Chapter 11

"Hyenas?" King Shani growled. "Where did you see them?"

"I didn't need to see them; we found a hippo carcass covered in their stench," Asani replied. Nyimba left the father and son once they started plotting a way to get rid of the hyenas. She walked outside of the Northlander den and laid down. The night sky showed a full moon. Zahur joined Nyimba once she settled down.

"What did you and Asani do today?" she questioned.

"We went to the waterfall and swam," Nyimba replied.

"Oh…well, if you didn't already know, Asani's my mate, but I don't think he loved me," Zahur sighed. "He just thinks I'm something pretty to look at. We have nothing in common."

Nyimba felt horrible for Zahur. She didn't deserve to be treated like a shiny prize. "Are you married yet?"

"We are betrothed, but I don't want to marry him. He's old enough to make his decision, but he has to choose a wife before he becomes king," she explained. Zahur then looked down at the ground below and pointed to a pair of lions play-fighting. "Anyways, I like that brown lion down there. Kondo is who I always wanted to be with, but because of my family's history, I was betrothed to Asani."

"Why don't you talk to Asani and see if the engagement can be cancelled?" Nyimba suggested.

Zahur looked shocked. "I didn't think of that before!"

She's so ditsy, Nyimba thought. "Go to him later when he is done talking to his father."

"Thanks Nyimba," Zahur purred and licked her new friend's cheek. "Anyways, who's yourmate?"

Nyimba felt rage seeping through her veins, but it cooled down within seconds. "I don't have one," she sort of lied.

"Just haven't met the right one yet?" Zahur asked.

"Yeah, something like that," Nyimba replied curtly.

"You know, Asani always used to take me to the waterfall before we found out of our betrothal. I'm guessing since he took you there that he likes you," Zahur stated.

Nyimba cuffed her paw at the light red lioness playfully. "No way!"

Zahur laughed, "Just wait – he'll ask you one day." She looked up at the sky where the moon was getting higher. "I better go to bed. I'll see you later!" She padded off to the royal den, but more than likely, she wouldn't be spending the night in there.

Nyimba walked into the Northlander den for a good night's sleep after a long day. Does Asani really like me? Right before she fell asleep, the voice in her head snarled, Liar! Betrayer! Cheater! Adulterer! She had nightmares throughout the night. The main dream that haunted her was where she was trapped in a never-ending abyss, falling deeper and deeper while watching Badrani's death by her own blood-soaked paws.

Her parents woke up at the sound of their daughter's screams and quickly comforted her. Asumini cooed in her ear that everything would be okay. Nyimba knew better; she knew that the nightmares would haunt her and the voices would bite her as long as she kept herself in the past. The problem with moving on was forgetting, and Nyimba held on to the memory of Badrani like a security blanket. She knew that she could never let go.

"Hyenas in the Southlands!" an unfamiliar voice cried. Nyimba padded out of the empty den and saw a black lioness sprint past her, covered in blood. "They've taken a cub!" she cried again before falling to her knees.

Nyimba walked over to the lioness. She was panting heavily, blood pouring from a gash on her side. King Shani, who was the only other lion on the main rock that morning, limped over to her and asked calmly, "Where have they taken the cub?"

"Past the wild dogs' territory…the cub is dark brown," she choked. Kefentse!

King Shani turned toward Nyimba. "Get Alba, I will return with the cub," he growled and leapt off of the rocks, speeding to the place where the hyenas took Kefentse.

"Stay calm, I'll be right back," Nyimba reassured the black lioness, but she was now unconscious. Despite her aching paw and leg, she ran as fast as she could to the witch doctor's den. It wasn't far, but it was past the main rock in a secluded area.

When Nyimba reached the den, she burst past the mossy entrance cover. "Injured lioness on the main rock!" she sputtered. There was no answer. She walked around the den cautiously, but it was empty except for the herbs.

Nyimba cried out in frustration. What do I do? Without Alba and Amani, that lioness will die, she thought with panic. Then, she heard the nasty voice again, And it will be your entire fault, just like with Badrani. Nyimba roared and fought the voice. No! Not again!

She sniffed around the den for something familiar. She briefly remembered the smells of the herbs used on her own wounds, and located them. She carefully picked them up with her mouth and ran back to the injured lioness. She pressed her paw to the bleeding gash to stop the flow, and then smashed the herbs with her other paw. She removed the paw from the gash and rubbed the poultice on the wound, which immediately stopped bleeding.

A raspy voice gave a noise that sounded like a purr, "You have learned it, young cub. You have taken a step toward forgetting." Alba stepped behind Nyimba. "You helped save a life, which will save yours." She then walked next to the black lioness. "I will take care of Alile. Amani will care for Kefentse, for Shani is returning."

Nyimba looked at the horizon where a red and black shape was drawing closer. She became lost in her thoughts as she watched the red king return. What does she mean? Am I dying…and how does she know about Badrani?

Shani stepped in front of Amani, who was sitting close to Nyimba. He set Kefentse down at her paws. The cub's brown fur was matted and covered in blood. "Can you save him? He means a lot to my son," Shani whispered.

Amani's blank eyes stared into the distance. "I can always save a pure spirit." She picked up the bloody cub and carried him to the den where Nyimba stayed when she was injured. Alba was caring for Alile in there.

Shani walked to Nyimba. "Find Asani and tell him what happened. He should be out hunting with Kondo and Kiume." He then walked away and disappeared into his den.

Nyimba growled to herself, "I have no idea who Kondo and Kiume are, plus I'm not familiar with this territory! How in the Great Kings am I going to find them?"

Maybe you should look down, fool, the voice in her head snarled. Nyimba looked down off of the main rock and saw three shapes getting closer. To her luck, it was Asani and his two friends. She suddenly remembered that Kondo, the brown lion, was who Zahur liked. The other lion, however, was very big and muscular compared to the other two. His pelt was dark grey, almost black, and his mane was jet black. His strange yellow eyes glowered menacingly, Kondo's with annoyance, and Asani's with guilt. Nyimba was not looking forward to meeting with the three lions as she stepped down the rocks, let alone telling them that hyenas were causing trouble.

A glimmer of hope in Nyimba? Fun Fact - The original title of this story was A New Hope, but when I told my boyfriend he reminded me that the title was a Star Wars movie. I didn't want to be a title-thief, so I changed it to A New Home.

Read and review!

I don't own Lion King, but I do own this story and characters.

~Skyy