CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Zenka and Tanisha fawned over Nadira and Alani when they returned. Blood was pouring out of Nadira's wounds and because of this, Nadira was limping badly.
" Oh my goodness…what on earth happened?" Tanisha demanded her daughter as Rashid hopped out of the cave to inspect the paws.
Alani and Nadira exchanged a look before Nadira answered: " a porcupine attacked me." Nadira told them, " We must have been near a nest because this huge porcupine came running out of the bushes and it's spikes dug themselves into my paws while I tried to fend if off."
" That must have hurt." Tanisha clucked her tongue, " those porcupines are a real nuisance."
" They are very scarce around here though." Zenka added, " I think they're becoming extinct."
Nadira exchanged another look with Alani. They seemed to have bought her story. Their little secret was safe for now.
A thought crossed Nadira's mind. What if Alani used their secret as blackmail? Nadira has to keep on her toes when she was around Alani…she couldn't be mean to Alani anymore.
Life was cruel.
* * *
" Alani, what really happened?" Zenka asked his wife once they were alone.
" What do you mean?" Alani asked carefully.
" I don't really believe Nadira's story about the porcupine." Zenka told her, " You two had a fight didn't you?"
Alani looked at Zenka and sighed. She could never lie to him. She told him the whole story.
Zenka's eyes narrowed and his tail flicked angrily, " She wanted to…get rid of you?"
" She's always resented the fact I took her job as leader of the lionesses away from her and that your family accepted me into the pride so willingly."
" She's jealous." Zenka said, " and that's no excuse for trying to kill you. I'm going to have a chat to my dear sister."
Alani nodded. Maybe…just maybe Nadira will be forced out of this pride and Alani won't have to deal with the bitter lioness ever again.
* * *
" I was only trying to scare her," Nadira scoffed, " I wasn't really going to kill her!" she was furious at Alani for blabbing. She knew the other lioness couldn't keep a secret for long.
" Scare her? Why?"
" To warn her nobody messes with me!" Nadira snapped at him, " Why did you make her leader of the lionesses? She can't walk or hunt properly for pete's sake! You need a strong, capable lioness to lead the others."
" Someone like you perhaps?" Zenka asked snidely, " You're not strong…you're a coward! You can't admit the fact you're jealous of Alani…always have been."
" I'm no coward." Nadira snarled, " I might have slipped up a bit when I fell over the cliff, but that was an accident. It could happen to anybody. In fact, it once happened to your dear Alani." Nadira paused, " She's not who she seems to be. She's got you fooled Zenka."
" I don't believe a word you're saying." Zenka said, " You're just trying to turn me against her. She has done nothing wrong-you have. And you must be punished for it."
" In case you've forgotten big brother, that it's not your place for punishments. Father calls the shots. Take your complaint to him."
" Fine! I will!" Zenka stormed off to find their father.
" King Simba is your father?" Kayla's blue eyes went wide with shock and disbelief, " I don't believe it!"
" I'm the next King." Linka felt guilty for spilling the secret to his sister, but he couldn't help it. It was too…scandalous to keep it to himself.
Kayla snorted, " You? The next King? Why would anybody want a blind lion to rule the Pride Lands?"
Linka felt hurt by this cruel remark but it was true. The remark ad crossed his own mind, " I'll make a good King wether I'm blind or not!" Linka retorted.
" You'll never be King. King Simba will never accept you."
Linka's eyes were downcast, " You're right. He didn't accept me when Mom told him I was his son. And I'd rathe die than to become King!"
" You don't want to be King?" Kayla asked in surprise.
" No. I'd never be able to do it." Linka said, " and I've decided on something."
" What?"
" I'm going to run away…so Mom can't force me to become the King."
" Run away?" Kayla repeated doubtfully, " Where would you go?"
" I have a place and I know where to find it." Linka stood up suddenly, " I better go now before Mom comes back."
" But Linka-" Kayla protested but Linka whirled to face her.
" Why are you objecting to this? You've always wanted Mom to yourself and with me gone, she'll lavish all the attention on you."
" That's true." Kayla grinned, " Go on, get out of here before Mom comes back." Linka started running and Kayla called after him.
" Don't come back because I won't miss you!"
Zenka and Tanisha fawned over Nadira and Alani when they returned. Blood was pouring out of Nadira's wounds and because of this, Nadira was limping badly.
" Oh my goodness…what on earth happened?" Tanisha demanded her daughter as Rashid hopped out of the cave to inspect the paws.
Alani and Nadira exchanged a look before Nadira answered: " a porcupine attacked me." Nadira told them, " We must have been near a nest because this huge porcupine came running out of the bushes and it's spikes dug themselves into my paws while I tried to fend if off."
" That must have hurt." Tanisha clucked her tongue, " those porcupines are a real nuisance."
" They are very scarce around here though." Zenka added, " I think they're becoming extinct."
Nadira exchanged another look with Alani. They seemed to have bought her story. Their little secret was safe for now.
A thought crossed Nadira's mind. What if Alani used their secret as blackmail? Nadira has to keep on her toes when she was around Alani…she couldn't be mean to Alani anymore.
Life was cruel.
* * *
" Alani, what really happened?" Zenka asked his wife once they were alone.
" What do you mean?" Alani asked carefully.
" I don't really believe Nadira's story about the porcupine." Zenka told her, " You two had a fight didn't you?"
Alani looked at Zenka and sighed. She could never lie to him. She told him the whole story.
Zenka's eyes narrowed and his tail flicked angrily, " She wanted to…get rid of you?"
" She's always resented the fact I took her job as leader of the lionesses away from her and that your family accepted me into the pride so willingly."
" She's jealous." Zenka said, " and that's no excuse for trying to kill you. I'm going to have a chat to my dear sister."
Alani nodded. Maybe…just maybe Nadira will be forced out of this pride and Alani won't have to deal with the bitter lioness ever again.
* * *
" I was only trying to scare her," Nadira scoffed, " I wasn't really going to kill her!" she was furious at Alani for blabbing. She knew the other lioness couldn't keep a secret for long.
" Scare her? Why?"
" To warn her nobody messes with me!" Nadira snapped at him, " Why did you make her leader of the lionesses? She can't walk or hunt properly for pete's sake! You need a strong, capable lioness to lead the others."
" Someone like you perhaps?" Zenka asked snidely, " You're not strong…you're a coward! You can't admit the fact you're jealous of Alani…always have been."
" I'm no coward." Nadira snarled, " I might have slipped up a bit when I fell over the cliff, but that was an accident. It could happen to anybody. In fact, it once happened to your dear Alani." Nadira paused, " She's not who she seems to be. She's got you fooled Zenka."
" I don't believe a word you're saying." Zenka said, " You're just trying to turn me against her. She has done nothing wrong-you have. And you must be punished for it."
" In case you've forgotten big brother, that it's not your place for punishments. Father calls the shots. Take your complaint to him."
" Fine! I will!" Zenka stormed off to find their father.
" King Simba is your father?" Kayla's blue eyes went wide with shock and disbelief, " I don't believe it!"
" I'm the next King." Linka felt guilty for spilling the secret to his sister, but he couldn't help it. It was too…scandalous to keep it to himself.
Kayla snorted, " You? The next King? Why would anybody want a blind lion to rule the Pride Lands?"
Linka felt hurt by this cruel remark but it was true. The remark ad crossed his own mind, " I'll make a good King wether I'm blind or not!" Linka retorted.
" You'll never be King. King Simba will never accept you."
Linka's eyes were downcast, " You're right. He didn't accept me when Mom told him I was his son. And I'd rathe die than to become King!"
" You don't want to be King?" Kayla asked in surprise.
" No. I'd never be able to do it." Linka said, " and I've decided on something."
" What?"
" I'm going to run away…so Mom can't force me to become the King."
" Run away?" Kayla repeated doubtfully, " Where would you go?"
" I have a place and I know where to find it." Linka stood up suddenly, " I better go now before Mom comes back."
" But Linka-" Kayla protested but Linka whirled to face her.
" Why are you objecting to this? You've always wanted Mom to yourself and with me gone, she'll lavish all the attention on you."
" That's true." Kayla grinned, " Go on, get out of here before Mom comes back." Linka started running and Kayla called after him.
" Don't come back because I won't miss you!"