SWNOVELS Chapter Ch 11 Hope has Faded
Queen Saharrah was tired and aged. Searching for hers sons had drained the life from her. Days turned into weeks, and weeks into months, and before she knew it, a year had passed. The cubs who survived the battle years ago were now young lions and lionesses.
Matiti, keeku's son, kenya, and the only other male was mazunga, who happened to be raya's son, were left behind. The male lions who matured had left not even a few weeks back, they left in search to establish their own prides. They couldn't thrive in a broken one, and their Queen wouldnt want that either.
Queen Saharrah, never found the other bachelor sons she sought for. As they searched for sanctuary. She assumed they had made out well, in far distant lands. Either that, or they were killed in battle with other male lions seeking the same. Hope had faded from ever finding them.
She still had the few litters, from previous births, in her lioness pride. That was good enough. Slash and razor, for example, remained faithful out of all warriors. When most had died or abandoned her, but these two stayed back, to help keep watch over their beloved Queen. King Ezekiel always said they were loyal, and he meant it. He favored the two. They kept their word to their fallen King, that they would forever protect the pride until death. They were determined to keep their vow. Most of the past year, the lion pride had wondered the plains. Never settling down, always moving. Within the move, the pride found the perfect spot to bury their King. It had been a week of traveling, until they discovered the perfect location. They stumbled on a tropical rainforest of the Savannah. Just two miles past the warthog burrows. A small, lush paradise in the middle of nowhere. It was where the pride made their temporary home for two long months.
As they explored the habitat, they found a waterfall inside, surrounded by large mossy stones. The stones were embedded in the soft green earth. There, at the edge of the waterside, was a rock that stood out from the others. The pale white stone stuck up from the ground like a tall tombstone. It was perfect for the King. They decided to dig his grave beneath and buried their king peacefully, on the edge of the waterfall.
The Queen, grieved deeply, like she had never grieved before. Her lionesses sat with her daily, caring for her needs. She had let herself go. They understood why, with all that she had gone through, it was a wonder why she was still alive? Regret, hate, fear, sadness, loneliness, a whirlwind of emotions flooded her day in, and day out. Her health was depleated.
She wasn't long for this world, if she kept to it. She asked for mother's herb often. Luckily, for her, it was plenteous in the lush rainforest. Raya kept her sister well supplied and when she was low. She would go out, scouting for more.
It pained her to see her Queen so weak. She thought it wasn't fair, that her son lived and the Queen's sons were missing. Perhaps even dead. The queen had lost so much in such a short time. Keeku felt the same guilt. She was her best friend, and she couldn't find a way to cheer her up anymore.
Hope was a stranger to the Whitemane Pride. No one prayed to the creator anymore. They felt he had been abandoned them. That they were blocked by the curse. They hated Queen Lilith, vowing to find her one day. To kill her pride, just like she had done to theirs.
Many hoped that her King had suffered the same loss as Ezekiel. They could not believe how such a healthy, strong lion could die so quickly. Then it hadn't seemed like hereceived major wounds, but little did they know, underneath his thick mane. He had suffered a sudden heart attack, and slashed artery, that had bled him out. It seems He was destined for death that night after all.
The Queen, was growing weary of the jungle and wanted fresh open lands. She moved the pride out into a new, unfamiliar territory. Seeming not to be inhabiting any other predators. They settled down again. The Queen found an empty, rock like cavern, and made it their temporary home. It was taller than the prides first rock.
The cave, inside, was more spacious too. From the height to the width. There was so much space, it was able to sleep all the pride member's and then some. "Room for growth" the Queen thought. Her outlook had turned more positive. She was thankful she had grieved, back in the jungle. It helped her release, stored up negative feelings she had hidden down deep.
Excited, with a happier outlook. She gave orders for a new hunting group to go out. She issued scouts to walk the perimeters. The Queen and lioness Anola stayed back, cleaning, and making the new home more suitable for the pride family.
Since, there had not been any new litters born, the place seemed to be missing a certain something. It was the joy that cubs brought to the lioness and pride. She longed to see tiny cubs running around again, but there were no suitable males. She was not to take on a mate with her relative members. The queen needed a new King. If only, Zarda could be King and take a bride. The Queen would have to start over, if her son was not to return,to establish their kingdom. She would be forced to go find a potential mate.