on the edge of panic.

“Where is Nuka?” called Zira from cliff. “Where is Hawaa?”

“There, where is her place!” replied Vinia. “On the bottom!”

“Hawaa?” whispered Simba with surprise. “I know that name.”

Growl of pain sounded up there. Zira gasped with rage, but she sopped her pride from strike.

“You have killed our sister.” She shouted. “There will be no mercy on you!”

“HAWAA!” they heard painful scream. “HAWAA!” It was coming from path on river’s bank.

Nuka was slowly hobbling on three legs, calling in shock, again and again. In that moment, Simba recalled, who that lioness was. Yes, he remembered those blue eyes and light-grey fur from earliest days of his reign. That was the lost cub... lost under his authority. “Stars!” he called in minds. “I’ve killed my own subject!” He breathed deeply and gave only order he could.

“RETREAT!”

Twelve of Pridelanders jumped to cold river. There were no formatiplied Sarafina. “Now, we will see, who has right.”

“Love and loyalty.” Whispered Hawaa. “On both sides... I hate water... Nuka, I’m coming for you.”

on anymore or any order. Just run for life, so sudden that Zira was amazed. Queen was watching lions swimming, every on his or her own, to other bank. There was too late to attack – enemy was scattered, unable to being chase. Outlanders could risk a descent on southern bank... But queen quickly gave up that options. Hawaa was gone, Kovu was not here... She looked on Nuka, to find, that he is unable to swim or fight. Also, river was so enraged, that we was scared about casualties of passing.

“I hope, that you drown... all of you!” called in mind and started to run down.

After few moments she came to Nuka. Her son was still repeating his beloved’s name and gazing pointlessly at east. Zira touched him gently, but he didn’t react. Just... was still hobbling ahead, deaf to every word. Vitani came there too.

“Take some lionesses and search for Hawaa.” Ordered queen. “She still could be alive.” added with no hope in her voice. “Or no, Danthi will do that... You help me take Nuka home...”

“Don’t, mother.” Said Vitani with breaking voice. “Leave him alone... they will strike on us, when we are defenceless... And where is Sarafina?”

“Mom?” called Nala uncertainly. Murmur sounded between lionesses. “Where is my mother?” asked queen desperately.

“My lady... I’m so sorry...” whispered Sorphi. “That Outlanderess... got her...”

Nala froze and Simba felt, that they just couldn’t wait. Pride was on the edge of panic.

“Where is Nuka?” called Zira from cliff. “Where is Hawaa?”

“There, where is her place!” replied Vinia. “On the bottom!”

“Hawaa?” whispered Simba with surprise. “I know that name.”

Growl of pain sounded up there. Zira gasped with rage, but she sopped her pride from strike.

“You have killed our sister.” She shouted. “There will be no mercy on you!”

“HAWAA!” they heard painful scream. “HAWAA!” It was coming from path on river’s bank.

Nuka was slowly hobbling on three legs, calling in shock, again and again. In that moment, Simba recalled, who that lioness was. Yes, he remembered those blue eyes and light-grey fur from earliest days of his reign. That was the lost cub... lost under his authority. “Stars!” he called in minds. “I’ve killed my own subject!” He breathed deeply and gave only order he could.

“RETREAT!”

Twelve of Pridelanders jumped to cold river. There were no formatiplied Sarafina. “Now, we will see, who has right.”

“Love and loyalty.” Whispered Hawaa. “On both sides... I hate water... Nuka, I’m coming for you.”

just for some time.”

Meanwhile, lion walked few meters away and didn’t showed any interest in talk of lionesses. He was restlessly repeating name of Hawaa and jumping ahead on three legs.

“So...” thought Zira. “Though was disaster. But it was so close...”

Silent on river bank was disturbing only by monotonous voice of Nuka and sound of speeding water.

*

Vitani found spots of blood on rock at the edge of waterfall. Also, returning at the dawn, she met Nuka, still walking slowly in east direction, repeating name of beloved. She left him alone and back to mother, to report.

Nuka returned to Golden Hall two days later.

He was still hobbling a little, but his leg was about to recover. He was dirty, wet and skeletal attenuate. In his eyes was burning fever. In first impulse, Vitani touched his forehead, but it was cold, like wet fur. So, this fever was flaming only in mind. Nuka went to his mother and felt on the ground before her.

“Will you forgive me, mother?” asked with weary voice.

Zira was enraged, but not on him – on herself. She felt guilty of both failure of son’s plan and death of Hawaa. She wanted to laid next to son, hug him, lick his scratched face and to cry for lost friend and charge. But somehow, she couldn’t. “If he fells guilty, it only make will him stronger.” Whispered some voice in her mind.

“I will.” Replied Zira, but her voice was cold as ice.

“I...” whispered Nuka. “I... have only you now. I will do everything to make you proud.”

“Kovu is the Scar’s heir.” Said Zira. She didn’t want to, knowing, how it was hard to her first son. But it was necessary.

“I know...” replied Nuka. “He will be the king...”

So Scar’s son raised from ground and went out from Golden Hall. Just before the entrance, he met Kovu, just backing to keep with prey. Blackmaned got loose meat from mouth, seeing sick and depressed brother. “And I’m guilty.” Thought. “I was not here to help him.”

“Nuka...” muttered. “I’m sorry... If I can do something...”

“Become a king.” Replied Nuka with hollow voice. “No one could judge kings.”

And he walked alone, ahead and without aim.

Kovu took again meat and stepped into Golden Hall. Vitani greeted him with nod and he ran to mother and bowed his head before her.

“You are here.” Said queen. “But I was not, on that night.” Thought Kovu with bitterness. “Good... You training is almost complete.” Added Zira. “Just few more trials and I will officially acclaim your mission...” she looked on son with sad stare. “And you will have to do it well, because we have a new soul to avenge. We must eradicate them with no mercy! For Scar! For Amini! For... HAWAA!” called golden queen in silence of termite mound.

*

“Are you all right, my dear?” asked Simba, coming to his mate.

They were on the top of Priderock and Nala was looking on the north. Queen was sitting there long hours from death of her mother.

“Come down...” asked Simba. “She wouldn’t want you to be so upset...”

“Zira will die.” Gasped Nala with voice so cold, that Simba froze. “No mercy for this murderess.”

“But now... come down.” Pleaded king of Prideland.

 

16 – Rouge King

 

Sarafina and Kilia got to river after long run. They hadn’t found Hawaa in way and queen’s mother scared that they could had missed her. In fact that was quite possible, because plain was extensive and cub small, also searching team was in hurry. “Damn!” thought Sarafina. “And what we do next? Maybe she went somewhere else?”

“And what we do next? Maybe she went somewhere else?” Kilia repeated her thoughts aloud.

“We...” older lioness was desperately searching any solution. “... should split. I will wait next to the ford, in case we outran her and you will go bank to east, maybe she got lost. If you don’t find her, come back here, then you will stay and I’ll go west. Right?”

“Right!” agreed Kilia, but Sarafina suspected that nervous mother barely understood her order, ready to do anything, she told her. Inactivity was unacceptable for her, so Sarafina tried to find her any kind of quest. Kilia started to east with full speed and quickly disappeared behind hill nearby. Older lioness was alone.

She went to highest hill in sight, to get better look on vicinity. From high point and in full moon’s light it was easier, but still hard – she was looking just for tiny cub. She hoped, that Hawaa haven’t missed her way and was going straight to ford. It was not her fault, that she was wrong...

*

“Is this sure right way, boss?” asked Daki, looking on Horen.

“I think...” replied leader. “We are going more to north, to get faster to river. Bank is easier to move on it.”

True and false. In fact, parallel to river there was good track, but Horen had something other in mind. He wanted to reach river as fast, as possible, but he started in north-east to pass fighting place in safe direction. He was afraid, that on look of Amini in danger, spirit of war would wake up in twins. He didn’t want to risk, so he was guiding brothers in roundabout way. But even here, war found them. Or at least, Horen thought so.

“Go!” ordered to friends. “I will catch you in minute.”

“Right, boss.” Confirmed Laki, without slowing.

Horen ran on nearby hill, where he had spotted lone silhouette of lioness. “Damn!” he thought. “Zira’s girl, looking for reinforcements! They want to make hero oren though so.against my will... But I won’t play in that games.” He came to basin behind hill, where he met lioness. Before said anything, he started with emotional voice.

“Thank Stars, I found you! I’m looking for boys, they lost, when we were chasing some Simba’s sidekicks. I’ll get them and we will back. Let meet next to ford...” but lioness didn’t seem to even understanding, what redmaned was talking about.

“Hawaa! Hawaa!” was repeating. Horen judged, that he didn’t remember that lioness from Zira’s pride.

“Nice to meet you, I’m Horen. We probably haven’t been introduced...” but in that moment, he noticed, that fur of lioness is grey and she is completely different from desert lionesses from Outlaissed her. In fact that was quite possible, because plain was extensive and cub small, also searching team was in hurry. “Damn!” thought Sarafina. “And what we do next? Maybe she went somewhere else?”

“And what we do next? Maybe she went somewhere else?”

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