Time moved on and I passed my first birthday. My cubhood was passing behind me as I entered the awkward stages between cub and adult.
Food was becoming scarcer, since the herds were fleeing from being over-hunted. As if life hadn't been hard enough, a big tragedy had occurred.
It happened one night. I had woken up while it was still dark, but there was enough light from the moon and stars for my night vision to work. It didn't take me long to notice that there was a lioness missing. Sarafina.
Where is she? I thought. If Scar finds out that she isn't here, she could be in huge trouble!
Just as I was about to get up and look for her, Sarafina entered the cave as quickly and quietly as possible.
"Sarafina!" I hissed, trying not to wake up the other lionesses.
Sarafina jumped and looked over at me. "Oh, Shani," she sighed, looking relieved. "It's just you."
"What were you doing outside of the cave?" I asked approaching her quietly so as not to wake mother.
Fina looked at me, hesitantly as though wondering if she could trust me. Evidently, she thought she could, because she said, "Alright I will tell you. But you mustn't tell anyone. Not even your mother."
"I promise."
"I've been meeting up with my mate," she whispered into my ear. "We're trying to make out a plan to get rid of Scar and the hyenas."
"Every night?" I gasped. "But, Fina! That's so dangerous!"
"Listen," she hissed. "If I want to see Ni, I will go to see Ni! I am not going to bow down to that tyrant and let him walk over me!"
I sighed. I hoped that it wouldn't end up with Fina being killed. We were having a hard time already.
Sarafina walked to her daughter and lay down beside her. I went to lay down next to mother. Before I went to sleep, Sarafina whispered to me, "Remember your promise!"
A week later, I hadn't broken my promise. I really wished she wouldn't go, but she was an adult. She could take care of herself.
At times, I had been tempted to tell mother, but I never broke a promise.
One night, I felt a tapping on my shoulder. I woke up to see a pair of teal lion eyes staring at me. As my eyes got used to the dark, I saw it was a male lion standing over me. I couldn't make him out completely, since it was a cloudy night, but I could see that he was a rather big and his fur was rather pale. His eyes showed no hate or malice like my uncle's, only warmth and friendliness. I knew at once that this was a lion I could trust.
Nonetheless, I was rather startled to see this stranger here.
"Who are you?" I asked. "And what are you doing here?"
"I was looking for Sarafina," he answered. "But she isn't here, either. I figured you might know."
"Are you Ni?"
He nodded.
"Sarafina didn't go to you?" I asked.
"No," he replied. "It's several hours after we were supposed to meet. I assumed that she had been to tired, but she isn't here either. I'm worried about her."
I processed this for a moment. "Should I wake up my mother?" I suggested.
"No," he said. "A disturbance would be unwise. I'm going to go look for her." He made towards the entrance.
"Wait!" I hissed and jumped up and went to the entrance. "I'm coming too."
"No," he whispered firmly. "It's too-"
"Dad?"
Ni and I jumped. Turning around, we saw Nala wide awake.
"Nala," gasped Ni. Nala ran at him and nuzzled her head against his mane.
While this was a touching moment, I was anxious to go find Sarafina before Scar or the hyenas did.
"What are you doing here?" Nala asked. As quickly as possible, Ni explained everything.
"I need to go find your mother, now," he said.
"Great!" I exclaimed. "Let's go!"
Before anyone could stop me, I sprinted out of the cave. There were no hyenas about.
"Wait! Shani!"
Ni and Nala ran after me. I stopped, simply because I didn't know the way.
They caught up with me.
"Listen," Ni hissed. "You two go back to the cave and I will go look for her."
"I'm coming with," I said with determination in my voice.
"But-"
"So am I!" Announced Nala.
"No, Nala-"
"I'm not a cub anymore, dad!"
"We wasting time!" I cried, impatiently.
"All right," Ni grudgingly huffed. "But you two best listen to me!"
With that, he took off into a forest of dead trees with Nala and I close behind.
It was clear Ni had an idea as to where Fina might be. This was the first time I had stepped out of Priderock and, despite the current situation, I was enjoying myself a little.
The Pridelands were not that impressive. The ground was dry and dead, skeletons littered the place, and, much to my disappointment, there were no herds anywhere.
We past the dead forest and came to a clearing. There were still no hyenas about and, for some reason, that made me extremely nervous.
We were approaching a stack of rocks, when we heard snarls and growls mixed with the cackle of bloodthirsty hyenas.
"You two!" Hissed Ni. "Stay behind these rocks and out of sight!"
Nala and I did what we were told.
Ni ran off in the direction of the noise. Nala and I waited.
Soon, the noise ceased. After a few moments, we saw a group of about twenty hyenas walking past us, many of them with nasty scratches on their backs and necks. To our horror, in the middle of them, Ni and Sarafina were being marched to Priderock. Both had nasty bite marks all over their bodies.
Nala made to pounce at the hyenas. I quickly stopped her.
"Don't!" I hissed. "There are too many for you to fight!"
To my relief, Nala listened. We watched as the hyenas passed us by and out of sight.
Nala and I left the rocks and quickly made our way to Priderock.
Scar had rallied the hyenas by the time Nala and I arrived at Priderock. They formed a barrier between the pride and Sarafina and Ni. Scar stood on the ledge, leering over the couple.
Nala and I snuck into the pride, unnoticed, through the back. We immediately pushed ourselves to the front where mother was, looking worried.
"Where have you been?" She hissed at us. But, before I could reply, Scar spoke.
"So," he sneered. "You two thought you could break the laws and get away with it?"
Ni and Sarafina glared at him, but said nothing.
"Just because my brother was a lousy ruler," he went on. "Doesn't mean I am an as stupid king-"
"You're no king!" Snapped Ni. "You are nowhere near the king Mufasa was!"
The hyenas snarled and moved closer to the two lions.
"Oh, now you've done it," smirked Scar.
I felt my heart in my mouth. Something terrible was going to happen, I just knew it.
"How about I give a demonstration," Scar continued. "To those who are foolish enough to believe that they could go against my authority."
Suddenly, the hyenas attacked Ni and Sarafina.
"No!" Screamed Nala.
I couldn't remember much about this day. Everything was way too hazy. I had stood, transfixed and unable to move or comprehend anything that was happening.
The only thing I could remember was Sarafina and Ni disappearing underneath a sea of hyenas while Scar stood over them, a triumphant grin on his face before being pushed into the cave.
As soon as I was inside, my vision cleared, and my senses came back to me. I rushed to the corner of the cave, trying to get ahold of my emotions.
I looked around for mother and saw her in a corner, her paws wrapped comfortingly around a sobbing Nala.
I lay down in my corner. I felt extremely disturbed. Sarafina had been like family to me, and I couldn't imagine life without her. And Ni had seamed like a nice lion, so kind and caring. Now they were both gone.
What also upset me was that grin on my uncle's face. He didn't seem a bit bothered to see the lions he had known since he was a cub being killed that way. On the contrary, he had seemed triumphant, satisfied. It was scary.
I placed my head in my paws as a tear trickled down my cheek.
RIP Ni and Sarafina. You will be missed.
So we got to meet Ni for a short while before...
Well, I hope you enjoyed that. I've been trying to write longer chapters, I hope that this is satisfactory. Next chapter should be up soon if I don't get too lazy.
I might be busy next week, but I'll try.
Sneak peek: We are finally going to meet a new lioness and a pride, as well as a love story between two psychos! I think you all know who I am talking about;)
That's enough spoilers. Hopefully the next chapter will be nice and long.
Also, apologies to Mheetu fans, but I was considering adding him. But I didn't see how to fit him in without much bother.
Until next time!