KOPA’S STORY

 The scorching sun flecked the savannah grass with gold as it swayed in the wind. Pride Rock stood tall above the plains, as proud and majestic as the pride of lions that had lived in it for centuries.

Queen Nala leapt in between the boulders, checking behind her to make sure she wasn’t being watched. She needed her own space; she needed to get away from it all. It had only been a month since she had discovered that she was pregnant. The whole pride and the animals that lived around had rejoiced, and it still gave her butterflies in her stomach thinking about it, she was going to be a mother! Simba was equally excited about being a father, but just because she was royalty, she felt she was being overprotected. She had had to spend her days inside or around Pride Rock, was not allowed to hunt with the others, and had all her food brought to her. It was so frustrating! No matter how much she had pleaded, Simba had always said no to her going anywhere on her own. Well, she smiled to herself. I’m going to change all that. She clambered down from the rocks and raced away.

She was going to a favourite oasis not far away. It had to be not far away, the hunting party had just left and she had no clue where Simba was, but after a short while someone still at Pride Rock was bound to realise she was missing. So it had to be a short visit. That was all she needed, anyway. She breathed in the clean, fresh air- it felt so good to be out again! She did a little run here and there, sniffing the smells of wilder beast and gazelle and zebra going this way and that, and feeling the breeze ruffle her fur. She could roar with joy because she felt so happy! She saw the clustered acacia trees in the distance that marked her oasis, and sped towards it. However, she stopped a few seconds later. She was sure she had heard something. A rustling in the grass. Suddenly she became aware of her surroundings, and her body tensed. Then an unknown, scraggy lioness rose up in front of her, just a few metres away. Nala’s tail flicked in annoyance.

“What are you doing around here alone?” She shouted at the lioness.

“We could ask you the same thing.” The lioness said coldly. Nala’s throat tightened. We?? Then two other lionesses seemed to appear from nowhere, and stood beside the first. Nala felt uneasy, these lionesses didn’t look at all friendly. She stood her ground; if she was frightened she tried not to show it.

“Let me through, I’m the queen of these lands.” Nala hissed. The lionesses said nothing. They didn’t flinch. They just stared, their eyes fixed on Nala. Warily she tried to step around them, but then a fourth lioness came in from the side and halted her in her tracks. Nala’s heart thumped in her ribs. She stepped back. The lionesses were emotionless, their eyes cold and hard. They took a step towards her, everything about them was threatening. Nala’s instinct trickled like ice water through her brain. Get out. Now. She staggered back, not wanting to take her eyes off them for a second. But then to her horror, she sensed that three lionesses now stood a metre behind her. Without her realisation, a circle had been suddenly formed around her. Menacing faces now leered at her from all sides. Panicking, she looked around her. Everywhere she looked, a lioness seemed to stand, staring at her with the same expressionless gaze. She looked for an exit, they all were blocked. She was trapped.

Alarm bells were ringing in her head and she wanted to scream. But she couldn’t. Quickly, she tried a last-ditch attempt do dodge to the side, slip through a gap and escape. But it was too late… Paws grabbed her and threw her back into the middle. She tried to spring up, but two lionesses held her down. The rest encircled her even closer. Nala felt doomed, there was no way help could reach her now…BANG! SLAM! CRACK! Nala took the blows, too weak to do anything else. Through the haze she saw the leader slowly advance towards her, and she froze with fear. Then, silently, the leader unsheathed a claw, and held it up in front of her face, where it shone like a crescent moon, glittering silver through the darkness. And behind it those yellow, yellow eyes, gleaming with malice. Slowly she reached down to Nala’s neck, and the claw hovered there, a breadth away from Nala’s throat. The lioness almost seemed to be grinning with a sick, bloodthirsty pleasure for what she was going to do… Nala’s beautiful eyes filled with tears, “No….no…” she whispered. 

 “ROOOOOAAAAARR!!!” The lionesses were ripped off her back, and to her amazement, Nala looked up to see someone standing over her, roaring at her attackers. They scattered. The leader stared up into its face, open mouthed with surprise. WHUMPH!! A paw slammed into her face, the impact so huge her skull rattled. A splash of red spattered the ground, and she fled, howling into the distance. The others who hadn’t gone already didn’t need to make up their minds. They sprinted after her, shrieking with fright. A few seconds later and they all had disappeared from view. 

 “Are you alright?”A husky voice filtered through Nala’s panic and confusion, and strong, muscular shoulders helped her to stand.

“Simba…” Nala whispered, and nuzzled her mate lovingly. She had to lean on him as they made their way slowly back to Pride Rock. 

 “I was so worried, Nala,” Simba said as they walked back. “I sensed something was wrong and I looked everywhere for you, then I found a relatively fresh scent leading out of Pride Rock. I would have let you go then, but I still sensed something was wrong. I knew you wouldn’t be far away, so I sniffed around frantically. Then I saw your favourite oasis in the distance and I ran towards it. It seems I only came just in time. It’s a good thing I know you inside out!” They both laughed shakily and nuzzled, but Nala still felt some tears trickle down Simba’s nose and soak her fur.