Is this any place to raise a family? Hyenas, constant famine, and worse traitors? Kuberi must overcome the challenges of raising a successful family. The horrors of parenthood cloud his dreams. He must take on the roll of king, provider, guardian...
Mthunzi would die. Msaliti would die. The exiled queens would die. This madness would end here and now. I was sick and tired of Msaliti and her nonsense. This has to stop. All of It. Whatever Msaliti wanted she would have to get it someplace else.
Today would mark a day like no other. "The great war" they would call it, and it was about to come alive. The fire still burned on, causing Msaliti's advancement towards her son's to slow down. My three children had grown to running , playing little rascals. Haki said they looked like me.
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(Inkosi to the far left, Dumisani In the middle, and Akili to the right.)
I had reached my prime years. I was five years old and a four hundred and fifty pounds. My one job was to protect my children. There was three little boys; The oldest, Inkosi was a strong young child from birth.
The second, Dumisani was a popular cub from the day he was born. And the last, Akili. He wasn't as strong as his brothers, but he was more clever. Akili was a daddy's boy. He never strayed far from me. When his older brothers hogged the carcass, he would run to his mother or me.
Haki raised her sons in the ways of the elephant hunter. This pride hunted giants. The boys would stay behind on the hunts, but in a few months they would watch a master hunter bring down a giant.
The war dragged on and the chase on Msaliti drew to a close. the fires burn for over two days without stopping. Tonight the heat was one. Msaliti's position had been revealed by a scout. She was near the valley on the way towards the western border. If she reached the border she would be gone.
Gone to rally stronger forces. We needed to strike while the iron was hot. Luckily we had cut Msaliti off before she reached the border. Our plan was to flush Msaliti out of the plains and into the swamps. She would get bogged down in the marshes and be slower.
That night we cornered Msaliti in the plains. She tried to make a dead escape but Haki swooped in with an army and cut her off. Mthunzi escaped into the night. Msaliti's only choice was the marsh. She shouted to her army. "FALL BACK INTO THE MARSH YOU LUNATICS!!!!!"
She was driven into the marsh were a hundred crocodiles awaited. She began to realize her troops beginning to disappear. "RETREAT, THE CROCODILES LURK IN THOSE WATERS!!!!" She turned towards the flame engulfed savanna. The fire was getting pretty bad now.
The final stance was here. And then ensued the bloodiest battle ever witnessed by lion kind. Sister against sister, brother against brother (but mostly sis v sis). I gave the orders. I summoned Haki and another three lionesses to chase down Msaliti.
The final showdown in the dead of night. Fire surrounded the environment making an epic battle filed.
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"Oh no." Haki said. "What's the matter?" I asked. "Msaliti is heading for the cubs near the den site." It was personal now. Ok Msaliti if you want to take it out on somebody,take it out on me. Not innocent little children. Why though? Why?
I took of running at top speed. Haki outran me. She was a mother on a mission. She was the real one worried. I came to realize a lot of things now. I was an adult now and I had worries and troubles. Not that I didn't have worries as a child, Holy Heck! Did I put my self in danger!
Haki was going for it. Jumping over logs, crashing through the brush, she was determined to reach Msaliti. Msaliti was within fifty feet of Haki. Closer....closer.....closer......LEAP!!!!
Hai launched herself onto Msaliti bringing her down in the process. The two sisters then engaged in a fight like never before. Msaliti was a strong fighter and none were backing down. This was a death fight.
Very rarely do lions fight to the death. Haki wasn't going to stop until Msaliti was dead. I stepped in to aid, "No!" Haki said, "This is my fight." The fight continued all throughout the night. Haki was getting tired and Msaliti looked as if she had the upper hand.
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Msaliti had Haki pinned to the ground. Haki was in a bad position. Her neck was exposed to suffocation. She needed to think fast or she was dead. In the post daring move ever the traitor returned. Mthunzi came running in ready to save her sister.
Msaliti looked up and saw the oncoming lioness. "Ahh Mthunzi, have you come to do the honors and finish this failure once and for all?" Mthunzi didn't reply but instead launched herself straight for Msaliti's neck.
She pushed her backwards knocking her onto her back. Her neck was now the one exposed. But then Msaliti made a quick swipe and slapped Mthunzi in the face. Mthunzi reared back in pain at the sharp claws that had lodged in her face.
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Msaliti then got up and threw Mthunzi back. Closer and closer to the edge of the rock they were elevated on. The fires burned below and if Mthunzi fell off she was dead. But then the true queen of the savanna,the unsung hero of this tale, attacked Msaliti hurling her backwards into the flames below.
Haki had killed Msaliti. The rightful queen of these lands had defended her kingdom, her children, and her sister. But not for herself, but for her family. Her sisters, cousins and children would rest safely tonight.
