Chapter eight:
Nala stretched her forepaws out in front of her with a yawn, blinking her turquoise eyes open. She sat up and gave herself a quick wash, her tongue gently scraping the scarring wounds along her spine and down her sides, as well as a few bites on her legs and tail. She licked her paws and drew them over her ragged, torn ears. Finished, Nala padded out of the den, taking a deep breath of the morning air. She heard the flapping of wings as Zazu landed beside her.
"Rising early to rise up to the challenge of queenship?" The hornbill asked, ruffling his wings.
"Just wanting to make sure I don't miss anything, really," Nala shrugged. "Shall we patrol?"
"Off we go," Zazu took to the skies.
I'm going to need the dodo's help, Nala thought wryly. I was still young during Mufasa's reign, and I never paid much attention to his duties. I should hardly use Scar as a role model, I'm sure he neglected hundreds of seasons of tradition.
Nala scented the air as she went, noting the promising smell of returning antelope and wildebeest. The morning was rather uneventful, the pink skies dotted with birds returning to their watering holes. Zazu would regularly circle back to the new queen.
"Anything to report?" Nala asked when he returned for the fifth time.
"A herd of zebras on the horizon, and some old paw marks from the hyenas," Zazu reported. Nala looked at him, her eyes bright.
"How old are they? Where?" She asked, whisking her tail.
Zazu smiled. "Three days old, at least, towards that hill over there. But you shouldn't go running after them-" Nala had already turned and ran towards the paw marks. Zazu hurried to catch her. "Your majesty, there's no need to chase such an old trail, and certainly no need to look for a fight."
"That murdering pack of cowards killed my mother!" Nala snarled.
"Scar killed your mother," Zazu corrected. "And you killed him. The hyenas would have to be brainless to return here after the tail kicking we gave them."
"Zazu, they are brainless," Nala rolled her eyes. "The more we warn them off, the less likely they are to come back."
"Why warn them off if they're in their own territory?" Zazu asked.
"I could at least mark the border, let them know we're watching," Nala growled, unsheathing her claws.
"We should enjoy our new era of peace while it lasts-"
"I'm trying to make sure it lasts!" Nala snapped. "Peace never stays, but I can keep the hyenas from driving it away. The outlands have no food, and our food sources are just returning. They will soon become desperate and starving, and that will drive them here to fill their never ending hunger."
"If you're itching for a fight, here comes Kali," muttered Zazu. Nala sheathed her claws to try and seem peaceful.
"Ah. Your majesty," Said the female cheetah when she emerged from the grass, her amber eyes narrow. "To what do I owe the pleasure? I notice you're rather close to my den."
"No matter of importance," Nala replied formally. "I was simply tracking some old hyena tracks. My apologies for straying so close to your den, I never smelled it. I assume you left during Scar's reign?"
"Any predator with sense has," Kali informed her tensely. "The hyenas killed my mate, so I had to flee to protect my cubs."
"You returned fast," Nala observed.
"Scar's curse spread far, farther than my cubs could traverse, and farther than I could travel on an empty stomach. We found a watering hole, but we had to drink and hunt sparingly. Once word traveled that Scar was dead, I had the choice of returning or starving," Kali said darkly.
"I wish you good hunting then," Nala dipped her head respectfully.
"Just don't let your lionesses forget who hunts here," Kali growled.
"Don't forget who has the power," Nala snapped. "Show some respect or I'll tell my lionesses to hunt where they please." The lioness swept away, her tail sweeping from side to side, rustling the grass.
"You shouldn't lose your temper, Kali has always loved to start fights," Zazu sniffed. "She's simply finding your boundaries."
"She'd better not intend to push them," Nala huffed. "We've done enough today, I should get back and join the hunt."
"Your highness, as queen, you don't need to hunt, you can rest and heal and let the others hunt for you," Zazu protested. "A king has hardly ever hunted, he always stays near Pride Rock to protect it against intruders."
"You forget, I'm no king," Nala growled. "I'm the queen, and I'll do as I wish. I've had enough of lying around and letting others do the work, I must show that I'm fit enough to hunt and fight."
"If that is what you want," Zazu sighed, flying higher, out of earshot. Nala enjoyed his silence on her walk back to the den, and caught Sarabi on her way to hunt with Zakia and Winda.
"Did you find anything on patrol?" Sarabi asked as they headed out to the grasslands.
"Old hyena tracks. Former pride landers are moving in quickly, and clearly have an appetite. We should be careful not to cross paths with other hunters, and warn others not to hunt too much," Nala decided.
"Smart," Sarabi nodded. "I just hope the sudden migration won't draw unwanted hunters."
"Are you thinking of other cats or smaller threats like jackals?" Nala asked.
"Both," Sarabi huffed. "We must stay alert these next few moons."
"Let them try," Nala growled. "They'll find we aren't weak, regardless of whether or not we have a king."
"I'm confident you'll convince them to stay away," Zakia added. "But I think I smell some antelope. Shall we hunt?"
The other lionesses agreed and ducked out of sight, reaching the herd and beginning to circle it. Zakia and Winda attacked from opposite sides. Nala crouched under a rocky outcrop as they passed overhead, and leapt into the chase when there was a gap. Right up next to her prey, she hurled herself at a nearby antelope, wrapping her paws around its neck and sinking her teeth into its throat. The antelope squealed and kicked, but Nala tightened her grip on its throat and its struggles became weaker, stumbling to a halt before collapsing, legs jerking in an attempt to kick as life bled out of it.
"Nice catch!" Zakia called, running up to Nala and her kill. Nala waited for the older lionesses to start eating, but they didn't. They stood and stared at her expectantly.
Oh, right, Nala thought, crouching down and beginning to tear off the antelope's flesh. After a moment the other lionesses joined her. When the four were finished, they grabbed the remains of the antelope and dragged it back to Pride rock. Once they had hauled the carcass up the rocks, Nala let the five cubs eat, followed by Zira and Bianca. Everyone ate to their fill, and unlike Scar and his hyenas, left the bones and uneaten scraps somewhere where the scavengers could finish it off.
As Nala lay down slightly after midday to rest, she looked out from her shaded outcrop across the grasslands, which were already becoming more and more green. How long will this peace last? How long until my queenship is challenged?