Kingdom and Clans, King's Destiny (Book 1)

    Zarda's eyes were filled with dust and tears. They were irritated by so much gunk in them. How could his friend Purk live in such a dwelling place?

Maybe, that's why he had so much wired hair on his body. Perhaps, it blocked out the dust.

"I'm no warthog. I'm the future King. I need daylight!" shouted Zarda in his mind.

It was so loud that Meeku could hear him. He blindly looked over at his brother, squinting in agreement. He thought being a warthog was not a fun life at all. All day, every day, in the dust and mud.

Always having to eat wiggling grubs. No, thanks. He would take fresh air, cool grass, nice shade, and meat anytime. His concerns grew for the morning's new day.

"Zarda, how am I, going to be able to know if it is morning? If all we can see is the back of our dusty eyelids. " Said Meeku.

Zarda knew, instinctively, the difference between the day and night.

He remembered focusing on the differences. How the morning brought a new fresh crisp air compared to nighttime.

"Don't worry Meeku. I know the difference. I'll let you know when it's clear for us to leave. " Replied Zarda, tenderly.

Zarda tried easing his brother's fears.

Throughout the night, as the brothers tried to find rest, only to be startled awake by  mysterious sounds. Hoots, howls, grunts, and yips filled the night. Light scurrying of tiny feet ran all night above the sleepy burrow.

Zarda had no idea at what the view looked like above. He wondered how the camp was doing. Zarda envisioned his brave Father, with a mouthful of nasty hyena. Thinking on it helped him to sleep.

Queen Saharrah's eyes were streaming with tears, she clung close to her two beautiful daughters, whose lifeless bodies, lay next to her.

The Queen was heartbroken. She had lost her mate and her cubs. She prayed for both of her sons, that they lived. Since,the queen never found Meeku's body, and she knew Zarda was safe off in a warthogs burrow. Her mind was at ease over them.

She feared the worst, when she saw Mara and Dimvi's mangled bodies. So much death was all around her. Queen Lilith, had Cursed the Whitemane Tribe and her witchcraft had been fulfilled. 

Queen Saharrah, wished her ill intent, but she knew if she dwelled on that, it would make her the same as Lilith. Saharrah wasn't moving anywhere soon. She devoted her night to her daughters and the dead that were scattered abroad.

The sad thing was she lost more children than just from the newest cubs. It was those who fought, who had been from previous litters. The warriors she and her mate had trained up, had met their end in the face of the hyenas. Still a distance off were slash and razor. They had finished chasing the Blackmane lions out of their territory back into their own. They made haste back to their pride and its unknowing fate.

Morning sun rays was heating up the awful stench of blood and death. Lioness Anola approached the Queen, she pressed her head gently against hers.

Saharrah slowly raised her head up, to look at the scene before them. So much blood and body parts were easier to see now that the light of day was out.

Tiny lifeless bodies all around her. To see her mate's body was devastating to her mind.

Raya and keeku slowly made their way over to stand by their Queen. She looked into their weary eyes.                                                                 " We have to move. We can't stay here anymore. We have to abandon our home and seek refuge somewhere else. It won't be easy. Perhaps, my older sons who left not long ago, will welcome us into their prides. That means, no longer will I be Queen of this tribe. Zarda is our only hope for our future clan." She said, coldly.

  Saharrah was right about everything. So much loss in one night. Zarda was the only true heir and hope to keep the Whitemane tribe, alive. Without him, the tribes' legacy would die with the night. Some, good news for a few lioness mother's, as they found their cubs hidden in nearby bushels.

What a relief for them to nuzzle close to their loved ones, from all the night's commotion and bustle. None of the lionesses had time to mourn the loss of their mate, King Ezekiel. They felt the deep hurt, looking upon their queen.

"We must take our King and give him a proper burial" said Keeku.

Queen Saharrah, nodded in agreement, it was the right thing to do.

"Gather what warriors we have left. Have them make a tripod and place the King on it. I'll have them pull him with us to a new location." commanded the Queen.

Keeku listened to her friend and departed from her side. Raya remained silent next to her sister. Her body trembled and her throat burned. She was saddened by all the death.

"How? How could this be? Where is Zarda and Meeku?" asked Raya.

Queen Saharrah, knew, her son was nearby in a warthog burrow. She could feel him, but she couldn't see him and did not know which burrow?

Unfortunately, they lived next to a lively warthog clan. Two miles away. Everywhere you looked to the south-west of them, the ground seems to occupy a hole. Some vacant, others full of Feisty wire-haired families. It would be a task to seek Zarda and Meeku amongst them.

Not only, did the Queen's pride need to pick up their lives and move, but now they had to relocate their dead King and seek for the future one. It seemed like a needle in a haystack mission.

Over back with the lion cub's. Zarda, was finally, waking up after an exhausting night down in their temporary home. He pushed up towards the opening and took in a deep breath. It was morning, for sure. The only problem was he couldn't see, and he didn't know where he was

He called down to his younger brother, to surface up top with him. It didn't take Meeku long, and he was staggering right beside him. He was aggravated, by the dust still caked to his eyes and nostrils. It tickled, and made him sneeze off and on all night.

"Hey Zarda, Perhaps, If I can lick at your eyes to remove the dust, then you can do mine. It's what mother would do." Said Meeku.

Certainly, this idea would work, thought Zarda.

  It was worth a try, and if it worked. They could be off searching  their lion's pride. Meeku, searched for his brother's face. Taking his time, he was careful to remove the salty dirt from Zarda's eyes. He was grateful, the idea seemed to be working out. His right eye was cleared from debris, and he could partially see again.

Shortly after, his left eye was cleared too. Gently, Zarda nuzzled up to his brother and cleaned off his eyes in return. Both of them were able to see again. They crawled out of the hole. Looking, into the big open space.

They realized just how alone they were. How did the trip into the warthog hole, seem closer to home last night, yet now in daylight it was nowhere in sight. Zarda was puzzled, but optimistic. This was a new day, and he was ready to start it.

The Queen's heart was longing to find her sons, but she wasn't as optimistic. Where could they be? Or would they pass each other on the way? Time would only tell, and time was all she had left, other than her small pride of lions.

The lion pack, journeyed out towards an impossible mission. Zarda and Meeku did the same. Slash and razor grimly pulled at the vines, that were dragging their King upon a thatched tripod. Saharrah's lionesses, had woven it together carefully with their mouths  that night before.

The sturdy tripod was fitted for the King underneath his cold body. Queen Saharrah, had pulled over her mate, their zebra skinned pelt, they used as a bed during the cool nights. It was fitting, the one symbolic item they used in bringing life into the world, would be used to cover up life that was taken.

Life would need to go on, and it had to be done through Zarda. After hours of walking, the Lionesses and warriors were thirsty from all the work through the night and early morning. The cubs that remained alive, were crying and pawing at their mother's tails.

It was going to be a hard walk a head. She had to find Zarda and Meeku. Saharrah's heart was focused only on them. Raya and keeku, maintained the wellness of the pride while their leader wasn't mentally present. Raya would force the Queen to rest for short breaks, and keeku ran a small group out to hunt. Mostly, they brought back small game to feed on, due to the dwindling members. The pack would drink from the waterholes before heading back out. At least five, of the Queen and King's warriors, had passed in last night's battle. They couldn't risk losing more. 

So, Slash, King Ezekiel's right-hand lion, took upon himself to patrol ahead for any dangers. The pride followed safely behind. Razor was on another mission of his own, to find their older brother's bachelor group. Their scent was nowhere to be found in the area. The rains must have washed what was left, away.