A/N: Ok…so it's been over a year since I've updated this story…I can't believe I let it go on that long…I'm so sorry to everyone…and if anyone is actually reading this, I hope you can forgive me. I did not forget about the story entirely. I tried writing this chapter a few times and was never happy with the outcome…
I've left you all with a cliffy for so long…I feel horrible. Ugh…anyway, enough of my apologies…I'll let the chapter(s) make up for it.
Chapter 21
The winds swirled around them for a few moments as they sat in the still near darkness. Sharra felt overwhelmed and scared. She couldn't believe what Kieji had done for her. Tears fell down her cheeks in tiny rivers and just seemed to keep flowing. She had no way of stopping them, and wasn't entirely sure she wanted to.
"We will need to talk, but later perhaps. Memmai will be waiting for you." Kieji said, lifting his head from hers. Sharra pulled back, looking at him. He turned, looking away from her and she followed his gaze.
In the distance was the pride, slowly making their way toward Sharra and Kieji. Sharra lifted a paw to her face and wiped it, hoping to make herself look at least a little better. Kieji turned and licked her cheeks, trying to help some. Tingles ran all the way down Sharra's body as he did this and she looked up at him, a small smile forming on her face.
A strong wind pushed against her and Kieji, telling them both that it was time to move. It urged their pride members forward as well, so that they reached the two all the faster. Sunlight was beginning to make it's appearance, spreading rays across the land yet still cloaking certain parts in darkness.
Sharra stood, ready to face the day and to see her best friend marry. It was time to let go and to move on. As the pride reached them, Sharra and Kieji took their places at the front and led the way toward the pride lands.
"Wow, that's interesting. So when are they gonna talk, huh Ashka?" Tiburi questioned.
"You will see, little one, calm down." Ashka said, smiling once more at the cubs curiosity. "Sharra and her pride made their way toward pride rock, Sharra remembering her promise to Memmai to have a front row seat. She excused herself to go between and around all the animals that had already gathered and any who paused long enough to ask, she told them that Memmai wanted her to be up front."
As Sharra and her pride found their places, it was definite that the ceremony was going to start soon. There was a part of Sharra that wanted to go see her friend, yet another part that wanted to stay with her pride. She looked from Kieji to the den, thinking. She did not really want to go up there, she had made her peace though, so what did it matter? It wasn't as though they could tell her to leave, not on the day of Katu and Memmai's wedding. Memmai wouldn't allow it.
She felt a soft nudge from beside her and turned. "Go, she might need you." Kieji said simply, smiling. Sharra returned the smile and then stood and began walking toward the steps. She climbed them easily, remember how careful she used to be when she was a cub.
With each step memories flooded her mind, and even though they were bad, she couldn't help but find herself smiling. Even though Memmai didn't want to be queen, she would not let Katu make the same mistakes as his family before him. She would make sure that no one was an outcast in her pride and that history would not repeat itself. This made Sharra feel happy, knowing that no cub would have to go through what she did.
As she reached the top, she looked around at the lions and lionesses gathered. Ashka was standing with the former Queen and King, talking. Sumayah and Misha, as always, were together near a corner of the den. Katu was sitting out on the edge, not close enough for anyone to see him, but just sitting, staring at the end of the ledge where he would be married only minutes from then.
Sharra frowned, where was Memmai? She needn't have worried, for though she hadn't seen her friend, Memmai had seen her. "Sharra!" the lioness exclaimed, rushing over to her and bumping heads with her. "I was hoping you'd come up here."
"I thought you might need me," Sharra replied, smiling. Memmai laughed.
"Well, maybe a little."
Just then, Uta walked up, a smile on her lips. "Sharra," She said, dipping her head. Sharra dipped her head in return. "Times will be different," she said, a frown crossing her muzzle as she remembered the past.
Sharra nodded. "I hope so," was all she said. She then turned back to Memmai. "You will be great," she said. Sharra then looked toward Sumayah and Misha. "Mai, you can't let her rule…not even a little. She will make it so that the past can return."
Memmai looked up at her friend. She sighed. "I know, but we'll talk later ok?" she said. Sharra nodded, for Ashka had begun to beckon Memmai and Katu forward. It was time. Sharra nuzzled her friend's cheek and then made her way back down off of Pride rock to take a seat beside Kieji.
Ashka appeared at the top of Pride rock just as Sharra got settled in. He looked at all the animals surrounding him and a smile split across his face. "Today," he began, "We are gadered to witness de marriage of two lions, one of whom will take his place today as your King." A warm applause of sounds came from the animals. Sharra and her pride roared theirs. "De oder is close to my heart, for I raised her from a cub and am very happy to see her marry such a fine young prince. Now, wid de kings as dier witness, I present to you Prince Katu and his fiancée Memmai." With that, Ashka stepped aside and let the two take his place.
All at once the savannah was alive with noise. The monkeys yelled, screeching at the top of their lungs. The zebra's whinnied, rising on their hind feet and then slamming down, stomping the ground. Trumpets from the elephants were deafening as they raised their trunks in salute to the new King. Sharra and her pride made their roars heard as well, though not standing as they did so. All lay, out of respect, but also in recognition that it was not their new king they were congratulating.
Soon the noise quieted and Katu and Memmai looked down amongst their subjects. The sun was now high in they sky and shining with more brightness than any other day. Leaves and petals of different flowers swirled around the two lions as the kings made their presence known. Ashka stood in front of Memmai and Katu now, a hand on each of their foreheads. "Let it be known to de Great Kings and to all you who have come to watch dis ceremony dat dese two will be great rulers, dat dey will love each other fully and will rule wid gentle hearts and clear minds." Slowly he turned around to face the audience before him.
"Your new King and his Mate, King Katu and Memmai!" Ashka shouted. Now instead of the audience, it was the pride that roared. Memmai and Katu were the first, theirs being the loudest, followed by the pride. The savannah echoed with the roars of the pride as it slowly died down. The animals joined in as the pride's roars ended and they began to all yell their congratulations. Sharra, knowing the actual ceremony was over, again made her way up to the top of Pride Rock.
She was almost immediately tackled by Memmai. They rolled a few times and then stood up. Memmai had a huge smile on her face. "I'm so happy!" She near squealed. Sharra smiled.
"And I am happy for you," she replied. Memmai turned toward her friend.
"Sharra, you're right though. I want to rule, but I can't do it alone." Sharra cocked her head to one side.
"What do you mean? Katu will be with you."
"No, Sharra. I know that, but Katu is my mate now, and I don't' have you. I don't have a friend I can count on. I've made friends with Junga and Ukando, but they'll be leaving soon to find prides of their own. And once I make it known that I want the throne, Sumayah will have nothing to do with me, and she'll make sure Misha doesn't either." Memmai sighed. "I need you Sharra, I need my best friend."
Sharra looked at her friend and sighed. She didn't know what to do. She knew Mai needed her, but she also did not want to be in the pride lands. She had vowed never to live there again, and her lands were too far of a walk to be able to visit Memmai every day. She turned to look at where her pride had gathered. Some were talking with members of the pridelands, others were waiting patiently for them to be able to leave. What was she supposed to do? And then there was Kieji. Sharra sighed and turned toward her friend.
"I can't stay here Mai, you know that." She finally said. She thought a few more minutes and then said, "What if I stayed for a few moons, until you have your bearings and feel confident enough that you don't need me every day?" Memmai's face split into a smile.
"Oh really Sharra? Would you?"
"Only for a few moons though," Sharra emphasized. Memmai nodded.
"Oh thank you Sharra! You have no idea what this means to me!" With that she bounded off to go tell Katu and her mother. Sharra watched and let out a small sigh.
Now she just had to tell Kieji….
"So Sharra was really going to stay in the pridelands? But she said she never wanted to go back!" Tiburi burst in.
"I know Tiburi, but friendship is a funny ting. It makes you do tings you don't always want to do, but you want to do dem for your friend. Sharra knew Memmai needed her, and she wanted to be dere for her friend." Ashka explained.
"Oh, well that was really nice of her," a murmur of aggreenment spread through the cubs.
"Yes, indeed it was," Ashka said, smiling as he thought a moment before continuing the story.
A/N: so this time I will keep my promise and I will be finishing this story. I am taking the month of May off of work and off school so I will have plenty of time to actually write. If you do not see a chapter in the next week or so, don't get panicky and please don't' leave me. I do plan on finishing this story and letting everyone know what happens with Sharra and Kieji. I actually came up with some new ideas over this year and half so I have something to work off of. I hope that you forgive me and that you enjoyed this chapter and are looking forward to the next one, even if you have to wait 3 weeks for it…Until then, ttfn.