Said adjutant. When no response came, he added. “I’ve joined gerge few week before you, Daki and Laki left it.”

“Right. I remember some lion named Mshauri.” Said regent. “But what about it?”

“I came to talk.”

“I will talk with Keme.” Replied redmaned, but then he added with curious voice. “Or anyone who speaks as the leader of pack. Are you going to depose him?”

“No, you won’t beat us with your games.” Replied adjutant. “I won’t leave chief in the eve of battle. However for now I’m speaking in name of gerge, excluding him.” In that moment Horen exited the cave, trying to hide his hobbling. Of course he failed in front of so skilled scout. “Don’t be ashamed by your weakness. I’m not here to fight. I’m here to make a deal.”

“I’m listening.” Said regent and sat in doorstep of cave. Mshauri was waiting in scorching heat of midday and Horen was covered in shadow of rocks. But it was necessary to show who was a host there.

“You killed Masafa.” Said rouge with serious voice.

“I’m terribly sorry.” Replied redmaned with irony. “And I’m terribly sorry that I’ve interrupted him murdering me!”

“Whatever happened there, you are in big trouble.” Said Mshauri. “Masafa was Keme’s favourite.”

“He had five more underlings to rule. I guess he won’t be mourning that poor rascal too long.”

“You are wrong!” replied rouge with tensed voice. “Masafa... was indeed his favourite... like his... I don’t know... son?” Horen pretended he wasn’t scarred, but in fact he understood what it meant. “This is no longer matter of gerge, this is also personal matter for Keme. He is about to kill you... as well as rest of the pride.”

“But you are telling me that...” noticed regent with firm voice. In the same time his terrified mind was looking for any way out of this situation. “I suppose not without purpose.”

“Yes.” Agreed Mshauri. “You will do, what I tell you... without questions nor objections. Only that way you and your queen will survive.” Horen nodded his head. “Musafa was my friend and I’m furious on you too.” Continued rouge. “But it doesn’t make me blind. You must go away, Horen. We can’t forgive you killing one of ours.”

“I can’t leave my ma... queen and my wards...” replied regent impulsively.

“You could take with you your, so called, family. We expect you to persuade rest of lionesses to stay and...”

“...serve you.” Finished Horen with tensed voice.

“Do you really think we will be worse masters than you were?”

“I didn’t hurt anyone!” called lion. “They hosted me because they wanted to and...”

“Keme wants to kill you.” Interrupted him Mshauri. “I offer you life for departure from here. I think I’m able to convince boys... and stop chief. I don’t know how long time it will take we come here. I suggest you to go away before sun sets. Do not bargain with me. I’m too generous anyway.” Then rouge turned back and set off to the jungle green wall. Horen was looking after him with hollow stare. In his mind many thought were boiling but the shape of ultimate decision was already forged. To make Chanua and kids... Stars! He was thinking about Spotty as he was <his kid>, like prince and princess! But it didn’t matter – to make them to flee from valley. It wasn’t sure what was to be done next, but in that moment it wasn’t the most necessary. Just to survive.

Suddenly a terrified roar sounded over jungle.

*

Chanua was commanding the hunt. Seeing that forest was unexpectedly full of game, she ordered lionesses to split in small teams and bait as many preys in centre as they were able too. Jino, Yakta and Golden Ones – responsible for safety - were objecting that, but queen was old and devoted huntress, so she was already thinking with logic of predator. So Greenlandresses scattered on area, seeking for running creatures. That was the moment expected by Keme.

“Now!” he ordered.

His two companions set off after leader. They ran to remote clearing where two lionesses were pinning lone gazelle to the grass. No one was asking what gazelle was doing so deep in jungle, but it wasn’t a concern of huntresses. But in moment when three rouges entered the scene situation changed radically – the predator became a prey. Terrified gazelle ran from lionesses paws and they – extremely amazed – stood to defend from new danger.

“Finish them!” growled Keme with furious blaze in his eyes. “Now!”

Youngsters weren’t too avid to become female-butchers, but will of chief was so overwhelming that they didn’t dare to oppose. Epesi and Mahiri pounced on first of huntresses – Pili and pinned her to the ground. The second one – called Kisima – was targeted by Keme in person. When scouts knocked they enemy down and stopped, uncertain what to do next, leader jumped on Kisima’s back and instantly hit her head. She fainted and fell on the grass then Keme extended his claws and lowered his paw to lioness’s throat.

“Boss?” yelled Epesi with breaking voice. After all he was still a cub inside – his almost three year long life was hard but it failed to kill all moral instincts in him. So he closed his eyes with disgust, not to see the terrifying end. However it didn’t come.

Yakta had limited skills of fighting but in one attack he was undoubtedly the master – in frontal charge with full mass. Heavy lion pounced on gerge’s chief and easily pushed him away. Both males were rolling few meters before redmaned – prepared for such a situation. Stopped and stood on paws. Keme was kicked several metres farther, but he was about to regain initiative soon.

Meanwhile Kwini pounced on Epesi and Mahiri. Under normal circumstances it would be impossible to stop two strong males, but in fact both scouts were so amazed by acting of their leader (and Epesi even had closed eyes) that they were pushed by surprise from Pili’s back.

“Yakta!” called scarred princess. “And what now?” she asked, standing over unconscious body of friend and before two, slowly returning to action lions.

“Shun them!” replied redmaned. “I’m coming to you...” then he was hit by heavy Keme’s paw. However he finished with firm voice. “...ma’am.” Then he jumped aside in dodge.

“Jino! Mom! Alarm!” roared princess and jumped aside too, shunning the firs charge of Epesi.

Spotty heard that distress call and reacted like good commander should. Before of her eyes appeared silhouette of queen Zira, who had been countless times explaining rules of defence in hostile condition. Memories stretched her courage and allowed her to order with decisive voice.

“Pride! To the princess, now!” seeing more and more lionesses appearing from dense bushes, she was still ordering. She localised precise direction of eventual fight and pointed her paw in it. Meanwhile she was waving with tail to call lions. “Go! Tight formation, do not stop unless I told you! To the clearance! To the clearance I said! Break to the open area!”

“Stars! That chick is good!” whispered Kiunda, looking on Spotty, commanding the surprised pride. “What we are doing?”

“I’m afraid we must relieve boss and guys. Engage random lioness outside the group.”

So they both pounced on lone female, who went several metres from pride. However they had an extraordinary badluck – they chose Ostasi. Golden One ran aside, thinking that moves in bushes were sign of another lost Greenlandress. Those disturbance was made by rouges, what Ostasi understood a bit too late to withdraw. But it wasn’t a catastrophe, at least not greater for her than lions.

They pounced on lone female, hoping to knock her off in one charge and pull her to bushes. But she shunned both jumps with unbelievable speed and instantly returned a hit (or in fact – attacked as the first). Fumo felt a burning pain in side and noticed that his belly was scratched by four parallel red lines. It was masterfully inflicted blow – not fatal, of course - but so painful that stopped attacker on almost half a minute to prevail ache in wound. Meanwhile Ostasi jumped on Kiunda.

Former Outlandresses were skilled in combat, much more experienced than rouges, however they weren’t able to transgress natural limits of their sex. Males were much heavier and stronger and lack of their agility was recompensed by significantly greater endurance and pain-insensibility. When Zira was training her pride to eventual fight with Simba, she didn’t dare to order single female do it. There were special three-pieces AMAT’s (“anti males attack teams” how called them Vitani) to deal with that. In trainings – where Kovu was playing Simba – two lionesses had an order to overturn enemy and then keep him immobile, then the third one of group was to try hit in some vulnerable spots like throat, tendons or face.

Of course – there were reports of legendary fights of warrioresses like Zira or Hawaa (however she gave her life in lone fight against Simba), but those were just exceptions to complete the general rule. Golden One knew that she would only slow enemy down and wait for help.

“Danti!” yelled Ostasi and avoided rouge’s blow in last moment.

“Hold on!” called lioness, running with two Greenlandresses to relieve.

Fumo managed to stood up then he noticed three running females. He jumped on one in centre, knocking her down to the ground. It happened too fast for Danti and Tatu to react. Young Theluji was knocked down and instantly cut in leg. Fumo – however far from blood-thirst of his leader – couldn’t resist from paying a little payback to eventual killer of his friend. He slashed not as deep to break a tendon, however wound was extremely painful, what Theluji announced with ear-piercing cry.

“Retreat!” called Kiunda, seeing another lionesses in way. He and Fumo instantly jumped aside in wall of dense forest. “We must regroup and search for another one outside the pack!” panted scout. His friend just nodded and hid deeper in bushes.

“Do not pursuit!” yelled Ostasi, seeing that intact Greenlandress was