she kept getting weaker by the second. She turned back to him and whispered in his ear.

“I think we've finally won...”

Epilogue

Even as dusk started setting in, Priderock's surface still felt warm after a long day of scorching heat. The past day had been almost unnaturally warm for the time of year, tiring and numbing everyone in it's wake. The hot air continued to linger around even now, near the evening.
It seemed almost impossible that the weather would have made such a turnaround overnight, yet it definitely had. Tamath had felt it happening with ever rising anxiety; it was as he had feared. Yet he had decided now would not be the time to give utterance to his fears, as the pride was already in deep enough as it was. That is to say, for as far as the shaman was concerned, this must have been the darkest day in the Prideland's history since long. But, staring at the grim crowd gathered on Priderock that afternoon, he became more and more convinced there would be many more of those to follow.
From where he sat, Tamath got a good look at the Pridelands down bellow, at the gathered animals of all die="font-size: small;">“Sis?” he carefully whispered.
Meanwhile, Maitha and Kucha had also somehow managed to crawl near. Both lionesses had taken serious beatings, Kucha still bleeding from the head, while Maitha had to limp forward on three legs, the fourth one being to badly damaged to stand on. But even they were still conscious enough to realize what was happening, although they didn't have the energy to do anything but stare in horror. In the background, most lionesses that had sided with Nala in the previous battle now started coming closer too, save for Nala herself, who tried staying in the background whilst making herself as small as possible. The hyenas, in turn, started gathering around Dakly and Shenzi.
Suddenly, to everyone's surprise, Vitani opened her eyes again, making Tanabi draw his head back a bit, as if shocked. The look in Vitani's eyes, however, was anything but clear, as she seemed to almost stare out in the distance. With ample effort, she opened her mouth again.

“Tanabi, I knew you'd come for me again...” she silently whispered, “I'm sorry I made such a mess of things while you were gone...”

Taken aback by those remarks, Tanabi could but stare whilst tears welled up in his eyes. Meanwhile, Vitani turned her head an crossed looks with all lions gathered around her.

“Hey, you're all here, great to see you...” the Queen mumbled somehow what incoherently. As Tanabi kept holding on to her, he could feel how she kept getting weaker by the second. She turned back to him and whispered in his ear.

“I think we've finally won...”

Epilogue

Even as dusk started setting in, Priderock's surface still felt warm after a long day of scorching heat. The past day had been almost unnaturally warm for the time of year, tiring and numbing everyone in it's wake. The hot air continued to linger around even now, near the evening.
It seemed almost impossible that the weather would have made such a turnaround overnight, yet it definitely had. Tamath had felt it happening with ever rising anxiety; it was as he had feared. Yet he had decided now would not be the time to give utterance to his fears, as the pride was already in deep enough as it was. That is to say, for as far as the shaman was concerned, this must have been the darkest day in the Prideland's history since long. But, staring at the grim crowd fferent races anxiously staring up. The crowds were not nearly as thick as they would have been at a Presentation ceremony, nor were they as enthusiast. Below stood the animals who had been driven to Priderock because of disturbing rumors, and terrible tidings. Rumors of betrayal and murder, tidings of hyenas and foreigners that held camp at Priderock. And for as far as the animals could see, all that information had been accurate: a strange pride lead by two powerful lions now held watch at Priderock, carefully monitoring it's original inhabitants, and allowing none to leave. A delegation of hyenas had been seen ascending Priderock in the afternoon, not leaving since.
The fear was apparent in all the gathered animal's eyes; they did not know what was going on, yet they could tell it was severe. With heavy heart, they now waited for their King to guide them, and reveal the state of the Kingdom. But the King had not been seen for an entire day, as he seemingly hid himself away it the Priderock complex' deepest cave. Everyone waited for his reappearance, yet it never seemed to come.
Tamath, however, already knew all there was to know. Not too long ago, he had been summoned to Tanabi, to his dark cave deep down in the Priderock. He had soon encountered the King there, in a small, damp room, where he sat with his advisor Tiko and two of his lionesses, Kucha and Maitha, along with what remained of an antelope carcass from which the King nibbled every now and then. There, Tanabi had informed the shaman of what was soon to happen, and what would be his part in that. After that, Tamath had been ordered back out again. He remembered all the worried and curious faces as had had again appeared on Priderock's plaza. But he talked to no-one, and no-one had the courage to approach him. After him, many more were called upon to meet with the King, all going in individually and coming out again. Yakta, Jino, Spotty, Dakly, Simba and some others. But none of the lions that supported Nala, nor the former Queen herself. No, they just waited anxiously, kept in check by Jino and Yakta's prides, feeling their spirits dampen as the day progressed.
Then, finally, just as the sun started creeping down under the horizon, Tanabi suddenly appeared out of the caves. His eyes were still a bit reddish, both from mourning and a lack of sleep, and he still looked weakened by his days-long coma as he walked, but the way he held his head up high and the look on his face were unmistakably regal. In his wake slowly followed Kucha and Maitha, who still limped heavily, as well as Tiko, who flew behind them.
The green bird shot a look at his uncle Zazu, who sat silently with Simba and Nala. If looks could kill, Zazu'd have died ten times over. In stead, the former advisor just looked away, as did Nala. Simba, however, kept his eyes fixated on the party exiting the caves, especially Tanabi. The King noticed his father's stare and slowly started walking towards him. Instantly, Simba got up and took position in front of Nala.
For Tamath, Simba's behavior had been one of the biggest surprises of the day. The former king, after all, had more or less refused to play along wih Nala's plan for pretty much the entire duration of the crisis. Yet the moment the lions had set foot upon Priderock again, after a long and silent night of mourning in which Tanabi had taken Queen Vitani to her final resting place in the Outlands, Simba had been the only one to stick by Nala. Whilst all other lionesses had, be it because they saw their error or because they knew better than to side with the traitor, not even deemed their former Queen worthy of one word, Simba had stayed by his partner throughout the entire night and day that had followed the Coup, as it would come to be known. It seemed as if Simba's love for Nala conquered even the greatest mistakes from her part, no matter how it would make his son Tanabi think of him. Whether that was ultimately a sign of weakness or of strength, was in the eyes of the beholder.
Both lions were now directly in front of one another. It was disturbing to see the still wounded Nala cower behind Simba, now seemingly even fearing her own son. Looking upon her as she sat thedisturbing rumors, and terrible tidings. Rumors of betrayal and murder, tidings of hyenas and foreigners that held camp at Priderock. And for as far as the animals could see, all that information had been accurate: a strange pride lead by two powerful lions now held watch at Priderock, carefully monitoring it's original inhabitants, and allowing none to leave. A delegation of hyenas had been seen ascending Priderock in the afternoon, not leaving since.
The fear was apparent in all the gathered animal's eyes; they did not know what was going on, yet they could tell it was severe. With heavy heart, they now waited for their King to guide them, and reveal the state of the Kingdom. But the King had not been seen for an entire day, as he seemingly hid himself away it the Priderock complex' deepest cave. Everyone waited for his reappearance, yet it never seemed to come.
Tamath, however, already knew all there was to know. Not too long ago, he had been summoned to Tanabi, to his dark cave deep down in the Priderock. He had soon encountered the King there, in a small, damp room, where he sat with his advisor Tiko and two of his lionesses, Kucha and Maitha, along with what remained of an antelope carcass from which the King nibbled every now and then. There, Tanabi had informed the shaman of what was soon to happen, and what would be his part in that. After that, Tamath had been ordered back out again. He remembered all the worried and curious faces as had had again appeared on Priderock's plaza. But he talked to no-one, and no-one had the courage to approach him. After him, many more were called upon to meet with the King, all going in individually and coming out again. Yakta, Jino, Spotty, Dakly, Simba and some others. But none of the lions that supported Nala, nor the former Queen herself. No, they just waited anxiously, kept in check by Jino and Yakta's prides, feeling their spirits dampen as the day progressed.
Then, finally, just as the sun started creeping down under the horizon, Tanabi suddenly appeared out of the caves. His eyes were still a bit reddish, both from mourning and a lack of sleep, and