(A/N: Eh...bit of a filler chapter here. But, we get a brief introduction to one of the other competitors and the chapter ends with a scene that I've been wanting to write for a while. Enjoy!)
Nala was still suffering a bit from her injuries so she was lagging behind the Lionrock sisters. Lenny was running alongside her while Simba brought up the rear.
First up was the buffalo.
Shairi, Winda, Lenny and Nala ran on by it. Simba sized it up. He had brought down buffalos before, but usually at least one or two other pride lionesses were there to help him. Also, he didn't have the pressure of a hundred thousand animals sitting around judging his every move. Still, hopefully it wouldn't be too difficult.
Simba finally made it right up onto the buffalo's hind heels.
He gulped.
Ah well, here goes…
Simba pounced and reached his claws down. He felt nothing. Evidently, he had missed. Fortunately he was all too well aware of the threat that the buffalo's hooves made and so he immediately slowed himself up, hoping not to get hit by them. He didn't, but he still had a rough landing on the ground.
Meanwhile, Winda had pulled ahead of Shairi and was right up with the antelope. Bilauri ran out from ambush and forced Winda to make her move earlier than she would have liked. However, Winda had gotten good at this game over the years and she was somehow able to pull herself all the way up over the antelope and deliver the fatal bite on the neck. Ten points went to Winda.
Shairi led Nala and Lenny in the chase for the zebra. Peponi darted out from ambush but already realized that she was too late. Shairi had already gone by her and so Peponi retreated into a defeated trot on the outside of the circuit with the intention of logging another lap.
Shairi jumped up on the zebra's back but was only there for so long before Nala shoved her off. Nala brought the zebra down not too long afterwards.
Shairi shook the dust out of her fur and was able to watch as Nala finished off killing the zebra. When she was done, she turned back to face Shairi with a proud grin on her face.
"It's Simba who owes you one, Shairi, not me," said Nala.
"Apparently so," replied a fairly disgruntled Shairi.
Suddenly, a cheer was heard from along the frontstretch as Guvu brought down the buffalo that Simba had missed.
All in all, Winda, Nala and Guvu had all picked up ten points.
Eboni was awoken by her pride in time to kill the new buffalo. Her strength surprised a lot of the audience who hadn't seen her perform the year before. Only a select number of lionesses, namely Nakshi, Tumaini and Wamariri, had ever been able to pick of a buffalo with such ease in the past years. She really could be a threat for this…
Back where the Prideland lions were sitting, and Sarafina had just started up a conversation with her son-in-law.
"Simba, mind me asking what you're doing?" she called.
"Waiting in ambush," he replied.
"But you just let the antelope and zebra by!"
"I'm waiting for the buffalo."
"The hardest piece of prey, huh? Eboni's still lined up in ambush before you – she'll probably get this one too."
"I know but maybe not the next. I need to gain experience with bringing these bigger pieces of prey down."
"You should have done that before the event!" Sarafina snapped back. "When this thing starts, you need to take every point you can get – you just let an antelope and a zebra by and you're perfectly capable of catching either of those."
Simba sighed and turned around. "Well what do you think I should do?" he retorted.
"Go get that zebra!" exclaimed Sarafina. "Guvu's next in ambush after you and he's not going to go for it. Ten easy points for the picking."
"And so I should just avoid buffaloes the entire game?"
"Oh no," replied Sarafina, "not at all. I understand why you'd want to practice on a buffalo while no one else is around, but fact is that you're probably going to have to take your first one in the chase, cold turkey."
"Seems a bit dangerous, don't it?"
Sarafina smirked. "Do you think you have what it takes to win the Siku Choka?" she asked.
Simba groaned. Nala was too like her mother.
"Alright," he replied, "I'll go for the zebra."
Simba was easily able to pick off the zebra while Eboni put up a brave fight and was able to kill the buffalo.
Meanwhile, Lenny had found another sleeping lion that he thought should be given a fair chance. He shook him awake.
The lion opened his eyes.
"Yes?" he asked.
"Hey buddy, it's me, Lenny."
The lion yawned. "Okay?" he replied. He made to stand up. "Did my pride ask you to wake me? It's still daylight."
"Oh, so your pride is here?" Lenny asked. "I just wanted to be sure. You're missing out on all the action."
The lion chuckled. He realized what was going on now. This bloke was just trying to be a Good Samaritan.
"Yes, buddy, my pride is here," he replied. He lied back down on the ground. "We're neighbors to the Lionrock pride so we always group together and watch from the backstretch. I just like to sleep until the sun goes down."
"But you're missing out on all the action."
The lion signaled towards where three pieces of prey were nonchalantly walking on down the frontstretch. "You call this action?" he asked. "Don't worry buddy, I've been in my fair share of these. I know what I'm doing. Name's Shemshi, by the way."
"Okay, well, alright Shemshi. Guess I'll speak to you again later."
Shemshi lied his head back down. "See you bud."
The crowd got up on its feet as excitement began to break out.
Bilauri and Elvis chased after an antelope. The chase was won by the antelope as Elvis pushed Bilauri off but then lost his own footing and watched the antelope run away. Meanwhile, Simba had determined that Eboni would be a worthy competitor to challenge as they both chased after a zebra. Fact was, however, Eboni was out of Simba's league and this time Simba came rolling into a dusty heap on the ground while Eboni got the points. Tumaini also picked up ten as she chased and killed a buffalo.
Meanwhile, Simba had picked himself up from his dusty defeat and was now making his way over to see his mate. She was waiting in ambush along with the lioness that Simba had met earlier, Bilauri.
"Great," Simba said, walking over, "I guess I don't need to introduce you two to each other, then."
Bilauri and Nala both gave him perplexed looks.
"We're just waiting here in ambush, Simba, we haven't talked," Nala replied.
"Well you should," replied Simba. "Bilauri knows more about this game than anyone else I've ever met, Nal'. You could learn a few things from her."
Nala's eyes narrowed. She took that as a challenge.
"Oh really?" she asked, turning to face Bilauri.
"Very well," continued Nala, "would Miss Bilauri mind telling us who won the first ever Siku Choka then?"
"Amka," replied Bilauri. "She was one of only two females in a field of ten and so nobody expected her to win. She did though, but was then killed in the third running of the Siku Choka."
Nala was taken aback. This lioness really did know a lot about this game…
"See," replied Simba, "she's even smarter than you."
No she isn't.
"How many two-time Siku Choka champions are there?"
"Five. Kahawia, Chumvi, Raia, Juni and Guvu," Bilauri replied. Does she really think she's smarter than me? Bilauri asked herself. "Who invented the Siku Choka anthem?" Bilauri asked, testing Nala.
"Bwana Elekezo. He did it as a promotional effort for Siku Choka eight. In how many Siku Chokas has it rained?"
"Three. Siku Chokas 4, 14 and 22. How many Siku Chokas were held on the Nyaziland Circuit?"
"Eight. The last one was Siku Choka 15 because Bwana Zungumza took over and decided he wanted the Siku Choka to tour from pride to pride each year to build up popularity. How many times has the Siku Choka been cut short?"
"Once. Siku Choka 9. 24 spectators were killed with two hours to go when the buffalo stampeded out from the infield. Who won that Siku Choka?"
"Chumvi. He was disappointed that it hadn't gone the full distance but then won the next year anyways. Who…"
"Girls, girls, girls," Simba interjected, "calm down," he commanded, seeing as the two lionesses were now right in each other's face.
However, the pair hadn't even started.
"Who finished third in Siku Choka 20 and why?"
"Jino. She was the Nyimbas and she had studied every piece of prey in her home pride. What's the biggest circuit the Siku Choka has ever been held on?"
"Two miles – Majani Pride, Siku Choka 24. Who finished 7th in Siku Choka 13?"
Bilauri was taken aback. "Who finished 7th in Siku Choka 13?" she restated. "Where'd you pull that one out from?"
Nala smirked. "Oh?" she asked. "So you don't know?"
"Of course I do," Bilauri replied, "it was Kicheko. It was just…a random question…"
Nala groaned. But she knew it…
"Okay," Nala continued, "who finished fifth in Siku Choka 2?"
"Ushindi. Who finished 3rd in Siku Choka 26?"
"Elvis. Who finished 5th in Siku Choka 7?"
"Cheka. Who finished 8th in Siku Choka 15?"
"Magharibi. Who won Siku Choka 25?"
Once again, Bilauri was a little surprised by the question. This one seemed too simple. "Eh…Sarafina," Bilauri replied.
"That's right!" Nala exclaimed. "My mother."
"Oh really?" asked Bilauri, coming back. "Who won Siku Chokas 14, 15, 17 and 18?"
"Eh…Uku."
"That's right!" exclaimed Bilauri. "My aunt's cousin's mother's sister's son's nephew twice-removed," Bilauri finished, sticking her tongue out at her.
Nala sighed. "Alright Bilauri, you win," she admitted.
"Uh…Nala…that's not trivia," Simba observed.
"Doesn't matter," replied Nala, "anyone related that closely to Uku will always win any argument."
Nala wandered off in defeat while Bilauri trotted off smugly.
"But…she's barely related to her at all…" said Simba to no one in particular as Nala was now far out of earshot. Simba was left very confused…