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Queen Sarabi laid on the royal platform, resting under the strict orders of the Royal Mjuzi as well as Taka and her mother-in-law, Sanaa. All the while being restless herself, she should be doing her Queen duties but instead she's on bed-rest.

With a long, heavy sigh the dark beige lioness laid her head down between her light beige paws, boredom clear in her orange eyes.

"Sarabi,"

The queen looked up and was completely surprised to see her brother entering the cave. She know for a fact, that her brother hasn't stepped inside this cave since their mother particularly exiled him after he murdered his Lion Guard.

She remembers her exact words while discussing his return.

"It's better to have him in the Pridelands, we can know what he's doing."

"Mufasa, is something wrong?" Sarabi asked, sitting up. Some how she felt the same feeling she felt a few days ago when her and Taka found Arella with her tail feathers on fire.

"Sarabi, sister ... I'm so sorry... I -I tried but I failed.." Mufasa sobbed, lowering his head.

Sarabi felt like everything was about to go terribly wrong. Mufasa hasn't called or identified her as his sister since their mother proclaimed that she was going to be queen after her with Taka as her Prince-Consort.

"There was a terrible accident in the northern gorge. I -I'm sorry, Taka and Eshe didn't make it." tears fell from the gold lion's orange eyes.

Immediately the queen felt like she couldn't breath. The dark beige lioness shook her head before roaring as tears fell freely from her suddenly lifeless orange eyes.

"Sarabi!" Sanaa cried out when she entered the cave to see her daughter-in-law hunched over in tears. The gold-tan lioness ran over to her son's mate, glaring at the gold lion looming over them with bared teeth. "What did you do?!"

Before Mufasa could say anything, Sarabi cried out. Sobbing, tears falling freely. Marking her fur with stains from the warm, salty tears rapidly falling.

"They're gone!"

Sanaa moved her dark green eyes from Mufasa to Sarabi, "Sweetheart, who's gone?" but as soon as she asked, she regretted it.

"My babies!" Sarabi sobbed uncontrollably. "They're... gone..."

Tears started to fall as Sanaa realized what the queen was implying. "Taka? Eshe?"

Mufasa cleared his throat earning Sanaa's attention. "Duchess Sanaa, I'm afraid that Prince-Consort Taka and Princess Eshe were killed today in an accidental stampede. If only I made it to the gorge in time."

"No... Not my son!" Sanaa cried, tears fell from her eyes as well.

Mufasa lowered his head to grieve along with his sister and her mother-in-law but he was ecstatic about the outcome.

~TLQ~

"Hey guys!"

Mheetu and Malka were wrestling under a tree by the watering hole when a creamy cub with brown eyes ran over.

Malka grinned when he saw the female cub approaching, "Hey Kula!"

Kula looked around in confusion before turning back to the male cubs, "Where's Eshe?"

Before Mheetu and Malka could say that they didn't know, a black cub with a black tuff on his head and orange eyes came running over."What's up, you guys?"

Mheetu's jaw nearly dropped, "What are you doing here, Mbamba?"

Mbamba chuckled as he joined the group. "My mother said I should spend more time with the pride's cubs."

Mheetu rolled his teal eyes and was going to say something when a dark grey lioness that the cubs knew as Judith came running over.

"Cubs, you're wanted home at once. Prince Mufasa has an announcement."

The cubs followed the dark grey lioness home where the pride was gathered below pride rock. Kula and Mbamba followed Mbamba's mother, Judith over to where Kula's mother, Avana, Zira and some other lionesses stood.

As Mheetu and Malka went over to their mothers who were standing by a sobbing queen and duchess.

"I have terrible news..." Mufasa began as he sat on a boulder, "...There was a stamped accident in the gorge today." The lionesses and a few lions gasped as the gold prince continued, "And I am broken to say that in the end we lost our Prince-Consort and princess to the stars."

Mheetu felt like the ground would open and swallow him. Everything felt like an out of body experience, something not real.

But as he looked at the queen who was sobbing uncontrollably as well as Malka's mother and grandmother. Everything Mufasa said was unfortunately true and very real.

The tawny cub rubbed against his mother's foreleg as tears fell from his eyes.

"Taka's death was a terrible tragedy; but to lose Eshe, who had barely begun to live... For me it is a deep personal loss. So it is with a heavy heart that I assume the throne."

Everyone gasped as eerie crackles penetrated the quiet atmosphere before hyenas began swarming in from all directions.

"And with this new era I shall bring forth a place where lion and hyena are one!" Mufasa grinned as he made his way up the length of pride rock to the kopje's peak where he let out a thunderous roar.

...

Rafiki's Tree

Rafiki who was shaking his head in the distance. Later that night after hearing about the deaths of Taka and Eshe, Rafiki hasn't moved from his earlier position.

After wiping away a tear, he reaches up and rubs across the cub painting, smearing it.