"I'm sorry, my king.", Tahadhari said. "We couldn't prevent the lion killing three zebras and then we lost track of him." "That is alright. He seems to have disappiered again.", Simba replied. "Yes, but there are a few things off.", Tahadhari continued. "The zebras said, that three zebras were killed, but we didn't see the bodys anywhere. So I don't think, that he was alone. And I'm one hundred percent sure, that this lion wasn't a rogue, but an outlander." Now Simba became worried. "Are you sure about that?", He asked Tahadhari. She nodded and said: "He had the scent of an outlander. I recognized it immediately." "Was he fully grown or was he the size of, for example Kiara or Kion?" "He was fully grown." "So this had to be Nuka.", Simba muttered.

"Does this mean something?", Tahadhari asked. "I'm not sure, but I don't think so.", Simba answered. "Did something else of note happen during your patrol?" "Matembo and the elephants told us, that the vultures seem to be flying closer to the pridelands than usual. Maybe they are trying to spy on us. They also seem to do maneuvers." "That is interesting to hear. You can go now.", Simba said and Tahadhari and the other two lionesses left. Simba sighed. "Why do the outlanders get involved now?", he wondered. Is this a coincidence or do they know about Scar? Simba hoped for the first, but the second was just as likely. And if that was the case, they would be in deep trouble. Simba would have to warn the lionesses, that would be on patrol. It was possible, that the outlanders were either up to something or working with Scar.

Tahadhari and the other two lionesses went to the bottom of Pride Rock, to relax a bit. They weren't in the best mood, because they weren't able to stop intruders enter the pridelands and kill three zebras. And when they chased after one of the intruders, that tried to distract them, as they later guessed, he suddenly disappiered. When they found out, where he hid, he had already gone back to where they had seen him first and they saw tracks, that proved them, that it had been three lions and that they had dragged the dead zebras to the outlands.

Tahadhari was thinking about what she could try to do better during the next patrol, that she would have two days later. There were two groups of lionesses doing the patrols. One group did the patrol at one day and the other group did the patrol on the other day. It would probably be better, if they stayed hidden during their patrol. If you can't see the patrol, you can't wait until they passed you and you can never be sure, if they are nearby or not. She was going to ask the others, if they thought that this was a good idea.

"Mom.", a voice suddenly yelled and Tahadhari lifted her head, as she recognized the voice. "Tiifu.", she answered and got up, to greet her daughter. Tiifu ran to her mother and snuggled up to her. "How was your day with Kiara and Zuri?" "Oh, it was great. We were training for Kiaras first hunt and she did very good." "That is great to hear.", Tahadhari said and she and Tiifu started to go for a little walk, as they often did. "Yeah, she's just pretty frustrated, that she wasn't able to do her first hunt yet. I mean, I did mine already a while ago. Zuri also could have done hers a while ago, but she doesn't really care about hunting. At least not yet. And now, with the hyenas, jackals and crocodiles being everywhere, Kiara can't do it. I mean, we can't be away for too long and we're continuously being escorted by Kifahari and Haki. She can't have a real hunt like that."

"Yes, I see the problem.", Tahadhari said, when Tiifu was finished. "Well, she will have her first hunt eventually. When isn't that important. It's important, that she does it. A future king or queen has to do his or her first hunt, to prove, that he or she is worthy to carry the title, ruler of the pridelands. It's not necesseray anymore, that you must be successful on this hunt, to become king or queen, but it is a tradition, that has been carried over for generations." Tiifu had listened to her mother in awe and then said: "I didn't know about that. I had no idea, that the first hunt is so important for Kiara. Now I understand, why she's so frustrated. She wants to get rid of the pressure on her shoulders." "Exactly.", Tahadhari confirmed. "Of course your first hunt was important as well. It showed, that you could take care of yourself and if you can take care of yourself, you can care for the rest of the pack as well. Every lion and every lioness has to do a first hunt. In the royal family, it just has a little more meaning, then for us."

"Can we go stargazing tonight?", Tiifu asked and her mother smiled down to her. "Of course. After all, we are already on our way to our usual spot." Only now Tiifu payed attention to where they were going and she realised, that they were heading in the direction of their usual stargazing spot. "Oh, thank you so much Mom. We didn't stargaze for an enternity." "Yes, I thought that it would be a good idea to do it again. And now also is a good time. No clouds cover the sky today."

"Aren't you afraid, that it's a little close to the outlands?", Tiifu asked. "No, I'm not. The volcano is far away from here and neither the outlanders nor members of Scars army have ever entered the pridelands there. So we're very save.", Tahadhari calmed her down. Their stargazing spot was quite a distance away from Pride Rock, so they had to walk until sunset, before they arrived there. The stargazing spot was at a small cave at the edge of the pridelands. The cave was very well hidden, with only a small entrance, that was barely big enough, to let Tahadhari in. Until a short time ago, Tiifu had always sleept right at the entrance, because she had been afraid of the dark, but she wasn't anymore.

They laid down on the soft grass, that surrounded the small cave entrance and watched at the stars. "I've looked at the stars for so often and so long, but they still fascinate me.", Tiifu whispered. "There is no need to whisper.", her mother whispered back. "But I'm tired and I just think, that it is right to whisper. Talking loud would just ruin the moment." Tahadhari chuckled and replied: "I guess you are right. It really doesn't feel right, to talk loud." They continued watching the stars and whispered with each other. After a while, Tiifu yawned and stretched herself. "I wanna go to sleep now." "Do you want to sleep at the entrance or doesn't it matter to you anymore?", her mother asked her and Tiifu answered: "I like watching the stars, so I would to stay at the entrance, if you don't mind."

"Everything for my daughter.", Tahadhari said with a warm smile and went in the cave first. Tiifu followed after her and then turned around, so that she was able to see the stars. After listening carefully for a while, she could tell, that her mother had fallen asleep. She looked up at the night sky and whispered: "Hello dad."

01.08.2019

Do you know what day it is? It is the first of august. National holiday in Switzerland. Yehaaa...
A day off of work and a new chapter out.

How did you like this chapter? I want to give the side characters a little more presence and that's what I just did. The names for the lionesses in this chapter are also from swaheli. Tahadhari means precautionary, Kifahari means elegant and Haki means justice.

Until the next time, bye.