“In keeping me?” asked Nala with sarcasm. “Well, I’m still here, so my guards are viligant.” But there was no usual bitterness in that joke. Just was just a… joke. Nala could jest in that way only with few persons. Umeme was one of them.

“Ow, Umeme…” she thought. “I always hoped that you will become Tanabi’s mate… and my daughter by that. It came in different… worse way, but you seem to treat me like mother. It helps me very much.” Then she added aloud. “And… what has changed on Priderock?”

“Since yesterday? Not too much.” Laughed lioness. “At least nothing what couldn’t be undone.”

It could be just coincidence, but Nala took an impression that whole world was asking her to make few steps back… and return to yesterday. “Simba, my dear.” She thought. “Although you lost your hope, I will hope for you!”

 

I. The New Generation

 

The Border River was limiting Prideland on western and northern side. Some would say that fertile savannah was placed on band of river and there was much truth in that sentence. On pools of Border Turn current got slower and started to deluge nearby meadows. For most of the year – except of heat of dry season – those backwaters and swamps were favourite watering places for many creatures. But not only watering places.

“Yuppi!” creamed Anasa, sliding down from slanting tree, right to mud of backwater. She hit the greenish surface and splashed dirt around. Some of those hit Dhahabu, standing on bank. But prince just burst with laughter – he was as dirty as the other cub. Right before that scene, he as a first used slanting trunk as a chute and led the way down.

“Look, I’m a warthog!” called kitty, swimming in muddy water.

Duo of cubs, if some would have washed them away from filth, looked like typical kitties of their age. Both about six moths, growing fast, but still small children in lions standards. She had mild, greyish fur and vigilant and pranking green eyes. Dhahabu, son of Vitania and Tanabi, prince of Priderock, was goldenfurred cub, resembling his father in muzzleck and set of with team. But still, she came to visit her old monarchs…” Umeme came closer to green den. With rays of early sun her fur – naturally golden – seemed to be made of actual gold. “She is so alike to my beloved Kiara.” Smiled old queen. “Both with appearance and her gentle heart.” She smiled even wider, when newcomer noticed queen-mother waiting before den.

“Ma’am…” she called. “It’s a bit early for sunbath.”

“My child… it’s a bit early for chat with your aunt.” Replied Nala. Umeme added a burst of laughter to that greeting.

“Right, ma’am.” She said. “But I was wondering how are Sorphi and Vinia going.”

“In keeping me?” asked Nala with sarcasm. “Well, I’m still here, so my guards are viligant.” But there was no usual bitterness in that joke. Just was just a… joke. Nala could jest in that way only with few persons. Umeme was one of them.

“Ow, Umeme…” she thought. “I always hoped that you will become Tanabi’s mate… and my daughter by that. It came in different… worse way, but you seem to treat me like mother. It helps me very much.” Then she added aloud. “And… what has changed on Priderock?”

“Since yesterday? Not too much.” Laughed lioness. “At least nothing what couldn’t be undone.”

It could be just coincidence, but Nala took an impression that whole world was asking her to make few steps back… and return to yesterday. “Simba, my dear.” She thought. “Although you lost your hope, I will hope for you!”

 

I. The New Generation

 

The Border River was limiting Prideland on western and northern side. Some would say that fertile savannah was placed on band of river and there was much truth in that sentence. On pools of Border Turn current got slower and started to deluge nearby meadows. For most of the year – except of heat of dry season – those backwaters and swamps were favourite watering places for many creatures. But not only watering places.

“Yuppi!” creamed Anasa, sliding down from slanting tree, right to mud of backwater. She hit the greenish surface and splashed dirt around. Some of those hit Dhahabu, standing on bank. But prince just burst with laughter – he was as dirty as the other cub. Right before that scene, he as a first used slanting trunk as a chute and led the way down.

features. But his eyes were deep blue, more desert ones.

“Stars!” both cubs heard shout from the sky.

“Damn!” gasped Dhahabu, looking up on diving hornbill.

“My prince, Anasa, get out of there immediately!” cried green bird, stopping just above the surface of backwater. But suddenly a splash of dirty his him and hornbill become more brown than green. “Sir!” yelled majordomo, hearing laughter of Dhahabu.

Cub just hit the water, splashing mud on his carer. Then he instantly stood in <attention-position>, pretending he did nothing. But spotted bird was too tired to play in prince’s games. “Stop it, sir!” he called with enraged voice. Get away on solid bank, now.” Then he looked again on Anasa. “Stars! Get away from this filth!”

She was still swimming on shallow pool of water and mud. She loved such a games, especially in days so sunny and hot like that day was. So she just showed her tongue to green (or green/brown) bird and pushed her paws to swim further from shore.

“Stop it! Stop it!” called Tiko. “You mother…”

“…is not here.” Smiled kitty. “Come on, Tiko, I like to swim.”

But hornbill flew over her and with anger pricked klumzy cub in her head. Most likely he wanted to grab her fur and at least try to drag her, but it looked rather pathetic.

“Hey, stop it!” called Dhahabu, jumping again to water. “Don’t threat her like that!”

“If you don’t like it, sir, help me take her away from here.” Snorted hornbill, trying again to catch Anasa’s fur with his beak.

“Tiko, leave me alone, I’m coming out.” Yelled kitty. Bird flew a little higher, and for that waited Dhahabu. He again sprinkled him with next portion of muddy water. Hornbill lost his balance and fell down to pool, just next to Anasa.

“Ow, you got him!” cried cub.

“Yeah…” nodded prince, but then seeing that majordomo didn’t return to the surface, he called. “Anasa! Pull him out!”

Scared kitty started to search in water for drowned bird. Dhahabu joined her instantly and they both were scanning pool with waves of paws. With every seconds cubs were closer to panic.

“Stars… we drowned him!” sobbed Anasa, again failing to find Tiko.

But in the same moment bird emerged few metres away from there with loud panting. He made his awkward swim to the bank and barely climbed on grass.

“Tiko!” called prince with relief and Anasa stopped her cry.

“Very funny!” panted bird, still spitting some water. “Now you see that isn’t amusing.”

“We thought you drowned.” Said Dhahabu. “You… tricked us?” asked with surprise.

“I just wanted to show you, how it feels when person you are responsible for, gets into danger.” Replied hornbill and shook his feathers to rid of the water.

“Cool!” called prince. “Good joke that one! You are in fact nice guy.” Then added with quieter voice. “You have just such idiotic job.”

“It’s not funny, sir!” shouted Tiko. “Get away from this swamp, now! Your mother…”

“…is also not here.” Smiled Dhahabu, but then he narrowed his lips to more serious expression. After all he was a prince and heir to throne. He should acted like one. “Right, I’m going.” And he set of in bank direction. After few steps he stopped and looked back on Anasa.

“Anasa, you are coming?”

“Yeah, sure.” Said cub, but then her pupils got wider. “Or no…” she whispered.

Anasa was standing in water, with only head above the surface. The muddy water didn’t let her to see what she was stomping on. The bottom was soft carpet of mud. Cubs had been swimming over, then running on it, without fear, however they hadn’t been aware what hazard it was. When kitty stopped in one place for few minutes, her paws just sunk into layer of slime. She missed the moment, to understood what had happened when she tried to raise one of her limbs. She failed.

“Anasa, what happened?” asked Dhahabu.

“I’ve stuck…” gasped cub, then she submerged few centimetres more. Water reach her mouth and if she hadn’t closed it, it would deluged it.

“Tiko, call for help!” shouted prince and pounced back into friend’s direction.

Not watching what would bird do, he swam to Anasa. She was almost underwater, just with eyes and forehead above surface. Prince got to her, being careful not to base on dangerous bottom.

“Hold you breath and be ready.” Cried.

She wanted to ask: for what?, but she couldn’t – if she opened her mouth, the water would choked her. Meanwhile prince took a deep breath and lowered his head. Just underwater he sought Anasa’a lips and blew air from his lungs into his friend. Then again swam up. On surface he noticed that only Anasa’s ears were uncovered.

“Don’t panic!” ordered prince. “Tiko will bring some assistance… When you sense I’m close, just exhale and I will give you my air. Do read?” He noticed that ears of cub shook. He hoped it that confirmation, not a shiver of fear. “Wait, don’t exhale, now I will check if I could free you myself.” She mover tips of her ears again, then she sunk underwater totally. Dhahabu dived again.

He got to the bottom and touched with front paws to Anasa’s limbs. Those were heavily sucked down to knees and stuck in place. Prince tried to pull one of paws, but when he sensed that was useless, he returned to surface. Because Anasa’a ears were also underwater, he said nothing, just took another deep breath and dived to friend’s lips. He blew again, giving cub next portion of lifegiving oxygen. Not waiting for any response, be got back to surface and inhaled again.

“Stars!” he thought with growing fear. “How long I would stand this… Tiko, get back with someone now!”

He repeated his

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