Hey guys. I'm back! I'm so sorry for the long absense. I just lost interest in the story, but now I'm back. I know this is a shortish chapter, but trust me it will get better as I get more into the story. I hope you enjoy it. :)
Angu Malkia = My Queen Siyo = No Usiku mwema = Good Night, and Ge is the real name of an African God of the moon.
Last time:
Once more, I start to get up, but Scar looks up and shakes his head. I kneel down again just the lioness comes back out. Upon the lionesses back was a small bundle and a cooing sound erupts from it. My heart stops and my eyes grow wide as I stare at the bundle….my son.
My breath catches in the throat as I watch the scene before me. The lioness reaches back and places the bundle down on the ground as the cloth slips down onto the ground. I blink and wince in shame as I stare at my one and a half year old son. Dark hair contrasts the pale skin and red marks of old scars along his small body. His small hands stretch out, unafraid, toward the lioness; his fingertips twisting in her tan fur.
The lioness smiled and looked down at the small child. An unknown terror burns inside my chest as I watch the odd exchange between my son and the strange lioness. I jump to my feet and dash around the rock. My feet skid and I collapse onto my knees as the lioness lunches forward in front of the boy. Tension hangs in the air as we stare at each other.
Without looking away from me, the lioness asked, "Who is this, Scar? Do you want to kill us all?"
I don't look at him, but I imagine him shaking his head.
"No, Chioma, this is Kimaria," Scar explains.
The lioness, Chioma, clenches her teeth as she stares at me. Her fierce gaze bears into me and unconsciously my eyes look for an escape route as I curse myself. How can I have been so stupid to not inform anyone of my whereabouts? I look down at my son again and thank the Great Kings that he is unharmed for the most part. Yet, Chioma's voice breaks into my thoughts as my eyes snap back onto her.
Her blue eyes shine with hatred as she says, "So you are the one who caused this to happen?" She lowers herself onto her front paws, "Angu Malkia, do you grace us with your presence? Why now?"
Mockery laces her voice as she stares at me, standing protectively in front of my son. Terror fills my mind as I look over at him and glare at the lioness. Yet, Mufasa and Sarabi's teachings of nobility keep my voice calm as I struggle to my feet.
"I do not mean any disrespect, but I came here to see about my son," I say.
"Your son? I don't know what you are talking about?" Chioma asks, her eyes narrowing.
"He is my son," I say firmly, pointing to the child. He crawls on his knees under her belly and looks up at me.
"What is this, Scar? This cub was abandoned you know that. Who is this claiming to be my son's mother? I am his mother," Chioma says, looking over at the dark lion.
Scar takes a small step forward. "Chioma, I know you have raised him, but look at the cub's features, they are not the same."
"That does not matter," her eyes narrowed as she looked at me. "Mufasa let that thing into the pride so why should I not be able to do the same?"
I open my mouth and pause. She has spoken the truth, but at the same time I am alive to care for my son now. Closing my eyes, I sigh as the cool savanna breeze blows against my face, calming my anger. It is as though I can feel Mufasa's spirit beside me lending me his strength. Again, I kneel now on the ground and look from the fierce protective lioness to the young child.
"I feel your pain, Chioma." She shakes her head, but I continue. "I do. It is a horrible feeling for someone to loss a child, but-"
Chioma growls and narrows her eyes at me.
For a moment, I remember that I'm in the presence of real, dangerous lions. Her fierce eyes seem to see through me right into my soul. I avert my eyes and look down at the ground. How can I make her understand? Will she even listen to me? A small cooing sound interrupts my thoughts and glance over at my son. His small feet drag behind him as he tries to crawl over to me; his blue eyes stare up at me curiously and I know I'm the only human he has seen. My heart races though my breath catches in my throat as I watch him. Unconsciously, I reach out to meet his outstretched hand.
"Siyo!" Chioma cries, jumping between us.
I yank my hand back, shock etched onto my face as I stare at her. Beside me, I hear Scar growling, but I can only stare at the lioness. What have I done to her? Why can I not even hold my child? I gulp and feel my heart break as I hear my son beginning to cry. Chioma turns away from me and begins to nuzzle the little boy just as Nala had done for Kiara. Tears prickle at my eyes as I watch my son being calmed by his adoptive mother. Am I not a part of his life anymore…if I ever was?
"Chioma…" My voice trails off as she glances over at me.
I shake my head and stand up. I can feel Scar's gaze upon me, but I ignore him as I turn around. Glancing over my shoulder, I whisper a small goodbye to my son, but he does not pay attention, his affection on Chioma.
With each step, I feel my heart begin to break again. Scar silently walks beside me and I shiver as his words from a few years ago. Surely one of them will be willing to be your pet. Was that Scar was becoming? He had been very protective of me, but his animal instincts seem to have left. Chioma had been protective, but I felt the fierce lioness too. What was happening to all the creatures I know? A wet lick on my hand breaks me out of my thoughts as I wince.
"What is it?" I ask, looking down at him.
Licking his lips, he looks up at me. "You're bleeding."
I blink and look down at my hand. Three lines of crimson blood run down my hand. How did I miss this? The lines curve like claws. I rip a piece of cloth from my skirt and wrap it around my hand as a temporary bandage. I lower my hand as Scar nudges me questionably.
"Is everything okay, Kimaria?" He asks.
I nod, but do not look at him. "I'm fine, but why…"
"I wanted you to know that your son was still alive," Scar says simply.
A half hearted smile twitches at the corner of my lips; even as a cub he had always been able to read my thoughts. How had we changed so much? My eyes scan over the lonely savanna; the moon has begun to sink in the sky already. Suppressing a yawn, I look back the way we came and sigh. Will I be able to find my way back again? Blinking, I look down at Scar again.
"How you find them anyway?" I ask.
Scar's shrugs. "Chioma and the others were ban…"
His voice trails off as he looks around. I feel my body grow tense as I move beside him with my own eyes searching for the disturbance. Yet despite my years among the loins I cannot see or hear anything. Inwardly, I curse myself for my human limitations. Beside me, I feel Scar's fur stand on end as he continues to search the savanna too.
"Usiku mwema," Scar whispers.
Without another word, he slides away from me, disappearing onto the savanna. I stare after him, but do not follow. Again, I shake my head and turn, walking in the opposite direction with the events from earlier still running through my mind. I have seen my little boy and he is so beautiful a true mix of his parents: his father's strong body and hair, my eyes and the language of the animals in him. Closing my eyes, I can picture sitting beside his adoptive mother.
"At least he is alive," I whisper to myself.
Shaking my head, I start to jog back toward Pride Rock praying that I can get back before the great circle rises higher into the sky. I can already hear some the birds and other animals beginning to awaken; the evening breeze has given way to the warm air for the upcoming day. I glance over and my shoulder to the west and see the moon sinking further down into the sky. Does my son know the sun and moon? I remember my human parents telling me stories of the moon god Ge and the other gods and goddesses. The Pride Landers believed in the Great Kings, but which one would my son learn? If he survives long enough to be able to learn. I shake my head at the very idea, but some part of me still wonders. How did Chioma find him in the first place? I try to recall the whole conversation, but my mind is too weary to think clearly except that my son is alive.
A flap of wings breaks into my thoughts, but I do not need to look up to know who it is. I raise my hand and say, "Good morning, Zazu."
Zazu stops his flight and looks down at me. "Oh, your Majesty good morning. What are you doing wondering around here at this hour?"
I pause. "Oh…I was out for an early morning walk."
Zazu says nothing.
"And where are you off too?" I ask.
"Well in order to give your brother a proper morning report I must start early," Zazu says.
I nod. "Yes I suspect so." Again, I pause and glance over my shoulder casually. "Um…Zazu may I ask you something."
"I'm at your service, my queen," he says, bowing to the ground.
Inwardly, I wince at the formality. Though I should be used to it, I cannot help but wish things were back the way they were between us. Shaking my head, I point behind me. "Do you know what that land beyond the river?"
"What river?"
"The river you and I meet at last time?" I say.
Zazu pauses and thinks. After a moment, he clears his thought. "…That is one of the borders of the Pride lands, but….n-no lone lives out there."
"So it's not the Outlands?" I ask.
"No…that is on the other side, why do you ask?"
"Oh, nothing, I was just wondering," I say quickly. At that moment, I want nothing more than to confide in him like we used when I was a young girl, but something stops me. Even with the formality aside, I'm not certain I trust Zazu's answer. He used to check everywhere to make certain that others were not coming in or leaving the Pride lands so what changed?
Zazu looks at me. "Is something wrong your Majesty?"
I pause, but then shake my head. "I'm fine, Zazu. Have a good morning."
Again, Zazu bows. "Yes and you too my queen."
He pushes himself off the ground and starts to make his morning round. I watch him fly away until I can't see him. I still cannot figure out what has changed between us. Why did he seem so hesitant to answer my question about the land and why would he lie about it? Shaking my head, I turn and start to walk back to Pride Rock with my mind racing with unanswered questions.
Well that's it for now! What do you think? Please let me know what was good, what do I need to improve? I hope you enjoyed it and please review. More coming soon.