VI. Heavens Die
Painful roar of Shimo stopped all duels. Eyes of lions present there turned to wall of ledge and fixed on him, standing next to brother's body. For almost a minute a perfect peace froze the air. That looked strange, especially that Daki and Laki held down Joe and Horen was wrestling with Vumbi. Kisasian stopped right behind them, blocking coalition lionesses from any intervention. But them froze too and all combatants were looking on Bovu's sons.
"We hadn't that in plans…" said Horen with shivering voice.
"She will die." Roared Shimo and rushed to the path up the rock.
Lisha broke the spell too, because she left assisting Hidaya, Udama and Kinah, and ran to the descend. She stooped there, ready to catch Shimo. On limited space, where stronger male had little chances to use all his advantage she normally could engage him. But rogue was much too furious to be stopped by anyone. He started hitting lioness with fast and painful blows, making her back further and further.
"All right!" growled Horen. "Finish the job and… after Nala!" then he resume his struggle with Vumbi.
Young lion, put face to face with experienced enemy had poor chances to win. He was just holding to get any relief. But as his mother and two friends tried to get there, Kisasian easily interrupted any approach. Meanwhile Joe with more and more effort stayed consciousness in twin's grip. Situation of defenders was critical, but was about to change. Soon after became worse.
Shani exited cave with Sakia at her side. Mega – burdened not just by his doubts, but also his illness - stayed a bit behind them, uncertainly making every step. But greyfurred lioness followed princess with no hesitation on her face. After being commanded – taken on the right path – she was ready to walk it, wherever it went. All three stopped on the doorstep of Priderock cave, trying to recognise the situation in streams of falling rain. In spite they couldn't see Amini's body directly, from hateful roars of combatants, it was easily to learn that something terrible happened.
"If you wanted to keep it calm… you are late." Murmured Sakia to Mega. "Shani, lead us!"
They rushed ahead. Sakia ran after escaping Nala, while lion and goldenfurred got to the path down the rock. Exactly in moment Tama was pushed back by charging Shimo – she tripped and fell down to the ledge.
"Excellent, it goes as…" started Shani, but then she noticed lifeless Amini. "Oh… that's."
"Hold that b---h down!" called Shimo. "I will rip her bones out of the flesh!"
Maybe Sakia hadn't so bloody plans for Nala, but she attacked anyway. With easy pounce she hit side of new queen and pressed her to the ground. Then she scratched rear-left paw of lioness – not deep enough to cut any artery, but surely making eventual run a painful hell. But then she froze, as her stare met with her queen… "No, she's not my queen." Thought greyfurred. "But Stars… I don't mean to kill her!"
"Sakia… why?"
"You know, Nala…" said lioness, pressing her down to wet rock. "I guess the same question asked Scar, when we were killing him!"
And she felt free. An ice-like layer in her heart was broken – she was ready fight, stand for her king and even winning. She was a strong lioness – when fear inside her faded out, she became a warrioress. "But… perhaps more bloodshed isn't necessary." She thought with hopeful question.
"Sakia… he was a killer."
But then both lionesses looked aside and down, on Amini, lying in mud. "And so you are." Replied greyfurred.
"That was self-defence."
"You will get more of just trial than the king had!" said Sakia and then came Shimo.
In quite natural impulse, lioness pushed his paw aside. If the blow hit, queen would be dead – extended claws almost reached her neck, just Sakia's paw shoved it few centimetres. Shimo looked on her and said with raging voice.
"I don't know, who are you, but if you let her live, we will all regret that!"
"Don't kill her, without a direct order." Said grey lioness, hoping that in such a chaos no direct order could be given.
"STOP!" roared Mega with painful call.
But in fact no one listened to old lion. Kisasian ran up the path, while rogues were forced to do the same, just moment earlier. Combined attack of three Ni's lionesses, mixed with sudden Vimbu's retaliation, threw Horen back and made him call for help. Daki and Laki left bleeding Joe in the mud and rushed to the leader. Then whole trio climbed up the path, after Kisasian. Hidaya ran back to her son and wounded friend, while Lisha and Udama followed enemies up.
Kisasian got to the circle around Nala. Tama, Kinah and two other lionesses tried to stop twins breaking through the queen, while Sakia and Mega were holding Shimo from killing queen in spot. Horen and Shani stayed unsure what to do, however he was closer and closer to command an ordered retreat (before more causalities got into their record) and she was thinking about the command: Kill them all! – before Simba was back, she want to make casualties on enemy's side.
"Shimo." Called Kisasian and came to the ledge. "Let her go. We need her to lure Simba and…"
If the prince wanted new king to come, he was lucky – maybe even too much. Simba and his unit came almost unnoticed, thanks to stream of rain. While his lionesses struck on Horen and Shani, he pounced on lone rogue, commanding the raid of his home. At least he thought that.
They rolled up the ledge, pushed by Simba's impetus. Kisasian reacted instantly, instinctively reaching attacker's neck. Two lions locked themselves in wrestling grasp. Then they finally saw their faces and their eyes narrowed in mirrored expressions of amazement.
"Simba!" gurgled Kisasian, fighting the choking hold.
"Kisasian!?" yelled redmaned, feeling as old friend's claws plunged into his flesh dreadfully close to arteries.
But as combatants somehow froze in indecisiveness, Nala couldn't afford for that. As they rolled next to her, she kicked Kisasian with her rear-right, still intact leg. She didn't aim – or just tried not to hit Simba. But that blow couldn't achieve any better spot. Her paw punch blackmaned's back, reaching recent injure of backbone. Intervertebral disc held in place, but ear-piercing roar of the prince showed it almost broke.
Two cousins rolled almost to the far end of the ledge, then standing up instantly. At least Simba stood in one second, while Kisasian lifted his body with clear effort. But then he turned to redmaned, who stopped on brink of the rock. In spite of pain, he hissed venomously.
"I will kill you… but first I will show you what is the value of forced confessions!"
"Kisasian, wait!" called Simba, steeping back. But there was no space to retreat after him. Again he was trapped on the edge of the ledge. That time rock was already wet, slippery and lion have to watch every own step for not to be the last. "You don't understand… I had to… He really killed my father."
"So I assume you don't mind my little payback?" asked blackmaned and stepped further. Just three metres divided two cousins.
"Stop this!" whispered Simba. "I'm glad that you're alive and I don't want to change this state!"
"Sick of killing the family?" asked blackmaned and approached another step.
"Kisasian!" called terrified Shani. She clearly saw uncertain and hobbling walk of her mate and she sensed that in stand-up fight her prince stood on lower grounds. "Stay back, we will take him down."
"Oh, no. You won't!" called Tama, standing on her way.
No order was required – lionesses knew what had to be done. In just few seconds they formed a living wall, separating the tip of the ledge with fighting lions from the rest of rock where attackers held the high ground. In long run that was hopeless position, because still stronger Shani's followers could put defenders to the bluff. To survive, Pridelanders had to breach out. But they didn't want to defend themselves forever – they just played for time for Simba to kill the intruder.
"Girls!" called Tama, who took the command, as king wasn't able to give any order. "Just stall it!" and then she looked back to see lying Nala and further her king, being pushed to the dead end. "Simba, kill him! We won't stand long!"
"Kisasian! Come back!" yelled Shani. "Break back to us."
"Not yet, my dear… I have an unfinished business."
"Shani?" sounded murmurs around lionesses.
"Yeah, that's right." Replied goldenfurred, looking on the wall of pridesisters with menacing stare. In fact she was shivering inside about Kisasian's fate. "You still have a chance to decide. Who is with me… let hold my brother down and let me judge over him!"
"No…" whispered Simba, looking down to his sister.
They stares met, however lion discovered there nothing but sheer anger. She saw his sister just for short moment on the night he got back. He had neither memories nor emotions connected with her, but he cried honestly, thinking she died. He blamed Golden Ones for that and wished to pay back her death along with Ni's and Malka's. But in just a short moment he was faced to completely different version of the story.
"It can't be… She is standing for a son of murderer…" And for the very first time he asked himself if what he believed was the truth. "Nala said they all hated him! They want his death!" he yelled in mind. And then his stare came down to Nala. His wounded mate was trapped between Kisasian and line of Pridelandresses. Blackmaned was for time being focused on his cousin and lionesses was still giving a solid cover to the queen, but Simba had no illusions about the final outcome – his subjects were stepping back, pressed by the force of furious attackers. In short moments they would be driven to the place where wounded queen was and then…
"I don't want to do it, Kisasian." Said Simba. He also noticed movement imparity of his cousin. "But if you don't step out of my way, I will take you out by force."
"Force… you rule by it." Snorted blackmaned. "But now you bit a bigger portion that you could swallow! Die, you traitor!" and he rushed ahead.
Many crucial events are decided by a blind luck. Or bad luck depends how one looks. In that case Kisasian had surely his bad day, while Simba felt the grace of ancestors. In flight blackmaned felt that something was wrong. While he sprang up, he lost all senses in his rear legs and before he landed, he already knew he was beaten. Bones of his spine moved, again pressing the spinal cord. He hit his cousin and pinned him down with impetus, but then he could use just his front limbs. Simba blocked his charge with paws and then instantly kicked with hind-legs, aiming at adversary's crotch. Feeling nothing, Kisasian made a dodge just following the calculation. Claws of Simba scratched his belly and came down to leg, missing vital area. But still – blackmaned saw that, but didn't sense.
Simba still couldn't break the defence of cousin. He managed just to push him back and that way move away from the ledge. They started to slide down the water soaking and slippery ledge, into direction of lionesses. Lions kept chocking each other and Kisasian put all his might to finish the duel quickly. Any second Simba could use his rear legs hit and blackmaned was unable to counter that in any way.
"Onward!" yelled Shani, trying to break the wall of Pridelandresses. "Mega, help us!"
"Shani, no!" replied old lion. "Stop this madness."
"Stop him!" she pointed on her brother and stepped ahead, pressing Tama back.
Meanwhile two lions got two metres lower. Kisasian touched with his head lying Nala. He resisted an urge to attack the queen – he had another priority. "I must kill him, before he gets me!" thought paralysed lion and pressed harder.
But while he didn't attack, Nala did. Seeing her only change to survive and help her mate, she decide to trust her luck for the third time that day. With second approach she failed, but… "Third time luck!" she thought and pushed her paw at random.
She was fortunate again. Her blind attempt reached Kisasian's leg-pit. She pulled with all her might, feeling as her claws plunged into the living flesh. Blackmaned didn't sense it and when he saw the damage, it was too late. Nala cut his pit-artery and a deluge of blood sprayed out of lion's crotch.
He rolled down, in too late try of avoiding the cut. He pushed Nala further, making her slid to line of lionesses. Then he rolled again, miraculously sitting and basing on front paws. He looked down and his stare met with Shani's.
"I think I failed you all again." He uttered. "But still… could you take care of my pride?"
Simba jumped just a second after, but it wasn't necessary – blackmaned was falling down anyway. Fountain of blood coming from his leg painted his whole side red and some of escaping life sprayed on Simba. Amazed king closed his eyes, when drops of red hit his face, but he opened them soon after. He was called beck to reality by a ear-piercing scream.
"KISASIAN!" yelled Shani and struck ahead.
Again - no command was needed: all followed her instinctively. Lionesses, sensing new wave of might coming from enemies, stepped back. Not seeing where Nala was, they just passed two bodies. Kisasian and the queen suddenly appeared in enemy's zone.
"No! Go back!" yelled Simba. But it was too late.
Horen, Daki, Laki, Shimo and Sakia kept pushing. Shani stopped and came to lying Kisasian. Blackmaned was still alive but massacre at his crotch showed no odds to be cured. Lioness fell down to his mate, looking on the wound. Then Scar's son whispered.
"I… was a fool! Just… get the hell out of this… and if you love me, help my family. I'm so sorry I failed to return all the love you had for me… But I tried…" and with that word he made a final breath.
There was no need of examination. Shani just licked his face, closing his eyes with her tongue. Then stayed motionless, nestled to the dead, while Simba and Pridelndresses were moving in their heroic, yet bound to failure attempt of pushing rogues back and reach Nala.
However that was a battle and goldenfurred had no time to bid farewell to her mate. She still had an enemy. She lifted her head up and looked aside on Nala. Panting queen tried to crawl to the edge of the ledge.
"Shani, no!" called Mega, running to two lionesses.
But goldenfurred didn't listened. She hit back at random, sending old lion on the ground. Already weakened feline didn't hold that shock and laid down unconscious. A thunder roared than, but also combatants noticed that rain ceased to fall. Even heavens held their breath to see the unavoidable. Shani came to her sister in law and with left paws she overturned her, placing her on back.
"Simba!" she called with hateful voice. "Do you want to be my brother? So let's be it! We will be one, soon. You will taste what I feel."
"Shani, no!" yelled redmaned. "Have a mercy! She is of your pride!"
"You couldn't use any worse argument." Goldenfurred smiled with mad grin.
"No, wait, Shani, stop!" panted Nala, lying helplessly on her back. "I'm… pregnant! I'm carrying your nephew or niece!"
"Another cursed monster!" said lioness with voice suddenly devoid of any anger. There was just a decisiveness. "Shimo is right. Our bloodline is damned!"
"Shani… don't…" Nala raised her paws in helpless try to shield from the blow. "For my child!" When fatal hit didn't came in few seconds, queen opened previously shut tight eyes to see goldenfurred staring at her with a slight tone of interest. In her eyes Nala noticed madness but also a spark of fire that she read as compassion.
"Cub…" said Shani. "What's the name?"
"What?"
"WHAT WILL BE THE NAME!" growled goldenfurred, venting a bolt of rage.
"It's… it's…" Nala forced herself to look into sister in law's eyes, trying to attach any of animale feeling in her. "She is a lioness too." Thought queen desperately. "She could be a mother… She have to understand." Then he continued "We don't know if that would be boy or girl…"
"But you planned names, didn't you?" said Shani with new tone in her voice. It was a tender effect and Nala sensed as the paw, pressing her down to the ground in fact touched her in gentle way. She nodded her head with bolt of hope, filling her. The sunray came down from the clearing in cloud-cover, almost blinding lionesses.
"Yes." She said quietly. "If that is a boy… Kopa."
"And if a girl?" asked Shani, unseen behind the golden light aura, but speaking with calm voice.
"Kiara." Uttered Nala.
„Oh, sweet." Whispered goldenfurred. Queen didn't see her face, but she could promise, her sister in law smiled. So she smiled as well, trying to pierce golden halo in front of her eyes. In one second she did it and learned that Shani was indeed smiling. But not with benevolent tenderness, but mad fury. Nala didn't know that, but in Shani's life, she was looking like that only on one creature. Lioness called Adia, who once took Kisasian away from her.
"Too bad we will never know." Said Mufasa's daughter and accompanied by Simba's scream, she hit.
She slashed Nala's solar plexus and pressed her paw even further, making sure her claws reached and pierced the stomach. Looking in widened eyes of queen, she finally get her paw back tearing even more of flesh. Then she pushed convulsing body and stepped back.
She burst in mad laughter, losing all awareness of world around. She just was staring at Nala, lying on side and trying to hold ripped belly with weak grip, loosing with every second. Goldenfurred was delighted as from body of her sister in law was slowly coming out blood mixed with gastric acid, burning that wound even more. She just sensed as someone hit her in side, she rolled down – still laughing – and strong paws placed her on someone other's strong back. Her vision slowly faded, but she knew she was taken from the Priderock.
"Why?" she asked silently. "I should have died there. We are there all, all the family. We are one." And then she drifted away.
She didn't hear Horen's desperate commands, she didn't feel as Daki carried her out from hell that burst on Priderock just after Nala gave her last breath. She didn't hear curses of Shimo and cries of Sakia, following the runaways.
She even didn't know that in some sense they won. Her mind tripped far from her body, allowing her not to see and feel what was the price of that vengeance. Kisasian was gone, for the second and final time. Unconsciousness lioness for time being was savouring the comfort of unawareness. But she was just exhausted, no serious wound was inflicted to her. She was about to wake up in few hours and see all the crops of that day.
And realise she was about to live with another consequences of her bad choice. That time with no hope to change a thing.
\/\/\/
Timon leaned out from the doorstep of cave and quickly learned that fights ceased and attackers were running away. He wagged his tail to Pumbaa and they entered rock's ledge, coming straight to pride gathered around Simba. Merkaat took a quick look down, saw a body of Amini, then noticed Kisasian, dead and broken next to lionesses. He smiled.
"So, Simba, my boy." Said airily. "We have beaten these rascals, haven't we?" but before he finished to saying that sentence, he felt something was wrong. "Is there any problem?" asked and in the next second he noticed dead Nala's body in centre of the circle.
'That day I greeted much more of lions that I ever wanted to. They came here all – Tojo, Amini, Joe, Kisasian and Nala. Vumbi was severely wounded, but he made it, at least in his case stopping the sad count. I can't tell you too much – even now, as I stepped down from Arbiter's duty. I can't tell too many secrets about the Sky World, bout you most likely know that those poor souls felt like, seeing the mayhem their fight made.
But as already done damages seemed terrible, it still was far from the end. Shani, taken to a safe place by her new coalition, simply couldn't leave it be. Death of Kisasian didn't stop the anger, but destroyed the last dame restraining it.
The rain ceased, but I still wanted to cry. I simply hadn't any more tears left, the same I had no means to stop the chaos below. That was the day that heavens died, at least for that moment they were needed most.
…
I left my burdens to Tarki, who is now the Arbiter over this land. But is he ready… is he able to stop the avalanche that was started during my watch? I fear he isn't. What was once just shadows of past, didn't ceased by day. We waited till down to see that there will be no day at all. Just still night of the future. They are still there, so blind and ready to carry their blindness on.'