Chapter Eight: Red Fur

Sarabi gasped and got to her paws, her mind reeling, but before she could regain her composure she was met with a sharp blow across the head and toppled over.

"Surround them!" commanded Shiba. "Don't give them a chance to escape!"

Without question the tigers obeyed their captain and closed in upon their victims from all sides, forcing the lionesses to huddle together. Sarabi got up again, blood running down her face from a deep gash on her head.

"They ambushed us..." said one of the lionesses stiffly. "Now what are we going to do?"

Sarabi turned to the lioness who had spoken.

"Apana, tell Carla and Sema that we're going to try and make a break for Pride Rock," she whispered. At the sound of their whispers however, one of the tigers narrowed his eyes and clenched his teeth.

"I hate lions," he muttered and, without waiting for a signal, lunged at Sarabi but before he could reach her the lioness called Carla leapt from where she was standing and tackled the tiger to the ground.

"Carla!" yelled Sarabi, running to her aid but the former queen's path was blocked by two other tigers, who bared their fangs at her viscously.

"Kill them all but leave Sarabi to me," said Shiba fiercely. "And make sure that one of them is left alive to relay Khan's message to Simba."

The tigers roared their appreciation at this command and then turned their attention to choosing the lioness who would receive their death sentence. Meanwhile both Carla and the tiger were engaged in a close fight, the brave lioness had struck the tiger repeatedly in the face leaving a number of deep wounds but the tiger suddenly retaliated by tackling her with a force that sent her crashing to the ground.

"Damn it…" spluttered Carla, as she coughed up blood. The tiger was now closing in on her, wiping his own blood off of his face with his paw.

"You pathetic fool," he cried and with a grunt of fury tore into Carla's flesh with his claws. Carla screamed in pain but it was cut short for she received the full force of the tiger's weight upon her neck and spoke no more.

"She's dead," said the tiger, reappearing to where the rest of them had the remaining lionesses at bay. Shiba examined him and saw the deep claw marks in his face.

"It looks like she didn't die easily Riaz," she said, with a slight mock tone in her voice but he merely grunted in frustration and moved off to join the rest of the tigers. The tiger captain now turned her attention to Apana.

"I have decided to let you be the lucky one who delivers our message," she said. "Tell Simba that if he wants to end this war and avenge his mother's death," Shiba turned her gaze sinisterly to Sarabi as she said this, who suddenly felt like freezing water was running through her.

"…he should come with his pride to the same gorge where he met our leader Khan."

"No! I can't leave you Sarabi," said Apana and tears welled up in her eyes. But Sarabi was looking straight at Shiba and she knew, beyond any doubt, that she was going to die here. Sarabi now turned to both Apana and Sema,

"Sema," began Sarabi.

"I'm not leaving you Sarabi," interrupted Sema. "If we're going to die here, then I'll die protecting you," she said fiercely.

"Enough talk!" yelled Shiba, suddenly impatient. "Kill her!"

The tigers now charged at Sema who stood her ground but it was not enough to contend with the mighty force of the tiger squad and she was soon swept off her paws and tumbled in a heap on to the ground. Like vultures on a dead animal, the tigers tore into Sema's body; her screams were drowned out as she was mutilated alive, her fur turning a deep red.

At the sight of this scene, both Sarabi and Apana turned to defend their fallen comrade but Sarabi suddenly felt rows of sharp fangs piercing her back. She screamed and was knocked down. Shiba turned to Apana, "Go now!" she yelled. "Or I'll kill you as well." Apana looked at her friend who lay beneath Shiba's paw and, tears flowing down her face, hurtled back to Pride Rock. Shiba looked down at Sarabi and laughed.

"Look how a mighty queen has ended up," she said, as she dug her claws into Sarabi. The former queen looked up at death itself and closed her eyes.

"Tell Mufassa I said hi for me," said Shiba and with those words, sank her fangs deep into Sarabi's throat. Her cry was cut short as everything around her turned black. For she was dying and her legacy had ended.