liked me all the time. But the result was that I (maybe also Spotty, but not I the same degree) was the closest pridememeber to prince. If king was looking for a friend from old, good times, I was definitely the best one. However I hoped not only for that.

“Sure, my king.” I replied, faking cubbish voice, just like in times when we were young. “I miss those times too.” I added normally. “I often recall…” Then I felt something strange and menacing in the silent night. “Kovu…” I whispered. „There is something on massif!“

Somehow the old, good times returned in one second. We started to sneak, looking for shades and covers, just like during reconnaissances on Prideland. We took this change quickly and easily, as well trained fighters. We knew the drill and Kovu let me go first, as always. King was always poor scout due to his mass and heavy constitution. I guess no male could be good scout. If it happened someone gifted with stealth skills, he was usually less efficient in combat, like Nuka was. However Kovu did his best to stay covered, just let me do the main part, of choosing the safest route.

We quickly get to the wall of massif. I was looking for the very first time on that monumental rock, but I somehow felt that was my place all the time. I was born on Outlands, few months I was living in Prideland, however my home was always there. I shivered, touching still warm thanks to daily sun surface of massif. When I saw joining me, we start to carefully walk to the cave entrance.

Before we got there I noticed some signs of animalish presence. Some predators, presumably lions were occupying our keep. I estimated population on from  four to six, according on leftovers and some trails. At least three different male’s pawprints – it looked really grim. I gave old war signals with my tail, Kovu understood them instantly.

I knew what it was to be done, however I waited until king confirmed that order. We sneaked into Golden Cave, sensing presence of some creatures inside. When my eyes accustomed to almost complete darkness there I saw two lion, sleeping in main chamber. A bit further was lying lioness with two cubs. I was looking for third male, whose track I noticed, but I failed to find him.

Then I noticed as Kovu looked on me with silent question on his face. Right, it was a bit complicated situation: what to do next? We should just wake residents up, tell them that we were rightful owners of cave and wait for them to move out. But that plan assumed that we are dealing with honourable and peaceful ones. No one could guarantee us that residents won’t just attack us. On the other paw we could easily kill sleeping lions, what was solution far too brutal to be considered. They hadn’t done any harm to us. And – what told my martial instinct – there could be more residents here and if we were outnumbered the slaughter wasn’t the best negotiations tactic. But then our problem solved itself – lioness opened her eyes and looked on us with surprise.

“Angaa?” asked with sleepy voice. “Who is with you?”

“No, ma’am.” Said Kovu. He instantly switched himself from being scout to being king. His voice was firm and forceful. “We are original owners of this land. The Golden Pride.”

“Have you eaten those mushrooms… Hey! You are not Angaa!” Shouted lioness. Her fur was light, almost white, however in darkness of cave it wasn’t clear. She instantly stood up, aptly putting sleeping cub on the ground. Two males in chamber opened their eyes.

“Easy!” growled Kovu, sounding really powerfully and wilfully. “Stay calm, so no one get hurt.”

“Who want to get hurt?” asked one of lions, strong and tall brownmaned.

“Trespassers!” shouted female and all trio was on their paws.

Fighting the enemy that we even don’t know his number isn’t a bravery – its stupidity. Kovu and I quickly ran to wall of cave. We touched each others side trying to cover ourselves, then we started to march in exit direction.

“What the hell!?” called smaller, sandymaned lion, jumping with unbelievable speed on us.

I just intercept him. He was still heavier and presumably stronger than I, but I managed to his flying attacker and put him on the ground. He fell hard, but attacked instantly, slashing my front-paws with own claws. Battle had been fighting in almost complete darkness, to the luck was maybe even more important that skills. Sandymaned had a luck, because he hit my forearm, painfully slashing fur and muscles. But I pressed him down, giving Kovu time to act. King turned to attacker and with single blow knocked him out. Then he had to return to previous position, because the second male was pouncing.

“Stop it!” screamed lioness, but no one heard her.

Kovu bounced from ground, stood on reap paws and with front ones intercept attacker. But he was a bit too slow, because mass of lion just overturned him before he get some solid basis. They both fell down on rock, rolling aside from wall and away from exit. I jumped in that direction – but just on three paws, due to my wound. When I got there, king was already in trouble. Brownmaned was on top and all paws of fighters were blocking each other. Rouge slowly was gaining higher ground, decisively pressing down paws of Kovu and waiting to close enough to bite. I couldn’t wait for that.

I extended claws of my healthy paw, based with wounded one on enemy’s back and slashed through his side. He roared with pain, instinctively letting king go and turning to me. Kovu didn’t waste his time and after he prevailed confusion, he just bit right paw of enemy, making him trip down. Then they both started to wrestle, but unhurt king was clearly in offensive.

Shocked with pain I wanted to laid down. But then I noticed a shadow behind me. It was sandymaned lion, then pouncing to help his companion. Without thinking I leaned on wounded paw (Stars! Even today I remember that pain!) and hit his side, while he was passing my by. I was extremely lucky – I hit even not side, but throat itself. I was overthrew with impact but falling on the ground I felt hot moisture of blood on my left paw. Sandymaned even didn’t scream – just hit in fighting lions, rolled few metres farther to wall and shocked lioness but when he tried to stand up, torrent of blood spurted out of his neck. He instantly lost his consciousness and soon after also life.

“No!” screamed lightfurred lioness, crouching down to dying male.

I was trying to crawl closer to Kovu, but it wasn’t necessary. King already grabbed enemy hard and pressed his head against the floor.

“Surrender!” called king and fallen lion got loose his stretched muscles. The fight was over.

“Ghibu.” Whispered lioness, looking on lifeless rouge. In her voice there was even more of surprise than sorrow. Probably she was in shock.

“Calm down!” gasped Kovu, panting heavily. “I don’t want to hurt you. Will you be cool?” asked lion below him.” Brownmaned nodded his mead. I was looking on that scene like from behind the veil. Bloodlet was dimming my senses. “Ok, I will let you go than call for my pride.” He released enemy and I closed my eyes. I felt very tired. “All right.” I heard Kovu’s voice. “I’m Golden King and this land is my. I’m sorry we started fight, but you attacked the rightful heir of that kingdom. Right Tetesi? Tetesi? TET…”

Then I drifted away.

Pride get there instantly. Even Kiara, hearing painful roar of her mate, found enough strelaws. Battle had been fighting in almost complete darkness, to the luck was maybe even more important that skills. Sandymaned had a luck, because he hit my forearm, painfully slashing fur and muscles. But I pressed him down, giving Kovu time to act. King ngth to run on sand. Before moon reached it’s zenith, nine lionesses were in entrance to the Golden Cave.

“Quick, help her!” called Kovu. King was lying next to knocked out Tetesi. He was clenching with his jaws the open wound of lioness. Injure was bad, very bad. Artery had to be damaged because forearm was bleeding hard. Kovu was doing his best, but red pool on rock was slowly growing.

“Let me try!” hissed some unexpected voice. “Get me clossssser!”

King noticed that on Dotty’s neck was golden ball python, looking carefully on wounded lioness. He quickly slid down to unconsciousness Tetesi and – to maze of gathered lions – rolled around wounded paw.

“She’s down anyway.” Said lightfurred lioness from cave. “It’s pointless.”

King let loose Tetesi’s paw and stepped aside. Kiara hugged him with sigh of relief. Meanwhile snake clenched elbow of Tetesi and bloodlet – that had burst stronger after Kovu released it – stopped almost instantly.

“They call it <tourniquet>.” Explained python. “It doessssn’t have to be alive, but ssssshould hold tight.”

Kovu was shocked and confused, also very curious who was that snake. His lionesses were confused as well, looking on pair of unknown lions – lightfurred female and brownmaned male, who was sitting next to lifeless body of sandymaned lion. But there was no time for answers.

“Will she live?” asked Kovu with fevered voice.

“I’m doing my besssssst.” Replied reptile. “Meanwhile, let sssssolve the other problemsss, my king.”

“King?” asked Kovu.

“You are the desssscendant of Golden Line, aren’t you?” asked snake. “Son of Sparthi.”

“His nephew.” Corrected blackmaned. “My name is Kovu and I’m son of Zira.” He stopped on that, because he hated to say more. He should say: <and Scar>, but somehow he knew that it wasn’t right to his real father, Amini. That why he just recall former Golden Queen. “And you are…”

“Kauli. Your chamberlain.” said reptile. Kovu was so confused that ask for no more explanations.

“How is she?” asked Dotty, carefully coming to daughter.

“Easssy, miss. You can’t help her. It’sssss her fight. Till dawn it will be sssetled.”

“Sir, what with them?” asked Danthi, pointing on pair of local

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