Part 19 – The Argument

Kofi wondered what he should do now. He had been thinking all night, hadn't had any sleep at all. He couldn't decide, if Zarafa was right, and his Skylands needed a change – or if it was all better, if nothing changed at all. Who was Blanchés mother, she had asked about that… why did everyone think so much about things? Why couldn't things just be unchanged, the same, not different? Kofi decided to find Zarafa, and went towards the entrance to the cave.

"Looking for me?" Zarafa suddenly stood in front of him, and he nodded with a little gasp. He hadn't expected her to be there.

"Indeed I was – and I will leave the Shadowlands and its residents alone, if you follow me. But you will stay at my lands for good, I don't want another spot on my pride." Kofi explained with a noble voice.

"I expected that…" they both sounded very royal to each other. "May I say goodbye to my brother?" she asked.

"I'll go towards the valley – you come as soon as possible." Kofi began to walk, with Zarafa staring after him.

"What about your daughter, Blanché?" she called.

"I don't know her anymore!" he just yelled back, didn't turn around. Zarafa nodded with a sigh, she wished for everyone to be happy. But at least she made sure her brother wasn't bothered by white kings anymore, and perhaps she would have cubs one day herself?

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Scar hadn't found anyone on his search, not a light pelted lioness or a hyena. With hanging ears, he returned to the great hall and laid down on the pedestal.

"There you are!" the voice of Duchess reached him just as his head lay down on the paws, and he jumped up, smiled as he saw her just outside the portal. "It's been days!" she said, and they almost ran into each other, rubbing and cuddling each other when they met. Then she moved a step back and looked at him. "You really mean it, don't you?"

"Mean what?" Scar asked, puzzled.

"That you love me." Duchess said with a smile.

"How could it be different – we are not alike, but we are meant to be. That's how I feel in my heart, after all…" Scar rubbed his head against her neck, but she gently pushed him away.

"There's something we need to talk about, Scar… and you know what, don't you?" she said. He was almost sure, but waited for her to tell him. "Blanché…"

"I know… I have found a way to make everything be perfect! You know, in a pride of lions, there's the king, and his queen, and then the other lionesses… he'll have the heir to the throne with his queen, but he can be with the others too…" he tried to explain, sounding very sure of himself, but noticed that it all came out in a rather nervous way. Perhaps because of the wondering look on Duchess' face?

"I am not sure if I…" she began.

"You will be my queen! And Blanché will be my second queen… you will be the love, and she will be the… lust." He said before she could finish. She didn't smile at him anymore. He noticed a tear in the corner of her eye. "You don't like it?" she shook her head.

"What did you expect? It's all or nothing Scar… I don't want to be jealous forever, because you have another queen to bear your cubs! I don't want to be afraid forever, if you love her more, because she gave you an heir – something I can never do. You say we're meant to be, but I don't believe you, when you suggest things like that!" she tried to keep the tears back, but it wouldn't help.

"I will always love you the most… I don't love Blanché…" he said with a low voice.

"But you want to be with her anyway!" Duchess took a few steps away, like she was disgusted.

"I just want to make her happy too… it's not her fault, that she's in love with someone who can't return the feelings." Scar didn't realize, how different his was from his namesake – wanting everyone to be happy. "Please stay, it's you I…"

"Really? It's me you want but… no, I can't understand a word of what you're saying. I love you Scar!" she sobbed.

"Love will find a way, remember?" he felt nothing worked anymore. Perhaps he should just stop the conversation… no, the argument.

"Right… then find the way for it! Just not that way…" she could take it no more, and went away.

"Duchess, come back!" he was tired with this, why wouldn't she listen? His idea had been perfect… he walked around himself a few times, then stared down at her again – she was moving downwards on the rocks, away from him. "Duchess!" Scar called, and she stopped.

"Find out what you really want, please… I can't take it much longer!" she managed to yell at him, and then she disappeared behind a corner.

Scar sat down with a sigh, not daring to go back to the pedestal. The entire great hall must have heard this… he heard something move out of his sight, and looked that way. Zarafa turned up from the shadow.

"Scar… what was that about?" she asked in a scared whisper. Was it right for her to leave anyway?

"It's just… oh, I don't know… females!" he said, and she nodded.

"Yap, we can be so weird! So weird, that we're leaving the Pridelands for good." She said, and he looked at her.

"I am returning…" he said. With a sad smile she rubbed her head against his, a last sign of the love she felt for her brother. Zarafa suddenly felt like she had become several years older, in these weeks she had been living here.

"The days when we had rushes of meat are gone… I am not returning, this is the last time you see me – don't ask where, just promise me that you won't hurt those hearts anymore than you already did." She said, and he looked at her with a weird look on his face, then nodded. He didn't know what to say, and she understood.