Anything recognizable as Disney's is not mine, however the characters and plot belong to me. Please do not use them without my permission!
Never Should Have Been: Chapter 1
Fog lay over the Pridelands, all but hiding the staggering lioness and her golden cub. The creamy feline tripped and fell heavily on her side where she lay panting.
Her cub didn't notice at first and continued walking, head lowered and tail dragging in the damp dirt. When she lifted her eyes a look of confusion and fear flickered across her face before she looked back and saw her mother lying in a heap.
The cub padded wearily back to the lioness and nudged her with her head.
"Mama, come on," she said softly. "We have to keep going."
Staarabu opened her eyes and looked at her cub. "I don't know if I can, love." she whispered. "Kazazi, come here."
Kazazi settled herself next to her mother, who wrapped a paw around the cub and pulled her closer.
"Kazazi," Staarabu whispered, "Do you remember the pride I told you about?"
Feeling scared for some reason, Kazazi nodded. "I remember, Mama."
"Good. Now listen carefully, love. You need to find them." the little she-cub's green eyes went wide in alarm.
"Mama!" she gasped.
"Hush!" Staarabu coughed. "Listen! I think we're on their lands. They won't be far. Go find them, and bring them back here!"
Staarabu nudged Kazazi to her weary paws and pushed her away gently with her muzzle.
"But Mama..." Kazazi whimpered, her fur bristling with fright.
Staarabu tried to ignore the tears that she could see gathering in her daughter's eyes. "Go!" she ordered, her voice laced with exhaustion. "The sun will be up soon. Find the pride, they will help!"
Kazazi watched as her mother's head hit the dew-laden ground before she turned and began to run.
Jumbe stood at the peak of Pride Rock, awaiting the sunrise. He was a handsome young lion, and had recently become king of his pride. He was large for his young age, with a dark mane and a dusty-brown pelt that did little to hide his lean muscles.
As the sun rose, its light began to burn off the clinging morning mist and revealed intelligent brown eyes that scanned the Pridelands.
The young king could often be found watching the sunrise before going on a patrol of his lands. This morning proved no different as Jumbe stretched and began to make his way down from his perch.
Kazazi's small paws pounded against the ground as she ran. There were drying tears on her face as she searched for someone, anyone, who would help her.
When something caught on her foot and she stumbled, Kazazi felt great sobs wrench themselves from her heaving chest. Lying on her back the little cub couldn't make out whatever it was that had tripped her until a gold and black feline face appeared over her.
Kazazi let out a gasp and tried to scramble away, but a gentle paw stopped her.
"Hush, child," said a comforting voice, "I won't hurt you."
The she-cub used a dusty paw to try and wipe her eyes, but the strange cat carefully pushed her dirty paws aside and cleared them for her. Kazazi realised that a pretty cheetah was standing over her.
"Wh-who are you?" the little lioness stammered, her ears flat against her head.
"My name is Haraka," the cheetah said. Then she lifted her head and called, "Epesi! Come here!"
To Kazazi's surprise, another cheetah appeared from a shallow den underneath a clump of rocks. He was blinking in the morning sunlight as he rose and came to join his mate.
"What is it?" Epesi yawned.
Kazazi saw that Epesi was a handsome cheetah. He was slightly smaller than Haraka, and had brown eyes while his mate's were a soft yellow-green.
"Look," the she-cheetah said, bending her head down. "Come on, little one, let's get you on your paws."
Carefully, Haraka nudged Kazazi to her sore feet.
"Well hello, young one!" Epesi greeted.
"He-hello." Kazazi murmured. "Can you help me?"
"What's wrong?" Haraka asked softly.
"It's Mama," Kazazi replied, her voice breaking as tears leaked from her eyes again. "Sh-she couldn't walk anymore. Sh-she t-told me to find h-help." she looked up at the cheetahs with desperate eyes. "P-please!"
Haraka glanced at her mate and searched his face with wide, worried eyes. Epesi nodded and Haraka leaned down to give Kazazi a reassuring lick on the top of her head.
"We'll help you, little one." she said in her calm, gentle voice. "Epesi, go find Jumbe. Let him know what is happening. I'll go with the child."
Epesi nodded again and shot off. Any other time the cheetah's speed would have amazed Kazazi, but she was too preoccupied with worry for her mother.
"Now, little one, take me to your mother." Haraka said.
Kazazi nodded and began running back in the direction she had come. Her paws were dirty, and they hurt. Every few paces the little cub would stumble slightly, but with encouragement from Haraka she kept going.
Jumbe padded along at a comfortable pace. His large paws following a familiar trail. It crossed the lion king's mind that he had walked this path enough times in his life that he could probably do it in his sleep when sound of running paws reached his ears and Jumbe stopped. It didn't take long for him to locate the origin of the sounds, and he waited patiently as a friendly shape came to him.
"Epesi, good morning," Jumbe greeted.
Epesi dipped his head respectfully as he slowed and stopped before the lion. "Greetings, Your Majesty. I come with news." he replied.
"Very well."
"Haraka and I were woken by a lion cub this morning. I didn't recognize her, but she asked us for help." Epesi explained. "She said that her mother had collapsed and sent her to find someone who could help them. The poor thing looked exhausted, and out of her mind with worry."
A small stab of concern entered the big lion. "Where is this cub now?" he asked.
"Haraka went with her to find her mother, sire."
"Can you take me to them?" Jumbe asked.
Epesi nodded. "We'd best hurry."
With that the lion took off, the cheetah slightly ahead of him.
The morning mists had completely disappeared, and the sun had cleared the horizon. Kazazi's breathing was ragged as she continued to run with Haraka at her side.
The cub's heart leaped when she saw her mother's familiar shape. Staarabu hadn't moved from where she had fallen, though her breathing had steadied some.
"Mama!" Kazazi panted as she skidded to a stop beside the lioness. "Mama, I got help!"
Staarabu opened her eyes slightly and smiled tiredly at her cub. "Well done, love." she licked her daughter's head thankfully.
Haraka neared the lioness slowly. "You are the child's mother?" she asked.
Staarabu moved her head tiredly and looked up at the cheetah. "Yes." she replied. "My name is Staarabu, and Kazazi is my daughter."
"I'm Haraka," the cheetah replied, dipping her head in greeting. "I sent my mate to bring the king of the Pridelands. Until they arrive I'll do what I can to help you and your daughter."
"Thank you," Staarabu breathed.
"It is nothing." Haraka smiled.
"No, it is everything," Staarabu murmured, closing her eyes again.
Haraka sat down by the lions. Kazazi had collapsed and was lying on her back, still breathing heavily, between her mother and the cheetah. Her bright eyes were half-closed as she listened to her mother and Haraka's steady breathing and began to calm down.
Jumbe and Epesi arrived not long after, having run as fast as the king could manage. Haraka rose to greet them, nuzzling her mate before turning back to Staarabu and her cub.
"How are they?" Jumbe asked.
"Very weak. Staarabu, the lioness, was awake when I got here, but she fell unconcious soon after. Kazazi, her cub, just fell asleep moments ago." Haraka replied. "They are exhausted, and on the brink of starvation, I think." she looked at the king with wide eyes. "I don't know where they came from, but they've clearly had a hard journey."
Jumbe nodded and stepped forward. He nudged Staarabu gently, though she did not respond. He sniffed around her, trying to see if he could pick out any familiar scents. For a moment he thought he detected one, but it was gone the next instant.
The big lion moved over to Kazazi, who was still lying on her back. The golden cub was twitching in her sleep. She occasionally batted at something with a dusty paw and growled quietly. Jumbe nudged Kazazi onto her side. She shook her head and looked around with bleary eyes.
"Mama?" she asked.
"Your mother is over here, little one." Haraka reminded her.
Kazazi blinked and looked around. When she saw Jumbe her eyes widened.
"Do not be afraid," he rumbled, slightly amused. "I won't hurt you."
Jumbe studied the cub. She had a lovely golden pelt and bright green eyes. He noticed that she had a brown stripe running down her spine, as well as brown ear rims.
"Who are you?" Kazazi asked, a little nervous.
Jumbe smiled. "I am Jumbe, the king of the Pridelands."
The cub's mouth formed a small 'o' and she soon continued with, "Can you help Mama?"
What a brave little cub, Jumbe thought. "I hope so." he told her. "I'm going to bring her back to my pride so that she can rest and be taken care of."
Kazazi tried to get to her feet, but she winced and fell back down. "I'm coming too!" she told the king, looking at him defiantly.
Jumbe smiled at the cub again. "Of course you are!" he reassured her.
Haraka and Epesi now moved forward. Haraka crouched down next to Kazazi and licked her shoulder reassuringly.
"I'll carry you until we get to the pride, alright?" she told the cub.
Kazazi looked at her paws and said "I guess my feet do hurt a bit."
Haraka laughed and replied, "You are very brave, little one."
Epesi helped Jumbe to pull Staarabu onto his back. Once they were certain the lioness wouldn't fall off, Jumbe said "Epesi, would you please go ahead and tell my pride to expect us. Ask Teli to send for Nafasi."
"Of course." the cheetah dipped his head and sprang away, quickly disappearing.
"Alright, let's get going." Jumbe told Haraka.
The four cats set off in Epesi's wake. As she was carried, Kazazi interrogated Jumbe about his pride. She wanted to know as much as she could, like where did they live? How big was Pride Rock? Was it bigger than an elephant? How many lions were in the pride?
Jumbe answered all of the she-cub's questions patiently, and when she asked if there were any other cubs to play with he chuckled.
"Oh yes," he rumbled, still amused. "Let's see, there's Aina, Jinsi, Msasi and Chatu."
Kazazi's eyes widened. "There's THAT many girls?" she gasped.
While he reassured her that there were indeed that many cubs, the question of where Kazazi had come from crossed the king's mind. Jumbe wanted to ask, but decided against it. No doubt once Staarabu awoke and was ready, his questions would be answered.
Okay, so this is my first ever Lion King fanfic! Wooh! *throws confetti* I have enough written for two more chapters (I'm hoping) and I'll be uploading them when I can. As you can likely tell, this won't contain any living characters from the Lion King world, however they will be mentioned later on! I'll be putting up a list in the next chapter of what some of the names mean. Most of them are Swahili, however there will be some that I've invented.
Please read and review. With any luck I'll have the next chapter out within the next week =)