Chapter 30 Legacy of Stone

"Nala!" a voice whispered in the darkness. Nala had just gotten to sleep with the other lionesses in the main den. They were all still hungry, but very tried… She felt her heat coming on. With the dry season lasting so long it wasn't uncommon for the lionesses to come into heat just before the wet season started.

"Nala! Get up!" the voice commanded.

Nala opened her eyes looking around the den. No one was awake, everyone was asleep, even Zazu in his cage…

"It is time to go Nala," the voice said again. Nala looked startled around the den. The voice was vaguely familiar.

"Bitrus?" Nala whispered into the den. "Father?"

"Follow me Nala!"

Nala got up and went outside the main den. The hyenas were sleeping dead to the world all around Pride Rock. But in the sky above the clouds danced. They seemed to be in the shape of a lion…

"This way…"

"Wait!" Nala said as she hurried off into the night following the ethereal voice in the sky. She chased the fast moving clouds. Past the end of the gorge, outside the Pride Lands. Then into the desert of endless sand. Then the clouds dissipated.

"Father!" Nala called into the night.

"I am here to guide you…" the voice said. But Nala could not make out from which direction it was coming.

"Guide me where?" Nala asked. She picked a direction and ran blindly. With all the massive sand dunes she could not tell which way she was going. She eventually came across her own tracks in the sand.

"I'm lost…" Nala cried. She swallowed her tears. This had been a stupid thing to do. But in the morning, with the sun rising, she would be able to tell which direction she was going and be able to find her way back to Pride Rock. Nala laid down in the sand and went to sleep. But in her dreams the voice returned.

"Nala…" Stone appeared before her. "You've grown so much since I saw you last…"

"And you haven't aged a day," Nala said, looking at the image of her step father unable to believe that he was just before her, close enough for her to touch.

"I am here to guide you…"

"Okay," Nala said. "Where? There is nothing out here but sand…"

"You will find a worthy King and bring him back…"

"Who?" Nala asked, confused. "There are no lion prides this way…"

"You will know him when you see him," Stone assured her.

"Okay?"

"Now on to more important things…" Stone said hesitantly. "I really wish your mother had gone over these things with you, but given the current situation I don't blame her…"

"Where will I find this worthy King?" Nala asked.

"Seducing a lion isn't all that hard," Stone stated. "I really wish it weren't but that's just the way life is I guess. Seducing a lioness is much harder, unless she's in heat, in which she's usually itching for some relief…"

"Father this is not the kind of advice I need right now," Nala interrupted. "I need to know why you brought me here…"

"I'm getting there! I assure you," Stone protested. "Now. Seducing a lion with a lioness in heat is the easiest damn thing in the world. Even a poor, sheltered cub like you can manage it. I can smell that it's coming to you… So you'll have that to your advantage. But it can also be a disadvantage, so don't let yourself run away with your desires…"

"Father are you saying I need to seduce this worthy King I'm supposed to find?!" Nala asked.

"Of course!" Stone replied. "See, now you're thinking…"

"You want me to just… Screw him so he'll help me?"

"No!" Stone exclaimed. "Okay look. I'm not the best one for giving advice, I'll admit. I've had way too many hookups and I don't regret any of them. I'm a bad lion. BUT! There is a finer art here. The one of seduction… You are not going to just screw some lion randomly. You're going to make him want to screw you…"

"Okay now I'm even more confused," Nala yelled. "What's the point of all this?!"

"The point is simple," Stone explained. "You're going to tease this male until he's pliable. Meaning that you can convince him that if he wants more of you, then he needs to commit… And trust me that's a very dangerous thing…"

"Commit to me… you mean, marriage?" Nala asked.

"Exactly…" Stone stated. "Your mother was a pro at it. She seduced me while she was nearly full term with you and your brother…"

"I don't need to know that…"

"You're right. The main thing is that you now understand what you're going for: seduce the lion and to prove himself a worthy King, he will come help you and make you an honest lioness…"

"Okay…" Nala thought for a moment. "So it's not about who he is right now, it's about who he becomes?"

"Any rogue, regardless of their background can rise to the occasion. But they just need motivation to do so," Stone stated. "I would have never risked my life standing up to Scar and the hyena clan if I hadn't had you, your brother, and mother to think about. I loved you all so much. But none of that would have happened without me first realizing what was missing in my life. Which is where the seduction comes in. It's the first step on the road to love. But without it nothing will happen…"

"I am going to love this lion?" Nala asked her father. There was so much pain and hurt in her face. She wasn't sure she could love anyone she didn't know and trust…

"I hope so…" Stone told her. "Nothing is a guarantee, but I hope after everything you've been through that you can find someone to love. The way I loved your mother. I would have given anything for her. Tell her that I miss her Nala. I'm still with you, even though you can't see me…"

"Bitrus don't go!" Nala called out to the fading lion before her. "You still haven't shown me where I'm supposed to go!"

"Follow your stomach," Stone told her. "You need to get something to eat…"

Nala's eyes flung open. The soft sound of moment just over the next sand dune. The sun would be rising soon. Nala got up and investigated the sound: antelope, munching on some grass growing up in the sand. Nala attempted to surprise them but they saw her and bolted. They ran off in the direction of more grass. Nala followed the grass. As the sun rose she saw up ahead what looked like a forest of trees. She had never seen anything like it. She started sniffing around for traces of scent. No lions. But perhaps she could find something to eat…

"Nala is gone," Sarafina told Scar. "We need to go out and look for her…"

"She's a grown lioness, she can take care of herself," Scar groaned.

"If she's out hunting she better bring something back…" Shenzi sneered.

Sarafina growled at Shenzi.

"It is unlike Nala to just take off," Sarabi continued. "Something must be wrong…"

"I could go look for her!" Zazu offered.

"It's not worth the effort," Scar stated. "Nala will come back when she wants to…"

Scar dismissed the two lionesses. They headed outside to the rocky outcrop where they spent the majority of the day. Chipo was there with her cubs and the rest of the lionesses.

"Are you sure you didn't hear something last night?" Sarabi asked Sarafina. "Like maybe Nala whispered something to you and you replied half asleep?"

"No," Sarafina insisted. "She just vanished! And with all this ash flying around it's not like she could leave a trail…"

"True… Chipo you didn't see anything last night did you?"

"No, I was sleeping," Chipo said plainly. "Are you sure we're doing the right thing Sarabi? By not hunting?"

"Yes," Sarabi assured Chipo. "Give it a few days. Scar will have no choice but to say something. The hyenas were just fed, but they'll be hungry again soon enough."

Chipo chewed on an old bone. She was starving. Her milk would be out soon. Then her cubs would be starving…

"I'll get you something," Sarabi offered. "Sarafina let's check the Outlands. While we're there we'll pick up a small meal for Chipo…"

Sarafina reluctantly agreed and the two headed off to the Outlands to look for Nala. Scar came over to the lionesses and approached Chipo. Everyone growled at him.

"Chipo, I need to talk to you…" Scar said.

"Okay… Speak your peace then…" Chipo said sadly, still hurt by Scar's actions the previous day. Scar looked around at all the growling lionesses. None of them, not even Chipo's friends, were happy to see him.

"Not here," Scar told her. "Please Chipo…"

Chipo looked up into Scar's green eyes. They were in pain. The same pain she was feeling. She wished she could just dismiss him but she couldn't, she loved him too much. She needed to hear what he had to say…

"Okay," Chipo got up and walked away with Scar. All the lionesses still growling at him. He took her into the rear den. Underneath an old pile of bones he pulled out the chunk of meat he had taken from the rhino calf the other day. It was untouched.

"This is for you," Scar told her, handing her the meat.

"I don't understand…" Chipo cried in frustration. "Why did you do that yesterday?! Why did you choose the hyenas over the pride? Did the clan threaten you? Tell me what is wrong, Taka… This can't go on like this… There's not enough food…"

"You know that we need the clan's protection Chipo," Scar told her. "They are not holding me hostage… If they leave, I will lose you… I would do anything to make sure that never happens…"

"There's something you're not telling me Taka," Chipo said firmly. "I don't want there to be secrets between us. Please, you must tell me… What is really going on here?"

Scar shook his head. "I can't tell you," he said. "Besides, you've never told me your dark secret either. Who was your first…?"

"Taka please don't do this…" Chipo begged him. "It doesn't matter now, he can't hurt us anymore. He's been dead for years… The only lion I have ever really loved was you and you know that…"

Chipo's response puzzled Scar. How would she know that her former lover was dead with such certainty? News of deaths in neighboring prides did circulate through the Pride Lands, perhaps some overlooked name was mentioned and Scar hadn't given it a second thought?

"I know you love me Zira," Scar told her. "I love you too. More than you will ever know. Please, just eat the food… Don't tell anyone…"

Chipo complied and started devouring the meat. She was starving, she needed this not only for herself, but her cubs as well. But Scar still had not vindicated himself. Whatever he was hiding had to come to light sooner or later.

"A reckoning with the lionesses is coming Taka," Chipo warned Scar after she had finished eating. "If you won't tell me now, then so be it. But you will need to explain yourself eventually."

"The wet season should start any day now…" Scar stated.

"Yes, but that doesn't mean things will instantly be better," Chipo interrupted. "It takes time for grass to grow, for water to fill the river and Waterhole. We can't make it that long. I'm telling you this because I love you Scar, I don't want anything to happen to you. You're going to have to make a choice: the pride or the clan. You can't have both anymore. I know what that will mean for the security of the pride. But didn't you say once that non-circle lionesses won't always support their King? Even if it means losing their cubs? Because they know that it is ultimately for the best?"

"You wouldn't turn on me Chipo?" Scar asked desperately. "After all I've done for you…?"

"No, never," Chipo assured him. "But I cannot say the same for anyone else. You've gone too far Scar. For too long the lionesses have been second to the clan. I have to come out the other side of this for my cubs. I hope you will be at my side still when this is all over, but I cannot protect you from what is coming. I had my reckoning with Dejen. I was lucky that you saved me. I will not be able to save you this time Taka. I only hope that you can save yourself…"

Chipo went back to the resting place with the rest of the lionesses. A shiver ran down Scar's back. All he had built to be so strong seemed to be crumbling before him. He could not ask Chipo to die for him, he loved her too much. But would he let her be killed if she fought the hyenas? No. If it came down to it, he would be the one scarified, not her. Scar looked up at the turbulent skies above. The vengeance of the Great Kings was coming…

Nala could not believe her luck. Her stomach had indeed led her to a lion, but not just any lion: Simba. Her long lost childhood friend, her betrothed, and the true heir of Pride Rock. She had been ecstatic to see him. As if all her worries in the world had suddenly melted away. Then another emotion quickly replaced her enthusiasm: desire. She had never felt such a strong physical attraction to anyone else before. Malka had been cute, but still quite young when he died. She certainly had no attraction to Scar. But here was Simba; fully grown, just having come into his prime, a full, lush mane, and a strong masculine scent that Nala could hardly resist. She nearly gave in to her desires, but then remembered her step father's words: she needed him to prove his worthiness to her. She had not just gone out to come back pregnant, she had come looking for a King, and she wasn't going to leave without one. But her persistence had backfired and Simba had run off in frustration. Now Nala sat looking up at the night sky.

"I tried Father, I really did," Nala whispered into the night. "But Simba doesn't want to go back. I don't blame him, I don't want to either. But I can't just leave them all to suffer under Scar's rule. He needs to remember his place… His place in the pride, his place in the Circle of Life. But coming from me he thinks I'm just trying to control him. Maybe he needs to hear it from someone else. Someone he trusts and respects more than anyone else, not just me as his peer. Maybe if you were able to come talk to me, Mufasa could come talk to Simba? I can't think of anything else I can do to convince him. Sure, he wants me, I want him too. But he's not willing to fight for me. To fight for the pride, to become a King. Maybe he's not the worthy King you sent me out to find…"

Nala curled up under some tree roots for the night and fell asleep. Dawn would be soon, so she wouldn't have much time to rest. The turbulent skies churned over the jungle. Hopefully everything would turn out for the best…