CHAPTER THREE
Without hesitation, Rani leapt forward. Nuka scampered after the lioness, who was his best and only freind. Rani skidded to the entrance, which was guarded heavily by Taka, and Waniba. Rani let out a low growl to them both, and Taka took a swipe at her with a clawed paw. "Stay out!" he chokingly growled. "Shut it, Taka! Your no leader of mine." her words where a low, sickening growl. Taka suddenly leapt, using his back legs to propel himself forward. Rani was caught off guard by this attack. The lioness clawed furiously, feeling her paws strike only air. Nuka cowered near by, tail between his legs. Scourge was near, face screwed up in agony as he watched his sister and Taka fight. He knew better than to interveine, that could mean his death.
Rani threw Taka off of her, then leapt at him. She felt her paws hit his shoulders, and knocked him flat. Before Taka had time to react, Rani's claws raked Taka's left eye. Along it, was a long, white scar. It bled on her paw as she pressed it there, trying to stem the flow. Taka let out an ear splitting roar, and Rani leapt away. He made to go after her, but Scourge stepped in his path. "No...Scar!" He said scathingly. The rest of the pride looked up, standing around the two lions. Scourge was not much bigger than the newly named Scar, and he shrunk back. "Go and see Zira, Scar. She'd want you." Scourge growled. "And don't you lay a paw on my sister, not ever again!"
Scar growled in contempt, but turned. He padded back to the nursery, and Waniba let him through.
Scourge slunk over to Rani, who lay with her head on her paws, eyes dull. "Come on, Rani. Lets go hunting." The brown lioness looked up at her brother, before standing and trotting off in the direction of the valley.
"Theres nothing here, Scourge. Not even a dead rabbit."
Rani plopped down on her haunches, kneading her claws in the hard ground. "Well, I'll guess that Nala has already sent out her hunting party. They'd probably caught somthing already. Lets...lets go to the Pridelands." Scourge said, resigned. Rani smiled and bounded ahead of him, until her paws touched rough yellow grass. The siblings stalked forward, after a herd of wilderbeast. Suddenly, Rani spotted something that made her swoon. A large, yellow lion was stalking through the tall grass. He had a large, musculer body, with a dark brown, almost black mane. Rani could see his tail above the grass, when Scourge almost bowled her over. "Thanks for helping with the kill, Rani! It was just so easy to lug this back here all by myself! What are you looking at?" Scourge's eyes followed hers until he spotted the lion, who was staring back at them. "Rani! Rani, hurry up..hurry you great lump lets go!" Rani wasn't listening. The yellow male was walking toward them now, eyes soft and smiling. "You Outlanders aren't supposed to be here, you know." His tone was gentle, as if he knew they where going to hunt in his lands. "I'm Kinar. And you two are?" Rani leapt at at chance to talk to the handsome Kinar. "I'm Rani, and my brother is Scourge." she said as calmly as she could. "Its alright, you know, you can hunt here. Just so long as..." Kinar lowered his voice, "Simba or any other pride member doesn't see you. I won't tell if you won't." Rani smiled, and nodded. "Thank you. But..we better be going." She bent to pick up the kill, and Scourge smiled down at her. "I'll..uhh...scout ahead. And leave you two alone." He added in a delighted whisper. The dark lion bounded farther ahead. "I'll help you with that." Kinar said, and picked up the oposite side of the kill. He bent close to Rani, and whispered, "Meet me back here, after dark."