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Cheetahlover
Who Is My Father?
Sarafina strectched her tawny form across the bleached grass and let out a luxurious yawn. She lurched to her feet and gazed the surrounding savanna. Life was good. The herds would be coming back with the rainy season, and she couldn't wait to hunt a wildebeest. Her daughter, Nala, was off in the field, hunting no doubt. She sighed and turned to look for Sarabi, she desperately needed someone to talk with. She set off across the dry grass toward Pride Rock, watching closely for Sarabi. As she reached the sun baked rocks, she could still remember the day....
"Sarafina? Is that you?" Sarabi called from the rock promontory.
"Yes, it's me, Sarabi? Got time for an old lioness like me?" she chuckled as she saw young Kiara wrestling with Sarabi's tail. Simba had been "hyena chasing" all day, though everyone suspected the outsiders were the true problem. Sarabi was on cub duty.
"Oh, you know I'll always have time for you. What is it?" Sarabi asked.
"I....I need to speak with you....alone," Sarafina said guiltily looking at Kiara. Sarafina began to climb the rock promomtory and came to rest near Sarabi. Sarabi gently grasped Kiara by the scruff of her neck, giving Sarafina a sidelong glance. Sarafina eased herself onto the hot rock and calmly waited as Sarabi disappeared from view. She returned and flopped to the ground in front of Sarafina.
"Okay, so what do you need to talk with me about? Dragging me away from my granddaughter like that," Sarabi teased.
"She's my grandchild too you know. But....do you think that it was time I told...Nala?" Sarafina asked.
"Ohhh," Sarabi hummed. "She asked me again last night, I can't keep denying her right to know!" Sarafina whispered. Sarabi patted her lifetime friend on the back.
"As Rafiki would say....I think it is time. She needs to know, Sarafina," Sarabi said seriously. Sarafina sat staring at her paws for a long time, long after Sarabi had left. Night was beginning to fall when a light tap brought her to her senses.
"Sarafina....is something wrong? Are you ill?" Simba asked.
"Simba! No....could you bring me Nala?" Sarafina asked. Simba looked at her closely and shrugged his shoulders. He trotted away, heading toward the lioness cave. Sarafina stood up and followed, she wanted to be sure that they were alone. Nala greeted her at the mouth of the cave and saw the distracted look on her face.
"What's wrong?" Nala asked in confusion.
Sarafina hung her head, "Let's take a walk."
Nala followed her mother with thoughts racing through her mind. Sarafina reached a towering baobob and laid down underneath it. Nala did the same.
"Mother. What is this about?" Nala asked hopefully. A thought had surfaced, perhaps she would finally know who her father was. "I should have told you a long time ago, but I didn't have the courage. Sarabi left it to me to tell you, about your father," Sarafina said. Nala almost leapt with joy, now she would finally know! The night began to deepen and stars flickered into sight.
"He's up there you know....your father, I mean," Sarafina said corrected herself. There was a slight catch in her voice, "He will always be up there. I suppose I'm being sentimental though..... it all began long ago.....," Her voice took on a dreamy quality, and Nala felt as if she were there....
******
"Sarafina? It's time to hunt. Your first hunt to bring you into adulthood," Carahi whispered gently. Carahi was Sarafina's sister and it was also her first hunt. Sarafina flailed all her paws into the air and managed to roll to her feet. She grimaced as she saw her sister and then trotted toward the customary column. The other lionesses were waiting expectantly as the two sisters passed through the column of lionesses. Her mother and father smiled proudly as they passed and turned. Sarafina smiled and nuzzled her father's mane affectionately.
"Be careful," her mother called as the two sisters dashed off into the horizon. Sarafina and Carahi's mother tossed a gaze at the sisters' father. "They'll be great huntresses," she said confidently. The pride male gazed after them with a surprising intensity, "I hope so Esuri, I hope so."
Sarafina and Carahi ran until they were out of breath. Together they collapsed to the soft savanna grass and chuckled. A small thicket of trees lay in front of them, this was where they would hunt. Carahi giggled and flopped to the soft grass as Sarafina lept at her. They rolled into an ungainly heap and began laughing. Sarafina suddenly stiffened as an impala captured her attention.
"What? Fina....what do you see?" Carahi asked excitedly. Sarafina motioned to her sister, and Carahi crouched.
"Imapala.....ughhh. Um, One year old, male?" Sarafina chuckled.
"No. I think it is about two years old, Fina," Carahi corrected. Sarafina batted at her sister giggling with excitement. Carahi ducked and sighed, "Must you always act like a cub?!"
"What's wrong with it? It's just a hunt you know!" Sarafina shouted. The impala heard. He stamped his hoof into the grass and lept away, destroying the hunt.
"Sarafina!!!!" Carahi gasped angrily.
"It was just an impala, a healthy impala," Sarafina added. Carahi shook her head and began to stalk away, and Sarafina followed slowly.
"What's the matter? Why are you mad?" Sarafina asked guiltily. She trudged after her sister and began to hum a song.
"What are you humming?" Carahi asked, "It sounds familiar."
"Mother's lullaby," Sarafina said, giving Carahi a sidelong glance. Carahi sighed and continued too walk.
"The sun is setting," Sarafina hummed. Carahi smiled and clambered up a termite mound with Sarafina on her heels.
"Stop your fretting..." Sarafina sang softly.
"The herds are here," Carahi whispered.
"So don't you fear..." Sarafina whispered.
"It's time for cubs to sleep......" Carahi whispered.
They grinned together and shouted the last verse, the way their mother had.
"So Sarafina, Carahi go to sleep!" they shouted wildly. Sarafina choked back a laugh as she studied her sister's face. A grey smudge, almost like a blaze, ran up her face, it was one of her most distinguishing traits. Her sister was scanning the land, watching for any herd animal. Sarafina was much more relaxed and she waited as her sister finished prey watching.
"I love that song," Carahi whispered to Sarafina.
"I know, so do I," Sarafina whispered back, "Do you see anything?"
"I see some buzzards, nothing to worry about," Carahi stated, lighting her sister's adventurous spark.
"Can you see the kill?" Sarafina asked.
"No. Why?" Carahi asked, "Wait, we aren't going to investigate this, are we?"
Sarafina giggled and lept off the termite mound. "And why not?"
"We are on a hunt, not a patrol," Carahi pleaded. It was too late, Sarafina was already racing toward the buzzards with excited bounds. Carahi sighed and followed her annoying baby sister, disgusted with the thought of inspecting a rotting kill.The buzzards were almost overhead, when Sarafina skidded to a stop. She gasped in disgust and amazement at the scene before her.
"What is it.....oh no," Carahi whispered. A night before their hunt, their father had come home from a border patrol with deep cuts all over his hide. The lionesses had kept quiet and nothing had been answered, now the two subadults knew the reason. The ground was littered with lion fur, and in the midst of the battle field lay a male lion. He was severly disemboweled, and already the jackals were tearing at his remains.
"Ughhhh. I've heard of it before but....it's terrible," Sarafina whispered. The two lionesses turned and began to trot away, leaving the scene of death behind them.
"That was terrible and he was heading for our pride," Carahi gasped. Sarafina nodded sullenly as her paws rustled through the golden grass. It was vicious and terrible, but she was glad that her father had won....or was she? She gazed at Carahi and realized that she was pondering the same thing.
"You know, he was kind of cute," Carahi teased.
Sarafina blushed, she had thought so too.
"Ohhhh, I thought so!" Carahi giggled.
"No! It wasn't that at all!" Sarafina gasped.
"Fina has a crush on a dead lion! Ohhh, wait till mom hears about this," Carahi chuckled. Sarafina laughed despite her embarassment. She traced a pattern in the dusty ground and sighed.
"Okay! So what?!!!" Sarafina shot back. Carahi looked in surprise at her sister's flare of anger.
"So we hunt," Carahi purred, "I'm sure if we dragged it back to him he'd-"
"Okay, so let's hunt," Sarafina said, angrily brushing past her sister. Carahi followed closely, this time they would get something, anything. "Wow! What's that?" Carahi asked as her eye caught something on the sun bleached plain. Sarafina squinted at the animal and drew back in surprise.
"It's a water buffalo," she said in surprise. Carahi swished her tail excitedly, a buffalo was a good kill.
"Perfect. Let's get it," Carahi said as she headed toward the buffalo. Sarafina grabbed Carahi's tail between her teeth and yanked back with all her strength. Carahi tumbled to the grass and glared at her sister.
"It looks healthy...let's try something else," Sarafina said nervously. Carahi nudged her aside, this buffalo would be their kill.
"I'll take the left side, you take the right," Carahi whispered as she crouched deep into the grass, disguising her tawny form. Sarafina grudgingly began to crouch beside her sister. They began to stalk through the grass, and soon Sarafina couldn't see Carahi anymore. She continued to stalk slowly through the grass when she saw her sister break cover one hundred yards in front of her.
"Carahi!!! Wait!" Sarafina gasped. The buffalo turned and saw the charging Carahi. He slowly lowered his horns toward the rushing lioness and waited. Sarafina began to run, hoping she could make it in time, her sister had made a fatal mistake. Carahi's gaze turned momentarily to Sarafina and she gasped in fear...she had charged to early. She slid to a stop and turned to run, when she felt the buffalo hit.
"No!!!!!" Sarafina cried as she skid to a stop. The buffalo had Carahi hooked into the cradle of his horns, and he tossed her neatly to the thick savanna grass. He chased her still and broken form and began to crush her still body expertly with his front hooves. Sarafina let out a tremendous roar and rushed toward the buffalo. The buffalo shook his horns at her and moved away from Carahi.
"Carahi?" Sarafina sobbed as she saw the lifeless form. She trotted over to the still body as the buffalo moved off, safe for the day. Sarafina nuzzled the still form and heard the faint, gasping breaths that her sister took.
"Fina? Is that you? I...I was foolish," Carahi choked.
"No...I was the one that was late, it was my fault," Sarafina sobbed.
"Don't say that baby sister....will you sing to me?" Carahi asked in a choked whisper.
"The sun is setting, so don't be fretting. The herds are here, so don't you fear. It's time for cubs to sleep....so...so.." Sarafina sang, her voice filled with anguish. "You'll......you'll be okay," Sarafina whispered.
Carahi shook her head and mouthed "no." Carahi's breathing slowly eased and she died, leaving Sarafina alone. As the sun set, Sarafina stroked her sister's gray streak and began to cry. She stayed by her sister's side, and finally decided that she must be placed somewhere safe.
"I can't let the jackals tear into her," she whispered as she began to drag her sister's torn body toward a kopje. Tears continued to stream down her face as she climbed to the top, near a small crevice. She hauled the body into the crevice and gently dropped her to the bottom of the cave. She sighed deeply and began to sing a soft song.
"How can I live without you? What will I do? You were always at my side, especially in the pride. You are now a distant star, very, very far away. And I know I can't stay. Please guide me, I need you to help me be......" she sang. The stars began to flicker in the sky as Sarafina cried, and cried. She finally picked herself up and glanced at the crevice. "I won't forget, perhaps you are with that lion. Wait for me," she whispered as she set off toward the pride's chorus of roars. She added her roar to the chorus as she walked along, hoping that the pride could forgive her.
"Sarafina.....where's Carahi?" her mother asked.
Sarafina hung her head as she felt hot tears splash down her cheeks. Her mother's eyes widened and she cautiously asked, "She's not coming back...is she?"
"No....she was killed by a buffalo," Sarafina whispered, "I couldn't get there in time. I'm so sorry."
"I lost her so quickly...." Esuri whispered in disbelief, "I still have you though."
"No, mother we have to bury her!" Sarafina cried.
"It is the circle of life, other animals could be starving. They need the sustenance," Esuri said.
Sarafina sighed and strolled over to an old acacia tree, where she had woken up that morning....with Carahi.
"What happened? Where's Carahi?" Breeze, her father asked. Esuri quietly told him what had happened and he wisely left. Sarafina looked sullenly at her mother, as her mother burst into tears. They leaned on each other and let out their grief and pain, in bitter tears.
"We must finish the ceremony," Esuri whispered to Sarafina. The lionesses began to slowly gather in a circle, as Esuri called their names. Breeze came last, his mane matted with tears.
"Carahi...we'll miss you greatly," Breeze whispered as a breeze ruffled his mane. He let out a long, low roar that echoed across the plains. One by one, the lionesses joined in, filling the night with their roars.
"She'll remain in our hearts, as others have and always will," Breeze ended. The lionesses slowly broke up their circle, leaving Esuri and Sarafina alone.
"Sarafina....I think it is time," Esuri began.
"Time? For what?!" Sarafina asked in disbelief.
"You now need to leave the pride of your birth. I hate to do this, but our pride is large enough as it is. I was going to send Carahi with you....but....," Esuri said, breaking off in midsentence.
"You can say it....I understand that she's dead," Sarafina whispered. She stood up and walked to her mother, and nuzzled her for the last time.
"I won't forget you Sarafina."
"And I'll never forget you. Say goodbye to dad for me," Sarafina called over her shoulder as she rushed throught the waving grass. A storm was obviously coming, and it would bring rain to the parched land. Sarafina took a deep breath of the heavy air and thought about her decision. She didn't hate her pride for getting rid of her, it was hard enough to get a scrap of meat anyway. The other lionesses had made it quite clear that Cahari and her were not welcome. "The Pridelands," she found herself whispering. It made sense, a disease had just swept the area and they'd be desperate for lions. She gazed at the sky and located the north star, and then she began to walk.
******
"Who are you?!" the lioness asked as she eyed Sarafina with an accurate eye. She gave her a vicious glance as she saw how skinny Sarafina was.
"I'm Sarafina, from Breeze's pride. I was just passing through," Sarafina growled.
"To where?" the lioness sneered. "I am heading toward the Pridelands," Sarafina growled, getting very irritated.
"You won't go through here," the lioness growled, cutting off her path.
"Catalina! What are you doing? I've been looking all over for-"
Sarafina turned and saw a large lion heading toward them. She gulped and began to turn, but he cried out again.
"Who is that?"
"An outsider that I was dealing with," Catalina growled. She moved to block the lion's view, but it didn't work. The lion came out a quick gait and he edged around Catalina.
"Who are you?" he asked shyly. He was truly thinking of how beautiful she was and how well she would fit in with the other lionesses.
"I'm Sarafina and-"
"Really? What a beautiful name. I'm Modya," he said shyly. Sarafina had no interest in him and she tried to brush past him, but he stopped her.
"My pride has room," he said. Sarafina looked at him deeply, trying to figure out why he wanted her. She sat down in the long, grass and gazed at Catalina. Catalina hated her, no doubt.
"I think I'd better move on," Sarafina said.
"We have plenty of room, and I think we have a zebra kill over ther. You look famished, and it couldn't hurt," he said, smiling a perfect leonine smile.
Sarafina shuddered as an icy wind blasted the plain. "I suppose so. Just to wait out the storm, then I'll be on my way," Sarafina said to Modya's delight. He smiled and swept toward her.
"Here, follow me," he chuckled. Sarafina followed, marveling at his powerful muscles. Catalina muttered a complaint under her breath and slowly followed Sarafina. Sarafina glanced at the darkening sky and smiled with relief. The rains would come, they always had.
As they approached a trampled piece of ground, two lionesses raisd their heads and glanced at her.
"Tatu, Minus. I have a guest here....where's Beeli?" Modya asked, suddenly surprised. A reddish lioness stood up and eyed Sarafina, also angry at this unwanted lioness.
"Beeli is over there, by that termite mound," she sighed. The other lioness stood up and Sarafina gasped in amazement, she had a gray streak up her nose, like Carahi. Sarafina blinked and the gray blaze disappeared.
"Hello. Who are you? My name is Minus," she said, smiling invitingly. Sarafina shook her head and studied this new lioness. There was a coldness in Minus that Sarafina couldn't place her paw on, and she almost drew back in fear.
I'm Sarafina, from Breeze's pride. I'm only here to stay the night," Sarafina admitted. Another icy blast from the wind, forced Sarafina to cringe.
"Modya. Who is this?" a voice called. Sarafina turned and saw another lion rise from the dry grass. He looked like his brother, and Sarafina's jaw dropped. Maybe she would stay here after all.
"A visitor, she's just-" Catalina began, but Sarafina interrupted her.
"H-hi, I'm Sarafina," Sarafina stuttered as Beeli made his way toward her. She had left out the part about staying for the night, and for a reason. He was cute!
"Sarafina...wow! What a name," he chuckled as he inspected her. Minus, Catalina, and Tatu, sat back and watched angrily. They didn't approve of this newcomer, and they planned to do something about it.
"My name is Beeli. Modya, where did you find this desert flower?" he asked.
"About a mile in from the border," Modya answered grinning back at Beeli. Tatu grimaced in disgust and suddenly asked a question that surprised everyone.
"Why are you here? You say that you are just passing through. Maybe she has the sickness," Tatu accused.
Sarafina was taken aback, and she gulped in alarm. Modya and Beeli looked at her questioningly as she began to speak. "I......the herds are thin in my pride. I was chosen to leave," Sarafina stated, trembling slightly.
"The herds are thin here. I suggest you keep moving," Catalina said sharply. Modya glared at Catalina and almost said something, but Beeli stepped forward.
Beeli smiled softly at her and said, "She can stay as long as she wishes."
Now the wind was whipping the savanna grass with intense ferocity, and the sky began to darken with clouds.
"Fine. Lead this pride to its deaths," Catalina sneered as she stalked away. Sarafina shrank guiltily to the grass as the other lionesses stalked off.
"It's okay Sarafina, they'll be back. They have quite a temper," Modya said, attempting to apologize. He leaned his side against hers, but Sarafina pulled away. Modya looked surprised, but he kept silent.
"Come on, we need to lie low," Beeli called over the howling wind. Sarafina set forward, following Beeli's twitching tail, and Modya followed. As they reached the termite mound, Beeli flopped to the ground. Sarafina and Modya fell to the ground beside him. The rain began to pelt the ground with a calm patter. Sarafina relaxed and let the rain pour over her as Modya and Beeli groomed their manes.
"I love the rain," Sarafina whispered as the dusty ground turned to mud.
"What a coincidence, I also like the rain. It brings prosperity," Beeli said gazing into Sarafina's icy blue eyes. Sarafina gazed back and their gaze locked. Beeli's eyes were a scarlet red, and she couldn't bear to pull her gaze off his.
"You're always welcome here Sarafina," he whispered.
Sarafina gasped as she felt the rain pelting her side and she turned to look for Modya. He was gone. She gulped guiltily and asked, "Where'd Modya go?"
"Huh? Oh...he probably went to see Minus or Catalina," Beeli said ignorantly. Sarafina shifted in the mud uncomfortably.
"They hate me," she cried softly.
"Who? Minus, Catalina and Tatu? Ignore them," he whispered. He stood and walked to Sarafina's other side, and helped to shelter her from the pelting rain. Sarafina shivered slightly and looked up at his reassuring face.
"Sooo, you're not thinking about leaving anytime soon, are you?" he asked with a tone of pleading.
"Well, traveling will be hard with the mud, maybe I can work it in my schedule to stay here for a while," Sarafina said, grinning like a cub. She had completely forgotten her reason for leaving, and her sister's death.
"That's great," Beeli said as he stretched. Sarafina watched him with adoring eyes, as he shook the surplus water off his mane.
"So this was what mother was talking about," she thought.
"Might as well sleep, this rain doesn't look like its going to let up," Beeli said as he saw her watching him. He laid his head on his paws and closed his eyes peacefully. Sarafina sighed as she felt his warmth and fell asleep, happy.
******
"Catalina! You were supposed to keep him from finding any straying lionesses!" Minus roared angrily. The rain was poaring across her sleek fur, but she ignored this fact. Catalina cringed as her sister's paw struck the mud. Tatu watched with interest as Minus began to circle Catalina.
"You say this outsider is from over the border. Is this true?" Minus asked the cringing Catalina.
Catalina was covered with mud from her sister's repeated slapping of the mud, and she was equally unhappy. "Yes. Breeze's pride if I heard right," Catalina reported.
"I hate it when they do this! A new lioness trots across the border and they go crazy for a week," Minus coughed. A bolt of lightning streaked across the sky as Minus began to pace. She had experience in killing new lionesses and she wouldn't hesitate to kill Sarafina. Beeli was supposed to be hers, and hers only!
"I'll get rid of her, come a week...and she'll be dead," Minus snarled as the answering thunder crashed overhead.
******
Sarafina awoke to find that she had slept the rest of the afternoon and through the night. She glanced around sleepily for Beeli, but there was no trace of him. She stood up and stretched in the morning sunlight, the storm had left during the night. She stood up and circled the termite mound and called, "Beeli?"
A clean rainpool lay in front of her and she began to drink from the water. She gasped in disgust as she saw her muddy face and paws.
"Yes my love?" Beeli asked as he appeared from behind her.
"Where'd you go?" she asked teasingly. He shrugged his massive shoulders, but her stare made him break down. He turned and picked something off of the ground.
"I brought you breakfast," he said sheepishly as he held out a muddy rabbit. Sarafina smiled as she gently picked the rabbit from the ground. She tore into and had devoured it within seconds. Suddenly, Modya appeared with the lionesses, and they all stopped a few feet from Beeli and Sarafina.
"I thought you were leaving today," Modya said, with a hurt feeling on his face. Minus stepped forward, her eyes gleaming dangerously.
"Yes, why don't you get on to your pridelands?" she sneered. Sarafina gazed back angrily, "I don't have a pride, and Beeli has invited me to stay."
Minus was taken aback, but the evil snarl didn't leave her face. Modya looked guiltily at Minus, and sadly at Sarafina. He knew.
"So...if you're going to stay here. Let's see what you've got," Catalina cackled with derision.
"What?" Sarafina asked in disbelief.
"A hunt, for water buffalo. A herd has just moved in over that ridge," Tatu said, eyeing Sarafina with mocking eyes.
"Buffalo?" Sarafina gasped.
Beeli gazed at her in surprise. "Buffalo are easy prey. You go hunt with them, I'm sure you need some time alone."
"Uh, yeah," Sarafina giggled nervously as the lionesses turned their backs to her. She followed dejectedly as the lionesses broke into a gallop to cover the ridge. She gulped in disbelief, the herd must have numbered in the thousands!
"You pick the prey animal. Let's see how sharp that nose of yours is," Minus growled as she saw Sarafina gulp in alarm. This would be perfect! Sarafina glanced over her shoulder and saw Beeli smile encouragingly. She advanced on hastily, brushing past the lionesses. They followed as a unit, with her at the lead. Sarafina crouched one hundred yards from the large beasts and began to stalk.The other lionesses followed accordingly and began to split off to the side. They would have the vantage point for Sarafina. As Minus watched Sarafina stalk off, she felt a twinge of shame. She brushed it aside like a tsetse fly, but it continued to annoy her. Her guilt finally left and she relaxed as Sarafina moved off.
"Hee hee, she's doomed," Catalina whispered under her breath. Minus nodded her approval as Sarafina edged closer to a calf.
"She has some promise, too bad her head will be crushed like a melon," she chuckled. Tatu watched the events with excitement, she had always loved a hunt, and she wished that she was the stalker. Minus gave the signal and they lowered their sleek bodies into the deep, now green grass. Sarafina prepared herself for her kill. She would not be late this time. She had chosen a young female calf, and she eyed it hungrily. The rabbit had not satisfied her parching hunger, but the calf would. She lunged from the lush grass and hurtled toward the calf. Focus, focus, she whispered as the herd began to move. The calf knew that it was the hunted and it merged with the herd. But Sarafina was the hunter. She slipped into the herd and disappeared from the prying eyes of the lionesses. She had known all along that they were there to kill her, and that she would have to make this kill on her own.
"Where'd she go?!" Minus howled as Sarafina disappeared inside the milling herd. Tatu shrugged her shoulders and stood above the waving grass. The herd was throughly panicked, and she could not see Sarafina.
"Is it safe to assume?" Catalina asked wickedly.
"Yes. Sarafina, is dead," Minus chuckled.
"Wait! Wait! I see her! She did it!!" Tatu gasped in disbelief. The herdhad split down the middle and Sarafina lay in the middle, her jaws firmly around the calf.
"This is for you....Carahi," she whispered as she saw the lionesses rise from the grass in disbelief. Minus' face was twisted with fury as she saw Sarafina, and she whirled.
"There goes day one Minus," Tatu joked. Minus whirled, her eyes a fiery red, " I will get my Beeli back. You just wait!"
******
Sarafina sighed as she relaxed beside Beeli. It was the second day since they had met, and she knew that she wanted to stay here. She was only wishing...
"Fina?" Beeli asked as he nuzzled her. He had taken her down by the river, to show her the amazing fish types that were there. She cringed slightly as he whispered her pet name, but she tried to not let it show.
"There it is again! What aren't you telling me?" he accused angrily.
"What?!" Sarafina yelped.
"You know...what is it?" he asked patiently. Sarafina stood up and paced toward the river. She sat at the water's edge and gazed at her rippled reflection. Beeli came and sat down beside her and looked at her questionably.
"You can tell me," he said.
"It's not what you think it is," Sarafina whispered.
"Please tell me," he implored.
"Two days ago, I was hunting with my sister...I-" she broke off as her voice began to quaver. Beeli nudged her softly with his paw, urging her to continue.
"I wasn't in the correct place during the stalk and she was killed. By a buffalo in his prime," she whispered as she choked back her tears.
"As I reached the pride, my mother told me that Carahi and I had been picked to leave. I had to leave...alone," Sarafina said slowly. Beeli's eyes widened, but her gently caresses her face with his large paw.
"That's in the past now. Now that I know that there are no secrets between us, will you marry me?" he asked suddenly.
"What?!!!" Sarafina gasped. She had hoped that he would ask, but this soon?
"Will you? I know its kind of soon, but I've never felt this way about any lioness before," he said as he straightened up, "If you say no, I understand."
Sarafina gulped nervously; she didn't know what to say!
"I'll give you a day to think about my offer," he said as he turned to leave, "I'll be by the termite mound."
As Beeli left, Tatu raced to reach Minus. She would hate the way that things were going. She saw Minus off in the distance and raced to reach her.
"Minus! MINUS!" she bellowed as she reached her.
"What?!" she snarled as she turned to meet Tatu with her fangs. Tatu slid to a stop and her face grew grim.
"Beeli just proposed to Sarafina by the river. Sarafina is seriously considering it!" Tatu gasped.
Catalina's head poked up from the grass, and so did Modya's.
"What do you have planned?" Modya asked Minus. "Why....I'll give her a wedding gift that she'll never forget!"
******
"Beeli? Where are you?' Sarafina called in the direction of the termite mounds. A head appeared from around the corner and she dashed over to greet him.
"I've considered your proposal, and I accept," she said happily. Beeli lept to his feet and danced around her excitedly. He bowed graciously, "So, my lady, where do you wish to go?"
"How about to that acacia grove you showed me earlier, it'd be perfect," Sarafina whispered as she gazed into his eyes. Together, they left, as Catalina watched from a kopje.
******
"That wildebeest feast was really great," Sarafina said congratutatingly to Beeli. He smiled, the smile that Sarafina loved. They had been at the acacia grove for hours, telling stories, and singing songs.
"I think we should head back to the pride," Sarafina said, "To tell them the news."
"How about we just stay here for the night, the sun is setting," Beeli said.
"Yes, and a beautiful sunset."
"For us," Beeli whispered. They curled up together and fell asleep, a jumble of lions.
"Sarafina," someone whispered into Sarafina's ear. She groaned restlessly, but the speaker prodded her with their paw. She stood weakly to her feet, and realized that Beeli was quite a distance away. She peered into the dark night, but the speaker did not reveal themselves.
"Walk away from Beeli, and be quiet. Your life is in danger here," the voice whispered. Sarafina trustingly followed the voice as it led her across the savanna. Then, a ray of moonlight revealed the speaker. It was Modya.
"Modya?" she whispered. He turned slowly and looked at the one that he also loved.
"Yes. Hurry, we don't have much time," he growled as he began to trot toward the border.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"Yes....what do you mean?" a voice cackled. It was Minus. She stepped into Modya's path and growled warningly.
"Move Modya," she growled as two other lionesses appeared. Sarafina took a quick step back and sized up the bulky lionesses.
"What you want to do is wrong. Leave her be," Modya growled as he advanced toward Minus. Minus sneered at his attempt to protect Sarafina, but she would not stand for it.
"We all know how devoted you are to her. The truth is..she loves Beeli. Beeli is mine!" she roared. The roar echoed through the quiet night and Sarafina shivered.
"I thought you were with us on this," Catalina snarled. Modya shook his head.
"Can't you see that this is terrible?" he growled.
Tatu shook her head, "It isn't evil. This is our pride, and no one is allowed to enter."
"So that was what happened to Haraka," Modya accused.
"Of course. A slight hunting accident," Minus sneered. Sarafina lept to Modya's side and lowered her head, ready for the oncoming fight.
"When they attack, you run like a cheetah. Don't turn back," Modya whispered as Minus raised her head.
"Attack!" she roared as the trio surged forward.
"Now Sarafina!"
Sarafina lept to the side and ran, like she had never ran before. Modya's cries echoed in her ears as she continued to run, across the ridge. She had a lot of ground to cover, and the lionesses would follow her.
******
Modya collapsed where the lionesses had left him, to die. He had betrayed them, and he had payed the price. His breaths grew ragged with fear, as he felt the ground, it was soaked with his blood. As Sarafina ran, Minus had attacked, and he was just their appetizer. Sarafina was pretty, he thought to himself. A stealthy step jerked him from his thoughts and he tried to see who it was.
"Modya! MODYA!!!" a voice wailed. His brother, Beeli had found him.
"Who did this to you?" Beeli snarled. He paced around his brother's tattered hide as he listened to the slow breaths.
"Minus and her sisters. Sarafina has to run, for her life," Modya gasped. Beeli lept back in surprise.
"Where's Sarafina?" he asked.
"Minus was jealous, she doesn't have a chance," Modya gasped.
"Modya....I-"
"I'll be okay. I'll join the kings of the past. But do you hear me...I get dibs on her sister," he said, choking back his own tears.
"You know?"
"I've always known....the breeze speaks to me...." Modya whispered. His breathing stopped.
Beeli stood up. "I'll miss you, brother," he called.
******
Sarafina panted in her exhaustion, she didn't know how long it was before- "I can't think about that now," she growled to herself. The thought continued to annoy her, and she found that it was even harder to walk. Finally she sat down in the cool savanna grass and listened to her heart. Modya? What about him? Had he been killed? Defending her? That put two deaths on her paws. She gazed at the twinkling stars and gasped in amazement. Had she seen Modya?
She stood shakily and headed with renewed strength toward the border. It was miles away. "I better save my strength," she growled. Two gazelle leapt out in front of her and she watched with interest as a lone cheetah raced after them. As the cheetah saw Sarafina, it quit the chase and beat a hasty retreat. Sarafina sighed deeply, even the cheetahs knew. Knew what? "I'm a killer?" she asked herself. Her guilt said yes.
"You'd better hope so," a voice snarled. Sarafina whirled out of the way as Minus lept toward her. Minus landed deftly on her feet, as the other lionesses surrounded Sarafina.
"You killed Modya!" Sarafina snarled, showing her white teeth.
"Isn't that sweet? Too bad you didn't feel the same devotion toward him...you might have had a chance," Minus chuckled. Catalina snickered as Minus advanced toward Sarafina.
"I see it now. You're jealous," Sarafina accused.
"What gave me away?" Minus sneered. Sarafina closed her eyes as a breeze rustled her fur. She didn't hear the attack it was silent, and perfectly timed. A lioness hit her in the side and her eyes flew open. She was on her back, and the lioness loomed over her. Sarafina kicked out instinctively and her claws met flesh. The lioness snarled with pain and lept away. Sarafina circled her opponent and watched for an opening. From behind her she whirled silently and met Tatu with extended claws. She was fighting for her life. Tatu howled with rage as her fangs met Sarafina's claws. Tatu dropped back and waited calmly.
"Not so hot now...are you?" Sarafina gloated. Before she could laugh at her own joke, Minus barreled into her. She collapsed onto her side as Minus bit her leg. She could hear the the bone creaking under the force, it would be over soon. With a mangled leg, she would not be able to fight three lionesses that had killed a powerful male.
A roar cracked the night and Minus gulped in alarm. Beeli could be seen on the horizon as he raced to save Sarafina.
"Curse your luck," Minus snarled, "Hide her. I'll take care of him." Sarafina felt the grip on her leg weaken as Minus released her hold. Now.
"Groooooooowrrrrrrrr!" she roared to the night as she flung herself at Tatu's eyes. Tatu lept back, leaving Catalina. Catalina countered Sarafina's attack as she lept out of the way. But Sarafina had escaped. She ran.
******
"Where's Sarafina?" Beeli demanded as Minus met him.
"She is dead," Minus growled, "I took care of her."
"No!"
"You were too late, as usual. Darling," Minus said as she patted his cheek.
"I can't believe it. This time you killed my brother out of jealousy!" he roared. he heard an echoing roar, but he passed it off as Tatu.
"You could have had her. But you were late," Minus chuckled.
"Get out of here," Beeli snarled.
"What?!"
"Take your sisters and get out! If I see your faces again...I'll kill you," Beeli snarled, "Your jealousy has consumed you. I loved you once, but I could never love you again. So leave!"
Minus turned her back on Beeli, muttering evily to herself. Tatu and Catalina had joined her and she called back over her shoulder, "We'll be back! Definitely..."
******
She had made it...they could follow her no longer. Sarafina collapsed into the lush grass of the Pridelands and fell into an exhausted sleep. Her leg was slightly injured, and she knew that hunting was impossible...
"Is she alive?"
"Yes..."
"You wait for her to wake up, I'll go hunt up something."
"Yes. I will."
Sarafina twitched in the grass as she heard the voices above her. The sun was high in the sky, she had overslept! She scrambled to her feet and snarled as she saw the lioness. Another lion was with her, the king.
"Are you okay?" the lioness asked. Sarafina relaxed her guard, it wasn't Minus. She strectched her stiff injured leg and winced as the pain shot up her foot.
"I suppose so, though I don't think that I can-"
"Hunt?" the lioness asked. Sarafina nodded her head dumbly. She craned her neck as she saw Pride Rock.
"What's that?" she gasped.
"That is our home," the lion said, "I am Mufasa and this is my queen, Sarabi."
Sarabi nodded, "Would you like to stay?"
"I would like that...but," she started.
"Did you come from across the border? You look like you've been in a fight," Sarabi observed.
Sarafina kept quiet, "Would you really take me in?"
"Yes, the disease has killed many, we could use more lionesses," Mufasa added. Sarafina narrowed her eyes, it was a tune she had heard before.
"Mufasa, let me talk with her....alone," Sarabi coaxed. Mufasa chuckled as he turned to leave. He galloped away and Sarafina noticed that a small bird joined him.
"Huh?" Sarafina asked in bewilderment.
"That's Zazu. Mufasa's majordomo," Sarabi giggled, "Or so he says."
"I don't understand you? What's your story?" Sarabi asked. Sarafina considered this for a moment, and then it all tumbled out.
"Ohh, that's terrible," Sarabi gasped. Sarafina nodded glumly.
"I will keep it a secret, since you wish it to be so," Sarabi said, "But I must ask you a question."
"What?" Sarafina asked, as she wiped away a few tears.
"Will you let me be your sister? Your pride sister?"
"Well....I guess so," Sarafina said, starting to feel better.
"Come on, we've got the whole pridelands to explore....sister," Sarabi said, smiling happily.
******
It wasn't long before Sarafina met Scar, or the other way around. Scar was constantly nosing around her sleeping quarters, and every time she saw him, a chill ran down her spine. One day he cornered her by Pride Rock's lioness cave.
"I notice that you haven't been with my brother. Why?" he asked. A chill ran up Sarafina's spine as he spoke.
"It's none of your concern," she growled. She turned to leave but he cut her off.
"We would be perfect together," he said as he drew nearer.
"I would never be with you," Sarafina growled. Scar drew back angrily, she was almost as bad as Sarabi. Sarabi's was Mufasa's, Sarafina belonged to no one. He licked her face but Sarafina recoiled in boiling anger. She drew back her paw and cuffed him solidly across the ears. Scar snarled angrily; he would have this newcomer.
"I am royalty, why do you decline my offer?" he roared. Sarafina backed up angrily, he wouldn't understand. Sarabi turned the corner unexpectedly and Scar withdrew.
"Sarafina? I was looking for you....Scar!" Sarabi growled. She hated her husband's brother and she stayed farrr away from him.
"Leave Sarafina alone," she growled. Sarafina purred as she met her pride sister.
"Thank you Sarabi. You are my true friend. You've made fitting in a whole lot easier," Sarafina sighed as Scar scampered down the rocks.
"He's tried with me too..." Sarabi said, "Stay far away from him. He'll try again."
Scar did try many times more, but each time fate took its place and Sarafina was saved. After Simba was born so was Nala, sired by Beeli.
******
"So that's the story?" Nala asked her mother.
Sarafina sighed. "Yes. You have led to some controversy among the lionesses. They think Scar was your father, because he tried to make me his queen," Sarafina hissed.
"I didn't know that I had an aunt..." Nala speculated.
"I'm sure she is proud of you and what you did. You saved the pride from Scar's rule," Sarafina said happily.
Nala smiled weakly, "Why didn't you tell me?"
"I was embarassed. About Scar, and my guilt over Carahi's and Modya's death," Sarafina said as her eyes searched the stars.
"I'm glad you told me...aren't you coming?" Nala asked as she stood up from the cold grass.
"Give me a minute," Sarafina told her daughter. Nala shrugged and trotted off toward pride rock. Sarafina breathed in deeply as the wind rushed around her.
"Fina?" a voice asked. Sarafina jerked in surprise as she heard the voice.
"Carahi?" she asked in disbelief as a white lioness paced toward her.
"I'm proud of you Fina, we all are. This Modya fellow's pretty cute!" Carahi said. Sarafina could hardly speak as she gazed at the white/opaque lioness before her.
"It is true then?"
"Yes, silly. I look forward to seeing you again," Carahi said. Sarafina nodded her head, "Not yet though. I have to see my grandchild grow up."
"Of course not. I had to say hi. Oh...by the way. That dead lion is married...."
Sarafina choked back a giggle. Then a new lion appeared beside her. She recognized-
"Modya?"
"Sarafina....don't heap the blame on yourself. I chose to fight for you," Modya said smiling warmly. Carahi turned to him and together they disappeared. Leaving Sarafina happy, a feeling she couldn't shake. She turned and dashed after her daughter, no time could be wasted Kiara needed someone to play with.
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