Chapter five:
Nala lay on Pride Rock, eyes narrowed against the rain.
I'm sorry, mother, she thought sorrowfully. I should have fought harder.
"Don't blame yourself," Sarabi murmured. "When you think about it, her sacrifice was necessary for you to beat Scar."
"That doesn't make it any easier to bear!" Nala snapped. She shook her head to try and clear the grief fogging her mind, water flying from her whiskers. She slowly got to her paws, her wounds stinging at the movement. She turned to look at Sarabi.
"Have the hyenas gone?" She asked.
"Shomari has led Zakia, Mahiri and Bianca to chase them back to the Outlands where they belong," Sarabi confirmed.
"And has food been dealt with?" Nala continued. "If there's anything left, that is."
"Actually, the rains are bringing back growth, and Zazu has reported returning herds on the horizon," Sarabi said. "But I think we should take it easy on hunting."
"Yes," Nala nodded. "We can eat birds and meerkats another day or two, give the herds enough time to get settled in before we begin to eat properly again."
"Who should we send to hunt them?" Sarabi asked.
"Not sure why you're asking me," Nala said slowly, realizing she'd been taking charge for a moment. "But I'd say our fastest if we want to get a good meal, Winda, Mahiri, you, and I would be best for that, though we have to ensure Pride Rock remains well guarded. The hyenas may pull another stunt."
Nala looked around the large, rocky outcrop and realized the lionesses were all staring at her as she headed back into the den.
"What? What is it?" She asked. Most lionesses looked away or hastily began grooming themselves to look busy. Nala turned to Sarabi, confused, but she said nothing, though her amber eyes twinkled knowingly.
"You've established yourself at the head of the pride, so it seems, whether you intended to or not," said Zira, emerging from the cave where she'd been watching the cubs. "When you led us into battle, did you intend to come out of it as queen?"
"I never killed Scar for my own ambitions!" Nala snarled, turning to face Zira. "I killed him for the good of the Pride Lands, the land needed him gone. He killed my mother, and I returned the favor. I don't want to lead, but I'll do whatever I can to ensure the pride's survival."
"But you're not opposed to being queen?" Zakia pressed.
"If the pride needs me to step up to fill Mufasa's paws, I will," Nala confirmed.
"What if what the pride needs isn't what the entire pride wants? Do you honestly expect all of us to agree on a queen?" Zira asked.
"I'm not suggesting we all agree on it, it's impossible to please everyone," Nala responded. "We will vote, also everyone gets a voice and has a say in it."
"Can we vote for ourselves?" Bianca asked from where she watched her daughters just outside the cave.
"Lions are not selfish creatures like hyenas, everyone knows that voting for themselves will get us nowhere," Sarabi reasoned. "If everyone voted for themselves we'd be in the same struggle for power as we are now."
"Though it's not like everyone wants the role," Winda added. "So not everyone would vote for themselves."
"Can we vote?" Imara scampered up to the cluster of debating felines.
"Cubs are too young to understand what and who is good for the pride," Shomari grunted, flicking her brown tufted tail impatiently.
"We're not cubs!" Shabaha argued, stepping up beside her sister. "We're almost old enough to hunt."
"You're a long way from taking down antelope, dear," Nala purred, nosing the two cubs away.
"Oh, let them vote," Sarabi smiled. "One day this will be their world, and their queen they'll live under. They should have a say."
"We have never had a say before," Zakia muttered. "It has always gone from king to prince without question."
"Nuka cannot be king," Nala growled. "He is young, and even when he is considered full grown he will be young and foolish for a while. The pride needs someone now."
"Enough," Sarabi sighed. "There is work to be done before we can decide who will lead us next. Shomari, Mahiri, take the hyenas' bodies to the grasslands for the vultures to feed on. When you've done that, take Scar's charred remains and leave him with the hyenas' bodies as well. Winda, Sofi, and Bianca, come with me to hunt. Zira, can I trust you to watch the cubs?"
"If I must," Zira grumbled.
"What about me? I can hunt," Nala insisted.
"You look like an impala that's had a close brush with a hunting patrol," Sarabi retorted. "You will stay here and have Rafiki tend to your wounds."
"Yes, Sarabi," Nala bowed her head to the older lioness, somewhat relieved to be able to rest.
As Nala lay down out of the rain, she cast her somber blue gaze on her mother's body. At least she will be able to rest now, knowing the pride is safe out of Scar's paws.