dead.

“Don’t you get it?” growled furious Mtanga. “That is the end! I will be the king, not some aristocrat from high family. I, Mtanga of Cut Trunks Pride. Once I was no one, now I’m the everything! I am the future! The play is over, Taka!” lion plunged his claw in arbiter’s paw and started to drag him on edge of massif, farther away from path, on south-east. When he got almost to the centre of p that advantage it was still a great advantage. “If I stand a bit longer to the main sandstorm’s hit our chances will get equal.” Thought Taka but then a malicious voice in his head added. “Of course that they will get equal, because you will both die!”

For a while arbiter was considering a possibility of withdrawing to Dhalimu, but then he left that idea. King could be dead then, and additionally the blind march through plateau (in the heat of storm!) wasn’t easy. And it would took much of time. Too much – the incoming storm was faster than arbiter.

“Why, Mtanga?” Taka decided to play for time. There still was a hope that lionesses would come with assistance. “That is my duty to guard the kingdom. I’m fulfilling it the best I can... although I know it still not enough.” He thought.

“You know nothing!” said rouge with unexpectedly soft voice. “You are the king’s son, raised in luxury and respect. How could you understand what feels an orphan and outcast?”

“The loneliness, humiliation and rank injustice.” Replied Taka, recalling to mind every feeling he experienced during his escape from home. “And what is the most important: the burning need for revenge! On anyone, doesn’t matter if she or he is guilty.” He heard that Mtanga stopped. He sensed some vague bolt of attention that enemy put on him. “And what now? You will avenge on me? The same outcast as you?”

“You know nothing!” gasped his brother-in-law. “That was just in beginning. Then I met Amali... and whole world has changed. She gave me the strength and will to live. Thanks to her I believed in myself and in my might.”

“If you are doing it for Amali, think: she would be quite displeased with death of her brother...” jeered Taka.

“Shut up!” called Mtanga. “Amali will be the queen not because she is princess but because I want that! Now I will be the king, I instead of you all will be setting the rules! I’m stronger than you all. I was starting from zero to reach the stars! I was lying in mud and now I’m standing where I’m standing.”

“Coordinates, please!” murmured Taka, raising his paw. “I can’t see you clearly, I could miss...”

Mtanga ran to brother-in-law and pushed him on the ground with blow in nape. Then he stopped over lying lion and with malicious smile on face started to slowly cut his back with claws. Pain deluged Taka’s senses, but it didn’t make him scream. One who has lost his eyes, survived the sandstorm in open air and many timed said goodbye to his life wasn’t able to scream nor beg for mercy. That part of arbiter was probably already dead.

“Don’t you get it?” growled furious Mtanga. “That is the end! I will be the king, not some aristocrat from high lateau he let his victim loose, panted heavily and looked on close brink of bluff. Stronger and stronger wind was blowing the chocking clouds of dust.

[„See it” song. Melody is fast and uneasy. Mtanga sings with high-pitched, ironical, theatrical voice.]

[Mtanga drags Taka almost to the edge to big, flat boulder. The stone looks almost as a stage, especially that dusty clouds dim almost everything else. Only Mtanga on the stone and Taka on the <auditorium> before it is seen. Black-maned with effort raised his head and turns his wounded face on brother-in-law, as if he was watching his <play>. From beyond the clouds shines a faint rays of moon. It enlightening the rouge, like a theatrical reflector.]

Mtanga:

I doubt if you see it – time to open eyes

 Time to end this pitiful show that once joined us

[On words < I doubt if you see it> Mtanga maliciously cover his eyes with paw.]

You are leaving scene now, I will play intact

There is end of common part, cause you’ll die in this act

[On word <act> he leans out from scene to Taka. Black-maned tries to hit him, but he misses terribly.]

Those are our masques, those are our roles

You this time so down, alone, I will rock this show

[On words <I will rock this show> Mtanga raised his paw and points the moon.]

You are king no more, now you’re playing fool

If you want applause at all, be my useful tool

[„See it” song. Melody is fast and uneasy. Mtanga sings with high-pitched, ironical, theatrical voice.]

[Mtanga drags Taka almost to the edge to big, flat boulder. The stone looks almost as a stage, especially that dusty clouds dim almost everything else. Only Mtanga on the stone and Taka on the <auditorium> before it is seen. Black-maned with effort raised his head and turns his wounded face on brother-in-law, as if he was watching his <play>. From beyond the clouds shines a faint rays of moon. It enlightening the rouge, like a theatrical reflector.]

Mtanga:

I doubt if you see it – time to open eyes

 Time to end this pitiful show that once joined us

[On words < I doubt if you see it> Mtanga maliciously cover his eyes with paw.]

You are leaving scene now, I will play intact

There is end of common part, cause you’ll die in this act

[On word <act> he leans out from scene to Taka. Black-maned tries to hit him, but he misses terribly.]

Those are our masques, those are our roles

You this time so down, alone, I will rock this show

[On words <I will rock this show> Mtanga raised his paw and points the moon.]

You are king no more, now you’re ustify; text-indent: 9pt;">