Chapter 6


Been some time since I updated this. Sorry. But things in real life come first.


The feeling that woke her. Sakina could not explain it. One minute she was sound asleep enjoying the laughter of her cubs in her dream. A dream where she pictured what life would have been like should Nuka had lived. And been there beside her while they raised their cubs and watched them grow. One such dream that Sakina had many times over the years since the fateful day she watched her mate slip away from her.

It was a dream that both pleased her, and saddened her. For whenever she would wake from such a dream. Sakina's first instinct had been to look for Nuka. Only to realize what she had seen had only been just that. A dream. But while it saddened her. It was one she welcomed nonetheles.

For it was the only time she could see her mate. Whether it was a dream or not. Sakina felt that living a life that could have been in her dreams. Was better than dreaming of the nightmares there had been in the past. Rather than watch Nuka's paw slip away from her's time and time again.

She could see him smiling and playing with their young. Something she would give anything for. Even in a dream.

However she had woken early that night or day...when she opened her eyes and looked outside the cave. Only to see gray clouds and rain. Sakina could not tell what time of day it was. The sound of the rain soothed her however. Like it always seemed to do.

That soothing feeling lasted perhaps a good two seconds when Sakina came to realize that she was cold on one side of her. Where she ought to be feeling warmth from the body of her second daughter Adimu. For out of the corner of her eyes, she could see Enzi was sleeping on the right of her. While on her left...

Sakina's head snapped to her left only to see the place where her second daughter ought to be. Was vacant. Her first instinct was to think that her daughter had woken up early and perhaps had gone to see if anyone else was up. Pride Rock was safe. There was really nothing she could fear of something happening in their home. They been safe for years and Simba always promised that was how it would be.

However that moment...Sakina could not explain it. It was much similar to the feeling she had that had woken from her dreams. A feeling that something just was not right.

It twisted a knot in her stomach.

Climbing to her paws. Careful not to jar Enzi too much to wake her slumbering offspring. Having no need to glance back at her sons to see if they were there. Sakina could hear their usual snoring. A sound that relaxed her somewhat. Only some. For one of her cubs were still missing.

Making her way to the front of the den. She peered out into the heavy flickness of the rain. It was really pouring that night...or day...whatever it was. The wind howled. Sakina had to wonder why Adimu would venture out into such weather. Her daughter wasn't all that much fond of the rain. Often avoiding been out in it if she could help it.

That made another knot in her stomach appear.

Without looking back into the den. Sakina ventured on out into the rain. Making her way toward the front of the Kopje. Climbing the platform, she headed for the royal den. Shaking the rain from her fur upon entry. Green eyes scanned the darkness of the den. To the right she spotted Kiara and Kovu curled with one another. Their son not far from them.

Ahead of her she could see Simba and Nala. They too were sleep.

And again there were no signs of Adimu.

Nor could she smell her daughter's scent in the den. Well any fresh scent that is. Of course any of her cubs scents could be in the cave. Just like any one of the pride's. But there was no fresh scent.

Looking downwards, Sakina saw only she had dragged pawprints into the den. Where if Adimu were out in this weather. There should be other tracks. But the den that the rain did not reach. Which was dry as a bone. There were none.

Only hers.

That could only mean that Adimu had not come this way. Then where...just where was her daughter?

Looking back over her shoulder. Sakina stared out into the rain. Again this was not the type of weather her daughter would be venturing around in. Even to hunt. Adimu especially hated hunting in the rain after the one time she had slipped and gotten herself entanled in a nearby bush and covered in mud.

Her siblings and cousin had poked fun at her for days afterwards until they finally grew bored of it and let it drop.

Since then, Adimu had taken a liking to hunting with her family on dry days and nights.

Sakina could almost feel her heart beating so fast within her chest. That it just might leap out and dance upon the ground. It was beating so fast that Sakina thought even those asleep in the den might wake to the sound of its beating. That or her quickened breathing would.

Assuming correct when she heard the sound of paws coming her way. Turning her head to see Simba looking at her with concern written across his face. "Sakina...you're up early...is something wrong?" Simba knew the lioness well enough that the look in her eyes both startled him and had him concerned that something was amiss.

Sakina wasn't often this wide eyed panic about nothing. But what? That was the real question here. "What's wrong?"

"Adimu..." Simba tensed when Sakina spoke the name of her daughter. Thinking perhaps the girl was sick. That could be the only reason Simba would think that Sakina was worried. And it had to be something Sakina percieved as bad if she looked this worried. Thinking that telling her that he would send Zazu to fetch Rafiki as soon as he was able would calm her. Sakina continued. "She's missing..."

"Missing?" Simba looked at her. How and why would Adimu be missing?

Like Sakina he knew how the young lioness was. And her determent from rain and mud for that matter. Both of which would likely be outside in that down pour. And Sakina's offspring slept in the same den as their mother. So if someone had grabbed the girl. The struggle would have been heard. And would have been put a stop too right away.

"How long?" he asked.

Sakina shook her head. "I...I don't know. I only just woke up to find her missing. I had hoped she had just woken early and decided to come and see if any of you were awake." She looked over her shoulder again at the rain. "Thinking perhaps that she had enough of her brother's snoring." She looked at Simba who gave a small amused snort.

"But she's not here...and from the looks of it. She hasn't been here since the other day." Sakina's face fell as she began worrying about where her daughter had wandered off too.

The Pride Lands were relatively safe. Normally she would not be as concerned as she was. Even knowing her daughters preference for staying out of the rain if she could manage it. This was their home. There was hardly any dangers.

But Sakina could not knock off that feeling that something was wrong. The knot just continued to twist painfully in her gut. Sakina did not believe too much into gut feelings. However the last time she had a feeling like this...

She gulped. Had been when she woke up on the morning of when Nuka died...

Sakina could feel her heart quicken even more. And with it her breathing. So much that Simba reached out and wrapped a arm around her and pulled her close. Tucking the lioness he came to see as a little sister against his mane. Holding her long enough for her to calm down.

Then stepped back from her, giving her head a little lick. Simba looked her in the face. "There is nothing to worry about. We will find her." He reassured her. It was a half truth. For Simba did not know what was going on out there. He did not know that at that moment his niece was being confronted by the very rogue male's that he been warned to protect his pride from.

His mind went to them. But he had the borders well watched. So he thought. Predators he approached that would give warning should they see any threat that needed to be dealt with. But the lands were large. The borders more so. Meaning there was plenty of places for three rogue males to slip on inside without alerting anyone.

He knew he smelt the danger in the Pride Lands. But the scents were always old. And none came too close to Pride Rock. That gave him some false hope. There pride was large enough that he hoped it detered even three grown rogue males from trying anything in their lands. They even had the loyalty of the other predators that lived and hunted in the Pride Lands with the Kings permission.

Why would they even dare?

They were likely to move on for that reason alone.

Or so that was what he been telling his pride to give them some reassurance at the very least. Then there went to the other scents he been picking up. More scents of new lions. He never knew these scents. And it had concerned him at first. For he feared more may have joined the three that Zazu had warned him of.

Then he picked up the scents were coming from the opposite direction of where these rogue males were said to be traveling from. So they were not a threat...or so he hoped again they were not.

Simba placed his paw on Sakina's. "I'll wake the others. We will find her. Maybe she ended up sleep walking and we will find her in the bottom of a muddy ravine cursing her life." He smiled when he saw that earned him a giggle from the lioness as she too thought of the image that would be if it were true.

"Thank you Sim..." Sakina's voice trailed short when her body whipped around when a sound came on the wind. "Was that..." Sakina could not tell. But it sounded like a roar. Mixed with the howling of the wind. That made it all the harder to determine what it was.

"Sakina..." Simba started.

"I thought I heard a roar..." Sakina stared on out into the rain.

"It might just be the wind..." Simba did not have time to say anything else. Sakina was already on the move. Darting out into the rain and soon enough disappearing from sight. Cursing Simba turned and began first waking those in the den. Telling them what Sakina had come to the den for and that she had just run off after what she had thought she heard.

It was not long before those in the den were on their paws and going to alert the rest of the pride.

Simba looked out where Sakina had disappeared to. If Sakina had heard a roar. Whose had it been? Was it Adimu...and if it was...was it a roar for help? He saw no other reason why the young lioness would roar. And if it was for help. What kind of help was it for? Or was the roar from another lion...if anything he hoped it had nothing to do with what he feared.


Sakina's paws just barely touched the ground as she trekked across the rain soaked lands. Her already wet fur again dipping with more water as the rain pelted her. She was trying to figure out where she had heard that roar come from.

With the wind it was almost impossible to tell. It could have come from anywhere in the Pride Lands.

But while she was trying to figure that out. Sakina was following another instinct. One that was telling her she knew exactly where she would find her daughter. An instinct she would gladly follow for she had a feeling there was more too it. While Simba had been attempting to reassure her that what she heard could only have been the wind...

Sakina had heard another voice. One she had not heard in years. But that voice said one word. "Go". So simple and yet that very little word sent panic through her. Nuka was beside her. Sakina never knew what to think of the afterlife and the stories Rafiki always went on about with them.

Simba always told her stories of why he came back to the Pride Lands. How he had spoken with the spirit of his father...

Then when her cubs were only a few months old. Nuka had visited her. Allowed her to give a proper goodbye to him. And remembering that made her know her mate was beside her and was telling her she had to run. That the roar had been real. And that it had been their daughter and that she was in danger.

Sakina put her faith in that gut feeling.

And let it lead her toward where she knew her daughter would be.

The sight she came upon both horrified her and filled her with rage that Sakina did not know she could ever have. It was dark. But Sakina could make out the two forms before her. One a dark male lion. One that almost seemed familiar to Sakina. Like it ought to ring a bell for her. But at the moment that was not important.

What was, was what that lion had pinned to the ground.

The form of her frightened daughter. Who held more fear on her face than Sakina had ever wished for her daughter to experience. And what's more...that male was about to envelope her sweet daughters neck with his jaws.

The rage building in her burst forward at the thought of her daughters life being taken that Sakina let out a piercing roar in hopes of catching the strangers attention. Perhaps long enough for her daughter to escape.

Sakina planted her paws firmly against the muddy ground when the stranger's head turned in her direction. Lifting away from her daughters valunerable neck.

"Back away from my daughter!"


Just thought I would write something with a moment of clarity with the things going on in my life.

I'll get another chapter up for this hopefully soon. As well as update my other story before Christmas.