time, looking on queen then on arbiter. Finally he said with proud voice.

“So be it, black-maned. Two Golden Ones will come with you...” meanwhile he was wondering who he could send. “I wish to rid off Kota, because she would again start to plot against me. I thought that I would get like her, because she gave her life for her monarch... but she HAD TO return! I bet she is already up to something. But on the other hand, Kota – because of her spite – won’t tell about my successes as a king. I must send also somebody reliable and trustworthy...” His stare stopped on queen’s sister. “Raia, Kota. I send you with Taka, to spread a news about our kingdom among others lions courts. Deliver them greetings from Golden Sands.”

“Yes, my lord.” Said Raia with barely repressing sorrow. She knew that king chose her because of her faithfulness, but incoming parting with Dhalimu was hard for her.

“Yes, sir!” almost shouted Kota, barely repressing her joy. She looked on Taka and smiled. Maybe not everything had gone as they planned, but they were about to be together for few months.

“So eat, drink and go, when you are ready.” Ordered Dhalimu. “This audience is over.”

 unger won’t cease but it would be significantly reduced. We won’t scare away the herds each other. A bit of self-control could save us from a disaster.”

“Golden Sands are the most powerful of Lions Lands!” growled Dhalimu. “The biggest: yes.” Agreed Taka in mind. “Most powerful? Well, should we count a hundreds of square kilometres of sands as a proof of power?” “We are managing without your advices.” Finished king.

“I have never said that it is not true.” Replied arbiter calmly, but he looked with a telling stare on wounds of Raia and Kota.

“Good!” added sandy-maned. “We thank you for saving Kota, but you don’t have to worry about or kingdom any longer. The king is leading us firmly and will be, with or without your alliance.”

“So I’m humbly asking you, sir...” started Taka. “...to send two lionesses with me. I would teach them how to...”

“What?” gasped angry monarch. “You want to teach Golden Lionesses how to live on desert?” Taka felt he went too far and wanted to quit his idea, but unexpectedly Niva supported him.

“My king...” she whispered to mate’s ear. “Maybe you will try. Thanks to that we could re-establish a contact with other courts and...”

“<And> what?” hastened her ruler.

“News about welfare of Golden Sands would extol you name, darling.”

Brown-maned was thinking some time, looking on queen then on arbiter. Finally he said with proud voice.

“So be it, black-maned. Two Golden Ones will come with you...” meanwhile he was wondering who he could send. “I wish to rid off Kota, because she would again start to plot against me. I thought that I would get like her, because she gave her life for her monarch... but she HAD TO return! I bet she is already up to something. But on the other hand, Kota – because of her spite – won’t tell about my successes as a king. I must send also somebody reliable and trustworthy...” His stare stopped on queen’s sister. “Raia, Kota. I send you with Taka, to spread a news about our kingdom among others lions courts. Deliver them greetings from Golden Sands.”

“Yes, my lord.” Said Raia with barely repressing sorrow. She knew that king chose her because of her faithfulness, but incoming parting with Dhalimu was hard for her.

“Yes, sir!” almost shouted Kota, barely repressing her joy. She looked on Taka and smiled. Maybe not everything had gone as they planned, but they were about to be together for few months.

;

VII. For king and country

 

From Golden Sands they set off to Sahel Plains. That kingdom was bordered upon Prideland on the east. It lies over one of the tributary of Border River. Once. In those days the border with Taka’s homeland was just a strip of swamp, so salty that even arbiter was afraid of drinking from it. But not drinking was a goal of journey. Raia, Kota and Taka were going on court of Hodari – Sahel Plains king. Old ruler had been cooperating with arbiter since some time, but black-maned tried to often refresh friendship with monarchs supporting him. Moreover, he had something more on mind.

“Amali and Mtanga.” He thought. “They weren’t in South Forest, because forest is completely lifeless. They are still looking for their place or they stopped on one of the courts. Or maybe...” But he ceased that grim thought and was marching ahead. His sister just couldn’t die, that would be absurd. She always had more luck, even most sophisticated pranks, for whose Taka and Dahabu were punished severely, got away scot-free for her. “And parents surely are caring for her.” Added lion silently. “We care about you too.” Sounded in his mind, but it could be just a sun-stroke illusion.

“Sir, are we turning west?” asked Raia suspiciously.

Indeed – thoughtful lion sidetracked on right. He hadn’t noticed when he turned away from Limestone Alley (a route discovered by Taka when he was returning from Golden Sands) and voice of lioness awoke him from reverie. Immediately he shook off the heavy thoughts and joined queen’s sister and Kota.

“No. I just have checked sand’s temperature.” Replied and golden-furred burst in laughter, clearly seeing error of lion.

“So still due south?” asked Raia with grave seriousness. “Good, you are leading, sir.”

They were a strange fellowship – Kota and Taka were behaving like young cubs, laughing and playing pranks, probably slowly understanding they have a case on each other. Meanwhile sandy-furred was marching next to them, although far from them in the same time. She was speaking little, as if she wasn’t going with old friend and interesting teacher, but among strangers. Only in case of learning of the desert life, Raia was curious, inquiring and demanding more and more of new knowledge. She took seriously ruler’s order and was trying to learn as much as she could.

Kota addressed Taka by name probably since always. But Raia called him <sir>, giving in it a decent dose of official respect. Asked why she did rubbed shoulders with lion, she replied with no hesitation.

“If my king recognized you as an arbiter, you are worthy of my respect due to you title.” And of course she added with serious tone. “Sir!”

Taka couldn’t say that he don’t like sandy-furred. Actually was just the opposite – firm character of lioness, her strength of will and smart mind aroused a genuine admire of wanderer. But Raia just could;"> 

From Golden Sands they set off to Sahel Plains. That kingdom was bordered upon Prideland on the east. It lies over one of the tributary of Border River. Once. In those days the border with Taka’s homeland was just a strip of swamp, so salty that even arbiter was afraid of drinking from it. But not drinking was a goal of journey. Raia, Kota and Taka were going on court of Hodari – Sahel Plains king. Old ruler had been cooperating with arbiter since some time, but black-maned tried to often refresh friendship with monarchs supporting him. Moreover, he had something more on mind.

“Amali and Mtanga.” He thought. “They weren’t in South Forest, because forest is completely lifeless. They are still looking for their place or they stopped on one of the courts. Or maybe...” But he ceased that grim thought and was marching ahead. His sister just couldn’t die, that would be absurd. She always had more luck, even most sophisticated pranks, for whose Taka and Dahabu were punished severely, got away scot-free for her. “And parents surely are caring for her.” Added lion silently. “We care about you too.” Sounded in his mind, but it could be just a sun-stroke illusion.

“Sir, are we turning west?” asked Raia suspiciously.

Indeed – thoughtful lion sidetracked on right. He hadn’t noticed when he turned away from Limestone Alley (a route discovered by Taka when he was returning from Golden Sands) and voice of lioness awoke him from reverie. Immediately he shook off the heavy thoughts and joined queen’s sister and Kota.

“No. I just have checked sand’s temperature.” Replied and golden-furred burst in laughter, clearly seeing error of lion.

“So still due south?” asked Raia with grave seriousness. “Good, you are leading, sir.”

They were a strange fellowship – Kota and Taka were behaving like young cubs, laughing and playing pranks, probably slowly understanding they have a case on each other. Meanwhile sandy-furred was marching next to them, although far from them in the same time. She was speaking little, as if she wasn’t going with old friend and interesting teacher, but among strangers. Only in case of learning of the desert life, Raia was curious, inquiring and demanding more and more of new knowledge. She took seriously ruler’s order and was trying to learn as much as she could.

Kota addressed Taka by name probably since always. But Raia called him <sir>, giving in it a decent dose of official respect. Asked why she did rubbed shoulders with lion, she replied with no hesitation.

“If my king recognized you as an arbiter, you are worthy of my respect due to you title.” And of course she added with serious tone. “Sir!”

n’t win a true friendship because she didn’t ask for it. She favoured him just with cold kindness and all acts that Taka could recognise as proofs of fondness were connected with a gratitude towards his as a teacher. Finally arbiter found that Raia wasn’t able to get like him unless he prove he was a friend of her beloved king.

During nights on open air (that was: four of five rest in their journey), whole three was sleeping together, side to side, for security. But if Kota and Taka both enjoyed and felt a bit ashamed by that intimacy, sandy-furred seemed to completely ignoring closeness of male and innocent caresses that her companions were exchanging.

“Tomorrow we should be

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