CHAPTER ELEVEN
It was well after dinnertime when Alani reappeared. Zenka's family had just finished feasting on two zebras the lionesses had caught.
" We finished our dinner," Zenka told Alani looking worried, " I tried to tell them we should leave some for you but..."
" That's okay. I had an antelope for my dinner." Alani assured him, " I just wanted to be by myself for a little while."
Zenka nodded, " I understand. I'm sorry what I said before. I didn't mean to pry into your past. It wasn't intentional."
Alani smiled at him and his heart started thumping so loud he was afraid she could hear it. When Alani smiled, her whole face lights up and Alani doesn't smile often.
" I forgive you. To tell you the truth, I felt a little guilty for blowing up at you like that. You didn't deserve it Zenka. You've been so nice to me and I've been…well, a bitch."
" You certainly have." Zenka chuckled and she stuck her tongue out at him. Zenka smiled to himself. When Alani wasn't in one of her moods, she could be really playful and fun loving. It was if she was still a cub instead of a young adult.
" Do you want to take a walk before the sun sets?" Zenka suggested and she agreed.
" The Heartlands is really beautiful." Alani remarked as they began walking, " I love the waterfall and lake nearby. It's my favourite place to be by myself and think."
" Is that where you went today?" Zenka asked curiously and she nodded.
" Yes. I think it was the rushing sound of the waterfall that helped calm me down." Alani recalled.
" Have you ever been to the Outlands?" Zenka suddenly asked.
" The Outlands? I've heard of it but never ventured there. Somebody told me it was a cold, barren place and food is scarce as well as water." Alani hated lying to Zenka but she wasn't about to tell him the Outland was her birthplace. What would he think of her if he knew?
Zenka wasn't the type to judge.
" Yes, it a cold and barren place. I made the mistake of wandering there when I was a cub and I got lost."
" You did?" Alani was glad the attention was diverted away from herself for a change.
" Yup. I stayed overnight in the Outlands. I found a small cave and slept in it until my parents finally found me by tracking my scent."
" You must have been terrified." Alani remarked, " being so young and lost."
" A little bit," Zenka confessed, " Actually, I was a lot terrified. I was afraid some lion found me and decided to have me as a tasty meal.' He paused, " It the time when King Mufasa and his son died in that awful stampede."
" Yes, it was a tragic time." Alani agreed not looking at him. After all, her own father killed the King and Prince but she wasn't about to tell him that. She had disowned her father after she discovered her father had planned to kill her too.
It's best for everyone if they go on believing the King and Simba died in a stampede.
* * *
Oh God, he's going to kill me. Annalina paced the floor of the den later that night.
She had returned to Pride Rock from hunting to discover her mother had disappeared and there was also no sign of Scar.
A storm was brewing outside. Thunder rumbled, lightning streaked the sky. Annalina wasn't usually afraid of storms, but tonight it made her skittish.
How am I supposed to tell him? Annalina wondered. She walked over to the entrance and stared up at the dark sky.
Maybe you don't have to. She thought to herself and laughed bitterly. Of course she had to tell him; it would be noticeable soon enough.
I could run away, she decided and shook her head. Her father would send out a searching party and they would find her eventually. She would just have to confront him and 'fess up.
It was well after dinnertime when Alani reappeared. Zenka's family had just finished feasting on two zebras the lionesses had caught.
" We finished our dinner," Zenka told Alani looking worried, " I tried to tell them we should leave some for you but..."
" That's okay. I had an antelope for my dinner." Alani assured him, " I just wanted to be by myself for a little while."
Zenka nodded, " I understand. I'm sorry what I said before. I didn't mean to pry into your past. It wasn't intentional."
Alani smiled at him and his heart started thumping so loud he was afraid she could hear it. When Alani smiled, her whole face lights up and Alani doesn't smile often.
" I forgive you. To tell you the truth, I felt a little guilty for blowing up at you like that. You didn't deserve it Zenka. You've been so nice to me and I've been…well, a bitch."
" You certainly have." Zenka chuckled and she stuck her tongue out at him. Zenka smiled to himself. When Alani wasn't in one of her moods, she could be really playful and fun loving. It was if she was still a cub instead of a young adult.
" Do you want to take a walk before the sun sets?" Zenka suggested and she agreed.
" The Heartlands is really beautiful." Alani remarked as they began walking, " I love the waterfall and lake nearby. It's my favourite place to be by myself and think."
" Is that where you went today?" Zenka asked curiously and she nodded.
" Yes. I think it was the rushing sound of the waterfall that helped calm me down." Alani recalled.
" Have you ever been to the Outlands?" Zenka suddenly asked.
" The Outlands? I've heard of it but never ventured there. Somebody told me it was a cold, barren place and food is scarce as well as water." Alani hated lying to Zenka but she wasn't about to tell him the Outland was her birthplace. What would he think of her if he knew?
Zenka wasn't the type to judge.
" Yes, it a cold and barren place. I made the mistake of wandering there when I was a cub and I got lost."
" You did?" Alani was glad the attention was diverted away from herself for a change.
" Yup. I stayed overnight in the Outlands. I found a small cave and slept in it until my parents finally found me by tracking my scent."
" You must have been terrified." Alani remarked, " being so young and lost."
" A little bit," Zenka confessed, " Actually, I was a lot terrified. I was afraid some lion found me and decided to have me as a tasty meal.' He paused, " It the time when King Mufasa and his son died in that awful stampede."
" Yes, it was a tragic time." Alani agreed not looking at him. After all, her own father killed the King and Prince but she wasn't about to tell him that. She had disowned her father after she discovered her father had planned to kill her too.
It's best for everyone if they go on believing the King and Simba died in a stampede.
* * *
Oh God, he's going to kill me. Annalina paced the floor of the den later that night.
She had returned to Pride Rock from hunting to discover her mother had disappeared and there was also no sign of Scar.
A storm was brewing outside. Thunder rumbled, lightning streaked the sky. Annalina wasn't usually afraid of storms, but tonight it made her skittish.
How am I supposed to tell him? Annalina wondered. She walked over to the entrance and stared up at the dark sky.
Maybe you don't have to. She thought to herself and laughed bitterly. Of course she had to tell him; it would be noticeable soon enough.
I could run away, she decided and shook her head. Her father would send out a searching party and they would find her eventually. She would just have to confront him and 'fess up.