Chapter 10

Nyimba wandered in the never-ending blackness. She cried for help, but nobody answered. She ran around, but there was no place to go. No escape, she was trapped. She felt tears swelling in her eyes and choked back a pitiful mewl. This couldn't be the sky where they Great Kings dwelled, unless she had done something wrong.

You let your sister die, and felt no remorse, a nasty voice in the back of her mind growled. You watched as Badrani died instead of dying for him!

"No!" she roared. She began running again to escape the voice – the voice that spoke the truth that she had tried to forget. She swore that she would change her life in their new home, but the voices always attempted to stop her. They dragged her down into the abyss of depression, and no matter how much she ran she couldn't escape it.

You killed them! You killed your sister! You killed your beloved! You now deserve to die!

Asani took the night shift in watching over Nyimba. Everybody close to her took turns watching her, but Asani volunteered for the night. He wanted to be the first thing that her beautiful emerald eyes saw when she woke up.

He noticed her stir and growl softly. He laid a paw on her head and gently stroked it. She stopped moving, but cried out in pain.

Asani jumped up with shock. "What's wrong?" he asked calmly, but she began roaring while crying.

Asani panicked and yowled for help. Soon enough, Alba ran into the den, her multi-colored eyes glowering in the blackness of the new moon. She sat next to Nyimba and put a paw on her bad leg. Nyimba screamed, but in an instant got silent and still.

"Don't touch her. She needs time," Alba growled and left the den. Asani lay next to the beautiful princess and sighed.

Please wake up soon, I cannot stand to see you this way, he thought hopefully. He continued watching over her throughout the night until the sun rose. He stood up and stretched. Then, he left the den while Antar came in to watch over his sick daughter.

Days passed before Nyimba showed any signs of recovery. She stirred a bit, and began to murmur words. Asani's heart broke a little every time he heard her moan the name Badrani, but he stayed strong and showed no signs of personal feelings for her.

On the fifth day of Nyimba's coma, a tan lioness ran out of the den. "She's waking up!" she yowled excitedly. Antar, Asumini, Zahur, Almasi, and Asani raced into the den. It was large enough to hold many lions. Alba and Amani followed the excited friends and family with patience.

"Please fetch me some moss, Amani," Alba asked the white medicine lioness kindly. Amani dipped her head and got some moss from the back of the cave. She used it to hydrate Nyimba, who opened her eyes suddenly.

"Where am I?" she whimpered.

"You're safe, dear one," Asumini purred and nuzzled her daughter. Nyimba purred and let her mother lick her head like she was a cub again.

"Welcome back," Antar said and joined Asumini. The others watched and purred softly. Asani wondered if his parents would treat him like that if his situation was the same.

"Where have I been?" she asked cluelessly.

"A crocodile attacked you. You lost a lot of blood and nearly drowned," Almasi explained. "In fact, you wouldn't be here if Asani hadn't saved you.

Asani looked down at his paws. "Well then I owe him my life," Nyimba purred. She then wobbled to her paws, helped by her parents. "Can I take a walk with him, Daddy?" she asked.

Antar shook his head. "Not today dear. You need to eat and regain your strength. Tomorrow you may do whatever you please, but you can't hunt or train. Your paw is sprained and your back leg is in no shape for strenuous activity."

Nyimba nodded and lay back down. Zahur brought her an antelope, which she ate graciously. Every lion and lioness left except for Asumini, who took care of her daughter for the rest of the day and night.

The next day, Asani woke up after a bad night's sleep. He had nightmares of Nyimba dying slow, painful deaths that he could do nothing but watch in terror. He stood up and stretched, yawning heavily.

He walked out of the den into the sunlight. Usually clouds covered the Southlands, but today's warm sunlight seemed like a good sign to Asani. He walked over to the den where Nyimba was staying in. She was lying down, grooming her front paw that was sprained. The sunlight beamed off of her white fur, making it almost glow. "Well don't you look nice," Asani purred when he stepped into the den.

Nyimba stopped licking her paw and gave the red lion a playful look. Her green eyes twinkled. "What do you want to do today? I can't stand being held captive in this cave!" she sighed and stretched.

Asani looked at her leg, which was heavily bruised and had teeth punctures in it. Asumini had cleaned the dry blood, but it could open up easily. "Well I can show you this awesome place," Asani suggested. "We just can't run."

Nyimba growled, "I can run!" Asani chuckled; she sounded like a little cub that didn't get its way.

"No, and not just for your sake. I'm still sore from saving you. I had to kill that crocodile in the water, and there was a current!" he lied. He wasn't sore; he was used to hunting crocodiles. He knew that Antar would rip his head off if Nyimba got hurt again.

"Wimp," she purred playfully and rose to her paws. Asani went to help her when he saw her flinch, but she gave him a warning growl and he backed away. She stood up and walked out of the den. "I'll be better once I get my stiff joints moving," she reassured him. Then, she jumped down the rocks that led to the ground, Asani following closely to be sure that she didn't fall.

Once they reached the ground, Asani led the two to their destination – the waterfall. They walked slowly at first, but Nyimba began to pick up the pace. She's so brave, but foolish, Asani thought. When they were close to the waterfall, Asani instructed Nyimba to close her eyes. He led her forward under a willow tree. "Open your eyes," he whispered. Her beautiful green eyes fluttered open and she gasped at the sight. The blue water tumbled down rocks into a large, clear pool. Willow trees surrounded the area, their green leaves swaying in the summer breeze.

Asani laughed at the dumb-struck look on Nyimba's face. He decided to interrupt her thoughts, so he ran and jumped into the water. "Come join me!" he called.

"No way!" she protested and sat under a willow. Asani wouldn't take no for an answer. He got out and walked over to her, shaking his soaking wet fur, his shaggy black mane becoming shaggier. Nyimba giggled.

"Come on, it's fun!" Asani purred. "I'll show you the best way to make a big wave." He ran along the edge of the pond to the waterfall. Then, he climbed up the rocks to a higher place, and jumped in. The water splashed all over Nyimba. She gasped and gave Asani a menacing yet playful look.

"You'll pay for that!" she mock-roared and jumped up the rocks. She then jumped into the water. Asani tried to swim away, but she leapt on his back and pulled his ear with her mouth.

"OW!" he yowled and swam out of the water. He dumped Nyimba off his back and put a paw to ear. It wasn't bleeding like he thought.

Nyimba roared with laughter and rolled onto her back. "You're such a wimp!"

Asani couldn't help but laugh too. "At least I don't act like a cub," he sneered.

She smiled and growled, pouncing onto him. They play-fought and swam until the sun began to set. Asani led the pair back to the caves, but noticed a foul scent on the way back. Nyimba gagged, "What in the name of the Great Kings is that stench?" Asani went to investigate and discovered the problem – the rotting carcass of a hippo was nearby.

"What lion would waste food like that?" Nyimba hissed.

"No lion except a rouge would…but even then that'd be crazy. I can guarantee it was hyenas. We have to report this to my dad," Asani growled. They continued walking back to the caves, Asani's tail lashing angrily.

"What are hyenas?" Nyimba asked.

"They're nasty poachers that steal food from our lands. They kill everything they can get their paws on and waste it. My father banished them from the lands a long time ago, but they've stayed away until now. They're the scum of the earth, and I think the Great Kings put them here as a punishment," Asani growled, his fur bristling.

"That sounds horrible," Nyimba whispered. They walked in silence the rest of the trip.

Just so everybody knows, Nyimba was best friends since she was a cub with Badrani. His death really messed her up.

Review!

~Skyy