CHAPTER 10 – We're not like that
-Tell me about yourself, Giza – Zira said softly to the dark brown lion, lying at her side. – You are such a silent type, I'm starting to wonder about what's the story behind you and your brother.
The lioness gazed at him with expectation. Indeed, the older one of the two rogues really didn't speak too often, but still Zira preferred him over his brother. Sure, Tsavo was a fine young male as well, but somehow she valued the exteriorly calm, mysterious lion more than the energetic, outgoing one. He mostly impressed her during one time she saw them both during a hunt. Tsavo was the faster and more agile one of them, but Giza, in spite of his outer tranquility, was definitely superior in terms of strength. And the smell of blood made him turn into a born killer. That was something that Zira liked specifically- pure strength, pure power. Furthermore, when he did finally express his thoughts, he always turned out to be a wise and clever mind. Only someone who was, in Zira's own opinion, similar to herself, had a chance of gaining her sympathy. And maybe even becoming her mate.
-Oh, is my little friend becoming engaged? – Giza said in his regular, deep and silent voice, smiling mischievously.
-Just tell me your story – her answer was, as usual, dry and serious.
-Well, there isn't much to say, really. Tsavo and I come from a pride in the far south. It was a large pride with a lot of males in it, at least when I was born. We never knew our father, in fact we have no idea whether we share the same father anyway. But it doesn't matter. For some time it was fine, I guess. We had enough food and the lionesses related to us taught us all we needed to know about hunting. But then the alpha male died and his sons started a war in order to take the throne. The females got divided between different fractions, and until everything got back to order, many of them died, including our mother. The males either also got killed or were exiled, and the only surviving one demanded my brother and me to leave too. We almost had to beg him to let us stay, making a solemn pledge that neither of us is ever going to try to take back the throne. We didn't even want to do that. We weren't a part of the royalty, anyway, but that still didn't stop the new ruler from making our lives as miserable as it could be. So as soon as Tsavo became old enough to hunt, we left our former pride without any second thoughts whatsoever. We were doing just fine alone from that time, and so here we are now.
Zira listened with interest, laying her head at the rogue's side. Hearing him finish, she raised her eyes and asked out of curiosity.
-Haven't you ever wanted to go back? Now that you're both older you could overthrow that former, pathetic alpha male with ease and become the rulers of your own pride.
Giza looked at her with amusement, letting out a deep laugh from inside his throat.
-Zira, Zira… always up for battle, aren't you? You see, that would be quite difficult to do. The old prides have this stupid old tradition, which almost always leads them to self-destruction. They think that only one lion can be the ruler. This is why in our former pride the alpha male's sons from the very day they were born knew exactly, that one of them is going to be the better one- the chosen one, the heir destined to become a monarch in the future. This way of thinking leads to chaos- jealousy among brothers, who eventually start killing themselves just to seize the power. And, of course, the lionesses support this concept of ruling, only that they have different opinions over who exactly should rule. Believe me, I've seen this happen before, and I lost an eye just looking at it. My brother and I are different. We have no lust for ruling over others, rather to be free to do whatever we want ourselves. And even if we, supposedly, ever decide to start our own pride, we would rule it together. The both of us. Just like brothers should do.
Zira meditated on Giza's words, that were said in a really serious tone. Is seamed that this partnership that they adopted after what they'd experienced in the past, was some kind of rule between the two lions. And it did, in fact, make a lot of sense. Zira compared it to the events from her own life- things that had happened years ago, when she was still very young. The conflict between Mufasa and Scar was something that everyone knew about. She thought that it was because Scar knew from the very beginning that he had no chance to ever become king. Well, it turned out that the old rules were changed by chance… If not for the stampede, Scar would have been left behind, and who knows, maybe that would also become the source of a war in the Pridelands? She had no time to think about that any more, as she along with Giza turned her head towards the yelling voice of Tsavo.
-Hey! You two! Enough of the bed-talk already, get your bony behinds over here or else there won't be anything left for you to eat in a while!
Zira and Giza shared a grinning look.
-So, are you hungry? – said the lioness.
-Oh you know me. I'm always hungry. I guess we have that in common.
After that sarcastic remark, the rogue was surprised to be immediately crushed to the ground by the weight of Zira's body. She pinned him down and put her paws on his chest, smiling victoriously.
-Don't even try to tell me that I eat too much, mister trespasser, or I'm going to have to punish you. Now… get yourself in shape! It seams that your brother is getting lonely.
She got off from him, and at once the dazzled male jumped to his paws. At first he wanted to pounce and get equal with her, but when he saw her baring her teeth with sympathy and yet with challenge, he just snorted, smiling himself.
-Pah! I'll get you yet, you crafty little meercat! Let's go…
And so they both went over to Tsavo, who was stubbornly struggling with a half-eaten slain hyena. Approaching him, Giza held him by the neck and pushed his head into the carcass' guts. His brother didn't like the joke at all, as he immediately jumped up to his legs and confronted the grinning lion with a furious look on his blood-soaked face.
-Oh very funny! Just wait until I wipe that stupid snicker off your snout…
-Heh, there there, hyena-breath. You should know better how to act in the presence of a lady.
-Hyena-breath? Now look who's talking!
Tsavo still stood irritated, watching how Giza and Zira, both smiling, approached the prey. The rogues used to have these sort of little quarrels on many occasions, but they never really argued. One could see that in the way Tsavo just rolled his eyes watching his brother as he started to eat. Then the younger lion turned to the lioness.
-So, Zira, how are you? Everything fine in the pride? Don't hesitate, help yourself to some hyena if you want – he said, lying on the ground and attempting to lick the blood from his muzzle. But she just frowned with distaste.
-Err, no, I'll pass on that. I consider it a shame for a lion to have to feed on these dirty mutts.
-Tell me about it… - Giza interjected, swallowing a large piece of meat.
-Yes, well… I've been thinking – Zira confronted the rogues, speaking in a serious tone. - You know that I'm striving to become the leader of our hunting party. If I succeed, I might just be able to provide you two with some better cuisine. Wouldn't that be good?
Tsavo and Giza looked at each other, both smeared with hyena blood.
-Yeah, you bet – said the younger one.
-Exactly! But, you see, there is one problem. I still have to take care of a certain… competitor. Not much of a competitor, actually, but still a threat for me to take over the pride at hunting. There's a young lioness in my pride, named Nala…
Hearing the name, Giza raised his head from the carcass. Tsavo, also quite concerned, quickly interrupted the lioness' words.
-Hey, hold on there. I know where this is going… - He stood up and turned to her. – Zira, your character is quite… aggressive, so to say, but don't you think that killing your own pridemembers sounds a little crazy?
A moment of silence proceeded his words. The lioness was looking at them for a while passionlessly. Then she snorted loudly and rolled her eyes with visible disappointment.
-Pah! You rogues are all the same! Strong on the outside, but pathetically weak in spirit - with a deep sigh, she turned her back at them and started to walk away. – I should have predicted this… - she said, shaking her head with anger.
Giza looked at her abashed, and then directed his eyes towards his brother. He was even more surprised with the other lion's lack of reaction.
-Hey, wait! Wait! Tsavo, are you just going to let her leave?
Indeed, he did let her leave without a word. There was no answer until she was out of sight. Then he turned towards his angry companion.
-Leave it, Giza. It'll pass. She'll be back, you'll see. Zira's going to like us again when we show her just how really strong in spirit we really are. When we complete that deal with Sarafina and kill their good-for-nothing king, that is.
The hazel lion frowned.
-Now that's a change of attitude! You know, you're quite a hypocrite. First you say you're not going to kill the lioness that happened to catch your eye, and now you speak about that regicide idea again, to which you yourself had doubts not so long ago!
Tsavo gave away a long, mysterious laughs. Than he raised from the ground and stood in front of his older sibling, fawning at his brown mane.
-Heh-heh, well you see, there is a drastic difference between killing a king and killing a pridemember. Especially in our situation. Do you remember what Sarafina said? The king is trash, the lionesses want him dead themselves. If we take care of him, our good position in the pride will be secured. But if we ever dare to harm Nala, the rest of the Pridelanders will definitely not take kindly to us. Well, maybe except that lunatic Zira.
The insult towards his mate made Giza growl.
-You better watch out, brother!
Tsavo just looked at him ironically.
-Oh don't be ridiculous! Think rationally- when we kill Scar, there won't even be a necessity for us to fight with anyone. As kings, we will posses power over the lionesses. Then you can have your precious Zira and make her leader of the huntresses, if you like. I'll comfort Nala for losing in the competition…
After a swift moment of reflection, Giza admitted, that his brother was actually right.
-Well… yes, that's true. Very clever, I have to give it to you. With the huntresses under our rule, there won't be any more problems for us. In that case, I can't wait…
The young rogue bared his teeth in a mischievous grin.
-So… are you up for carrying out a coup, brother?
Giza smiled back at him as they tied their tales together.
-I sure am… So how was it? Skinny, brown fur, black mane…
-And a scar on his left eye.
AN: Oh no, the rogues are about to take over the Pridelands! But will they succeed? Will the lionesses help them? Will they defeat the hyenas and truly achieve their goal- do what Mufasa and Scar couldn't do, that is ruling together as brothers? Soon it will be revealed…