VI

VI. Same Old Song

That year was strange. Perhaps habitants of other lands failed to see any threat in the air, but on the desert every drought was seen clearly. Golden Sands were desert kingdom, living only thanks to few fertile oasis in area. Golden Massif, Dried Oasis and Malkha's Waterhole (place named after late queen) had their own sources, independent and yearlong ones, but main reservoir of humidity was Mouth Grove, placed – as name suggested – in mouth of Rumble Gorge. Although Rumble Range itself seemed waterless, those little potions of liquid that rock were gathering sooner of later floated down to grove. There – thanks to rock plate under sand – was a life-giving lake.

But that year came dry season and desert attacked green grove. It did that every year, but then succeeded as never before. Brink of jungle forest backed more than thirty metres, while year earlier just not more than ten. Kauli noticed that, because old Hatibu was already rarely leaving Golden Cave, taking his retirement, being fed and looked be the pride. And soon after first disturbing news reached Arista, first refugees started to seek Golden Sands.

Animals of many kinds – some of them never living on desert before – came to Home Grasses and asked king for place to stay. Although Arista gave his permission in almost every case, he was already scared by process that seemed to be much wider that some expected. The drought was coming – not an ordinary one, as on desert water was always a problem – but a special one, that could endanger existence of whole kingdom.

In second month of dry season, when jungle in Mouth Grove shrank to never recorded level, Arista asked Dhalimu, Sparthi, Masa and Rama to come with him and speak freely about suggestions. They came to lake and sat on beach.

"What's wrong, dad?" asked prince. It was almost midday, a part of day that sun was scorching the ground, making all creatures who were able, stay in some shelter. Even on the shore of lake (that shrank to relatively small pool too) hotness was very irritating.

"I could say: almost everything." Replied king. "That dry season is strange… In legends of our pride we have stories about the Great Drought that made our forefathers leave our Homeland in North and came here. I'm afraid this trail could be similar." Seeing amazed and shocked stares of others, he added. "Of course I don't mean leaving Golden Sands… We just must be prepared for real disaster coming from this drought. Dhalimu… tell me about fertile lands that could feed our pride, or its part, for limited time of worse seasons."

"You want to leave Golden Sands?" asked white lion.

"For some time." Replied king. "Letting soil and animals rest. Even sending part of pride outside our land would help a lot, leading herds to multiply. And that would reduce our, lions problem with water."

"Leaving home in hard times like that is always dangerous." Said Dhalimu. "Weakened pride will be much easier target of attack for rouge coalitions or even some other despaired pride."

"That's why I told it is our last resort." Explained Arista. "But speak: where we could find our sanctuary?"

"Well…" white lion was thinking a while, before he gave any answer. "I heard that on south of here is fertile kingdom, called Pridelands. But a numerous pride lives there. West from here desert is going thousands miles and except of some mountain ranges there is no life. North… your ancestors came from north. Perhaps that's only reasonable direction to turn, but first I wish to check mountain range I discovered on east. Not more that fifty kilometres from here there are mountains, high and flourishing with life. Staying there is not an easy task, but I guess if real drought come, there we would survive much easier."

"Why you are thinking about it?" asked Masa. "Why so sudden?" Others looked on king with inquiring stares.

Those five lions were running the Golden Pride. King himself – what was quite obvious – was consulting almost every decision with his brother-in-law (if he was at paw) and, more and more often with his almost mature son. Masa acted like queen of Golden Sands – she always was close to Arista, ready to help him in whatever he was intending. That was valid also with such kingdom issues. Rama was best huntress in pride, teaching Zira predator's skills and simply one of wisest lionesses there, often asked to express her opinion in matters of Golden Sands. That four were looking on their monarch with curious stares.

"I have… dreams." Replied Aristra after a while of silence. "Strange, but profound ones. I sense those are talking about future… or possible future."

"No that I have any doubt in your judgement…" started Dhalimu, but king interrupted him.

"I know that our decisions can't be make, based on unclear prophecies and obscure impressions. I just following the main intuition, not caring too much about dreams as a whole."

"But what is in those dreams, dad?" asked Sparthi.

"To say shortly: death." Replied Arista. "End of Golden Pride and destruction of our home."

"Yeah, that is a good reason for not following dreams." Murmured Rama.

"Listen to me!" said ruler decisively. "I told I don't believe in those visions. Or at least I don't believe they could come true. That is one of reasons I want you to thing about reconnaissance in the outer lands. Just in case."

"Simply – you want me to lead the group?" asked Dhalimu.

"I like your straightforwardness." Smiled king. "Yes, I hoped you volunteer."

"Well… with all due respect, sir…" said Rama carefully. "You are not so unbreakable, as you were once. I think you shouldn't go alone."

"King is here to judge that." Said queen's brother. In his voice was no irritation, but a tone of disappointment that he was seen as not fully independent. But that was fact – whitefurred was nine – he was year older than king and he hadn't full strength of juvenile.

"I wanted to send someone with you anyway." Said Arista. "I think that Rama will enlist willingly."

"That wasn't a hard guess." Smiled light-greyfurred lioness. "I'm always first into every trouble."

"I know that perfectly." Arista returned smile.

Rama was two years younger than king, but thanks to that in times of king Ananias, young prince had to suffer kitty's pranks countless times. It could be said that greyfurred was Arista's cubhood friend, almost like a sister. But in that family, of course lion was the big and caring brother.

"But I think that such a trip would be good for Sparthi. Son, do you want go with your uncle?" Asked monarch and prince smiled. Rama looked on him with suspicious stare. "And I'm sending you also to make sure he will be all right." added Arista.

"He is three already." Said Dhalimu. "If he wants go, I see no reason he shouldn't." After short consideration Masa nodded her head and agreement. But then Dhalimu added. "In fact taking Zira with us also is not bad idea…"

"What?" gasped Masa in amazement.

"Just what I said." Replied Dhalimu. "I'm sure she will manage."

"But… why?" asked greyfurred lioness.

"And what do you think, Rama?" king looked on his friend.

"If you are not opposing that idea at current status, I suspect you consider it too, my lord." Said Rama. "But speaking for me… I think that's not a bad thing."

"She has a talent to walking the desert." Added Dhalimu. "What happened year ago…"

"Almost killed her!" exclaimed Masa. "I don't let my child…" she instantly corrected. "Child given to my care to risk her life in such unnecessary venture. Arista… tell them!"

"I'm closer to Dhalimu's thinking." Confessed king. "Zira is almost grown up too… and if we are ready to send prince in that journey, why not princess?"

"She is two, she is lioness and she is not…"

"…ready?" smiled Dhalimu. "I guess she is readiest lioness in her age to do that. Decision is not mine, but I see no reason to leave her here."

"I don't know, dad." Said Sparthi. "But if you let her go, I'm sure she will manage."

"There is nothing to fear." Added Dhalimu. "She is daughter of Malkha. She has sand in her blood." But saying that he smiled in odd way and careful watcher could noticed a discrete shadow on his muzzle, as well as claws slightly extending from his pawpads.

"But you even haven't asked her!" yelled Masa. "How do you know, she would like it?"

"Your uneasy tone stays for the answer." Smiled Rama.

\/\/\/

Zira decided to take that wall all alone. She had a bet with Wivu and although – or maybe because of that – they failed the dare both, not climbing on appointed ascend, Zira hadn't let it go. Alone, when no one watched, she went to Rumble Gorge and started to clamber in nearly vertical slope.

It was a midday and sunrays were coming down parallel to slope, partially blinding climber. But that wasn't a problem – Zira was even glad that she couldn't see how much left her to go. She was moving on wall of middle part of Rumble Gorge, where from bottom to first solid ledge was a space of about fifteen metres. Of course wind and water eroded wall was cracked and rough, giving many places where agile creature could find a place to put its paws, but lions aren't mountain animals. Way up was real challenge for princess. And that the point – after all she didn't use to bet with Wivu about easy things.

For first ten metres all went smoothly – ascend was already sloppy (nearly vertical), but princess easily found many crack to base her limbs. Zira was two years old adolescent lioness, just in beginning of her prime. For year that passed since trek to Last Oasis she changed drastically, but it wasn't strange for growing lion. From agile and strong, yet clumsy cub she turned to almost mature lioness, already shapely, vigilant and radiating with strong aura of desert beauty. Her lean silhouette was hiding strong muscles but also nerves of sharpest reflex. Her red eyes were full of decisiveness – especially then, when she was trying to beat her step sister in that uncomplicated, yet surely hard dare.

She made another ten metres, firmly basing on rock cracks. She was going fast, perhaps too fast to always maintain proper balance, but in her moved was more rational analysis that one might think. She knew that such a long way would exhaust her quickly, if she were watching every step and looking for perfect basis. Overall quick rush ahead was safer than slow climb – from point she was, return was not an option. From two possible way one led up, the second down and that was quick fall to rock ground.

But from about half of distance lioness felt tired. She sensed that her grabs became less firm and few times she accidentally caught a loose rock. But still she didn't decide to make any stop. Wivu said she wanted get the wall in one approach – princess couldn't be worse at any length. But with each move upper, she felt less certain. Sun started to blind her and she felt terrible thirst in her mouth.

Finally it came – she grabbed loose rock and sensed that her basis broke. Her right paw waved helplessly in the air, but with desperate rush of three remaining limbs. Just there she felt pain of almost broken claw and scratched paw. In normal condition that would be nothing to worry about, but thirty metres above the ground that pain was an omen of some real trouble.

She made a deeper breath and ignoring the cut, she rushed up. Just extended her claws and in most painful way she started to use them to attach herself into rock. She ignored cracks and ledges, just aiming to make distance in quicker possible time. That was good idea, or would be good on shorter distance. She didn't measure altitude left, but after not more that hundred heartbeats she sensed that her paws were burning with unbearable pain. She clenched jaws and narrowed her eyes, knowing she was at the edge of cry. But she couldn't cry – first of all she was daughter of great Malkha, and showing her weakness would be clearly putting name of mother in shade. The second thing was possible fall after such a disturbance, but princess didn't think about it at moment. She was moving her burning paws like in a trance, slowly stopping to look ahead, into blinding sun. She realised that she failed.

Grab on her neck wasn't strong, but it allowed her to stand one second more. She used that time to reach edge of gorge ledge. Driven by her climbing haze, she pushed her body on the bluff, ignoring Kauli's help.

Python, just after that grab quickly let lioness loose and crept away. Then he rolled on ledge, looking on Zira, who was lying on rock and panting heavily. Seeing and hearing that no praise was going to be said, he demanded about it himself.

"Don't thank me." He hissed. "I like to lift lionessesssss in sssspare time."

"I was… going just… fine…" panted Zira. "You didn't… have to…"

"Hopelesssss." Murmured snake. "I should demand a rise in return for such outragesssss."

Princess finally opened her eyes and slowly stood up. Feeling a pain in her paws, she looked down to see blood-spotted limbs and two broken claws. "But I did it!" she smiled in mind and pulled a face in grimace of new wave of pain.

"Very nice!" murmured python. "But are you ready for more?" he asked and pointed with tail ahead. Because they were on ledge, a path up to actual bluff of gorge was narrow and step, coming ten metres higher.

"Sure…" replied Zira and hobbled in that direction.

Fortunately she made that last part of way without any accident. When she stopped on solid rock, she waited on Kauli and let him take his favourite place at her neck. Since long way south year earlier, king's advisor became in some degree also Zira's right paw, if that term could be used with creature with no paw at all. Arista kept no grudge towards snake for letting princess run away. In fact he was aware how little snake could do to stop Zira in her trip and his care and advices most likely saved cub on desert. So after a role of chamberlain, Kauli became a tutor and a confidant of princess.

They went down from Rumble Range to Mouth Grove. Royal Council was already gone, just silent and empty forest remained. Other lionesses of pride were resting in cave, only bored Zira sought some – as we could see, sometimes dangerous – entertainments. But weather made princess also to look for some shelter. She left Kauli on shore and entered the lake. Water of that pool was warm, but in comparison to heated air it was a cooling pleasure anyway.

"I ssssugest you to restrain your tendency for luxury." Hissed python from beach.

"What?" called Zira from middle of lake.

"Your swimming scared other animalssssss from drinking here." Explained snake.

"Come on." Laughed princess back. "Everyone knows me and knows that dad ordered sanctuary zone on the lake. They could come here at will."

"I guess that no one isssss persuaded." Murmured Kauli.

"Right, I'm going out." Said princess and swan to the shore.

She exited water and shook her fur, of course not hard enough to rid off all moisture. Cool wetness of coat was very pleasant in weather like that. She came to python and he climbed on her neck without word.

"Let'ssss go home." Said chamberlain.

"Home…" murmured Zira. "Our sweet, cosy cave… Kauli, I'm sick of it all."

"Sssssunstroke?"

"I mean that dad is treating me like a child!" exclaimed princess with irritated voice.

"Perhapsssss he missed to notice you are already two!" replied reptile with irony.

"Cease it! You know what I mean." Snorted Zira. "Since the day of my journey… dad even didn't let me accompany uncle Dhalimu in nearest trip. I'm sitting in the cave and…"

"For now your are ssssstanding on the Rumble Range." Noticed python.

"Well… yes, but I was speaking figuratively. He didn't let me join hunting team and…"

"I guess you have no lessssss free paw than Sparthi in you age." Said chamberlain.

"But it's not enough for me." Said Zira.

"Same old song" song. Tune in middle tempo, rather seriously sounding, strings in melody and military sounding drum to rhythm.

Zira is walking on shore of Mouth Lake. Suddenly she steps on swampy spot and her front right paw submerges to knee into sticky and dense mud.

Stuck just right here and now

By inert, sacred vow

In place I didn't choose and I cannot change

She bases on solid ground and with heavy effort gets her limb out of mud. Looks on dirty paw and with disgusted stare comes to water to wash it.

Surrounded by the see

Of all old things in me

I cannot use to way, too still to be strange

She enters the water and looks at her reflection. Then dives. Kauli is looking on that with confusion.

Since day that I was born

I feel this stopping torn

That hurts my foot and stopping my every step

She emerges and then starts to sing: Since day…; Then she goes away from water, hobbling. Her paw – that front right is bleeding slightly. We don't know if that was some torn she stuck on in water or just earlier cut from event in gorge.

Perhaps it's way I'm fine

Unable crossing line

But that's a kind of freedom I don't accept

She sits on beach and tries to remove some shard from her pawpad. Kauli creeps closer and with his jaws helps her to take away the rock-fragment. Then Zira licks bleeding pad.

Chorus:

Is that required

To stay in place

To stay in line

To stay on base?

She wants to go ahead, but she freezes just before putting cut paw on sand. Pawpad is still bleeding and basing on it would make an abrasion dirty. With irritation of her face, princess jumps on three paws.

What keeps me down

That makes me strong?

Some things never change - it's the same old song!

The same old song!

She gets to line of grass and sits on green carpet. Meanwhile Kauli comes to her, with big leaf in his mouth. While Zira is singing, paying no serious attention on her paw anymore, just letting the blood to clot, snake puts her paw on leaf and coils around edges of leaf, making a "bandage shoe". Lioness sees it, smiles and gets dome grass-stem to tie it.

Second verse:

No steps on own require

Always the march in line

With all who died and all who would came someday

As she walk again, she goes, up with dried bed of seasonal torrent, to gorge. She quickly enters part where bed becomes a narrow ravine – place where princess and her friends used to play in queen of gorge year earlier. Kauli is hanging on her neck.

My life is not a way

But gorge where I can't stray

But also I can't choose to take my own lane

She strokes wall of ravine (that northern – with right, bandaged paw), making some smaller rock shards fall down.

Chorus:

Is that required

To stay in home

To stay in line

In crowd alone?

She turns back to see her way as straight line and turns again ahead to see even longer route as perfect line. Walks ahead again, rubbing with side against wall of ravine. Finally jumps up, to reach upper edge of ravine.

What keeps me right

It seems so wrong

Some things never change - it's the same old song!

The same old song!

She gets there, but with little help of Kauli – after all with partially disabled paw she isn't agile as usual. However she stands over the brink. Zoon in on her face – she seems to recognize – just before her – place where year earlier she had a fight with Wivu.

Song bridge, Zira sings, or better to say: melodically declaims four next lines:

Always do what mother would did in your place

Always keep your father out of disgrace

Always watch steps, cause others see

But just never thing what's good for me

Retrospection: Zira recalls what was year earlier. Arista and Masa ordered as a punishment for a fight that Zira has ten times carry Wivu on her back from mouth of gorge to that place and greyfurred does the same with princess. Shot of tired Zira with her step-sister on back.

Chorus:

Is that required

To stay in spot

To stay in line

And slowly rot?

Zira shook her head, retrospection ends. She looks back down, on mouth and farther on Golden Massif. But then in fast few jumps she climbs up to one of minor peaks of Rumble Range, that was just next to. She looks on south.

I'll never get

What for I long

That thing'll never change - it's the same old song!

The same old song!

She sees desert, dusty clouds on horizon, but fata morgana is showing some shapes on distant south. Zira narrows her eyes and those shapes became aerie looking rock and fertile jungle. Then Kauli – most likely trying to watch as well – lift his head just in front of princess's face, breaking that illusion and ending vision.

Zira stops to sing, music stops.

"I ssssee nothing wrong in our Golden Sands." Said finally snake, looking on south. "I don't argue – there alssssso could be some nice place, but we already have nice place on our own."

"I don't tell me, you didn't enjoyed our trip last year." Murmured Zira, slowly coming down from slope. Descending with aching paw turned out to be mush harder than ascending, but princess wasn't in hurry. She finally got to the mouth and turned in home direction. Sun was slowly setting on western side of the sky.

Arista and Masa waited on acacia alley. Sparthi was there too and Zira read from his excitation that something important happened. She came closer to parents and gave a lick to father and adoptive mother. Kauli – two times squeezed between lions felt a bit embarrassed.

"What happened my dear?" asked Masa with concern in her voice, looking on leaf on Zira's paw.

"Just a scratch." She replied. "Tomorrow it will be all right."

"Are you sure that yet tomorrow?" asked king.

"I guess…" murmured princess. "Is that so important?"

"If you want to, you may accompany your uncle and your brother in recon to mountains on east." Said Arista with seemingly indifferent voice. "They want to set off tomorrow."

"Wow… you're sure?" asked Zira, sensing some catch in that.

"I have different opinion." Said Masa. "But your father already made his choice."

"Thanks, dad." Smiled princess and hugged to father's side. "Sure, I will be ready tomorrow. Sparthi…" she looked on her brother. "Tell me, what is going on here."

Siblings entered the cave, while king and grey lioness stayed on valley. They were looking after princes and finally Arista said with quiet voice.

"I know that all your doubts come from simple fact you care about her so much, but I think that would be good for her. Look, how she is glad of that."

"That's the point." Replied Masa. "That is another challenge for her… just like year ago."

"This time she is under good care." Said king. "Dhalimu, Rama… and Sparthi of course. He is responsible lion."

"Yes, I know…I just… have some bad feelings about this."

"Good mother always has." Said Arista and rubbed his muzzle against her cheek. "And good father always appeases that. At least I think that." And then they returned to cave too.

But there was another witness of that talk. Wivu didn't try to eavesdrop – she wanted to speak with mother and incidentally heard step-sister's, mother's and king's words. She came out from behind the acacia and slowly stopped where Zira had stood just moment before. She looked down to see her pawprint in sand.

"Again…" she thought with grooving anger. "Again you are at my place… instead of me. I wonder, if king asked me to go, would mother be so anxious about me…"

"Hey, Wivu." Sounded a voice just after grey lioness. She almost jumped up in place, turned back and saw Rama, returning to cave. "Oh, sorry…"

"Never mind." replied grey lioness angrily. "I'm a bit restless due to sleep problems."

"But nothing serious, I hope…"

"Don't worry." Replied Wivu. "I will be able to join hunting team tomorrow."

"Good… good." Smiled lioness. "Because most likely I will be away for some time. At least one of my students should show those lazy bones how to hunt."

"I'll try to substitute Zira, as good I can." Snorted Wivu and walked back to cave, leaving surprised Rama on the alley.

\/\/\/

"I think you could go." Said Dhalimu, looking on his niece's paw.

It was on morning next day, when recon team was preparing to go. Rama, Sparthi, Zira and golden lion himself stood up earlier, drank and eat decent portions and just waited as their bodies rest a little after meal and were ready for serious effort. Weather was cloudy, as countless dusty cumuluses were blown on the sky. It was perfect for marching in short distances, making way easy and pleasant. But it also could mean coning sandstorm, so Dhalimu hoped they could make their way fast.

"I'm feeling all right, uncle." Replied Zira.

"I'm sure they would wait for you, if that wasn't true." Said Wivu, passing by the main chamber.

"Hi, Wivu." Smiled princess. She was in so good mood that she failed to see angry stare of step-sister. "So we are going today. Won't you give your sis goodbye-hug?"

"I'm afraid it would bring some badluck." Replied greyfurred and walked away, leaving Zira laughing at her joke.

"All right, if you are ready, we go." Said Dhalimu. Then he looked on his niece and added. "Tell honestly – are you ready? I won't accept any complains on route."

"There will be no complains, uncle." Replied Zira. "I promise."

"We will see." Murmured gold lion with indifferent voice. In fact he was looking on lioness with examining stare.

"So… it will be the real trail." He thought, watching as Sparthi was saying goodbye to Ghera and his niece to other lionesses. "Zira has her change to show what stuff she is made. If she is even half the lioness her mother was." But he said nothing aloud just came to wake up Arista, before setting off.

About ten minutes later four lions of Golden Sands exited cave and turned due east. Sun was shinning against them, but due to cloud layer, not blinding, but just inviting to make another step. Wivu was watching disappearing silhouettes and listening to other lions. Of course, she heard talk of king and her mother.

"She will be all right." Assured Arista.

"I hope you are right." Replied Masa. "And I'm proud of her too."

In that moment Wivu felt scared of own thought. But still – she hoped that clouds on north would bring storm that bury her step-sister forever.