Ch 9: Carnage, Hope, and Sorrow

"NO!!" Sena stood in the blood stained grass. He gazed around.

"Not again...not again..."

"Sena...?" He turned and saw Vitani looking at him anxiously. "Is that you?"

"Yeah, it's me." He looked at the ground. "I scared you, didn't I? I bet you don't even want to look at me anymore..."

Vitani's paw dealt him a hefty blow. "Will you stop that? Sheesh!" She licked his face, then grimaced. "Ugh! Bad idea!"

Sena laughed. Vitani pressed her face to his, purring. Sena smiled and nuzzled her back. For the moment, it was just them, and nothing else mattered.

"I saw you were about to get killed. I couldn't bear it if you..."

"Shh..." She ran her nose lovingly along his muzzle. "I don't plan on dying anytime soon."

"Sena..." Sena broke eye contact and turned to face the king.

"Yes, your majesty?" Sena was surprised when Simba lowered his head respectfully.

"Thank you," Simba said. "In your rampage, or whatever you want to call it, you saved us all. You saved me, my daughter, all of us. I...we, are all in your debt. My father's law states that all our debts must be repaid. So if there's...anything you'd like..."

Sena placed his paw under Simba's jaw and brought the king's face up. "You should not be the one bowing to me, he said, "but I to you. And to answer your question, there is one thing." Sena lowered his head in respect.

"You and your pride have been good to me. You have taken me in as one of your own. I feel like I've finally found a place to call home. And I found something I never thought I'd find in a million years..." He walked to Vitani and saw Simba smile.

"...love," the young lion finished. "And so I humbly ask, your majesty, to join your pride."

Simba smiled and nodded. "You may."

A single tear dropped from Sena's eye. "Thank you...Simba."

"WHAT?!"

Sena's ears picked up the faint groan that left Vitani's mouth. Simba turned. "What is this time Riko, Ni?"

Riko and the other lion emerged from the crowd. "You can't be serious Simba? He brought-"

Simba's roar echoed. "Silence! My word is law. And I say he can stay."

"But-" Simba cut Ni off. "Sena is staying. That's final."

Riko hung her head, defeated. Then she looked up. "Hey, where's Zani?"

Sena whispered in Vitani's ear, "Zani?"

"Her other loyal follower." Vitani replied. The pride, realizing someone was missing, spread out to search.

After about ten minutes, an anguished cry was heard. The pride raced to the source of the noise to find Riko standing over the body of Zani. Zani had slashes all over her body and a particularly deep one across her throat. The only consolation was that she was surrounded by dead hyenas. Sena lowered his gaze.

"She fought to the end. She found her place."

A light rain came down that evening, washing blood and grime from the lion's coats. The bodies of the dead were piled on the grass and were burning. Sena stared at the dancing flames. He thought about the lion sitting on the top of the pile. Next time will be the last Zara. Two have died; I won't let any more. Next time, I WILL KILL YOU!

Later, after the pride had left, a lone figure approached the ashes of the fire. He raised his head to the stars.

"That young fool of a lion was lucky today. Next time it ends."

Zara faded into the night.