of cubs – it was most likely Tetesi, but Vitani wasn’t sure – got buried by rubble and whole pride, even she as the two year youngster, participated in digging with help. Two years later she tried to recall all experiences and lessons given my mother and old lionesses who remembered life in Golden Sands.

“If I was given a chance, I wished to wait for Thamath.” She said to Tanabi. “But if there really could be some second burst, I think we have to risk digging him out.” Then she called to the hole. “My dear, could you describe me, what you see?”

“Yes, mom.” Replied voice from darkness. Somehow queen silently sighed with relief. Dhahabu was scared in the same degree that Anasa was. But in his voice were no pain, just a fear of consequences what he had done. He was scared more by perspective of upsetting parents, than actual danger. Tanabi understood it instantly.

“Son, listen to me.” He called, coming to the crack. “You must calm down and tell us, how we could help you.” He looked on Vitani and when she nodded, continued. “Listen, no one blame you for what has happened. It was an accident. We are also very proud you helped Anasa in so cunning way… Believe me, mom and I aren’t angry, just a bit scared. But we will handle this, if we all be cool. All right?”

“Right, dad.” Sobbed cub from crack, but in the next seconds he actually gather some strength and perkiness. “I can’t see too much, but I feel, I’m hanging in the air… That means: I’ve stuck between two rocks and under my paws I sense no ground. I heard some gravel falling. It might be two or three metres.”

“Maybe you see some light, some crack to open air?” asked queen. “That room should be near to other walls of rock.”

“Yes, mom. I see some light very close… that wall is about metre thick.”

“Not good.” Murmured Vitani to Tanabi. “That still much too much.”

“So we won’t try to dig him from outside?” asked king.

“If that were you…” said lioness and instantly added. “I mean that mature lion easily would survive eventual burst of wall. But our little Dhahabu could be squashed.” Tanabi nodded his head.

“So there is just one way to do it.” He said. “Dig in old fashion.”

Without any more deliberation, king started his work. Vitani came for few other lionesses, who helped Tanabi remove other layer of gravel. They quickly uncovered the crack, but then an easy part finished.

“Now I have to take my shot.” Said one-eyed and entered the crack.

It was a hard task – to dig in rubble carefully not to cause another accident, but fast to get on time before that accident would happened due to other circumstances. But Tanabi quickly found his own tempo, with he felt he is doing easy and safe. At least he hoped that.

Meanwhile Vitani ran out from cave and carefully climbed on slope of Priderock, to find crack that Dhahabu mentioned. She noticed a small gap I rock, then she gently stepped to it.

“May we…” asked Kucha.

“No, don’t risk a collapse.” Forbade queen. “Just be ready for…”

She didn’t finished that sentence, however all knew what she meant. If rock of slope really would have collapsed, pride had to rush and ding survivors as soon as it was possible. “Now, we are risking lives of both Dhahabu and Tanabi.” She though. “Mother, watch them, as I can’t!” Then she called to the crack.

“Dhahabu, do you hear me?”

“Yes, mom.” Replied cub.

“Just stay… lay or hang easy. Dad is coming for you. Try not to tire yourself and not to make any sudden move.”

“Yes, mom.” Repeated prince, then he coughed loud. Empty chamber under him echoed that sound, making it sound dreadfully.

“Darling, what is wrong?” cried queen.

“That air… it’s so heavy!” said cub from inside.

“Damn it!” thought Vitani. “Tanabi has to be quick, before they both choke!” For few seconds she wanted to get to the crack and extend it for all cost, but then she judged that risk was too serious. “That is our last resort.” She whispered. “Let’s pray Tanabi reach him by his own.”

King was going fast, but too slow anyway. He instantly easily dug and threw gravel behind him, but after extending about two metres of passage, he was so deep in it that removing rubble became a serious problem. He had to take a pawful of it, push it behind and with rear paws push it again to the exit. It was tiring job, not helping in fast progress. After about ten minutes he was so desperate that he decided that when he reach close enough he would start to push dirt in front of him, to throw it into new-made chamber.

He was hearing voices of Vitani and Dhababu and only that kept him hoping. His son was closer and closer and after next few minutes he was clearly hear every his word.

“I’m almost here.” Hne way to do it.” He said. “Dig in old fashion.”

Without any more deliberation, king started his work. Vitani came for few other lionesses, who helped Tanabi remove other layer of gravel. They quickly uncovered the crack, but then an easy part finished.

“Now I have to take my shot.” Said one-eyed and entered the crack.

It was a hard task – to dig in rubble carefully not to cause another accident, but fast to get on time before that accident would happened due to other circumstances. But Tanabi quickly found his own tempo, with he felt he is doing easy and safe. At least he hoped that.

Meanwhile Vitani ran out from cave and carefully climbed on slope of Priderock, to find crack that Dhahabu mentioned. She noticed a small gap I rock, then she gently stepped to it.

“May we…” asked Kucha.

“No, don’t risk a collapse.” Forbade queen. “Just be ready for…”

She didn’t finished that sentence, however all knew what she meant. If rock of slope really would have collapsed, pride had to rush and ding survivors as soon as it was possible. “Now, we are risking lives of both Dhahabu and Tanabi.” She though. “Mother, watch them, as I can’t!” Then she called to the crack.

“Dhahabu, do you hear me?”

“Yes, mom.” Replied cub.

“Just stay… lay or hang easy. Dad is coming for you. Try not to tire yourself and not to make any sudden move.”

e panted in front of him.

“I’m so sorry, dad.” Sobbed Dhahabu. “I really promised mom to be good. I didn’t want to repeat what happened on swamp and that why we were playing in home.”

“We will talk about it later.” Repeated king. “Now just relax and…”

“Dad, are you angry on me?”

“No, it was an accid…”

Then ruler heard loud crack around him then a wave of quake. And second later he also felt as he was hanging above the empty space. Ground under him collapsed down. In bolt of panic mixed with clarity, he rushed ahead, using the gravel falling down out of his way. In just few moves he got to Dhahabu, who was holding himself up with last of his strength and grabbed him into his paw.

“Hang on, we’re going down.” Called king, and actually they went.

Lion and cub started to fall into chamber below. King managed to nestle his son and cuddle around him, shielding him from rock-fragments. They his a floor two metres below, then a wave of gravel surrounded and deluged them. Last thing Tanabi managed to do was to raise Dhahabu above the surface of ground and avalanche of rubble. He wanted to push himself with rear paws but a wave of dusty air cut his breath. King fell into darkness.

*

“Stars!” cried Vitani, when cracks appeared under her paws. She jumped aside in last second, preventing herself from falling into collapsed fragment. She tucked her claws into slope and looked down. A hole, about three metres deep and over four metres wide was where had been a solid ground just moment earlier. Den of that burst was covered with clouds of dust, but when after few seconds rumbles ceased, she heard a weak coughs of her son. That was the sweetest music she could imagine.

“Dhahabu!” she called and jumped down.

She landed on loose fragments of rocks and started to search in blinding dust for her cub. Coughs became louder and louder with every second, then she finally sensed with paws coiled body of prince. Queen gently grabbed cub in her mouth, raising him over the rubble.

“Ma’am?” asked Kucha from upthere. “Should I go down?”

“Take him to clear air.” Ordered Vitani, lifting Dhahabu to the edge of hole. Lioness quickly grabbed coughing cub, then asked.

“And now?”

“All of you who are able to, get here and search for king.” Said Vitani, who just had realised that Tanabi had to be somewhere under stones.

She ran back to place where she found her son. She notice a small hole between rock fragments and with hope she started to dig. Few moments later new lionesses came to assist her and started to uncover area nearby. But queen was sure king laid there. If Dhahabu survived that fall without serious injuries, that meant someone shielded him. And that one was…

“TANABI!” cried queen, touching body of lion. It was just a paw, motionlessly lying among stones, but in few desperate moves former Outlandress dug out several bigger rubbles to uncover head and second paw of ruler. She bended her head to his lips and toughed his muzzle. There was no breath.

“NO!” she cried in mind, but in the same second she sensed a clear, however very fast pulse. “He is chocking!” she called. “Help me!”
She again grabbed another stone and put it away. Soon after three more lionesses assisted her, throwing away one of rock fragments. When chest of king was partially uncovered, Vitani pressed it with all her might. After two pushes, from mouth of Tanabi felt a potion of dirt.

“Help me!” cried again queen.

All lionesses there understood will of monarchess. Pembe and Mto caught king into stronger grabs and queen with Kucha still pressed chest of lion. After few more tries king started to cough by himself. He slip more then mouthful of dirt and gravel. Then Vitani again joined her ear with lion’s muzzle. He was breathing hard, but continuously.

“He’s alive.” Said queen, what sounded like cubbish sob. “Now let’s

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