Kawaiicutie12, thank you for the review, and I'm glad you're enjoying the story! Hmm, I don't have a computer and I type all my stories on my iPad so that may be why I might have emojis in some of the titles
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Chapter 34
"will you stop pacing back and forth, you're give me a headache Zira." The mother rolled the dull words he spoke off her shoulders, her king continued to lay there trying to remained unbothered from his long nap. She continued to pace.
"It's been a week, and still nothing?"
"She has to settle in, get aquatinted with her new life and role." Vitani had left with Kijivu last week, and unknown to the young lioness who left. Her mother has been a nervous wreck.
"It shouldn't be taking this long Scar." She paused for one rare moment. "Somethings happened to her, I know it. What else would be the reason?!"
Still laying down and still very comfortable in his position Scar said " will it's not like she was that EAGER to go dear…" she sucked her sharp teeth, he was playing with her and NOT taking her concerns seriously.
"Our daughter is out there with some other pride and you're not in the least bit scared for her?"
"Why? She's more than capable-"
"That's not the point, you know I didn't want this for her. And you promised something like this would never happen!"
"Things change." Her continuous walking came to another pause when Scar swiftly rose. His movements as light as a feather.
"Ugh, if it worries you this much I guess I shall do something. Maybe I'll pay daddy little girl a visit. Would you like that, and would it get you off my back."
"Yes, it would Scar. I need to know that my cub is safe."
"Trust me she is, the mountain pride wouldn't gain anything if she died-"
"Don't say that!"
"Well it's the truth. She's more valuable to them alive. So you should have no concern."
"I'm her mother I will always have concerns."
"…sure." Zira half-heartedly watched as Scar left the den. " we'll leave tomorrow then."
"We?" The confusion not only showed in her voice but on her face too. "You want me to come with you?"
"I actually don't, but I know you'll be a pain in my tail unless you see other wise." The explanation could have been said nicer, but then again, this is Scar we are talking about. This is the most care and has shown in caring for what Zira has said in a long while. If fact his demeanor has lighten some. Since the alliance with Vitani had gone though and she did leave with Kijivu, Scar has been walking on cloud nine for the passed few days.
"What about Shitani? We can't leave her."
"Your lionesses will care for her just fine. Plus Nuka will be here."
"Nuka doesn't look after her Scar."
"Well he'll be walking in and out so it's not like anything bad will happen to her. Look if you're coming with me then come, otherwise don't patronize me. I'll be back for dinner. I'll tell the hyenas, they will be so thrilled to keep the lionesses in line."
Zira sighed as she watched him leave, but than again, she was use to it. She knew once he was done having his little fun, he would always return to her. And that's all the mattered.
Today was an extremely hot day for the lionesses. just laying in the cramped den alone was miserable. And going outside in the sun was unbearable.
Sarabi sat at the edge of the den entryway. She could feel the burning sensation under her paws as the sunlight tried its damndest to creep into the lionesses cave.
The pridelands felt like a burning fire right, as the peek of the dry season started to inch closer and closer. The seasonal changes were normal, but the way her land looked was not.
"Sarabi where are you going, it's a dearest out there?" Voiced one of the lioness.
" I'll be back soon. I want to check on something." They didn't question it, it was too hot to even consider stopping her themselves.
Sarabi didn't get too far from the den when she heard a voice calling behind her. "Sarabi wait!" She turned to see a bounding Nala running up way.
"What are you doing?"
"I want to come with you."
"You don't need to do that."
"I know, but I want to." She didn't give her other mother a chance to object as she began walking along side her. "It's really hot today isn't it."
"Yes it is."
"It wasn't like this yesterday was it?"
"No, the dry season is here." She informed "and all the pains that come with it."
"Pains…is that why you've been so upset lately?" Sarabi couldn't help but chuckle at this, she was her mothers daughter. And both Sara and Nala had to know someone business.
"Ha, so that's way to tag along? To get information out of me."
"No no, I was just asking. You've been alittle…I don't know…off lately. It's been worrying me."
"You don't need to worry about anything dear."
"Yes I do, if something is bothering you, it's bothering me! Besides your my other mother practically and daughter are suppose to help their mother when they get older."
"Hmp, I'm not that old Nala, where I need your help."
"And I'm not that young we're I'm unable to help you!" She retorted flatly. Causing sarabi to stop in her tracks. It wasn't like Nala to have an attitude, especially with her. "Look, I know you and my mother try to protect me, and I appreciate that, but you can't do that for forever. I'm old enough now where I can help out! and you guys can tell me things! I'm just as concerned about pride rock as anyone of you and no one gives me a chance to do anything!"
"I understand but Nala-"
"No you don't understand! Did you all ever think that i wanted to help out…could help out. If I was there Amir wouldn't have been hunting alone!"
"You have nothing to do with Amir Nala, that was her choice-"
"A choice that could have changed if I was there! Then she wouldn't have gotten hurt… and then she wouldn't have died!!" Her harshness and truthfulness stopped sarabi in her tracks. She looked in awe at the shaking lioness, frustratingly holding in her tears.
Then it clicked.
Nala had never experienced death before, and never to someone she knew so close. When Mufasa died the cubs were too young to understand anything, and the thought probably never played in her young mind because she simply didn't know what it meant.
Death was some surreal experience that only the adults could understand at the time, not her. But Amir is different this was a lioness, she grew up with, an aunty, a friend.
"…dear." Nala could feel Sarabi soft nuzzle and instantly she could feel the tension recede from her body. The poor thing had likely held in her emotions this whole time. She wasn't given a real chance in release them or cope with them.
"..i…i. Just…feel so useless…! I…I could have helped…"
"You're not useless Nala, don't ever think that."
"Then why don't you let me prove myself! You and my mother are always forcing me to hide away, it's not fair!"
"Nala look at me. You don't need to prove yourself to me, I already know you are more than capable."
"then why don't you?" The last of her tears fell from her cheek.
" because you're well-being it the most important thing to me. But…I guess you can say I've been lacking in noticing that too. I understand what you're saying, I really do. And your mother knows as well the same feeling. Don't forget we were once in your paws too, all be it, in different times and different circumstances. You are our prides future and we must protect that. If you had been on that hunt and Amir wasn't the one inured but you, then what? We would have lost you and your mother her only daughter. Amir death was a lost to all of us, but losing the nest generation would be just as worse if not more so…I'll tell you this. You are right, you are old enough to understand the things that go along in the pride. There is no reason to hide it from you."
"…I just don't want to feel left out."
"I understand. How long have you been holding in that?"
"..Hmp, a while I guess…it just got worse after Amir died…and I didn't have anyone to talk to. I just feel responsible somehow." They parted from their nuzzle.
"Hmp, with an attitude like that ,you'll be a great leader one day."
"But I don't like feeling this way, it's stressful…is this how being queen feels?"
"Being queen, you feel many emotions, and yes stress it one of them. Unfortunately now that seems to be all that I am feeling."
"…the things that are happening is not your fault."
"That's what your mother tells me all the time, but I cant seem to agree with her…"
"Well I think you should, you're always hard on yourself."
"That's my job."
"I guess…"
"Come on, lets get going. I want to see something."
"Okay." The blue-eyed lioness nodded her head in understanding. " so… what are we about to do?"
"check the waterhole."
"Waterhole, why?"
"Because someone was to, right?" When the two lionesses got to the edge of the waterhole , it was as Sarabi suspected. The ground around the water was dry and hard. It looked like it was turning grey to the naked eye. The water-levels were so low now, it was uncomfortable for her to look it.
"…whoa…" was all Nala could voice "…the waterhole didn't look like this a few weeks ago?!"
"I knew this would happen." The queen voiced mainly to herself. But the concerned young ears heard her.
"Huh?"
"When I young, the pridelands face a serious drought after the dry season. It didn't rain for months. Everything was growing scarce the food the water…"
"What did you do?"
"Me? I could do nothing, I was a cub at the time. But I remember the king , Mufasa's father, Ahadi and what he did."
"What did he do?"
"He knew the drought wouldn't last forever, but he also knew we couldn't consume and waste the water like we liked. He had to ban the use for the waterhole for drinking only."
"What so No swimming, no bathing?"
"Correct." Nala lifted an eyebrow in confused.
"But what about the other animals that use the water? Did they have to stop to?"
"Yes, without the rain the water from the waterhole couldn't feed the other small rivers. They were already drying out. If the river stopped getting water from the waterhole because we use it all, then that area would completely dry out. And eventually dry out."
"…is that what's happening now?"
"I'm afraid so. And we aren't the only creatures that need water.the grass, the tress and plants, they need the water too, if not more than us…the levels are already so low and the dry season has just begun."
They looked down at their mirroring reflection, sad eyes to match the even sadder sight.
"I don't like this Sarabi-"
"Hey! What's the hold up?!" Soon two of Scar raggedy looking minions came into view. These two weren't his normal dog companions, but in the lionesses eyes they might as well all be. "You got your water on head back!"
"You don't have to be so rude!" Sneered Nala, wanting to pick a fight. These creature came in and have destroyed her home and can careless about it!
"Watch it furball!" Voiced one on dog with yellow eyes.
"Nala." Upon hearing Sarabi's voice, she did manage to calm down…. but barely. Now that Sarabi had Nala under wraps she could figure out my the hyenas were so testy. " is there a probably here?"
"What do you mean?"
"You all never seemed to care if you lounge around at the waterhole before?"
"It's nothing rea-"
"That's because we're in charge now!" Voiced the smaller of the two, too eagerly. The lionesses looked to one another.
"What do you mean in charge?" She begged the question knowing that one of the fools would accidentally tell her. "Haven't you always been in charge?"
"Not really, but now that's Scar gone we are!" Done? What was he talking about?
"Scar? Done….what do you mean?"
"He and the queen are going to visit the mountain pride tomorrow and until he returns WE are the official rulers!"
"Nala lets go."
"But i-"
"I said lets go!" Uncertain of were this eagerness arose from. Nala followed Sarabi back to the den. They did even get to see the other rivers that connected to the waterhole? Why would she want to leave so soon?!
By the time Nala had reached the den, Sarabi had called the lionesses out and rallied then around her. She panted walking forward, she vaguely caught the end of her last sentence.
"It happens tomorrow."