Chapter 21

When Kiava awoke, there was stillness in the air around the dark verdant jungle and stream they had come to know as Valon's brook. Kiava still didn't know who Valon was. The daylight filtered through the green canopy and brough the air around him to life. He breathed in the living air gratefully. He craved the reassurance the wisdom of the Great Kings of the Past, but even so, the dark and dismal shade of the twilight was haunting and muted and faded compared to the richness of the real world. He moved sluggishly out of the den to the edge of the pool nearby. Its surface was calm, tranquil, and undisturbed. He drank slowly and deeply, before looking around him.

He returned to the den, where Zuri lay to the side not far from where he had slept. She was still asleep, curled up. Only faintly moving with each breath. For a moment Kiava paused then moved over to her.

"Zuri…" He whispered. She didn't stir. He grinned. Well, he had tried. "Zuri!" He bellowed next to her ear. Her eyes snapped open and she practically leapt into the air with a yell. Kiava fell back laughing as she bolted to her feet, before staring at him incredulously.

"Kiava!" She said in annoyance. Kiava chuckled before checking she was okay. Bruce and Ookai where nearby and Ookai moaned at the commotion, before clawing his way to his own feet. He gazed at Kiava with bleary eyes.

"Must you two always get up so loudly?" He asked. When she wasn't sneaking up on him, Kiava was sneaking up on her. Kiava only smirked. Buzz glared at him. "Good sleep your highness?" He said, scowling. Kiava nodded.

"Yes actually." He said. Ookai shrugged as Buzz the meerkat climbed up a vine. He threw one of his tiny javelins and it arced through the air piercing several of the berries and small fruits along the way, before entering an early morning beetle with a crunch. He swung over to it, held the prize aloft like a kebab stick and swallowed the entire concoction whole, smacking his lips as he did so. Some honey would have gone down a treat, but they had eaten all of that the night before.

"Ah. What a morning." He said. Then disappeared into the leaves. The others watched him leave, bemused. As always, the meerkat was an enigma, though to Kiava there was something comfortingly familiar about the crotchety old meerkat. Zuri watered herself by the pool as Kiava looked around.

"I don't suppose Sarafina left any breakfast?" He asked, though he knew the answer even before Bruce shook his head. Kiava scowled. "A shame. I hate to argue on an empty stomach." He said. Zuri watched him carefully.

"Are you going to argue with her today?" She asked him. She looked unsure. Kiava shrugged.

"We'll see. I meant what I said last night." Kiava said darkly.

As if on cue, Zuri became aware of presence entering the glade and was not surprised to turn and find Sarafina entering Valon's brook. She watched them both for a moment.

"I was under the impression I had requested that you be awaiting training an hour before sunrise. I see however that dawn has broken." She said. Kiava looked up at the sun, and nodded in agreement with her assessment.

"I have noticed." He said and regarded her coldly. She watched them both for a minute, as if gauging his reaction. Then she shrugged.

"Very well. Today we shall continue where we left off." She pointed at Kiava.

"I was going to have you act as hunter today, but I have little hope that Zuri would provide you much challenge, so we are going to focus where you struggled yesterday. You are strong. Especially for a cub. This will serve you well you against…" She searched for the right word. "lesser opponents. Inferior foes. Such as wilddogs, jackals, snakes and – " She looked at Zuri. "Lionesses your own age." She finished. "But as I don't doubt you realise, against the Shai'tan it would be useless. You will never become their equal in strength. You require –"

"Speed." Kiava finished for her. "Like Zuri possesses." Kiava finished. Sarafina blinked. Then shook her head.

"Skill. Which neither or you possess." She said. She turned to Kiava.

"Your body might feel like a delicate structure. After all, its easily breached and easily injured. But it is more resilient than you might think. It can continue to function long after it is covered in wounds and when you are malnourished, exhausted and in intense pain. So long as you can push through it." She said, acidly. Kiava wasn't sure he liked the sound of that, but she sounded as though she was speaking from experience there, and he couldn't disagree. He has heard of the heroes of the Pridelands fighting though great pains and performing tremendous feats. "Your strength will determine how long you can last against a foe. But your skill as a sighter that will determine whether you can come out ahead of them. It is not enough to merely outlast an opponent. One must be able to defeat them." She finished. "Technique is simple enough in theory, but its recalling that knowledge in the stress of battle and when you're under assault from all sides where you'll find you need to rely on your instincts." She said. She motioned to Zuri, who glanced at Kiava before walking over to her.

"As always, you will be relying on pinning an enemy to succeed. A pinned enemy is defenceless. A pinned enemy is also free to be… manipulated. Whether you wish to restrain a friend, or bind a foe, the principle remains the same. Either make moving difficult, through the sheer force of your strength, or else punish moving with pain and threat of force." She finished her lecture and without warning and with a single strike and swept Zuri's paws from under her, sending her tumbling to the ground, then placed her paw over her head, extending the claws ever so slightly to the points hovered over her eyes. Then she released Zuri. Kiava barely had a moment to process what was happening. "Did you use that?" She asked him. "Note, that there was nothing preventing your friend from moving. No effort on my part to act against. Just the threat that she would have damaged her sight if she'd tried. Perhaps permanently." She said, candidly. Sarafina began to show Kiava more holds and locks and other vulnerable points where the slightest of pressure could be used to restrain an opponent. Kiava could see the attraction. He would not be relying on his strength and as such, if he came across a stronger opponent the lock would be just as effective. Even so such tactics felt, if not dishonourable, then at the very least brutal. To Kiava's immense relief however she did not hurt Zuri in her demonstration, not even when Zuri rehearsed the same tactics on him (as per his insistence and despite Sarafina's scowl), he found that Sarafina had spoken truthfully. The threat of force was much more effective than the use of force.

"You could say the same about ruling." Sarafina pointed out, during one such demonstration. She had a thoughtful look on her face, as if troubled by a distant memory. "No matter how benevolent you are at some time in your reign, you're going to eventually find yourself in a position where you are faced with a choice, and have to choose how to respond. Mufasa was known as a wise and benevolent King. He was also feared by the hyenas and during his rule they didn't dare trespass. They were confined to their own lands." She said. Kiava made a face.

"I do not like the idea of ruling through fear…" He commented. Sarafina nodded.

"Fear of Mufasa prevented outright war with the hyenas for a long time. Scar trampled that peace and we all suffered for it." Sarafina reminded him. "Your Grandfather Simba on the other paw was not so well feared. I am given to understand. Zira remained a thorn in his side for many years." She said.

"Even so… It feels like a slippery slope." He said. Sarafina paused, as if thinking, judging the best way to explain something. It was a peculiar look. She looked almost contemplative.

"You are wise to be cautious. Scar was an incredibly brutal King, and is not someone you should emulate. But you will do your people no favours by allowing anarchy and chaos to take route. Shouldn't a murderer fear his own fate, if caught? Should a raider not fear to encroach upon the lands you have claimed? Should your lionesses not walk the Pridelands confident in the knowledge that the might of the king will fall upon anyone who would do them harm?" Sarafina asked him. Kiava pondered that and didn't disagree. He decided he quite liked the idea of the Shai'tan being scared of him.

Sarafina moving between lessons on combat and lessons on rule seamlessly, often switching between the two as required, but frequently pointing out the links and parallels between the two. Eventually, she tied of the instruction and motioned at Zuri and Kiava to face one another.

"I said there would be another test. This is it. I want to see what you can do. Draw blood if needed, but don't seriously injure each other. As before, the winner may have some meat. The loser can go without." She said. Kiava growled.

"Sarafina, last night was the first time we've eaten properly in days. We both need –"Sarafina cut him off.

"You'll need what I tell you you need. There are always bugs…" She pointed out. "Don't be so melodramatic. You are not starving. Go." Sarafina said. Kiava hissed in annoyance and turned to Zuri. As before, she was sizing him up, anticipating his strategy. Then, unlike the times before she darted at him without waiting for a response and cleaved at him. She leapt at him. But Kiava was prepared. He ducked to the ground and rolled underneath her. She landed with her back to him and he pounced, seizing her by the scruff of her neck. Shouting with exasperation, Zuri twisted, grunting as the thin muscle was pinched and pulled, but breaking free from the grip. She swiped at Kiava's face with her paws, before ducking under him and butting him with her head. Kiava grunted and staggered backwards. Zuri stalked forward; her head down low. Kiava made a feint forwards, biting in one direction and then slashing with both paws in the other. Both paws collided with Zuri, sending her reeling. She too stumbled backwards and Kiava pressed his advantage by jumping atop her, attempting the pin they had seen before. Zuri wriggled beneath him and managed to hook a rear paw around his body, before rolling to the side. Within a second, she had reversed the position and had pinned Kiava to the ground.

"Stop!" Sarafina ordered and the two cubs broke apart. Kiava rolled his eyes at Zuri before turning to Sarafina.

"What is it now?" She asked.

"That manoeuvre. What was it? I didn't teach it you…" She said. Zuri blinked.

"Its… I don't know." She said. "It just occurred to me from where I was sitting, Kiava was already half pinned, just with Kiava on top. So, if figured…" She trailed off. "I thought if I rolled… I mean… I'm sorry!"

"So, nothing." Sarafina said. "We'll get to reversals and flips in good time, girl, but before then, it is essential that Kiava needs to figure out the other moves! It might save both your lives. I didn't tell you to do that." She said, annoyed. "Kiava wins the bout and takes the meat." She declared. Zuri's eyes widened.

"What?" She asked in hurt and confusion. Sarafina's eyes blazed.

"Do you have a problem with that judgement?" She asked. Zuri stared at her.

"No." She said quietly, though clearly, she was angered. Kiava glanced at her, but his fury was building again and this time he lashed out.

"I've had it." He said. "That is complete and total wildebeest dung!" He shouted. Sarafina raised an eyebrow.

"You have something to add to this conversation, your majesty? I am all ears." She said, arrogantly. The muscles around Kiava's eyes tightened as he scowled.

"If I had the skill to pull that off, you'd think it was impressive!" He said, angrily. "You would be congratulating me on showing initiative, and learning quickly! Why is when Zuri does something good, you only seem interested in finding new and creative ways to ridicule her?"

Sarafina sniffed. "I think perhaps his majesty has become overheated from the sun. Perhaps after a short break-" She suggested, but Kiava wasn't hearing any of it.

"Oh no. Just answer the question now, Sarafina. I will not move until you do." He said, coldly.

Sarafina glared at him.

"I would thank you not to speak to me in such a manner." She sneered.

"I would thank you to extend a similar courtesy to Zuri," Kiava said, mockingly. "It seems we are both destined to disappoint each other. What is the matter with you? Why do you treat Zuri like that? What's your problem? Do you just hate cubs or something?" He asked her.

"When you asked me to train you as King, you forfeited all right to be treated as cubs. You wanted me to train you both to fight and to rule. I, over my objections, agreed to teach Zuri the same. I did that in exchange for the understanding that she would not hinder you or hold you back in any way. And yet she has done so at every turn." She paused. "It is clear to me that she has become a distraction to your training. I'm hardly surprised. You're a young lion after all, it's only natural to develop certain attractions, but since they have become such a burden, I insist that Zuri no longer take part in these lessons." She told him. "Get going." She said to Zuri. Zuri stared at her, genuinely shocked.

"What!?" Kiava couldn't help but shout. He was angry now. Angrier than he had been. Sarafina didn't seem to notice.

"She can wait with those two monkey friends of yours, the jester and the idiot." She said. Zuri's face fell. Kiava felt a familiar rush of stifling air. A blast of fury moved through him. Kiava's vision blurred as tears stung his vision. He seethed.

"You arrogant witch!" He shouted. Sarafina blinked.

"Excuse me?! Now listen –"

"No, you listen!" He said. He took a step towards Sarafina.

"Kiava!-"

"I came to you for your help! Because the Kings of the Past couldn't possibly be wrong. And yeah, I accepted your 'conditions.' But you never said anything about treating my friends that way! They're not yours to torment just because you got bored." He took a deep breath, thinking back to what his ancestors. had told him the previous night.

"I don't know what your problem is. I don't know what the great kings of the past see in you! I don't know what you were like back then. You're supposed to me my mother's family as far as I can tell you seem closer to aunt Vitani's!"

"Excuse me?" Sarafina growled in fury, anger now brimming on her face. "What do you mean by that?"

"Kiava…" Zuri muttered to him in warning.

"What do I mean? Well gee, Sarafina. A self-centred, egotistical, selfish lioness who spends her time 'training' cubs in a way that even I can see is brutal? Where could I possibly have heard of that before, I just don't know!" Kiava said. "But my mother wouldn't know you. I'm not sure I do. And I'm just a kid!" Kiava retorted.

"Don't you dare compare me to Zira Devilqueen!"

"I didn't." Kiava said triumphantly. "You did, just now. Familiar, is it?"

"From where I am sitting, only one of us in danger of being dragged down into ignominy and failure due to a lioness that cannot leave well alone! I knew Zira, you little runt. I knew the scarred tyrant she called beloved. I knew them both and of old. I will have no part of grooming another Scar." Kiava didn't seem intimidated. White hot fury seared though him at the comparison of his own parents to Zira, where her own hypocrisy had so blinded her, but even so, he raised a clawed point. He knew he had touched on a subject she felt such passion over.

"It must eat you alive to think that your granddaughter mated with that lioness's favourite son. That she fell in love with my father!" He said.

Zuri looked at Sarafina.

"Kiava…" She warned him again. Sarafina was rising to her feet. Kiava turned and saw the look in her eyes as she shook her head. Kiava sighed.

"At any rate. It's been dreadful. I think it was time Zuri and I were leaving. You are relieved of your duty, Sarafina. The crown thanks you for your service." He said then grinned, showing pointed teeth in a manner he had seen his father do. As he had hoped, it must have been something he had inherited from his mother or father because Sarafina tensed at the sight. Her eyes narrowed.

"Are you trying to goad me into doing something foolish, Prince Kiava? I survived Ahadi, Mufasa, Scar and Zira. I lived through the reigns of their heirs as well. I have outlasted even the Imperium! Do you really think I will be talked down to by a runt like you? You speak of things you do not understand! I train you to survive and you spit in my face? You're an arrogant little brat."

"From you, 'Sire' will suffice." He said. Sarafina shook with rage.

"Go then! Go and be killed by the Shai'tan. You are welcome too. You'll be dead within the week! You all will! It's pathetic… You are giving everything up over a girl! A stupid lioness that is nothing to you! You are giving up your crown, your Pride! Your parents would be ashamed of you!"

"I don't think so, Sarafina. It's you they would be ashamed of. Not me for sticking by my friends. Maybe if you had some who didn't turn out to be psychopaths, you'd understand why that is so important to me. She's worth more than you." He said, and began walking away. They would grab Ookai and Bruce on their way out. There was nothing she could say now that would warrant him staying. Nothing at all.

"Her? She's a useless, stupid, worthless lioness who will either get you killed, or cause you to get yourself killed!" Sarafina scorned. Kiava froze. Then he turned around, a cold glint in his eye.

"I have been selfish, Sarafina! You have taught me so much. Allow me to return the favour?" He said. Sarafina laughed and Zuri's mouth dropped into a wide 'Oh!' of horror. Sarafina cackled.

"I hope you won't be offended Zuri, if I make use of a different sparring partner." Kiava said. Sarafina drew her claws.

There was a loud noise and from the clearing Bruce approached. Buzz sat on one shoulder and Ookai on the other.

"What's all the commotion about? Saffy what are you doing?!" Buzz called out.

"Teaching." She spat.

"Kiava no!" But it was too late. They circled each other for a minute. Then they jumped at one another. Sarafina brought her massive size against him as Kiava lunched, striking with both claws, dragging them across Sarafina's flank as he darted under her. She aimed a strike at his head which missed and clashed into the ground, kicking up dirt and dust. He didn't stop moving though. He moved like a serpent under her claws, before closing in on her flank, and striking down with both paws. Five identical lines of red flashed into existence on Sarafina's flank, and she hissed and pulled away as if stung by an insect. As she did so, she jerked her upwards and caught Kiava under the chin, sending him flying backwards. The force of the glancing blow sent his head spinning.

"Impudent whelp! Are you so arrogant as to try and fight me?" She snapped. Then she growled.

"Fine then! Leave if you want to! I shall teach you one last lesson before you do! A lesson you shall not forget in a hurry!" She bit forwards, seized the young cub by the scruff of his neck roughly. She could have shaken him there and broke his neck, but instead she arced her own head and threw him across the air. He cried out, and twisted in the air, landing roughly on all four paws.

Zuri watched in disbelieve and terror. She ran forwards to aid Kiava instinctively, but Kiava shouted out in warning.

"Stay back!" He called out urgently. He didn't want Sarafina's wrath to fall on her. She didn't seem to want to badly hurt him. The same couldn't be said for Zuri. He jumped up again, trying to attack Sarafina's flank but she kept her gaze firmly fixed upon him at all times. As he moved through the air, she swiped at him. The blow landed perfectly, plucking him out of the air. Her paw crushed him to the ground, her claws extending and digging him to the ground, but Kiava was stronger than he looked, and bit down around one of toes of the claws with his jaws, while pushing with two legs on another, splitting them in opposing directions. With a quick intake of breath, Sarafina snatched her paws away before he broke or dislocated one of her toes, and Kiava was free. He crawled to his feet and closed the gap again, this time attacking her front foreleg. He was no longer the soft, ball of fur he had been when he had fled Pride Rock. But would have been dwarfed by Danyal in a fair fight. Against Sarafina? He wasn't half of her size and the disadvantage showed. Even such a simple thing as height placed Sarafina's vulnerable and vital targets out of his reach. Breast, throat, neck, and heart were out of reach. The stomach and kidneys were within range, but high enough to mean that most strikes against them were from beneath, stretching up. It also meant that Sarafina towered over him, and looked as though she was able to squash him like a bug if she put her mind to it.

"Saffy! That's enough! Saffy!" Buzz was shouting now. She wasn't listening to him.

She slammed a paw down again, and Kiava rolled out of the way in the last second. But he was panting now, even as he rose to his feet. He eyed his adversity, expecting to see sadistic pleasure in her eyes, and was almost surprised when he was nothing there but intense focus. No joy or pity nor hatred or hesitation. Just a pair of pale emotionless voids. She struck again, and Kiava danced out of the way, before leaping upwards and striking again. He bit at the fur under her stomach, causing Sarafina to cry out in pain. She moved backwards. Kiava was under her! She tried to move away to use her claws again, but Kiava moved with her, keeping her body above him, and himself steadily surrounded by all four of her paws, yet out of reach of all of them. She tried to scoop him away with a hooked swipe, but Kiava danced over the blow, and slashed at it. Sarafina cursed again in frustration. With a growl, dropped her weight on him. The body slam was essentially a belly flop but it crushed upon Kiava like a falling tree, pressing him into the ground. Zuri cried out as Kiava disappeared under her bulk for a moment. If she had wanted to, she could have stayed there. Pressed around him. Crushing him into the ground, suffocating the air from him until he died, crushed into the Rock.

She could have. Instead, though she took a moment and stood up and Kiava crawled to his feet ,only to have his feet swept away from him, and crash to the ground as Sarafina swiped at him again. He groaned, bruised, and beaten. Gritting his teeth though, he stood up.

Sarafina shook her head.

"All of this, Kiava? Over a girl? And you want to be King? You want to lead the Pride of Ahadi? The Pride of Mohatu and Judai? You? Pathetic! Admit it Kiava, you will never be King without my help. You will never be a ruler without the lessons I can teach you! You won't survive without it! Forget this foolishness! Forget Zuri, and claim your rightful place as King without her holding you back!"

Kiava groaned. "Where I go, she goes!" He snarled.

"All I am asking is that let her fend for herself whilst you focus on your training! Stop behaving like a child!" Sarafina said, reasonably. Kiava still shook his head. Sarafina casually flicked him to the ground, this time sending him sprawling to the ground.

"Get off of him!" Zuri shouted, leaping at Sarafina's exposed back. She raked her claws across her spine, causing Sarafina to shriek in indignantly as flashes of pain arced through her.

"Stupid little – !" She swiped at Zuri, the blow caught her head and sent her flailing through the air, sending her crashing to the ground. Sarafina turned back to Kiava as Zuri cried in pain. Kiava shouted in alarm.

"Leave her!" He roared at her. Sarafina glared at him.

"And you just proved my point. She's a weakness!"

"She is my friend!"

"She stands between you and the Pridelands!"

"For you! For your way!" He retorted. Sarafina growled.

"Forget her, you stubborn child! She doesn't matter! She isn't important!"

"Of course, she is!" Kiava bellowed, finding his footing, and leaping at Sarafina's clawing at her face. "She's, my friend! My last friend in the whole world! If she dies, what's the bloody point!?" He roared in fury. "My parents are dead! My family is gone! She's all that's left! She's all I have! If you send her off, where does that leave me? You? A bitter twisted skeleton of a lioness at the edge of nowhere? She has been there! She was at my side when a demon was chasing me! When the Emperor and his pet Shaman burned down our home! And you think you can scare her off? You?! After everything we've seen, everything we've been through?! You don't know anything!" He proclaimed. Sarafina crushed him to the ground and glared at him.

"That's why you want to be King?"

"What other reason is there?!" Kiava roared, struggled.

"As many as there have been kings." Sarafina said. She was studying him closely. Intently. Then pain blossomed into her side as Zuri was there. Her eyes were wide, damp with emotion and she gave her greatest warcry and carved her claws into her side. Sarafina withdrew, hissing like a wildcat. Zuri planted herself firmly between her and Kiava even as the Prince crawled to his feet, and stood by her side. Both of them were glaring at her with such ferocity and such intensity. She watched them carefully. Then she nodded her head.

"Good." She said. "I submit." She said simply, lowering her head, and making the sign of supplication and submission the sparring partners had used when one of them had been too injured or hurt to continue.

Kiava stared at her in surprise. Zuri gazed at her what, her mouth agape.

"What –"

"I surrender the bout. You win, Kiava. Your majesty." She said quietly. Kiava was astonished at what he saw. Her eyes filled with tears. Of Shame, of guilt, of joy and of pride. The empty voids filling with emotion, she sank to her knees before the Prince. Kiava stepped towards her.

There was stillness.

"Saffy." It was Buzz. The cubs turned and saw Bruce and Ookai. The gorilla had picked up a branch and was holding it out in front of him, threateningly – or as threatening as he was capable of being. Buzz was pointing a finger at Sarafina. "What the hell is going on?" He asked her. Sarafina smiled. It was a gentle smile and it was alien to see it.

"I had to be sure." She said, as if that explained anything.

"Sure of what?!" Zuri asked in, shocked, and almost flinched away when Sarafina glanced at her.

"Sure of you, my child." Sarafina told him, looking at Kiava in astonishment. Kiava swallowed.

"I… What?" He asked her.

Sarafina wouldn't say another word until was certain the cubs weren't injured. She didn't pay much attention to the cuts and bruises she had sustained, but she did check on the cubs, and unusually on Zuri took. Ookai was scowling at her with anger and incredulity, whilst Buzz was shaking in head in disappointment.

"Are you serious, Saffy?" He asked her.

"You're your mother's son alright. And your father's too. There is more of Tojo and Tama in you than any would guess. I'm honoured to meet you. Please tell me that I didn't hurt you?" She asked him.

"What do you care? No – I am not. Not badly. Sorry to disappoint you." He said, scowling. Sarafina shook her head.

"Kiava, that was never my intention." Sarafina said. There was a difference to her voice now. It was softer. Calmer – the rage that had seared through it earlier was gone.

"Could have fooled me!" Kiava said.

"I was trying to. Please, listen to me." Sarafina said, taking a breath. "When you came here to me asking to be trained, I wasn't lying. You were welcome in my home, but if you were going to reign then I had to be sure. Had to be sure that you would become the King we need!"

"I… What?" Kiava asked, astonished.

"So… It was all an act?" Zuri asked, tentatively. It hadn't felt like an act. Sarafina swallowed, and looked away guiltily.

"For the most part. Not entirely. I… Have been alone these years. A very long time. Except for Buzz. And when he arrived, he told me all that had befallen by home and family." She admitted. "My lessons were true. I meant what I said about Scar. About Zira. I knew them both. I've seen what happens when a young lion is corrupted by his ambitions. I had to get a measure of you, first." Sarafina admitted. Kiava was scowling.

"So the way you treated Zuri-"

"It wasn't about Zuri." She admitted. "I treated Zuri the way I did because it hurt you, not because it hurt Zuri. I would never treat a cub that way without a reason! And I didn't do it to gain some sick pleasure or because I thought she was holding you back. Quite the contrary. I agree with you as to her merits. I would have been lucky to have a friend half as loyal or as steadfast." She said. Kiava's eyes widened.

"For good reason?!"

"Kiava! Please." She said. Kiava was shaking with anger, put Zuri placed a paw on his, hoping to calm him down.

"What possible reason? What purpose?" He said. Sarafina sighed. then began to explain.

"I said I wanted to get your measure. I helped a King once, Kiava. I lived under many more. They… disappointed me in the end. They were weak. Or blind. Or cruel. More than I, helped unleashed a blight upon the Pridelands that infects the land to this day. Who twisted and knelt and bent his beliefs and principles until in the end there was nothing left of him. Not even a name." She admitted. "Like I said. I needed to be sure of you. Of the kind of lion that you were. If I was going to come back into the world. I hoped…"

"Did you?" It was Buzz. He was scowling at her. Zuri though looked relieved.

"I may have gone too far at times. I am imperfect… And you were right. I am old. And bitter." She admitted.

"A test? You are really telling me that you treated Zuri so awfully, that you just threw me around like a piece of meat, as part of a test!" Kiava asked indignantly. Sarafina slowly nodded.

"You lasted much longer than I thought you would. There were some times when I thought I had gone too far. But you kept persisting. Kept showing such resilience. I did my best impression of… Of someone I used to know, and you just kept going." She said.

Kiava shook with anger.

"This doesn't change anything! You're still a bitter, hateful person!" Kiava protested. Sarafina sighed.

"I… Won't argue with that. But Kiava. I promise you. I didn't mean a word of what I said about you. Not a word of what I said about Zuri. It was humbling to see a real King. Almost inspiring." She admitted calmly. Zuri stared up at her.

"But all of those things you said… they sounded so… so…"

"It wasn't true. I swear to you. You are one of the bravest and most tenacious lionesses I've ever met, Zuri. You remind me of my daughter." She said, her thoughts turning to Nala. She shook her head. "I never for one moment believed that you or Zuri were worthless and I never for one moment enjoyed bringing you misery. But I had to see. I had to know for sure. And I had to give you the opportunity to see yourself what kind of King you would be." She said.

"I'm sorry. I really am. Your majesty." She said. Kiava stared at her. He looked at Zuri. He ground his teeth in frustration. He nodded curtly, and didn't quite voice his forgiveness. But his eyes had less of an edge to them.

"So what happens now?" Zuri asked, and Kiava looked at Sarafina. Sarafina nodded her head.

"You have a choice before you. You can leave, as you intended earlier. Or you can choose to stay. If you do, we shall continue training in a far less… brutal fashion. I'll be your teacher. Both of you. To fight, to rule, and to retake the Pridelands. I have every confidence you will succeed. You've shown me that. You've even made me hope again." Sarafina said.

Kiava gazed at her. "How can I take you on your word? How can I trust you after everything you have done and said?" he said, but his voice wavered, uncertainty now prevalent in his eyes. Sarafina looked at him, with a small smile on her lips.

"I believe her, Kiava." Zuri said, from his side. Kiava looked to her and nodded. Answering his own question. If it was good enough for Zuri it was good enough for him. She could tell that Sarafina wanted dearly to make up for her actions.

"Well then. We'll stay." He said. "And for what it's worth, I am sorry for some of the things I said too." He told her, softly. The things he had spoken in anger, intended to hurt. But not what he had said in defence of Zuri. He would never dream of that. Ooka clapped his hands together.

"Splendid. We are all friends now? Marvellous." He said. His eyes were twitching though, and his nerves were clearly shredded. The golden monkey laughed nervously. She moved off, giving them some space, leaving the two cubs alone.

"Are you really comfortable staying here? Forget about me and what I want for a moment." Kiava said, smiling. Zuri paused, then nodded.

"I am. She's telling the truth. I think it hurt her to say those things. More than she's letting on. I'm not saying I understand her reasons… But I believe her when she says that she had them. I am okay staying here longer. And learning from her." She said. Kiava nodded firmly.

"Did you really mean all those nice things you said about me?" She asked him suddenly. Kiava flushed deeply.

"Sorry." He said. "It just sort of slipped out." He said.

"Don't be sorry. It was very nice. And… for what it's worth, you are very important to me too, Kiava. You're all I have right now as well." She told him. Then she leaned in and licked his cheek, and laughed at his embarrassed expression.

Ookai and Bruce took the two cubs and returned to the den, their training for the moment on hold. Ookai couldn't believe that Kiava had attacked Sarafina! It seemed crazy that he could even think he could win, and Kiava didn't want to admit that he had barely thought that far ahead. He had merely been so angry and upset. As they walked away, Buzz approached Sarafina.

"I'm relieved it's over." She told him after a moment. "I thought you weren't talking to me." She asked him.

"What would you think that?" He asked her.

"You seemed angry with me. I'm sorry I didn't tell you what I was planning. I was afraid you wouldn't approve."
"I don't. I wouldn't have. They're just kids Saffy." Buzz told her. "I'm not angry with you, I think you were an idiot." He told her, tartly. "And I think there was a part of you who was hoping he'd fail your little test. So that you could keep on hiding from the world, and tell yourself you did your best but he wasn't up for it. Thats why I think you let it go on for a long as you did." He said. Sarafina looked away from him, and didn't meet his eyes.

"I'm not the only one hiding here." She said, looking away.

"That's a deflection. Not a denial." He said, accusingly. "I know you only said what you said to make them hurt. To be as cruel as possible. I just think you were a little too good at it." He said. Sarafina sighed.

"It wasn't hard. To let out all those emotions, those frustrations. I wasn't lying about everything. Every King I've ever known was cruel, weak, or mad."

"You didn't stick around to know the kids' father or grandfather." Buzz reminded her. "If you had, maybe you wouldn't be so pessimistic."

"Now you remind me of Nala and Simba." Sarafina said.

"Hrm. How dare you." Buzz muttered.

The mood of the group improved dramatically at that. Sarafina brought down a whole Zebra, which the felines feasted on. Sarafina smiled laughed, and seemed genuinely at ease for the first time in months. When things were more pleasant, Kiava was struck at how desolate and lonely the old jungle would be if he was alone, with no one but Buzz for company. He watched the meerkat and Ookai, who were grossly involved in a furious competition of Snail Slurping. Buzz was significantly ahead, having eaten twelve of the creatures and showed no signs of discontent, whereas Ookai was looking green by his ninth. Sarafina laughed as Ookai finally gave up and darted from the clearing to empty the contents of his stomach in privacy.

Sarafina might have feigned disinterest before. With her gambit discovered, she pressed them for their knowledge of Sara, Inti, Vitani, Damu and Almasi. She sounded awkward and rusty when she talked about them, but her eye was bright when they spoke of them. And Kiava slowly began to come around to the fact Sarafina wasn't merciless and ruthless as she had once appeared. Though she was still distant, awkward, and cold it was not from malice, merely isolation. "I knew their mothers, each of them." She explained when the conversation turned to their parents. "All long dead by now I suppose. Their father's too I expect." She pondered. Kiava shrugged. It was unlikely any had survived the Shai'tan's rage.

When the stars began to fade into existence, Kiava and Zuri lay back and gazed up into the nights sky. Kiava pointed.

"Oh, look! There's the Snake's Fang! You can just about see it now, on the edge of the horizon…" He said. Sarafina glanced up. "A king felled by a serpent? I wonder if Ahadi's in that constellation? It seems appropriate…" She said. Kiava glanced at her.

"What did King Ahadi have to do with a snake? I don't remember any stories about him fighting a snake." He asked her. Sarafina snorted.
"That is a long story. And would take longer to tell that I have." She admitted. "But you are right. Ahadi wasn't much of a fighter. When he fought, he relied on his natural strength. Come to think of it, Ahadi was always more of a diplomat. He spent most of his early reign trying to get the Pridelands to talk things out when there were disagreements. So long as you were one of the Pridelands friends. If not…" She trailed off. Ahadi hadn't quite lived up to the legend.

"Wait, you actually knew King Ahadi?" Kiava asked her, excitedly. Sarafina chuckled.

"I told you! I'm old. I was born in the reign of King Ahadi, and left not long after little Simba took the throne." She said.

"Oh! We know all about that!" Kiava said. Sarafina blinked in surprise. "It's a really common story in the Pridelands, how Scar betrayed and murdered his brother, then took power… he lied and said it was an accident, and the Pride believed him and let him take the throne. Then Simba came back." He said. Sarafina sighed.

"I'm not sure how I feel about that. The events of my life being a part of the history and stories that every cub knows. If I didn't feel old before… Well. She shook her head. "Though there was a little more to it than that. Scar had his supporters. Who naively or perhaps hopefully trusted him. Others were less enthusiastic and might have been a little more eager to voice their opposition to some of his choices if he hadn't moved a legion of hyenas into the Pridelands." Sarafina reminded them.

"What was it like?" Zuri asked. Sarafina raised an eyebrow.

"What was what like?"

"Actually living with Scar as a King? We know the stories and the legends and the battles and everything… the drought, the River Slaughter… But what was day to day life like?" Zuri asked.

And then, for rest of the evening, they talked. They didn't worry about the future, or mind the present. They simply lost themselves in retelling of histories. In the old stories and legends… of tales of hunts and escapades, and cubhood dreams shattered into nightmarish visions. Of exiles and travels to strange and faraway places, when she had briefly left the Pridelands and journeyed far and wide. Of the Ahadi's reign, and Mufasa's. Of Scar's lion guard and of tragedies and losses and battles and fights. Of wilddogs, serpents, hyenas, and lions. Of skirmishes and duels and fights and rivalries.

The cubs listened patiently, as they talked. Often, Buzz, Ookai, or even Bruce would make a comment, an observation, or a challenge. But mostly, they all just listened to each other and to the ancient lioness. They talked far into the night, and into the following morning, before, at last, they sank into sleep. Kiava's sleep was dark, deep, and restful, unsullied with dreams of ghosts, wraiths, or Kings. He did not scream into the night with dreams of fire and darkness and the shadows rising from the remains of Pride Rock. His dream was uneventful.

And as each of the cubs slept, Sarafina kept watch, finally able to do so in plain sight, filled with relief at the completion of her ruse. Her lie. It had hurt her to do so for so long. Kiava's resolve had been matched only by Zuri's patience and selflessness, a fact that had complicated and extended the scheme far beyond her original intentions. Even so though, she felt a still, calm Pride in both the young cubs. Kiava would indeed make a fine King one day if he treated the rest of the Pride with a tenth of the respect and loyalty that he treated Zuri with. She still had slight doubts that Kiava would ever be able to reclaim the Pridelands. But she would help him give it her best shot. And even if he failed, he would do so as a King. Never as a tyrant. Of that she was confident.