heard you took many duties of monarchess, to fill lacks that… our new queen caused. You help to watch over cubs, assisting Tanabi in his patrols and so on.” Said Nala, carefully speaking words, trying not to show her anger.

“Well… I could say so.” Nodded Umeme. She was so simple-hearted and loyal to her king, that she failed to see a possible insult to royal couple. She also failed to see a threat in ex-queen’s words. After all she wanted nothing but good. Nala did the same.

Most of tragedies start that way.

 

III. Prince Distress

 

Tanabi just entered the royal chamber to see Vitani coiled on their bedding, sleeping hard. If she wouldn’t slept hard, she had already raised her head to see who was coming. Sharp senses of former Outlandress were famous on Priderock… and if they failed that meant queen was really tired.

King stopped then started to walk slowly, almost sneaking, not to wake his mate. He wanted just to lay next to her and take an hour of nap. Weather was awful – the rainy season seemed to wait for creatures to exhaust their all strength. It was still dry, but air pressure was really high. Clouds on horizon announced rains, but still didn’t come. In such condition almost all lion of pride felt weariness. But royal couple, since few days really stretched in their duties, took it awful.

“I’m not sleeping.” Murmured Vitani with half-awaken voice. “Just… resting.”

“Yeah.” Smiled Tanabi. “I’m not lying myself next to you, just let the ground to reach my altitude.” He said and bended down to his mate. “Don’t worry, all is fine. We could take a break.”

“Taking a break with you usually is a bit tiring activity.” Noticed queen. “So maybe just… rest together.”

They both laughed quietly, then laid themselves, side to side. King murmured with contentment and closed his eyes, cuddling his muzzle into side of Vitani. He also thought how it all changed in last year. In previous rainy seasons it was a heat of the War of Prides. First blows were given and taken – Pridelanders lost Sarafina and Outlanders mourned Hawaa. In week would come a anniversary of so called Battle of Reunion, day when Nuka and Zira died. In those days Tanabi was treated like youngster – he was send in backline with his grandmother and Sakia. Simba didn’t let him to stand in the first line. “That was somehow fortunate.” Thought king. “If I was there, there would be a possibility I stood against Vitani.” But that was past, so shivering about it changed nothing. So Tanabi just scanned next events – his unexpected trip with Sarabi and Vitani to the Outlands, then sprouting feeling he bound himself to Outlandress, then dramatic events on Priderock, when in short fight of all against all he lost his eye, but managed to cut conflict of prides. Then he became a king, a mate and soon after be also a father. In few months he grew up to be mature male. Before that all he wanted to take duties of independent lion. After he didn’t regret any of his action, but he admitted that life of bored youngster has some advantages that being king lacked.

“I wonder how she thinks about that.” He – still with closed eyes – stroked Vitani’s side, but he said nothing not to wake her. “I bet she is looking on it from completely different perspective, however… the change for her was at least as fast as for me.” In next second he sensed a sudden tension on Vitani’s side. King opened his eyes, to see queen’s ears erected and in full alert.
”What happened?” asked with weary voice.

“Did you hear that?” whispered Vitani. Tanabi shook his head. “A burst. Some rock here crumpled.”

“Lucky we, it’s not our roof.” Said king, but then he gasped with fear. “Dhahabu!” Lion jump up on his paws and turned to exit of chamber. “Quick, they were playing hide and seek today in lower chambers.” In next second he was out of there and queen followed.

They ran to main chamber, where some alert was already made. Lioness were uneasy and Bidii, probably touched by some premonition, call them all to search for Anasa. Females scattered in most of lower parts of complex. Bidii was commanding that search, but when she noticed royal couple, she turned to them and said with shivering voice.

“Something is wrong… and I saw Anasa and Dhahabu playing near to food storage not long ago.” Then some fearful cry pierced the air. That was Pembe, greyfurred lioness sent to check back corridors of food storage area.

All who stayed to then in main cave set of to ran in that direction. But before first lionesses reach the exit, Vitani managed to regain cold blood and called with decisive voice.

“STOP!” all, even Tanabi stopped instantly. “Nobody moves, until I told you… That burst could happened again.”

“Ma’am!” called Kucha, lioness sent by Bidii to check the situation to storage. “It’s here…”

Lionesses let pass royal couple and Bidii. Three of then quickly joined Kucha, standing before damaged chamber. They saw a empty food storage, half filled with dust. On the end of room there was a pile of loose rock, placed where had been a crack in wall. Tanabi looked on his mate, she replied.

“Wait, I’m lighter than you. I’ll go check it.”

The probability of second quake was minimal, however they all knew that if cubs got trapped under that small pile of gravel, the biggest danger for them was to be buried deeper by awkward rescue mission. So Vitani carefully – yet fast – ran to place of burst and stuck her head into remnants of crack.

“Dhahabu? Anasa?” she called but with muffled voice, for not to risk any further accidents.

“Ma’am!” cried Anasa from deeps of crack. “We are here… At least I am. He was going as first, told me to wait, but I went after him and…”

“Are you hurt?” Vitani barely stopped next question until she heard negative sob. “Where is Dhahabu.”

“m, ere!” sounded from deeper of corridor.

“He said <I’m here>.” Explained Anasa. “He is about a tail before me. He stuck in that passage.”

Vitani gave a tail signal for others to wait then tried to enter the crack. But there was too little space for her to get any further, to say nothing about manipulating in that passage. So she called again to Anasa.

“All right, calm down. Try to breathe slowly and not too deep. There is awfully lots of dust in the air. Forward it to Dhababu… all right?”

“Right, my queen.” Sobbed cub.

“They are both alive.” Called Vitani back to Tanabi and Bidii. “But I can’t see Dhahabu, because Anasa is on the way… And I can’t reach Anasa anyway, because there is too narrow.”

King and lioness didn’t resisted and went closer co crack to see the situation on their own eyes. Vitani made few steps back to breathe in with clearer air, letting her mate and subject to take a look into the crack.

“Honey, we will come for you soon.” Called Bidii.

“Yes, mom.” Replied scared, but rather unhurt cub.

“Think, think, think…” was repeating Tanabi quietly. Then – seeing that Tiko entered the chamber he ordered. “Go to Thamath and call him here. Then return on Priderock instantly, we could need you in some other way.” Hornbill wanted to ask for something, but king urged him. “GO NOW!” In next second bird was away. “All right, what’s then?” She asked, turning to Vitani.

“Darling… I think you should lay this on me.” Said queen carefully. “I have no real experience with such a stuff, but in the Outlands…”

“You lead.” Nodded king, before she finished.

“Right. So go to calm down lioness and we will try to learn more.”

Ruler ran away from chamber, then two scared mothers again came to crack.

“Should we uncover it?” Bidii pointed on pile of gravel.

“No, wait!” Stopped her Vitani. “We make sure not to provoke another burst.” Bidii usually didn’t like to follow queen’s orders, but in that moment she had not even slightest idea to disobey. “Let me talk with her.” Added monarchess.

She again stuck head to the crack and called.

“Anasa… could you describe me, that you see.”

“Darkness I see.” Replied cub. “And Dhahabu’s tail and rear paws. He is trying to push me back.”

“Son…” called a bit scared queen.

“isy, mom!” sounded echo from passage. It was probable an try to calm her.

In next moment Vitani noticed some move in darkness and distant shape of cub’s legs. Next a tail of Anasa appeared near to crack’s mouth. Queen firmly grabbed it in her mouth and pulled gently, but hard. Cub yelled quietly, but more not due to pain but to fear. However that action worked – kitty was dragged from darkness of crack.

“My child!” cried Anasa and ran to golden furred cub. Then rather grey-furred, due to thick layer of dust on her. She was a bit scratched, dirty, a little spotted with blood from few cuts. But there were no breaks nor serious wounds. Kitty had enormous luck to get away from that with no real damage. She even tried to stand on her own, but sudden fit of cough overturned her. Bidii caught her and nestled tight.

“Get her away… to the open air!” called Vitani. “And water her! Let her cough to spit all dirt from her lungs!” As soon as lioness heard that advise, she grabbed cub in her jaws and ran to the exit. “Now… let see…” She looked into hole. “Son!” she called.

“I’m still here, mom.” Replied Dhahabu with weary voice. “But better not go for me now… I sense the rock is still unstable.”

King and queen gasped, hearing that. It was right – some cracks of wall were seen even in food storage. Most likely – at least Vitani made such a theory – burst was caused by some empty space under that chamber. It was another chamber somewhere there, eroded by water dripping from upper parts of cavern system. Former Outlandress know not too much about water decay, but wind-erosion was a common problem in her home. Many of limestone rock in Northern Range became dangerous, due to air decaying, and Zira many times warned her children from playing in caves of such a objects. Some day one of cubs – it

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