CHAPTER FIVE
" Rashid, what happened?" Zenka asked the healer anxiously. They had taken the unconscious lionesses back home and had to wait for Rashid to revive her.
" She had a fainting spell." Rashid told him.
" I know that," Zenka replied impatiently, " I meant why did she have the fainting spell?"
Rashid smiled suddenly and Zenka felt wary of Rashid's pleased expression.
" She's with child." Rashid blurted and Zenka. That was the last thing he expected to hear from the mandrill.
" She's…having a baby?" Zenka whispered.
" You sound surprised." Rashid paused, " Is the baby yours?"
" Of course it is…we-" Zenka stopped realising he was about to tell Rashid about his most intimate moments with Alani.
" Well, you'll be happy to hear Alani will be fine. The fainting spell is all part of the pregnancy. The heat of the day just made things a bit worse. That is all."
" Okay. Thanks Rashid." Zenka walked into the den to find Alani curled up but awake. Her green eyes looked thoughtful.
" We're gonna be parents again Zenka." She greeted him without lifting her head.
" I know." He hesitated, " You don't sound entirely happy."
" I don't know how I feel." Alani said, " It hasn't quite sunk in yet I guess."
" Don't you want this baby?"
" I don't know Zenka. It feels like just yesterday when we had Jahari. He's still quite young and a bit of a handful. Having another cub is too soon. I'd rather wait til he's a bit more grown up." Alani sighed, " Not much we can do about it now."
Zenka smiled brightly, " I hope this one will be a girl. I've always wanted a daughter. Someone who'll look just like you."
" I've got the name picked out. I've had names picked out since I was a cub." Alani said, " How does the name Ashaki sound to you?"
" Ashaki," Zenka tried it out, " It sounds good. What does it mean?"
" Beautiful." Alani answered simply.
* * *
Annalina's nose twitched as she crouched down in the lush green grass-so different from the dry, yellow grass back home.
I can smell flowers, she thought, we don't have flowers in the Outlands. Just scraggly plants.
She could see the familiar looking slab of rock that jutted out towards the sky; the famous Pride rock. She had stood upon it many times during her brief reign as Queen. It gave you the view of the entire kingdom.
I should still be up there, she told herself angrily, Simba should have died the same day his father did!
If I can't be Queen, she decided, then Linka will be King. She knew Simba's daughter Kiara is going to be Queen, but that plan wasn't going to go ahead. Not if Annalina had something to do with it.
Simba wouldn't know what hit him. Once Linka is King, we'll exile Simba and his pride.
She paused and rethought her plan. No, we won't exile Simba. We'll kill him.
" Rashid, what happened?" Zenka asked the healer anxiously. They had taken the unconscious lionesses back home and had to wait for Rashid to revive her.
" She had a fainting spell." Rashid told him.
" I know that," Zenka replied impatiently, " I meant why did she have the fainting spell?"
Rashid smiled suddenly and Zenka felt wary of Rashid's pleased expression.
" She's with child." Rashid blurted and Zenka. That was the last thing he expected to hear from the mandrill.
" She's…having a baby?" Zenka whispered.
" You sound surprised." Rashid paused, " Is the baby yours?"
" Of course it is…we-" Zenka stopped realising he was about to tell Rashid about his most intimate moments with Alani.
" Well, you'll be happy to hear Alani will be fine. The fainting spell is all part of the pregnancy. The heat of the day just made things a bit worse. That is all."
" Okay. Thanks Rashid." Zenka walked into the den to find Alani curled up but awake. Her green eyes looked thoughtful.
" We're gonna be parents again Zenka." She greeted him without lifting her head.
" I know." He hesitated, " You don't sound entirely happy."
" I don't know how I feel." Alani said, " It hasn't quite sunk in yet I guess."
" Don't you want this baby?"
" I don't know Zenka. It feels like just yesterday when we had Jahari. He's still quite young and a bit of a handful. Having another cub is too soon. I'd rather wait til he's a bit more grown up." Alani sighed, " Not much we can do about it now."
Zenka smiled brightly, " I hope this one will be a girl. I've always wanted a daughter. Someone who'll look just like you."
" I've got the name picked out. I've had names picked out since I was a cub." Alani said, " How does the name Ashaki sound to you?"
" Ashaki," Zenka tried it out, " It sounds good. What does it mean?"
" Beautiful." Alani answered simply.
* * *
Annalina's nose twitched as she crouched down in the lush green grass-so different from the dry, yellow grass back home.
I can smell flowers, she thought, we don't have flowers in the Outlands. Just scraggly plants.
She could see the familiar looking slab of rock that jutted out towards the sky; the famous Pride rock. She had stood upon it many times during her brief reign as Queen. It gave you the view of the entire kingdom.
I should still be up there, she told herself angrily, Simba should have died the same day his father did!
If I can't be Queen, she decided, then Linka will be King. She knew Simba's daughter Kiara is going to be Queen, but that plan wasn't going to go ahead. Not if Annalina had something to do with it.
Simba wouldn't know what hit him. Once Linka is King, we'll exile Simba and his pride.
She paused and rethought her plan. No, we won't exile Simba. We'll kill him.