Laana was growing, too. Now she was almost as tall as her mother. More importantly, she knew how to walk or run just as good as any other lioness -- or maybe even better. "Since I don't have four legs," she said, "I have less of a chance 'a steppin' into holes."
King Ukinzani was also growing. He was growing old. His mane had streaks of gray running through it, he had wrinkles around his eyes, and he was so stiff and achy in his bones that most of the time he stayed inside Pride Rock. But he was still kind and wise, and still most everybody loved him.
There were much fewer cubs in the pride. More than half of the male cubs had left to become kings of their own prides, for they had no chance here. Hara stayed, though. A bit like the one called Scar, long before him, he stayed, hoping and waiting for a chance to become king.
The lionesses were becoming very few. Two thirds of them had died of old age and hunting accidents, and all but one were too old to have cubs.
That one who wasn't too old was Umeme, Laana's mother. In fact, she was due to have a cub anytime now.
And she did. She called her Little Ema, after her mother. She was very cute, and she looked just like Laana did when she was a cub, except for one thing. You can probably guess what that one thing is.
"Ema should be the next queen," the lionesses were saying, "We can't have a crippled curse be the next queen."
"But can't you see, Rabi loves Laana," said Umeme, "They are meant for each other."
"No one is meant for her. Ema should be the next queen." And they told this to Ukinzani.
Ukinzani didn't know what to do. The lionesses obviously despised Laana, and that wasn't a very good thing for a future queen.
"And look at it this way," said Hara's mother, "Ema was born in the pride, and Laana wasn't."
After a night of tossing and turning over it, the king finally decided.
"Ema will be your next queen," he told the lionesses, and he got some monkey to hold her up to the sunlight.
But the day was cloudy.
"Laana?" said Rabi, walking through the tall grass. Where was she? She didn't usually run off like this. "Laana?"
He found her lying in the grass, wiping her wet eyes with the back of her paw.
"Laana, don't cry."
"Can't you tell I'm trying not to?" she sniffed.
"I wanted you to be queen."
"That's not what I'm crying about."
"Then what is it?"
"I'm leaving. I'm never coming back."
"What? Why?"
"No one wants me here, and I don't want to stay. So goodbye." she stood up, and walked towards the direction of the outerlands. She looked back. "Aren't you going to say goodbye?"
"Goodbye? No, I'm not saying goodbye. You're going to come back. I know you will. You can't stand leaving the pride for a couple of days. You'll just come right back!"
Laana ran away from the pridelands.
Hmph! She'll be back, Rabi thought. But in the back of his mind, he knew she never would. And the thought of having a queen who was years younger than him was not appealing. But it'll be a looong time before I'm king, and my mane'll be grown by then.
Rain was pouring when Rabi got back to pride rock, and everyone was inside. Except for Duara, who was waiting for Rabi to get back. When she saw him, she ran down to greet him. But she was old, and her footing was not as sure as it used to be, especially in rain. She slipped and fell from Pride Rock.
"Mother!" Rabi yelled, as he saw Duara hit the ground. He ran to her Rabi's mother slowly stood up. "I'm all right, Rabi," she grunted, and shook her head to clear it. She shook her head again. She closed her eyes, then opened them again. "Rabi," she said, "I can't see you."
"W-what d'you mean, Mom?"
"I can't see anything."
"Well, let's go inside." Rabi walked up the rock. Duara didn't move.
"I can't climb up there. I can't see it. I think I've gone blind."
"I'll help you up there. You've been up and down it so many times, you can do it with your eyes closed." He rubbed himself against her. "Come over here... Now, step up..."
He led her up the side of the rock and into the cave.
Then they both went to sleep. What a horrible day! Rabi could only hope that in the morning, Laana would come back, and Duara would be able to see.
But neither of those things hapened. His mother's eyes did not improve, and she remained inside Pride Rock for her own safety, with Ukinzani, who was growing older and weaker. Over the weeks, it was mostly Rabi who settled the disputes of the pride. If he could not decide on something, then he would ask his father. He began to need his father's help less and less, and this made Rabi more and more like a King every day. But Rabi was tired of doing this sort of thing every day, and he hated it.
The only thing that made Rabi happy was watching little Ema play. She reminded him of when he was little, and she was so much like her older sister. The thought of Laana made his heart ache, and the thought of having this little tiny cub being his queen was kind of disgusting.