attack once more.

So Taka decided to divide Pridelandresses. Until Tiko was still looking for help for king in Mighty Jungle, prince-regent left four lionesses to nurse Dahabu and ordered to rest to follow him on the desert.

“That’s simple.” He explained Maitha, whom he had made a leader of king’s security. “You are with him, guarding him and feeding him. Four of you could defend that narrow entrance to royal cave even from herd of elephants and for five mouth water from Priderock’s source will be enough. Thanks to that you will be able to regularly cleaning infected wounds of Dahabu. We will bring you food and...”

“Sir, you won’t survive on desert.”

“Do you want to bet, aunt?” asked prince-regent with pride. It sounded strange, because just two moths earlier elder lioness was calling black-maned just <Taka>  and he was treating her, especially since death of Vitani, as aunt and caretaker. But Taka matured for previous months – death of his father, exile and return had changed lion in extraordinary way. That why elder lioness considered that black-maned wasn’t the old, tiny Taka, but actual leader of the pride.

“I hope you know what are you doing.”

“I hope it too, aunt.” Murmured lion and licked her forehead. “Wish us a luck and pray to Kings of the Past to light our ways.” Then he turned to seven lionesses of hunting team and commanded. “Follow me!” And they set off on north-west, almost in setting sun direction.

First stop he made just before dusk, on Border River’s bank. He showed how to drink from mud. Unconvinced Pridelandresses were looking on that with fear, when prince was quickly sucking water from slime. But then the bravest ones followed his example.

“Sir! That water is salty. It’s dangerous.” Yelled Biti, the youngest lioness of Prideland.

“I prefer to suffer some intoxication than to die in healthy way.” Replied prince, still lapping a mud. “Easy, a bit of salt hurt no one and won’t hurt us, if we avoid of sunstroke. Drink just from upper layers, that wait for mud to deposit on the bottom... Look, Cheka got it right.”

Through his lips a learning of mother, Kota and Kauli was flowing. What strange, also a some unknown voice was sounding in Taka’s words. Lion had never heard most of advices he was giving. But he didn’t care, because he felt a certainty that what he was doing was right. Heritage of the Golden Lion was awakening.

They were hunting at night, getting one adaks antelope, fennec and over dozen of smaller creatures. Lionesses were obediently listening to prince’s orders, still hardly believing that unknown to them desert was hiding so much treasures. And even greater confusion made Taka on next morning, when he instructed to gather a dew from below rock.

“Water is here!” exclaimed shocked Cheka. “But it just can’t be...”

“During the day, it can’t.” agreed black-maned. “So drink faster, until sun will he high.”

“Sir, that way we could live here for ever!” called delighted Biti.

“No exactly, my dear. It’s not so simple.” Said lion. “We cleaned that area from preys. So in next week we won’t find food here.”

“So what we are going to do?” asked scared lioness.

“We will go where Golden Pride once went, seeking sanctuary for them and Pridelanders. To the Outlands.”

“Ow, yeah... right.” Agreed Biti. In fact she was ready to believe that Taka could find a source in the centre of Great Desert.

And life was going that way: they were hunting during day, drink a dew on mornings and then carrying foot on Priderock, to feed king and his carers. They were resting in shade of cave and on evening set off on next hunting to next territory. Pridelanders slowly became desert lions – always in motion, always ready to improvise. As once Golden Rock was only a temporally shelter for ancestors of Golden Pride, the Priderock became just a night haven for mobile hunting team.

After four days to Dahabu came Kinamu – a wise mandrill from Mighty Jungle. Quickly he took duties of nursing over febrile king and it turn out that he made it in last moment. Two days after his arrival, shaman woke up resting Taka and took him on side. He said straight.

“Your brother, sir, would be dead right now if not a wonderful care you have provided to him. Especially Maitha – as a lioness she wasn’t agile enough to perfectly clean his wounds but she did it as good as her nature allowed her. By the way: you have organised it very well, my prince. I’m impressed that you managed to feed and water him and save enough water for cleaning the wounds. Water from your source allowed him to live.”

“When the king will recover?” asked Taka. “This way constant effort and nomad life is fatiguing fast lioness of my... that is: of his pride.”

“Few more weeks.” Replied mandrill, smiling while hearing regent’s mistake. “My prince... if you did nothing to your brother, you would be <my king> right now. You know?”

“Maybe.” Said lion. „But there are many thrones on this world but I have just one brother.”

So with that answer he left shaman next to ill monarch. He once again led hunting team, that time on south, in South Forest’s direction. <Forest> as dried and lifeless already but among dead trunks there was still a little preys, seeking haven from sunrays. So he had enough meat for his pride. “No! For his pride!” repeated Taka in mind, while carrying antelope’s haunch in his mouth into home’s direction.

Three weeks later, just before dawn, Dahabu for the very first time left the cave. Supported by prince’s and Cheka’s sides, he carefully went down from rock’s ledge and went to grave of dead mate. Here for long time remained in silence, then uncertain lionesses started to going way, to leave ruler alone with memories of Anasa. But when Taka turned to path uphill, king ordered.

“No. You stay!” Lion sat next to brother and when lionesses went away, he said with calm, maybe even contrary voice.

“We made a long journey. So much has happened, but so little has changed. Once again we are in front of ours beloved graves and once again I should prepare myself for a journey...”

“You will decide by yourself.” Replied Dahabu seriously. He looked on brother and put his paw on Taka’s shoulder. “You are wrong, much have changed and Anasa’a death let me to see that. Taka, I wronged you, but you turned out to be generous and forgiving – you gave up your revenge. Or I’m wrong...”

“Hm? What do you mean?” surprised Taka.

“Don’t say you don’t know.” Snorted older of brothers. “This is the last moment when you can became a king. You are weaker, we know it both. But you have proved that you can make up for it by your wit and endurance. So today you are still able to challenge me and win according to the Code of Challenge.”

“Have you lost your mind?” yelled Taka. “What the hack for should I have saved you if I wanted to dispose you? I won’t raise my paws against brother.” He stood and went to graves of parents. He put right paw on tomb of father and left of tomb of mother. “I’ve learned many things in last few months. Important things. I want build what parents were building and grandparents and theirs ancestors before them. Some very wise creature showed me real sources, that will never dry. One of that sources is old law of our kingdom tells the oldest son of king to rule after him. I won’t fight neither you nor any other monarch in Lions Lands. I will obey laws of our father as he once was obedient to laws of ancestors.”

“Taka... but you seem to be king more than I.” Interrupted him brother. “I wouldn’t forgive so easy and think only about good of pride.”

“Every lion learns whole life...”

“You don’t understand!” snorted Dahabu. “When I regain my strength and haughtiness of healthy and mighty lion, I will forget about every word we are saying now. Do you think we will be living like one, loving family? I wish to, Taka, but I doubt I will be able to.”

“And you don’t have to.” Replied black-maned. “I will go away. Priderock already has its king. And what most important: almost fully functional king!” He burst in airy laughter, but face of his brother remained serious.

“We can’t waste that.” Said Dahabu and then he answered on silent question of younger brother. “You. Your wisdom and faith.”

“That’s not my wisdom, I just trust in wisdom of greater ones than I.”

“Do you remember grandpa Simba? You was just a cub when he died, but I remember still his tales, that once he heard from your great-grandfather – Mufasa.” Said pensive king. “Those tales about times before our ancestors came on Prideland. About times of wanders.” Taka nodded his head. Maybe he was just a cub then, but curious cub. “And about arbiters...”

“Those lions who were living outside prides, judge arguments, negotiate during wars and bequeath history of Lions Lands?”

“Yes... Taka, be our arbiter.” Asked with authentic humility Dahabu. “Help the others as you helped us. I know...” with wave of paw he interrupted brother’s objection. “...arbiter is not a ruler, but he is also no subject. This is free lion, who serves everyone but he is noone’s servant. I can’t appoint you as a arbiter. I just can recognize you as arbiter and humbly ask you to take care of pride. I don’t know if other prides will do the same, but I believe that they will.”

Taka was silent for long while, still stroking stone-piles of both graves. Horizon on east was already enlighten by rising sun, but cold of night was still gently caressing lions sides. Black-maned looked with questioning stare on graves then of stars, fading on the sky due to starting day. He heard no voice but he sensed it. Ancestors spoke and ask him to agree.

“Point for you, bro.” Said black-maned finally. “As the Arbiter of Lions Lands I’m taking charge of your kingdom, your highness. Wish me a luck.” Asked and instantly turned west and started to run, like he was

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