of local lions.

“Do you want to kill us too?” asked light furred, but brownmaned just gasped to hush her.

“They will be cool.” Said Kovu and turned to light furred. “Go to your cubs, hush then and go to sleep. Tomorrow we will explain everything.”

“May I take Ghibu’s body?” asked brownfurred with grave voice.

“Danti, Ostasi – help him.” Ordered Kovu, but it sounded like <Keep an eye on him>. “Rest of you: try to sleep.”

Golden Lionesses uncertain laid down in cave. When brownmaned, Danti and Ostasi got back, cave became perfectly silent. Only Kiara asked her mate.

“Darling, what happened.”

“Honestly, I don’t know.” Said king, coming closer to unconsciousness Tetesi. “I will tell you what I know, but tomorrow, ok?” Then he looked on Kauli. “How is she?”

“I feel in her sssstrong will to live.” Replied reptile. “Trusssst in Stars, my king.”

I awoke on evening day after, so events of that night and morning I know from second paw. But as far as I know, when I lost consciousness, lions in cave surrendered. King learned that they had been living there since few years with lion called Ghibu (that I killed him) and two other rouges who sometimes visit Golden Cave. It was strange coalition of one female and four males, however their two other companions: Angaa and Chungu. Were not there at that moment.

Lipizi (light furred lioness) and Jamaa (bronfurred lion) were shocked by accident and death of Ghibu. However they admit that Kovu was attacked and I acted defending him. Pair from Golden Cave was both confused, sad and angry on us. However the strength of pride stopped them from showing that. Well, it’s hard to be surprised: we (hm… I!) killed their friend and finished their lazy days in Golden Cave.

Kovu was very discontent too – he didn’t want that rouge dead. If not that accident he would have gotten some deal with that strange group calling themselves <Sandy Coalition>. But what happened had happened and while I was struggling with death, my king was facing the first real problem in his reign. And it is even most amazing that he anyway was still so concerning about me.

“She’s waking!” called Kovu. That was the very first sound I received after my blackout. “Tetesi, do you hear me?”

“Eassssy, my lord.” Stopped him Kauli. Then I have no idea who was that strange python there, however I was too weak to be surprised.

“Tetesi… you are alive.” Sighed king with genuine relief. I felt his tongue on my forehead and I almost jumped up with delight. Fortunately I wasn’t able to. “I’m so sorry, that it happened this way. We will take care of you, I promise. Just rest now.” I opened my eyes to see concerned face of Kovu just in front of me. “You… saved my life.” He added with tensed voice. “I will never forget that.”

“Are… you all right, sir?” I asked, just to be sure.

“Yes, thanks to you.” He replied.

“That’s good, very good.” I replied and floated away once again.

III. New Order

Firsts days in Golden Cave were hard and strange for pride. Only nine lionesses were ready to hunt, because queen was still recovering after journey and Tetesi’s wounds were really serious. Additionally king just couldn’t think about helping his hunting team – he had to watch over mate and wounded subject, and – what was important in the same degree – to keep an eye on locals.

So called Sandy Coalition was very strange group. It’s safer to say group not pride nor coalition, because it was working unlike to any lion community that Kovu and Golden Ones had heard before. Four males: Angaa, Chungu, Ghibu and Jamaa and one female called Lipizi were living on Golden Massif in very loose cooperation, sharing not much more than common shelter. However not only shelter.

“Who’s father?” asked Kovu, looking on two cubs, sleeping on Lipizi’s side.

“Good question, sir.” Said mother. Then she looked on Jamaa and turned her stare to mountains where most likely were Angaa and Chungu.

Few Golden Lionesses hearing that shivered with mix of disbelief and disgust. Pride was always – in case of moral matters – very conservative. Because exile forced many changes in social structure of Outlanders, just to keep own identity, every possible custom of old Golden Pride was observed with amazing exactness. Cubs were conceiving in way normal to almost every tribe – lionesses were allowed to mate with encounter rouges, who rarely were interested in raising their offspring. So mothers were keeping by whole pride and somehow cubs were children of whole community. The difference was – of course – in case of royal cubs, where father was a king of king’s kin.

For Golden Lioness it sounded shocking and somehow cruel that rouge female decided to have cubs without support of any pride. Additionally uncertain fatherhood sounded very odd and obscene. Children were raising in mirror reflection of normal pride: group of males gathered around one female. It might seems funny, but former Outlandresses, once ruled by queen without any king, tribe of warrioresses (what was so unlike to lionesses nature) were still shocked when old lions ways were changed in different manner.

“What do you mean?” asked surprised Kovu.

“One of those three.” Answered Lipizi. “And maybe my babies are orphans.” King narrowed his eyes, hearing that. After all he still haven’t reconciled with death of rouge. He knew that Tetesi acted right, but he would had given much to avoid that accident. “So, what will, be now? You will exile us?” asked lioness.

It was two days after coming to Golden Sands. Kovu somehow managed to solve most of aching problems: he commended hunts, found (with help of Jamaa) all sources nearby, made basic reconnaissance around. He still haven’t found two remaining rouges, but brownmaned assured him that his companions weren’t too aggressive nor courageous, so he doubt if they could be a threat for newcomers. So after fixing most important things king could sit in cave and watch his mate and wounded subject. On that morning he was carrying on neck Kauli. Python who turned out to be old advisor of Kovu’s grandfather Arista instantly offered his services to new Golden King. Blackmaned accepted it gladly.

“Exile?” surprised ruler. “Why? No, I didn’t mean to. Just… You may stay in pride, what I strongly advise you, because of cubs. Sorry, I can’t tolerate rouges living in our cave. But they could stay on outskirts of Golden Sands. I’m sure we would share the hunting territory  and coexist.”

“How noble of you.” Murmured lioness with irony.

“What do you expect, missssss?” asked Kauli with inquiring voice. He was rolled around king’s neck and seemed already be accustomed to speak on behalf of his ruler. “You took the place that wasssssn’t your. King Kovu just reclaimed hisssss land.”

“Spare mi those speeches.” Murmured Lipizi. “Golden Pride is twice strong as our coalition. If the might makes right, you are actually infallible.”

“Watch your tongue!” hissed Kauli.

“For not to be forked?”

“Stop it!” snorted Kovu and looked on Lipizi. “I understand you are depressed after death of your friend. But it doesn’t mean you can avoid your decision: you stay and keep all laws of our pride or you go away with your coalition. In that case we could take your cubs and raise as ours.”

“Give me just few days to think, all right, my lord?” asked lioness and stood up. She took one of cubs (Kovu learned that her name was Akra, the second was girl too – Simmi) and carried her to smaller chamber of cave. Kovu wanted to help her and bended down to second cub, but before he raised her, Lipizi got back and almost pulled out kitty from his mouth. Then again disappeared in side-chamber.

“I think that a bit more decisivenesssss won’t hurt anyone, sir.” Said Kauli to ear of Kovu. That discretion was unnecessary, because in main chamber – apart of them - left only Kiara and Tetesi, both sleeping hard.

“You think I’m too soft on those rouges?” asked his advisor. It was so good to have a advising voice near. Kovu had already trusted python, who filled the gap after Vitani and Yakta. King required help in his decisions. Chamberlain of Golden Sands felt it perfectly. “But I really want her to stay. Just for those cubs. If she leaves, those girls will be sentenced to endless wandering, hunger… If Lipizi can’t fit to our pride, do you really think she could join any other?”

“I think no and that why ssssshe would be our problem.” Said Kauli honestly. “It’sssss very noble of you to think about those cubssss. But soon you will have your own. You must ssssecure your kingdom your for them.”

Then Kiara opened her eyes and asked with weary voice. “Water!” Kovu quickly came to her with prepared gourd of water. Queen drank and smiled with gratitude. “I’m so sorry for problem.” she whispered. “But my paws still…”

“You should walk as much as you can’t interrupter her Kovu. “Only way to prevail those pains is to face them. Could you stand up?”

“I have to?” she asked with voice of fussy child.

“I’m afraid you mussssssssst.” Hissed Kauli. “It’sssss for your good.”

“Ostasi!” called Kovu to one of lionesses, resting on entrance to cave. “Could you come here for a minute?” Blackmaned looked on his mate. “Ostasi will go with you on short walk. Remember, you promised me to make at least five hundred metres today.” Kiara nodded her head, but on her face a expression of disappointment was clear. She hoped to lay until the end of world.

“If you say so…” she murmured and when Ostasi came, she stood up (with help of king) and support on lioness’s side.

“Kauli, go with them.” Asked Kovu, fearing that Kiara alone would order her subject to shorten the walk. Python slid from neck of blackmaned to neck of Ostasi and stopped in his favourite position of boa.

When all three left the cave, Kovu sighed. Kiara had just few scratches and corns, but she acted like