04 – Rogue squadron
Prideland bordered with The Outlands on north. Northwest from kingdom spread The Great Desert, northeast – The Mighty Jungle. West from lion's land was savannah, a little drier that fertile Pridelands. On south, savannah become wetter, at least in rainy season, that on southern border of Priderock's domain, it changed to Southern Swamps. Looking on southeast, lion could see miles of plain, similar to those near Pride Kingdom. And what was on farther east? Well, almost no one from Pridelands ever interested in that and except few reconnaissances, made by Golden Lionesses, in times of Scar, that was an unknown land. But anyone, who wished to look there, could see the green hill, spreading to the horizon. Despite of theirs beauty, hills are unfertile, so they had no inhabitants. Usually.
"Well, well, well..." said redmaned lion with dark-grey fur. "What we've got here? A fine place to stay..." he turned to his companions. In rays of raising sun, the top of hill seemed to burn with fresh green. It looked tempting, especially for exhausted wanderers. "Gentlemen, this will be our new home!" Speaker was leading three younger lions. Two similar looking males with brown manes and sandy furs and smaller one, with black mane and darker colour of coat. All three smiled to leader and two twin-looking lion replied.
"Sounds great, boss!"
"Right..." redmaned turned to darker lion. "And what do you think, Amini?"
"Looks nice, Horen..." said he, with uncertain voice. "But I see no herds to hunt and no torrents..."
Leader, called Horen, burst in laughter and went to two other lions.
"Daki, Laki... listen to him." He pointed Amini. "He is youngest, but he have head in right place! He looks not only on this... decor... but he thinks about really important things. For example, what we will eat."
"If he is so wise..." started first lion.
"...he'd probably find something tasty." Finished second, both of them burst in laughter.
"Oh, stop it!" gasped Horen. He turned to Amini. "So, our prophet... Where are animals?"
Dark lion was gazing on plains for some time, then he scratched his ear with paw.
"For now? Nowhere." He replied with wondering voice. "Maybe some remnants of old herds. But..." he looked into sky. "After such a heavy rains, herds will surely return from dried swamps..." he pointed southwest. "... that probably are real swamp now... and come there, on savannah."
Twin-looking lions looked on themselves, than asked Amini.
"How..." started Daki.
"...do you know?" finished Laki. Amini smiled and again pointed on savannah.
"Because, almost all tasty creatures live on plain. Why? Because it's easier for them to run there and it's harder for us to sneak. Now, the swamps started to be dangerous..." he stopped, gazing on some point on horizon. He raised his paw to face in order to cover his eyes from the sun. "Look there! A mountain... at least, big rock. If there is some lion pride in this land, I'll bet it lives on it."
Horen laid on the ground and closed his eyes. Lion was probably sleepy, after long journey in night. He replied with weary voice.
"Who cares... We won't mess with any pride... You know the rules." His companions nodded. "No prides, no fighting for leadership. If we are not welcome, we don't go inside." Then he smiled. "Well, of course, if there is no king, but only lionesses, we could consider accepting the invitation." All four giggled. "But if we see that someone already is there, we'll just hang here."
"What about food?" asked Daki
"And water?" added Laki. Horen yawned, clearly bored.
"Don't bother yourselves now. It's time to sleep. We shall see, if we can hunt here. I'm sure, it won't make those locals upset. Meanwhile..." he yawned once again. "Goodnight, gentlemen... Or better to say good day, but I mean, that..." he lost his point, but finished with sleepy voice. "Whatever. Just I'll get a nap." In next second, he was sleeping.
His companions decided to do the same.
\/\/\/
"Oh, it's useless." Said Simba with irritation. "Let's go back!"
He was leading lioness patrol and decided to return on Priderock. After two days of searching, they saw just few Golden Ones, almost caught two, but even they managed to slip from the ambush. So in evening of third day of his reign, king judged to cease searching. Savannah was wet, and running through it was hard and exhausting. Also, Simba was just tired of constant tracking. He wished to rest... And then ran of with Nala in some remote place. Far from Outlanders and far from own pride. To have a little calmness.
"Are you sure?" asked Nala with uncertain voice.
"Yes, I am, darling." Replied king. "I don't know, what those lionesses did to you, that you hate them so much, but I promise, that when they trespass borders of our kingdom, I'll teach them respect to the queen."
"Yes, of course." Agreed Nala, but she still wanted to make sure, that Golden Ones were helpless. "Thank you."
Simba stopped and turned to his mate. He licked gently her cheek and whispered.
"It's a past. Just a past. It won't be back."
Then he turned to four other lionesses, running nearby and roared. It was a signal to return. So all pack from Priderock started to speed in home's direction. Golden Ones were safe... for the time being.
\/\/\/
"Mom?" asked Hawaa, when Simba's party returned to cave.
"Yes, my sweet?" said Kilia, cleaning her daughter with tongue.
"Is the hunt over?" cub looked on lioness with inquiring stare.
"Yes, for now it is." Replied mother, surprised by daughter's curiosity.
"But I see no aunt Zira, and mr. King..." Kilia immediately put her paw on Hawaa's mouth. "MMhm?" murmured surprised cub. "Mommy, what are you doing?" asked, when lioness freed her.
"Hush, baby... You must listen to me." Whispered to her ear. "We have new king now."
"So where is mister Scar?" asked cub with quite scared voice. "And where are those funny dogs that were living next to us?"
Kilia grabbed her daughter in mouth and went outside. In entrance they met Simba – lioness bowed slightly and Hawaa asked shyly.
"Hi! I don't know you! But maybe you know, where went..." she stopped, when her mother shook her. "Ow, mommy, it hurts!"
But Kilia just ran out from cave and went on cliff on other side of Priderock.
"Mom..." whispered Hawaa. "Isn't a private chamber of king Scar and aunt Zira? They might not want you come inside..."
Lioness entered Scar's cave and put daughter on royal bed. Then she looked in eyes of cub.
"I'm sorry, my dear, but it was necessary." She said. "I must explain you few things..." she sighed, didn't know, how to start. "The king is gone."
"Where he went?" asked Hawaa.
"To... some distant place. And queen Zira too... and probably hyenas as well."
Pupils of cub's eyes extended and Kilia noticed tears.
"But... that mean... aunt Zira went somewhere and even didn't say me goodbye?! No, I don't believe! I don't believe, she went without Nuka!"
"Nuka went with them too." Said Kilia, feeling cold in her throat. She had no idea, that her daughter was so close with Outlanders.
"I WANT PLAY WITH NUKA!" cried Hawaa and burst in tears. Lioness hugged her child and sighed. She didn't know, what to say.
"My dear... they had to leave... because Scar did something wrong."
"No... I don't believe it! He was so good to us!" Kilia said nothing, waiting for her daughter to stop crying. "But even so... aunt Zira and Nuka did not. Why they had to..." she turned her wet eyes up and looked on mother. "How it was possible? Mister Scar is our king and only he can punish someone. So why he had to go?" and again started to sobbing.
"We have a new king know." Said lioness. "His name is Simba."
"I DON'T WANT SIMBA!" cried Hawaa. "I WANT MISTER SCAR, AUNT ZIRA AND NUKA!" screamed cub and added quieter. "And this funny dog, that was always smiling."
"Hush my child... please..." asked Kilia and started licking her child.
After some time, cry stopped and Hawaa felt asleep. So Kilia grabbed her in jaw and carefully carried out from cave. So Sakia could stand up.
Lioness was there all the time. She came there in morning to hide her own cry. She laid behind Scar's bed and remained unseen, where mother and daughter came. But while she was listening complaining of Hawaa, only thing she wanted was to join this yelling. Small cub expressed exactly what she wanted to say and what for she wanted to ask. But at least, small cub had more courage than she. Hawaa dared to ask, she was silent all the time. "Oh, Scar!" whispered lioness. "You deserved for better and more loyal subjects than me!" She once again licked bed of dead king and went out from cave. Someone would notice her absence.
\/\/\/
Nuka was lying in den with Vitani. Only lioness there was old Rama, guarding her queen's cubs. But she was so silent, that Scar's son thought, that she was frightened by something.
"Why we are so quiet?" asked, whispering.
"They can't hear us!" replied Rama. Nuka decided, that he wouldn't discover, who were 'they', so asked another question.
"Where is mommy?"
"She will be here soon." Said Rama, sighing and cuddling Nuka and sleeping Vitani. "She went for help. She will be back, when she will find someone who assist us."
"We won't back on Priderock?" inquired cub.
"No, we won't." replied lioness. "At least not now."
"But... but..." it was too much for small cub. "So... we must go for Yakta and Hawaa! We can't left Hawaa with those brutes that killed daddy!" he burst in tears.
"Hush, my dear." Whispered lioness with fear. "Hush now! They are coming!" Cry finished at once. "Sorry... but we must be quiet. And when mommy find some help, we will back on Priderock and save Hawaa and Yakta. But now, you must be brave and speak nothing. Right?"
Nuka nodded and hugged harder lioness's paw. He cried with silent cry for few minutes, but then he felt asleep too. Rama sighed with relief, but new troubling minds came to her.
"Stars!" she prayed. "Help Zira! Help us all! We need a miracle... and we need it fast. Kings of the Past... Ancient Ones. Help!"
Tarki was standing near, but he was, of course, unseen. He came closer lioness and sit next to her place, supporting his head with paws.
"It's easy to say, miss..." he muttered with unheard voice. "But much harder to do. Any new ideas would be welcome."
Outside once again rain started.
\/\/\/
Drops of rain awoke sleeping lions. First opened his eyes Amini... to recognize, he was still dreaming. In front of him stood most beautiful lioness he ever saw. Despite of rain... or maybe because of that, her fur seemed to glaring gold, outshining grey-green background. Her perfect-shaped, wilful face and red, mysterious eyes were staring at lion with curiosity and... hope? Amini as rogue lion, long earlier banished from his pride, had no idea, what such a extraordinary lioness could expected from him. He slyly opened his jaw and asked.
"Who are you, lady?"
Countenance of strangeress was tensed because of sorrow and weariness, but hearing this, she smiled. Amini's heart stood.
"Someone, who needs your help." Said lioness. "We all need your help."
In that moment, lion noticed, that goldenfured beauty didn't come alone. Pack of other females was waiting behind her. They were too exhausted, some of them wounded, but also ready to help theirs leader in troubles.
"Hunt me down!" yawned Horen. "At first a drought, then a flood. The Circle of Life requires to be aligned." Rogue lion opened his eyes and discover nine lionesses, standing on top of 'his' hill. He immediately stood and turned to newcomers. "Daki, Laki... wake up!" he gasped.
Golden lioness came closer to rogues, almost toughing Amini. She estimated whole pack, for few seconds she stopped her stare on Horen, but then turned to Amini.
"I'm Zira, queen of Golden Sands and Priderock. And this is my pride." She pointed friends behind her.
"Nice." Replied redmaned one. "We are Windy Rogues pack, my name is Horen. What is your business here?"
"I'm Amini, my lady." Added younger lion. Lioness smiled.
"I don't know, who is in charge here, Horen, but only your friend behave as leader should. He have appropriate manners..."
"He is our leader, miss." Said Amini with polite voice.
Twin-looking lions stood to and looked on quest.
"Look, Laki." Said Daki.
"Quite a nice awakening." Replied Laki, looking on lionesses.
"Oh, yes..." added Horen. "These are brothers, Daki and Laki. So, we know each other, but I still have no idea, why have you came here."
Amini looked on leader with anger, then turned to Zira.
"What happened? I see, that you are wounded..." he noticed cut on Zira's ear and other injures among Golden Ones. "How we could help?"
Rain grown heavier and grass beneath their paw started do become mud. On faces of newcomer lionesses fatigue was seen. Only Zira was standing straight, but even in her eyes, carefully beholder could notice fear and exhaustion.
"Let's go to some shelter." Ordered Horen. "And you..." turned to Zira. "Say something more."
So, mixed group started to descent from hill. Nearby was only one place, that could use for shelter – it was old baobab, from unknown reason, growing on slope of height. Slowly, lions because of sleepiness, lionesses because of general fatigue, they came under tree's leaves. There they crowded on limited space and Zira, Horen and Amini came to trunk. Queen jumped on dent in thick trunk and looked on lions.
"So... we came here for your help. I believe, that Stars shown us you four, because we found you almost immediately after we started seeking. So..."
"Yeah, Stars." Interrupted Horen. "But they haven't shown us anything!"
"Sssshhh!" gasped Amini. "Let her speak!" Leader was surprised by such a arrogance of his charge, but he stopped.
"So we are here." Continued Zira. "We are the Golden Pride of Golden Sands, but after refuge from our homeland, we came to Pridelands. And there... I've made an alliance with lions of Priderock, by marriage with king Scar the Wise." Hearing this, Amini unwillingly narrowed his eyes. "And so we survived the Great Drought, thanks to my mate's wisdom and courage. I've became mother of king's children..." Amini breathed a little too loud. "...and the queen of Prideland. But it all finished with attack of usurper. Simba, nephew of Scar, returned from exile and kill my beloved." Dark lion gulped. "And then, he broke the alliances and banished my pride from Priderock. We are here to find assistants for retake our home and avenge killed monarch." she added with quieter and more tensed voice. "We desperate need this. We have two cubs... royal cubs to raise and our friend is hostage of those brutes. We beg for your help."
Amini was gazing in Zira's eyes, but Horen and brothers were staring on themselves with doubts.
"For usual fee?" asked Daki.
"Marriage with queen and half of the kingdom?" added Laki and turned to brother. "Geez, it's a bad business... It comes... one eight of kingdom for each!"
"And queen is rather hard to portion." Noticed Daki. Both brothers started to laugh, but discrete kick from Amini's rear leg cease it at once.
"I know, I ask for great effort." Said Zira, looking on Horen. "And I can promise no reward except one. Home."
All rogues looked on themselves, even Amini turned his eyes from queen and pointed stare on his leader. Horen felt uncertain. He was angry, that this lioness bothered him and his companions, but word 'home' appealed to him too. Since he was banished from his pride, three years earlier, he haven't heard this word. A place, where he belong? For wandered and rogue it was an tempting offer.
"Horen... Is this not, what we are looking for?" whispered Amini.
"Just help us restore justice and repress this mutiny." Added Zira. "And you will be able to settle in Pridelands, being praised as heroes and benefactors of our pride.
"Please..." yelled Doria, looking in Horen's eyes.
"Well... we must consider it." Replied leader and nodded to his companions. "Gentlemen, outside." He ordered.
Four lions went out from baobab's shelter and went about hundred meters from tree. Rain ceased almost totally so walk wasn't so unpleasant. And proposition of lioness was tempting rogues and keeping them excited. So they sat in round on mud of wet grass and started to talking one to other.
"Did you hear that?" exclaimed Amini. "That is what we hoping all the time!"
"Boss, those chicks look really nice." Said Daki with smile.
"And this keep also seems to be great... at least from this distance." Noticed Laki.
"And she asked us... we must help lionesses in distress!" added Amini.
"Shut up!" called Horen. "Gentlemen, easy!" but his own voice was tensed from excitation. He raised his paw, to draw attention of companions. "We must think logically! Look! They are so desperate... Yes." Turned to Amini, who wanted to interrupt him. "They are desperate. I saw those wounds too. They are scared, exhausted, crestfallen because lost of pridemember. If I were this... so called queen..."
"She is a queen!" exclaimed Amini. "I saw it in her eyes."
"All right." Continued leader. "If I were this queen, I would say anything... promise anything to catch our attention and encourage us to action. But we must ask ourselves: will we have any profits of that?"
Amini gasped, amazed. He was looking on his leader and friend, lion who he had been admiring since was saved by him, two years earlier. But then, lion discover, that brave and wise Horen became... just Horen, a guy without all those gifts.
"Horen... I don't believe..." whispered dark lion. "You refuse to help them? Stars! They are outcasts, just like us. Where is you sympathy?"
"Counting profits..." replied leader. "And looking for dangers." He turned to brothers. "And you... what do you think?"
"I don't know." Said Daki, after short silence. "But if we help them..."
"...we'll get home, at last." Finished Laki. "Risky but high-prized game."
Horen was gazing on his charges, with uncertain stare. For the first time, his decision could be denied. It was something new and shocking for proud lion. He was creator and caretaker of 'Windy Rogues' pack. He had found those three lion, exiled by theirs own prides... he saved them and made what they were that day. He didn't expect any form of objection. But...
"We must help them!" exclaimed Amini. "This is matter of our honour!"
Horen smiled with bitter smile. "Honour?" he thought. "Does this kid know, what honour is? What is honour for outsider? Maybe that 'queen' has it, but we have not. We are just wanderers... seeking... What we exactly seek?" asked himself and discovered, that some voices in his head were convincing him to join Zira.
"Well..." he said slowly. "Just... suppose, we agree. But what then? We have no idea against what we are standing and..." he couldn't finished, because Amini suddenly ran to him and hugged him.
"I've known, that you agree!" called with cubbish joy in voice. "We will have a home at last!" he turned to twins. "Come on! Let say Zira, we are in!"
And he started in baobabs direction. Daki and Laki followed.
"Democracy and common sense are not good allies." Muttered Horen and went after friends.
\/\/\/
So at the dusk, group of lionesses and lions was descending from hills to cub's den. Twins were chatting with lionesses, clearly interested in newcomers and Amini was on the lead with Zira. Horen was walking on group's end, seeing with fear, that his pack was disarmed and taken by females charm.
"This boy has a real problem." Said, looking on Amini, who was adoring Zira with his stare.
"So, my lady..." said dark lion with gallant smile.
"My lady?" surprised Zira. "It sound nice to me, but I won't get huff, if you call me just 'Zira' from now on." replied queen.
"So... Zira." Said Amini, tasting this name like some spell. "Will you tell me your story? I wish to know as much I can, to... you know... to know, how I... how we help you."
Zira had already noticed his mesmerized stare. "Oh... what I have stepped in?" she thought. "Can I just use this boy and his friends? Scar, what should I do?" She once again looked on lion and estimated, that he was really handsome. "Nice one... and he seems to be good-hearted. I shouldn't entangle him in all this. This is not his tale." But she answered, as she was requested.
"It's a rather long story and I've already told most important things. Do you want more details?"
Lion turned his stare to the ground and replied with uncertain voice.
"No... Don't say anything, unless you want to. I'm sorry about your mate." He added quieter.
Zira narrowed her eyes, but then smiled.
"Thank you..." said with clear gratitude. "You have right... This happened so fast, that I just can't believe it. Forgive my behaviour... I became someone else since that time. I feel..." she stopped, like she wasn't sure to share this thought with Amini. But she continued. "I feel, like old Zira in me died that night and new one hasn't born yet. I'm not sure, if she would ever be born."
"I don't know, that to say." Replied dark lion. "I know only one: if I can help you, I will help you."
Zira moved closer to lion and still walking, she whispered to his ear.
"Thank you, Amini. You are already helping."
\/\/\/
"Yes..." muttered Tarki, looking on this strange conduct from sky. "Scar should be satisfied. I've found Zira assistance and probably a new mate... just like my nephew wanted." He wondered for a while, gazing at dark lion. "Of course, if he persuade her to stop this revenge... We must restore justice and harmony... But not in this brute way." He turned his eyes to higher firmament, where went sleeping Scar. "My boy, I'll show you, how we deal with such a problems uphere. We say, that justice always wins and it's only matter of time... But as Kings of the Past we measure time in generations..."