nothing wrong.” Said cub with a bit scared voice. She started to lick her fur, but due to area of dirt it was no use. “We just played in home, as we said.”

“Yeah, I know. But you should batch yourself, before your mother sees you. Maybe we sneak out to waterhole on eastern side. I will watch the corridors and let you know, when I have sure she is not there.”

“Yeah, that’s good idea.” Anasa smiled with gratitude. “Thanks!” But then she noticed something interesting in corner of chamber. “Hey, did you see those tunnels?” she pointed on crack in wall.

Dhalimu always thought it was just a crack, but looking carefully one could notice that it was much deeper than seemed. In fact it was passage to some other cavern and what was even more interesting, to one unused by pride.

“Wow.” Said prince, coming closer to crack. It was tempting to enter – hole was small but still enough for a cub. A weak air-movement suggested that on the other side was some bigger chamber. There was no light, however it didn’t scared prince.

“It’s dark there.” Said Anasa.

“Don’t tell me you are scared!” smiled Dhahabu and stepped closer to crack. But then stopped. “Ow, but I don’t know if we should go there. It could little more. We have to take batch anyway.”

“You’re right.” Nodded Dhahabu, made another step, but stopped once again. “But our parents might be mad.”

“But they allowed us to play inside Priderock.” Noticed cub. “Mom said nothing about dangerous holes or something like that. We’re doing no wrong.”

In prince’s mind some dark shadow appeared above the crack. His logic told him not to go, however he wasn’t in age that logic ruled every motion. Three days of self-chosen penance his cubbish nature just demanded some emotions. He looked on Anasa, smiling in silent plead then stepped ahead.

“All right, but I will go as first.”

Anasa didn’t protest, so prince made first steps into darkness of crack. With every metre inside the excitation killed premonition in him and when he reached the next chamber, he quickly turned back to friend and called.

“Come on, it really aerie here!” Then he looked on remote cavern, partially overgrown with fluorescent moss. Dhahabu never saw anything like that. In chamber there was a darkness a bit lightened by that glare. Some distant water dropping sounded in deeps of corridors and in the same time wind was howling in some crack going outside of rock. That wasn’t the home cubs knew. In light of moss some completely new world appeared before young explorer. However that glare was much too weak to show all the cracks on walls of cavern.

And prince was much too excited to hear menacing jangles of weathered rocks.

*

Simba gained some strange habits during his exile in Green Den. He always – or maybe except of early cubhood – liked to sleep a lot, but it never turned to be regular afternoon nap. But freed from monarch duties, ex-king started to sleep every afternoon after dinner. Because Nala freedom of hunting was limited by short area of Green Den plate, queen was bored on that afternoons. Company of Zazu was usually very tiring, because former majordomo was still practising his vocal skills and spending that time with Timon and Pumbaa – in spite of all advantages that her mate’s friends had – was also not the thing ex-queen aimed for.

Sorphi and Vinia was for most time out, looking on food for ex-monarch couple. But sometimes, if hunt of main part of pride was already over, often Umeme – best Nala’s friend – visited Green Den.

That afternoon former queen was also waiting for goldenfurred, however she had something to do. She stopped Zazu – who as usual was going away from den to sing somewhere out – then ordered him to tell a lecture about Prideland laws.

“As you wish, my lady.” Said hornbill, sitting on acacia’s branch, before entrance to Green Den. “I will serve you with all my might. But may I ask why are you so curious about our codex? After… so many years of choosing any other possible subject to talk with me.”

“That is not important now.” Replied Nala, squinting her eyes. She was lying on afternoon sun, directed west and looking on river, clearly seen from Green Hill. “Just remind me, what our laws say about divorce.” Zazu looked on her with confusion mixed with bolt of fear. “Not my divorce.” Added Nala instantly. “I’m doing fine with Simba in every possible way. Just tell me about general principles.” Hornbill wanted to ask for something more, but stare of ex-queen convinced him to reply on question.

“That’s very difficult problem… because we… haven’t any.” Said legist. “Because – at least among lions – the marriage and matehood isn’t subjected to any strict rituals. All is regulated by customary law. I saw just three such a celebrations – of Mufasa and Sarabi, of Tanabi and Vitani and of Simba and you, ma’am.”

“Yeah, I know how it was.” Interrupted Nala. “But tell me about parting. Any cases of Prideland history you know?”

“Not of my knowledge.” Said majordomo.

“So what do you think? How it could be done?” asked Nala, a bit too fast and too inquiring. Zazu sensed that behind that curiosity was hiding something really troubling. “I mean, in theory…”

“In theory the promise made to Circle of Life, and made in front of all subjects are permanent. And after cubs are born, mates have undeniable duties each other and to offspring. Unless…”

“Unless…” encouraged him Nala.

“There were some additional circumstances that made sworn invalid.” Said Zazu. He knew she started a very shady game, but the lawyer awoke in him – he just continued his lecture. “A bigamy, notorious adultery, curative problems disturbing matehood, too close affinity of mates, charges of treason against one of mates…”

“Stop!” called Nala a bit too loud. She instantly lowered her voice, being careful not to wake Simba. “Again that one. About close affinity.”

“Ma’am, are you sure we aren’t talking about any particular case?” asked Zazu gulping. He wanted to fly away from that place and forget about whole situation. There was just one possible couple fitting to that description.

“Tanabi is great grandson of Ahadi. Vitani is granddaughter of Ahadi. Technically they are cousins…”

“…in fourth grade of consanguinity.” Finished Zazu. He didn’t want to, just layer in him turned out to be stronger that wise bird. “But ma’am, you can’t question lord Tanabi’s and lady Vitani’s marriage! In such cases, with fourth or even third grade, the approval of current monarch works as a dispensation.”

“Was then Tanabi already king? And had he approval of his parents for marriage?” asked ex-queen.

“I don’t want to hear it!” Called hornbill. “With all due respect, ma’am, if you say something more about that, I will wake Simba!”

“Go on.” Smiled Nala. “And what will you say him? Complain about me that I making some questions.”

“I’m terribly sorry, ma’am.” Said bird, raising into the air. “I promised to visit Tiko today. I’m late already.”

“Damn it!” thought Nala, looking after fleeing majordomo. “If he says something about that to Vitani, there might be a problem.” But then she judged that Zazu was too scared about her ideas to share news with anyone… even with own nephew. “And that’s good.” Smiled ex-queen. “I’m still not sure about the situation, but I have to check all possibilities. Maybe we will kill both birds with one stone. Riding that awful Outlander out of your land and secure proper future for Tanabi.”

Then she noticed Umeme, walking through savannah in Green Den direction. Nala smiled, seeing not only good friend, but possible solution to all her problems. “Once Tanabi was betrothed with goldenfurred lioness. I have no doubt she still remembers she could had become a queen… and in some conditions, still could be.”

Lioness came to Nala and bowed her head as if she was still rightful queen of Prideland. Ex-monarchess just nuzzled her muzzle in gesture of friendship. They were very close in way a bit strange for persons like them. Nala was much older, comparing to three and half year old subject, however she found a common tongue with freshly mature female.

“How was your day?” she asked.

“A bit too long already.” Replied goldenfurred. “We went of savannah just after dawn and finished just about. I even hasn’t been on Priderock yet.”

“But still came to see your old friend, huh?”

“To rest here, ma’am.” Explained huntress. “I think I’m better relaxing on your court than on rock. There is too much rush there.”

“Well, suit yourself.” Smiled Nala. “Have you eaten?”

“Yes, thanks…” nodded Umeme, then took a look around.

“Easy, my guards are on hunt right now.” Said Nala, pronouncing word <guards> with irony. There was no bitterness in that, at least not directed to Sorphi and Vinia. “Sit down. Simba sleeps, we are alone for a while. And that’s good.”

“Ma’am?” asked a bit confused lioness.

“I want to ask you some a bit personal question.”

“I will try to answer it as I can.” Said Umeme, sitting next to Nala.

“But if you decide it’s a bit too troubling, tell me.” Asked ex-queen. Surprised huntress nodded her head. “Let’s talk about my son.”

“King Tanabi.” Instantly corrected Umeme.

“No. For me he is Tanabi in the first place. For you - the same.” Said Nala, observing lioness’s reaction. She noticed a slight, however barely repressed narrowing of eyes. “You are friends… you were so close in your cub’s days. Had that changed?”

“Of course it had.” Replied Umeme. “He is a king now. He had mate and cub, so there is no time to recall <old friendships>.” Nala heard in those words involuntary complain on ways of fate. Exactly what she hoped to hear.

“And that somehow concerns me.” She said. “After all, you are almost like queen now.” Nala noticed a bolt of sudden amazement on goldenfurred’s muzzle. “I mean, Vitani is crowned, but she is not Pridelandress. And I heard you took

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