Chapter Nine: The Massing of the Armies

Night was approaching and the sun had begun to make its way back to its home under a deep red horizon. The lion king was sitting alone, in a corner of his rocky palace, immersed in his own thoughts but aware of everything that took place in his surroundings. At the sound of thudding paws he turned to see Kiara approaching him.

"How are you feeling honey?" asked Simba, with a warm smile on his face.

Kiara sat down beside her father, her eyelids heavy. Ever since their food supply had been cut off, Kiara had been suffering the most due to her pregnancy; though both Simba and Kovu were quick in offering her as much food as they could spare, her strength was slowly deteriorating.

"Daddy, I'm worried about Sarabi and the other lionesses," said Kiara, sounding distressed. "They should have been back by now, whether they caught anything or not."

Simba nuzzled his daughter to soothe her anxiety.

"Don't worry Kiara; I'm sure the antelope are just more difficult to catch this time around," replied Simba; but Kiara continued to look worried.

Simba got to his paws and yawned, baring his majestic teeth, and then turned to look at the reddening-sky. He closed his eyes for a moment and felt the warm savannah air blow through his mane and, for the first time in days, he felt at peace. "YOU'RE HIGHNESS!" And as instantly as it had begun, the peace was shattered as Simba's eyes shot open and he leapt to his paws as all of Pride Rock suddenly became alert. "What is it? What's going on?" cried Simba, as he raced down the stone steps in search of the disturbance. In the blink of an eye Apana bounded into sight, panting as if she had been running for days without rest, and glancing Simba up ahead, staggered towards him.

"Simba – I came as fast I could –," spluttered Apana, her words tumbled over each other as they rushed to escape her mouth.

"Apana, what's happened? Where are the rest of the group?" cried Simba frantically but, even in the warm night atmosphere of the savannah, a cold chill began to creep up Simba's spine at the sight of tears leaking from Apana's eyes.

"Simba, we were attacked – ambushed – by a group of tigers," began Apana.

"No…"

"Carla and Sema are dead – the tigers slaughtered them."

"What about my mother?" shouted Simba forcefully but Apana bowed her head.

"Apana, tell me what happened to my mother!" cried Simba but his mouth was now denying what his heart knew to be true. Apana looked up into the eyes of her king, "She's dead Simba. I'm so sorry." In the moments that followed this announcement a dead silence had taken hold of Pride Rock but Nala, the lion queen, moved towards her husband.

"Simba –,"

"Where is her body?" asked Simba abruptly.

"A few miles north from here," replied Apana.

"Take me there. Now," commanded Simba; he spoke the words slowly, as if each one was causing him an immense amount of pain.

"We're coming with you," said Nala, moving closer towards him.

"All of us," stated Kovu, appearing at his side.

"No Kovu. You have to stay with Kiara. She's heavily pregnant and your place is by her side," said Nala firmly. Kovu nodded his head in agreement and watched as Apana raced back towards the battlefield with Simba, Nala and an escort of lionesses at her rear.

As the sky grew darker the pride of lions arrived at the battlefield and looked out over the land and their eyes beheld the mutilated carcasses of two lionesses, lying together in a heap. Apana moved towards them cautiously, turned one of them over with her paw and fell to the ground, weeping. The rest of the lionesses also moved towards the bodies and recognised the faces of two of their family.

"They didn't stand a chance," whispered Nala, as she struggled to hold back her tears.

"Those monsters!" yelled another lioness, looking down upon her fallen comrades.

With a final glance, Nala turned away from Carla and Sema and looked around her; the once lush-green grass was now stained with the blood of her family. However the lion king sat alone, a little further off from where the other lionesses stood mourning; He sat still, his back to his pride and Nala knew, as she approached him and saw what he was staring at, that a part of her husband's life had just been shattered; destroyed beyond any repair. Before him, lay Sarabi's body: two deep fang holes in her throat, her fur shaded with blood, several large and deep gashes in her stomach and half of her own tail in her mouth.

Nala stood frozen, staring at the sickening scene laid out before her, but she gathered her strength and turned to face Simba. His mane was soaked heavily with tears but he was no longer crying; he simply stared at his mother's body and, with a trembling paw, removed the rest of her tail from her mouth. Then without warning, the truth suddenly hit him: the lion king was now an orphan. For how long they sat there, Nala did not know, she simply remained by his side, refusing to abandon him in his time of need. Apana, who had regained her composure, got to her paws and walked over to the mourning couple.

"Simba," began Apana. "There is something you should know."

Nala turned to look at Apana but Simba remained staring at his mother.

"The tiger that led this attack – she wanted me to give you a message – that's why she let me live."

"What kind of message?" said Simba harshly; he spoke as if speaking was a habit he had long forgotten.

"She said that if you wanted to end this war and avenge Sarabi's murder, then you should come with your pride to the gorge where you met Khan." She paused and then added: "By noon tomorrow."

Simba was silent for a moment, then got to his paws and turned his back to Sarabi. Nala saw that his expression was hard and two burning flames seemed to be dancing in his eyes.

"Let's head home," said Simba. "It's time to mass the army."

"Simba, no! You can't be thinking of going there!" shouted Nala.

"I have to; it's the only way to put an end to this war once and for all."

"Simba, you'll be walking straight into a trap. Khan knows you'll take the bait. That must be why he ordered this attack; to make you angry enough to go after him."

Simba moved away from Nala, not wanting to hear reason; for the sight of his mother's ruined body had instilled within him a strong desire to do something reckless and foolish.

"What of the dead?" asked Vitani. She tore her eyes away from the dead lionesses' bodies and looked at her king.

"Leave them here. It is tradition in the Pride Lands that those who are killed in battle are to remain at the place where they died," replied Simba.

Vitani turned to Nala, confused, who nodded her head in agreement.

"He's right Vitani. That's why Mufassa's body was never buried."

With a final glance at his mother, Simba turned away from the battlefield and made his way back to Pride Rock; his head bowed, deep in thought, as the rest of the lionesses followed after him.

"You have done well Shiba," said Khan. The night had finally come and the Pride Lands were now bathed in moonlight. Shiba and the rest of the squad had just returned to the tiger's lair and had finished recounting the day's events to their leader.

"And how did you leave Sarabi's body?" Khan asked.

"Mutilated beyond comparison," answered Shiba, licking her lips in satisfaction.

Khan smiled evilly and turned to face the rest of the tigers, who were all waiting patiently for their leader to speak.

"Today, I extend my heartiest congratulations to you all," began Khan. "For today we are henceforth, Simba's greatest enemies!"

The quiet air was suddenly broken as the tigers roared in happiness.

"Today, we have placed ourselves forever out of the mercy of Simba!" declared Khan. The tigers roared again; for every word Khan spoke their bodies became filled with joy and excitement.

"Now, what we have all waited so long for is finally going to take place. We are about to go to war with those wretched lions! And we will, at long last, become the new Royal Family of these lands!" Khan paused, surveying the jubilant tigers.

"Prepare yourselves! For your final fight!" bellowed Khan, before turning to Shiba.

"Prepare the army for the battle. We move out tomorrow morning," commanded Khan. Shiba bowed her head to her leader and turned to move towards the rest of the tigers but Khan called her back.

"Remember Shiba. This really will be their final fight." Khan's eyes gazed deep into Shiba's and he added: "You know what to do."

Shiba nodded her head, just as her face split into a wide, sinister smile.