CHAPTER TWO

Over the next few days things calmed down. Zira took to caring for her cub, and Rani watched her ever more closely. She noticed, with some indiginance, that Zira was leaving Nuka with the nurse, and spending time with a lion called Askito. The two grew closer and closer, until one day, both of them dissapeared.

Rani walked out of her small den, a cave on the side of a mound. She began to groom her fur, when a black mained lion came trotting up to her. "Scar." Rani greeted him, licking a paw uncertantly. He was known for his temper. "Where had Zira gone? And where is Askito?" He demanded. Did Rani dare tell what she knew? No, she decided, I wont. It would be...disloyal. She smirked inwardly. She owed no loyalty to Zira. "I saw Zira this morning. But no Askito. I'm sorry, Scar." she siad, with no conviction. "If your lying, you won't live to see tomorrow!" He threatened, and loped away.

Later in the day, Scourge came to Rani. The two shared a small wilderbeast calf. "Did Taka ask you about Zira and Askito?" Scourge asked through a mouthful. Rani grew stiff. "Yes." She answered simply, trying to convince her brother she knew nothing. "Don't lie Rani. You didn't tell him?" The brown lioness shook her head. Earlier that week she had confided in Scourge about what she had seen. Now that they both knew, it would be harder for Rani to keep it a secret from the rest of the pride.

"Come on, Rani! Taka will find out-.."

"Find out what?"

Rani and her brother spun around to see Zira standing there. A look of complete guilt was upon her face, and Rani guessed what she had just done. "Zira, please...tell me you didn't!" For the first time, the two lioness' were not at eachother's throats. Zira sunk to the ground beside her, head on her paws. "Yes, I did, Rani. I had to! He told me..he told me he loved me!" her last words came out a little louder than she could have wanted. Askito looked up from his meal. An apricot coloured lioness laid by him, brown eyes glowing with pure hatred. "So it is true!" She yowled, and leapt away. "What is true?" came Taka's voice from his den. The ragged lion stepped out. "What is true? Zira?" he repeated, tail lashing. Rani could tell in his eyes that he knew what was going on. A loud roar escaped Taka's throat, and Rani leapt out of the way just in time. He bowled Zira over, teeth snapping on her right ear. Zira pushed him away, but Taka's teeth tore. A slit was made, bleeding profusly. Zira roared, and the two faced off. Scourge grabbed Rani's scruff, and dragged her away.

Later on, news swept the pride. "Taka killed Askito!" came a voice next to Rani. It was Halftail. "He killed him and left him in the pridelands! Simba will be furious!" Rani looked slightly surprised. "Not as furious as Taka! Did he say what will happen to Zira?" Halftail sat, nodding. "They're fine! But..Zira is carrying Askito's cubs." Rani shrugged.

"Will Taka kill them?"

Halftail shook her head. "No. But more later. My cubs are hungry."

The lioness turned to leave, just when Rani relized how hungry she was. Rani stood, shook herself, and padded out of camp.

The Outlands had no food. Rani sat at a dry stream, thinking over a plan. Maybe...One gazelle wouldn't hurt..

Rani slunk quietly into the Pridelands. Her tail and ears were low, but somthing made her raise them. Three light coloured lionesses where running through the tall grass. One, she recognized, as Nala, Simba's queen. Another was Sarafina, then came a slightly darker lioness. One she knew as Sarabi. The three Pridelander's caught and killed a small buck, and dragged it back to Pride Rock

Rani ran forward to the herd. She spotted a lame doe. Rani slunk towards her, claws unsheathed. Inch by inch, she was about a foot away. Suddenly, she sprang, landing firmly on the gazelle's back. It bleated, but the rest of the herd fled toward's Pride Rock. Rani killed the doe and began to drag it back to camp. She laboured furiously, for, the prey here was much mor well fed than the few in the Outlands.

Rani neared the border to the Pridelands and Outlands, suddenly spotting a dark shape in the grass. Dropping the gazelle, she padded over. With a gasp, she recognized Askito. Vultures had begun to pick at the carcass, so you could see his bones and muscles. Rani grimaced, and picked up the gazelle again. She dragged it back to the Outlands.

Back home, Rani spotted Scourge. She dropped the gazelle in front of him. The lion looked slightly happy, but then grew serious. "You went to the Pridelands, didn't you Rani?" He asked. His sister nodded. "I couldn't help it. I though I was caught when I spotted a hunting party." Scourge looked surprised. "Who?" he asked, taking a bite of food. "Sarafina, and Sarabi. Oh, and Nala." Scourge leapt up. "Nala!" he growled. "You've got to be careful around her, Rani! With one call that entired PRIDE will be there. Within seconds!" Rani shrugged, unconcerned. "Well, I just won't go there anymore! Happy now? So lets eat." she growled, ant bent to take a bite of food. Growling dissaprovingly, Scourge joined.

Many months later, Zira was fat. Taka could be seen at her side at all times. He took a strike at anyone who came close, even Nuka. The cub was large now, but still small enough to be carried by his mother.

Zira didn't pay much attention to him anymore. He'd grown fond of the nurse, who's name was Myani. He was no longer allowed to suckle, and Myani tried to teach him to hunt small things. Nuka had mastered feild mice. Once, he came trotting towards Rani, two dangling from his jaws. "Look, see? See what I caught?" he asked, nudging them towards her. "Good job, Nuka!" Rani praised, batting the cub playfully. Any small piece of praise was enough for Nuka. Rani took a glance towards Zira and Taka, but the two where no longer there. For a fleeting moment, she saw thier tail's dissapering into the nursery.

All of a sudden, a ringing call echoed through the camp. "Zira! Zira his having her cubs!"