There was a sense of déjà vu as the two lionesses stood, one on either side of the invisible border. The last time they had met like this had been the day Kitambi had left for her drum quest, promising to return to take her rightful place as pride queen.
With her younger sister off leading their neighbouring pride and her newest sister too young to take the title from her, she had been able to claim it without any challenge. She had not suspected any of the lionesses to want the position. Most of them were descendants of Isithunzi, who would not encourage breaking up the "royal line" Old customs had to be kept, and lionesses like Isithunzi and Binafsi supported such things. Kitambi did too, though there was one that still bothered her. Her eldest daughter should be the pride heir, and the others would hold no rank. It was what had caused the rift between her sister and herself so long ago, and she was not anxious to do that to another creature. Still, she was different than her mother. The situation was different. She would just have to play it by ear.
Regardless, the role of queen that she had been preparing for all of her life seemed to be hers so suddenly. She was old enough now to take it, her drum in amongst the others in the circle the sign to the pride that she was an adult. She had left knowing it would be hers when she returned. Even so, it felt bizarre to have it. And even stranger to see her mother on the other side of the border, grinning at her like she had the day Kitambi had said her goodbyes.
Kitambi could see the white form of Sen sitting not too far off in the distance. No doubt the other lioness wished to be off as soon as possible. They were only delaying the inevitable, standing there with each other. She didn't quite know why she had come here to say good bye. They had never been really close, she and her mother, partially because of her mother's strange form of love and partially because of her own pride. But they were still blood. Still family. Her only other family was across the mountains and hated her guts. Now her mother would be gone. Somehow, it was a very lonely feeling.
But this was how it was meant to be. She knew that once she was queen her mother would not stay. Sen had been itching to leave for days now, but there had been some minor issues that needed to sort out. There was this whole business with her mate, and then Nsundu had had to perform the official ceremony to hand over the title. She'd received her mother's special necklace, and had dutifully climbed up the escarpment with the rising of the morning sun to stand at the top and be recognized by the pride. However now that the ceremony and festivities were over, it was time for Nsundu to leave.
"You'll come back, right?" Kitambi echoed the words that her mother had asked her when they met like this.
For once, Nsundu did not give her thousand-watt grin. Instead, her lips turned upward in a wry smile. She understood, Kitambi realized. For once, the lioness had some insight into her world. The once pride queen chuckled softly to herself, and then butted her daughter playfully with her nose. "Until we meet again. Take care, kid."
She watched as her mother trotted off to join Sen, who she nodded to when they made eye contact. Then, the two lionesses strode off into the rising sun, on a journey that would, no doubt, be more epic than anything that they would have accomplished here. As Kitambi watched them a small smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.
"I'll be looking forward to your return."
