Chapter 28: Excommunication

Banishment

That was the word the spread among the lionesses, cubs, and adolescents. The word came to them by either thought or whisper. It was even registered the king and queen's faces.

Ugas looked from his parents, to the pride, with an evil stare.

Ewali, tried to keep his composure but his wounds still stung, the chin marks especially. His shoulder was burning but he just ignored it. Taking a deep breath and a step forward away from his mate and the cubs, he stared into Ugas' eyes. Those now hateful eyes that reminded him so much of his father's, that he shook.

But shaking his fears off, he spoke with authority, the authority of a judge and a king. "Ugas, from what you have done, I no longer believe that you can be trusted. As I stated earlier, you are in no state of mind to take over after me. You attacking me in that fit of anger proves that."

Ugas didn't say a word. He just sat in his spot with plenty of space around him. He wanted to object to all this, by attacking, but knew it would do no good. "To attack him again, would be suicide," he thought.

Nakita stepped up next to Ewali and spoke. "Your father is right Ugas, you can't be trusted," she paused feeling a tear come to her eye, but did not give in to her maternal instincts. "As much as your father and I love you, we feel that you shouldn't be part of this pride anymore."

Ugas looked up at his mother with no expression. He was sitting there stone as a statue. His tail didn't even flicker nor did his ears, but the wound on his face still stung. That was no surprise to him though, as Ewali hit him pretty hard.

The pride heard the queen's words, and started to whisper among themselves quietly.

"You don't think…" one began to ask.

"Yes, sounds that way," another replied.

"Good riddance. I never liked him anyway, not even as a cub!" another said hotly.

"I don't know what I saw in him," Kilwa said sadly, lowering her ears back in embarrassment.

A lioness turned to her and nuzzled Kilwa gently while saying, "It's okay sweetie. Don't feel bad. You gotta admit, he was a charmer at first."

Kilwa smiled at the lioness and nuzzled her back.

Hearing the pride whisper behind his back the prince still remained silent and motionless.

The cubs that were now sitting behind Ewali and Nakita whispered among themselves too.

"You think Nakita and Ewali will banish him?" Cheshi whispered to Tau.

"As much as I hate to both say and see it, I hope they do," Tau replied bitterly. "He doesn't look like a king."

Cheshi nodded his head in agreement. "I'm sorry you got stuck with him for a father. It's too bad that Ewali didn't find you first," he said smiling with a smirk behind it.

Tau looked at his dear friend and smiled back. "I call him dad, every now and again. You're right though. Ewali's more of a father to Tarna, Shara, Zarmu, and me than Ugas ever was. Ewali is a father us all."

Tarna peered up curiously at his 'brother', and leaned into the conversation whispering, "I don't call Ewali 'father' or anything like that, but like you two, I see and love him as if he were my father."

The two lions nodded their heads and looked down at the others. Shara, and Zarmu, nodding their heads too, apparently having heard what was being said.

Sammy, and the others also talked.

"I guess this puts you to the position of heir," Arazia said to her friend.

"Yeah, it does," Sammy, replied in a strong yet sad voice.

Machwa saw that his sister was sad so he put a paw on her shoulder, and nuzzled her gently. Sammy laughed softly at her brother's care and returned the nuzzle. Jemasi and Sheena just smiled.

While the whispers and quiet talks were being said, Ewali and Nakita were having thoughts of their own. They looked at each other for a moment, staring into the other's eyes. As much as it pained them to continue the trial, they knew what had to be done. Nodding their heads, facing the pride, they cleared their throats for order.

Upon hearing this all whispering stopped. Faces were turned to the king and queen.

Ewali spoke again. "I don't want to do this and it's paining me so…" he trailed off taking in a deep shuddering breath and letting it with a shiver. "Before we came here, you made a promise to Kube. He told you not to give us a hard time."

Ugas looked at his father with a now shocked expression. "How did he know about that?" he thought. "When Kube whispered it to me we kept our voices low so that nobody… not even dad would hear it!"

"Don't look so surprised," Ewali continued, seeing his son's look. "I may not have heard what you and Kube were saying but the actions, both yours and his, told me everything."

"It sounds and looks like you broke that promise, Ugas," Nakita remarked. "Who knew it'd be the first of many," she said sadly.

"Therefore," Ewali carried on. "It is best for all of us that you…" he paused and looked up at the faces of the pride, while Nakita looked behind her at the cubs' faces. "…That you be banished from Kivuli," Ewali finished.

Ugas stared at his parents with wide eyes. "Dad, y-you can't be serious."

Ewali stared at his son with an authoritive look, one that wasn't going to change. "I am serious. Leave… NOW!!! Don't ever come back!" On the outside, Ewali was a king with a duty, while inside he was a father who had just exiled his own son but was there a choice? "No!" he thought.

The prince stared at the ground. Looking back up, mostly at his children, he saw that they wouldn't move. Looking back at the pride, Kilwa wouldn't move up to him either. He was in a class by himself.

With a resenting growl, Ugas stood up, his head high, tail in a curl, he walked down the path. About halfway down though he stopped and turned around, giving one last 'come with me' pleading look at his kids and mate.

Tau was still standing with his adopted brothers and sister and gave his 'father' a hateful look. He growled slightly at what a pitiful lion Ugas had become. He carried no royal traits and even if there were any, they had long since gone.

"Does he really think that after everything he's done, he can just ask us to go with him? That he can make us come with that look? So that he can make us miserable? Not a chance! " He thought.

Kilwa, however, was still in the care of the pride sisters when Ugas turned his head. She was afraid of breaking down in front of everyone, but stood her ground and looked hard at him.

Ugas saw the resentment for 'falling for him' in her eyes, so bowing once to her he turned his head and without a second glance, thought, or action, ran down the pathway and into the savannah, scaring the animals as he did.

The pride watched him go, and turned to their leaders waiting for any instruction as what to do next.

Ewali and Nakita, on weak legs, walked up to the edge of the cliff. They could see their son's retreating form in the distance. He was almost nothing but a tiny speck. Squinting their eyes, they saw him turn around and wondered what he was doing.

From his position in the grass Ugas could see his parents standing on the dark purple cliff. He growled with hatred at his father for doing this to him. Taking in a deep breath, he let out an earth splitting roar that shook the earth, making the other animals that were trying to avoid him, avoid him all the more. They ran for cover as the roar felt more like an earthquake. Ugas wanted to let his ex-pride hear his resentment, pain, and anger.

As wanted, they heard the ex-prince's roar. The echo shook their ears with its near deafening sound. It was so loud that some lionesses, and all the cubs pinned their ears back against their heads.

The roar finally died down but Ugas was still angry. With desperation, and blood pumping through his veins, he wanted to charge up there again and do more damage. But the pride was there and he wouldn't stand a chance.

Growling again, he ran into north but took sharp turn, going left or east rather. Not knowing why he chose this path and knowing there no turning back now, he didn't care… about anyone or anything. Who or what was there to care about? Nothing mattered to him anymore. He had lost everything because of his behavior and he didn't even realize it until it was too late. He was no longer a prince or a future king. He was nothing. He was now a rouge.

Leaning on each other's shoulders, their coats rubbing against each other, pain and heartache weighing heavily upon their hearts, Ewali and Nakita turned to the waiting pride with easy steps. Slowly they looked into the faces of the lionesses and nodded their heads, telling them to get as much meat as they felt necessary.

The cubs were a bit curious as to move to the meat but Sammy took a different approach. Seeing the hurt in her parents' eyes, she left her friends sides and came to them nuzzling their legs. First her mother's then her father's, purring calmly as she did.

Machwa and Jemasi followed their sister's example. Arazia and Sheena followed close behind. Then one by one, the rest of the cubs including Cheshi and Tau comforted their hurting guardians.

Ewali and Nakita were taken aback at the cubs' behavior but knew that they were doing this out of love. Ewali bent down and nuzzled his children, and adopted children. Nakita did likewise, and both were saying 'Thank you' to them.

The cubs looked at one another with pride in their hearts. They smiled, bowed, and went over to get some meat from the kill.

Now that the prince was gone some of the lionesses, went into the cave to finally eat in peace. The cubs however got a good-sized piece of the kill and shared it with one another. They walked over to a good area on the other side of the cliff and ate in fellowship.

Now it was the king and queen's turn. Ewali walked over and took a good-sized piece for him and Nakita. Setting it down in front of her, they both layed down beside each other and ate.

There was no talking in the cave or on the cliff. It was silent. A peaceful, and quiet silence; something everyone was thankful for. They would no longer have to worry about Ugas coming up and wreak havoc upon them again.

Knowing that Sammy would take over one day lifted the pride's spirits and hopes. The future, their future would continue with Samawati being the new leader, but for now she was still a cub and still a princess. She had a long way to go yet. Everyone knew that she would and could make it.


That night, the pride was sleeping peacefully.

Though his adopted father was gone, Tau and his 'siblings' still didn't feel comfortable going back to their old sleeping area, so they just stayed near Cheshi and the others. It made them feel safe and secure, especially knowing that Ewali was lying a few feet away. Nobody objected. Now it was safe to sleep anywhere.

While his pride slept, Ewali was unable to. The images of the day's events, from waking up, spending a small bit of time with the cubs, giving Sammy a tour of the lands, all the way to the argument, the fight, and exile of his first and remaining child of his first litter still played in the king's mind.

It wouldn't stop. It'd just rewind and start again, driving him crazy. Finally, not being able to take it anymore, Ewali woke up, his blue eyes adjusting to the cave's darkness. Looking around, he saw that everything and everyone was all right. He smiled and carefully got up and with tired legs, walked out of the cave.

Once outside, Ewali stretched yawning quietly. Walking up to the cliff's edge he sat down, staring at the stars.

"Did I do the right thing?" he asked with himself with a thought. "If I hadn't done it, Ugas would have done something horrible," he told himself out loud, while growling. He lowered his head and sighed with a few tears coming to his eyes. This time, he didn't brush them away. He let them fall.

His wounds still stung some, but not as bad as before. Thanks to Orissah and Nakita, he was able to have medicine put on them. His shoulder and chin still hurt, but he knew the wounds would heal in time. However, after the healing process there would be scars.

He wished that Ugas had gotten his facial wound treated before the judgment seat, but it was too late now. His son was who knows where? He was going to miss Ugas, that much being true, but how he wished things had turned out differently!

Thinking back to his argument with him, Ewali remembered the words Ugas spoke out of hysteria, and anger. " 'What did I do wrong?' " He shut his eyes tightly while the words played. 'What did I do wrong?' 'What did I do wrong?'

"What did you do wrong? Ugas, you were still acting like a cub. One that was spoiled rotten, rotten as a piece of meat. I still don't understand that. I wasn't spoiled at all! Your mother wasn't either, least I don't think she was," he thought to himself.

Ewali was so intoned with his thinking that he didn't hear paw steps coming out of the cave and that the figure sat down beside him. Too weighed down with thoughts Ewali didn't look up. After what seemed like a few hours, though they actually were a few minutes, he finally looked up at whoever came out. Seeing that the figure was a white colored lioness with crystal blue eyes, Ewali's face curled up into a smile. "Nakita," he murmured softly.

Nakita didn't say anything. She just stared at him silently with a look of concern. Her eyes were calm and thoughtful, as if saying, 'tell me when you're ready'

He smiled and nuzzled her.

Resting her head upon his shoulder, Nakita purred softly to calm his nerves. He purred back, feeling relaxed. Now he was happy, so happy that his mate, and queen was there beside him, letting his thoughts be shared without words. Minutes passed by but to the mates it seemed like hours.

The day had drained them out that they didn't want to talk. What was there to say? It's not like they had a choice, it was either banishment or letting Ugas stay, which would have been ten maybe even twenty times worse.

After a few moments of silence and comfort they spoke but did not break the embrace. Compared to the many embraces they shared over the years, this one was needed.

"How's your chin?" she asked him.

"Still hurts, but not too bad though. My shoulder's the same," he replied. "Thanks for applying the herbs," he said smiling.

Though Nakita didn't see the smile, it was etched in his voice. "You're welcome," she said.

"We did the right thing today," he said with sadness. "Even if it hurt us, it was still right."

Nakita took a moment before responding. "Yes, we did. I'm gonna miss him."

"So am I."

Knowing that this topic for a night conversation would depress them, they focused on something else.

"Did Sammy enjoy the tour?" Nakita asked.

"Yes, I believe she did. She knows she'll have to rule it one day, but now I think she just wants to enjoy it. Have as much fun as possible."

They didn't speak after that. They just stared up at the sky watching the stars shine upon them.

As much as Ewali didn't want to, he broke the embrace but still stared at stars. He couldn't help but wonder if this was meant to be, wondering if Sammy was destined to be Kivuli's next ruler instead of Ugas. "Of course it's meant to be like this! " he mentally told himself. "Just imagine what this place would be like if it were under Ugas' 'care'! "

Nakita looked at him curiously. "You okay?" she wondered.

Ewali looked down at her and smiled reassuringly. "Yes," he replied, licking her on the top of her head. "I'm okay."

She nodded.

The silence between them was warm and welcoming. There were no words that needed to be said; just being alone on the cliff was enough.

"The stars are beautiful tonight, aren't they?" he asked.

Nakita stared at the stars, seeing how the small white, silvery dots, matched up so perfectly with the pitch-black sky. "Yes, they are," she answered.

No longer wanting to sit and watch the stars, Ewali and Nakita laid down beside each other. Nakita rested her head against Ewali's mane and sighed deeply. Ewali wrapped arm around, pulling her close.

They enjoyed nights like this. It seemed as though the night's coolness washed away all the mental, physical, and emotional pain they had suffered this day.

The whole land was quiet, and their pride was sleeping. They wanted to back in the cave and join them, but the night's beauty held them captive.


While his parents were enjoying the night sky from the top of the cliff, Ugas was in the middle of nowhere. He wanted to go back, but his anger and hatred made him blind. He had been traveling for hours and was very tired.

Earlier, he was hungry but didn't know too much, if anything at all, about hunting. He had tried snagging down a small antelope but the animal was too fast for the inexperienced lion. Driven by his hunger, Ugas managed to find a rabbit. It was rather small enough to last. Finding a small waterhole, he drank greedily from it. If anyone disturbed him, they would regret in a heartbeat.

Tired, but satisfied with his food and drink, the young lion kept on walking trying to find a good place to sleep for the night.

"How the heck did Dad survive out here for so long? He was just a cub, yet somehow along the way he managed and here I am, an adolescent lion heading into adulthood and I can't even find a good place to rest!"

He growled, pawing the ground in frustration. To him, nothing mattered. He wasn't sure why he felt the urge to live. "What's the point in living, if you loose everything you hold dear!" he yelled to the sky, near crying.

Sighing in defeat, he searched the surroundings aimlessly and desperately. After much walking, his paws aching almost to the point of falling over in exhaustion, Ugas found a cave. Staring into it, he saw that it was unoccupied and small. "I don't care if it is owned! If whoever has this cave comes back, I will kill him!"

Ugas crawled in and laid down, letting sleep overtake him. The wound on his cheek from where Ewali had hit him still stung but he would manage. He had to, there was no one to tend to him. Yawning loudly, Ugas placed his head on his aching paws and fell into a deep sleep, not caring about anyone or anything.


A few days later, Kivuli was finally at peace with the prince's absense. The fear had been lifted.

Ewali was on his patrol with Jani and Hekaya perched on his shoulders. While they were walking, Jani noticed a figure walking in the distance and turned to the king, "Sire! I think there's a lion directly ahead."

Ewali stared ahead and in his field of vision there was a lion walking toward them. "It looks like. Find a tree to land on you two. I want to see what he wants." The two majordomos nodded their heads and flew to a nearby tree, landing on low branch while Ewali walked to the lion.

After a few steps, the lions were only an inch apart. Ewali focused his eyes and gasped. "Ugas! What are you doing here? I banished you."

"I know," he said with his head lowered. "I've done some clear thinking, and I'm ready to come back and be the future king that this pride deserves."

Ewali couldn't tell whether his son was true to his word or not but he couldn't take any chances. He shook his head. "Sorry Ugas, but my ruling stands. Leave my lands… now, unless you wanna fight again! And that is something I would prefer not to do."

Ugas just smirked and walked away the same path he had come.

Ewali shrugged and with a nod of his head, Jani and Hekaya came back, perched on his shoulders. Forgetting that this encounter ever happend Ewali resumed his duties.