It had been several days since Sumini had been on patrol with Kovu. Sumini was lying at the very top of Pride Rock. The wind was up, and leaves drifted past her face as she thought about the dream. She knew the white lion was Roka, but she wanted to know why she was dreaming about him.

Sumini never dwelled on things, and certainly not for a years at a time.

She eventually left her perch to find her mother, Kiara. On the way, she spotted Vitani hunting a herd of kudu in the long grass. The kudu had three white stripes down their sides. Like me, only their's aren't brown, she thought.

Vitani's lithe body was crouched in pouncing position. As she prepared to leap for the kill, the wind picked up, and carried her scent to the kudu. Their almond eye's widened, and they started running toward the river.

Vitani snarled in disappointment. Sumini marveled at the way that the dark lioness could hunt without help. She continued down Pride Rock.

She found Kiara in the sun, watching Tendai and Ingwenya play. They were wrestling, tumbling over each other like the currents Sumini sometimes saw in the river.

"Hey there, Sumini. What're you doing?" asked Kiara. "Finding you, Mom," answered Sumini.

"I wanted to ask if I'm old enough to go on my hunting test solo," asked Sumini. "You helped me, remember? And I've been practicing on my own, too," she added hopefully. "OK, Sumini, you can take it with Raini and Flash," decided Kiara. Sumini gulped.

Raini was a silver-gray adolescent who had been born a year after Sumini. She was a nice enough, but she seemed to care more about gossip and attracting boys. She wasn't the one Sumini was worried about.

Flash, she thought. Flash was a young lion, with a brown mane and light blue eyes that always seemed to be filled with lightning. Sumini's heart always began to drum like a gazelle's hooves when he was around. He was so handsome and funny, making jokes and lightening the mood. Sumini found herself saying the dumbest things around him. It was like a curse.

Everyone liked Flash, even the older lionesses that had mates. He was the son of a lioness named Ema, who had died having him, and his dad was anyone's guess. He was a good guy, though.

But...them on a solo test? Sumini knew that each lion taking the test watched the others be assesed. With Flash there, she wasn't sure she could do it.

"Uhh, Mom, it's a solo test," Sumini said, hoping her mom would change her mind, and let her take the test without other adolescent.

"I know that, Sumini. You don't have to hunt together. You'll go first."

Days later, Raini nervously walked toward where the Pride was meeting to watch the young lionesses hunt. She hoped Flash was watching.

Raini had always admired him, but whenever she and Sumini were together somewhere, his attention always seemed focused on her. She had tried getting his attention, but he had brushed her off like a bee in front of a butterfly.

Today, she thought, that all changes. I'll do so well that he won't be able to take his eyes off me! That put a spring in her step, and, nervousness gone, she strode confidently toward Flash... only to trip over his paws. She looked up into his lightning eyes, and cleverly said," Uhhhh, hi."

"Hey, Raini," he greeted her. "Falling over yourself to get to your test?" he asked. Raini laughed. Oh my gosh, his voice has gotten so mature, she thought. Flash grinned.

Sumini came along. 'Hi, guys," she said. Her voice shook slightly, betraying fear. Immediately, Flash's attention was drawn away from Raini. The silver lioness growled. After today, Flash would be hers!

Flash opened his mouth to talk, but just then Kovu roared. "We have gathered," he began. "Well, duh," muttered Flash under his breath.

"To asess three of our young lions," he continued.

"They will be tested in hunting skills, and if they pass the test, they will be allowed to hunt with our elite group of huntresses." Kovu nodded toward a group of lionesses who were sitting together. Nala, Kiara, and Vitani were among them.

"Or, if they don't want to join the elite group, they may become a solo hunter," he went on.

"But be warned, if you choose to become a solo hunter, you will not have comrades to help you bring down larger prey like buffalo and antelope. You will be alone when you hunt," the Pride's king said gravely.

The three young adolescents who were being asessed had wide eyes.

Solo, thought Sumini.

Group, decided Raini.

Whatever the girls do, thought Flash.

Kovu started speaking again, cutting off their threads of thought. "Raini, Sumini, Flash," asked Kovu. "Do you know what you have to do?" Sumini was expecting them to answer Yes firmly and loudly in front of the whole Pride, but instead they all stammered," Yeah, sure, yeah, ok."

"We will begin with Raini, daughter of Kisha," said Kovu.

Kisha was a lioness the color of the sky at dawn. Her green eyes shone with pride as her daughter loped awkwardly into the long grass.

Several hours later, she returned with a small gazelle. Though it was small, it had clearly been young, strong, and fast, demonstrating Raini's speed and skill.

"Flash, you're up," announced Kovu. "Good luck," he added as Flash strode confidentely away.

When the young lion returned, he was dragging a buffalo calf, maybe six months old.

Sumini was frantically thinking. Buffalo are hard to bring down, and gazelle are really quick, she thought. How am I going to top their catches? I'm the princess, they expect me to be above average.

But she had no more time to think, because her father was calling her name to go out and hunt.

"You can do it," whispered Flash as she walked by. Sumini couldn't answer him. She wobbled past her mother and grandmother, who both hissed words of encouragement to her. She staggered out of the clearing and into the grass, and only stopped when she was well away. Then she tried to remember the things her mom and dad had taught her.

Stay downwind of your target, her dad had told her. Never lose your focus, and be sure to look before you step, had been her mother's advice.

Then she thought about her training with Vitani, and how she had taught her the sneaking technique that was for bringing down the desert elephants the the former Outlanders hunted.

Would it work on ordianry elephant calves? Sumini wondered.

A herd of elephants was stomping through a marsh, bellowing. Behind trailed a calf. Sumini watched him for a while.

He seemed to wander farther and farther from his herd, always going to look at some flower or animal. The princess crept closer. Then, she charged. In the end, it was all a blur. She launched herself at the calf, going for his trunk, both to cut off his breathing, and to stopped him from calling to his herd. The young calf never had a chance.

Sumini went for the spots she knew killed fastest. A few minutes later, he was dead. Without making a sound. Sumini realized that she couldn't drag home an elephant calf.

She sprinted to the clearing where everyone had gathered. Bursting through the grass, she accidentely knocked over her mother. "Sorry Mom," she gasped. "I killed an elephant calf, but I can't bring him here on my own. Can you help me?" she asked.

Everyone's face wore a look of shock. Raini's mouth kept opening and closing like a fish's. Her mom and dad looked proud and overwhelmed.

Flash was the only one to move. He strode over to the Princess and gave a pat on the back so hard that she almost fell over.

This seemed to bring everyone back to life.

"Yes, of course, honey," replied Kovu. "Great, I'll take you to him," said Sumini. The gravity of what she'd done hit her. She, a lone lioness, inexperienced and young, had killed an elephant on her first hunting mission. That was almost amazing. She led the Pride out of the clearing, and to the spot where her kill lay.

But someone had found it first.