So here it goes. Finally I've started my work on TPR. That is concluding installment of my Great Tetralogy (great for sure – if not due to it's artistic value, for sure due to it's length;). When I finish it, I will write a solid foreword, where I will explain few things. But for now – that story starts in year –2 (where year zero is death of Mufasa and coronation of Scar), is taking place mostly in Golden Sands – kingdom described in TNR and ToS.
That part was initially meant to be written before TNR, but then (mostly due to inquiring of my Polish Readers) put in ice, so I focused on TNR and short-novels.
Reminding earlier stories would be useful, but in that particular case isn't necessary. Only outcome of that story, showed in TSH, when exhausted Golden Pride enters Pridelands is important.
Do not expect a merry story, this is a tale about decline. But a glorious decline. And reading about it, remember about "resurrection" shown in stories I happened to write earlier.
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PG-13/T rated due to violence and some complicated emotional maters.
The Previous Round (of the Circle of Life)
Dramatis Personae (not full, for not to make any spoilers):
Arista – once king of Golden Pride, father of Sparthi, Kira and Zira.
Busara – lioness of Golden Sands
Cheza – lioness of Golden Sands
Dhalimu – brother of Malkha, whitefurred lion (grey mane) with scars on his back.
Doria – young lioness of Golden Sands
Dotty - young lioness of Golden Sands
Epesi - lioness of Golden Sands
Hatibu – secretary bird, major-domo of GS
Ghera – lightfurred mate of Sparthi.
Kira – daughter of Arista and Malkha, born death.
Kauli – ball python, adviser and chamberlain in Golden Sands court.
Macheo – lioness of Golden Sands
Malkha – queen of Golden Sands, mate of Arista.
Masa – carer of Zira, substitude mother for Zira.
Msikizi – goldenfurred lioness of Golden Sands
Rama – light grey furred lioness of Golden Sands
Sparthi – son of Arista, brother of Zira. Prince of Golden Pride.
Sukari (sugar) – brownfurred, brownmaned rogue.
Ujuzi - lioness of Golden Sands
Thela - young lioness of Golden Sands
Vii - young lioness of Golden Sands
Wivu– greyfurred lioness of Golden Sands, daughter of Masa
Zira\/ – Daughter of Arista (Golden Pride's king), sister of Sparthi and Kira.
\/Disney's character.
0. No light
Starting song. Tune is quite easy and calm, yet mixing some airy melodies with more serious ones. Female voice, strings and mild piano in score. Choruses with orchestral touch.
All-black screen that in just blink of an eye turns to be a blazing light. After few seconds we see that is just a sunrise on desert – rays are reflecting on golden sand, initially blinding gazer. But we see more and more details – on first glance just dunes of desert, but then some landscape on horizon. Distant mountains (careful watcher could recognize desert range where is Rumble Gorge) in background, but camera is slowly going into direction of raising sun.
In spite of appearances of lifeless, desert is inhabitant. More and more creatures – fenecs, desert antelopes, addaxes, geckos and others. Many birds are flying east. All of them are going – in concordant march – to the Golden Massif. Predators don't dare to attack any victim, there is no hostility among different species, yet still there is some fear there. Animals are looking each other with curiosity and uneasiness. That way camera reaches the Golden Massif.
Old secretary bird is circling above the massif and showing animals where they should go. The main gathering is in front of Golden Cave, just next to Acacia Alley – two lines of acacias, growing before the entrance. Inhabitants of desert stop in their places, watching dark doorstep of Golden Cave.
A young lion – just about year and half – is exiting the cavern. He has sandy mane, fur of similar colour and blue eyes. He is sunblind from the start, but then – with few more steps ahead – he opens his eyes again. Then we see he is crying, although he tries to hide it.
Just behind him is walking a giant lion, with golden fur and golden mane that is coming to darker shade at the ends of coat. His muzzle features are similar to adolescent lion, so we could make that assumption that are father and son. In mouth of lion a newborn cub is carried. Cub is very weak, moving slowly, but still trying to raise her paws and shield face from sun. her eyes are still blind – what is usual for newborn – but she seem to be somehow perceptive.
Just next to golden lion is walking another male – a bit older, of white fur and light-grey mane. On his back he is carrying a dead lioness. That lioness is grey-light furred and some resemblances allow us to assume she was somehow related to white lion. Most likely she died just while ago – on her muzzle an expression of pain is mixed with smile.
Just behind them is marching goldenfurred lioness – she is in advanced pregnancy. She is holding in her mouth another cub, but it's obvious that child is dead.
There go all lionesses of cave. Sad retinue stops at the end of alley.
Then zoom in on face of adolescent lion. He looks on dead lioness – due to clear similarity also to dead lioness, we could assume that was his mother. Son raises his sight up and narrows his eyes because of sunrays
Looking into the skies
Reaching heavenly blue
That is too far from us
That is too high for you
His father passes next to him, nuzzling his side. Sandymaned drops his sad reverie and follows. They all stops at the end of alley. Gold lion carefully puts living cub on sand, then turns back to see as with help of adolescent lion, white one is putting dead body of lioness on sand. The other cub (that dead one) is lying there.
That is never to reach
Just to watch and admire
Just to dream and to pray
Just to crane our desires
Secretary bird lands down, on shoulder of golden lion and with loud voice he announce something. It's hard to read from movement of bill, but we could assume he announces the king and his family. All creatures bow down
And to hope somewhere is better place for us
And to hope that someday makes up for the past
Then king is grabbing living cub into his jaws and gentle raises her up. Animals are watching that and in spite of common sadness, a collective roar/shout of joy starts. Cub is showed to gathered creatures.
Chorus:
There is no light without a shade
But we're walking still on way
We see zoom in on cub – she is cute kitty, still blind and unaware.
Straight and onward, making steps ahead
And not crying but keep hope instead
And although it's turn for night
We are waiting for day's light
Cheers of crowd continue. Capture of all desert fauna. Many animals are cheering and crying in the same time
Second verse:
Shot back to sandymaned young lion. He looks on dead mother, but being encouraged by all calls round he turns his sight to cub. And smiles, in spite of tears.
But there's always a way
To lower sky downhere
To make world better place
Get the heavens at near
Goldenfurred lioness comes with dead cub. Living one is put down and king takes second kitty, to show her to subjects. Cheers are cut silent in second, all animals are watching in silence. Meanwhile golden lioness takes living cub in her embrace, laying on sand.
Even for shorter while
Make the day fine and right
Even just for one smile
To warm us in the night
Then white lion comes with dead lioness and she is shown to crowd. Animals turn their stares to the ground and secretary bird starts to tell something. King puts dead child on the sand then turns to his son. He puts his paw on adolescent's shoulder.
And we know somewhere is better place for us
And we know that someday makes up for the past
They both look up, to the sky
Chorus:
There is no light without a shade
But we're walking still on way
Young lion came closer to father and hugs him. In background secretary bird it still talking, golden lioness is licking living cub, but for longer while father and son stay in hug
Straight and onward, making steps ahead
And not crying but keep hope instead
And soon comes the turn of day
As we know it always came
Then finally they turn back. King nods his head – golden lioness put up the living cub and ruler himself grabs dead one. Young lion comes to white one and they both lifting dead lioness's body. Retinue is going back to the cave, while animals stay in silent meditation.
Fade to black, music stops.
