The Brown Branch

Chungu hit Tetesi’s side with impetus that threw them both over four metres aside. Brownfurred intuitively clenched her paws, plunging them into Kiara’s neck. So when rouge pushed her in side, she also pulled her claws in queen’s body. But then she was grabbed in the air and second later landed on sand. One of the first thing the noticed what that her paws was all spotted with blood of lioness.

“Damn!” thought brownfurred. “I so wanted to kill her, that I actually missed the moment.” But before she smiled, heavy blow struck her forehead.

“You killed Angaa!” growled Chungu.

“Sorry, I had to misunderstood his peaceful intentions.” Snorted Tetesi with weary voice. The dizziness inside her head was overwhelming. She was also totally confused. It came not as she planned.

“You will die.” Called lion and hit again.

“Someday everyone will.” Smiled Tetesi, somehow shunning another attack. That gave her enough time to take a look around. She saw Kiara, slowly hobbling in Golden Cave direction. From her neck was flowing down the red stream of artery’s blood. “You are done anyway, Chungu!” called brownfurred. “Look, you killed the queen!”

“I?” lion stopped shocked. “You did it.”

“Kill me too and they will surely believe you!” laughed Tetesi and rouge uncertain turned his stare back. Maybe it wasn’t too noble nor heroic, but lioness pounced in that moment.

Looking back, rouge unshielded his precious neck. Tetesi didn’t waste her chance and hit exactly in that spot. With claws she plunged into his side, to get a grab, then bit the throat. Whatever it looks, it’s not easy for lioness with rather small jaw to crush giant male’s neck. Apart of size it just hard to aim, because of mane. But Tetesi hit good enough to damage one of neck arteries. She jumped back instantly then, not tempting her fate. If she stayed a moment longer even fatal wounded male could squashed her in his mighty grip.

So she stopped several metres before rouge, looking on his neck. The blood was almost unseen, because lion’s mane was naturally red. But then it was glued with moisture in places where Tetesi hit. Chungu was bleeding to death. However he was still dangerous. Lioness prepared herself for further combat. He had to eliminate last witness of her assassination, what wasn’t hard, if he was going to be careful. She was – attacking from distance, tiring enemy, he waited for nature to do her job. Moves of lion were becoming slower and slower, less firm and agile. Tetesi decided that she could finish him with one decisive attack. But somehow stopped her. She still was circling around fading enemy.

“Actually it’s not his fault he got into this.” She thought. “I know it rather a poor recompensation, but I want him to die as a warrior, fighting to the last breath.” So she was dancing around rouge until he finally hit the sand with no more life in his veins. Then she recalled herself about Kiara. Tetesi turned east and set off to run, but after few steps she understood it was useless. Queen had already lost her race with death.

*

Kiara was walking ahead, slowly losing any vision. She felt no more pain nor sorrow, just overwhelming weakness in whole body. She knew she was dying but somehow – she didn’t know why - tried to go as far as she could.

“Maybe I doing it for Kovu.” She though with fading mind. “And somehow for Tetesi too. She killed me, because I was too weak. I will show them both, I really can walk the desert. It’s not so hard, as I thought. Just you have to forget about weariness and want to move ahead. Can you see it Kovu? I’m desert lioness now!” whispered in mind, then hit with muzzle into hot sand of her kingdom.

When I got to her, she was already dead. She was almost exsaguinated, not surprisingly after cut of both neck arteries. I was simply amazed how she got that far. Maybe it was just her dying message? That he wasn’t as weak as I though?

Then I burst in tears. I know, it sounds stupid, but I was actually crying for her. She was my rival, she stole Kovu from me. But she was also a friend. Maybe only I had in Golden Sands. The closest person to me, except of Kovu and mother. I bended down to her and licked her forehead, still sobbing. It wasn’t pang of remorse, just pang of sorrow. But then I calmed down. I had to save tears for later.

It prepared that too – I had to lie before Kovu and made him believe what he wanted to. Maybe it sounds easy, but for me cheating my love was much harder than killing my friend. I scratched my cheeks and forehead with my own paws. Then I got back to Kiara’s body and added another cut on her neck. Thanks to that injuries looked as inflicted by male’s paws. After that I was ready to do the worst part.

Hobbling and partially crawling came easily for me, because I was actually exhausted. Few my wound had done some work too, so I was marching home as half-dead. As first mother noticed me. She roared to alarm pride and soon after almost everyone came for me. Only Lipizi, Jamaa and guarding them Danti, Ostasi and Tuli stayed. Of course cubs were in cave too. So I was quickly surrounded by almost everyone, but I was looking only for one silhouette. I kept my head on the ground and didn’t move an inch when Kovu bended down to me and asked with terrified voice.

“Kiara… where is Kiara!?”

“My lord… forgive me!” I called with all my might, with blow of that yell some sand from the ground. “She… she…” I burst in the cry. In the same time faked and real ones.

I felt as mother laid down next to me and lick my head. I remained motto be careful. She was – attacking from distance, tiring enemy, he waited for nature to do her job. Moves of lion were becoming slower and slower, less firm and agile. Tetesi decided that she could finish him with one decisive attack. But somehow stopped her. She still was circling around fading enemy.