the pride... to his future kingdom. He must defend it, as the real monarch. And if he has to die... he must die hard.” Finished Scar with calm voice, although he was barely repressing own emotions.

*

On next day both adversaries woke almost at the same time – both late. Sun was already high over horizon and warming wounded ones. Provident lionesses covered lions with improvised veil made of acacia brush. In normal weather it would give nothing against desert heat, but under clouds of heavy dust on the sky, it made a descent shade.

“Taka!” called Dhalimu, climbing on boulder.

“How nice you remember my name!” replied arbiter.

“You have galled me so much, I would never forget it.” Said king and laughed airily. “How the wedding night?”

“Definitely too short.” Confessed black-maned. “Dhalimu... Thank you.”

“Save it, usurper.” Snorted monarch, but he was still smiling with embarrassment. “I did you a good turn, but it doesn’t mean that I won’t kill you.”

“I know.” Replied Taka. „I’m thanking just for yesterday.”

When they heard returning lionesses, without waiting for bitter scolds of Raia and Kota, they went down to own beddings. Mean breakfast and few draughts of water tasted them as no other meal in life. Especially Taka praised the meat brought by Kota.

“Delicious... You know, since I can’t see the world, I could sense it better with the other senses. With taste also.” Golden-furred froze for a moment, touched by unpleasant remind of lion’s disability. But then she bended down to him and kidded him.

“This is also tasting better?”

“Much better.”

And when arbiter finished to eat and drink, lionesses looked around, as if she was afraid of presence of Raia and started to whisper with emotional voice.

“Taka, listen to me, there still is a hope. For you girls fixed some lianas and made a kind of harness. We will tie you and that way guide you down...”

“If I fall from path that harness won’t save me, but I will drag you down with me.”

“I’ll ask Akra and Beluwa for assistance. I’m sure of theirs loyalty to you...”

“That is the transgressing of the Law of Challenge.” Whispered Taka.

“Understand!” yelled lioness. “The Law of Challenge is dead and cruel custom, relict of old times. And you have to live!”

“For any price?”

“For any... NO!” suddenly cried Kota. “I know, I made you to challenge Dhalimu. That is my fault I have dragged you into this and you wounds hurt me more than you. Let me mend that...”

“No, Kota.” Sounded a voice from behind. „Taka is right.”

“Raia! You eavesdroped us!” gasped golden-furred.

“I was going here to ask if you want rest of meat that Dhalimu didn’t eat.” Murmured irritated lioness, putting a adaks haunch on the ground. “But I see you don’t trust your friend... and maybe you have right.”

“I’m sorry, Raia, but what you heard is...” replied still angry Kota.

“Listen to Taka.” Interrupted her sandy-furred. “Dhalimu will never break the rules of duel and he counts that his adversary won’t do it too. Do you know, what he ordered to me? He wanted me to swear that I won’t avenge him if Taka somehow win.” Ashamed Kota turned her stare to the ground. “And I wished to say you that. But now, good day. I’m out of here.” She turned back and set off to the centre of massif.

“Raia! I’m sorry!” called golden-furred.”

“No offence taken. I understand your nervousness.” Replied dandy lioness with hollow voice. “But let me calm myself before I will accept your apologies.”

“Oh, what a lioness.” Murmured Taka. “She would be almost as good queen as you...”

“So You won’t go down with me?” asked Kota for the last time, without hope to convince him.

“I’m sorry, I can’t”

“Oh, reliable as always.” Murmured lioness with resignation. “I love you also for that.”

*

Mtanga was leading Amali on the Limestone Alley. Although princess wasn’t good wanderer and rouge also can’t say that about himself, they made the most of way without problems. They had a luck – during the sandstorm Mtanga found small pan where they waited until wind ceased. Also the storm was significantly weaker than in Golden Sands region.

“That is not so far.” Rouge assured his mate. “I have to leave the route to find my boys. Will you get there? It’s about five kilometers north.”

“I thought they are already in Golden Sands.” Amazed princess. “Mtanga, something strange is going here. Aren’t you hiding something from me?” Rouge replied even without slowing down.

“You will see there. Just... things are going very wrong in Golden Pride. And your brothers asked me to help that pride.”

“Is that dangerous?” asked scared lioness.

“No, I don’t think so. I hope we’ll reach your aims without real effort.” Said Mtanga. “But go now.”

So Amali went. Many questions were on her mind but she had no one to ask. Beside of that she trusted her mate, who had never given her a slightest reason to be suspicious. “Good luck, Mtanga, whatever you intend to.” Thought golden-furred and speeded her steps in way to cousin’s land.

She reached the Golden Massif about two hours before sunset. Instead of greeting she met a silent group of lionesses, returning from hunting. Golden Ones were tired and thirsted and heavily scared. Amali shivered seeing the grimaces of fear on theirs faces. Quickly she came close to one of them, grey-furred, who was leading the team.

“I’m Amali of Prideland. I came to ask my cousin Dhalimu for hospitality.” She announced uncertainly. “Where is the king?” Team-leader, not loosing her prey, pointed with stare on Massif’s top. “A... and my brother, Taka the Second also should be here. Where I can find him?” Lioness once again pointed a plateau above them. “I don’t understand... What is going on here?”

“Come inside, ma’am.” Invited her one of the younger lionesses. “We will explain you everything... what we understand.”

*

“That’s all we know for sure.” Baridi was finishing his report. “Dhalimu and Taka are still alive, however both severely wounded. One lays next to western end of massif, second in the middle. Lionesses are in cave, clearly confused. What will we do?”

Four of lions was waiting on dune, about kilometre from the Golden Cave. They were unseen from foot of massif, but they could observe the edge of plateau. Sharp eyes of rouges saw Taka, lying on western bluff.

“We’re going in.” instructed Mtanga. “Do you see? Lionesses don’t react.”

“That is the Law of Challenge...” threw Hofu.

“No!” gasped rouge-leader. “They are indifferent for tyrants fight. For them the is a little difference between reign of murderer of own mate or reign of power-thirsty usurper. We must rid off them both.”

“But... but...” yelled Udole. “Taka? Does Amali know what you are planning?”

“I’m sorry, my friends.” Replied Mtanga with voice so gentle and sympathetic, that rouges instinctively lowered their ears. “We have no choice. We must restore the peace and justice in that poor land. And we will do it today!” he hemmed and turned his stare on Golden Massif. “You are going on east path and finish Dhalimu. I will deal with Taka.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, I am.” Smiled Mtanga. “This war will end tonight.”

And muffling his triumphal laughter he started to run down from dune. Blood-red sun was setting and long shades of tyrannocides were seen on sand.

*

Taka sensed something bad in the air and instantly started to listen out. Kota and Raia went down to the cave for another portion of water, so he stayed alone with Dhalimu. In fact all of this wasn’t matter because arbiter knew about coming wind. That night a mighty sandstorm was about to come and finish what its successor had started. “Well... Dhalimu still has some chances.” Thought black-maned. “If he finds some real shelter and has a luck... This is not a bad ending – he has changed. With Raia at his side will be far better ruler that he was. And if she raise king’s cub for to be good successor, the kingdom will survive. But what would happen with Kota and our cub?” He raised his head higher and sniffed evening air. “No... there is something more to come.”

“Dhalimu!” he called with powerful voice. “We must speak.” And he started to carefully climb on stone nearby, to brown-maned was able see him.”

“I’m listening, you usurper.” Replied ruler. In his words the hostility was strangely mixed with tone of sympathy and respect towards enemy. Taka thought the he would never understand Dhalimu. “What do you want? You sense that wind?”

“Sandstorm is near.” Agreed arbiter. “We must convince girls to not stay with us, when that all will start. That is a great risk.” In reply Dhalimu laughed, almost friendly.

“Of course, Taka. When they will back I’ll try do send Raia off. But don’t count that I will able to order anything Kota.”

“I know, I know.” Said black-maned. He was silent for a while and then added. “So the kingdom could belong to Mtanga... Well, so it happens that he will be here soon. You know... He thinks that you have killed Niva. If you survive to his arrival, tell him all...”

“I won’t explain myself to some stray from...” growled king, but suddenly he gasped with amaze. “And how the hell he knew about Niva’s death?! He was never here and we haven’t sent any messengers with that news!”

“Ow, Stars!” yelled Taka. “So how he knew how she died? It’s...” He stood up heavily and looked with his dead eyes on king. “Dhalimu. We shouldn’t have fought.”

“Of course, we shouldn’t!” replied brwon-maned instantly. “But it is all because of your lust for power and...”

“No, you don’t understand.” Said arbiter. “We shouldn’t have fought EACH OTHER!” Growing wind enblew his mane. Dhalimu, looking on that from distance, had to admit that Taka was really looking like a king. Even there: wounded and weak he was sparkling with majesty and self-confidence. He turned his head to south and announced with firm voice. “Now I