Chapter 9
Days passed. Kitoko moved along slowly. She knew Raimi had told her to go and that he would catch up eventually. But she couldn't help but wait. A lump formed in her throat every time she thought of him.
As the days passed Kitoko grew. She was turning into a beautiful young lioness. Other than her coat color, there was nothing that resembled Scar.
Kitoko sat by a small stream, looking down at her reflection. She could see her mother's eyes looking back at her. Suddenly a scar appeared over one of them. Kitoko gasped and fell over backwards.
She returned and looked at her reflection again. The scar was gone. She sighed and then licked a red-orange paw nervously. Kitoko yawned and then got to her feet.
She was close to the front of the jungle, that much she knew. Carefully she crossed the stream and walked on, glancing over her shoulder every once in a while, in hopes of seeing Raimi running toward her, calling for her to wait.
After the fourth time Kitoko quit. Her heart sank as the thought entered her mind once again, they got him. Kitoko shook her head and then the rest of her body. She looked up through the trees and saw the colors beginning to blend. Delicate red blended into pink and purple. Orange turned to red and then back.
Kitoko sat, looking at the den that had once been her home. The sun was setting fast and she needed somewhere to sleep. Sighing once more, Kitoko walked over to the tree. She sniffed around it and then went in and curled up inside. Hers, Raimi's and Sarabi's scents still lingered there.
The young lioness sighed once more and then closed her eyes and fell asleep.
Kitoko stayed near the den for a week, thinking maybe Raimi would return. But even after a week, he didn't. Kitoko was losing hope and fast. Finally she shook her head. "Get over it," she told herself firmly. Raimi would have wanted her to look to the future, "Don't dwell on the past," he'd said. Kitoko nodded. She wasn't going to.
Standing up and then stretching Kitoko felt renewed. She walked off, climbing through branches and leaves and different things. Finally she saw light. Smiling Kitoko pounced and emerged in bright sunlight outside of the jungle.
Her chest swelled with pride. She had made it.
Kitoko looked around. Not far ahead, she could see a herd of gazelle grazing in the tall grass.
Her stomach gave a loud rumble and Kitoko was reminded that she had not eaten in almost two days.
Almost immediately Kitoko went into hunt mode. She moved with easy stealth and grace.
Carefully she crawled toward the gazelle, making sure not to make much noise. She put her paws down quietly as she moved along. Suddenly, her paw hit a stick. It cracked.
All of the gazelle's head snapped up instantly. Kitoko shrunk down so far she was almost on her belly. A baby gazelle let out a bellow and moved closer to its' mother.
The gazelle looked around madly, trying to find out what had made the noise. Kitoko knew better than to move. The gazelle were paying close attention. Any slight movement and they'd stampede away.
Kitoko knew this and therefore was careful. The gazelle, deciding it would be better to move on, walked carefully toward a hill that was a ways away. Kitoko glanced back at the jungle paradise. The only home she had ever known. "Don't dwell on the past," Raimi's words came crashing back to her.
With a firm nod, Kitoko followed the gazelle. She trailed them slowly, hoping they were not aware of her.
As they reached the bottom of the hill, they began to graze again. Kitoko took her chance and moved in closer. This time she was extra careful about where she stepped. She couldn't afford any mishaps. But the gazelle were still on high alert. One spotted her and urged the herd on. The herd ran off and disappeared over the hill one by one.
Kitoko then ran after them, her mouth watering and her stomach grumbling. She bounded up the hill, following the scent and tracks left by the gazelle.
When she reached the top, she stopped to catch her breath, knowing that the gazelle were already way ahead of her. Then she looked out, trying to find them and stopped. For a moment, Kitoko forgot all about the gazelle. She was to caught up in the beauty before her. In the distance was a large rock formation. There was different herds spread out at different areas. The land was lush with green grass.
Everywhere Kitoko looked there was plenty. It was a lion's paradise. And then it hit her; Kitoko had reached the place Sarabi had talked of. The place that had held so many bad memories for her mother. Kitoko had reached the Pride lands...
END OF PART 2: KITOKO'S JOURNEY!
Days passed. Kitoko moved along slowly. She knew Raimi had told her to go and that he would catch up eventually. But she couldn't help but wait. A lump formed in her throat every time she thought of him.
As the days passed Kitoko grew. She was turning into a beautiful young lioness. Other than her coat color, there was nothing that resembled Scar.
Kitoko sat by a small stream, looking down at her reflection. She could see her mother's eyes looking back at her. Suddenly a scar appeared over one of them. Kitoko gasped and fell over backwards.
She returned and looked at her reflection again. The scar was gone. She sighed and then licked a red-orange paw nervously. Kitoko yawned and then got to her feet.
She was close to the front of the jungle, that much she knew. Carefully she crossed the stream and walked on, glancing over her shoulder every once in a while, in hopes of seeing Raimi running toward her, calling for her to wait.
After the fourth time Kitoko quit. Her heart sank as the thought entered her mind once again, they got him. Kitoko shook her head and then the rest of her body. She looked up through the trees and saw the colors beginning to blend. Delicate red blended into pink and purple. Orange turned to red and then back.
Kitoko sat, looking at the den that had once been her home. The sun was setting fast and she needed somewhere to sleep. Sighing once more, Kitoko walked over to the tree. She sniffed around it and then went in and curled up inside. Hers, Raimi's and Sarabi's scents still lingered there.
The young lioness sighed once more and then closed her eyes and fell asleep.
Kitoko stayed near the den for a week, thinking maybe Raimi would return. But even after a week, he didn't. Kitoko was losing hope and fast. Finally she shook her head. "Get over it," she told herself firmly. Raimi would have wanted her to look to the future, "Don't dwell on the past," he'd said. Kitoko nodded. She wasn't going to.
Standing up and then stretching Kitoko felt renewed. She walked off, climbing through branches and leaves and different things. Finally she saw light. Smiling Kitoko pounced and emerged in bright sunlight outside of the jungle.
Her chest swelled with pride. She had made it.
Kitoko looked around. Not far ahead, she could see a herd of gazelle grazing in the tall grass.
Her stomach gave a loud rumble and Kitoko was reminded that she had not eaten in almost two days.
Almost immediately Kitoko went into hunt mode. She moved with easy stealth and grace.
Carefully she crawled toward the gazelle, making sure not to make much noise. She put her paws down quietly as she moved along. Suddenly, her paw hit a stick. It cracked.
All of the gazelle's head snapped up instantly. Kitoko shrunk down so far she was almost on her belly. A baby gazelle let out a bellow and moved closer to its' mother.
The gazelle looked around madly, trying to find out what had made the noise. Kitoko knew better than to move. The gazelle were paying close attention. Any slight movement and they'd stampede away.
Kitoko knew this and therefore was careful. The gazelle, deciding it would be better to move on, walked carefully toward a hill that was a ways away. Kitoko glanced back at the jungle paradise. The only home she had ever known. "Don't dwell on the past," Raimi's words came crashing back to her.
With a firm nod, Kitoko followed the gazelle. She trailed them slowly, hoping they were not aware of her.
As they reached the bottom of the hill, they began to graze again. Kitoko took her chance and moved in closer. This time she was extra careful about where she stepped. She couldn't afford any mishaps. But the gazelle were still on high alert. One spotted her and urged the herd on. The herd ran off and disappeared over the hill one by one.
Kitoko then ran after them, her mouth watering and her stomach grumbling. She bounded up the hill, following the scent and tracks left by the gazelle.
When she reached the top, she stopped to catch her breath, knowing that the gazelle were already way ahead of her. Then she looked out, trying to find them and stopped. For a moment, Kitoko forgot all about the gazelle. She was to caught up in the beauty before her. In the distance was a large rock formation. There was different herds spread out at different areas. The land was lush with green grass.
Everywhere Kitoko looked there was plenty. It was a lion's paradise. And then it hit her; Kitoko had reached the place Sarabi had talked of. The place that had held so many bad memories for her mother. Kitoko had reached the Pride lands...
END OF PART 2: KITOKO'S JOURNEY!