The two lionesses had lain in the cropped grass, talking and relaxing. After Maditah had told Sanele all about her old King and how she missed his friendship more than anything else from her old homeland, Sanele had reminisced about previous friends and family she had known in the pride, all lost to time and accidents. She told Maditah the story of the previous Abaholi, and the rumours that still circulated among the lionesses since their disappearance. Then she spoke of how the current two males had risen to take the vacant roles, of Andhaka’s rise from Inselelo and Bangizwe’s far more novel entry into the pride and following ascension to the same rank. She also spoke of Umzingeli Njalo’s rescue of the Umama Simosile and the mauling of the marauding rogue males who had bestowed many injuries on the defending Ithambo lions, including breaking the young Ifunci’s front leg. A wound that had taken a considerable time to heal afterward.

Gradually the pair whiled away the hours until their bellies rumbled with hunger. It was Maditah who finally suggested they hunt together and Sanele was more than happy to agree. Together the two lionesses left their resting spot and set out into the surrounding landscape on the trail of a small herd of gazelle. Maditah proved to be an apt tracker and a skilled huntress, skills originally developed in her old pride and then honed by her years as a lone rogue. Swiftly adapting her technique to include Sanele, it wasn’t long before they had brought down an old buck with an impressive spread of antlers. The two feasted for a while, stories forgotten in preference of filling their empty bellies. But as their hunger waned, Maditah resumed her questions, prompting Sanele to bring up yet another story. The crimson-backed female was a wealth of stories and rumour and had the memory of an elephant, rarely forgetting a time or place or personality. Even able to list who was where during any truly important event. Though Maditah was more interested in the current dynamics of the pride, the old stories of its past were truly fascinating.

Eventually the two lionesses settled down in the clean grass away from their kill, blood licked free of warm fur and limbs entwined in the manner of old friends. Sanele’s tail flicked rhythmically against Maditah’s flank while Maditah’s chin resting on Sanele’s paw. Content, relaxed and truly happy, Maditah chuckled softly to herself. Maybe she really would settle here, after all she really liked Bangizwe and now she had a friend in Sanele, Ilanga and Njalo. Sanele was relaxed, full and content with the company of the Busisa. Not bothering to lift her head she simply draped her forelimb over Maditah’s shoulder, or more like, dropped it and it happened to land over the paler female and Sanele felt far too lazy and comfortable to bother. For a while they dosed together, their full bellies lulling them into that dream-like daze that was somehow more satisfying than sleep itself. The sun crept across the blue dome above until at length the females stirred.

Maditah gradually grew more aware and shifted, yawning and giving a satisfying full-body stretch. Finally she turned her head to look at her friend once again, noting that Maditah was also somewhat more aware than they had been previously. “Tell me, what was your old home like?” She asked the busisa, intrigued from what little Maditah had so far shared and wishing to know more about the female and her past. “Well….” Maditah replied, voice sleepy and sated, eyes open and gazing ahead sightlessly, her thoughts somewhere far away. “It was very much like here, actually..” The half-blind lioness finally responded, tone wistful. “There was the King, our lead male, and a very dear friend of mine. Then there were us females, seven in all, and several litters, last time I saw them.” Her tone turned sad for a brief moment. Who knew if the old King and his youngest offspring even still lived? Or had he been overthrown by now? His pride taken over by a younger, fitter male.

Sensing the shift Sanele flicked her tail against Maditah’s stomach again. “Did you get on with everyone?” She asked, more to keep Maditah talking than from any need for more gossip. It sounded like Maditah needed to get this out, or the grief would never fade. The pale busisa hesitated before shaking her head. “Not at the end…” She replied, her voice so soft that it was almost inaudible. It was a long moment before she could bring herself to speak again. The old pain, that she had thought finally buried, returning afresh - as sharp as the day she had been chased out. “We were like sisters, the seven of us. Of course we bickered and squabbled on occasion, but e were also the best of friends. However, I was closest to our King. His confident and the one he most often sought out for some company.” She glanced at Sanele and managed a weak smile. “Of the conversational kind, you letch…” She chided in an attempt at good humour. Though her tone fell somewhat short as her mind dragged those old memories back. Sighing deeply she laid her head back down, gaze lost somewhere in the past. “Gradually the other females began to get jealous of my position. They thought I keeping his attention for myself, somehow. Even though it was always he who came to seek me out.” She hesitated, swallowing down the lump that rose to jam up her throat. “Eventually it got so bad that we started to fight, really fight, each other. The pride fell apart, our hunts were full of mistrust and anger. My sisters started to try and deliberately get me injured, or they would ignore my directions and we would loose our prey, which they would then blame on me. Finally, they simply attacked me. Drove me from the pride. They fully intended to kill me if they could… so I.. I fled..” Her voice trailed off, chocked up with the misery of the past and the hurt of such a deep betrayal.

Sanele, not having expected such a confession, sat up before moving over to lay pressed against the grieving Maditah. She felt pain for the other lioness, and anger that her old pride had treated such a sweet lioness so badly. Curling her body round Maditah as best as she was able, the Umzingeli began to groom her friend, her sister, offering comfort the best way she knew how.

“You are with us now.” She said gently, as she settled in place. Maditah needed this, needed to grieve. And then they would hunt together again.



((Words = 1,126))