Rafiki traveled through the thick forest and across the sweeping plains back to the Pride Lands. As he slowly made his way through the Outlands, still holding the daisy, he gasped at how the beautiful lands had changed. He stood for a moment in silence, the thick grey sky and the silent lands reminding him of the time when Scar had ruled. The old baboon decided to wait in the Outlands until night had fallen, so that he would not be so easily noticed.
Life in the Pride Lands had changed since the terrible end of Kimoni's rule. The animals fought amongst themselves, and the sky was always cloudy. The black lions had completely taken over, and no one could stop them. From the first night, when Blacksoul had shown her power over the moon, the lionesses of Pride Rock had not dared to oppose them, and had now become just like shadows.
Blacksoul sat on the edge of Pride Rock, looking down with glee over the miserable lands. She heard a noise behind her and looked around. Seeing a small group of Pride Landers, being led by a black lioness, she smiled. Blacksoul had not wasted a moment in placing a tight watch over all the lionesses of Pride Rock. She had split them into groups that hunted and slept together, under the constant watch of a black lioness. The lionesses of Pride Rock lived slowly through each day, always being the cause of laughter and mocking, but still they remained strong. Although they were terrified of the black lions with their evil doing, one thing drove them on. Word had gotten to each of the lionesses that Prince Daren had escaped. And that was the one thing that gave them hope.
The strange disappearance of Daren had bothered Blacksoul. A few times, lionesses from her pride had expressed concerns that the young prince might return and defeat them all. But Blacksoul had merely laughed. Although it worried her, she felt certain that it could never happen. Daren of Pride Rock had been marked, and would always stand out. The moment he set foot in the Pride Lands, he would be recognized – and dealt with.
Redeye climbed Pride Rock, and went to sit along side his mate. He had just returned from checking with the border guards. Black lions had been positioned at different places along the Pride Land border, and they always remained there. No one was allowed in or out without special permission. Redeye smiled to himself. Blacksoul had such a talent for plotting. Often, Redeye didn't have the patience for it, but he had to admit his mate was very intelligent. He had watched her sit and study the moon and the stars and the way things worked for hours on end. And every time she had made a plan, it had worked. Redeye knew he had made the right choice on her from the beginning.
"How are the borders?" Blacksoul looked over at Redeye, her face seeming a little bit amused. The leader of the black pride was a violent lion, but he had a sweet side to him that she adored.
Redeye looked over at Blacksoul, his eyes glinting. "Silent, as always."
Blacksoul nodded as Redeye stretched and lowered himself to the ground. He was tired after a day of hard work. Often, Redeye secretly marveled at the size of the Pride Lands and wondered how one king could control them all. Then, he would shake off the thought with his own cocky impression of himself. Redeye was fearless and cold. The only living creature he had ever shown a hint of kindness to was Blacksoul. When he had met her, Redeye knew at once that he wanted her, and no other lionesses would ever satisfy him. He had trapped her with his cunningness and now she was his. Yes, Redeye could also be very crafty, but he preferred to kill. Perhaps that was why he loved the Pride Lands so much. There were so many animals trapped there, that he could kill any of them, anytime he wanted. Redeye laughed, remembering the face of the baby zebra after he had killed its mother.
Sitting up, Redeye moved closer to Blacksoul. The two black lions sat together, watching as the blood red sun disappeared below the horizon.
In the large cave at Pride Rock, Kianga paced back and forth. Finally, Nightblood, the lioness in charge of Kianga, her mother, Marjani and Azmera finished eating. She looked up, her eyes flashing with hate.
"What do you want?" her sharp voice rang out to Kianga.
Kianga looked over at the black lioness, shaking a little. Although she was terribly frightened of the black pride, she also had a defiant streak within her. She knew that one day Daren would come back to save them, and she looked forward to it every moment of her life. Raising her chin slightly, she answered the lioness.
"I'm thirsty."
Nightblood snarled and stepped forwads, her claws digging into the earth, but she managed to control herself. Blacksoul had ordered that they not lay a paw on the Pride Landers, unless they tried to escape. Blacksoul believed that with time, they would convince the lionesses of Pride Rock to join with them.
"Hurry up then," spat the black lioness, quickly walking from the cave down towards the water hole. Kianga followed a short distance behind.
When they arrived at the waterhole, Nightblood went a little ways off, almost blending into the darkness. With such thick clouds, the stars were barely visible, and even the moonlight was mostly blocked out. Kianga stepped through the gloom and made her way to the water's edge. Sitting alone by it, she began to think back to when things were different. When Kimoni was king and she played with Daren for hours every day. Kianga looked down at the still water, and a few drops fell from her soft face. She was still very young; still a cub, but she had learned so many things.
One of the most important things she had learned was that she loved Daren. Kianga felt like her heart would break, every day that she had to spend apart from him. And so, she had gone to sit at the water hole every evening, and thought of him. Often, she would gaze into the clear water, and imagine she could see his reflection there, looking at her from across the pond.
In the Outlands, Rafiki crouched down as a border guard passed him. Once the lioness was gone, the baboon looked up at the cloudy night sky and sighed. "Kovu? Why are these terrible things happening?" He sat in silence for a moment, and then looked up in surprise. It had been a long time since he had heard the whispers of the Great Kings.
Rafiki watched in amazement, as the clouds slowly began to part. A few stars glimmered through, and he watched as the stars began to move. Soon, a form was peering down towards him. It was Kovu, the long departed Pride Land king. And beside him stood the shining form of Kimoni. Rafiki stood in silence, as the kings spoke to him.
"Rafiki, as always, the Pride Lands will be faced with challenges. But they will be freed. Those who dwell in the Pride Lands will prove their worth, and there will be balance again." Kimoni sounded just like he always had, full of wisdom and strength.
Then Kovu looked down on the old baboon, and his deep voice rang out. "You have done well Rafiki. Always, the Pride Lands have counted on you. You have guided many young cubs, and you will forever be remembered for it."
Rafiki looked up at the kings, his heart feeling heavy. Somewhere deep inside him, he knew exactly what they were saying. Then he heard another voice, but this time it was not accompanied by a shimmering form.
"The skies are not only for great kings and queens, Rafiki. They are for all those animals who have served others with love and compassion. You will be welcomed here."
The voice echoed for a moment, before fading away. Rafiki felt a lump form in his throat. It had been the voice of Simba. He looked up at Kovu and Kimoni and watched, as the two kings stood for a moment in silence. Then, they began to disappear into the night sky. Rafiki looked up and then called out in desperation.
"What must I still do?"
There was no reply, but as the clouds began to move back, the moon shone down in one clear beam. Rafiki looked for where it rested, and realized that it was the water hole. Hurrying, he crossed the border and rushed to the water hole, taking no notice of anything around him.
Redeye and Blacksoul had been sitting closer together on Pride Rock when the clouds had shifted. They had looked in surprise at the sky, and Blacksoul had shivered. She had never heard of the sky doing this before. They watched, as the clouds parted and then began to move back. As they did so, a single beam shone down towards the water hole. Looking at each other, Redeye and Blacksoul leapt up, calling some of their lionesses to go with them, and charged down the rocks towards the pond.
Rafiki was almost at the water hole when he stopped in surprise. There was Kianga, sitting alone near the water. As he made his way towards her, he noticed a black lioness sitting not far off in the grass. Nightblood had been watching the sky, gazing uneasily at the moving clouds. She was hoping it wouldn't rain. Looking around him, Rafiki saw a large stone. Picking it up, he crept his way through the grass. Suddenly, he leapt up and whacked the lioness on the head with the stone. She crumpled to the ground, and Rafiki dashed over to where Kianga sat. The cub looked up in shock and was about to cry out when she recognized the baboon. He clamped a hand over her mouth.
"Kianga, this is very important. You need to tell Azmera that Daren is alright. He sends his love to her. And he sends this for you." Rafiki presented her with the white daisy. Kianga looked at the baboon, and was about to ask him something when he shook his head.
"I must go. Promise me that you will never admit that you know me. Even if they realize we met here tonight. You must not tell the black lions that you know me." Rafiki turned to run, but barely made it away from the water hole. He was only a few paces away when Redeye, Blacksoul and their lionesses arrived. Kianga quickly bit off the stem of the daisy, and picked up the daisy in her mouth. With it hidden, she sat totally still.
"Well, well, what have we here?" Blacksoul circled Rafiki, her eyes glittering with curiosity and the love of bloodshed. "Where are you from?"
The baboon refused to speak. He glared back at the lioness.
Redeye snarled. "You are a trespasser on our lands."
Rafiki's eyes narrowed. "These lands belong to Kimoni. And one day, Daren will rule here! He is the rightful king!"
Blacksoul swiped at him, her claws unsheathed. Rafiki winced as he felt searing pain. The black lionesses roared, and paced back and forth, ready to charge.
Blacksoul kept them back, and looked down at the baboon. "Those names are not spoken here." Then, glancing over, she noticed Kianga. "Do you know this monkey?" she asked the cub. Kianga felt Rafiki's gaze on her, and slowly shook her head.
"Then come," said Blacksoul. "It's very late. We should get you back home." As she made her way off, with Kianga following her, Blacksoul nodded to Redeye. When the two were about half way to Pride Rock, Kianga heard the terrible sound of lions attacking. She turned back just in time to see the old baboon's still body falling to the ground, the moon disappearing once again beneath the thick cover of clouds.
Inside the cave, Kianga crouched next to her mother, the tears falling fast from her eyes. Carefully, she placed the daisy on the ground, and Azmera looked up in surprise. It had been a while since daisies had grown in the Pride Lands. Kianga whispered the story to her mother and Azmera, and both lionesses sighed with relief and sadness. Together, they fell asleep, dreaming of a day when the Pride Lands would be free once more.
Once Redeye had led the lionesses against Rafiki, he took them throughout the Pride Lands, searching for anything unusual. Back at Pride Rock, Blacksoul was overcome by sleep and went to lie down near the edge of Pride Rock. Soon, she had fallen into a deep sleep, and that was when she had the dream.
"Take very good care of your sister. We'll be back from hunting later this afternoon."
The two light colored lionesses trotted out into the forest. One had a small, white moon-shaped marking, while the other had one white ear. They were playing and laughing together. They were very close and they loved each other dearly. The older lioness was watching her younger sister jump about. Just as she was leaping towards her, a stranger came flying out from the bushes, and attacked the younger lioness. Barely older than a cub, she screamed in terror and pain. The older lioness turned around, snarling, as more of the laughing hyenas attacked her. Trying desperately to fight them off and go help her younger sister, the older lioness watched in horror as a hyena leapt up at her sister's neck. As she tried to get away, the hyena pulled back with all his might. The younger lioness stumbled back and fell to the ground, the two long gashes on her neck bleeding badly.
"Lisha!" screamed the other lioness, tears welling up in her eyes as she tried with all her might to fight her way over to her younger sister. Suddenly, the clearing was filled with large, black lionesses. They clawed and ripped at the hyenas with all their might and soon the hyenas had run off, whining and yelping.
The older lioness ran over to her younger sister. "Oh Lisha, say something! Please!" She began sobbing as a large black lion stepped up towards her. He looked down at the crying lioness, and then at the unconscious one lying at her feet. He bent towards her and then shook his head.
"I'm sorry, she's gone."
The older lioness turned and began crying into his thick, black mane. "Oh, now what can I do? My sister is dead, and it's my fault." The black lion smiled; his eyes half closed.
"There now, why don't you leave this place and join us?" He pulled the lioness closer to him, breathing in her scent and pausing, an evil smile spreading across his face. The lioness stepped back and looked up at him.
"You're right. There's nothing left for me here."
The black lion nodded. "Then you will join my pride. We will be glad to have a fighter like you." He stared down at her, his eyes glinting.
The lioness gasped when she saw his eyes. One was yellow, while the other was blood red. Then she took a deep breath and nodded, hate creeping into her heart.
"I will join you."
The black lion nodded approvingly. "Very well then. What is your name?"
"Rehema."
The black lion looked around the clearing at his followers. "Rehema, from now on you will be known as Blacksoul." Then he turned and wandered off, the black lionesses following close behind him. The lioness with the white ear took one look at her fallen sister, and then went after the black pride. And deep down inside her, she vowed to get vengeance for her sister's death. But no matter what she did, she could never forget screaming her sister's name.
"Lisha!" Blacksoul woke with a start, and looked around her. It was still night, and the dark clouds seemed to be pressing even closer. The black lioness shuddered and sat up. It had been a long time since she had dreamed about her past. Shaking her head, Blacksoul made her way down the rocks and went to go find Redeye.