Chapter 26
It was nighttime again, and Sharra found herself sitting at the edge of pride rock, staring at the star-strewn sky. The midnight blue hues blended and meshed to forma beautiful sight, the stars only added the art of it. A small smile formed on Sharra's mouth as she let out a sigh. It seemed like it had been a long time ago since that morning when the whole ordeal had happened.
The day had progressed quickly though, if Sharra was perfectly honest with herself. Everything had seemed to happen so fast it left little time for thinking about things, until now. Though the crocodile had only given her enough information to know the truth, Sharra had filled in the holes. Obviously the female was supposed to aid in the killing of her and Memmai. However, it didn't entirely make sense to Sharra that the crocodile refused to kill the queen, but years ago had had no qualms about killing the prince and princess. Were cubs different? Were heirs to the throne less valuable or less meaningful than the actual throne-holders? This, Sharra pondered for a little while.
Then she thought of the pride's reaction when she'd told them the crocodile's story. Former Queen Tianna had said it was preposterous and was enraged that Sharra even suggest such a thing. It wasn't until Tuli and Ashka spoke up that the pride realized the truth. Tuli's cub of course was found and when Ashka told the pride of Sumayah's mad dash to get him to come to the aid of Tuli, everyone knew. Whether they wanted to believe it or not, they knew. After that Sharra hadn't stayed, but had fled to wander the pridelands.
It was only when night fell that she found herself back at pride rock. After the burial, after the deep grieving, then she returned, just as everyone was settling in for the night. Now here she was, wondering what she should do now. Would it be wise to just leave? To go home now, while everyone was thinking of their recently lost princess? No, perhaps that would not be fair to Memmai, even though Sharra was definitely awake enough to make the trip.
She sighed, deciding to sleep there for the night, and leave first thing in the morning. With Sumayah gone, she would be free to go home on her own. In fact, she almost preferred it that way.
"Hey Ashka," Tiburi started, making the baboon have the urge to start laughing hysterically because he'd been waiting for the cub to ask him something. It was only a matter of time.
"Yes, Tiburi?"
"You never told us who the cub was. You know, the one that Sumayah hid to make her plan of detouring you for real. Well…sorta anyway." The cub finished, cocking his head this way and that as he thought.
At this, the baboon did laugh. "Oh, dat cub…yes he is an interesting one. Perhaps being in dat brush made him too curious for his own good. Too long away from his moder no doubt." The baboon was still chuckling. "Care to take a guess, Tiburi?"
Tiburi laughed a little, "Kinda sounds like me," he said.
"No," Ashka said, shaking his head. "Just because he's too curious for his own good?" He laughed. "Well, in fact, dat cub was you, Tiburi…Now, back to de story."
Sleep would not come easily to Sharra, and after a few hours of failed attempts, she knew it was no use. Stretching, she rose to her feet and looked up at the sky, smiling. It was still dark, and would be for most of the whole of her trip. She trotted back to the opening of the den, easily finding her sleeping friend near the entrance. She licked her friend and then nudged her head. This time, Memmai awoke a little easier. She lifted her head, slowly opening her eyes and letting them adjust before focusing on Sharra.
No words were exchanged, instead Mai stood and rubbed her head beneath Sharra's chin. The two bumped heads and nuzzled each other for a few moments before nodding their goodbyes. Memmai sat, watching her friend leave, wishing with all her heart she could change the white lioness's mind, but knowing she wouldn't, for though Sharra still hadn't admitted it to herself, even Memmai knew she was in love with Kieji. For this reason, she was silent as she watched Sharra start down the steps and then bound off with a determination only a lioness in love would possess.
--
By the time Sharra reached her lands, the sun was just beginning to rise. The horizon was painted with deep shades of pink and blue and purple, and Sharra knew that within an hour or so the shades of blue and purple would fade into pinks and oranges as the sun rose higher into the sky.
As she reached the border, she slowed her mad dash to a stop, taking in deep breaths of air, attempting to catch her breath. After she had calmed and her muscles stopped throbbing, her heart slowed, she took in a deep breath to steady herself. Then she stepped across the border and knew she was home. It was a feeling that washed through her with such intensity, she almost felt the need to stop. Almost, but her feet had other ideas, and within seconds she was running again.
Upon reaching the den, she knew the one she most wanted to see wasn't there. She didn't even bother climbing up onto the rock, but rather sniffed the air and took off in another direction, following the scent of him. Her heart was racing again, but she didn't care, he was the only one she wanted to see. Though she loved her pridemembers, it was Kieji she wanted to see first.
It was by their watering hole that she found him, sitting there, watching the sunrise. An ear flicked backward before he turned his head. When he saw her, he stood and turned his body completely around. Sharra felt her legs go weak, she'd forgotten, even in the short time she'd been away, how handsome he was. She had forgotten how curly his mane was, or how astonishingly green his eyes were. It made her want to cry out, instead she found herself beside him within seconds, rubbing her body against his as her head rubbed beneath his chin.
At first, he bristled, not exactly expecting her so close, then slowly he lowered his head onto hers and words he didn't mean to say rushed from his lips, "I've missed you."
A tear slid down Sharra's cheek. "I've missed you too," she murmured. Oh how she'd missed him, she thought. Another tear slid down her cheek and she pulled away to look at him. "I'm so sorry," she said.
Kieji rubbed his cheek against hers. "For what?" He asked.
"For ignoring you, for asking to be a part of your pride and then acting like a loner and not acting like a part of it," She shook her head. "I wanted a pride. I wanted a family, and when all of the sudden, after so long…I had one. I didn't know what to do," the words that had been welled up for so long rushed out and Sharra found she couldn't stop, not that she wanted to.
"I was so scared, I didn't want to get too close. I was afraid I'd be hurt again, afraid of being hurt because I'd let myself believe it was true." Another tear traveled down her cheek. "I was afraid of you," at this Kieji looked at her and she turned her head away, unable to look at him.
"Afraid that if I accepted what I…" she stopped, unsure of saying the rest.
"If you accepted?" Kieji urged.
"If I accepted what I felt for you, acknowledged it, that I'd lose it. That I'd lose you and only be hurt again like I was before," At this, Sharra collapsed at Kieji's feet, the tears flowing freely as she cried into her paws.
Kieji lowered himself to the ground as well, using a paw to lift her chin so she would look at him. "Hey," he said, a small smile playing on his lips. "I'm not going to hurt you, and I'm going to make sure you're never hurt like you were before again." He paused, taking a moment to give her a long, hard look in the eyes. "I didn't chase Mako off for nothing. I wanted you Sharra, since the day you bawled your eyes and problems to me, I've wanted you. When that sniveling sack of dirt came pining for you, I knew I had to show you how I felt. So I made sure he knew he was never to return," He rubbed his head against Sharra's. "I suppose we've both been running from each other. I let you ignore me and walk alone because I wasn't sure you'd even want to be with me. You ran because you didn't want to be hurt again."
Sharra looked up and offered a small smile and a nod of agreement.
"We both know we're meant to be together Sharra, it's time we stop running."
The white lioness looked up again, and then pushed her head beneath his chin. Kieji leaned his head to the side, his cheek rubbing against Sharra's head. The tuft of hair Sharra still had mingled with his curls as the two moved closer to each other. Kieji licked Sharra's cheek and smiled.
When Sharra looked into his eyes, a smile formed on her mouth and the feeling that filled her was indescribable. Now, truly she was home. She was in a place where no one would ever tell her she had to sleep outside. No one would scorn her for simply being born. No lion, or lioness, would ever call her a white rat or say she was a mistake. She would be respected, accepted and best of all, loved for who she was and because she was herself.
"Dat in itself was more den anyting she could ever have asked for. Sharra was home." Ashka finished the story with a wave of his hand that gestured toward Sharra's lands.
All the cubs turned to look toward there and then back at Ashka.
"That's it?" Tiburi, ever the questioner, asked.
"Yes Tiburi, dat's it. Dat is de story of Sharra de white lioness."
"Tell us another story Ashka!" One of the cubs perked up.
The baboon laughed. "Anoder time perhaps, hasn't dis one taken long enough?"
A/N: I think I'll end it there, although if I get enough ambition, I might continue Sharra's story some other time. For now, I think I'll let your imaginations give you the rest of the story. I hope you enjoyed Sharra's story, even if it took forever to finish. Til next time, enjoy!