prince anyway.”

“Let her go!”

“Sorry, my boy. I must do what I have to. Let her enter if she is able too.” Said Nala with sad voice. Then she looked on Vitani with anger.

“All pleasure is mine.” Growled blue-eyed.

Let me explain few things. Vitani was pregnant since over a week, but just then her body accustomed to it. Her organism accepted new hormones and started to act like it should to secure another life inside lioness. So what was a weakness just few days back, then become an advantage. She got a natural boost from body who was already working for two beings, but was not exploited as it could. Tiny, unborn daughter of Vitani was much to small to engage much of lifeenergy of mother. However mother was already switched to pregnant mode of additional effort. In those few days female was stronger and more endure than usual. However her psyche was also already prepared for motherhood – she acted in interest of her and her child, ready to do anything to secure her cub proper life. Also mind deluged with hormonal flood was more hasty and erratic than cold-blooded reason of lioness usual. That made Vitani gifted warrioress. With all benefits and consequences of it.

“Stop me, if you could.” She growled even lower. “For I am your queen, I order you to step aside!”

“Mom, no!” yelled Dhahabu from the other bank.

 

[“Day of wrath” song. Verses sing with dramatic and fast tune. Voices of both Nala and Vitani are angry and determined. In background we hear a mixed choir of “Dies Irae” lines. It’s accompanying verses. It’s not part of song – just we hear it from off-screen.

“Dies Irae” with lyrics of Thomas of Celano. Sing with no specially known interpretation (Verdi’s is too slow, Mozart’s is too fast), juts imagine your own.

Vitani is slowly coming out from water, Kucha, Maitha and Umeme follow her shortly after. We see hidden crocodiles, ready to enter the scene. Nala waits on beach in centre of lionesses line.]

 

Vitani declaiming, when tune is fading in:

There is no point to talk

The rule's meant to be shown

 If they can't see the crown

They have to taste queen's claw!

[“No, mom! Stop!” calls Dhahabu from northern bank.

“Sorry, my dear.” Replies queen with gentle voice, then backs to grave recitation.]

The majesty is carried

Not only by king’s voice

If they can’t bow to rights

Let bow before the force!

 

[Actual song starts. Choir in background. Vitani stops in shallow water (reaching her knees), just in front of Nala. They measure each other with sight.]

 

[Choir:

Dies irae, dies illa

solvet saeclum in favilla

teste David cum Sibylla.]

Vitani:

Is not me, who shows the claws

Is not me, who bares the fangs

But the queen who does the thing that queen should do

 

[Nala is looking on Vitani. Then – in her mind – scene shifts to some recollection. Year before – Vitani is standing over Nala in heat of Battle of Reunion (Scene from SP: “Where's your pretty daughter, Nala?” then pounces on enemy. But then Nala closes her eyes and when she opens them again, she back see the reality – beautiful morning year after.]

[Choir:

Quantus tremor est futurus,

quando iudex est venturus

cuncta stricte discussurus.]

I’ve no right to let you go

Unless you made homage bow

Is not my will to fight or die, nor to hurt you

[But she made step ahead and again closes her eyes. After a while she looks on queen once again. That is no longer Vitani, but Zira, grinning with hatred on hated Pridelander. Nala growls, but this dispels an illusion.]

 

[Choir:

Tuba mirum spargens sonum

per sepulchra regionum,

coget omnes ante Thronum..]

 

It is not private insult

It’s not revenge here about

But you hurt me - as your ruler - to the core

 

[They both pounce each other and clash in the air. They fall on the sand, rolling aside. We see Dhahabu and Anasa screaming from the other bank, but no one reacts to this. Kucha, Maitha and Umeme exit water too and engage with rest of pride.]

 

[Choir:

Mors stupebit et natura,

cum resurget creatura,

iudicanti responsura.]

 

So the duty guides my paw

I’m reclaiming the control

That belongs to me and I have to stand for

[After few blows with pride, three queen’s guardians disengage and form a circle around Vitani and Nala, still wrestling. Pride tries to break it and help regent.]

 

[Choir:

Iudex ergo cum sedebit,

quidquid latet apparebit,

nil inultum remanebit.]

 

1st chorus, Vitani:

Stand for what is surely mine

The place where I was assigned

Step away or fight the powers of the law

And they judge as the one who now should bow

[Both lionesses managed to grab each other’s neck but both are holding tight on maximum distance, making impossible the slash of throats. They wrestle, but Nala is get weaker with every seconds – the age shows in her.]

 

[Choir:

Quid sum miser tunc dicturus?

Quem patronum rogaturus,

cum vix iustus sit securus?]

 

Second verse, Nala:

[Bidii breaks the circle of Kucha, Maitha and Umeme and with one blow frees Nala]

So you speak about your reign

But I ask you to explain

What have to do with laws your breaking now?

[Bidii is engaged by Umeme and queen again charges on regent. However this time Nala is more self-confident.]

 

[Choir:

Rex tremendae maiestatis,

qui salvandos salvas gratis,

salva me fons pietatis.]

 With no respect to our lore

Spiting on the ones before

Sitting on the place you stole my kins somehow

[They roll down to the river and Nala gets superiority, slashing enemy few times. They entered the river.]

 

[Choir:

Iuste iudex ultionis,

donum fac remissionis

ante diem rationis.]

 

Stranger, breaker of our peace

Aren’t you enough of this

Bringing ghosts of war and murder’s shame?

[Nala tried to drown queen, but suddenly sees as Vitani just smiles, still wrestling. Regent turns back to see charging crocodile.]

 

[Choir:

Confutatis maledictis,

flammis acribus addictis,

voca me cum benedictis.]

 

With a shade of father’s guilt

Only aim - blood to be spilt

You have to be stopped as must be flame

[She avoids reptile’s jaws by centimetres and jumps aside. But then another crocodile charges. Seeing that, all Nala’s party runs to water to help leader.]

 

[Choir:

Oro supplex et acclinis,

cor contritum quasi cinis,

gere curam mei finis.]

 

2nd chorus:

Go away from place that’s ours

I will weed you out from flowers

Step away or fight the force

That will judge the bane of yours

 

[Finally battle turns to stalemate – crocodiles form circle around Nala’s lioness, they form circle around Kucha, Maitha and Umeme, who stand in triangle. Inside triangle are fighting Nala and Vitani.]

 

[Choir:

Lacrimosa dies illa,

qua resurget ex favilla

iudicandus homo reus.]

 

[Lionesses raise her paws and in the same time start he fatal blow to each other.]

[Music cuts out.]

 

X. Winds of Constancy

 

In mixed Green and Migthy Prides there was a spontaneous order. Both tribes (if we could count Yakta and Kwini as an actual pride) ordered themselves in two columns – in front was going new rulers of Mighty Jungle, then Greenlanders with Jino and Spotty on front. Group was exhausted, yet still speeded with all its might. It was a fortunate coincidence that whole Green Pride was visiting in Mighty Jungle, where Tiko found them. Only because of that they manage to get to Pridelands so quick.

Spotty was in advanced pregnancy, but she demanded to go anyway. Jino was initially against that, but – let’s tell it honestly – he just couldn’t resist his mate, who seemed to fear more about her once queen and friend that on own and cub’s health. Yakta said that helping Vitani is his duty and Kwini had nothing to do with that. Mighty Queen nodded with serious face, agreed with mate, but went anyway. Maybe it was some shadow of newest tradition of Golden Pride where females had much more influence than it was conventional among other kingdoms.

The real guide of group was Tiko, who decided not to return to Prideland nor Outland, but serve with his abilities to marching unit. Thanks to his flying, he could point the easiest way for lions. In jungle it was crucial for tempo of journey. Jino also asked hornbill to stay ready for recon he would make just before entering Prideland.

“We must be prepared for anything.” Said king. He was entitled <king> since events seven months earlier. When Horen died, standing for Green Pride, in fight with rouges young prince proved his maturity – what confirmed both queen and lionesses. So when he took Spotty as a mate, Chanua decided to step down and let her son rule with new queen at his side. Queen-mother chose her well deserved rest, just helping son with advices and her wisdom.

“In fact you could send him even now.” Noticed Chanua, when they were crossing Border River on rock of Mighty Waterfall.

“Yeah, right…” nodded king, standing of Prideland shore. “But actually he isn’t my subject.” He turned to Yakta. “Ya, ask him to scout for us.”
”I would like to, but it is not my subject as well.” Replied redmaned. “He is advisor of Vitani’s pride.”

“Stars sake!” gasped Tiko, floating over them. “So I will sent myself, hoping I didn’t break any sacred rule.” He landed on Yakta’s back and with sarcasm faked <attention-pose>. “Turn west!” he called with ordering voice to himself. “Fly ahead!” commanded and sprang into air.

“Vitani should discipline that insolent bird.” Murmured a bit confused Yakta.

“Leave him alone, Ya.” Snorted Spotty, jumping from rock to beach of Prideland. “If not him, we even wouldn’t have known about all that mess.” Then she turned back. “Mom?” asked and raised her paw, trying to help

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