state of mind, that he didn’t notice Golden Sands. Majestic rock, the keep of desert kingdom, appeared before him, but wandered didn’t raise his weary head. He didn’t see how huge the residence of Golden Pride was – almost hundred meters high, three hundred meters wide. Massif was heart-shaped, pointed with sharper end on north. On the south side was the entrance to monarch’s cave, and that was its main advantage – thanks to that residents of Golden Cave were shielded from scorching sun in zenith, mercilessly falling from the northern sky. So shape was making rock perfect shelter and moreover – it was hiding inside a real treasure. Through the numerous gaps and crack in massif a dew was dropping down to caves and creating small source of fresh water. It wasn’t giving too much liquid but it was exactly enough to provide a pride of fourteen lionesses and their king.

Before the entrance was a square, shielded from sun by shade of rock. Thanks to source in cave, few dozens of acacias and cactuses was growing there, creating a decorative hedge from desert to front of stone-wall. Additionally, a sand on square - that tiniest, blowing by gentle eastern wind - in light of fading sun was actually looking like a golden dust. Taka would probably admire the beautiful keep and agreed that Golden Cave deserved its name, of course, if he was abe to. In that moment he was hobbling with muzzle near the ground, automatically chewing a root of thistle and from time to time swallowing a nauseating mixture of blood and saliva. In that condition Kota and Raia found him.

“Look!” whispered young, sandy-furred lioness. “A lion!” Her companion, golden-furred, gentle female, gave up her previous work (that was: searching for dew under flat stones) and took a look in direction shown by friend.

“A lion.” Agreed without emotions. „He won’t hurt us. He looks so exhausted like he was crossing the Great Desert recently.”

“Desperation could also add strength.” Murmured Raia. “Kota, go for the king and I’ll stop him here.”

In spite of weariness, irritation of useless hunt and general amusement caused by both seriousness and fear of friend, Kota was a bit surprised. She judged that exhausted wandered was a minimal threat for kingdom, but if she was Raia, she would go for Dhalimu and announce his that news. To be closer to monarch, prove her loyalty and usefulness... Sandy-furred never hid that she loved the new king of Golden Sands. She had been loving him since cubhood, in times of lady Kiara and lord Kovu and through years since that nothing has changed. Although young prince, then young king, was ignoring his admireress, to take care of favours of her older sister – Niva, Raia has never resigned from silent and devoted service to her monarch. She was a perfect example of devotion and loyalty - always first to hunting and hard duty of searching dew. She was severely eradicating every sign of discontent or disobedience towards the ruler. As a first she kneeled before the new queen and with absolute honesty she acknowledged her power. But she did it only because her love to king. And that why Kota expected that lioness wouldn’t lose a chance to endear herself to Dhalimu. But no – she was only concerned with her duties, seeking no private benefit in it.

“He won’t eat me! You go.” Said golden-furred, wanting to a good turn to friend. Raia nodded her head witmed state of mind, that he didn’t notice Golden Sands. Majestic rock, the keep of desert kingdom, appeared before him, but wandered didn’t raise his weary head. He didn’t see how huge the residence of Golden Pride was – almost hundred meters high, three hundred meters wide. Massif was heart-shaped, pointed with sharper end on north. On the south side was the entrance to monarch’s cave, and that was its main advantage – thanks to that residents of Golden Cave were shielded from scorching sun in zenith, mercilessly falling from the northern sky. So shape was making rock perfect shelter and moreover – it was hiding inside a real treasure. Through the numerous gaps and crack in massif a dew was dropping down to caves and creating small source of fresh water. It wasn’t giving too much liquid but it was exactly enough to provide a pride of fourteen lionesses and their king.

Before the entrance was a square, shielded from sun by shade of rock. Thanks to source in cave, few dozens of acacias and cactuses was growing there, creating a decorative hedge from desert to front of stone-wall. Additionally, a sand on square - that tiniest, blowing by gentle eastern wind - in light of fading sun was actually looking like a golden dust. Taka would probably admire the beautiful keep and agreed that Golden Cave deserved its name, of course, if he was abe to. In that moment he was hobbling with muzzle near the ground, automatically chewing a root of thistle and from time to time swallowing a nauseating mixture of blood and saliva. In that condition Kota and Raia found him.

“Look!” whispered young, sandy-furred lioness. “A lion!” Her companion, golden-furred, gentle female, gave up her previous work (that was: searching for dew under flat stones) and took a look in direction shown by friend.

“A lion.” Agreed without emotions. „He won’t hurt us. He looks so exhausted like he was crossing the Great Desert recently.”

“Desperation could also add strength.” Murmured Raia. “Kota, go for the king and I’ll stop him here.”

In spite of weariness, irritation of useless hunt and general amusement caused by both seriousness and fear of friend, Kota was a bit surprised. She judged that exhausted wandered was a minimal threat for kingdom, but if she was Raia, she would go for Dhalimu and announce his that news. To be closer to monarch, prove her loyalty and usefulness... Sandy-furred never hid that she loved the new king of Golden Sands. She had been loving him since cubhood, in times of lady Kiara and lord Kovu and through years since that nothing has changed. Although young prince, then young king, was ignoring his admireress, to take care of favours of her older sister – Niva, Raia has never resigned from silent and devoted service to her monarch. She was a perfect example of devotion and loyalty - always first to hunting and hard duty of searching dew. She was severely eradicating every sign of discontent or disobedience towards the ruler. As a first she kneeled before the new queen and with absolute honesty she acknowledged her power. But she did it only because her love to king. And that why Kota expected that lioness wouldn’t lose a chance to endear herself to Dhalimu. But no – she was h gratitude and run to royal cave. And Kota covered dew-giving stones with bunch of thistle branches and set of to stranger. “Raise your head, hunk, or you won’t notice our cave.” She called friendly.

And black-maned instantly picked up his muzzle but in the same time he tensed his face in expression of pain, when muscles of his neck, used to bended pose, disobeyed him. Lioness saw under blond-red beard hollow cheeks and noticed that his eyes were bloodshot due to effort and weariness. Also they were begging for a draught of water. Paws of guest were cut thanks to long way and sharp rocks and on lion’s back lioness noticed a spots of blood. Black-maned had to fight with sandstorm on open air.

“Ow, Arista!” yelled Kota and run to support hobbling wanderer.

She didn’t make it – black-maned had already fallen on soft and golden sand of square, hitting it with muzzle. He unwittingly opened his mouth and a trickle of blood flowed from it.

Desperate lioness understood that stranger was dying. Without hesitation she clang with her mouth to his lips, trying to support him with that portion of moisture. Then she draught motionless body of unconsciousness male into a shade of cactuses. She extended her claws and cut plant’s stem. In spite of pain in pricked paw-pod, she excised a juicy fragment of trunk and put it in mouth of guest. Black-maned started to suck a cactus juice. Seeing that he was able to independent swallowing of wet pulp, Kota instantly returned to wounded cactus and covered a cut in stem with few stones. Even one drop of plant’s moisture couldn’t be wasted. And in that moment came Dhalimu with lionesses.

“What a mess! Have you done it alone?” asked giant brown-maned male. “Not bad!”

“No, sir. That is...” started golden-furred, but then she realized that he had no idea whom she was introducing. “I don’t now, sir. We found him with Raia. He is exhausted and probably he was marching through the Great Desert.”

Apart of ruler all fourteen of lionesses (counting Raia and Kota) were outside the cave. Just behind monarch was standing Niva – light-furred, gentle lioness, recently crowned mate of Dhalimu. Raia run to wanderer and stood between him and king, like he was ready to defend lion (almost twice big as she) from exhausted and barely awake stranger.

“What we should do, my lord?” she asked.

“He resemble me someone...” murmured Dhalimu. “Don’t kill him, I want to interrogate him.”

That last sentence got to dimmed mind of Taka and forced him to open his eyes. Eyelids reluctantly obeyed the order of brain, but lion managed to notice a giant lion and his court in light of fading sun. For few seconds he was wondering if that wasn’t a dream, but then he came to conclusion he had to act like that dream was real.

“I am Taka the Second.” Whispered with effort. “Son of Vitani and Tanabi. I came to you from Prideland.”

Or at least he tried to say that, but wasn’t sure if he fully succeeded and host unders>

And black-maned instantly picked up his muzzle but in the same time he tensed his face in expression of pain, when muscles of his neck, used to bended pose, disobeyed him. Lioness saw under blond-red beard hollow cheeks and noticed that his eyes were bloodshot due to effort and weariness.