving up theirs camouflage. There was no need to hide. Priderock was empty.

“Boss, I don’t like it!” said Daki, following his leader in path uphill.

“Yeah!” agreed Laki. “If they have hostages here, why they left them unguarded?”

“Because, there are no hostages!” gasped redmaned. “That Shakisa is probably dead. We are here only to confirm it.”

They entered silent main cave. It was dark, still, but not totally abandoned. Timon and Pumbaa were laying in corner of main chamber, shaking on all body.

“Those are those <hostages>?” asked Horen with anger. “There are just preys! Warthog and mongoose...”

“He is actually a merkaat, sir!” interrupted Pumbaa.

“Shout up, we are playing dead!” yelled Timon.

“I was just defending you honour...” replied warthog, but he froze in silence, when redmaned lion came to him.

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