“Yes and no.” replied Sparthi instantly. “That means: we believe that land belong to your pride. But no: we aren’t trespassers. We wanted to find king and…”

“I don’t believe you.” Interrupted prisoner.

“How sad.” Snorted Dhalimu. “Drop this. We have just two options – you will tell us where your king is, or we will look for him by our own. To do that, we must knock you out, was could be very unpleasant.”

“Uncle…” murmured amazed Sparthi. “You don’t mean you want…”

“And how else you could do it, my prince?” asked old lion. “She will be good or she will be still.”

“Your idea of making her <good> could be not so appealing.” Replied sandymaned. He came closed to Dhalimu and captured lioness, kneeled down in front of them and asked, trying to sound gently and softly. “What is your name, ma’am?”

“And what do you care, intruder?”

“You are talking to prince of Golden Sands!” growled Dhalimu and pressed lioness lower to the ground, as she made a painful moan. “Correct yourself!”

“Uncle, don’t hurt her!” called Zira and Sparthi in unison.

“Right… I’m repeating.” Said prisoner, with weak voice and white lion loosen his grab a little. “So: what do you care, sir trespasser…”

Dhalimu wanted to hit her, but his paw was stopped by Sparthi. “No!” said prince with decisive voice. “Uncle, let her go.”

“What!?”

“I said: let her go.” Ordered Sparthi with demanding tone.

“Listen to Golden Sands heir.” Said Rama quietly. Wandered loosen his grip and jumped ent: 9pt;">“Uncle! What the hell possessed you!” called Sparthi, ignoring previous advise. “She might have killed Zira!”

“Why you are so irritated she failed?” smiled white lion, still pressing grey lioness to the grass.

“It’s all right, Sparthi.” Replied princess. “Uncle did a right thing. I would do the same at his place.” She smiled, looking on Dhalimu. They stares met and old wandered also narrowed his lips in some kind of smile. “It doesn’t matter now. Let’s get some information on her.”

“I will tell you nothing!” growled prisoner.

“Your perkiness is admirable.” Said Dhalimu. “But I think we will get some agreement. Tell us, why the heck you attacked us?”

“That’s our land! You are trespassers!” hissed greyfurred. It was clear that however she tried to sound firmly and brave, she was at the edge of cry. She wasn’t scared – she was simply despaired.

“Yes and no.” replied Sparthi instantly. “That means: we believe that land belong to your pride. But no: we aren’t trespassers. We wanted to find king and…”

“I don’t believe you.” Interrupted prisoner.

“How sad.” Snorted Dhalimu. “Drop this. We have just two options – you will tell us where your king is, or we will look for him by our own. To do that, we must knock you out, was could be very unpleasant.”

“Uncle…” murmured amazed Sparthi. “You don’t mean you want…”

“And how else you could do it, my prince?” asked old lion. “She will be good or she will be still.”

“Your idea of making her <good> could be not so appealing.” Replied sandymaned. He came closed to Dhalimu and captured lioness, kneeled down in front of them and asked, trying to sound gently and softly. “What is your name, ma’am?”

“And what do you care, intruder?”

“You are talking to prince of Golden Sands!” growled Dhalimu and pressed lioness lower to the ground, as she made a painful moan. “Correct yourself!”

“Uncle, don’t hurt her!” called Zira and Sparthi in unison.

“Right… I’m repeating.” Said prisoner, with weak voice and white lion loosen his grab a little. “So: what do you care, sir trespasser…”

Dhalimu wanted to hit her, but his paw was stopped by Sparthi. “No!” said prince with decisive voice. “Uncle, let her go.”

“What!?”

back, shielding from eventual attack of lioness.

But that didn’t came. Greyfurred was too weak to attack again. She coughed and Sparthi came to her and helped her to stand up. Then he stepped back too, leaving prisoner completely free.

“Do you think you gained my trust by that?” asked she finally.

“I’m Sparthi of Golden Sands, son of Arista and Malkha.” Said prince, bowing his head. “I terribly sorry for what has happened and I promise that won’t happen again. I humbly ask you to lead us to your king.”

“I can’t call it <aggressive negotiations tactic>” murmured Dhalimu.

“But you could see it works.” Replied Rama.

“My name is Bonde of High Pride.” Replied greyfurred. “I’m terribly sorry, but we are all scared of intruders in our land.”

“Your king ordered you to attack every guest?” asked while lion with irony.

“My king is still unconscious.” Replied Bonde. “Currently I’m commanding the defence of High Range.”

“Defence?” asked Zira. “We saw a skeleton… that was male… rogue or someone siding with your pride?”

“And why do you want to know it, girl?” growled lioness with distrust.

“She is Zira, princess of Golden Sands.” Said Sparthi calmly. “Please, treat her with the same respect as if you were speaking with our father.”

“Sorry, sir…” said Bonde and burst with tears.

They were standing for longer while, surprised and confused, unable to make a move. Finally prince came to lioness and awkwardly stroked her head, then embraced her gently. She looked on older, much more experienced than him, but still – at that moment young sandymaned was comforting Bonde.

“Please, calm down.” Said Sparthi. “I promise, we will help as we are able.”

“We will?” asked Dhalimu, surprised.

“We are able to?” added Rama in the same confusion.

“What’s the strength of enemy?” asked Zira, but seeing that Bonde was a moment unable to give any detail, just sighed with irritation.

“Oh, I see you are so avid for action…” murmured Dhalimu, than again looked on Sparthi. “Boy, look. I will follow everything you decide, as for you are my prince. But as your uncle, I must make sure you made your choices rationally and not in affect. Why do you want stand for that pride.”

“It’s just… proper.” Said Zira. “We should help any…”

“Sorry, girl, but I’m talking with your brother.” Interrupted white lion. “Soon I will ask my princess for her opinion too.”

“Sorry…” said Zira and stayed silent. For Dhalimu it was a normal behaviour. He put much attention both to ranks and back too, leaving prisoner completely free.

“Do you think you gained my trust by that?” asked she finally.

“I’m Sparthi of Golden Sands, son of Arista and Malkha.” Said prince, bowing his head. “I terribly sorry for what has happened and I promise that won’t happen again. I humbly ask you to lead us to your king.”

“I can’t call it <aggressive negotiations tactic>” murmured Dhalimu.

“But you could see it works.” Replied Rama.

“My name is Bonde of High Pride.” Replied greyfurred. “I’m terribly sorry, but we are all scared of intruders in our land.”

“Your king ordered you to attack every guest?” asked while lion with irony.

“My king is still unconscious.” Replied Bonde. “Currently I’m commanding the defence of High Range.”

“Defence?” asked Zira. “We saw a skeleton… that was male… rogue or someone siding with your pride?”

“And why do you want to know it, girl?” growled lioness with distrust.

“She is Zira, princess of Golden Sands.” Said Sparthi calmly. “Please, treat her with the same respect as if you were speaking with our father.”

“Sorry, sir…” said Bonde and burst with tears.

They were standing for longer while, surprised and confused, unable to make a move. Finally prince came to lioness and awkwardly stroked her head, then embraced her gently. She looked on older, much more experienced than him, but still – at that moment young sandymaned was comforting Bonde.

“Please, calm down.” Said Sparthi. “I promise, we will help as we are able.”

“We will?” asked Dhalimu, surprised.

“We are able to?” added Rama in the same confusion.

“What’s the strength of enemy?” asked Zira, but seeing that Bonde was a moment unable to give any detail, just sighed with irritation.

“Oh, I see you are so avid for action…” murmured Dhalimu, than again looked on Sparthi. “Boy, look. I will follow everything you decide, as for you are my prince. But as your uncle, I must make sure you made your choices rationally and not in affect. Why do you want stand for that pride.”

“It’s just… proper.” Said Zira. “We should help any…”

to politeness in any talk. But golden lioness knew that was something behind this. Her uncle was testing her… and she wanted to prove him wrong in every his bias.

“Uncle, that’s my responsibility as a king…”

“Your pride is not here.” Noticed wanderer. “You even endanger Golden Sands, by risking your life… life of heir.”

“If something happens to me, Zira will take over the Golden Sands and her future mate will be king.”

“She is here too.” Said Dhalimu with calm, but inquiring voice. “You endanger her as well.”

“She won’t be fighting.” Replied Sparthi.

“He is wrong.” Countered Zira.

“That questions are pointless.” Called prince with decisive voice. “I decided to help this pride in range we are able to and this conversation is over. I want that, period.”

“Good.” Smiled Dhalimu. “I was checking decisiveness of future king and that test you passed easily. But…” he looked on Zira and smiled even wider. Princess – maybe for the very first time – felt a fondness towards her in that smile. “…your sister passed the reason test. First of all, she asked how many enemies we could be confronted with.”

“And what is the strength of pride.” Added Zira automatically.

“Yes. And what is the strength of pride.” Repeated Dhalimu. “Bonde, led us to your keep and try to tell us – in short – what we should know.”

*

It wasn’t a long story. High Pride was once proud and strong pride of twelve lionesses, king Kilele, his son Theluji and queen Poromoko. The land was peaceful one, not disturbed by any outer threats, because mountain region was considered as rather poor and unfertile. But it all changed in times of

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