CHAPTER TWELVE
Annalina and Linka ran out of the Pride Lands. Linka was in front and Annalina looked over her shoulder. The two hyenas were hot on their heels and the one in front snapped his teeth at her.
" Don't worry son, we're almost out of Pride Lands." Annalina panted.
" I hope so," Linka muttered as he ran a bit faster. It wasn't long before they ere out of the Pride Lands. The hyenas weren't chasing them anymore.
" Why did King Simba send them to chase us?" Linka asked his mother.
" I know. But he doesn't want to accept the fact he has a son that is the true heir to the throne." Annalina answered.
" Mom…what if I told you I don't want to be King?" Linka asked. It was true; he had no desire to be King. After all, it was only today this news was thrust upon him and he had to accept the responsibility willingly?
Annalina smiled down at her son understandingly even though he couldn't see it, " I'm sorry for giving you the sudden news and it must have shocked you. I understand you haven't had time to think it over, but I'm afraid you have no choice my son. You're the next King…wether you like it or not."
* * *
The following morning, Alani woke early and silently walked out of the den. She looked over at the horizon, the sun was slowly rising.
A shadow loomed over her and she looked up, " You are not going." Zenka told her in a low, controlled voice.
" I'm going Zenka. You cannot stop me." Alani replied, " I have to go."
" No you don't." Zenka argued, " I have a feeling something terrible is going to happen if you confront your sister."
" I have to do it sooner or later. She has to stay away from my son and my pride."
" Then I'm coming with you." Zenka decided.
" No!" Alani snapped, " Stay here with Jahari. I'll be back soon." She started to walk away but Zenka leapt in front of her.
" Why don't we go search for your mother instead?" he suggested, grasping at straws. He knew it was useless. Once Alani's mind was made up, there was no hope in changing it.
" Get out of my way." Alani growled at him, getting impatient and Zenka looked at her, shocked. Alani barely lost her temper with him.
" Okay," he murmured stepping out of her way, " I won't get in your way." He watched her leave and then called after her, " Come back safely!"
" Where's Mom?" Jahari asked his father, about an hour later. Zenka sighed. His son never missed a thing. He was like his mother in that way.
" She's gone out." He answered vaguely.
" Where to? Why didn't she say goodbye?" Jahari looked hurt.
" There was something she had to do. She won't be long." Zenka promised and he was thinking: If she comes back at all…
Alani crossed the border and entered the Outlands. She looked around. It was a dry, ugly place and had trouble believing her sister and her nephew was actually living here. How could they survive? There was no wildlife, none that she could see.
And it was you who exiled Annalina here. She reminded herself but didn't feel guilty. After all, Annalina had tried to kill her when they were young. Annalina had believed she had been a threat; afraid their father would make Alani the Queen instead.
I've tried so hard to connive Annalina I had no desire to become Queen. She remembered.
She sniffed the air for a scent. She could faintly smell a lioness scent and concentrated. Which direction should she go to? She didn't want to get lost.
Alani made the decision and continued walking until she saw a cave in the distance. She paused and hid in the grass until a familiar lioness walked out with her son. She watched as the cub stumbled until he regained his balance. Alani felt a little sorry for the blind cub.
Alani wanted to get up and pounce on them, but for some reason something stopped her. She remained still and watched them leave and disappeared from sight. She frowned at herself. Why did she hesitate? She had the perfect opportunity to confront Annalina!
She sighed. Since she was here, she might as well explore their den. She wondered if Annalina had other cubs. It was possible. She got up and quietly walked towards their den.
To her disappointment, it was empty. She walked out and headed for home. It was a waste of a trip after all.
After awhile, a familiar scent wafted past her nose and she tensed, her ears flattened. She peered through the grass and saw a lioness walk towards her but it wasn't Annalina.
" Nadira." Alani growled. Zenka's sister smiled cunningly.
" Alone at last." Nadira said in a whisper, " I've been waiting to get you alone for a long time."
Alani felt a little bit afraid. She also knew this day would come too and there was no one around to help her, " What do you want?"
" To get rid of you. Once and for all."
Annalina and Linka ran out of the Pride Lands. Linka was in front and Annalina looked over her shoulder. The two hyenas were hot on their heels and the one in front snapped his teeth at her.
" Don't worry son, we're almost out of Pride Lands." Annalina panted.
" I hope so," Linka muttered as he ran a bit faster. It wasn't long before they ere out of the Pride Lands. The hyenas weren't chasing them anymore.
" Why did King Simba send them to chase us?" Linka asked his mother.
" I know. But he doesn't want to accept the fact he has a son that is the true heir to the throne." Annalina answered.
" Mom…what if I told you I don't want to be King?" Linka asked. It was true; he had no desire to be King. After all, it was only today this news was thrust upon him and he had to accept the responsibility willingly?
Annalina smiled down at her son understandingly even though he couldn't see it, " I'm sorry for giving you the sudden news and it must have shocked you. I understand you haven't had time to think it over, but I'm afraid you have no choice my son. You're the next King…wether you like it or not."
* * *
The following morning, Alani woke early and silently walked out of the den. She looked over at the horizon, the sun was slowly rising.
A shadow loomed over her and she looked up, " You are not going." Zenka told her in a low, controlled voice.
" I'm going Zenka. You cannot stop me." Alani replied, " I have to go."
" No you don't." Zenka argued, " I have a feeling something terrible is going to happen if you confront your sister."
" I have to do it sooner or later. She has to stay away from my son and my pride."
" Then I'm coming with you." Zenka decided.
" No!" Alani snapped, " Stay here with Jahari. I'll be back soon." She started to walk away but Zenka leapt in front of her.
" Why don't we go search for your mother instead?" he suggested, grasping at straws. He knew it was useless. Once Alani's mind was made up, there was no hope in changing it.
" Get out of my way." Alani growled at him, getting impatient and Zenka looked at her, shocked. Alani barely lost her temper with him.
" Okay," he murmured stepping out of her way, " I won't get in your way." He watched her leave and then called after her, " Come back safely!"
" Where's Mom?" Jahari asked his father, about an hour later. Zenka sighed. His son never missed a thing. He was like his mother in that way.
" She's gone out." He answered vaguely.
" Where to? Why didn't she say goodbye?" Jahari looked hurt.
" There was something she had to do. She won't be long." Zenka promised and he was thinking: If she comes back at all…
Alani crossed the border and entered the Outlands. She looked around. It was a dry, ugly place and had trouble believing her sister and her nephew was actually living here. How could they survive? There was no wildlife, none that she could see.
And it was you who exiled Annalina here. She reminded herself but didn't feel guilty. After all, Annalina had tried to kill her when they were young. Annalina had believed she had been a threat; afraid their father would make Alani the Queen instead.
I've tried so hard to connive Annalina I had no desire to become Queen. She remembered.
She sniffed the air for a scent. She could faintly smell a lioness scent and concentrated. Which direction should she go to? She didn't want to get lost.
Alani made the decision and continued walking until she saw a cave in the distance. She paused and hid in the grass until a familiar lioness walked out with her son. She watched as the cub stumbled until he regained his balance. Alani felt a little sorry for the blind cub.
Alani wanted to get up and pounce on them, but for some reason something stopped her. She remained still and watched them leave and disappeared from sight. She frowned at herself. Why did she hesitate? She had the perfect opportunity to confront Annalina!
She sighed. Since she was here, she might as well explore their den. She wondered if Annalina had other cubs. It was possible. She got up and quietly walked towards their den.
To her disappointment, it was empty. She walked out and headed for home. It was a waste of a trip after all.
After awhile, a familiar scent wafted past her nose and she tensed, her ears flattened. She peered through the grass and saw a lioness walk towards her but it wasn't Annalina.
" Nadira." Alani growled. Zenka's sister smiled cunningly.
" Alone at last." Nadira said in a whisper, " I've been waiting to get you alone for a long time."
Alani felt a little bit afraid. She also knew this day would come too and there was no one around to help her, " What do you want?"
" To get rid of you. Once and for all."