The Lion King: Dawn Of The Nations

Episode 21: Nightly

The brightness of the stars softly illuminated the splashing water in the calm pool of Ungari through the skylight, the foam from the waterfalls traveled slowly over the clear water, disappearing gradually. The laughs of the three cubs, Keru, Zale and Emba kept Kovu in a peaceful feeling, he watched over them from a cliff. He saw Ari laying on one of the opposite cliffs, with a sad glare. Kovu got into his paws and started to walk over the path that led there, surrounding the pool area.

Ari saw her brother and cousins playing in the water, hitting it with their paws, wetting their faces with splashes and tiny waves they made with their front legs. A subtle smirk appeared on her face, a brief hope that faded almost instantly.

"Ari?" Kovu approached her.

"Yes, uncle?" Ari's eyes were lost on the scene.

"The boys are having fun…why don't you join them?" Kovu asked with worry and laid down next to her, looking into her eyes.

Ari kept her glare on the pool. "I just don't feel like it." She sighed and rested her head over her front legs.

"Ari." Kovu said. "You want to talk?"

Ari remained silent for a moment. "No." She said with a broken voice.

Kovu noticed the lump in her throat. "Hey, it's okay." He got his lower jaw over her head, stroking her gently. "It's fine, Ari." She started to cry, the tears escaped from her closed eyes, the sound of her broken sobs mixed with the sound of the falling water. Kovu was glancing at his sons and nephew, enjoying the scene while reassuring Ari. He began to remember some verses that Kiara used to whisper to him when his nights were hostile, dark and agitated. "The wind claims for its place in a blue night, it sings with no cease, and the crickets are its companion, under tall grass that grows aside mountains afar…"

Kion, Kiara and their army were returning home, arriving at the Pride Lands with roars and chirrups of celebration. Kion had a serious glare as well as his sister, but the feeling of victory was true among them. The legions dissipated, each cheetah, lion and lioness returned to their respective refuges.

"Lonely trees that breathe in the savanna, under stars reunited on the place beyond dreams. The brave shall sleep there, the cold won't reach them, and the lonely trees will be their shelter..."

Jasiri and Janja were walking towards the moon over the dry grass, Jasiri was carrying Jara over her back, as Janja carried Jaye. While taking calm, unsure steps to the unknown horizon, the two hyenas rested their heads against the other's, glancing at the light of the moon.

"Don't be afraid, as the night has come in peace. The moon shares its gift with you and your loved ones, and the stars give you their best shines..."

Jinobe was trembling, laying under the thin branches of a tree, having his eyes closed, trying hard to find sleep, as the thoughts were loud in his head, the crack of the branches and the whistles of the wind were just silence for him.

"Through distant rivers, the water brings a flower, bright as fire, yellow as the sun, soft as a feather. Smells like home, the sweetest of scents. The heat of fire in the smallest of caves, fur rejoices as the night promises peace..."

In a dark, rocky cave, Juzare was sleeping, with his front legs resting over a set of leaves. The female hyena was laying at his side, looking at his tired, injured face. Their head tops rubbed the rock of the low ceiling.

"Sleep, sweet child. Storms don't reach this place. Let your ears be caressed by the lost words of the wind. Sleep, sweet child…The wind claims for its place in a blue night."

Kion and Kiara were in the cave, sleeping, Kiara on the spot she used to share with Kovu, and Kion was laying next to Rani, with his head rested against hers. He felt Rani was moving and groaning. "Love?" Kion said with somnolence.

Rani slowly opened her eyes and looked at her mate, blinking a couple of times. "Kion." She received a grateful lick from him.

"Oh, Rani." Kion chuckled with happiness. "I missed you so much."

Rani was confused, she felt a subtle yet noticeable ache on her side, remembering what had happened, letting out a sigh. "For how l…" She yawned. "For how long was I unconscious?"

"Several days." Kion chuckled. "But…" He stroked her face with his. "For me…it felt like a lifetime."

Rani blushed and laughed softly. "Well, I think I'll have to stay away from battle, just for a while." She groaned when feeling another ache.

Kion smiled at her. "That will be easy, Rani. We defeated them."

Rani gasped slightly. "You mean..?"

Kion nodded. "The hyenas won't trouble these lands anymore."

Rani thought for a moment. "Jasiri, is she..?"

Kion sighed. "I don't know, she wasn't at the battle. Kiara said she was expelled or…well..." He sighed. "…something else."

Rani thought for a moment then laid her head over her front legs, sighing and closing her eyes. "Kion, can you wake up the children?" She got her head comfortable over the fur of her legs. "I have to see them."

Kion lowered his head, trying to answer the most gentle way he could. "They're safe, Rani." He said, resting his head over her neck. "They were in great danger. Kovu took them to Ungari. That's where they are now. Keru…" He yawned. "…and Zale are there as well." He licked her. "It was the right thing to do, love. Until the threats are history, they must grow there with their uncle and cousins. But rather sooner than later…" He let out another yawn. "They will return home."

Rani understood the measures that her mate had taken to protect her cubs, but sadness still invaded her heart. "Wasn't there another way?" She said with a broken voice.

Kion had his gaze locked on the rocky wall just before him, darkened by the night. "No, darling." He replied. "There wasn't."

A silence that hadn't been present for ages had taken over the Outlands, no laugh, word or breathe could be heard between its canyons and gorges. Until several sniffs and careful steps began to come out from hidden, secret cracks that led to the underground. The stars of the night dazzled the canine eyes as an uncommon, white fire. "They're gone." Dogo said, looking at his fellow jackals over his back.

"Could they?" One of the jackals said, approaching Dogo. "What if it's a trap?"

Dogo made his nose twitch, trying to reach for the subtlest scent of hyena. "No, Gorger. It was long ago when they thought our presence was nil." He thought for a moment and looked at Gorger. "Our plan has succeeded." He began to walk away from his fellows, who gradually grew in number as there were jackals still getting out from the depths, through the crack between the defile, hidden among two uneven mounds. He suddenly stopped walking. "Finally, the Pride Landers have expelled our enemy from these lands!" He exclaimed. "The Outlands have returned to their rightful owners as in the old times!" Several barks and howls echoed on the defile. "We hid, survived and waited, in darkness, in the cold of unmerciful, long nights!" He turned and looked at his kind. "Reirei, our previous ruler, she dreamed with this day! A land for jackals, and only jackals to thrive in! We are finally here, my queen." He looked into the sky and let out a strong howl, followed by the rest of the jackals. "For Reirei!" They howled again. "For our ancestors!" Stronger howls came. "For Kion! For all the Pride Landers, as benefactors of our new rise!" More howling echoed in the Outlands.

"What about that?" Janja gestured at small cave that was ahead, the cold of the midnight was getting stronger and they needed a refuge.

"It…" Jasiri exhaled, her breath was revealed by the cold. "It looks decent to me." They headed there, quickening their steps over the short, occasional grass. Before Jasiri could take a step into the cave, Janja stopped her.

"Wait." Janja said. "I better check first." He crouched and lowered down his son, then Jasiri carried him over her back next to his sister. He began to walk towards the dark inside of the cave, getting out of his mate's sight for a moment. Jasiri took a couple steps backwards instinctively, there was a high chance that the cave was already taken. After about a minute, Janja poked his head out of the cave's darkness. "It's fine." He gestured at the inside, making Jasiri to walk in, still with careful steps. Both of them walked until they reached the bottom of the cave, quite rapidly as it was a very small one. Jasiri gently lowered down her cubs over the warm rocky ground, letting them to continue with their sleep. Jasiri yawned and laid down, letting out a sigh of exhaustion. Janja laid next to her. Their eyes could only see the dark gray rock of the cave covered in more darkness, the entrance was far enough to hide the starlight. "Good night." Janja said, getting no response from Jasiri. "Love?" Jasiri had her eyes open with a nostalgic glare, lost in the darkness. "Jasiri." Janja spoke with a louder voice to get her attention.

Jasiri gasped, then she looked at Janja briefly. "Sorry." She lowered her gaze. "I…I was just thinking."

Janja got closer to her, resting his head against hers. "In what?"

Jasiri sighed. "Everything."

"You could be…" Janja yawned. "More specific."

Jasiri stood silent for a moment. "It's so strange, how things can change so fast, without warning." She replied. "Well, I should've paid more attention to him, to Jazanu."

"What happened is not your fault, Jasiri." Janja licked her. "You are an excellent leader, you did everything for them."

Jasiri chuckled with disbelief. "And yet, we are here." She shook her head.

"Hey, we are together in this, right?" Janja said reassuringly, getting no response from her. "Remember what I told you when we became mates?"

Jasiri yawned. "That you love me more than anything?" She chuckled slightly.

Janja shared the same chuckle. "Aside of that." He licked her again. "I remember it well, Jasiri. I told you that no matter the times, bright or dark, cold or warm, I would always be at your side." He looked into her eyes, which had started to get teary. "Jasiri." He stroked her face with his snout. "Do you remember?"

Jasiri stood silent, then let out a sob. "Janja." She closed her eyes, letting a couple of tears to fall. "I'm sorry."

Janja raised an eyebrow. "For what?"

Jasiri sobbed. "For failing. I failed you…" She began to cry. "I failed my children…I failed everyone."

"Jasiri." Janja adopted a straight tone. "There wasn't too much you could do, and you know it."

Jasiri began to cry more deeper. "Still…" She sobbed. "Now thanks to me you're forced to sleep here..." Her voice was broken. "Far from home."

"My love." Janja rested his head over hers. "You are my home. Not only mine, but the kids' too." He said reassuringly. "And you don't have to carry that weight alone." He yawned and closed his eyes. "I'm here. And I'll never leave you."