Chapter 8: Clouds of darkness
The weeks passed and Sarabi found ways to avoid Scar. She would stay out of the cave during the day, and at night would go back. When she was sure most of the pride was asleep she would climb out the small escape in the back of the cave. There she would climb to the top of pride rock and sleep on top. Even though it was cold, it was better than having to face Scar.
Once or twice he caught her before she could leave and Sarabi's night would be sleepless, instead filled with pain and screams. Nala grew steadily, reaching Sarabi's shoulder quickly. Sarabi taught Nala how to hunt, even though the herds were leaving and what was left was becoming scarcer and scarcer. Sarabi knew that soon there would be nothing left. She also knew it was because of the hyenas.
Everyday the hyena pack would go and hunt on their own, or when the lionesses had brought an animal down, they would come in and eat it, forcing the lionesses to go get another animal. Sarabi hated this, but there was nothing she could do.
As she walked through the plains one day, she felt exhausted and felt as though she had a cramp. She walked a little more and then stopped, her whole body freezing and she realized what it was that was causing these new feelings. She turned and looked back toward pride rock. Her breathing became raspy as panic settled in. "I'm pregnant," she gasped. Zira had been right. She was going to have Scar's cub, and because he was the king, if it was to his choosing, the cub would be the heir!
That night as Sarabi lay down Nala came over to her. She walked jerkily, her eyes a blank and staring ahead. Sarabi gasped as she realized what had happened. She got up immediately and went to Nala's side. Nala collapsed and tears poured out of her eyes as she came to.
"Who?" was all Sarabi would say. "Who?" Nala cried against her, burying her face in Sarabi's shoulder. Sarabi waited patiently, knowing the time would come when the young lioness would be able to tell her. The flow of tears stopped and Nala looked up at Sarabi.
Sarabi sighed and rubbed her head under Nala's chin. She then tried again, "Who was it?" Nala turned and then looked back at Sarabi. Her voice wouldn't work, so she took a paw instead and pretended to pull it over Sarabi's eye. Sarabi sighed. "He did it to me to," she said, knowing that it was ok to tell the lioness now. Nala took a sharp intake of breath and then rubbed Sarabi under the chin.
Sarabi sighed. Scar couldn't do it to Nala. It was wrong. Sarabi looked down at Nala. "Nala," she said gently. Nala looked up at her, her now dark blue eyes staring at the older lioness. Sarabi sighed deeply. "I want you to go. Get as far away from here as possible. Under Scar's reign nothing will prosper anymore. The herds are declining in numbers, soon there will be no more food for any of us." Nala gasped.
"I can't go. Where would I go?" she asked, finally finding her voice. Sarabi shook her head. "That I do not know, but Nala, when you're mother first said something to me about it, I said no. Now I wish I had went. I wish with all my heart I'd listened to her. Then she would still be alive and none of this would've happened to us. Nala you must go, get away from here, away from him. He'll keep doing it to you Nala. I know how he is." Nala nodded and looked away.
A few tears fell down Sarabi's cheeks as she gasped. "Promise me you'll go?" she asked. Nala looked back at her. "Won't you go with me?" She asked. Sarabi shook her head. "Someone has to stay and try to protect the others. I've been here to long to leave now." Nala nodded. She looked up. "I'll go, but I'm only going to find help. I'm not leaving you here with those monsters." Sarabi nodded. "Fair enough. You see that little escape way over there?" she gestured toward the hole at the back. Nala nodded.
"Tonight, after everyone is asleep, go through there and go. Run like you've never run before Nala. I've taught you to hunt, so I'm confident you'll be able to find food on your way." Nala nodded once more. She then turned and left to get a drink. Sarabi sighed; once Nala was gone she would have no one there for her. Then she thought of the cub growing inside her.
Perhaps when it was born she would have someone. Sarabi sighed and put her head on her paws. Just the thought of the cub being Scar's made her feel disloyal. But she knew it wasn't her fault. Sarabi closed her eyes and fell asleep with the image of a young scar like cub in her mind...
The weeks passed and Sarabi found ways to avoid Scar. She would stay out of the cave during the day, and at night would go back. When she was sure most of the pride was asleep she would climb out the small escape in the back of the cave. There she would climb to the top of pride rock and sleep on top. Even though it was cold, it was better than having to face Scar.
Once or twice he caught her before she could leave and Sarabi's night would be sleepless, instead filled with pain and screams. Nala grew steadily, reaching Sarabi's shoulder quickly. Sarabi taught Nala how to hunt, even though the herds were leaving and what was left was becoming scarcer and scarcer. Sarabi knew that soon there would be nothing left. She also knew it was because of the hyenas.
Everyday the hyena pack would go and hunt on their own, or when the lionesses had brought an animal down, they would come in and eat it, forcing the lionesses to go get another animal. Sarabi hated this, but there was nothing she could do.
As she walked through the plains one day, she felt exhausted and felt as though she had a cramp. She walked a little more and then stopped, her whole body freezing and she realized what it was that was causing these new feelings. She turned and looked back toward pride rock. Her breathing became raspy as panic settled in. "I'm pregnant," she gasped. Zira had been right. She was going to have Scar's cub, and because he was the king, if it was to his choosing, the cub would be the heir!
That night as Sarabi lay down Nala came over to her. She walked jerkily, her eyes a blank and staring ahead. Sarabi gasped as she realized what had happened. She got up immediately and went to Nala's side. Nala collapsed and tears poured out of her eyes as she came to.
"Who?" was all Sarabi would say. "Who?" Nala cried against her, burying her face in Sarabi's shoulder. Sarabi waited patiently, knowing the time would come when the young lioness would be able to tell her. The flow of tears stopped and Nala looked up at Sarabi.
Sarabi sighed and rubbed her head under Nala's chin. She then tried again, "Who was it?" Nala turned and then looked back at Sarabi. Her voice wouldn't work, so she took a paw instead and pretended to pull it over Sarabi's eye. Sarabi sighed. "He did it to me to," she said, knowing that it was ok to tell the lioness now. Nala took a sharp intake of breath and then rubbed Sarabi under the chin.
Sarabi sighed. Scar couldn't do it to Nala. It was wrong. Sarabi looked down at Nala. "Nala," she said gently. Nala looked up at her, her now dark blue eyes staring at the older lioness. Sarabi sighed deeply. "I want you to go. Get as far away from here as possible. Under Scar's reign nothing will prosper anymore. The herds are declining in numbers, soon there will be no more food for any of us." Nala gasped.
"I can't go. Where would I go?" she asked, finally finding her voice. Sarabi shook her head. "That I do not know, but Nala, when you're mother first said something to me about it, I said no. Now I wish I had went. I wish with all my heart I'd listened to her. Then she would still be alive and none of this would've happened to us. Nala you must go, get away from here, away from him. He'll keep doing it to you Nala. I know how he is." Nala nodded and looked away.
A few tears fell down Sarabi's cheeks as she gasped. "Promise me you'll go?" she asked. Nala looked back at her. "Won't you go with me?" She asked. Sarabi shook her head. "Someone has to stay and try to protect the others. I've been here to long to leave now." Nala nodded. She looked up. "I'll go, but I'm only going to find help. I'm not leaving you here with those monsters." Sarabi nodded. "Fair enough. You see that little escape way over there?" she gestured toward the hole at the back. Nala nodded.
"Tonight, after everyone is asleep, go through there and go. Run like you've never run before Nala. I've taught you to hunt, so I'm confident you'll be able to find food on your way." Nala nodded once more. She then turned and left to get a drink. Sarabi sighed; once Nala was gone she would have no one there for her. Then she thought of the cub growing inside her.
Perhaps when it was born she would have someone. Sarabi sighed and put her head on her paws. Just the thought of the cub being Scar's made her feel disloyal. But she knew it wasn't her fault. Sarabi closed her eyes and fell asleep with the image of a young scar like cub in her mind...