‹•›
I can't help this longing, comfort me,
I can't hold it all in if you won't let me.
Heaven holds a sense of wonder, and I wanted to believe
That I'd get caught up when the rage in me subsides.
—Delerium / Sarah McLachlan, "Silence"

A pulse of apprehension coursed through Kopa as the rabble of wild dogs closed in, but he kept pace with Tumaini, trusting his friend to know what to do. He counted eighteen of them, though he couldn't be certain amidst the commotion. The black-maned lion put on an unexpectedly aggressive burst of speed, dealing a wide sweeping strike that knocked four wild dogs off their paws. A fifth rushed up from the side, but Kopa was quick to react, pummelling the smaller creature to the ground before sliding him away into two of his comrades.

"That's it, kid," grunted Tumaini, his movements light and nimble as he fended off the enemies advancing from the opposite flank. "Watch the teeth and claws, don't let them swarm you." He leaped over a trio of wild dogs, sailing over their snapping teeth and landing behind their formation.

Seeing that their attention was momentarily diverted, Kopa moved in to press the advantage when Majonzi charged at him. He reflexively stepped back to avoid her claws, though he lost his balance as his back paws slipped against the side of the hill. The two of them tumbled down the slope between the trees, with Kopa trying to halt his momentum to no avail. He rolled to an abrupt stop at the bottom, and the rustling grass next to him indicated that Majonzi had done the same.

Kopa bound upright and held her against the ground, pinning her by the forelegs as she writhed and clawed at the air. "Stop this, Majonzi!" he shouted. "I don't want to fight you!"

"Then you'd be the first lion who didn't," she spat contemptuously, still struggling to free herself.

He did not let up, though he made sure not to hold her down harder than was necessary. "I know why you're doing this. I'm sorry about your brother."

"If that's true, you wouldn't be standing with him." Majonzi jerked her head toward the hilltop, where Tumaini was viciously slashing his way through the wild dogs in an effort to catch up to them.

"Mount Tempest wasn't Sonara's only dream," persisted Kopa. "She said she wanted her pride to care about you, the way she did."

She froze, disbelief entering her expression as she stopped struggling. "The Mother of the Mountain spoke to you? Why you?"

Kopa winced upon hearing the title, guessing that it was not one Sonara had wanted either. "Question of my life. All I know is she'd stop this conflict if she could – said she'd tear down Mount Tempest if that's what it would take." He finally relinquished his grip in a gesture of goodwill, stepping back to allow her to get up.

"I'm not here for the mountain," muttered Majonzi darkly. "I'm here for revenge, plain and simple."

Her claws reached for him once again, but this time Kopa was ready. His paws closed around her neck and tail, and as the other wild dogs drew near, he flung her at them, sending them to the ground in a heap.

Tumaini leaped over the wild dogs, and Kopa expediently fell into step with him as the two of them dashed away from the bottom of the hill. His friend did not look pleased. "What were you thinking? Did you not hear the part about the poison?"

"Did you see me get poisoned?" Kopa asked innocuously.

"That's not the–whatever, stop trying to reason with them."

Peering behind him, Kopa saw that Majonzi and her wild dogs had regained their wits and were giving chase. "They're really not afraid of lions, huh?"

"Not one bit," said Tumaini grimly. "Don't underestimate them – they're easy to throw around in small numbers, but as you can see, they don't do small numbers. You let them get around your defences, even for a moment, and you're dead."

Kopa noticed that the black-maned lion was leading him in a wide circle around the wild dogs, in an effort to double back the way they came. "We'll need to create a lot more distance if we're going to outrun Majonzi. How are we gonna get back to your pride in all this?"

Tumaini peered up into the mwangati trees around them, though he did not slow his pace. "Climb. I'll draw as many of them away as I can, you just have to stay ahead of whoever comes after you."

"Tumaini..." Kopa began, apprehension seeping into his voice.

"No arguments. Majonzi is focused on me, so I'm going to keep it that way. Stay in the treetops, and whatever you do, don't look down. And don't find me, I'll come find you. Whenever you're ready."

Trying to dispel his misgivings, Kopa steadied his breathing in time with his pawsteps. One of the larger mwangati trees caught his eye as it came into view before him, and hoping it was strong enough to hold his weight, he threw himself at it as high as he could. He slid down a little before his claws latched firmly into the trunk, just beneath the lowest branches, and he hurried to clamber up as the wild dogs' footfalls sounded beneath him. He spotted Majonzi tearing away after Tumaini with most of her wild dogs close behind.

And then a series of muffled thunks prompted Kopa to look down. A half dozen wild dogs were trying to scale the mwangati tree beneath him, although their first few attempts resulted in abysmal and painful failure. Nonetheless, Kopa picked up his pace, hauling himself up onto the thickest limb within reach. The wild dogs did not let up, a couple even standing on each others' backs to gain as much elevation as they could.

The tree limb swayed and groaned as Kopa shimmied back along its length, and with three wild dogs clambering up after him, it began to dip in earnest beneath their combined weight. And then everyone froze as an audible crack was heard from under their paws.

Kopa jumped on reflex, sending the tree limb snapping downward while his claws sank into the thick branch above him. Two of the wild dogs dropped through the air with yelps of dismay, taking their compatriots below with them. The closest one, however, had pounced at Kopa, scrabbling at his back paws before grabbing hold of his tail with both paws.

Kopa grunted in surprise, trying to kick the smaller creature loose. He cried out as he felt claws sink into his tail as the wild dog tried to climb up onto his back. Straining to hold up their combined weight, Kopa managed to shift his grip on the branch so that he was facing the tree, and swung forward with all his might. The wild dog hit the trunk dead centre with a muffled thud, and at last he released Kopa's tail and tumbled down into the others.

Kopa gritted his teeth as he pulled himself up onto the thicker end of the branch. He could already feel the poison creeping up the length of his tail, and noticed his hind legs were slightly less responsive than usual. Below him, the wild dogs were already making a second attempt to scale the tree trunk, undeterred by their doubtlessly painful fall. Kopa peered around, resisting the anxiety-inducing urge to look down. His gaze settled on the sturdiest-looking tree, another nearby mwangati; taking a deep breath, he jumped.

The brief sensation of weightlessness set his heart racing, but he quickly landed atop the adjacent tree limb, swinging a loop around it once to dispel his momentum. The tree limb rocked up and down against his weight, but it held and then settled as Kopa righted himself. A quick glance told him the wild dogs were now making their way back down, and he found he was having more and more difficulty getting his hind legs to respond. I'm not gonna last much longer up here. I'd be lucky if I don't fall off the tree before long.

"Hey! Over here, you big-eared mutts!"

Kopa blinked in surprise as Fuli dashed out through the foliage below. The wild dogs immediately abandoned their efforts to climb up to him and proceeded to chase after the cheetah instead. She zipped away, vanishing as quickly as she came, and the wild dogs' frenetic pawsteps quickly disappeared as well.

Mustering every bit of movement he could manage, Kopa made an ungainly dive toward the next tree limb and smacked belly-first into it. He plummeted off the tree, wincing as the branch below snapped against his back before skidding onto its widening trunk and rolling off the roots.

Kopa's tumble across the ground came to a rolling stop against a pair of lion paws, and he saw Chumvi's red-brown eyes staring down at him in consternation. "Up you get, Kopa, come on. Let's go."

Kopa got to his paws unsteadily, clenching his teeth at what seemed like thousands of ants crawling through his nerves. "I... I can't walk too well. Got poisoned."

"I'll take a look once we're safe, but we're not there yet," Chumvi insisted. "Walk, you gotta try. Fuli's gonna join us once she gets the wild dogs away from here."

Remembering what Sonara said about adult lions being able to survive most poisonings, Kopa nodded, taking awkward, uneven steps as best he could. "Okay... it's not so bad." Which wasn't even remotely true, but he was trying to convince himself nonetheless. "Where are we going?"

"Fuli's gotta meet up with her team, so I'm guessing it'll be the Pride Lands. Now's as good a time as any."

"Then I need to find Tumaini, Afua too."

"Everyone's scattering into the mountains," Chumvi told him. "There are just too many wild dogs to fight. Best we group up after we throw them off the scent. Before we left, Malka had the pride agree not to return to The Hollow if something like this happened."

Kopa hesitated, not wanting to endanger his friends on a desperate whim to see them alright. They can take care of themselves. I know they can. Biting his lip, he nodded.

"Honestly, we'd be lucky to make it to the Pride Lands ourselves," sighed Chumvi. "These wild dogs haven't given up in nearly sixty years, and they breed like rabbits. I doubt that's going to change in either regard."

•••

Having not gone up against wild dogs since he was an adolescent, Tumaini was surprised by how easily he was able to outpace Majonzi and her wild dogs now. He had circled around the base of the hills to get Kopa out of their sights, and did not get far into the trees when he saw Malka and Afua fighting off wild dogs while enclosed on all sides. Fortunately, Tumaini's footfalls went unheard in the commotion as he ducked and weaved through the trees, keeping as low as he could in spite of his lanky stature.

Once he was as close as he dared get, Tumaini snapped his teeth around a dangling mwangati branch, using his weight to bend it toward the ground. The nearest wild dogs turned at the sound of a groaning creak, right in time to see Tumaini release his grip, whipping the branch straight into five wild dogs. The canines flew in every direction as Tumaini flopped into the grass, though he righted himself while Afua rushed through the opening with Malka close behind.

Hearing Majonzi's team catching up not far behind, Tumaini hastily led his father and brother in a crosswise direction away from both groups of wild dogs. Even through the thickening forest, he could make out Afua rolling his eyes and muttering, "Show-off."

"If it works, it works," replied Tumaini with a strained grin. "Where's Safina?"

"Gone," Malka said. "We should be too, there are already too many wild dogs and they're still coming."

Afua glanced over his shoulder, eyes narrowing as he caught sight of Majonzi. "If she's looking for a rematch, I'm tempted to give her one."

"Easy, Afua," the king cautioned. He gave Tumaini a wry look. "Even at her last rites, there's gotta be a fight. She'd be pleased."

Tumaini scowled. "Not funny, dad."

"No, she'd have found it hilarious," Afua grunted. "I think we're losing them. Where's Kopa?"

"Still up in a tree, hopefully," guessed Tumaini.

"He's what?" his brother yelped.

"I had to get Majonzi away from him somehow!"

"He's afraid of heights, genius!"

"I know that! I just didn't want him to develop a fear of poison as well!"

Malka growled to halt their squabble. "Focus, both of you. Eyes front."

Tumaini turned his gaze away from Afua as the sound of rushing water grew louder. Sure enough, he saw the runoff channel from Mount Kilimanjaro cutting through the trees ahead. "I can jump that."

"So can I," said Afua.

Malka flushed. "I'll... do my best."

Tumaini put on a burst of speed as he neared the channel, propelling himself over the waterway in a well-practiced manoeuvre. He and Afua landed simultaneously on the other side, rolling upright in a near-identical motion. A hefty splash was heard from behind them, and Tumaini turned to see Malka clinging to the dirt by his claws while the vigorous current threatened to carry him away. Without hesitation, Tumaini and Afua rushed to their father and grabbed one front paw each, straining but managing to haul him onto dry land.

The king slumped into the grass, indifferent to the water dripping from his fur. "Thanks, boys."

"Yeah," huffed Tumaini, slouching over breathlessly. "Maybe just... lose some weight, dad..."

Afua smacked him in the shoulder, even as he sank to the ground to catch his breath. They watched in silence as the wild dogs broke through the trees on the other side, and without a shred of misgiving, leaped over the channel one after another. And one after another they plunked into the water, swept off in the blink of an eye. Majonzi came the closest as she splashed into the channel, snarling and ripping at the dangling grass before she too was whisked away. Silence fell over the forest once again.

Malka exhaled, sounding both relieved and utterly resigned. "If Majonzi's here, then Bane must be at Mount Tempest by now."

"Which is going to make our rescue mission a lot harder," realized Tumaini in frustration. "Whoever has suggestions, let's hear them now. The wild dogs are going to slaughter everyone if we don't."

Afua got up and began pacing, his single working eye darting about every which way. "Two teams. I'll go with Tumaini and whoever he wants to bring for the rescue. Dad, you take everyone else and look for Simba. He's already in the mountains and he won't know where to find you."

Malka hesitated. "Will you two be alright?"

"It's a little late to start worrying about us now, don't you think?" jibed Tumaini dryly.

"Fair point," their father chuckled ruefully. "Look out for each other. I love you both."

"I love you too, dad," Tumaini murmured.

Afua's brow was slightly creased with pain. "We'd better hurry. There's a storm rolling in."

Tumaini blinked. "How do you know?"

"I really don't feel like explaining it right now," the younger lion said tautly. "Can we go?"

Just then, Tumaini could hear a distant rumbling in the sky, confirming Afua's words. He gave Malka a quick nod of reassurance before rising to join Afua, who was lining himself up to jump back across the channel. Tumaini positioned himself next to his brother, and they broke into a dash before leaping into the air once more.

•••

A crash of thunder startled Janga awake. Her returning senses were quickly overtaken by the ferocious rain lashing down upon her, and she had to blink the water out of her eyes a few times before realizing that it was night time. As she slowly peeled herself off the cold stony ground, she peered around to see if she recognized anything from the endless stretch of mountains. I must have passed out, she realized, staggering on and trying not to think about the sting of the rain against her still-healing wounds. But how long was I out? How much farther do I have to–

Her paws buckled under her, and once again Janga collapsed. She rolled onto her front and began dragging herself forward, only to find her way blocked by a rain-plastered form, almost as dark as the night itself. "You really don't know when to stop, you know that?" said Kivuli exasperatedly.

Janga sputtered blearily around a faceful of rainwater. "When was it ever a choice for us?"

Kivuli carefully helped her sit up, leaning her own forehead against Janga's as the downpour raged on around them. "Scar's been dead for years now, and still we're running like we have been our whole lives. What are we doing, Janga?"

"You know what we're doing," Janga growled. "It doesn't end with Scar, it ends with the reason Scar happened in the first place."

"Those are Mheetu's words," reminded Kivuli wearily. "He would've said anything you wanted to hear because he didn't want to lose you."

Janga stared intently into the deep silver of her eyes. "And you think you're any different?"

Kivuli stared back dauntlessly. Unblinkingly. "I didn't know the right words, not the way he did. But I'm still here, and that's not about to change."

"I don't deserve you, Kivuli," professed Janga, her voice tinged with regret. "You and Jeraha would've lived easier lives if you hadn't left with me."

"Easy lives are for the weak," Kivuli grunted. "You don't just give me purpose – you are my purpose." The silence that befell them was oddly peaceful, and Janga was almost sorry when Kivuli straightened and said, "Come on, let's get you out of the rain. I can't believe you got this far on your own."

"It was Jeraha's idea," mumbled Janga.

"Yeah, which is why Jeraha needs to leave the ideas to other people." Kivuli strained to help her hobble toward a small alcove, with barely enough room for one lion. "Carrying you on his back, now that's something he could do. A pity you got me instead of him." She set Janga down, seemingly unbothered by the rain lashing down upon her.

Janga sputtered in amusement. "He's a lot sharper than you make him out to be."

"Yeah, and clearly sharper than you if you think this is what he meant," snorted Kivuli. "Wandering alone into the mountains during a thunderstorm – even I know he's not that dense."

"In my defence, the thunderstorm started after I passed out."

Kivuli gave her an irked look. "If you think I'm being funny, I'm not. My whole team is split up trying to find you right now."

"Your concern is touching, but I have to get back to Mount Tempest as soon as I can," said Janga, sitting up a little more. "I'm almost certain Bane is there already."

"So what, you're going to show up like this limping into Mount Tempest? How do you think that'll look to the Duara Vunja, never mind Bane–"

"I don't care how it looks," Janga snapped impatiently. "Simba is coming, and we need to be ready when he does. I can't do much in my condition right now, Kivuli. It'll have to be you."

Kivuli nodded resolutely, her shoulders raising a little. "Whatever you need."

"You're going to see if that tribe will be a problem for us. Convince them not to be if you can, and get out quick if you can't."

"Shouldn't be too difficult," the grey-furred lioness promised. "What about you, what happens if you run into trouble on your own? What happens if Bane takes one look at you and decides it'll never be easier to put you out of your misery?"

In spite of her aching body, Janga's expression was clear and focused. "I'm not finished yet, Kivuli, not even close. And until I am finished, the ones who dare stand in my way will suffer worse than any trouble they could bring me." She stood, stepping out into the rain once more. "So let them try. I yield to no one."

•••

With the heavy rainfall impairing the Sight of the Spirits, Fujo found he had to concentrate more intently to maintain a fairly intact image of his surroundings, splotchy as they were. Far below him was the Zuberi River, running through a deep series of cliffs upon which he took shelter. The overhang above his head provided suitable cover from the rain, but it had also been a bit difficult to navigate, especially when slippery.

And so it was all the more surprising for Fujo to make out the grainy form of a lioness climbing her way down toward him. Slowly opening his eyes, he sat up a little as a sopping wet figure plopped down onto the ledge before him. Fujo gave an impressed scoff. "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised you followed me."

Shaking the water from her fur, Sarabi stepped beneath the overhang, eyeing him observantly. "You don't seem used to being surprised."

"I'm not," admitted Fujo, having worked out by now that honesty was the best approach when it came to the old lioness. "But you, Sarabi, have surprised me to no end since we met."

"Then here's your chance to surprise me. Why did you see Janga in the Outlands?"

Realizing that she must have headed to Zira's abandoned den not long after he had visited Janga, Fujo hid his surprise, silently wondering why it was that Sarabi always ended up exactly where he did not want her. Carefully weighing his options, he decided to speak a half-truth. "To threaten her. I can give you the details if you'd like."

"I get the idea," Sarabi responded curtly. "What interests me is how you were able to find her so easily."

He masked his relief with a contemplative pause. "Have you ever heard of the Sight of the Spirits?"

She frowned. "Sounds familiar. I might have heard it from an old Pridelander story when I was young."

"To put it simply, I can 'see' everything around us through sound."

"Like a bat?"

Fujo blinked, genuinely taken aback. "An apt if somewhat degrading comparison, yes. So this is why you sought me out? To help you locate Janga?"

"Yes," Sarabi replied firmly. "You help me find her, and if she can't be reasoned with, then you'll have all the help you need from the Pride Lands to stop her. Sound fair?"

Seeing no reasonable way to turn her down, Fujo could only nod. His mind began whirling furiously in search of a solution to his problem, a problem that was only growing in prominence with every passing moment. There's nothing to stop Janga from telling Sarabi about me. And if I lose, then we all lose. I would've let her take Mount Tempest for nothing.

It would be so much simpler if she fell into the Zuberi.

Fujo mentally pushed the thought away. Stop. There's still time. She's not a threat.

She is to you.

No. That's not a line I cross lightly. I'll find another way to be rid of her... somehow.

•••

Kion craned his neck upon seeing Ono swoop down toward Pride Rock's promontory where he and Kiara stood. She was gazing out worriedly toward the sun rising over the savanna, but quietly turned her attention toward the egret as he landed.

"No one in the eastern regions have seen Sarabi either," reported Ono. "Hadithi's still got all the birds looking though. He said he wouldn't rest until she's found."

"Thank you, Ono," said Kiara quietly. Ono bobbed his head in response and took off once more, and she turned to Kion. "Some acting queen I am. Second day and I've already lost our grandmother."

"You didn't lose her," Kion reassured. "She was waiting for the Lion Guard, she probably went with them."

"Without saying anything? That's not like her at all."

"They would've been in a hurry. This is important to her."

"Well, right now it's important that I know where everyone is so I can be sure that they're safe." Kiara gave a stressed groan. "Great, I'm becoming dad."

"No, you're becoming a queen," corrected Kion with a knowing smile. "Everyone makes their problems your problems, but you don't get to turn your problems into theirs."

"After what he and mom told us, it sounds like Janga's about to become everyone's problem, whether we like it or not."

"You're not going to try talking her down like you did with Zira?"

Kiara sighed glumly. "If only. I don't see how I'm going to get the chance. Besides..." A sharp edge entered her voice. "Anyone who's got it out for Kovu is gonna have to deal with me."

Slightly taken aback by her ferocity, Kion said, "She's still family."

"Then she can start by acting like it," growled Kiara. "What she did to the Mtera Pride was uncalled for."

"Then we'd better make sure the same thing doesn't happen here. I'll have my team on the lookout for any trouble until the Lion Guard returns."

"No, the High-Flying Heroes are taking care of that. You're going after grandma Sarabi with your team and bringing her back."

Kion gave her an impudent look. "You know you don't give me orders anymore, right?"

Kiara nudged him lightly in response. "And you know how dad's gonna be if he hears about this."

"Good point," he conceded, needing no further persuasion. "Are you sure you'll be okay on your own?"

"I won't be on my own," she said. "Besides, the Pride Lands have survived worse with no Lion Guard or Night Pride in the past."

Kion nodded. "Alright. I'll try not to be gone too long."

"Keep an eye out for Anga while you're out there," added Kiara. "I know you've been worried about her."

Kion smiled in appreciation of his sister's ever-attentive sense of empathy. "I will. Thanks."

The two of them nuzzled affectionately. Kiara squeezed herself against him tightly. "Be careful, Kion."

"You too."

Kion hurried down the side of Pride Rock, seeing Kiara head off to begin her duties for the day. Off in the distance of the brightening sky, he could see Ono flying around with Ona, and felt a pang of guilt at the prospect of bringing his team's short-lived respite to an end.

As Kion headed in Ono's direction, he made sure to take a good look around the Pride Lands he had known all his life. Even now, it still feels like home. I can't let anything happen to it. Bolstered, he picked up the pace, confident in his team's ability to pick up Sarabi's trail before long.

•••

To Kopa's relief, he had regained most of the feeling in his legs by the time he reached the Zuberi rapids with Fuli and Chumvi. Mount Kilimanjaro now stood in the distance, barely visible against the overcast sky from behind the immediate forms of the nearby mountains. Regardless, Kopa kept his ears open for the sound of wild dogs in the distance, having kept his guard up all night with more exhausting frequency than he would have liked.

"Think we lost them this time?" panted Chumvi, raising his voice a little to be heard over the sound of the rapids.

Kopa shook his head. "We can outrun them, but not their noses. We'll need something more drastic to slow them down."

"Like these rapids?" prompted Fuli, eyeing the churning water before them.

Kopa groaned. "I was afraid you were gonna say that. But yeah."

"I'll look for a way across," the cheetah said decisively. "Don't dawdle if you spot any wild dogs coming."

She dashed away, following the current as she made her way down along the rapids. Kopa did not watch her go, stretching his legs in an effort to dispel the last of the lethargy clinging to his muscles. We've been running all night on scarcely any sleep. I hate to admit it, but we'll have to make this crossing while we still have the energy to. He glanced at Chumvi, who was evidently unaccustomed to covering so much ground in the last few days. "You keeping up okay?"

"You won't hear me complaining," assured the brown-furred lion. "Not if we're doing flat terrain, at least. How about you? I'm surprised you're still walking."

Kopa swished his tail experimentally, rotating his back paws and wiggling his toes to make sure everything still worked. "It's actually wearing off. To be honest, I thought it'd be much worse."

"So did I, and I've seen what it looks like when it goes untreated. You're either very lucky or there's something in your ancestry that–" Chumvi broke off in realization. "Oh, right... Sarafina."

"Sarafina?" Kopa inquired, trying to remember if the name brought forth any memories for him.

"Nala's mother," explained Chumvi. "You wouldn't know it just from looking at her, but she's quite the force to be reckoned with. She never told me about her life before the Pride Lands, but when you've lived in the mountains as long as I have, you hear things sooner or later."

Kopa let out a small laugh. "Guess Tumaini's right. My family just doesn't do ordinary."

"Well, after what you've been through, you're definitely no exception." Chumvi turned his head away from the rapids, flattening his ears a little against its incessant roar. "Zuberi's mane, it's loud here. How did you survive going through this as a cub?"

"The water level was really high," Kopa murmured. "The rocks could've been submerged... I don't actually remember."

"Probably better that way." Wearily, the older lion divulged, "This kingdom thing might have made for comfortable living, but I'm starting to think it's more trouble than it's worth. If it's not hyenas, it's wild dogs."

"Hey. One of my best friends was a hyena."

"Then it's a good thing you didn't see them crawling all over the Pride Lands when Scar was king. I still get nightmares about it from time to time."

Kopa remembered his recent misadventure on the fringes of the Outlands. "I actually met the matriarch. Shenzi, right?"

Chumvi gave him a curious look. "Yeah. Let me guess, she tried to eat you?"

"Her clan did, but she stopped them. She was afraid of what my parents would do to them."

"Then I guess she finally grew some sense in her old age. Can't say I feel bad for them though."

"I do," said Kopa, faintly disturbed by what he had seen in the Shadowlands. "They're living in squalor. Most of her hyenas are too young to have been around when Scar was."

"Then they shouldn't have kept breeding," muttered Chumvi darkly. "Would've done everyone a favour if they had just died out."

"You don't believe in second chances, do you?"

"Maybe I used to. But after Zira, it was hard not to be bitter. And the Mtera Pride was always too busy with their own problems to ask about mine, which was how I liked it."

"So you never talked about what Zira did?"

Chumvi's eyes turned downcast. "It's not so easy to talk about. Hard to say where shame ends and guilt begins."

Kopa's nose twitched as the wind blew past them, carrying with it the unmistakable scent of wild dogs. Chumvi peers back the way they had come, clearly having caught it too. They immediately got up, sticking close to the rapids as they hurried downstream to conceal the sound of their movement.

Not far around the bend in the rapids, Fuli was examining a cluster of water-drenched rocks protruding from the frothing current, which looked even more forebodingly choppy than where they had just been. The cheetah looked up as they approached.

"We're out of time," said Chumvi. "This safe to cross, you think?"

"Not really, but it's the best I could find. Who wants to go first?" When Fuli was met with silence, she exhaled. "Okay, guess it's me then. Don't fall behind."

Just then the wild dogs appeared from around the bend, numbering ten or eleven in total. Wasting no time, Fuli hopped onto the first rock, quickly moving onto the next as Chumvi followed. Kopa eyed the unforgiving current for a moment as it beat against the rocks, taking a deep breath to combat his mounting apprehension. Nothing for it. Trying not to tense up, he jumped, taking care not to overshoot his trajectory.

A surge of panic seized him as his paws slipped against the cold, wet surface, but he managed to stop himself just short of sliding off the other end. Fuli and Chumvi were already more than halfway across, and out of the corner of his eye, Kopa saw that the wild dogs were almost upon him. Bracing himself against the rapids' misty spray, he hopped onto the second rock, and then a third, dimly aware that he was now squarely in the middle of the river. Don't think about it. Just keep going, one at a time.

Fuli, who had made it to the other side, turned back as she moved aside for Chumvi. Her eyes widened in alarm. "Kopa, behind you!"

Kopa looked over his shoulder to see a wild dog lunging at him, heedless of his own safety. He instinctively stepped back and swatted the smaller creature into the water – and felt the bottom drop out of his stomach as the motion caused him to slip off the side of the rock and dip into the water. His other paw flew out, his claws digging and scraping at the stony surface in a desperate attempt to hold his weight against the force of the current.

Chumvi jumped back onto the rock Kopa was clinging onto, ramming away a second wild dog with his shoulder. The brown-furred lion grabbed him by the foreleg and tried to haul him out as the wild dogs began their crossing in earnest, albeit only two at a time due to the precarious footing. One of them leaped over Chumvi but missed and plunged into the rapids, while Kopa used his free paw to fend off the other.

The wild dog collided directly into him, and Kopa felt his foreleg slip out of Chumvi's grip a moment before he heard Fuli shout his name. All sound was drowned out as water filled his vision. He kicked and fought to break for the surface, but the raging depths of the rapids refused to relinquish him. A stream of bubbles escaped his maw in a silent scream as the cold tendrils of fear wrapped around him, coaxing him to give in and let the Zuberi take him at last.

•••

Well, that didn't go according to plan, Tumaini thought, doing his best not to put weight on his sprained front paw as he limped on. Siri was at his side, helping him hobble through the foot of the mountains while Fika scouted the hills ahead. I hope Afua is okay. And Kopa's probably long gone by now, heading west for the Serengeti. That was what Fuli had told him when she bumped into him during the escape; he had instructed her to look out for Kopa before they headed their separate ways.

He and Afua had split up not long after that, when they spotted Fika and Kaidi in trouble on opposite ends of a clearing. More wild dogs had poured in after that, and upon seeing that Afua had gotten Kaidi away, Tumaini led Fika to safety as well, which had gone relatively smoothly until he stepped in a pothole and twisted his foreleg the wrong way. They had found Siri late into the night, but after that, no one else from the Mtera Pride had crossed their path.

"It's a minor sprain," Siri told him. "You'll be able to stand on your own by tomorrow."

"Sprains don't go away that quickly," Tumaini said with a frown.

"You're right, they don't. But it won't hurt to walk so much."

"Siri?"

"Hm?"

"Can I be honest with you?"

Siri's eyebrows shot up slightly. "Uh, yeah. Go ahead."

Tumaini took a dramatically deep breath. "I was hoping I'd have lasted longer than this. Before having to call it even with you, I mean."

Siri's expression turned flat. She stepped away from Tumaini, who immediately lost his balance and fell to the ground.

"Ahahahowww," he laughed painfully. "You didn't find that funny? I thought it was funny."

She shook her head with a smile, albeit one that was perplexed rather than amused. "Even now you find a way to laugh at yourself. I don't get it."

"Neither do I, honestly," admitted Tumaini. He sat up and gestured for her to join him. "We've been running most of the night. You look like you could use a break."

With only a hint of reluctance, Siri settled into a sitting position beside him. "Barely a day to catch our breath and we're right back in it again. We're never gonna rescue the others like this."

"One problem at a time, Siri," insisted Tumaini. "That's how we did it last time, and it got us this far. We'll find a way. We just don't see it yet."

Her astute grey eyes pondered him thoughtfully. "I don't think I'd believe that coming from anyone else. But when you say it..."

"My mother gave her life for this pride," he reflected, solemnly returning her gaze. "I have to make it count."

A faint but understanding smile appeared on Siri's face. "Even when you hate her, you still love her. You have a generous heart, Tumaini – troubled as it is. But I get the sense you take on the trouble gladly if it helps someone out."

"Only way I can live with myself, I guess."

"No. It's who you would've been the whole time if you'd lived a different life."

"I did live a different life," he asserted. "And I still scared you, the night we escaped Jeraha. I saw it in your eyes."

"I didn't know you that well yet," recalled Siri, her voice growing quiet. "And that was certainly a different side to you I didn't expect to see. But it must've been so hard for you to tell me the truth about you and Afua, and you still did. I want you to know... it doesn't change how I feel about you."

Tumaini leaned in, lowering his voice as well. "And how do you feel about me?"

"Are we being serious right now, or are you back to messing with me?" she deadpanned.

Despite himself, Tumaini burst out laughing. "I'm that good, huh? No, yeah, being completely serious right now. Honest."

Siri gave a light scoff. "You're a real charmer, but I'm still making up my mind about you. Not a judgement on your character, of course, I completely trust you in that regard."

"Oh, well, don't stop there," he grinned. "Raising a cub has a way of starving you of appreciation."

"Pond half-full, you have crossed my mind... a lot." She smiled secretively. "But some things a lioness keeps to herself."

"Well, you don't have to share if you don't feel like it."

An enticing look flickered into Siri's eyes. "I never said that, did I?"

Tumaini became aware that his chest was heaving, and that he had been fixating on her scent for the last while. Siri was likewise drawing deep breaths, her gaze never leaving his for a moment.

Fika reappeared from around the hillside, dishevelled and more than a bit irritable. "Great Spirits, if you two wanted to stop, you could've told me. I must've gone as far as..." She stopped before them, nose twitching. Tumaini and Siri stared back at her, blinking, and her expression changed into sheepish comprehension. "Oh. Didn't mean to ruin the mood. Of course, it would've helped if one of you said something..."

"Fika," uttered Siri tersely. "Stop talking, please. We have more important things to focus on."

"Right," Fika said, flustered. "Sorry."

Tumaini shook his head, chasing away the buzz of emotions lingering in his mind. "We should've told you we were stopping, so that's on us – and I've slowed us down enough. Lead on, Fika."

•••

Although Nia was certain Vitani was not fluent in lionspeak, her expression made it clear that she got the gist of what Nia was presently communicating with the utmost indignation. "They attacked in the midst of her last rites? We must answer this insult with their blood!"

Sporting minor injuries like the four warriors standing around her, Safina gave Nia a hard look. "No, we must return to our camp with all haste. That includes you."

Nia blanched. "You still mean to remain neutral? After all this?"

"Nia, they cannot be beaten," the chief responded sternly. "Not with numbers as small as ours."

As Nia switched from lionspeak to kila, she noticed Vitani look up from the rock she was idly leaning against. "I have not yet honoured my oath. I must find this Kopa before I may return to the tribe."

Safina's prudent gaze shifted to Vitani. "We have already found him."

Vitani straightened in an instant. "You what?"

"He was safe with the Mtera Pride, you'll be glad to hear," Safina informed her. "Though perhaps less so now that the wild dogs have separated them."

"Then my task remains unfinished," declared Nia. "I will part ways with Vitani only after we have found Kopa."

"And if that leads you into war against the Duara Vunja?" Safina implored. "Against these endless hordes of wild dogs?"

Nia peered down at herself for a moment. "I have shed the colours of the tribe. If I must fight, then I will do so without endangering my people. On this I give my word."

The older lioness hesitated, and some of the hardness left her eyes for a moment. "My duty to this tribe is not merely to be their chief, but their protector as well. I can do nothing if you choose to act outside my protection."

"I understand, chief," said Nia earnestly. "But I can no longer stand by and do nothing."

Safina's brow creased into a forlorn expression. "So be it. If you die, then you die an outcast. Break your oath, and your place with us will be lost also. May the ancestors guide you on your path."

As the chief turned away with her four warriors following behind, Nia switched back to lionspeak. "They'll come for us, chief. That's why Kumi did this, can't you see that?"

"If you must act, then do not tarry," responded Safina curtly without so much as turning her back. "Every day I will pray for the ancestors to deliver you, Nia... for the worst is yet to come."

•••

Kopa shot up with a gasp, lungs heaving as he realized he was safe on dry land. His pounding heart began to settle with his breathing as he looked around to find himself upon a pebbled riverbank, sitting beneath the mountains and a cheerful afternoon sun. He became aware that he was sopping wet, and stumbled upright to shake the water off himself.

"I was wondering when we would meet again," came a vaguely familiar voice to his left. "Though admittedly not quite like this."

Seeing Fujo's oddly recognizable form striding down the riverbank, Kopa proceeded to shake, checking himself for injuries he might have sustained from his unwanted plunge. "You pulled me out of the water?"

"With a little help, but yes," replied Fujo. "She'll be pleased you're awake – though I see she needed the rest as well."

"'She'?" Kopa repeated. The older lion jerked his head over his shoulder, and Kopa turned about to see an old brown-furred lioness rising from her nap, yawning.

She blinked a few times, rubbing her eyes in disbelief upon catching sight of him. "Kopa. Is that really you, child?"

Slowly, Kopa padded closer, feeling inexplicably drawn to the old lioness despite having no memory of her face or her name. There was something familiar about her features, her scent, and he instinctively knew who she was as he whispered, "Grandma?"

An awestruck look crossed her face. "By the spirits. You remember me?"

"No, I..." Kopa bit his lip, seized by a flurry of turmoil. "I could barely remember anything, for... for so long. I didn't... I don't know if I ever will."

"Oh, you poor child." His grandmother stepped forward and nuzzled him warmly, her voice laden with sympathy. "I'm sorry, Kopa, we thought the Zuberi claimed you. The search parties went on for days but we couldn't find you anywhere." She withdrew gently, smiling faintly as she looked him up and down. "But you look healthy, if a bit drawn. Have you been well?"

"I'm fine, I just... got poisoned." Seeing her stricken look, Kopa hastily added, "But I'm okay, really!"

"Sarafina," deduced Fujo.

The old lioness looked at him, every bit of warmth evaporating for a moment before her attention returned to Kopa. "Well, she'll certainly be happy to hear about that. You just wait until they see you."

"Yeah, I can't believe it, this is..." Kopa's breath quickened, hardly able to believe his luck. "Where are they, grandma? Where are my parents?"

"Looking for you, actually," she laughed. "I never thought I'd find you first, in the same river we lost you in, no less."

He shuddered as he recalled the sheer unyielding power of the rapids, and the nightmarish sensation of water filling his ears. He quickly chased the memory from his mind. "Yeah, I knew I had a bad feeling about crossing those rapids. There's no talking me into trying that again."

"No, but the task ahead of us is even more unpleasant," Fujo intoned. "Isn't that right, Sarabi?"

Seeing Kopa's inquisitive stare, Sarabi met his gaze without falter. "I understand if you don't want to get involved, Kopa. But your presence there could do a lot more good than you think."

He frowned. "My presence where? Get involved in what?"

"We're going after someone," his grandmother said quietly.

"Not just anyone," added Fujo. "You may recall burying her with nine of her lions in the gorge."

Kopa froze, dread and realization flooding his being all at once. "Janga," he whispered.