Sorry it has taken me a while to update. So many things going on. First trouble with my computer and my files. Then just issues going on in life. Thanks to any who put up with my lateness when it comes to updating. I am truly sorry. Just sometimes things in life get my attention more.


Chapter 22


How many months has it been?

One...

Two...

Three...

Or more...

Zawadi had long since lost track of how long Nuka had been gone for. It was however to her, almost too long. There were often times she worried that something may have happened to him. This was something she dare not say aloud. Particularly not within hearing rage of Zira.

It was not that the Outlander Queen worried for her son. In fact she carely seemed to bat an eye when it came down to it.

Some of the lionesses tried to claim that she was worried. That it was just that Zira would never openly admit or show it. Claiming that Zira would see such things as weakness. Zawadi wanted to believe them.

It was not hard to see that her mother would tell her such things, the same went for her aunts. Just to reassure the young lioness that her friend who was out there was safe and that his said mother would care about him.

It was however hard to believe that the Outlander Queen could care for anything, much less anyone, aside from her revenge.

No. The reason she could not speak or even approach Zira on the subject of Nuka being gone for so long, was that Zira wanted to hear nothing about it. Claiming there were more important things to put ones mind towards.

For Zawadi that would be her own parting from the pride. Something that her mother was exceedingly worried about. Kumai liked to claim that her daughter was too young to go out on her own.

Zira on the other hand thought otherwise. Saying that age did not matter when it came down to survival. If they could survive young, then they could stand a chance at surviving as adults. The tougher they got young, the better.

She needed able bodied warriors.

Not weaklings or cowards.

The only reason the adults would not be going out on there own, she told them was for the sole reason they had tested their strength and proved it when they had killed the Queen. Of course that was avoided in being said around any of the younger ones. Zira needed them to believe that the Pridelanders were the enemy. To believe the lies she had told them.

No need for her plans to go astray for one little slip up.

Going as far as to threaten her little pride with death if they ever tried. While some thought death was better than starving in the brutal unwavering heat of the Outlands. Many of them pressed on for the sake of the young ones. Kumai pressed forward for her revenge against the Pridelanders for the death of her sister.

Hawa had tried to do what she thought was right. Tried to save the Pridelander royal cubs. And they had killed her for it. Her sister had been innocent in it all. It been Kumai who spilt blood that night. Not Hawa. And she wished desperately every night that it had been her who died that night and Hawa had survived but that would not be the case. Not then. Not now. Not ever.

So Kumai lived through the lies her...Queen...told the young ones of the pride. Just so one day she could have her revenge against the one who murdered her sister.

Zawadi figured another reason she would not let the adults leave was that they never return. Less it was her mother for her need of the revenge. The others were sick of starving and wanted some place to go. Even if it wasn't the Prideands. Some debated that Zira's plan could still be thought out if they went somewhere that had more food.

"Wouldn't it be better if we were stronger and had food to build out strength? Rather than starving and loosing it?" Her Aunt Dotty bitterly complained about one night.

All the lionesses were gathered in a small den. With the exception of Zira. Where she was, no one knew. Nor did they really care in that moment. Since Kovu was nowhere to be found. They suspected that she had him out there training somewhere after dark.

Laying in between the lionesses was what remained of the dead carcass they had found. Luckily enough it had not been so rotted and they had found it in time before vultures could have found it and got their talons on.

Kumai looked from where she was watching Zawadi gnawing on a piece of bone for the marrow that was lodged inside it. Turned her attention to her pride sisters. "It would be better. But I do not think you could move Zira from this spot. She wants to be close where she could keep an eye on the...enemy."

Asma gave a small scoff, shaking her head. Cleaning her paws of the dirt that was on them. For a lioness who once kept up on her grooming and took pride in it. Hated that she looked half the lioness she once was. No matter how many times she groomed herself a day. There just wasn't anything she could do to keep clean.

It was just too dusty and plain filthy in the Outlands.

Yet she kept on trying? Why? Well there just wasn't anything to do when it came to relaxing in the lands where there was nothing. Not even anything to entertain ones self.

"Got something to say?" Baya cast a look at her fellow lioness.

"Yeah." Asma looked up with a look of boredom etched on her face. "What is the point of revenge if we starve to death before we can achieve that?"

"What doesn't kill us makes us stronger." Vitani spoke up from where she laid on the den floor along side Zawadi. Her tail swatting termites away from her. It wasn't hot outside right now that it was dark, but they stayed inside for what warmth the termite mounds provided them when the sun went down. But she figured she understood why her mother hated the damn bitty things so much.

What made both her and Zawadi laugh was whenever they got into Kovu's mane and the young lion worked so desperately hard to get them out. They had bets with their rations on how long it would take him to pull his mane out. Both teasing him that he'd make a very pretty female without it.

He hated it. But hey that was their form of fun. Poking fun at the chosen one.

"You won't be saving that when you starve to death my dear." Spotty looked over at the young lionesses. "You two are lucky we spare as much as we can for you."

The two young lionesses looked at the older ones. Zawadi looked at her mother who gave her a small smile and reached out laying her paw on the younger ones head. "Don't you two worry. It is the responsibility of the older ones to make sure the young in the pride survive." The others nodded their heads in agreeance to her words.

"We are capable of taking care of ours." Zawadi spoke in their defense. She hated whenever her mother gave up food to her. Her eyes...well eye...could pick up where Kumai's ribs were starting to poke through more and more. The same went for the other lionesses.

Sure, she and Vitani's were doing the same.

But not half as much as the others when they got more shares than the others. No matter how many times they refused them. It was like talking to a wall. Kumai managed to take a few straps back whenever Zawadi would pull that Kumai was all she had left in the world when it came to family. If only she knew how far she was from the truth, the older lionness would think each and every time Zawadi pulled that one on her.

"If that is so. Then you will survive just fine out there."

Heads stood at attention and turned to look at who had entered the den. They each got to their paws when they spotted Zira. Dotty pushed the rest of their catch toward her. "We saved this for you..."

"Oh how lovely." Zira scowled eyeing the meat with disdain. Stepping further into the den, Kovu coming in behind her. She eyed each of those that were present. Then her eyes settled on Zawadi and Vitani. "You really think you two are capable of caring for yourselves?"

The two shared a look then turned back to Zira nodding their heads rather than verbally answering her. Neither not knowing what to say really. When Zawadi had said that, it been that they could take care of themselves without the others feeling the need to push extra food on them. While they themselves starved.

It however seemed Zira took that another way by the gleam in her eyes when they nodded their heads.

"Then I suppose you can leave at dawn."

Kumai pushed her daughter behind her and glared. Zira only smirked. "Why Kumai I only meant for their little training test."

"They're too young Zira."

Zira tsked and nonchalantly rolled her eyes. "They're perfectly old enough. Vitani alone is some months older than your...daughter." She smirked at the hardened look in the other lioness's eyes. "What's more I plan on sending them out together."

Vitani looked at her mother confused. "But you said we must do this solo."

A sly little smile came over the lioness's face. Walking towards her daughter Zira stopped short of in front of her. "I did say that now didn't I?" She looked off to the side for a moment watching all those that were present. "And you will." She looked back at Vitani who looked more confused. Thinking maybe her mother had been out in the sun for far too long if she was switching her mind back and forth between idea's.

"I said I will be sending you OUT together. That doesn't mean that I expect you to stay together the entire course of the time that you are out there." Smirking she looked at both young lionesses in turn. "After all this is to test you as individuals."

"When would we know when to split up?" Zawadi asked from her position behind her mother.

"At a marker I set up for you. You lot are taking far too long out there. That perhaps sending you out alone had not..." Zira paused and growled. It was obvious to those present that Zira did not want to consider herself wrong. So none said a word as they watched the Outlander Queen closely.

"Each of you will head out this time...and if any of you find Nuka...if he is still alive. Drag him back!" Zira's mouth coiled into a snarl.

"And if he is dead?" Kovu was slow to ask. From the look on his face. while he and Nuka very rarely ever got along. More so since they had come to live in the outlands. But it was obvious to anyone who bothered to care to see it and know that Kovu did love his brother. And cared enough about him that he worried of what might have happened to him out there.

The small pride watched their Queen. And some could swear they some some flicker of emotion in her eyes. Kumai and the others were sure that Zira loved her cubs. That they were more than just canon fodder now and her way of seeking revenge. Even if that was becoming the primary objective as more time passed.

The lionesses liked to believe there was something of the mother inside the lioness that still excited in some way, some form. And what little emotion she tended to show for her offspring on what rare occasion perhaps was proof of that.

Asma however was quite positive that Zira did her best to stem those emotions. On more than one occasion as she would point out, Zira claimed things like love were a weakness.

One that as she would point out, was a weakness that they could not simply afford to have.

Not that it mattered to the others. Zira could lock their heart away. It was however something that they could nor would ever do. Their bonds to one another was if anything if not the only reason that they managed to survive as long as they had since their old pride's destruction and now their misery in the outlands.

Grunting, Zira looked at each of the younger ones in turn. "Well...then you drag his body back as proof." Zira made to step around them then stopped and looked at them narrowing her eyes. "And do not think for one second...to use this as your chance to get away. Would not want to be cowards now would you?"

The young lions remained quiet while they watched her make her way out of the den area. It wasn't until she was long out of ear shot that the older lionesses started to mutter among themselves. Still obviously not wanting to talk out loud in case the Outlander Queen was still listening in.

Kumai turned toward her daughter. Watching Zawadi for a moment while the young lioness was calculating everything over in her head. "You do not have to do this if you are not ready..."

Zawadi shook her head. "No Mom...I don't want you getting hurt just because you defy Zira..." She looked at Kumai. "I am not weak Mother. I am ready. I can do this."

"I did not say you were weak." Kumai stepped up to her until they were face to face. "But you never been on your own before..."

"Now it's my time to learn!" Zawadi stood up to her mother. "And maybe...maybe I'll be able to find Nuka and bring him back..."

Pausing, and then sighing. Kumai shook her head. She knew there was no chancing Zawadi's mind. Again she wanted to tell her the truth, to tell her to run. But again her need for revenge overshadowed that. It was an inner conflict matter. Kumai was almost thinking whether or not revenge was truly worth it. Another reason she could not give Zawadi up...was she did love the girl. Something she had never intended.

But it had happened.

And now...

Kumai looked at her daughter and sighed. "Fine...but do not do this just to look for Nuka."

Zawadi gave a stiff nod of the head. "Do not worry...I'll come back from this stronger than you have already made me mother." She bumped her head against Kumai's and the older lioness sighed nodding.

Spotty made her way over, and looked at the young lioness. "You're going to need to get some more food in you before you leave...all three of you." She looked at Vitani and Kovu.

"Why?" Kovu pipped up. Though his stomach growled at the mention of food. Which he bent his head so his growing mane could hide his embarrassment at that.

Zawadi rolled her eyes. On her way passing him, she smacked she stepped on his tail a little but enough to make him yelp. She smirked at the glare he gave when he whipped around in her direction. "It's so that we have had enough to eat to fill us in case we do not stumble upon anything to eat for a while, when we head out there idiot."

Snorting, Vitani voiced her agreement with her young friend and followed along with Zawadi the two wanting to get something quick to eat if they could manage to find it. Seeing as Zira said they would be heading out at dawn. Vitani figured it would be best that they got some rest. Being tired out under the baking sun, in territory that was going to be foreign to them. May not be the best thing right off the bat.

Even if they stuck together, they were only supposed to do so for a time till they reached the spot Zira had planned for them to separate at. Then they were pretty much on their own. Hunting and protection wise. Something they rarely did on their own. While yes, they did solo hunts in training.

It was not exactly the same if you didn't have prey you could catch.

So hunting in the Outlands had always been a group effort at very best. If you found something on your own and brought it back at random times. Then that was fine. But a majority meant they had to go out of their way as a group to find something or sneak into another territory at the dead of night to catch something and drag it back. That took a group both depending on the animal they hunted and most of all...keeping a look out for the pride or anyone else that might sound the alarm that they were hunting there.

Something that occurred on numerous occasions. Luckily enough they always managed to arrive before anyone else managed to get to where anyone said they last been seen.

Kovu grunted, turning her followed along after the two females muttering. "Why does everyone always pick on me?"

Not expecting an answer he got one nonetheless. "Because you're too each not to torment!" Zawadi laughed while Kovu grunted and kept following along.

Watching the three younger ones go off. The lionesses sighed among themselves. "We should go with them in the morning." Asma muttered as she got up onto her paws. Slowly stretching out her body, groaning a little at the pain that was shooting through her still joints from laying on the cool ground of the termite mound. It felt nice during the day but at night it made her joints more stiff.

She swore the outlands made her age more than before she was living in them.

Baya snorted from where she laid. Her tail brushing against herself to try and brush off the about of dust and dirt that that was beginning to pile on her over time. There were times if she wondered if she had fur anymore and only dust covered her now? Boy, how she missed the watering holes to bathe in.

The water between the Pride Lands and the Outlands were too murky and full of crocs to even bother trying.

"Zira would be onto us in a heart beat."

Asma looked at her. "This is starting to become too much. How much longer does she wish to postpone this revenge of hers? When will it ever be over? If we wait any longer out here...there isn't going to be enough of us left to even fight..."

"And that is where my new plan shall come in."

Heads snapped around. None had realized that Zira had returned. They eyed her cautiously. The lioness stepped inside looking at each of her pride sisters in turn. They all looked cautious that she had overheard them but also even more cautious to what this new plan of Zira's was. Why did she have a new plan? There were so many plans that she came up with that they were beginning to loose track of them.

And from the way she was looking at them. None of them were certain that they were going to like what she was going to say. And they were right.

"And which plan would this be my Queen?" Dotty stepped up along side her pride sisters.

A charming smile came across Zira's face. Which might seem endearing on anyone but her. "Why you're going to find a way to have cubs of course. To build and strengthen our numbers."

Eyes shot open wide by each of those present. "What!?" They had a hard time controlling the volumes of their voices as their shock too over them at this news.

They each looked at each other then back at Zira each looking like they wondered if she had truly gone and lost it this time around. "You-you cannot be serious!?" Baya actually got to her paws this time to face Zira. Who turned to look at her calmly. Like she was expecting their rage at her new plan.

"Oh yes dear Baya. You will see that I am indeed quite serious about this. And you will do this."

"We will not!" Spotty spoke up this time. A look of defiance on her face. "I refuse to raise a cub out in this miserable place! It is bad enough we had to raise four out here already!"

"Yes, and they made it." Zira was keeping her calmness about her. Something that was beginning to make them uncomfortable. Was not often that Zira remained calm for anyone telling at her face or showing any short signs of defiance toward her.

"Doesn't mean more will! How will we even be able to carry them without little food here to do so?" Asma demanded making Zira turn her calm face toward her next. Asma shifted her paws a little uncomfortable with that look.

"You will just have to try hard." Zira walked among them looking at them each. "We need more numbers if we are to take the Pride Lands. They are gathering more allies through the east every day. So it is either you all spit out some cubs, and raise them to feel the hate they need or we find those who would be willing to join us...at the prospect of gaining a home like the Pride Lands." She looked at them each in turn.

"The decision is really all yours to make."

The lionesses scowled. Their eyes narrowed at their...Queen. Thinking what she had just told them. She wanted them to have cubs unless they could find some other lionesses and that to join them. "And how do you suspect us to do that?" Kumai demanded. "You will not allow us to leave!"

"There are plenty of young males that leave prides. Just entice them and...well the others are leaving the pride to train...they can do the searching."

The lionesses all stared at her. She had finally lost all sense of moral and sanity. They knew as much as over the time they been out there. But it was finally dawning on them exactly how much she may have truly lost her mind.

"We refuse to bring cubs up out here!" Asma stepped forward with a glare. Not pausing even when Zira turned toward her and appeared to show some new hint of emotion aside her calm exterior she previously been showing throughout the entire conversation. "I refuse!" Asma was almost inflamed with Zira at this point. "I would rather die then let another innocent soul grow up in this dead trap of a wastelan..."

Asma did not quite get to finish when Zira's paw struck her face and sent the lioness sprawling to the ground. The others all tensed, neither assure of how to act at the moment. Some wanted to take this chance to rid themselves of Zira while others just thought it was best to stand back and not make matters worst for Asma nor themselves.

Standing over said lioness, a menacing look etched across her sunken features. Zira went to press her paw against Asma's neck. The eyes of the lionesses widening thinking that they were going to witness what became of those that defied Zira...Kumai herself sent a chill running down her spine like there was something she caught to be picking up from this display before her...

"My Queen! Stop!"

A young voice called out daringly. Turning Zira met the one green and one grey eye of the lioness that dared stop her from killing the one who thought she was so smart to try and stand up to her and get in the way of her plans. If she did not let that other one get away with it, then she was most certainly not going to allow this one the courtesy of thinking she could.

"You think it is your place to tell me to stop from teaching Asma here a little lesson in challenging my orders?" Zira eyed the young lioness who stood her ground.

Zawadi had her paws planted firmly on the ground. Having returned from finding something small to eat and wanting to spend some more time with her mother until dawn came. She had stumbled upon them as Zira was demanding her new outrageous plan to be fulfilled in some way. Standing back and letting her mind think it over, she only decided to step in when she saw one of her aunts about to be harmed.

Without a second thought. Zawadi was bowing low to the ground to the lioness in front of her.

With her head down she was unable to witness the looks of surprise that came over the adult lionesses face's. And the look of satifaction that came over Zira's. The lioness finally believing that she was breaking this one.

"My Queen..." Zawadi started lifting only her eyes to look at said lioness.

When she paused, Zira waved her paw in a way to motion her to continue. This time raising her head fully from where she had it hovering inches off the ground. "I could not help but overhear your new plan my Queen..." Zawadi watched the scowl come over the older ones face. "And I believe it is the wrong course of action." She insisted.

Pausing again seeing the scowl on the other female's face deepen and red eyes narrow viciously. Daring Zawadi to continue if she had the courage to do so. The younger lioness quelled her apprehension that was building up inside her. "Do not get me wrong my Queen. We are in need of more reinforcements here in the Outlands if we are to think of taking down King Simba and his pride. Their growing allies is a bothersome dilemma to our revenge each and every day." Squaring her shoulders, Zawadi spoke her mind rather clearly.

Not looking at anyone, much less anywhere in the den, save at Zira. Focusing at the matter at hand and wanting to show Zira that she wasn't any longer that weak cub she had once been.

"You have a better plan?" Zira pressured the young lioness.

"No." Zawadi was quick to squish her theory that she thought she could come up with a better plan than the Outlander Queen. "What I am implying at my Queen. Is that cubs...are not good enough...think about it my Queen. How long are you willing to wait for those cubs to grow to get your revenge?" Zawadi could see that realization dawn on Zira's face.

Those that were present, whom were holding their breathes, refused to let them go yet until they could be certain that Zira would not take her displeasure out on any of them any further than she already had.

The look that came over the lioness' face showed them that Zira was contemplating what Zawadi had just asked of her. The Outlander Queen narrowed her eyes, giving foul look. The Queen could see the truth to Zawadi's words. That however did not technically mean that Zira liked being questioned or for her to think that she been wrong in the way she thought up her plan.

Growling low under her breath. Zira began to pace. How long as she willing to wait to get her revenge? Cubs were useless in a fight until they at least reached two years of age. That would stop they were properly trained to add salt to her wound that her plan's faults were were pointed out by someone younger than her...

Not just someone young...

But SIMBA'S daughter.

The insult ran deep, and she fought the urge to strike the adolescent.

Holding herself back. Knowing she needed this brat for her plans and no need to get her to mistrust her anymore than she was certain that the young lioness already did. Oh Zira was no fool. She knew loyalty only ran so deep in her pride. It was the fear she installed in them that made them stay, she was positive of that.

Certainly some old part of Zira felt stung by such a notion. These were lionesses that she had vouched for in the time when Scar had been King. They had become...friends at one point. Their loyalty had known no bounds, when they felt they owed her for having Scar spare their lives when they had stumbled upon the Pride Lands.

Now...

Zira growled low at the very thought.

Banishing the thoughts for the time being from her mind. Zira focused on the matter at hand. Turning back to Zawadi, she moved till she stood with a foot of distance between her and the younger lioness. Who despite how grown she was becoming. The lioness was rather small. A runt. Was all Zira thought with a twisted inward snicker.

Zawadi who been watching the Outlander Queen in contemplating silence. Wondered what was going through that twisted demented mind of hers.

When Zira finally approached her. Zawadi had braced herself for anything that the Queen could strike her with. While she could not see to one side, she could hear her mother shift her weight. As she too was expecting the same.

Like everyone else. Her loyalty to Zira only went so far.

It was Zawadi's need to make sure her mother got the revenge for her sister that Zawadi bothered staying. While the other part of her told herself to run. Find Nuka and never return. Question was would Nuka run with her too? He prided himself too much in trying to get his mothers approval...that it was sickening and sad at the same time. But who was she to judge...she sought the same approval from her own Mother.

No...Zawadi would never run. She knew deep down. It wasn't because of Zira or fear of her or anything else.

Deep down. Since she was a cub. There always been something that drew her toward the Pride Lands.

Something that Zawadi very deeply wanted to seek out the reason why too.

It had something to do with other than the need for revenge and teaching those who unfairly mistreated them from getting away with such a thing. And the only way she was going to achieve such an answer...was to march in there and take it from beneath those damn goody goodies.

Zira eyed the lioness and asked after long moments of silence. "Tell me Zawadi..." pausing for affect she waited to see if the young lioness would cower or her nervousness would at least rear it's head. When she saw no effect she narrowed her eyes an inch. "What do you suppose we do about our low numbers then? If you agree we need more to take back the Pride Lands for the Usurper?"

A tiny smirk came across Zawadi's muzzle. Leaning toward the other lioness she uttered the words. "Why...you already thought of what to do my Queen?"

She watched as Zira looked confused for the matter of a second then realization dawned upon her face. Zawadi smirked. "You suggested finding others out there...I'm certain we can stumble upon some stragglers...or make some stragglers and have them come back with us...to be completely dependent upon us."

Steeping back from Zira. Zawadi circled her and walked around the other lionesses as well. All of which were watching her. She gave them each a look to keep quiet for the time being. She stopped by Asma and nudged her aunt, until she helped her up onto her paws. Allowing Asma to get her balance back then stepped back and continued walking around the den looking at Zira to keep her within eye shot.

"There must be other tiny prides out there. That we can...make an accident happen...and then help those in need...use that to gain their trust...and then bring them back here. With the promise if they help us. That they will have a new home with us in the Pride Lands with all the food they can eat."

Kumai who been listening the whole time. Looked at her daughter. Taking in the way Zawadi held herself and the way she spoke presenting her idea to the Outlander Queen.

Her mind could not help but compare her to Zira.

Whether it was the present or the far past. When Zira was Queen of the Pride Lands aside Scar. She never had the makings of a Queen. Just like Scar never had the makings of a King. However since they had taken them in. They were not ones to judge. Not like the other Pride Landers. While they had their differences those like Kumai and her pride sisters did agree to some aspects.

It was what they owed Zira that kept them loyal to her...not Scar.

Zira's revenge for Scar had never been theirs.

They saw the differences between the rulers with Scar and Simba.

How could they not?

If it wasn't for the fact that they thought they owed Zira the debt of their lives. Perhaps things would be much different now for each of them. Who knew. Dwelling on the past was never a good thing for some...Zira was a good example of that.

But still on the matter of Queens and how Zira never appeared to fit into that role. Not the way Sarabi had held herself with those whom had remained loyal to the former Pride Lander Queen. Nor the way Zuri, a lioness never raised to be Queen, still held herself better than Zira ever did with the title.

And now...watching Zuri's own offspring...present her idea and hold herself with that...poise? It was not hard to see that Zawadi had the genes and makings of a Queen. It was built into her very genetics. The young lioness may not know it or may ever even know it. For Kumai secretly dreaded that day and what Zawadi might think of her if that ever came to pass.

There was no hiding the Queen lurking deep within the lioness.

And from the looks of it. There was no hiding it from Zira either.

From the corner of her eyes. Kumai could make out the loathsome look that came over the older lioness's face. It was just the matter that Zira could tell that this plan was ingenious as much as those present could. That told Kumai that Zira was not going to strike down such a plan.

Not if it got Zira her desired results.

"And are you going to do this for your Queen...Zawadi?" Zira eyed the brown lioness. Whom she angrily had to be reminded of her former lover by the Queen eye that looked at her. Kovu may be brown in colour with Queen eyes but none were as Queen as Zawadi's. With Scar's actual family genes coursing through her veins.

"You are all to go out on your own when you reach my marker...now tell me how do you plan to pull this off?" Zira challenged her. Smirking. Thinking she got the little brat there. While her plan was...delicious at best and she could not help but think of how it would work. That nagging part of her brain that could see the royal genes shinning through Zawadi at her. An annoying beacon that she wanted nothing more than to squish.

"We complete our solo missions, find Nuka and then meet back up of course. And work together to get this done for you my Queen." Zawadi answered her back without a single pause to think up an answer. In truth she been thinking up her answers the whole time Zira been thinking it over since she first interrupted her. Thinking up the exact questions she had no doubt Zira would quiz her with. And having properly prepared answers.

Knowing the more nervous she allowed herself to be doing this. The more Zira would try and worm wrong into the plan.

However by appearing confident. She was stumping the lioness. Part of her enjoyed that. She enjoyed the authority that this was giving her. It was intoxicating and perhaps she could understand why Zira enjoyed it so much.

Making her way over to the Outlander Queen. Zawadi stopped two feet from her this time. Sitting herself down on her haunches. Waving one paw around. "Just leave it to us Zira." She motioned to Vitani and Kovu just returning from their own small hunts. They donned looks of confusion when they saw Zawadi was pointing in their direction. Sharing looks between one another for a moment wondering what exactly was it that they had missed.

Judging by the looks on everyone's faces and the atmosphere that was hovering above all their heads.

They had definitely missed something...

"Let us prove to you that we can do this for you...that way we can show you that we'll be ready when the time comes...to do what is needed." Zawadi turned her attention back to Zira. Ignoring the confused looks her two friends shot at her. Wondering what exactly the hell was going on that they had missed.

Silently seething. Zira did not like that she could not see any fault to Zawadi's plan. She spent weeks thinking up the idea and how to approach her pride on the matter of expanding their numbers. Knowing exactly that they were going to be stubborn and she would perhaps need to break them to get them to do her bidding in this new plan of hers.

In such a short amount of time. This brat had shot that plan down and burned it. And was now sitting there with a small look of satisfaction for having come up with such a fool proof, least she thought so, plan. "And should you fail?" Zira kept pushing.

"We will not return until we get what we need."

"Well don't you have an answer for everything?" Zira stared icily.

A slow smirk reared it's ugly head on Zawadi's muzzle. "A good Queen like yourself taught me it is best to be prepared for everything that can be thrown at you."

Those present had to bite their tongues to keep their laughter contained. Though Kumai had to wonder how she had raised such a smart ass and smart mouthed daughter?

She certainly did not get that from her...or did she...hard to tell...was it her parentage or environment that made Zawadi the way she was?

Environment was the proper answer, that she was assure of.

Getting to her paws, Zira looked around at all those present. With this new plan there was no uncertainty that the others would follow through with her first. And as much as she loathed the idea of admitting an offspring of that pathetic 'King' was right. Cubs took too long to raise. And with how long it might take them to find proper males to do the breeding with...

Putting forth her usual scowl. Zira walked around the den. "I suggest you let the other two in on your little plan Zawadi. I do not expect any of you to return...until you have the proper reinforcements to strengthen our numbers." The lioness said nothing more. Rather she made her way deeper inside the termite mound to find a place she could be alone with her thoughts.

It was only when they were positively certain that Zira would not return to them in any short amount of time. That those holding their breathes. Slowly let them out.

Baya turned her attention to Zawadi. Who was allowing her body to relax from the stiff pose she had it in during her whole conversation with Zira. Not allowing herself to show weakness. Just like she been taught. Feeling eyes on her, Zawadi turned to look at her aunt who approached her and nudged her lightly in the shoulder. "I can't tell whether you are smart...or have a death wish girl."

"Perhaps both." Was Zawadi's answer.

"Did you even stop to think of what she might have done with you for barging in here and ordering her to stop?" Dotty asked her with some concern in her eyes.

"Oh yes." Zawadi nodded. "But I saw what she was going to do...and I could not stand back." She looked at Asma and leaned over rubbing her head aside the others. A small purr Asma returned the rub with one of her own and patted the younger female's back. Thankful that Zawadi had intervene.

"Wait...can someone fill us in already?" Heads turned to see Vitani and Kovu had finally come closer to them. Each donning a look that demanded an explanation to what they may or have likely missed. What they had stumbled upon returning wasn't enough to fill them in.

Stifling a yawn. Zawadi reached out and clapped Kovu on the back hard enough that it made him falter forward. "I'll let you ladies explain to them what is going on and what is going to be expected of us after our solo expedition out there...best I get some beauty sleep before tomorrow."

"You're gonna need a lot of it...OW!" Kovu yowled the last part when a clawed back paw kicked him square in the back when Zawadi bypassed him making her way toward with Kumai was settling down. Leaving Dotty and the others to explain to Kovu and Vitani of the new plan that been delivered upon them that evening.

She chortled softly laying on her side as Zawadi made her way over and down beside her. "You torture that poor boy too much."

"Toughens him up." Zawadi could only yawn, dropping her head onto her mothers back. Listening to Kovu's grumbles and Vitani's snickers lolling her off to sleep.


How it was possible for the sun to be worst out in the vast desert beyond the Outlands was beyond words.

Having never been anywhere but the Outlands, and occasionally the lands surrounding it. Zawadi did not know what would await her beyond the Outlands. Her mother and aunts told many stories. But stories were always just that. Stories. Until you experienced something for yourself.

The time leading of their departure had been a gloomy. Both in spirits of the pride and the clouds that loomed above the Outlands that day. As always they may have loomed but they never let their bountiful rain fall on it.

Kovu and Vitani were not happy to say the least that their training would include one other thing. Perhaps something that would be harder to complete than just a survivor crash course out into the vast open world. While at first they tried to lay the blame on Zawadi.

They found it hard when they found out what their mothers original plan entailed.

Vitani could not help but think her aunts would do good with having some cubs of their own. Like Kumai had. Despite how they had never guessed she was pregnant nor had told them until after they been banished.

Both she and Kovu had to agree with all the rest. More cubs in the Outlands with what little food they already had. Wasn't the best of ideas.

Neither was bringing in more mouths to feed.

However they knew Zawadi had to come up with some plan to deter Zira away from the one she had come up with. If grown lionesses ended up dying from starvation. As long as it wasn't any of their original pride at least. It was getting then say watching poor innocent little cubs suffer that fate. They could live with the guilt of grown lionesses suffering such a fate. But not cubs...that would weigh too much even on Zawadi's cold soul.

Well she wasn't sure if her soul was completely cold...but it was cold enough that she didn't care whose throat she had to slash to get to the Pride Lands.

She loved her family and friends. So that was some moral left in her. That Zira or the Outlands had not beaten out of her.

But this desert just might...she thought bitterly.

She, Vitani and Kovu had stuck together till they had reached the marker that Zira had for them out there. From there they decided on which ways to go and had gone their separate ways.

Kovu at first had tried to be protective thinking the two females needed protection at least. Well unless they gave his rump a few good swats and he ran off on his own muttering something about crazy females and perhaps being away from them for a time being would do him some good.

Vitani and Zawadi had gone their separate ways after wishing each other luck and a promise they would each try and find Nuka.

Zawadi was hoping it would be her.

She had a paw read to strike him good for taking as long as he was. Then she had arms ready for a hug. What could she say. She was a confusing female.

It was just the matter of finding him. It been months, so she had no idea of where to start and she and Vitani nor Kovu had any way of communication if one of them found him. And the fact that it been months, any trace of scent she came across was bound to be old. Which frustrated her beyond all measures.

Well not any more then the sun that was beating down on her. Never was she going to complain about the sun and the heat of the Outlands. It was not all that hard to admit that the Outlands at least had shelter in some form. The termite mounds as remorseless as a home that they were. They gave shade from the hotter days.

The desert on the other hand...

There wasn't a tree for a mile or more in any direction. Perhaps not even days. And if there were, the possibility of them having any leaves on them would no doubt be pitiful at best. Seeing as there was nothing that could tell her when the last time this part of the desert had seen any rain.

From the way the ground crunched beneath her paws and the dust that stirred up with each step she took. Zawadi would put her best guess on say three months. On the other hand she really only had the Outlands to go by that standard, so what did she really know?

The other matter at hand was there was no food.

Like the tree's there was not anything for miles around.

Unless you counted the vultures.

With her one good eye, she looked to the sky. At the moment she only have one fly over head. But seeing as she was still alive and did not look anywhere near close to death. Then she supposed it had good reason for flying off to find something else. That or gossip to the rest of it's little bugger friends and then return to haggle at her until she did die of either the heat, starvation or the annoyance they would cause her.

Thinking it over carefully, she settled on it being a combination of each.

Zawadi had a inkling if her mother knew she was thinking of what possible death may become her, she would have smacked her by then.

It was however she would point out to herself. What else was there to think about?

This was a survival crash course was it not?

So death was an obvious thought that was bound to rear its ugly head at any given moment. It just happened to be then, when she had nothing else to put her mind towards.

That and strive to take her mind away from the growing pain of hunger that was building itself up inside of her. The meals she managed to have the night prior to departing the Outlands, they were sufficient for a while. But each step, and the more time she was out in the heat the more energy she consumed and the more her body became craving subsistence.

"I better not go mad out here and eat my own leg..." She muttered beneath her breathe. Anything more then a whisper hurt her already drying throat.

How did something possibly survive out here?

All the more reason she was keeping her eyes out for the vultures. Either one could become her own supper or quite possibly lead her to where she could find food or water or better yet. Both.

Taking a moment to herself. Zawadi winced lifting one of her paws to lick the small cuts that were forming. Cuts and calloused paws were nothing new to her. But the dirt that got into them if she did not clean them enough was something that she didn't need. That would be a strike against her pride if she had to die of an infection.

"Kovu never let me live that down...even if I were dead." Zawadi did not doubt that for a second. "All I need is him laughing over my grave."

The upside...perhaps she could haunt him from the after life. Just to make up for that little tidbit of laughter he spare at her expense. Would certainly spice up eternity.

Cleaning each one of her paws thoroughly. Zawadi lifted one to shield her face from the wretched heat and light of the sun, while she took a moment to get her bearings.

Taking into account that she hadn't gone in any direction, but an honest to god straight line since she departed from her friends. It was all too clear that Zawadi had no clue as to where to go next.

The fact that she had traveled only in one direction the entire time...well she was loosing track of time...some part of her had hoped she just get lucky and stumble upon Nuka or least something.

All the good that did her, she thought bitterly to herself.

It was hard not to be bitter with the sun blazing down upon you mercilessly.

Now sitting there, either nothing in every direction. Zawadi sat contemplating on what to do next. Much less WHERE to go next.

Turning her head which way and that. Zawadi could just not decide on what direction to go in. Turning her attention back to the sky, she watched it. Whatever wisps of clouds there was and where whatever slight wind there was blowing them in. She watched them carefully, and then saw some shadows above.

Birds.

Not vultures and much too high for her to catch.

It was the way they were flying that caught her attention.

They were traveling with the wind. That meant they no doubt knew where to go that would be where food may reside. It didn't take her long to come to the decision that following where the birds flew would be the best course of action.

Taking note of which direction they and the wind blew. Taking into consideration they could fly faster than she could walk or run. Zawadi got onto her paws once she gave them a break. Dismissing the pain that shot through them at the hot ground that was beneath them.

Pain gives you strength.

The words were drilled into her head. Words that drove her forward aside the pain that her paws stinging beneath her gave her. One did not get strong without feeling pain. It was what set apart the strong from the weak. Those who could take it and still find the strength to go forward to those who let it weaken them to where they would rather lay down and die.

A cowards fate. As Zira would put it.

As much as she hated the lioness from time to time. Her words made sense in a way that the strong survive while the weak perish.

A perfect example would be the precious Pride Lander Princess.

Zawadi's lips curled back till her upper teeth could be seen. No one around to see it but the meaning was there all the same. With Zawadi thinking back to her last encounter with the Princess and her little friends.

She'd give the spoiled pampered palace brat a pat in the back for being brave and standing up to them.

That said, bravery only took you so far.

If you could do nothing to back it up, bravery was wasted on the weak. Only the strong knew how to be brave and put it to good use. Least that was how Zawadi saw it, and more importantly how she was raised to see it.

And while brave she had been to stand up for herself and her little friends. Zawadi would bet every last bit of food she ever scavenged in her life time that Princess Kiara could not even swing her paw hard enough to strike even prey to the ground. Much less her enemy. Much less someone like Zawadi.

Who looked forward to the day that she could see the little Princess wilther on the ground before her very eyes.

Certainly the idea was for Kovu to attract the Princess and take out the King. But now with the alliance's the King was gathering on top of everything else. Zawadi knew it was better to be prepared for the inevitable should Kovu fail.

Not that she was doubting the Outlander Prince, and her friend. It was just the matter that deep down. That no matter how much Zira worked to blacken his heart. He had too much goodness in him.

Zawadi could not discredit her friend for that. That said, there came a time when that goodness could cost them.

Whether it was their victory or it was a life of one of their own. And that was something that Zawadi would not stand for. They were working to give themselves a better life. Not get themselves killed. Quite possibly the idea of one of them falling in the battle to take back what they thought was rightfully there's could cost them exactly that.

All the more reason to gather more members for their pride.

Better to sacrifice the pawns first.

All they had to do was not get too attached to them. For now Zawadi could not be completely confident in it. All she was certain of was that she could not bare to see one of her pride die, whether it was her friends, her mother or her aunt's...her mind paused when Zira's name presented itself.

Slowing her steps to a stop. Zawadi stood there in under the hot unyielding sun. Thinking quite carefully of what she thought of if Zira were to die in the final battle to take back the home they been cast from.

The lioness was old. What good would she do a pride in the future?

Some would think the same of the other lionesses. It was good to point out at any rate that the other lioness's were younger than Zira.

To some that may not seem much. To Zawadi it was a lot.

The only downside to Zira falling would be if they lost their supposed Queen. What would become of them?

Would they fight on wards with Kovu at the helm? Or would they be overpowered by the masses?

So many questions and possibilities running through her head. That Zawadi could not determine which would be the better of them. For herself Zawadi knew she would fight till the bitter end with one exception.

Her mother.

Should Kumai become wounded, Zawadi would have no choice but to pull back and tend to her mother.

'But that would make you weak'

A voice echoed in her head. Feeling her body tense. It was her voice, she knew her own mental voice. The tensing was from the undeniable truth to those words.

To stop and care for another during a fight, it showed the enemy your weakness. And therefore make you appear weak in the process. The best course of actions would be to push forward and avenge the one who got hurt with fierce profound determination. Then and only when the enemy was taken out, did you go back for your comrade.

It did not matter if they were family or not.

That was what the strong did. Avoid showing weakness and persevering to the bitter end.

All that said and done...Zawadi still did not know whether or not she would or what she would do at that about Zira if she died or whether she even cared for it. For her friends perhaps she would say yes...it still hung in the balance.

Turning her thoughts back to the matter at hand with the Princess. Zawadi was interested to see if the King had actually done his part to teach his daughter how to properly defend herself or did he leave that for the lionesses of his pride to do? Or did he decide that as a Princess she did not need to know how to fight?

How pathetic.

Stopping her train of thought. Zawadi bit back a low sounding growl. Why was it that the Princess had been on her mind more often then not?

It had been the same the first time they had met. However that brief encounter wasn't truly much to go by. A few seconds of insulting her and snickering then getting bored and making off away from her. That did not leave a lasting impression and any thought of spoiled princess long since slipped her mind.

The second encounter on the other hand...

They spoke more face to face this time around. And this strong pull...Zawadi could not explain it. Nor did she want an explanation. She put it down to the future and what the mission at hand was. How easy it would have been just to slit the pretty Princess's thought there and then.

Yes that was why she was so obsessed with her. How she could have just ended her life and the king would have been in such despair they could have easily taken the Pride Lands by then.

But no...she had faltered. Taunted her but did not make any lasting blows against Kiara.

So now it haunted her while she thought up ways to correct the mistake she made last time. One she would not make again whether it was Kovu's mission or not. Zira needed him to kill the King. She didn't quite say who could kill the princess...so here she was hoping...

Coming back from her thoughts. Zawadi focused on where she was heading. The birds were heading west...least she thought was west. Seeing as the sun was beginning to set toward the east.

If she could not find anything in this direction, she would try another.

Always keeping her nose both to the air and to the ground. Not yet had she come across a single whiff of Nuka's scent that would tell her whether or not he been in the area at some point over the last four months. The thought frustrated her but would keep her going.

There was also not a single scent of a pride around. Not that she thought many of them would ever consider living in the desert.

They'd have to be insane...beyond insane... Was the thought that came to mind about it. Zawadi could not even be positive that Nuka himself was in the desert much less another pride. He been gone for months which left her with the thought that he had to have found a way out of the desert by this point.

Something that she too was going to strive to look for.

Yes the desert appeared to be the perfect place for one to build their strength and learn to survive beyond all odds. It however did not give her much option's in the way of food or water. Food she could perhaps go longer than water. Without water soon...Zawadi deterred herself from that train of thought.

There had to be something out there...obviously there were ways for creatures to adapt and survive...she only had to find it and how to do it. That however would not stop her from finding somewhere outside of the desert.

Let the desert make her strong, yes.

But strength was nothing without anything to fuel it.

Letting her gaze lift to the sky to see the birds had long since flown ahead too far from her own line of vision. Zawadi decided to keep on going in this new direction. Making note of the sun and its position in the sky. It would soon be dark and then the cold would come...

She could not determine what was worst the heat or the cold or quite possibly both.

However with the way things were going with the heat. Zawadi was beginning to mediate on the idea that it would be best to travel at night. Cold it may be. Walking had only a slightly chance of keeping her warm if she kept her body moving rather than keep it in one spot during the nights trying her best to keep warm. More efficient then trying to keep herself cool during the day.

Resting during the day had its own problems. If she could not find anywhere to rest, that had shade. She was as good as a sitting duck out in the sun if she slept too much beneath the blazing sun.

It was a win/loose situation.

If the days kept getting worst then she'd have no choice but to travel by night. For now she would travel as far as she could get until the sun fell beyond the horizon. Then rest for a bit then decide what to do from there out.

Unaware to Zawadi a pair of brown eyes were watching her from afar. Eyes filled with more innocence then one perhaps dead should have or perhaps the saddest thing was eyes for one dead could only such innocence. An innocence that should have been allowed to thrive. Now they just watched as their sister whom knew nothing about them from afar.

It been some time since Zawadi paid so much attention that she noticed him. That upset Musa in the beginning. Not being able to play with them was much harder then watching them grow older while he stayed young forever.

The sound of paws made him turn his head to look up at whom loomed over him. Giving a happy squeak at the sight of his mother. Whom gazed down at him with her usual serene smile. In spite of all that was happening to her family. Zuri could not contain her smile when she looked upon the one cub she could still have by her side. No matter how desperate she was for him to still be alive.

Lying her paw on her sons head, she looked off at the retreating figure of her daughter. Zuri and Musa had been on the girl's trail the moment they had stepped out of the Outlands. The lioness almost cursed that she now had four of them out there to watch over.

Nuka was oddly doing well for his first time. Part of her hoped with pride that it was all she had done to help Nuka in the time that she was alive. Zira may claim it was her rough tough love and training that was allowing Nuka to survive out there. Perhaps it was both. Zuri just wished the sweet cub that she knew did not change completely thanks to Zira and all that been happening outside the Outlands.

Now the other three were out there on their own. Zira had to have been getting impatient if she sent them all out together. Yes they had separated. But that was beside the point...one by one yes she could keep an eye on each of them.

She may be dead, but it was still as hard as with being alive that she just could not be in more than one place at once.

So after giving it some thought. Zuri made her decision. She briefly checked on Vitani and Kovu that made her reassured that the two would be fine. Then she turned and followed after the one she could not help but feel that she had to keep her eyes on.

Zawadi was level headed to a degree. But far more ill-tempered than Vitani or Kovu were. There was no guarantee what her offspring could get up too. All the more reason to keep her eyes on her to make sure that Zawadi did not get up to no good.

Zuri along with the other's had overheard the plan that Zawadi had helped Zira conduct. How they were going to complete such a task was beyond any of them. Nor was it something that Zuri agreed with. It was however not something she had any control over unfortunately. Something that was beginning to frustrate her.

More and more she was beginning to grow impatient by each passing day. If it wasn't for Bakari that told her there could be worst consequences if she did not let thing's play out as they should.

There were too many times she wanted to say, be damned with the consequences. Zuri wanted her family reunited, and all of this terrible happening's to be over and done with.

Not all things were fair in life, that was what she was always told when she had something to say about the unfairness of it all.

It was irritating beyond all belief.

Looking down at her son, Zuri bent to give him a small nuzzle. Purring as his small paws gripped either side of her muzzle. His tiny tongue licking her chin as if to comfort her from her thoughts. It was always cute and amusing that Musa seemed to know just what to do to comfort her and know what was on her mind that she needed to be comfort from.

"Fret not my little love. I am well." She whispered to him.

A smile tugged at her lips when Musa gave her a look that obviously told her that he did not believe her.

Lifting her head she gave the top of his head a lick. Biting back the laugh that threatened to escape when he mewed loudly at her. His tiny paw went up to smooth the part that she just mussed with her tongue. Zuri fought back the small bit of sadness that crept into her as memories of Kopa doing the exact thing popped up into her head.

Only Kopa had a tuft of hair he always been so concerned for.

Musa did not have that...nor would he ever have that.

Said cub mewed till he drew his mother back from her thoughts. Turning his head in the direction that his sister was heading. Getting what she wanted, Zuri grabbed her cub by the scruff of his head then lifted him up onto her back. Where she set him. Watching him as he sat himself squarely on her back with a large toothy grin lighting up his little face.

Making sure he was secure first then with quick leaps and bounds hurried along after her daughter. Wanting to keep as close to her as she could. Wanting to reach out to her but while she could not do that at this moment of time. Zuri could still keep a watchful eye over her daughter and quite possibly...lead her subconsciously to the one that Zawadi sought...


Night became day and day became night.

It did not take Zawadi long to decide that travelling at night was the best way to go. Not only did it make her slightly less tire than if she traveled during the daylight hours. Zawadi discovered something that was a temporary fix to her hunger predicament. Her first night of travelling through the night, she had rested a few hours then forced herself to wake.

Forced herself onto her paws and then finally to take her first steps. The night was cold yes. But the cold sand beneath her paws felt different and almost relieving to the blistering heat that radiated from the sun that warmed the sands past the point of comfort.

And like she predicted, keeping herself going she was able to keep herself warm enough that the cold of the night did not effect her as much.

It had been a few hours into walking that first time that Zawadi discovered the creatures that came alive during the night. Creeping out from beneath rocks and the sand itself. Where they hid to escape the heat of the day. Taking advantage of the cooler weather during the night to scavenge for whatever food they could find.

Unfortunately for some, they would never find that food. Rather they had the misfortune of stumbling upon a hungry predator. They may not be much but they were something. Zawadi's body craved a larger meal but these were enough to keep her going until she found one.

Then she solved another issue...water.

This she came upon the third night she started travelling after dark. It was by luck that she stumbled upon this. Zawadi had stumbled cross the small prints of a shrew. Small prey but like she mentioned better than nothing to fill her stomach. The shrew had led her to a couple of cacti.

Least that was what the tiny thing had told her when she demanded it out of it. It told her it got water from it. Not much but enough for its tiny body to live on. The shrew had thought Zawadi would spare it for sharing that information with her. Unfortunately for it, she was starving.

It taken her some time to work around the thorns of the cactus to get something drinkable from it.

Not that she cared. In the end she had small bits of food and not a little bit of water to survive on till she found something more to sustain her body.

Each night she took a new direction to go in.

Not yet had she stumbled upon the scent of any large animals much less Nuka. All right that was not completely the truth. She had and she hadn't. If that made any sense. The scent she had stumbled upon had been just before dawn on her eighth day away from the Outlands. Then low and behold the place she picked to settle down to sleep, she had caught the whiff of something familiar, something she had not smelt in months.

And had gotten her hopes up when it registered in her mind that the scent was so weak it clearly been some time since Nuka had been there. The small had been what little bit of brush she could find. Small patches of it were enough to use to try and shade her during the day when she rested.

Caught among some burrs had been small pieces of Nuka's fur. While they had a strong enough scent to tell her he had been there. It had not been enough left to tell her how long since he had been there. By how weak it was. Zawadi would estimate weeks at the very most.

Having taken the time to curse herself for getting her own hopes up.

Why would she have thought she stumble upon a fresh scent any time soon?

Foolish.

That was what she called herself. Foolish and hope driven.

Zawadi tried to tell herself that this had nothing to do with finding Nuka. This time out there was for her to learn how to properly survive on her own and build her own strength. Finding Nuka would only be an added bonus.

From there she only caught his scent a few more times. Not enough to tell her which direction he was currently in. However it was enough that it gave her perhaps some direction of where not to go from what direction most of the spots he must have passed were going in.

At one point she assumed he might have gone in circles until he took a new path.

There did come a point that Zawadi thought that something had to be leading her toward those places she stumbled upon his old scent. The logical side of her mind wanted to laugh it off as though it was nothing at all. Pure imagination.

Then there was the thoughts that led to her think of those she had told to watch over Nuka when he had left. She been young then...well younger...and the thought that there might be someone watching out for them had been a cheerful thought that one young would cling to in terrible times.

However growing up in famine. It tended to change one's thoughts.

There couldn't possibly be someone or anyone in general that looked out for them. If there was, why would they have allowed how they lived to be?

Yet some part of her...deep...deep down within her. Clung to that. That there was something out there leading her to Nuka.

That feeling was becoming more and more to paranoia when she could swear it felt like someone was watching her. At times more then one pair of eyes. At first she waved it off, putting the blame on the vultures that were beginning to show their ugly selves.

Zawadi did not quite see them at night. It was during the day that the sound of them would wake her or one would be brave enough to venture close while she slept. Poke her with its beak then fly away before she had the chance to swipe it with her paw. Only a straggler here and there would follow her during the dead of night.

There were some other birds of prey. But none that were any bother to her.

That sneaky suspicion that she was being watched or cared for or whatever one wanted to call it. Only got worst when Zawadi woke one evening to fight the bodies of three vultures laying about her. Of course again the logical side of her mind was telling her that she must have swatted them in mid-awareness if they got too brave to get close to her during the day. It was only because she must have been so tired and only half aware of what she was doing that she did not remember striking them down.

Then the other side of her...well...

Whatever the case might have been. Zawadi had devoured those vultures feathers and all. The taste of the feathers had made her gag. But cultures barely ever had any source of meat on them enough to sustain a lioness or any large predator at best. Three was a small meal, but the feathers had added fill no matter how horrid they tasted in her mouth and wished she had something to wash it out with.

Even what little water she found in a single cactus when she had the luck of stumbling upon one, was not enough to wash that taste out of her mouth.

That was when the other single more curious thing happened. Waking one other night to see that there was a hole of water nearby that she could have sworn was not there the day before. In fact she was positive that it wasn't there. It was where she would have spotted it when she hunkered down to sleep during the day.

It was becoming almost creepy...that things she wanted or needed just started connecting...

First she stumbled upon places with Nuka's scent that it almost made her think something was leading her toward him.

Then the food and then finally the water...

Her mind went to what she been told as a cub. Eyes looking toward the stars wondering if what was out there was real. Remembering how she had asked them to look out for Nuka.

Had they?

Were they now leading to her him to show that they had looked out for him?

Zawadi almost did not want to believe it. As she got older it was hard for her to believe that there was something like spirit's out there.

But this was just too suspicious...

Shaking her head, Zawadi cleared her head. She must have just been so tired during the day that she had overlooked the puddle. That was the only rational explanation.

"You really want to help! Send some rain!" Zawadi shouted to the sky. Yes she traveled during the night now so it was cooler.

That did not mean she liked the sun beating down on her during the day. She found places with but little shade to sleep yes, but the heat still clung to to air and then clung to her and the dust air she breathed.

Keeping track of her days and nights were becoming confusing.

Zawadi suspected at the very least she had to been travelling for two or three weeks already. Everything was becoming confusing. Days and nights just seemed to blend. How the heck did travelling herds and rogues keep track of their days? It was much harder traveling across the land then staying in one place to keep track of time.

And she lost track of where she was going. With new each direction that Zawadi took it was becoming hard to know which way the Outlands were in. For now that didn't really matter. Seeing as it was too soon to return home. However when the time did eventually come, if they could not figure out where to find one another, much less return home either together or alone...

Perhaps she should have marked her trail...

It would have been a good plan...

Until Zawadi saw what a desert sand storm was capable of.

Laying down one early morning to sleep. Zawadi estimated she got three hours of it when she felt a change in the wind. At first she thought it was going to be something good. A new breeze felt good against her and she was ready to drift back to sleep. That had been when the wind started picking up.

Now Zawadi was no stranger to sand storms. There been a few of them during her time growing up in the Outlands.

This was different in every way. There wasn't that much dirt and no where near as much sand like the desert held.

Zawadi felt like she was being picked up and tossed when really it only had the force to make her roll across the dunes. It took her five solid minutes to grab onto a nearby rock which was big and heavy enough that it stabilized her. Hiding herself behind it so she could no longer feel the grunt of the wind and the sand and then whatever the thing picked up and was flinging around like hell on Earth.

Predicting it took a good six hours before the storm seemed like it fully dissipate, Zawadi took this by the position of the sun in the sky when she actually got a good look at the sky.

There almost wasn't enough time to get some more sleep. While she had tried during the sand storm. That did not seem like it would happen.

So Zawadi had to decide to sleep or stay up and walk half way through the night and decide to rest before the sun rose rather than after it did like she previously been doing.

It was discovering that the tracks she made the night prior that frustrated her the most. They were gone. This meant she did not a single clue as to where she previously been going. Everything around her appeared to be different as more things were covered in sand that the storm had blown everywhere.

There were even more vultures in the sky.

This told her that the storm must have trapped someone or something. It did not matter to her. They were congregating over something or in the very least they were travelling somewhere they likely knew food would be in.

Food that not even a group of dreadful buzzards could defend against a hungry lioness.

That food was going to be hers whether they liked it or not. Zawadi only hoped that there was some left for the time that she got there.

Taking note of where the vultures were heading. The young lioness got her bearings then started off in that direction. Hoping to whatever was out there that she wasn't heading in a direction she previously been too.

The further she walked or ran in most cases to keep up with the birds that flew over head. The more she could seen gathering.

Her body ached of lack of sleep. Paws burned on the hot sands beneath her.

Even the warm dusty air that she breathed hurt her lungs the further she went.

Not that it stopped her.

Zawadi wanted to find what they were heading towards in such numbers before the sun set for another day. Gathering that she had another hour or two till the darkness of night came.

And she would loose sight of them. Sure she could see in the dark, but birds with the way they flew and how high they could go. Made things difficult. Certain that if she just kept heading in the direction the damn things were going. She'd find wherever they were searching for. Even in the cover of darkness.

Her pace was slowed when a number of the vultures appeared to pick up on where she was going.

One or two of them would occasionally fly down low enough to peck at her. Each little nick hurt and each one bled.

Not a lot.

But enough that she would need to take the time to clean them properly. "Never going to complain to her again." By that Zawadi meant never to her mother. Whom would always be the ones to clean her wounds after a training session.

Not that she couldn't clean her own wounds.

It was just some places were easier to reach when you had someone else to help you. Seeing as she couldn't see properly along one side of her body. From the stinging she could only guess as to where the nicks were. So yes, some help would have been appreciated from her mother right about now. Despite all the times she complained in the past.

The sun was only beginning to set when something other than the vultures caught Zawadi's attention.

There was a new scent in the air.

A familiar scent...no...not Nuka's...but familiar all the same.

A scent of a creature she only ever saw across the ravine into the Pride Lands where she had a better view of what grazed there.

The scent made her mouth water. For she knew what awaited ahead was something that was going to fill her stomach that night. Enough that Zawadi figured taking a night to break and then the next day all the same. Then continue her travels the night next. With whatever she could carry from what would be left over from what she managed to fill herself with this night.

Twilight was just upon her when the scent which was getting stronger with each step she took. Carried her up over a dune to stare in disbelief at what laid below.

As the scent had told her...there it was...the elephant carcass.

From the looks of it even from the top of the dune. Zawadi could tell it only been dead for a number of hours. Which meant the meat would not be all that rotted.

Accustomed to rotting meat. Zawadi thought it was a good thing to have something not so rotted for once. More so at a time like this when her stomach was beginning to gnaw away at itself.

This be surely where the vultures had been heading. There were a number of them that littered the carcass.

The young lioness had to stop herself from rushing on down that dune and scaring them away from the food that was not rightfully hers. Whether they found it before her or not. Laws of nature. She was a far worst dangerous predator than they could ever be scavenging vermin, no worst than hyenas her aunts would say.

Rather than simply rush down.

Zawadi too the time to scent the air. Looking for anything other than the dead elephant and the scent of the vultures. Whilst she never crossed paths with another predator there was did not excuse the fact that there were others out there. Whom could also no doubt catch wind of the feast of plenty that loomed down before her.

Smelling nothing and taking this as a good sign. Zawadi made her trek down the dune carefully not wanting to slide her way down or loose her footing of any sort.

Nearing the bottom, coming to the decision the only way to scare the damn scavengers off. Opening her mouth, Zawadi roared the loudest roar she could muster up from how dry her mouth and throat was. Letting it echo around. Soon joined with the calls of the vultures that took flight away from the kill they had found.

Shooting looks at the lioness that was daring to scare them away from their food. "This food be ours fur bag!"

Smirking, Zawadi replied with great humour. "Your tiny bodies cannot possibly feast on all of this. Come back when there is marrow to suck from the bones. Leave the meaty parts to someone who can do good with it." A few vultures got daring and flew at her only to find her claws and teeth waiting for them.

Taking down six of them.

That seemed to catch the attention of the others who all stayed back. Licking her chops and spitting out a feather from her mouth. Resisting the look of disgust that wanted to show itself. Zawadi narrowed her eyes and took a stance. "Any more of you want to take your chance?" She dared them.

"You cannot guard this all night and day lioness."

Zawadi fought back the urge to laugh. There was plenty she could share yes. But starving and in the mood for some taunting fun. She decided to play her games with the birds. "Don't give me a challenge. Been some time since I had some decent fun." Standing her ground, Zawadi eyed the vultures did they moved on.

Not far but enough that they could keep their eyes on the prize and the one who was currently taking it from them.

At the point in time. Zawadi could not afford to be disturbed. While she thought if she played it well she could be there a night and a day. That all of course depended upon the fact that there could be other predators that caught the scent of this feast and could very well be on their way there.

A quarrel or two would do her some good.

Help her build her strength and see that she had not lost it all that much out there.

At the same time, she did not want to be caught off guard and chased away from her meal.

With that thought in mind. Zawadi turned her attention to the elephant. From the looks of it, it was young bull. Going on a hunch that the male had just left its herd when it got caught in the same sand storm that she had. It did appear to have traveled far and half of the elephant was buried.

Something that irritated her. Not all that excited of having her meal mixed with a good old helping of sand on the side. It was doable.

The top half wasn't all that covered and would fill her. Given she could reach it.

Putting her climbing skills to could use. She hoisted herself up onto the things head. Being mindful of the tusks. One appeared broken and could easily puncture her if she fell the wrong way. Not a death she really wanted. Perhaps more embarrassing then dying of starvation.

Digging her claws into the flesh. Zawadi tore at it with her jaws, tearing jumps off at a time. Large but enough for her to chew in a few bites and then swallow with no problems.

It was like heaven.

If Zawadi had to be honest. This was perhaps one of the few times she had something that was filling and not rotting in the longest of times. A sad truth. But a true fact all the same. From how starved she was. Zawadi wanted to to devour what she could. But seeing as she only had so little to eat as of late.

The young lioness knew she would have to pace herself.

This meal was just too good and so much of her luck had gone with it she was positive. That stuffing herself and then throwing it up because she ate too much too quickly would be a terrible waste of such a meal.

Zawadi ate until she could feel her fill. While some part of her mind was telling her to keep going. She forced herself back from the meat. Jumping from where she been perched while feasting. The lioness took her time grooming the blood off her paws and claws then slowly cleaned her face.

Taking the time during which to see where she was. There was only so much light left and that was fading quickly. Second by second.

Turning north/east Zawadi stopped and narrowed her eyes to squint into the distance. Where she could swear she saw tree's towering in the distance. Not the first time mind you, but that was had been during the hazing heat of the day that tricked her field of vision. This however did not seem to be a mirage this time around...at least that was what she hoped.

From what she could barely make out they seemed to have leaves on them. Which for her meant that there was a greater possibility that there could be water nearby.

Tempted to run there quick and now.

Zawadi could feel her lack of sleep from that day and the heavy meal in her stomach begin to take effect. Making sure to keep track of where she saw it, Zawadi figured the next day she get more bearings. With that in mind, she made her way over to sleep not directly beside the corpse. However enough to keep her scent near it.

In hopes if something else did catch wind of what was there they would also catch hers...and in some foolish hope she hoped it was Nuka...

Eerily green eyes could only watch the young lioness hunker down from the night. The first night in some time that she had gotten any sleep during. Taka had been asked by Zuri to keep a watch over her daughter while she had checked on the others that were out there. Two of his offspring and one that he been lied to believe was his.

When he was alive. Taka always had his sneaking suspicions that Kovu was never his.

Despite his colour of fur or green eyes.

They were not exactly his green eyes, but that really did not need to matter seeing as Nuka nor Vitani inherited his eyes.

Though now it appeared someone had. His great niece Zawadi.

Only one showed now but they were still his colour. Which went to show it did not matter the bloodline these were still his blood even through Mufasa and Simba.

But back to Kovu, yes Taka, Scar at the time, always suspected that Kovu wasn't his. He could not reclaim any time he had mated Zira around the time that she had conceived with the cub. But while he suspected...he did not care. His own cubs were either a sickly male or a female. None that would be suitable for him to pass off as a heir for his throne at the time.

So when Zira had shown him that brown, green eyed cub. Taka had made his decision to make the cub his heir when he had no other option.

Something that while at the time he did not have a single care or regret in the world. Repenting did a number on you. And here he was regretting that very decision. For the sake of the stress and neglect it had put Nuka through. His own flesh and blood...if only he had paid attention to the boy, perhaps Nuka would have grown more healthy rather than sick.

If he had taken care of the Pride Lands like a good king should have done...there would have been enough food to sustain Zira through her pregnancies and Nuka's health would have been find.

It had confused him how Nuka could be so sickly as a cub. While Vitani had turned out healthy. Skinny yes, she was too skinny for a cub as was Kovu. But neither had been as sickly as Nuka was. Some put it down to the filthy water he might have drunk and got sick on overtime.

He owed it to his nephew and Zuri for seeing that the boy became healthy.

He was now surely...all that he seen him grow the months he been travelling by himself...he was certainly becoming a lion any father could be proud of.

"How is she?"

Taka turned his head to see Zuri approaching form the abyss that was there life now. Both turned their heads to peer down at Zawadi whom by her light breathing was sleeping peacefully.

Zuri had not expected the sand storm to hit and go as far as it had. So far that it reached where Vitani and Kovu were each. And Nuka as well. That she had to check on them each to see how they fared from it. Poor Kovu had to dig his way up out of the sand that had buried him. Vitani had been luckily to hide a shallow den to hide out in.

As for Nuka...

"I found him...if I did my work right...he should be heading in this general direction."

Taka resisted the urge to snort and smirk. "Think it is wise to have them find each other so soon?"

Zuri shrugged her shoulders. "Who cares...Nuka has been out here long enough. He deserves to see a familar face."

"And Zawadi?" Taka looked at her. "You just do not want your daughter alone...if she knew that she'd think you thought her weak."

"Quite the opposite." Zuri spoke in her defense. "She is stronger than even she may perceive herself to be. That does not mean she will be weak when travelling with a companion. As they say strength in numbers." Her blue eyes softened gazing upon her daughter.

From watching from the far. Zuri could make out over the course of time that Zawadi been travelling. That her daughter was very brave and very smart. In the things she found out on how to survive on simple matters.

Did she help now and again?

Yes, she was guilty of that.

But she was a mother. A worried one at that. One that could not live with the idea that her daughter was starving and thirsty when there were subtle things she could do about it. Of course Bakari was not all that pleased, however Zuri stopped caring now and again what he thought. He said she was to guide them and that was what she was doing.

In her own ways.

Zuri did the same with the other three on occasion as well. So really she wasn't giving her daughter any true special treatment.

One would think she had led this elephant to its doom when it was only a coincidence that it stumbled on the desert at the wrong time for the storm to trap it with no where else to go. Not a death that Zuri would wish on anyone, much like murder unadulterated murder. Cub killing was next on that list.

"How is my son?" Asked Taka glancing briefly at Zawadi then at his nephews deceased mate.

"You ask like you do not keep eyes on him yourself?" Zuri cast the lion a glance. At times hard to believe this lion was the one who tormented her mates pride and family, killed her father in law and in all around evil sorts. Had changed so much.

Zuri often had morbid thoughts on whether or not death could change someone like Zira like it had done Scar. Whom had taken his former name again.

Part of her wanted to believe that. The other part laughed at the very notion of such a thought.

But who knew...the world, both the living and the dead worked in mysterious ways.

"I am merely striking pleasant conversation."

Zuri smiled at the lion then looked off in one direction through the dark of the night. "He's fared better than I hoped he would."

"With your help." Taka sat back on his haunches.

The blue eyed lioness shook her head. "No."

Thinking it over, Taka nodded and looked proud for a moment. Not a feeling he was accustomed with but one he was growing used to where his offspring were concerned. "Indeed he has come far on his own with what subtle help you send his way now and again."

The former Pride Lander Queen nodded. Her head turning in another direction. Her brow creasing with some concern.

Catching the look, Taka questioned aloud. "What has you so concerned all the sudden?" He looked off the way she was peering toward. His eyes catching nothing out of concern that he thought she was showing.

"I am thinking your son may...have his chance to prove his new strength soon enough." At Taka's questionable look. Zuri gave his shoulder a pat. Then turned to leave her daughter to rest.


The cool night and a full stomach had done her some good. Zawadi had made it through the night not waking one. Normally her stomach was one of the few things that did wake her the hungrier she got.

But a stomach full of elephant meat kept that from happening that night. And she woke refreshed during the early dawn hours.

Taking her time in waking fully. Zawadi stretched her body out, relieving her sore muscles and joints. Not every aching muscle relaxed but it was something she could live with.

Her throat was dry but she saw nothing that could give her the slightest bit of drink around. No puddles, or cactus for as far as the eye could see. All there was still was the elephant beside her.

Which smelt worst than it did the day before and appeared more rotten over night. However the night had slowed it down some. Zawadi knew the heat of the day would make it far worst and rot a lot faster. And from the looks of it, the vultures still hadn't gone far. Not that it mattered to them, they could eat even the worst of rotting flesh that would make Zawadi sick to her stomach if she just pictured herself eating it.

So for Zawadi this meant that she had to have her fill of what wasn't decomposing completely yet and then carry on her way.

Her head snapped around to the direction she remembered from the night before. Taking the time to squint and really make out what she could to the best of her abilities. Faintly there in the distance she could still make out some of the outline of what she thought and hoped were tree.

What wouldn't she give for some decent shade.

She'd sacrifice Zira and the entire pride lands for it.

The thought made her giggle perhaps a little too madly but she did nonetheless.

With her new course in mind. Zawadi took this time to fill her stomach with what she could afford to do with what she thought still was the meal from the night before weighing heavily inside her gut.

It was when she again had her fill. That Zawadi giving it some thought. Tore a large hunk of meat from the carcass. Large enough that it would fill it again later. Decent sized enough that she could carry it in her jaws with some ease.

Debating on whether she could afford to carry more, say on her back if she traveled light and slow enough. Zawadi had paid no attention to the new scents that littered the area. Nor the fact that the vultures were flying off again. It was finally as their shadows flew above her in clusters that Zawadi got a feeling that something was not quite right.

Ears up and searching for a source of any sound. She picked up the sound of paws and then a familiar cackling that made her jaw clench.

It was then the putrid smell reached her nostrils. A scent she only knew from the lingering scents in the elephant graveyard.

"You know you need a bath when you smell worst then a rotting corpse." Her voice came out as barely in a hissing snarl.

Her head snapped around when she heard the crushing of a paw on the sands. Glaring at the hyena who came slinking around the corpse of the elephant. "Far from your pride aren't you girly?" By this time Zawadi was looking in another direction when she heard more arriving and were coming from all directions now. They had taken her distraction to their advantage.

She snarled counting under her breath at each one.

one...two...three...four...five...six...seven...

She snarled..."So eleven of you think you can take on me?" She planted her paws firmly against the ground. Her ears listening for each of them and their scent. Blind to one side that was all she really had to go by. From what she could see they could tell she was blind in one eye as well. Not that it was hard not to see and put the pieces together.

"And to answer your first question..." Zawadi whipped around with lightning reflexes when one crept up beside her. Paw collecting with the hyena's head hard enough there was a snap that could be heard echoing where she dislocated their jaw from the force of the blow. They crumbled to the ground a whimpering pain of mess.

She smirked at the echo of snarls that sounded from every side of her. "As I was saying...what makes you think I have a pride?" She looked at the female she assumed was the leader. As she was the only female present. The only thing she liked about hyenas. The females were in charge, something she thought a pride should be conducted by.

The matriarch turned her attention from Zawadi to the withering male on the ground. Not an ounce of pity or sympathy on her face. The other males all around appeared to be mixed among their emotions. Angered that their comrade was down and wounded by this lioness in front of them.

However neither of them were moving to strike at her. As it appeared the one who did had done so without their leaders permission to do so. All the more reason the matriarch was not showing an ounce of sympathy for her fallen pack mate.

"Oh I do not assume...I can smell the scent of lions on you...females mostly." The matriarch turned her attention back to Zawadi. "It is faint but still clings to you which means you been around others of your kind a good amount in your life...what happened to them? Perish in the storm?"

"Takes more then a storm to kill a pride of lions." Zawadi grabbed the male that tried to attack her before. Pulling him near ignoring his paws swatting at her and pinned her paw down on his throat. Smirking when she felt the the hyena struggle to breath. Adding only enough pressure that he would struggle but not enough to kill him.

Her smirk widened at the louder the snarls of those around her rose. Only the matriarch as always appeared indifferent. To some degree. Zawadi could see the anger lurking in the back of the hyenas eyes. "Am I striking a nerve?" She asked pushing down on the male's neck further making him gasp out loud and claw more at her out of desperation.

The matriarch finally let out a snarl of her own.

Zawadi smirked. Her eyebrow raising. "And here I thought you didn't care...seeing as I already broke his jaw. And if it does not heal right...well he'll starve to death. Which is a slow painful death. I can give him a much quicker one." Her eyes looked around briefly at those around her and her ears listening to the ones she could not see. Her eyes staying forward so she could keep the leader within her sight.

"Kill him." The leader spoke calmly. Heads looked at her, scowls on their faces that she was daring the lioness to kill their pack mate. "Kill him...go right ahead...doesn't mean you'll make it out of here alive. You lions think you are oh so high and mighty. We could have let you simply leave if you gave us the elephant...now..." The leader smirked. "I do not see that happening. You wounded our pack mate and threatening to kill him...so whether you do or you don't...you are not making it away from here alive." The female took a small step forward.

"Oh...and what makes you think there are only eleven of us?"

Zawadi could feel her body tightening as it tensed further. Her nose lifted to the air taking another breath she tensed growling. Her claws unsheathing and digging into the neck that she held beneath her paw. More of them...how could she been so...she looked at the elephant carcass and snarled as she been so blind.

They had used the scent of the rotting corpse in the sun to hide their scents from her.

From behind the elephant came more...what had been eleven was now nineteen.

Eleven Zawadi estimated she could handle on her own. Nineteen...puts some odds against her. Only some. Zawadi was already trying to think how she could get out of this all alive. And how many she could take down as she shook them off.

"You wanted the elephant? All you had to do was ask." She mocked the leader.

"Oh sweetheart if you think you are going to get away from this..."

"Oh I will." Zawadi cocked her head to the side. "Just trying to think of which one of you I am going to kill in order to do just that."

The hyenas laughed. Zawadi fought the urge to cover her ears to block out the sound. How could they stand their own laughter? It was giving her a headache.

"Let my brother go bitch!" One male snarled from her left.

Zawadi turned her head toward him. "Well since you asked so nicely..." Zawadi was looking around trying to think of how she was going to get out of this. Zira would be telling her to stay and fight until the death whether it be theirs or her own. Her mother on the other hand taught her to learn how to pick your fights.

And know when a fight was better on ones own, compared to how a fight with your pride sisters and friends in general would be like.

Zawadi growled inwardly at the frustration. It's not weak to run...her mothers voice sounded in her head.

Weak.

The last thing Zawadi wanted to do was appear weak. Zira sent them out to learn how to survive on their own. How would it look if she just ran when she could try and take down the threat that was around her.

She had two sides fighting inside her. The one that wanted to fight and the other that wanted to live to see another day and take down as many as she could while she got away.

Zira's way or her mothers.

Decisions. Decisions.

Looking down at the one beneath her. Zawadi decided...take down as many as she could...

"...Here you go then." Opening her jaws wide she grabbed the hyena beneath her and tossed them toward the one that called them brother. Smirking as the two collided, she dodged to the side as one lunged at her and kicked them with her back legs sending them sprawling to the ground.

Lips pulled back in a grizzly snarl. Zawadi maneuvered her body easily to dodge those she saw and heard coming towards her. The hyenas mistakes were to think that being partially blind would be her disadvantage and their advantage. How wrong they were. Thankful that her aunts and mother had taken the time to teach her how to properly work around her disability.

Zawadi's claws swiped out at speeds that she could muster in such conditions. Seeing an opening, she made for it hearing the leader shout to take her down. Running her paws kicking up the sand beneath her. She pushed as much as she could back at those giving chase. But they were soon coming from all sides wanting to take her from both to slow her.

Lowering her body to the ground at the last minute she smirked hearing two more collided as they had tried to pounce on her from both sides. "Fools." Zawadi pushed herself to her paws and turned grabbing one and threw them into another.

Not realizing the one left near her had been awake and not knocked out and roared in pain when she felt jaws wrap around her leg. Looking down she glared viciously clawing the face of the one who held onto her but they were persistent and held out for all the pain that shot through them from the wounds on their face.

Struggling to get her back leg free. Zawadi had to turn and swipe her claws at those coming for her. Claws and teeth all lunging at her from every side.

Her pride swelled when she saw the number of them that were falling that she managed to sink her own claws and teeth into. Only there were more and more that were coming at her. She had taken down five she could count...five out of nineteen.

Another set of jaws grabbed her other back leg and she leg them pull her legs out from under her. Sending her crashing to the ground. "Filthy beasts!" Zawadi snarled flipping onto her back and clawed at them with the claws enough this time to get them to let her go.

Rolling onto her stomach, Zawadi was ready to push herself up when she felt the weight of three jump on her and hold her down. Well try too. Zawadi pushed her legs under her to try and push them up and off of her but they added more weight until she was laying flat on her stomach.

Glaring daggers at the leader whom approached her with a smug look upon her face. "Little lone lioness. Did you really think you'd get away? Do not worry. We shall make your death quick and then if you are lucky...we shall not feast upon you. But rather let leave your body out in the sun and let the vultures have at it. After all that is what you lions would have done to any one of us. What you would have done to us."

"Do not presume to think you know what I was going to do." Zawadi narrowed her eyes.

The female looked at her and bent her head down to Zawadi's level. "Don't I? I have met many lions and you all think you are so mighty and brave and special. You call us scavengers yet we are capable of hunting on our own. Even you lions like a free meal now and again. After all is that not what you wanted with the elephant." The hyena mocked her.

Zawadi was trying her hardest not to let her words strip away at her pride.

"Or were you going to let us believe that you little lioness took a big elephant down all by yourself."

Zawadi's mind was already picking how much she wanted to kill her. There was only so much that ones pride could take. "I had not wanted to fight." Zawadi snapped. "I just wanted to take my scraps and leave. It was you who surrounded me."

"To see how many of you were around...but it seems you are indeed alone." The female paced in front of her smirking at Zawadi like she had just gained the best gift of them all. "How many of my kind has yours killed of mine over the generations?"

"And how many of yours has done the same?"

"VERY LITTLE!' The female struck out at Zawadi striking her in the face. Luckily her claws had not been out. Zawadi hated to think how many scars she needed to add to her collection that she already had.

The female stopped and took in the scars and the blind eye. "Someone must have really hated you to give you that."

"And what if they did?" Zawadi wasn't about to tell her that it was an accident as a cub. What kind of story was that? Her scars and eye gave her a certain kind of fierceness Vitani would tell her. But only if no one really knew the truth behind them.

"We lions fight more among ourselves then we do you."

The leader smirked and grabbed Zawadi's muzzle with her paw and unsheathed her claws slowly. "You have such a smart mouth for one in your situation."

"Well what can I say, I guess my mother did not raise me right." Zawadi's mind was trying to figure out how she was going to get out of this one. Testing her paws beneath her and the weight that was on her. Thinking back to her training and the times she been held down by Zira and ordered to throw her off.

Her back legs ached but she still had enough strength in them if she really had to push all her might into it.

"Did your mother also tell you how you should speak to your superiors?"

A slow smirk shifted to her face. "She did...but I don't see anyone of you superior to me...I only did some mangy filthy scavengers who really need to bathe as they smell worst then a corpse." She felt her pride swell at the anger that came over the leaders face. Then growled in pain when a pair of jaws wrapped around her neck, not enough to kill her but enough for her to feel the pain and the blood trickle down her neck.

They were trying to show her that if she tried to throw them off, they had the advantage and would kill her in the process.

So either she could lay still and die or fight and die.

It was like these things did not even know her at all.

The leader was looking down at her with narrowed eyes. "I made it my duty to kill every lion I see. For what you did to my pack and many more like us over the years." She stood in front of Zawadi baring down at her. "You will be the 50th lion I will strike down off that imaginary pedestal you lions hold yourself on."

"Don't count your blessings." Zawadi spat in her face.

Wiping her face, the leader looked at Zawadi as she ordered those on her to get off. Hesitant but they did as asked. Getting to their paws but not going far. Creating a circle around Zawadi and their leader.

Looking around, Zawadi got to her paws. Confused. Why weren't they just killing her. "Full of hot air?" She asked mockingly. Thinking their bluffs were just that.

"You have spirit...I like that." The leader slowly moved around the circle. Keeping Zawadi in her sights as did the rest. There was not a single opening for her to exploit this time around. Not unless she wished to jump over them. Doable but they could always claw her stomach and then she'd be in big trouble. So rather than simply run, Zawadi looked at the leader wonder what she wanted.

When she asked, the female leader smirked coming to a stop in front of the young lioness. "You will fight me."

Zawadi faltered for a moment. The others all around began to whisper, others demanding why they couldn't just kill the lioness and be done with it like they did every other lion that crossed paths with. The leader snapped her jaws causing her pack to hush. "Killing this one will be more satisfying to see her fight for her life." She looked at the lioness. "Not that they all haven't...and failed."

"I won't fail." Zawadi did not know whom she was reassuring more. Herself or the hyena.

"We shall only have to see." The leader circled Zawadi again, whom followed her movements to keep her within her sights.

The two appeared to circle on another for almost forever until they struck in union. Sending blow after blow against one another. It was becoming obvious that the leader had lived up to her word. From the way she knew how to fight, she had fought other lions in the past. Figuring out how one moved and used their strength.

Zawadi had to keep herself on the attack rather than focus on a defense. Keeping herself form being backed into the others who had no qualms with snapped their jaws at her and trying to take a chunk out of her. It was quite apparent that they did not like to fight fair. If she only defended herself Zawadi did not think she would stand much of a chance with the way they fought.

So it was coming to mind that she had to fight dirty as just as much as they did.

Putting her paws to the ground she lunged herself forward, the moved to the right as she made the leader think she would go left, then came from the side and took her to the ground.

On the ground. On her back. The leader did not give up and kept throwing attacks at Zawadi who was beating her paws down onto her. Both trying to better the other. The leader attempted to strike Zawadi's good eye thinking if she was fully blind she would be useless.

Unbeknownst to the matriarch Zawadi had trained herself not only to learn how to fight with one eye and the rest of her senses. But how to train completely blind. So even if this female blinded her. Zawadi would still fight on. With an even more wild abandon than she already was.

That however was still not something she was going to let happen.

Clamping her jaws around the paw that aimed to do exactly that. She bite down hard until she heard something break and listened to the matriarch's screams as her wrist partially down her arm broke in Zawadi's jaws.

"No! I do not need your help!" The matriarch snapped her jaws at those who attempted to come in and help her.

Already she was trying to use her other claws. Digging into Zawadi's flesh but the lioness would not let go of her arm. Instead she twisted her body and the leader hyenas under her so that he arm twisted back and with a sickening snap popped right out of her shoulder joint. The matriarchs screams seemed to bounce off the dunes in every direction.

The snarls of her pack mate following.

Dislocated shoulder, the matriarch attempted to get back up but Zawadi pushed her to the ground and smirked. "You should have just killed me." Zawadi could see that realization dawning in the other ones eyes. Realizing her mistake much too late. The matriarch's cockiness had gotten the better of her. Thinking she could do what she had done many times over in the past.

Only for it to catch up with her.

The last thing she saw was Zawadi's claws coming for her throat and then the world was black.

A hush came over the crowd that was present. Eyes watched in disbelief as their leader crumbled to the ground like fallen leaves. Her blood staining the sands.

With growls they turned their attention to the one who murdered their matriarch. Zawadi sitting there passively cleaning the blood off her claws. "Don't say I didn't warn you..."

"How dare you!"

Zawadi looked confused. "How dare I?" Lowering her paws, she pushed herself up onto them. Stepping over the body. "It was you who attacked me. You who tried to kill me and you who fought dirty to begin with...and your leader tried and failed...she only did not think of what would happen if she failed." She smirked then looked at those who started to surround her snarling.

"Well at least she won't be alone in the afterlife." Zawadi was beginning to grow bored. At first she thought they were going to be a challenge but now...

She hunkered herself low to the ground watching as they surrounded her. Wanting revenge for their fallen leader. She had half expected them to run with their tails between their legs when she fell. Well it seemed she would be getting her money's worth out of this trip...

Zawadi watched as they were about ready to pounce her when a loud echoing roar traveled across the sands.

Confusion crossed the hyenas faces.

And Zawadi's.

That wasn't a leopards roar or anything else's.

That was a lions.

And it wasn't her own.

Zawadi tried to wrap her mind around it when she smelt a familiar scent carried on the wind. Her eyes grew wide with realization , and her head started to raise as the hyenas turned to look at the new arrival who had interrupted their fun and revenge.

The sun was behind the figure but Zawadi knew it was him...it was his scent...but that body...confusion ran through her.

It was too big in size and mane...

Lifting her head further so the sun did not blind her completely. Zawadi watched as his image became more focused into view and her eyes widened inch by inch until they could open no further.

The lion on the dune above them while not as large as King Simba...was drawing pretty much. Over the months his mane had grown larger with the new good he was bringing into his body and the muscles he grew in his need to help better sustain himself out in the world and protect himself.

If it wans't for the scent...and those eyes...

The same red eyes that been looking at her since day one.

The same goofy softness to them that held not a protective piercing look. One that Zawadi deep down knew was for her.

A small smirk tugged at the corner of his muzzle as his eyes met Zawadi's who could only stare at him with disbelief.

"Did you miss me?"


Again my apologies for the wait. So, so, so sorry.