need just your company anyway.”
“Why Nala and others went so quickly?” asked Pumbaa. “Is that hunt?” Simba shook his head.
“No. It’s… Stars! I even can’t name that absurd… They want to stop Vitani from returning here and make her to step down.”
“Yeah! That’s good!” called Timon, jumping on Pumbaa and clapping his paws in the air. “Does it mean we are back in home for good?”
“Or for bad.” Said brownmaned. “This day could cost us dear.” Then he shook his head, as if he woke up from sleep. “But enough of that. We must do something. Call for Zazu or Tiko.”
Pumbaa (and consequently Timon, still sitting on friend’s neck) exited chamber to search for birds. Meanwhile Simba sat down next to Tanabi and started to stroke his mane, murmuring. “I shouldn’t do it, for I’m no longer king. But if you are away, I must stop that slaughter. However I still hope you suddenly wake and do it yourself.” Then from main cave lion heard loud voice.
“I have no bloody idea where that rascal is. I saw him two days ago, when he flew away…”
“Zazu!” called Simba. “Come here, quick!” Hornbill entered chamber and sat down on ground before brownmaned and his son. “You said there is no Tiko here?” bird shook his beak. “But when you saw him for the last time… Where he was flying?”
“To the Outlands, of course.” Replied majordomo. “I saw him following Vitani and…” Then blue-feathered paused for a moment and added with uncertain voice. “Or no… He was going more on east… Like in direction of Mighty Waterfall.” Simba gasped. “Do you have any idea why, sir?”
“Yakta!” called lion. “Your nephew went for reinforcements! He wants to bring Yakta, maybe even with pride of Green Valley.”
“E… Timon…” murmured Pumbaa. “You said that would be <short, victorious war>, didn’t you?”
“Well…” threw Zazu in. “If Tiko manage to bring eleven lionesses and two lions to aid Vitani, that war still will be most likely short.” And added with whisper. “But not victorious.”
“Zazu, you must fly there and negotiate the peaceful solution.” Ordered Simba. Seeing angry stare of bird, added. “I know you got the worst share, but I – thanks Stars! – haven’t any wings. So tell Yakta – if he in on way – to wait, until we reconcile Nala and Vitani. Returning here, tell Nala about Yakta. Then…” He lost any idea. “Damn! Tanabi, I really need you here.”
“I know, dad!” called Tanabi, however he couldn’t be heard. His spirit was floating over his body and looking on gathered creatures. “But I still can’t return. Something is still undone… Some of you have to make decision that will allow me to wake. You must settle this yourselves!”

*

All the lions of Golden Hall were already up, even hough the sun was still down under. Not that they had slept that much; as a matter of fact, they had been up for most of the night already. Up worrying. And who could blame them? It's not like the prospects of a new day were that inspiring, that uplifting. Quite to the contrary, their main motivation for staying awake was actually to make sure time didn't pass too swiftly. But they couldn't escape the inevitable, and it made everyone sick to their stomach.

“Well good morning...” mumbled Dahabu as he approached Anasa. He failed to suppress his yawning, which went a long way too describe how ironic his statement actually was.

“Yeah, brilliant...” grumbled the kitty.

“Wow, feel the gloom! What up with you all of a sudden, Anasa? It's not like you to say something like that...”

“I know...” she groaned, “But what would you expect? We're on the verge of marching against our own family! My mom's probably preparing to intercept yours right now, as we speak, it's messed up!”

“And the worst part of it is there's not a damn thing we can do about it... I feel so powerless...”

“Hey, hey, now it's you who's not being himself,” smiled Anasa, “The prince shouldn't just give up like that.”

“Touché...” Dahabu grinned, the yawned again, “Dang, I should have really tried sleeping more. I think I get why mom always empathizes we get our nap in time... But I should really be focusing on more important things, shouldn't I?”

“I dunno, sleeping is rather important too,” giggled Anasa, “But now, it ranks a bit lower on my priority list.”

“My thoughts exactly... We should really do something, this madness can't go on much longer...”

“I'm afraid it can go on much longer, but at least, it probably won't get worse. At any length, there's not much we can do now. We'll just have to try and play it by ear, and seize whatever opportunity comes along to sort this mess out,” shrugged the young prince.

“I guess... I just hope no-one gets hurt, on neither side.”

“You shouldn't think in sides...”

“Come on, Dahabu, don't give me that; wake up and smell the coffee!” grunted Anasa, “Your mom's about to declare war on mine...”

“Or the other way around...”

“Does that even matter? We're one pride, yet we treat each other like enemies. I can't imagine how any good could come from this...”

“Mom will have thought of something, I'm sure of it...” Dahabu whispered. Vitani had thought o"margin-bottom: 0cm; font-family: Arial;">“I know...” she groaned, “But what would you expect? We're on the verge of marching against our own family! My mom's probably preparing to intercept yours right now, as we speak, it's messed up!”

“And the worst part of it is there's not a damn thing we can do about it... I feel so powerless...”

“Hey, hey, now it's you who's not being himself,” smiled Anasa, “The prince shouldn't just give up like that.”

“Touché...” Dahabu grinned, the yawned again, “Dang, I should have really tried sleeping more. I think I get why mom always empathizes we get our nap in time... But I should really be focusing on more important things, shouldn't I?”

“I dunno, sleeping is rather important too,” giggled Anasa, “But now, it ranks a bit lower on my priority list.”

“My thoughts exactly... We should really do something, this madness can't go on much longer...”

“I'm afraid it can go on much f something alright.

“Hey, peeps, what are you doing up so early?” Kucha suddenly asked as she approached the cubs, “You should really get some more rest, we've got a big day ahead of us...”

“... if not an entirely pleasant one,” added Maitha under her voice, earning her the evil eye from her friend.

“I wonder where the queen's at, she should have really been back by now...”

“What, miss me already?” suddenly echoed throughout the hall. All four lions startled and looked up at the hall's entrance. There sat Vitani, bathing in a reddish golden glow, as the sun started coming up behind her. The light reflecting of her fur into the dark hall gave her an almost golden aura, blinding to all who looked upon her.
The Queen had returned.

“Ma'am! Your finally back!”

“Mom!”

“What? We were only gone for a few hours, you know,” grinned Vitani as Umeme appeared behind her, “But I'm glad to see you all back again nonetheless. Anyways, enough with the welcoming already. It's time we got this show on the road.”

“But... what were you out doing all night long?” asked Maitha.

“You'll see soon enough. Now come on, get up and follow us,” replied Umeme, as Vitani already slacked back out again. With a certain feel of suspense, but mostly of anxiety, the lions got up and followed their queen out.
As they walked right into the rising sun's first rays, they all felt blinded at first, unable to immediately perceive that which was outside. They already found themselves a few feet outside the protection of their hall when they first saw.
Outside, arranged in a semicircle, waited row aster row of hyenas for Vitani, 35 in all. While the Queen causally approached them, followed in her wake by Umeme, Maitha and Kucha stopped dead in their tracks. In an instinctive response, they quickly snatched the cubs and took position in front of them, for protection.
Meanwhile, Vitani just strode on forward, stopping in front of an large, rather pale hyena who sat in front of the rest of her clanmates. Her characteristic bangs waved along with the gentle breeze which was blowing that morning.

“We stand ready, ma'am,” growled the hyena, bowing her had for Vitani.

“Vitani... I mean, your majesty! What is this?” shouted Kucha, obviously dismayed at what she saw, not unlike Maitha and the cubs.

“This, dear pride, is Matriarch Shenzi of the Boneyard clan and her followers. They have answered the call and stand ready to help defend my throne. They will escort us to Priderock,” Vitani noted without much ado. Both Maitha and Kucha gasped. That was a rather unexpected turn of events, for the worse for all the knew.
Not that Maitha and Kucha didn't support their queen, but what Vitani was doing now was going a bit too far. After all, even though both lionesses supported Vitani, they were still Pridelanders. For one, Pridelanders were a lot more suspicious of hyenas than Outlanders. And then you still had the problem that standing against your own pride is bad, but standing against your own pride alongside a clan of hyenas? That really was asking a bit much.

“Ma'am... are you serious about this?”

“Why wouldn't I be? Umeme told me the other day we needed help. I found help, be in a rather unexpected place.”

“But... if we enter the Pridelands like this we would look just like...” Kucha didn't finish her sentence, however,as she knew Vitani wouldn't appreciate the ending. But it seemed the Queen was hell bent on figuring it out anyway.

“I would look like who?” inquired Vitani, coldly glaring at Kucha, “Come on, say it. It's what on everyone's mind anyway...”

“You'd look like Scar taking over the Pridelands...”

“Then let it be so,” Vitani simply declared, “I always

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