Chapter 14: The ceremony

Very early the next morning, Kanami awoke with a jump. The sun hadn't risen yet but she stretched and went for a drink anyway. She kept glancing back at Minu and Heira to make sure they were still sleeping. Good, she thought and she sprinted off. She travelled to the place where she had found Minu and Sukina. She looked around. A lot of scruffy looking lions were scattered about still sleeping. She saw one, a lioness with a chunk of ear missing sleeping next to two cubs, a brown one and a sandy coloured one. That must be Kovu, she thought, looking at the brown cub. He was much younger then her, but still she growled thinking how cruel these lions must be. Then she turned to leave but found herself standing in front of an even scruffier adolescent male. He was drooling in his sleep and his paws kept twitching. 'Grrr! Stupid termites!' he mumbled, his drool sliding down his face. Kanami back away and gave him a look of disgust.

'Eww,' she breathed and walked away, her ears pinned. She walked away further into the Outlands until she reached a familiar spot. She sniffed. This was where she had found Minu and Sukina. She looked at the spot where Sukina had been. Her heart melted. Her body would have rotted away by now...she felt sick and a few tears fell to the ground. But she forced herself to keep going. It was almost sunrise when Kanami reached the border of the Outlands. She smiled as she saw the huge pointy rock that Minu had told her about. She had reached the Pride Lands! She ran down but stopped at the sight of many animals crowded around. Might be an exile, she thought, or some kind of ceremony. She sat down, deciding maybe it was best if she didn't approach. She heard a rustling behind her and she turned and screamed as Minu ran towards her. 'MINU!!' she yelled. Minu laughed.

'Hey, sorry,' he said. He looked at Pride Rock.

'So, you going back?' she asked.

'Yeah,' he said, 'yeah after what you said last night, I had a little think and decided it was time to go home,' he said.

'Ok, but let's wait until after that ceremony,' Kanami said.

'What ceremony?' then Minu saw the animals gathered around. He could just make out his parents and a mandrill on the tip of Pride Rock. The mandrill had something in his arms. 'No,' Minu said, 'no...' he let some tears squeeze from his eyes. He and Kanami watched as the mandrill lifted his arms up to reveal a young female cub. The animals went wild and stomped the ground. Kanami saw the hurt and shock in Minu's eyes. She too let tears come.

'I'm sorry Minu,' she whispered.

'Let's just go,' he said turning. Kanami stared at the cub in sky and turned to follow Minu.

'You could still go back...' she said quietly.

'Kanami they have had another cub! They are obviously certain I don't exist anymore! I don't matter!' he ran of but Kanami ran after him. They stopped dead at the sight of two lions in front of them. Kanami recognized them as the drooling lion and the sandy lion cub she had seen sleeping.

'Who are you?' the female cub asked. The adolescent growled.

'Hey I know you!' he said pointing at Minu, 'your that cub I tried to kill when you came trespassing into our home!' Kanami gasped.

'Nuka!' the female cub growled. Minu growled back.

'I don't really care anymore. I'm as good as dead to my parents. I might as well be dead because they've had another cub. A girl. So you can tell this "Kovu" he's free to step in and take over the Pride Lands whenever he wants because I don't care anymore.' He said running off.

'Whoa, did you hear that Vitani? They've had a girl! Mother will be pleased!' Nuka said running of the Outlands. Vitani followed, saying nothing to Kanami who just stood there staring after them. Then she ran after Minu, hoping she could help him...

End of chapter 14

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