II. Lion Falls

Kisasian couldn't stop.

It was due to his reason, but primary he was scared of fear. He already knew it was bad, but if he witnessed it, that would made him paralysed. So he tried to ignore muffled sobs of his pridemates and loud moans of Adia. He couldn't help her in any way. Or could he?

"Adia!" he called. She instantly stopped her hobbling run, grateful even for that excuse for short break. She looked back on blackmaned, closing the column. "Adia… I will carry you."

In the battle with hyenas, or better to say: massacre of the clan, Golden Ones managed to repay dearly for Scar's death. But it didn't come so easy. Surprised, scared and slaughtered hyenas still fought back and in few cases succeeded. Adia personally killed at least one hyena, but also she was badly bitten in her right-rear paw. In normal conditions, Dhalimu would sent lioness to rest and don't move for a week. Then she had to run for her life.

Bite was a nasty one, marking silverfurred's knee. Every move had to be a torture for lioness, what Kisasian watched, but couldn't help. Pride had to move fast – Rama and mother were sure that pursue kept running they tails and encountering even part of local lions meant dead end. Few lions could engage Golden Pride long enough for overwhelming force of enemies came there.

Rain still was hitting the ground with furious energy, as if it wanted to make up for almost three years of laziness. In some way Kisasian was glad that weather was wet around – so many water made tracking them much more difficult and most likely forced Pridelanders and their sidekicks to split. But on the other paw… "Stars!" he thought. "If we have to cross the Border River it would be the hell!"

"Adia! I will take you!" he repeated.

"No…" cried silverfurred. With all her will she wanted to take her place on mate's back, but she knew that would doom them both. Whatever strong Kisasian was, undernourished and exhausted lion could run as fast only as he was running alone. "I will manage."

"Sure?" asked blackmaned?

"Yeah…" said lioness. She stood up on three paws and suddenly, driven by some impulse, she nestled to his mate, kissing him desperately. "I love you, Ki." She said, but before lion could reply, she started her disturbed pace north.

Kisasian was covering the rears. No one ordered it to him, but no one had to. Zira was dying out of fear, about her son, but actually she had also three more children to be scared about and also she knew her first-born duties. As a mature male of the pride, Kisasian was responsible for their security. Sparthi was carrying Nuka. Dhalimu scouted before the running pride, risking he fall into ambush. Arista was needed among the pride, cheering tired lionesses up to faster march. Scar's son took a role he had to take.

"And that's good." He thought. "I couldn't left watching over Adia to no one else!"

Pride ran to the river, but not to any specified crossing. Zira and Dhalimu quickly decided that chase would surely reach Elephant Ford and Waterfall Stones – two most obvious places to ford the border. Knowing all the risk of struggling with river in unknown location, they chose it, instead of struggling with enemy in very well-known ratio of forces.

When Zira reached the beach of river, she almost burst with cry. Whole pride fell down to the sand, breathing heavily. Only Sparthi and Dhalimu – in spite they were tired as everyone else – didn't stop and started to check the current. Cubs were placed in the centre of circle and Nuka tightly hugged his younger siblings. But someone was missing. Zira turned her stared back south.

"Kisasian… and Adia." She whispered and that voice cut all panting in pride. "I'm coming back.

"Zira, we can't…" Started Kira, but fortunately that dilemma was solved instantly.

"We're here!" panted a voice from the darkness.

Scar's son and silveruffed entered the beach. Lion carried lioness of his back and it was obvious that she was unable to walk further on her own due to her wound and he was unable to go further on his own due to exhaustion. They both fell on the sand, panting. Seeing that, Dhalimu left the water.

"We are swimming in the unknown anyway." He said, coming to Adia. "Just let me see your leg…"

"Go!" whispered silverfurred. "I will catch you up, as soon as I'm able."

"Yeah, sure." Snorted white lion. "In a week, maybe?"

"Uncle, we need to keep here some watch anyway." Noticed Kisasian. "You know… the rear guard. Just… Go already."

"No way." Said Zira with decisive voice. "We won't leave our lions behind. We stay and stand for our wounded members."

"We can't go." Added Hanja. Blackmaned was looking on his daughter with decisiveness. "We are swimming all or staying all. We won't be an easy snack for those bastards!" His green eyes seemed to spark with fury and will to fight.

"And we could do it." Said Adia's mother, Imani. "There must be a way to get us all safe on the other side. Am I right?" She looked on Arista with hope in her stare.

"Just take kids already." Said the old king quietly. "When they are safe, we all will be much calmer."

"As you say so, dad." Replied the queen and looked on her pride. "Who takes cubs? I want one securing person for every carer…"

As Golden Ones were setting the details of crossing, Kisasian crawled to Adia and gently put his paw on her side. She hugged his limb, still breathing heavily. For a longer while they stayed silent, gathering a strength to say anything. Rain was still falling, but in fact no one cared any longer on that slight discomfort. They have dozens of more serious problems.

"Ki…" whispered Adia. "Don't do it, please…"

"I won't leave you." Replied blackmaned with decisive voice.

"I mean exactly that." She said with sobbing. "Don't stay here. They will kill you."

"How could you know, they let you live?" Asked Scar's son.

"I don't…" she nodded her head. "But I won't cross this river. You will."

"I'm going only where you go." Uttered Kisasian.

They united in long, passionate kiss, expressing all their love in that bolt of physical contact. In spite of pain, scorching her leg to the bones, Adia prayed that moment last forever. She sensed her incoming death and was ready for it. But ready didn't mean 'willing'. She was happy – in the poverty, as side of landless prince, then homeless and chased but she wouldn't exchange her life for any other. She had her mate.

"I can't hold you here." She sobbed.

"She is right, Kisasian." Said a voice from the darkness.

In sudden flash of lighting they saw Shani. Lioness stopped on hummock over lying mates, looking down to the river. Her fur was soaking with water, she was dirty with mud and if one took a closer look on her face, she or he would noticed that she was crying as well. But her voice was decisive. "You must go!"

"Shani!" whispered confused Kisasian.

"Shani!" growled Adia forcefully.

In the same time more Golden Lionesses noticed newcomer. Rama roared a desperate command: Prepare! and turned to goldenfurred with bared fangs. But Pridelandress stayed in place, making no move. Her face was also locked in sad decisiveness.

"Don't be afraid… I'm all alone." She said. "But before you kill me, I suggest you to listen."

She came down to the beach. While passing Kisasian she gave him a short look, trying to gather enough strength for what had to happened. Blackmaned was confused and his amazed look expressed no emotion, save for uncertainness. But it was enough – goldenfurred, seeing features of her beloved, gained full sureness of her decision. "True love is a sacrifice!" she thought. Then she came to Dhalimu and started to draw a scheme in wet sand.

"Look here." She said, carving simple lines. "Here is the bank… here we are… We are divided into three parties, Ni is – more or less - here, my brother is here… Malka is hidden in ambush over here. Sakia and Uzuri slow them down a little, but you can't trust their luck. You must go on the other bank!"

"S--t!" gasped Dhalimu. "Am I so old that my mind trips, or you are trying to save us, girl?"

"My mind is tripping, so I do try." She replied. "So go…"

"No!" said Zira forcefully. "Adia can't swim for now."

"Well…" Shani looked on the pride again. "But what with the rest. Is there anyone else wounded heavily, to have a problems with crossing?"

"Ugh…" started Dotty, whose side was marked with red lines. "We all are a bit bruised, however we will manage." Then she added instantly pointing on silverfurred. "But not without her!"

"I think you are not in position to play heroes…" said Shani. "My brother and his sidekicks can squash you all… and he will, if you stay here."

"We will make him pay dearly." Said Kira, extending her claws.

"Just go!" sobbed Adia.

"No!" growled Kisaisian.

"Shut up!" yelled Shani. It worked – pride got silent. Lioness took a deeper breath, repeating in thoughts "Love is a sacrifice… Kisasian, look at me! look, how I love you!" She said with shivering voice. "Get cubs on the other side, now! Then whole pride is swimming as well. It's the only way." Seeing that Scar's son tried to protest, she looked into his eyes and added. "I know, she will be fine. You will go on the other side, leaving Adia here. She won't make a crossing and here she could be provided with medical help."

"They will kill her." Noticed Kira. "What guarantee we have, you could protect her."

"No guarantee, because I won't stay with her." A murmur of confusion sounded on the beach. "There is only certain way to handle this. I will swim with you on the other side and be your hostage. You will exchange me for Adia."

"What?" gasped several voices.

And Shani came closer to Kisasian and Adia, looking in eyes of her beloved. In that stare blackmaned read something he failed to notice by over a year. "She still loves me." he thought. "Genuinely. But still… can I trust her?"

"I'm terribly sorry, Shani." Said the black lion. "Maybe I'm doing you a cruel harm with asking… but what guarantee I have you are honest?"

"Because I love you." Said lioness with quiet voice. Then she looked on Adia. "And ask her. She knows." They both recalled the scene from week back.

"She… is right." Said silverfurred with shivering voice. "She is ready to stand for me." Then she looked on her parents. "Mom, dad, just go. We will all be fine."

"Sure, my dear?" Asked Imani. She came to wounded daughter and nuzzled her. But then the stare of Adia convince her to enter the water. Hanja followed shortly after.

"Shani…" started Kisasian.

"Don't…" interrupted goldenfurred. "I had my chance… I blew it, but still I can't stop Adia from using her chance."

"Oh, Shani…" said Kisasian, and he lifted his head. He closed his lips to goldenfurred's cheek, and then…

"F--k!" yelled lioness.

Behind Kisasian and Adia, just several metres west stood Uzuri, crying. She managed just to whisper.

"I couldn't… They are coming… Zira… you must go…"

"TO THE WATER!" called Shani and Sparthi in the same time.

Then a survival mode replaced any hesitation. Zira ordered her lioness to cross, then took Vitani in her mouth and went to bank. With last stare she looked on her first-born and Kisasian replied with message in his eyes. "Just go… Save my sibling… I will catch you!" Then Golden Queen entered the river.

Meanwhile Uzuri was instructing Shani.

"I told them I'm going on the recon, they expect me any minute. They must disappeared now!"

"As you see, they are in progress." Replied Shani. Then she looked in old lioness's eyes. "Ma'am… how far could you go in this?"

"I'm not the best fighter." Replied old huntress, instantly understanding what was the case. "But I can slow them a bit."

"Yeah, just a few minutes…" said Shani, looking on Golden Ones, already swimming into the darkness. "But I must go with them and play their hostage, if we want make sure Adia survi…"

"Lady Uzuri!" sounded a call from behind. Four remaining lions – old lioness, Shani, Adia and Kisasian looked back to confirm they fears. Ni with two of his companions: Vumbi, and Joe was standing on the hummock, looking down with surprise. "Lady Uzuri, stay back from those villains!"

"We don't have even 'plan b'." murmured old lioness. "But it looks we need 'plan z'!"

"What the hell!?" yelled Joe, seeing Golden Ones swimming on the other side. "Stop them!"

"No!" roared Shani. She would be heard even in Malka's hideout, but it was too late to be discrete. "Ni, I forbid you to touch these lionesses!"

"Shani…" started rogue, in the same time slowly descending from the hummock. He gave few signalsto his friend and son. "Your brother and Nala want us to stop them, doesn't matter the cost… Please, don't make it harder. Just step away from them…"

But in the same moment Shani understood what rogue showed to his companions. It was just a slightly modified hunters code-sign, saying 'cripple the game in the centre'. The only possible 'game in the centre' was Kisasian. Goldenfurred thought that it meant fight. "How stupid." She sobbed in mind. "They are three, strong males. They will crush us, if they want." She looked aside on Uzuri and asked. "Do you know what that means?" She nodded her head. Shani decided to take her last chance. "As the princess of Pridelands, I order you to stop!"

"Sorry, miss!" replied Joe. "We have our mission."

"We have too." Murmured Uzuri. "I won't let you lay your filthy paws on Zira!" Then she cried with desperate fury. "LET'S ROCK!" and she pounced on incoming males.

"Take her away!" yelled Shani to Kisasian and rushed to help Uzuri.

When blackmaned lifted his mate, two lionesses struck on rogues. That was something they weren't prepared – both males and females. Old huntress and young princess weren't skilled in melee combat… but also Ni and his friends were prepared to fight lions considered as friends. Fight turned out to be extremely chaotic, but that was the point. Goldenfurred didn't want to hurt friends of her brother. She just hoped to buy some time for Kisasian.

She plunged her teeth into Joe's side, but in the same moment watched in corner of her eye, as Vumbi threw Uzuri with powerful push. She desperately clenched her jaws and hitting her paws at random. Then she felt hitting the ground and world faded out.

For several seconds goldenfurred struggled to regain her vision. When it finally happened, she saw Uzuri lying motionlessly on the sand and two lions coming to Kisasian. Blackmaned stood in place, shielding Adia with his body. Joe kept cursing and trying to stop bleeding from side, by holding edged of cut with jaws.

Rogues looked to kill and Shani didn't hesitate with resuming her fight. She slowly stood up and started to sneak to Ni and Vumbi from behind. For a while Joe was too wrapped up with his own problems that he ignored her. Goldenfurred shivered inside, seeing that Uzuri laid on beach motionlessly and her neck was curved in very unnatural angle. But she had no time to check her – two enemies engaged Kisasian.

Vumbi pounced on Scar's son and missed with bit in his neck, but what he managed was to pull lion away from Adia and clear the way for Ni. Rogue without hesitation hit lioness so hard, that even Shani heard sound of cracking ribs.

"No!" yelled Kisaisan, but before he stood up, Vumbi again slammed into his side.

Shani made the only rational choice – she rushed to Kisasian. Adia was most likely doomed anyway and besides goldenfurred protected her love, not her love's love. She ran to rogue's back and plunged her claws into it, aiming to inflict as many pain as she was able. Well… she succeeded.

Vumbi roared in unspeakable suffering, hitting back at random. He was lucky, by slamming Shani right into face. Lioness was pushed aside and thrown into mud. She rolled few times on the sand and tried to stand up, but her muscles disobeyed. Shock of pain took a breath from her lungs and sent on the ground again. But she still was conscious and could see.

To her own horror.

"Stars!" yelled Joe from side. "S--t! F--k dammit! Vumbi! You f---ing killed her!"

But two fighting lions gave no heck. Vumbi – bleeding from back – crawled to shacked Kisasian and held his rear paw. Meanwhile Ni jumped closed to Adia and with fast hit decided to finish the fight. Perhaps be wanted just to hit her head to knock her down. Maybe. But what he did, was to strike her neck with fully extended claws. Possibly male - with throat shielded by thick mane - would survive that, but motionless female wouldn't. Blood sprayed around from cut flesh and scream of silverfurred turned to bone-chilling gurgle. Shani couldn't be sure what that was, but her mind suggested that dying message of lioness was only to her.

"You promised!" gasped Adia and died.

That voice froze the scene. Three rouges stopped, looking in fear on their deed. Two lionesses were obviously dead and Simba's sister seem to be severely wounded. That wasn't exactly what Nala expected from them. That wasn't what they expected from themselves.

"Holy s--t!" uttered Vumbi and turned to Ni. "Dad, what the f--k we do!?"

"It's simple…" they heard a whisper. "Just… DIE!"

Kisasian gathered all his might and put it into one, single pounce. Ni was literally plucked off from the ground. He – joined with blackmaned into one mass – flew aside to the river and disappeared into its fast current. Rogues heard a roar of pain, coming from theirs friend's mouth.

"Ni!" called Joe.

"Dad!" screamed Vumbi. And they hobbled to the bank.

For Shani ages passed, before she managed to move. Two rogues ran west, after lost Ni, wresting in water with Kisasian. Goldenfurred wanted to call them to stop, but she was too weak to make a sound. She just hobbled to motionless body of Uzuri, to confirm what she expected. Neck of old lioness was broken.

Then she jumped to Adia. With all her might she repressed the smile. So her rival was dead. She didn't want it, but she was dead and couldn't harm her anymore. So Kisasian was free…

"Kisasian!" she yelled into the darkness and in spite of terrible pain filling her body, ran down the river.

She looked in darkness of night. From the other side scared calls of Golden Ones were still coming ("At least they all made it" thought goldenfurred), but she was too shocked to reply them. And what would she reply? For then she had to help Kisasian.

She started a run down the river. Although she had no specified wound, her body was generally in bad shape. She had been thrown forcefully, then hit in the head and already a bit hypothermed due to wet fur - night was the cold one. But she still could move. She set of to march east.

Quickly she noticed Joe and Vumbi, searching and calling for Ni in one of the small curves of river. But she knew well that with so amount of water, current would take lions much further. To the waterfall, if nothing happened. And Shani knew she had to be there faster, to help Kisasian… and make sure that Ni wouldn't take out of water.

She passed next to rogues and sped farther. With terror she noticed that she moved not faster that current of river and blackmaned was taken few minutes before she started. She cried and tried to pray. But to whom? To her father, watching her from the sky? But would he really want to help her? So maybe to the king, it meant: uncle Scar. He was dead already and might watch her from the sky as and…

"…thinks, how I betrayed him." Finished a crying thought Shani. "There is no help for the wicked."

She just speeded up her march, somehow knowing it was already too late.

\/\/\/

The great amount of water – especially if that was about ten degrees colder than the air – could wash out every hot emotion. In case of Kisasian, it didn't work instantly, but in fact he was forced to think rationally and notice he was drowning.

Seemingly it didn't matter. "Mother is safe… Nuka, Vitani and Kovu are safe… I don't have to live, if Adia is dead…" But he was already driven by the urge of vengeance. He put some effort to return to the surface and looked around. Perfectly – Ni was just next to him.

"Crap!" snorted rogue, still clearly confused after the fall. "Are you alive?" he looked on Kisasian. Lion nodded his head. It was generally true – blackmaned was wounded, in fact seriously – but still alive and at least for time being able to stay on the surface. "Hey!" rogue continued. "This current is too strong… You can't reach the bank before the waterfall. And I can't too… unless…" With few moves he swam closer to Scar's son. "Listen pal, sorry it came this way. But now we must cooperate to survive, all right?"

"Cooperate." Replied Kisasian and then was struck by simple discovery. He was about to die.

His rear paw was broken. It might had happened during the fight, or maybe he hit the bottom landing in the water. But the effect was clear – he was done for. As a cripple he couldn't avenge his father… nor Adia. They have no use of him. Unless…

"Sure…" he called back, overscreaming the roars of river. "Hold me tight!"

Lion obeyed – he grabbed shoulders of Scar's son and he did the same. For short moment Kisasian considered some technical issues and came to conclusion, it was risky – Ni was in far better shape than he was. So blackmaned just tightened a grip on rogue.

"Dude!" called brownmaned. "We must go to the shore… now! The falls are near!"

Kisasian just smiled. He did failed his family. He let his father and mate get killed. He even didn't hurt enemy enough to make chances of his mother greater. But at least he could do something. The murdered of Adia was in his paws. Literally. So he just held lion, hearing growing roar of waterfall.

"Stars dammit!" yelled Ni. "Move your paws or we are dead."

"Tempting alternative." Smiled Kisasian and Ni froze in fear. "You killed my mate, you know?"

"I… I didn't know…" started Ni. "Listen, pal, just swim to the bank. I didn't want to hurt her, believe me!"

"No offence taken." Said blackamned and cowed his healthy rear-paw.

Then he kicked with it as hard as he could. Extended claws plunged into rogue's belly, cutting his fur and muscles. Ni, paralysed by new wave of pain, let the grip loose. Also blackmaned didn't hold anymore – both lions drifted away from each other. One with expression of pain locked on muzzle, the second bursting with mad laughter.

"Stars…" moaned Ni.

They reached the waterfall. Rogue hit one of river bar stones and quite incidentally stopped just few metres from deadly abyss. Kisasian had no want to avoid his fate, but seeing that enemy was still alive, he grabbed another stone on the longest end of river bed. His rear paws – that broken and that stained with lion's blood – hanged above the void.

"Ow… f--k!" sobbed Ni, trying to get better hold on his rock.

He was just few metres before Kisasian, but it didn't matter. Pierced belly of lion bled intensively, with every second claiming life of brownmaned. Ni was holding his basis with remains of his strength. He looked ahead to the edge of waterfall and blackmaned, hanging on the bluff.

"Why…" he whispered.

But Kisasian just kept laughing. He was gazing into terrified stare of enemy and giggled with laughter of madness and triumph. Perhaps he ashamed his family, he turned out to be weak and hopeless, but at least he punished the murderer of his mate.

Blood of Ni floated with water, painting blackmaned – who was just in line of current – with dirty-red colour. Scar's son was also on the edge of his endurance, slowly loosing grip of his rock. But he was keeping his body still and wanted to stay that way at least to moment when his enemy disappears beyond the edge of waterfall.

Ni made the last attempt to grab another bar-stone, but it was useless. His rear paws were pushed back by overwhelming current, and lion felt as his claws curved helplessly in the rock. The struggle lasted a minute more, until lion sensed that he slowly loses his awareness and his paws become more and more cold and distant. Finally he let his grasp loose, starting the run down the edge. Passing Kisasian by, he noticed as lion still was laughing with mad laughter, louder even that the scream of waterfall.

Then the world ended.

Kisasian looked after falling lion for a while, still roaring with laughter. But the time came also for him. His tired and wounded paws slowly loosened the grip and blackmaned understood that his mission was done. At least in that last moment, he showed he was worthy mate of Adia.

"ADIA!" he called and let the rock loose.

\/\/\/

"NOOOO!" screamed Shani, seeing her beloved, disappearing beyond the edge of fall.

Her cry must have prevailed even voice of the river, not only with its volume, but mainly by its desperation. She ran to the edge, knowing it was too late. She fell down to rock on the edge, looking down the abyss. Down there scream of falling water made any other sound inaudible. But lioness knew that she wouldn't her anything anyway. Her Kisasian was lost.

"I killed him." She whispered into the night.

Rain ceased. Somehow just in that moment heavens decided to stop the cleansing. Noise of storm stopped, but of course Shani didn't notice – surrounded by river roar and being still washed by drops from water-bluff. And she started to cry again, but it looked as if rain was still floating down on her face.

Because of noise around her, she failed to hear Malka. Lion ran to her and put a paw on her shoulder. He was lucky – if lioness wasn't so exhausted, she would retaliate with random hit back, what most likely sent them both down the cliff. But goldenfurred kept crying.

Malka took a deeper breath and gently licked her ear.

"Shani…" he started. "Shani… it's over. They won't hurt you anymore."

"They… won't." repeated lioness automatically.

"Come with me… you brother is worried about you and…"

"Leave me alone!" she cried. "Or just push me there… I should have died, not him!"

"Shani?" asked confused prince.

His heart was beating as crazy. Young lion tried to comprehend the scene he watched but it was hard and he not in the condition to think. His fascination with Shani made him read all events in odd way.

"Ni? Ni died there and you are crying over him?" asked.

"Ni…" nodded lioness. "This bastard is dead." Prince apparently mistaken the lion, referred as a 'bastard'.

"Don't worry." He said. "Ni took that son of tyrant with him. He sacrificed himself for you… He was a brave lion… but not the only lion in the word." Because she was silent still (save for continuous sobbing), Malka spoke again. "Shani… I know that's is not the best moment… I could say the terrible one… But must confess you something." Because she didn't answered, he took is as a encouragement. "I will try to help you, all right? I guess that Ni was someone very special for you. But… We know each other just few hours… but when I saw you… I felt instantly that you will be someone special for me. Just… don't answer me now… I need to say what I feel. I think love you, Shani."

Then she raised her head and looked to Malka. But on her face there was no surprise, abashment nor joy. There was a sheer hatred.

"Love?" she asked. "What do you know about love?" And with surprisingly strong move, she pushed him out of the cliff.

However excited and enamoured was Malka, some basic instinct stayed active in him. With agile move, he grabbed the edge of bluff with front paws. Rest of his body fell outside the brink. He got the solid grip. Then he looked up to see face of Shani, just above him.

"Oh, Malka." She smiled with mad smile. She put her paws on his. "You must learn, that the true love is a…" She bended down, as pupils of his eyes extended in fear. "Sacrifice!" hissed lioness and plunged her claws into paws of lion.

With ear-piercing scream prince of Mountain Pride speeded down the bluff, following Kisasian and Ni.

Shani looked for few minutes down the abyss, but then she stood up and turned to path down the slope. Maybe she should have died as well… but first she wished to see her love's body.

'And here the story could have ended. Stars, I wish it does. But that is just a sad prologue to the tragedy. From the height of Firmament, as the Sky Arbiter, I was forced to watch the pain and despair of my family. Two lines of my family, divided by painful past.'