07 – The graveyard of dreams
When Sarabi finished her tale, silent came to Green Den. Only sound inside was faster breathing of queen-mother, who was fighting her emotions. But after few minutes, she calmed down and wondered, why her auditors didn't react in anyway. In darkness of cave, old lioness wasn't sure, if she was listened or not. She exhale deep and asked with disbelief:
"Are you sleeping?"
No, they were not. Vitani and Tanabi were laying on den's floor quietly, but more awaken that ever. What they have heard in previous few hours was shocking.
"N... no, ma'am!" replied young lioness with uncertain voice.
"But... how it could be?" asked Tanabi. "This is something, that..."
"Allow to see character of your granduncle from completely different perspective? Yes. That why I told you that."
"Ma'am, but why did you told us that all. Why to me? You know, who I am." inquired Vitani.
"Because of that, my dear. This is form of my atonement... at least I hope that." She stood and went closer to lying lioness. When Vitani saw queen-mother approaching, she stood herself and came to her. "Oh, stop that. As a daughter of queen, and... in some way, daughter of king, you are equal to me in eyes of royal protocol." Young lioness laid again. "What I was saying... oh!, atonement. You know, I feel my time is coming. I don't want to leave any secrets behind me. Anyway, I'm surprised, that you, my dear, haven't been told about this matters by other lionesses from our Pride. Onya, Sakia..."
"I was." Replied Vitani. "Sakia said me a little about reign of Scar."
"Well... Sakia..." muttered Sarabi. "She probably said what she knew, so I had to turned out as a real witch, had I?"
Tanabi was listening in complete amazement. He wasn't able to tell a word.
"No, ma'am." Said lioness. "She was very... gentle in those matters."
"Come on, missy! Tell that to my grandson. My jealousy against Zira had almost doomed the Golden Pride. And my hatred against her caused you and your pridemates exile. Don't say you have no grudge against me..."
"I have no right to judge anyone... yet!" declared lioness.
"Grandma?" interrupted lion. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
"She have no idea too." Noticed Sarabi. "Fortunately for me, I guess."
"That mean uncle Scar wasn't evil?" asked Tanabi.
"If you're asking, if he killed your grandfather, the answer is: yes. But if you asking, if he was evil, I could say: only with evil that Ahadi, Mufasa, Onya, Sarafina and me, of course, gave him from our evilness."
"Grandma Sarafina?" made sure lion. "Oh, Stars! It's making more and more family matter in time."
"Precisely."
Vitani stood once again and came to sitting Sarabi. She gazed on her, in nearly completely darkness, but her sharp sight was able to study her tensed face. Despite of calm voice, old lioness was almost crying. Memories were hard and Vitani knew it.
"Your majesty... I'm so thankful for that tale... I don't know, what to say."
Tanabi saw only silhouettes of lionesses. He noticed, that Sarabi raised her paw and suddenly she hugged Vitani. Scar's daughter lowered her head into queen-mother's and they both started to cry.
"I... I'll wait outside." Said uncertainly and ran out.
Rest of the night he spent next to the river. He didn't sleep much. For most time he was gazing on running water and asking himself and stars above.
"Who was uncle Scar? Who am I, that grandma told me what she told? And now... if Vitani is legitimated princess... oh, never mind. It's not my fairytale anyway."
\/\/\/
In the jungle, the mighty jungle a lion sleeps tonight!
Was singing Timon with Pumbaa's background support. They were marching through the jungle, not so mighty as in song, but quite dense anyway. And filled with delicious vermin, what was specially attractive to bug-eaters.
"Timon?" asked Pumbaa with some doubts in his voice. "Isn't it dangerous, that we're going in the jungle... in night... and singing aloud? You know... we're attracting too much attention."
"Yeah... I'm sick of this blasted fame. You know – three killer-movies, fan all around the world and now even fanfics!"
Imagine: motion capture – Timon is riding on Pumbaa's back and talking, when he says even fanfics he looks around with tense. But, of course, presence of fanfic's narrator is much harder to spot that cameras and director.
"No, Timon... I mean some predators!"
"Another sequel?"
"Carnivores."
"O, I see..." understood Timon. "Chill out, buddy. We are so famous now, that no carnivore would dare..."
In this moment, from tree above that felt silhouette of enormous cat-of-prey. Friends were knocked out immediately, attacker grab meerkat in one paw and with second, as well as his all body, he pinned warthog.
"Wait!" screamed Timon. "What you what? An autograph?"
"No, a supper actually." Exclaimed... lion? Pumbaa noticed with amaze, that tree-stalking cat was full-grown lion with red mane and light-sandy fur. Timon didn't notice anything, due to shock-gained unconsciousness.
"Stop!" yelled warthog. "We're friend of Simba!"
"Will he give me something to eat?" asked predator, and Pumbaa almost fainted too. Suddenly, he narrowed his eyes, like he recollected something.
"Please, don't eat us... we are king's friends."
"Eat you?" asked surprised lion. "Oh, yes... I'm the lion now, so I should..."
"No! As animal being, you was given free will!" cried warthog. "What?" he understood what predator just said. "Are you a lion now... so who you was earlier?"
"Never mind..." replied stranger. "All right, I'll let loose you both, for a price. You told me about this Simba... and show me some fruits or bugs for meat."
"Right!" agreed warthog with relief. Lion stood, leaving them on the ground. "Psst... Timon." Whispered Pumbaa to meerkat. "You can stop playing now. He seems be one of our guys."
"You mean hakuna matata brotherhood?" said rodent with eyes still shut. "Does he knows our secret greeting-gesture?"
Flash-black: motion of Timon and Pumbaa doing Monty-Python's masonic gestures. Then, back to novel narration.
"Is your friend all right?" asked lion.
"Yes, he's alive. Was just pretending."
"Good!" smiled predator. "I'm not a scavenger. Wait!" he added quickly, seeing terror in Pumbaa's eyes. "Just kidding. My name is Yakta."
"Pumbaa"
"Timon" said meerkat and stood. "Nice to see another lion, who doesn't try to eat us. But... let go down to business. What did you say about Simba?" asked, looking on lion suspicious.
"An old friend of mine." Replied Yakta, trying not to show too much emotion.
"You know the king of Pridelands?" asked Pumbaa with amaze.
"I mean... from times, he wasn't king yet." Explained lion.
"Tsss! Timon!" whispered warthog. "I thought, we are old friends of Simba, from times he wasn't king yet."
"Maybe he mean cub-times. Old pal from Mufasa's pride." Answered Timon quietly.
"Isn't he too young for that?"
"Why don't you trust him?" asked Timon.
"Are some reasons to trust him?"
"Well... he didn't eat us." noticed Timon.
"Isn't it very suspicious? But... all right, he seems to be a good predator." Said Pumbaa and added louder. "We could guide you to the king. But... not today, I guess."
Yakta was thinking heavily. He thought that he should know more about his old home and new order, that rules there.
"No, thanks... just show me the way and tell, what has changed there since... old times."
"What you mean by old times?" Asked Timon.
"Maybe... start from the death of Scar."
So they told him. Barely, Yakta shown no emotion. Just listen and learned. Much. But he didn't understand this story at all. Unfortunately, he had no time for more investigation, he had to go.
\/\/\/
At dawn, two lionesses went out from Green Den. Tanabi was sleeping next to entrance and was awoke by heavy and awkward stomping of partial-disabled grandmother. He opened his eyes and stood immediately.
"Good day, my dear." Said Sarabi, going to him. "Are you ready for a trip?"
Vitani went after old lioness, looking like she hadn't sleep that night at all. On her face some tears-tracks could be seen. She looked on prince and said.
"Sir, you don't have to go with us. This is..."
"...family matter." Finished Sarabi. "Of his family too, my dear. Remember it."
"Well, if I'm not welcome, I won't tease." Replied Tanabi, hoping with all heart, that his grandmother will protest. "For the very first time in my life I wish she was as caring as usual." He thought. But Vitani was the one who protested.
"No, prince, I didn't mean it. If you want to go, I'll be honoured."
"Your majesty maybe?" asked Sarabi, almost laughing. "Why can't you call him just Tanabi. I'm sure, he would be honoured."
"Now you're coming too far!" whispered lion to his grandmother. But he added easily. "Yes, I would. That was what I meant, but grandma stole my jest again."
Vitani smiled, in spite she was still drippy. She said brightly. "All right, sir Tanabi."
"Don't expect too much on the first date." Whispered Sarabi, getting by Tanabi. But she did that loud enough for former Outlanderess to hear. Both lioness and lion were not able to hide their smiles. But when they looked on each other, both turned their faces away. "Go on... we have quite a distance to do."
"But where exactly we are going?" asked Tanabi.
"To the Elephant Graveyard first." Replied Sarabi. "Good place for oldies from all species... But, we going there for some reason."
"Like what?"
"Like it's on the way to the Outlands. We have to be on Vitani's old home until nearest midnight."
"I think I need some hints." Noticed Tanabi, starting after grandmother and Vitani.
"You do. But Vitani, please, help me. For the start, tell what Sakia told you. I will refresh my memory and Tanabi get some new perspective on whole story." She looked on young lion. "My child, if you feel that truth whatever it is might offend you, you'd better back home. This will be trip into the past. Not so glorious that you used to be learnt."
"Fancy stories are boring." Replied Tanabi. Sarabi stopped at once and once more looked on grandson. Then she turned to Vitani.
"You know, who said that. As i told you... he is so similar to your father... And it is not an insult in any way!"
"Vitani, tell your story." Asked Tanabi. "It's good to know, whose pawprints you're following... or pretending to."
"You're right, si... Tanabi." Agreed lioness. And she started to repeating tale heard from Sakia. Sarabi often interrupted, adding something or demanding details. Tanabi was just listening with growing amazement.
\/\/\/
They came to graveyard's valley not long after midday. Old lioness has been doing unexpectedly well, she asked for stops only few times. Tanabi was at first looking with fear on trek of his grandmother, but when they finally reached boneyard's site, he believed that Sarabi was made from harder stuff that he ever expected.
"You know this place, dear, don't you?" asked queen-mother to Vitani.
"Yes, of course... we used to playing here with Nuka and later also with Kovu." She went to first pile of bones and caress them with paw. On her face came expression akin to affection and nostalgia.
"Wow!" said Tanabi. "This place gives me the creeps."
"Old good times..." muttered Vitani, with dreamy voice.
"So grandma, do you know where uncle Scar had his hiding?" asked lion.
"Yes... come with me." Said queen-mother and started deeper into valley. Then sudden laughter sounded in that place. "Hm... Vitani... Did you say, that this place is abandoned?" she asked.
"Well, when we went to Priderock no one more was here. In fact, no one was here since when hyenas ran off."
"And why exactly hyenas ran off?" inquired Sarabi.
"I guess, because Outlanders were near."
"So, if Outlanders are gone, hyenas might..." whispered Tanabi. Another wave of loud laughter came from darkness of the gorge. "...be back!"
Firsts of hyenas shown in and then another and another... One group came from deeper valley, while second appeared at the outset of the gorge. They where approaching with clear intention to kill.
"Over the thirty behind us and unknown number deeper in the valley." Estimated Vitani. "Ma'am it's looking pretty bad. Could we break through?" she looked on old lioness.
"I won't make it, my dear. Tanabi, get her out from here." Ordered to grandson.
"Are you nuts? We won't leave you!" replied Tanabi, extending his claws.
"Well, well, well. What have we got here?" said male hyena in lead of ambush group. "Trio of trespassers, who might betray our little secret!"
"I could distract them, while you would help my grandma get there." Whispered Tanabi, pointing with head small ledge nearby. "There you could make a stand till next year. Too narrowed to direct strike."
"How you exactly want to distract them?" asked lioness.
"I'll do something they would never expect." Explained prince.
"That mean..."
"Frontal charge, I guess."
"I regret I asked... But right. Let's try then." She turned to Sarabi. "Are you ready?"
"Wait... it seems they want to talk." Noticed old lioness.
Leader of clan stepped before his packmates and looked on lions. Suddenly he burst in diabolical laughter.
"Woo! Aren't you Sarabi, mother of king Simba?" asked with amusement. "What a coincidence... what have brought you here, in our humble home?"
"Aging dementia." She replied, causing explosion of laughter in hyena's crowd. "We were not warned, that we might interfere anyone."
"And that's the point!" shouted hyena. "No one is! And only because of that we could still dwell in our domain." He went closer, almost to lions. "I'm Dakly, leader of Boneyard Clan, son of Edward the Furious. And this is our new home. You are not welcome here, Pridelanders!"
"Is he talking about that Edward, that I think?" asked quietly Tanabi.
"When looking in his eyes, I'm almost sure." Replied Sarabi.
"Never mind, are you ready?" asked prince. "Vitani, you must take there my grandma there for all cost."
"Tanabi, don't be stupid! It's crazy..." whispered Sarabi. And added louder, to hyenas. "Let's negotiate! My son could give be grateful for saving his mother and two minions..."
"But are you ready?" muttered Vitani. "Well, assume you are. One..."
"Minions?" surprised Dakly. "What kind of minion could be young lion male? Aren't you the prince, maned one?"
"Two..."
"I'm prince Tanabi of Priderock!" called forcefully lion, looking uncertain on Vitani. "And I challenge you, Dakly of Boneyard Pride. Stand and fight, one to one, like lion and..." he turned his head to lionesses. "No, it won't work anyway."
"Three..."
"How about fifty to one?" asked hyena and burst in laughter.
"GO!" shouted Vitani and pushed old lioness. They started to run in ledge's direction. Tanabi jumped ahead, roaring as loud as he could."
"I was kidding..." said surprised Dakly. "I mean... hundred to one!" he nodded his paw and all hidden hyenas started to approaching to lion. He didn't wait for that, but pounced on nearest enemy.
Sarabi and Vitani quickly went to side-face of rock. The ledge was about two meters above ground and old lioness could reach it in any way.
"Stand on my back... good... now grab the edge!" instructed Vitani, while Sarabi was attempting to climb. "Good... now just pull yourself up there..."
Queen-mother hung in extreme hard position. Despite, she was only two meters above the ground, beneath her ocean of hostile creatures was storming. Her paws, lightly tucked to wall started slowly to slide. "It's over." She thought. And then, happened something that just have couldn't happened.
Losing her consciousness due to enormous, in her age, effort, she saw a spectre above her. Silhouette of lion, lying on the ledge lowered it's head and paws. It pin exhausted limbs of Sarabi to rock ("Like once Taka pinned Mufasa's!" she thought), allow her to get better attachment. In this moment, he looked exactly in shade's eyes. He recognized black mane and scar, running across left side of face. "Taka?" she whispered, but in this moment silhouette disappeared. Sarabi felt bolt of energy and she jumped up to edge. She was safe.
Tanabi thrown out first hyena and just then five scavengers pounced on his back. He tossed himself to rid of attackers, but five another came in their place. "Bad idea, bad idea..." he was yelling in mind. "I must get to wall to secure at last one direction. Backside, mainly." He started to breaking through crowd of biting, scratching and pouncing creatures. For every three steps he made, he had to turn himself around and shake attacker from his back. He didn't feel any pain, but realized that was already hit few times. Distance to the wall was decreasing terribly slow.
Sarabi felt on ledge and laid exhausted. She knew, that she had to help Vitani, but weakness of her body was overwhelming. Behind her, sound of claws sliding the rock was sounding. Young lioness was trying to made it herself. "Taka... help your daughter!" pleaded Sarabi, closing her eyes. Until minute passed, she felt Vitani, crawling and stopping next to her. "Thank you..." but in the same moment she reminded about Tanabi. "Wait! Could you take care of my grandson too?"
Tanabi touched the wall with his back. So, he was safe... from at least one direction. But what then? There were more that ten meters and about twenty hyenas to basis of safe ledge.
"Tanabi!" yelled Vitani. "Come here!" she turned to Sarabi. "I'm going down there!"
"Guess, what will do Tanabi, when he'll climb here and see you below." Panted old lioness. "She screamed at all her might. "STOP! Tell what you want..." and added in mind. "Taka... I know I didn't deserve for any help, but... help me! Help Tanabi!"
Lion was just five hyenas to basic of sanctuary, but was bleeding from over ten deeper cuts. He leaned on wall and was hobbling slowly, covering rock with bloody trace. And there he came down.
\/\/\/
"I knew that will be bad ideaaaaaa!" screamed Yakta in mind.
\/\/\/
Sliding down from gorge side-wall, lion landed on hyenas right behind Tanabi. His strike shocked most of attackers and allowed prince to jump onto ledge. Of course, he wouldn't make it himself but Sarabi and Vitani grabbed him, pinning his paws to rock. He got basis with legs and went through the edge.
"Fourth lion!" yelled one of hyenas. "Boss, what we should do? Boss?" but Dakly was lying unconscious, after being hit by falling lion. "Damn! Retreat!" in few seconds, all scavengers, except those knocked out by unexpected guest, ran off.
"Oh... sorry, sir! I didn't meat to..." was muttering redmaned lion, stomping over fallen bodies of hyenas. He looked on Sarabi. "I'm terribly sorry, ma'am. Have I interrupted some important meeting? Sorry!" he added, when he stomped on unconscious scavenger.
Three lions on ledge burst in uncontrolled laughter. Vitani and Tanabi jumped down (although prince gasped in pain when he landed hard) and helped Sarabi went downhill. Then they came to stranger.
"I... I don't know, what happened..." was explaining lion. "I just wanted to go down and ask you about my route, but I incidentally lost balance and..."
"That was brilliant!" exclaimed prince. "You struck exactly where they hadn't expect. I owe you my life! Who are you?"
"Actually, I was aiming on the ledge..." muttered stranger. "But never mind. My name is Yakta and I'm on my route to Priderock to visit my old friend, king Simba." Said lion, hoping that fancy story, he told Timon and Pumbaa would work. However, it had not.
"You know my father?" asked surprised Tanabi.
"Ups!" thought Yakta. He added quickly. "You know... old hakuna-matata times." He looked on faces of his auditors and noticed, that his cover is not so persuasive as he thought.
"So you're friend of uncles Timon and Pumbaa as well?" inquired Tanabi.
"Yes, that's right. I even met them yesterday." Replied Yakta, grateful he hadn't to lie.
"O, stop it, young man." Interrupted Sarabi. "You might be just two years older than Tanabi, but not more. I have no idea, what for you're heading to Priderock, but as out saviour, you'll be welcome there, for sure." She came closer to stranger and examined him. "Hm... you look like a desert lion." Noticed with curiosity. Face of Yakta reminded something to her. Like she had seen him long time ago... but she had no idea, when and where.
"Anyway, thanks again for your help." Said Tanabi. "We wouldn't made it without you. I'm Tanabi, son of Simba, this is my grandmother, Sarabi and this is Vitani..."
"Just Vitani." Interrupted lioness. "Nice to meet you."
"And who are those ladies and gentlemen that I incidentally... hm... landed on?" asked Yakta, amazed, that lions are not angry on him, for that accident.
"Those are hyenas of Boneyard Clan, who have tried to kill us." Explained concise Vitani.
"Oh..." sighed Yakta. He was totally lost. "Look, this mister is about to wake." They went to Dakly, who was recovering his senses. "Why they attacked you?"
"Lay low and you'll be live." Advised Sarabi to hyena. "Don't do any surprises to us. You are our prisoner now."
"Hmhm?" asked scavenger, but no one understood him.
"What you want to do with them?" asked Tanabi, pointing on stunned hyenas.
"Interrogate." Replied old lioness.
"Is that action, that is done to enemies, before they are killed?" asked Yakta naive.
"HMM!" yelled Dakly.
"No, we won't kill them. We have no reason now, they're prisoners." Said Vitani. "We just went here to gather some information. And, what is quite unexpected, we have not only from where, but also from whom!"
"Myyy?"
"I'm sorry to bother you... maybe I'll go now, if you don't mind." But in this moment, he noticed something strange, even strange in this scene, strange itself. Lioness called Vitani looked familiar to him. Her face seems so parallel to... "Zira..." he whispered. Young lioness looked almost like his dead queen.
"What?" amazed Scar's daughter. She snooped around, saw that Sarabi and Tanabi were examining captured hyenas and dragged Yakta aside. "What did you say?"
Then lion looked in her blue eyes and another wave of memories deluged his mind.
"Vitani... You are Vitani!"
"Yes..." replied confused lioness. She had no idea, who was this red mane lion. And how he knew her? She was scanning memories of living in Outlands... no... barely remembered times of exile... "Yakta! You are Yakta, son of Shakisa!" she jumped up in cubbish joy, but immediately she calmed down. "Hush! They shouldn't know, who you are... at least not yet!"
"Are they enemies? They killed queen Zira?" whispered lion.
"No! They are friends... but also kins of Simba. At this moment we must beware even of friends... So many has happened through all those years... How have you survived? Where is Shakisa? And how, on Stars, you know that my mother is dead?" but she knew, that this was bad time for questions. "You tell me later. You must hide and wait for me, until I'll back from Outlands. I'll find you in two or three days. Do you remember North Waterhole?" she asked, hoping that lion would have some memories from living in Prideland.
"Barely... but I will find it, if you tell me where I should search... And tell me just few things... Is prince Nuka alive?"
"No... I'm sorry, he died month ago." Replied Vitani with tense.
"So you are the rightful queen, right?" he asked and immediately bow in homage. "Forgive me, your majesty..."
"Stand up!" gasped Vitani. "They will see it! Stand now and call me Vitani."
"Sorry, ma'am! That... I mean: Vitani."
"Now go!" she pointed direction of waterhole. "And hide and don't show yourself until I'll come. Can you do this?"
"Affirmative, ma'am... I mean: Affirmative, Vitani!" he bowed discreetly turned away and started to run. After few moments, he disappeared from lioness sight.
"Vitani, come here!" called Tanabi. She went to prince and queen-mother. "Where that guy went? But never mind... we got some unexpected opportunity to learn something interesting. Dakly, in exchange for life of his clanmates, will lead us to his aunt. She once knew Scar!"
"Yes... aunt Shenzi knows lots of tales..." confirmed hyena.
