memories song

And take what gives us, makes us strong

We’re showing that great precious to the world

[Singing, they both bends down over sand. From soil a little sprout is sprouting with unnatural speed, almost like it is raising to hear more of lion’s and snake’s song.]

If life is growing to the sky

It’s sing that root gave it supply

So if we want to grow – hear of roots word

[Black-maned and python (who again climbed on lion’s neck) are going back to slope of pan. They peep out the edge. With amaze Taka realizes that on desert he could see many creatures: tiny grass clusters, kangaroo mice, running among stones, some other small rodent, digging in sand. Black-maned smiles with surprise but also with admire. For a second we see almost unseen in daylight ghost of Sparthi.]

„All right, but now you must rest.” Said finally Kauli. “Kota would be furious if she know how I’m healing you.”

 

*

Days passed and Taka was learning how to walk and hunt. Also his time was filled with lesions of Kauli. Black-maned had inherited many wonderful songs and stories from his parents, but snake added many to that legacy. For month he spent in Dry Oasis lion got knew about his ancestors from Desert Line.

“When I was young and was just starting a service on Arista’s court, I became Zira’s tutor.” Said reptile. “She was an extraordinary lioness and tale you told about her on Prideland only confirmed that. Too bad you have never met her. But when you are in need or danger, ask your grandmother for help.”

“Do you think she would speak to me?” surprised lion. “The time of Heroes is gone. What for Ancient Ones could interfere in living ones matters?”

“Well... they did it once.” Noticed python with amusement. “But don’t think about it now. Anyway, dusk has come and Kota would be here any minute.”

Lion hardly hid his excitement, hearing about golden-furred. He started to discreetly combing his mane, at the same time trying to check himself in reflection of oasis well. Python didn’t comment those endeavours, just smiled. Then he had to bear importunate questions about golden-furred, when she started to be late.

*

“Kota?” sounded a whisper in Golden Cave’s corridor. Lioness froze in fear, still holding a portion of meat in jaws. She was going to Taka, to feed him and almost managed to exit the cave unnoticed, when... “Let’s go outside. We must talk.” Added Raia. It was sandy-furred who spotted her friend. In Kota’s head a thousand thoughts were boiling. Some voices were begging her to escape and instant run to Dry Oasis. “Come on! We won’t speak here, not to wake king.”

Golden-furred sighed with relief, hearing that she wouldn’t be delivered in Dhalimu’s paws. So she obediently went out the cave and followed Raia to Acacia Valley on square. Night was silent and cold as for dry season. There was a gentle wind in the air, blowing from the east – that time gentle wind. It wasn’t blowing with sandy dust. Raia sat under one of the oldest trees and with paw showed Kota place next to her. Lioness put a meat on the ground and looked on friend.

“Is this for Taka from Prideland?” asked sandy-furred with grave tone. Golden-furred wanted to say something, but after few seconds Raia wagged her tail impatient. “Don’t lie to me. I hate when you lie! Is that true?”

“Yes, that is for him.” Whispered Kota, feeling burning anxiety that her companion would call for the king.

“Who know about that?” inquired queen’s sister.

“I can’t...” yelled Kota.

“Who knows in the pride?!” interrupted her Raia. “Because I already figured out that you left him with Kauli in Dry Oasis.” Golden-furred sighed with relief, sensing that in her friend voice there is no anger nor fierceness, maybe just some imperceptible bitterness.

“Only Kauli. I said nothing to the girls.” Then Raia sighed and her severe look relaxed a bit.

“Right. And it must stay that way.” Said queen’s sister. “If pride gets know that you are breaking king’s orders, I will kill you.”

“But Raia... understand! Dhalimu did very...”

“Silence!” interrupted her lioness. “Don’t say a word. You have no right to judge your monarch. We are just subjects.” She pointed her stare in eyes of friend. “Why are you protecting that Pridelander? Have you fallen in love with him?”

“No way!” snorted Kota, but fur on her nape erected a little, showing an excitement. “I just... have to help him. He is king’s cousin after all.”

“And only because of that I turn a blind eye on your insubordination.” Replied sandy-maned. “Good, take that meat and go. But be quick, you must return before dawn.” And when Kota was grabbing food in jaw, Raia look in her eyes. “But I hope Taka will soon go away. Go away with him, if you want. It would be hard for me, but not as hard as killing you as a rebel...” not changing her calm tone, she extended her claws. “...when I found out you are plotting against king.”

“Raia...” whispered golden-furred, but load of her mouth muffled that.

“Go now.” Snorted sandy-furred and went back into cave’s direction. She still had something more to do – to take care about sister. After next argument with Dahlimu, on face and side of Niva appeared more bruises and cuts. Raia asked about nothing, just was cleaning wounds of queen and looking for additional water for white-furred. Also she was hushing every complain of sister.

“Hush, my lady.” She whispered to ear of Niva. “I will clean that cut and it will cease to sore.”

“But sister...” cried monarchess. “You don’t know what I have to...”

“I know.”

*

Meanwhile Kota reached Dry Oasis. She found Taka who was nervously chaffing with Kauli and constantly combing his (already perfectly combed) mane. Usually seeing funny faux-pas of red-bearded lion she bursts with laughter but that time a talk with Raia had annoyed her completely. She greeted with lion and python very coldly, gave black-maned a portion of meat, then laid on sand to rest before way back. Taka gave a discrete (and fixed earlier) signal for the snake and he excused lioness and went <to stretch his tail>.

“We have a beautiful night, haven’t we?” started Taka awkwardly. “Maybe we have some walk on Eastern Dunes, to see the stars?”

“Hasn’t Kauli taught you night-navigation?” asked lioness suspiciously. “But on the other hand, I guess he might have problems with pointing stars with his tail. And estimating angles between stars is surely quite hard for him. Right, so let’s go...”

“No...” murmured black-maned uncertainly. “I mean, to walk just for pleasure...” But lioness growled with irritation. “What happened, Kota? Is there is any problem?” And golden-furred lost her temper.

“Is there any problem? You are asking me if I have a problem? That’s good.” Murmured with annoyance. She stood up and started to circle the lion. “My king is raging, he is pushing about not only ordinary subjects but even his mate. My best friend want me to praise Dhalimu’s madness and additionally I have to spend all nights to feed some desert fumbler who’s...”

Those words hit Taka like a heavy stick. He closed his eyes and instinctively extended his claws. Romantic mood of the night, earlier disrupted by Kota’s restlessness, ultimately fell to pieces. Lion for the very first time asked himself: whom he was for golden-furred. Maybe just an annoying burden, additionally burden that was endangering her. “And I thought... It doesn’t matter. I did wrong, receiving her help.” He thought, stood up and went to lioness.

“Kota!” he interrupted her endless speech. “I haven’t thanked you for all you have done for me. Also I know that I have no facility to repay you that. But I hope, someday I will. I’m sorry that I’m troubling you in so late hour. Go back to your king, until he notice you are gone.” Golden-furred fell silent and look on lion.

“I mean... Taka, I didn’t mean that!”

But he just smiled grimly, nudged lioness with his muzzle and said.

“No. You said what you feel. I regret that you didn’t do it earlier. But now you must go back.” She was standing for a while, looking on black-maned, uncertain what to do. Finally she licked gentle his cheek.

“Good night, Taka.” She said and run out from oasis.

In lions head a hundreds thought were boiling. He was lolling about to do something, as fast as it was possible. He laid down on sand, put his muzzle to well and started to drink dirty water. And then returned Kauli.

“Are you going away?”

“Gulp!” confirmed black-maned.

“You are returning to Prideland?”

“Gulp.” Taka gulped once again, but then he raised his muzzle and looked on snake severely. “You were eavesdropping us!”

“Don’t call it < eavesdropping>.” Snorted python. “I even haven’t managed to crawl ten meters from oasis and you started to almost scream. As you know, I could have plug only one ear with my tail, under condition I had an external auricle... Stop it!” called, when lion grabbed his neck. “You are back in home. And what then?” Black-maned froze.

“I have no idea.” Confessed.

“And I know!” said snake triumphantly. “You want to return here, to Golden Sands. But not as a exiled prince nor ordinary rouge. As a Someone. Someone whom Kota won’t have to feed and protect. Someone who would get her admire.”

“And if... so what?” asked lion.

“That’s wonderful!” replied python. “Because it means that you have just one path before you.”

“Eee... what path?” asked confused Taka and instinctively scratched his beard.

“I think you already know.”

*

“He knows?” asked Tanabi, looking on son from firmament.

“No. Kauli is just bluffing.” Said Sparthi. Both dead rulers were floating over the Great Desert, looking on both Dry Oasis and Golden Sands. “I know him well. This is the Kauli’s manner: to teach by searching knowledge in student’s heart. It would took a while, but your son is gifted one.”

“Gifted enough to

Previous Page

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

Next page