Dhahabu entered the cave and saw Bitti, lying on her bedding with Anasa in paws. Lioness was cleaning her daughter, most likely without any serious reason, just to keep her around while Vitani was dealing with prince. Seeing that queen so quick finished with son, she released Anasa and looked on Dhahabu with slight confusion.

“It’s over?” asked Anasa wisphering.

“I guess.” Replied prince.

“Mom, can I go now?” she pleaded.

“We will get Tiko and won’t be far from rock.” Added prince.

“If queen said so, you can.” Said lioness. Careful auditor would have noticed something strange in sound of word <queen>. Lioness spelled it in a bit strange way. Maybe even ironic.

“Thanks aunt.” Said Dhahabu and with Anasa they run out from cave. The passed next to Vitani, who nodded them and whistled on Tiko to oversee cubs in their walk. Hornbill flew after running two, sighing with weariness but also with reconciliation.

“Just get back before father returns.” Called queen after them. She hoped that nod of Dhahabu was confirmation of that.

“Ow… I’m not sure if I’m doing right.” She thought. “I was raised in so different way… and I hadn’t even half of freedom they have. Am I good mother?” asked for thousandth time, but then added with sarcasm. “Am I good mate, am I good queen? and so on. I could ask endlessly, but no one would give me a straight answer.”

She could ask Tanabi, but he would reply with certainty she was going great. That was not real answer. On the other paw, she couldn’t go to Bidii and just talk about cubs. Lioness would have avoided that question or give any random answer to finish that talk. “I’m not queen for her.” Thought Vitani. “Just a former Outlander. Fact I’m mother of prince complicated things in her eyes, but just a little. I just have to reconcile with awareness, I will never be real Pridelandress for them.” But then a sudden anger burst in her heart. “But I AM REAL PRIEDELANDRESS!” shouted silently. “I’m the daughter of Scar, the true king of this land! That is insulting that treat me like that… They treat memory of my father the same!” She instinctively extended her claws, to notice that just second later. “Ow, I can’t lose my temper like that. It’s all fine, all will be ok… But why the heck Tanabi is spending so much time, looking on those prophecies?”

*

Tanabi that day went to Thamath. Rafiki left Prideland instantly, leaving also his keep inhabited. So his successor – mandrill Thamath - took that baobab as his. Tanabi tried to keep old ape near his court, but it was useless. Rafiki blamed himself for failure during War of Prides and deaths that followed it. So he chose self-exile in Mighty Jungle. For first few months king was very uneasy for old shaman living on his own, but when Yakta left Prideland to establish own kingdom, he was asked by Tanabi to have an eye on Rafiki and assist him in his old years. Then – relieved from some of duties – king could accept his new shaman with clear conscience.

But relation between Tanabi and Thamath was very strange. Mandrill was young and quite inexperienced – a lore of shaman one could achieve only by such a duty. Meanwhile king was special creature – a lion, but unlike of most his kins, very sensitive to supernatural voices of Stars. Especially since his accident, when he lost his eye, ruler started to see world in different way. Worse about normal sight, but much better about that sight shamans usually have. That why king and sage-to-be were learning in the same time, mostly of the same things. Tanabi assisted Thamath in many of his rituals, what was ion the same degree troubling and helpful for mandrill.

“Wind.” Said shaman. He and monarch were sitting under Rafiki’s baobab and looking on monkey’s coconut’s shells. Thamath was painting on trunk of tree, but they both were looking on unexpected result. Shaman repeated. “Wind. It’s a sign of change.”

“With all respect to your knowledge, friend.” Interrupted him king. “Wind is not sign of change, but sign of lasting. Just that’s a testimony that Nature is returning to the state of order. Warm air causes high pressure, then it’s going where pressure is lower. World returns to balance… to order. That is wind.”

“Sir…” said mandrill, seriously amazed. “I have never seen it like that.”

“So now we both are enlightened.” Smiled ruler. “But never mind, let’s see your painting.” They turned their stares on trunk. “That strange… I see much chaos… uncertainness and fear in future.”
”It’s about the Second Drought, sir.” Replied shaman. “As you were told by Kings of the Past. The future will be hard.”

“Yes, I know that.” Nodded Tanabi. “But those clouds…” he pointed on grey shapes on bark. “Are much closer that I thought.”

“Not this year, my lord.” Assured mandrill, however he noticed something more scary on picture and shivered inside.

“But what means that dashed line there? Why it is so blurred.”

“I have no idea, my lord.” Lied shaman. In fact he knew what was that shape. It was line of king’s destiny. He didn’t dare to guess why that element was so dashed.

 

II. Considerations on Prideland

 

For few days that passed since trouble on swamps, Tanabi hadn’t learned about that. Also Nala and Simba – however Green Den was very near from backwaters, heard nothing about Dhahabu’s and Anasa’a accident. Vitani, with all troubles on her mind, decided not to upset her mate. Bidii also waived with it aside, so both cubs avoided any further rebukes. Sometimes an absence of punishment is the most severe punishment itself. Anasa and Dhahabu felt in that way. No one locked them, no one forbid playing outside of Priderock nor limited their trips on savannah. But cubs – without any deliberation, they just spontaneously did – stayed in nearest vicinity of lions keep. They were playing in back caves or nearby of main rock – always in sight from ledge. Although Tanabi wasn’t aware what happened on swaps, he noticed very untypical behaviour of his son.

“Hey, Dhahabu.” Called king. “What’s up? Why are hanging in home… I guess for third day.” In fact he had nothing against it, but also calm and somehow gloomy face of prince bothered him.

“E…” started uncertain cub. He definitely didn’t want to say whole story to his father. Tanabi turned out to be very tolerant father in every aspect except of safety. Just a year of maturity wiped any memory about his own cubhood and youth – he didn’t recall own complains about strict Simba’s overseeing. Dhahabu knew the situation in general and was very glad that his mother decided about most of his activities. “Mom asked us to be at paw.” Said carefully, trying not to say more, but still he said true.

“Good, good.” Murmured king. “I guess she has her reasons… But if you are bored here, I could take you somewhere for a trip.” That wasn’t a smart idea to bore tripping subject, but cub instantly replied, giving vent to his old want.

“To the Outlands?”

Tanabi was a bit surprised by that request, but he replied. “Well… maybe not now. But if you really want to see Outlands… I don’t know what would be interesting there… If you really want to go there, ask mom if she planning a visit there.”

“To visit whom?” asked cub.

“In a memorial.” Explained Tanabi. He didn’t like to talk about it with son, however knew that some stories have to be told. Cub knew the general history of his land and was aware of most of events of Scar’s reign, Golden Pride’s exile and War of Prides. But still it was extremely hard to tell about family’s tragedy in normal way. Every such a tale, even a short reference was reminding king a walking on the swamp – sometimes one needs to walk through it, but it is better to do it fast. “In about week there will a anniversary of… end of war. That means also your grandmother Zira died then. There is a tradition in both our and Golden Pride to visit shire of dead in anniversary of his passing. It’s not a cheerful ceremony, but we need to keep in my all ones we ever held dear. I think your mother wants to go to Outlands, to old keep of Zira… and place when she grew up.”

“But you won’t come?” asked cub.

“I’m not sure if I manage, but I will try. It’s about family, after all. I didn’t know your grandmother well, but she is my mother-in-law. So if there will be no urging issues here, I will go with your mother and – who knows – maybe also with you to Golden Hall.”

Dhahabu sat down in front of king, as if he was waiting for longer story. Tanabi didn’t like that particular topic, but also know that cutting it was a bad idea. He tried to have always time for his son. It was really hard, because matters of kingdom kept him busy for most of time, but most of free time he wished to spend with family.

“I see.” Said prince. “Just like you all were reminding great grandma Sarafina. But dad. So soon there will be grandma Zira’s anniversary. But you said that just two months later died great grandma Sarabi. Will… mom take participate in that too?”

“Of course.” Replied Tanabi. He was amazed how fast cub managed to sense serious problem of family, but he wasn’t happy to explain it. “She is a queen and will salute to once queen.”

“But won’t it… upset her? I mean, if that wouldn’t be a bit hard for mom to salute… simbist heroes...” He spelled that strange word with uncertain voice. That was a term given by Tiko to describe whole faction of family involved against the banner of Scar and Zira. Analogically Outlanders, their queen and heirs were called “scarist”. Two neutral words, chosen to name something that shouldn’t be name without detailed explanation. But sometimes there was a need to say about one or other party from tragic past. “And the same I wonder if you have any trouble to participate in memorials of scarist part of… our family.” Cub sensed he said something very troubling and decided to calm any dissonance by reminding they

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