Chapter 11 Confrontation at Upendi Falls
Nala ended up at Upendi Falls. She wandered if Uru was wrong. Mufasa was too angry at her for jilting his son to realize he loved her. She wandered through the grass. She saw a dead zebra on the ground. She started to munch on it. Then all of a sudden she heard cackling and laughing. Three hyenas came out to see her.
"Well, look what we've got here! the leader Nasanta said."The queen poaching our kill on the Pridelands! I think we will have to do something about that.!" Kivli the female and Bongo the male moved in beside her.
Nala roared at them. She went after Bongo because he was the weakest but Kivli jumped on her back and bit her there. Nasanta went for her face. Nala fought fiercely. She bit Bongo in the neck. She rolled on the ground and almost crushed Kivli. But Nasanta got on top of her and bit her in the shoulder. The Nala got up and butted Nasanta with her head. Kivli and Nasanta came at her from each side and raked their paws on her tender skin. Blood poured from the wounds. Finally Nala with her last ounce of strength tried to pin the two female had Kivli under her paw. Bongo tried to go for her ear when all of them heard a deafening roar. Mufasa joined in the fray. He ran after Bongo and knocked him down with one swipe of his paw. Then he went after Nasanta and pinned her underneath his giant leg. Nala was so surprised to see Mufasa she let Kivli up. Kivli sank her teeth in Nala's paw but a small brown form ran straight at her and knocked her down. It was Pumbaa with Timon on his back. The three hyenas took off. They were no match for the lions and the meerkat and warthog.
"Yeah, we got those buggers didn't we Mufasa?" Timon said. Mufasa chuckled.
"Wooh! Wooh!" Pumbaa said. Mufasa laughed again. "You guys know how to fight. I can see why my son likes you two!"
Then Mufasa turned to Nala. "That was a great fight, Nala. You are a brave lioness!"
Then Mufasa's face turned serious." We did not finish our talk. I have to get over the fact you hurt my son, but I-"
Nala became angry. "Why did you come here?Are you going to send me into exile? No matter what Mufasa I will always love you. I am going back to the Medicine Pride"Nala backed away from Mufasa. Then she stepped on a cobra and it bit her in the paw.
"Nala!" Mufasa yelled. He grabbed her and slashed the snake bite on her paw with one of his claws. The he sucked up the venom from the bite on her paw and spat it out. Nala felt dizzy from losing too much blood from her wounds and the venom from the snake bite."Timon and Pumbaa, go get Rafiki and tell him to bring his snakebite medicine." The meerkat and warthog left to get Rafiki
Nala forced herself to stand and stared at Mufasa's gentle ruby orbs , then tears filled her eyes.
" I am sorry I jilted your son, Mufasa. But I don't love him! I need to be with someone I love. I will not go back to the Pridelands! Please don't hate me, Mufasa!"
"Don't talk Nala. You need medical attention. I am going to take you to the honeymoon cave and give some fruit juice to counter act the poison. You need to be quiet!" Nala started to collapse but Mufasa put her on his back.
When they reached the honeymoon cave, Mufasa found two zebra skins. He put Nala down on one and covered her with the other. The he found some passion fruit, broke it open and gave some to Nala.
Nala drank the juice but she started crying and talking.
"Why are you here? Why aren't you with Simba? I can't go back, Mufasa not after what I did. Please don't hate me! Please forgive me!"
"Nala, you need to be quiet and rest. And Nala, I don't hate you! There is nothing to forgive! I care for you and I don't want to lose you!"
Mufasa stroked her head with one of his paws.
Rafiki arrived and looked Nala over. He gave Nala the snakebite medicine. "She still has some of the snake venom in her. You got rid of most of it. She will have a fever and an infection for about a day but the she should be all right. Here is some medicine to counteract the infection from the snake bite and from her wounds. She should rest here and not be moved until her fever you must get her back to the Medicine Cave at Pride Rock to treat her wounds before they become septic. Send for me if she does not improve. I will check on her tomorrow. Make sure you continue giving her water and passion fruit. You have done a good job with her so far."
Nala started getting chills and fever. She kept crying out and begging Mufasa to forgive her. Mufasa lay down next to her and wrapped his forelegs around her. He gently brought her her head next to his red mane. He gently whispered to her.
"Nala, I am here. You have done nothing wrong. Please get well. I love you!"
.
She must have dreamed because a gentle voice told her that he loved her and everything would be all right. A sandpapery tongue licked her face. She fell asleep knowing she was safe.