Chapter 12 – Chasing Freedom
Nala had often sat staring out into the abyss of the desert, but she had always believed it held something less harsh than the Pridelands under Scar's rule. As she made her way out to the edge of the dead grasses, she took in the rocky ground and unforgiving rays of the sun. She knew this would be only the beginning of her quest for freedom.
Nala darted toward the horizon, determined to make as much progress as she could before the sun was too high. The land leveled out in a sharp edge that she threw herself over in a frenzy of enthusiasm.
She misjudged how steep the incline was and plummeted down in a heap. Her claws snagged on the rock's jutting edge and kept her from falling into a patch of thorns not three feet beneath the ledge. Clawing her way back up, Nala took a deep breath and recalculated the jump.
The dusty rock threw her off balance as she landed and her paws were swept from under her anyway. Landing hard in the dirt, she coughed and shook her head.
This will be harder than I imagined…
Nala had always been strong. All the remaining pride lionesses considered themselves adaptable as well (a few had died after the drought first hit), so it came as a bit of a surprise when Nala opened her eyes and found herself almost plastered to the ground from heat. Her sides heaved, drinking in the dusty air.
She raised her head, squinting around for some sort of cover from the sun – a bush, tree, anything. Her eyes lit on the growth of thorns she had cleared hours earlier. Struggling to her feet, Nala staggered toward the dangerously thick brush, clambering over and burrowing down through the points. The ground, blocked by dense thorns from the sun's noon rays, was cooler and allowed Nala more of a nap until dusk.
She awoke with a start, sneezing dust out of her nose and frightening away a mouse who had been nosing around her whiskers. He scuttled away, twigs snapping under his tiny feet. Nala wriggled out of the thorny brush and sniffed the air. Hot, dusty winds swept the land, stinging her senses.
No cover, no prey, no… anything as far as she could see. Taking a deep breath, she started padding toward the horizon.
It was a monotonous journey, the wind whipping at her feet as she staggered onto a layer of sand. Nala wished vehemently that she had been more alert earlier and caught that mouse; if nothing else, its blood would moisten her tongue.
She stumbled in a hole under the sand, and an idea sparked.
Let's see if anything lives here…
Nala withdrew her paw and sniffed around the opening.
Desert rabbit!
She backed off and settled down to wait, downwind a few feet away. Soon, a curious twitching nose appeared, assessing the damage to its home. It hopped out, and it took all of Nala's self-control not to spring.
She watched the rabbit scamper off toward a small, withering clump of weeds and seized her chance. Prowling in a wide circle, she was able to get in position unnoticed. The rabbit was intent on digging up the plant, its tiny shoulders quivering as it yanked against the unyielding earth.
There was no sound as Nala pounced; the sand cushioned all noise but the wind. The rabbit lay still, its prize clamped firmly in its jaws. Nala sheathed her claws and set to the meal.
She sat licking her paws for awhile afterward, savoring the feeling of satisfaction that had crept back into her stomach.
I don't know how long this journey will last…
Time to pace myself.
She set off again, trotting through the night.
The sun rose with searing heat early the next morning, daring her to continue. Nala glanced at the wide expanse of sand still ahead, decided against it, and dug a hole to sleep in.
She woke as twilight set in again, a light coat of dust having settled on her back. Nala pulled herself out of the sand and loped along through the darkness until a low growl slowed her pace.
Her ears swiveled and she spun around, claws instinctively erupting from her paws, but discovered that she couldn't get traction on the sandy ground.
More growling. Red eyes glared at her in the blackness, and Nala gasped inwardly.
Rouges!
Remembering that her claws were useless, she reluctantly withdrew them and bared her teeth instead.
A russet-colored lion with a dark brown mane snarled.
"Why do you trespass on our lands, foreigner?"
Nala thought quickly: there were about seven or eight in this pride, definitely too many for her to take on alone.
Acting the part of submissive loner, she lowered her head.
"I apologize. I merely wish to pass over the desert."
He surveyed her with a calculating gaze.
"What are you looking for?"
Nala raised her head, looking him defiantly in the eye.
"I seek a better life for my pride."
He snorted derisively and indicated the swirling sand with a mocking paw.
"And you expect to find it here?"
"No."
His head cocked, awaiting an explanation. Nala sighed.
"My family is being terribly oppressed. My best friend was the heir to the throne and our present ruler spoke of his and his father's demise some years ago."
She glanced around at the clan, which now encircled her.
"I don't believe he is dead. He has vanished, it's true, but I know he'll return."
The leader's lip curled roguishly. "What makes you so sure he has not been taken in, or perhaps killed… by a group of rouges?"
Several of the others snarled appreciatively as she stared at him, hardly daring to believe his words.
"You don't mean…"
His tail flicked casually as if it were the most unimportant subject in the world. "None know our ways but us ourselves," he said cryptically.
Nala growled angrily, nearly launching herself at him before remembering her position.
"What have you done with him?"
He shrugged, gesturing toward the shifting sands.
"It's a big world out there, princess. He could be anywhere."
The fur rose on Nala's back at the endearment. "Yes, he could. But you know where, don't you?"
"I didn't say that. Lionesses always jump to conclusions." He grinned. "Just like an antelope."
The pride laughed raucously, stopped only by Nala's contemptuous gaze.
"Well, if he isn't here," she moved to pass the lion, but he blocked her exit from the circle.
"Hang on." He couldn't help smiling a little at her resolve. "I'm Ramenai."
She simply nodded, annoyed. "Nala."
His breath came in a light hiss. "Nala… beautiful."
The word rocketed her back to another time and place, though not so long ago. She sank to the ground, eyes wild with uncontrollable panic. "No… no… stay away from me… you CAN'T!" she cried.
Ramenai stepped closer in concern. "I haven't done anything."
She didn't seem to hear, and he licked her gently. "What's wrong?"
Nala flinched away, opening her eyes inches from his dark-brown paws.
"Wait…" she looked up into his face. "You're not… you're not him."
She calmed almost instantly, getting to her feet and bowing her head in shame.
"I'm so sorry," she whispered.
Ramenai still regarded her with alarm. "What happened to you?"
Nala glanced around at the other pride members, as if to say she wouldn't speak in front of them. He took the hint and sent them away with a flick of his tail.
The group proceeded to recline a few yards away, grooming each other and digging nests in the sand.
Ramenai's gaze returned to hers. "Now, what's wrong?"
Nala couldn't look at him as she spoke. "I was… raped… by our leader. Several months ago."
She heard his sharp intake of breath at the statement and looked up to find him glaring in disbelief. "So that's what you're looking for," he mused.
She started. "What?"
He regarded her with a compassionate expression. "You're chasing freedom."
