you – when lionesses killed that bovid – ask them for leftovers? I’m sure they would gave you enough.” Said Arista.

“But that issss my kill!” hissed Kauli. “I have right to eat.”

“Good… let me judge that problem.” Said king, smiling. “Kauli, the kill is your. Would you forgive my pride to steal it? Please, accept our compensation in nearest hunted game. All right?”

“Well… right.” Replied a bit confused snake. “Ssssso, you admit that buffalo is mine?”

“Yes, I do.” Nodded Arista. “Do you want to accuse any specified lioness for other damages she made to you?”

“Thank you ssssir. That is all what I want.” Interrupted Kauli. “If you admitted that kill was mine, I will eat my meal and leave rest for you.”

“That’s all?” snorted Rama. “You want us just to confirm it was your right?”

“It wassss my right.” Replied snake and crawled to meat of bovid. Because lionesses already started to portion it, he chose a long strand of muscles, opened his mouth and started to carefully swallow it.

“I like that guy.” Said Arista to Masa. “Didn’t he hurt you in any way?” she shook her head. “Would you have anything against I would keep him here? I wish to have someone so sensitive to basic legal matters and him. Hatibu would use some help.”

“Do as you wish my… lord.” Said Masa.

“Hey, Kauli.” Started king. „What do you know about laws of the Desert.”

“Enough to judge, when the prey isssss mine.” Replied snake, swallowing portion of meat.

“I have a proposoNormal">“Kauli, sssir.” Replied reptile.

“Why wanted to kill that buffalo?” asked king.

“Just to eat him.”

“But you wouldn’t eat him whole!” noticed Arista. “I doubt even if you kill him…” but seeing angry look of Kauli, he added. “However we could assume you were able to do it. What would you do with carcass.”

“Most likely I would asssssk someone to help in dividing it.” Replied snake.

“Lionesses, for instance?”

“Maybe.”

“Just ask them?”

“I would propose them to take all the meat I left. That would be…” he looked on several parts of buffalo. “About ninth-tenth of body. Ten percent of his meat would feed me to summer solstice.” All lionesses grunted with irritation, but also with amusement.

“So… why don’t you – when lionesses killed that bovid – ask them for leftovers? I’m sure they would gave you enough.” Said Arista.

“But that issss my kill!” hissed Kauli. “I have right to eat.”

“Good… let me judge that problem.” Said king, smiling. “Kauli, the kill is your. Would you forgive my pride to steal it? Please, accept our compensation in nearest hunted game. All right?”

“Well… right.” Replied a bit confused snake. “Ssssso, you admit that buffalo is mine?”

“Yes, I do.” Nodded Arista. “Do you want to accuse any specified lioness for other damages she made to you?”

“Thank you ssssir. That is all what I want.” Interrupted Kauli. “If you admitted that kill was mine, I will eat my meal and leave rest for you.”

“That’s all?” snorted Rama. “You want us just to confirm it was your right?”

“It wassss my right.” Replied snake and crawled to meat of bovid. Because lionesses already started to portion it, he chose a long strand of muscles, opened his mouth and started to carefully swallow it.

“I like that guy.” Said Arista to Masa. “Didn’t he hurt you in any way?” she shook her head. “Would you have anything against I would keep him here? I wish to have someone so sensitive to basic legal matters and him. Hatibu would use some help.”

“Do as you wish my… lord.” Said Masa.

sition for you…”

*

Cubs returned to cave just after Arista persuaded ball python to stay and assist him in legal matters. Sparthi and Ghera just gave short report to Masa, while cubs went straight to the meat. All, except of Zira and Wivu. Those two quickly grabbed their portions of prey and entered cave, leaving pride on acacia alley. They tried to stay away from sight of king and Masa, so that’s why they were spotted easily. Grey lioness entered cave just after kitties and followed them to side chamber where they started their meal.

“Is there any particular reason, why you are hiding?” she asked with gentle voice. “Tell me, if it’s reasonable, I will leave you.” But then she noticed cut on Zira’s face. “Stars! What happened.”

“No, it’s nothing, mom!” called Wivu instantly.

“For you, it’s not, but let Zira speak herself.” Replied lioness. “So, my dear, what happened?”

“Just accident.” Said princess. But Masa catch kitty and pulled her closer, than looked in her eyes. “Really…” She wanted to finish <mom>, but some force inside her choke that word. She recalled what Wivu had said and tears came to her eyes.

“Zira, my child, tell me what happened.” Asked Masa. Wivu turned her stare down, sensing that her involvement would be revealed soon. “Did you fight with your sister.”

“No, no… that means… she has nothing to do with it.” Wanted to say Zira, but her voice shivered and in fact she sobbed that.

“What have you done to her?” asked grey lioness with stern voice, looking on her daughter.

“I was me!” cried Zira. “I ran away from Sparthi and was climbing on gorge wall… I fell and Wivu just helped me to get back to lake…”

Grey cub sighed with relief, hearing that princess was covering her up, but then another thought came to her mind, that was not so happy. She also had cuts and bruises, but mother was caring only about Zira. Not about her real child, but one who had killed own real mother. Wivu quickly repressed that thought she didn’t want to hear, but next events called it back.

“Does it hurt, my love?” asked lioness. Zira wanted to explain more, but she just sobbed again, what Masa took as <yes>. Greyfurred started to lick fresh cut on cub’s face. Wivu was looking at it without word.

But Zira caught her stare. Not directly, because grey cub was not gazing at princess, but on Masa. In her eyes was burning sorrow and envy for mother who seemed to care more about adoptive child than for her own. And Zira felt the pain, not of hurt cheek but of hurt sister. Thoughts that came to her then weren’t soothing.

“Wivu has right.” She thought. “Masa… I mean: mom, loves me more. But I didn’t deserve it! I killed my real mother and if not me, Wivu would have mom just for herself. I… I don’t know, what should I do.” Masa took Zira to sleeping chamber and put her on brush bedding, then laid just next to and hugged adoptive daughter. Wivu followed them to chamber, but seeing that mother was focused only on princess, she just went out to join other lions in feast. All were so wrapped up by newcomer Kauli – who, by the way, managed already to in legal matters. Sparthi and Ghera just gave short report to Masa, while cubs went straight to the meat. All, except of Zira and Wivu. Those two quickly grabbed their portions of prey and entered cave, leaving pride on acacia alley. They tried to stay away from sight of king and Masa, so that’s why they were spotted easily. Grey lioness entered cave just after kitties and followed them to side chamber where they started their meal.

“Is there any particular reason, why you are hiding?” she asked with gentle voice. “Tell me, if it’s reasonable, I will leave you.” But then she noticed cut on Zira’s face. “Stars! What happened.”

“No, it’s nothing, mom!” called Wivu instantly.

“For you, it’s not, but let Zira speak herself.” Replied lioness. “So, my dear, what happened?”

“Just accident.” Said princess. But Masa catch kitty and pulled her closer, than looked in her eyes. “Really…” She wanted to finish <mom>, but some force inside her choke that word. She recalled what Wivu had said and tears came to her eyes.

“Zira, my child, tell me what happened.” Asked Masa. Wivu turned her stare down, sensing that her involvement would be revealed soon. “Did you fight with your sister.”

“No, no… that means… she has nothing to do with it.” Wanted to say Zira, but her voice shivered and in fact she sobbed that.

“What have you done to her?” asked grey lioness with stern voice, looking on her daughter.

“I was me!” cried Zira. “I ran away from Sparthi and was climbing on gorge wall… I fell and Wivu just helped me to get back to lake…”

Grey cub sighed with relief, hearing that princess was covering her up, but then another thought came to her mind, that was not so happy. She also had cuts and bruises, but mother was caring only about Zira. Not about her real child, but one who had killed own real mother. Wivu quickly repressed that thought she didn’t want to hear, but next events called it back.

“Does it hurt, my love?” asked lioness. Zira wanted to explain more, but she just sobbed again, what Masa took as <yes>. Greyfurred started to lick fresh cut on cub’s face. Wivu was looking at it without word.

But Zira caught her stare. Not directly, because grey cub was not gazing at princess, but on Masa. In her eyes was burning sorrow and envy for mother who seemed to care more about adoptive child than for her own. And Zira felt the pain, not of hurt cheek but of hurt sister. Thoughts that came to her then weren’t soothing.

“Wivu has right.” She thought. “Masa… I mean: mom, loves me more. But I didn’t deserve it! I killed my real mother and if not me, Wivu would have mom just for herself. I… I don’t know, what should I do.” Masa took Zira to argue with Hatibu – that no one noticed trails of tears on cub’s face. And when Msikizi discovered that her friend had been crying, she simply thought that Masa disciplined her daughter for stupid acting that day and Zira was in progress of similar punishment.

Meanwhile princess was slowly falling asleep in Masa’s embrace. She calmed down, although it was hard – none of reason she was crying ceased. Finally she decided that something have to be done. She had to show Masa, she deserved her love. That somehow she is worthy of all that focus and care. Cub hadn’t idea what it would be in

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