DIFFICULT FATE

Arc 1: Nafsi

Chapter 1

The wind ran through the golden grassland while slightly raised some dust. Echoes of the past seemed to sound like the sun was hiding in the mountains on the horizon.

Twilight filled the sky over the over the vast grassland known as the Pride Lands, where the king and his son were about to start a conversation. The king of red hair seemed angry while the cub approached him with sadness and regret filling his young eyes.

"Simba, I'm very disappointed in you." The king said looking at his son, who was depressed remembering the events that he made not long ago.

"I know." The cub simply replied.

"You could have been killed." The king said quickly, with a hint of anger in his voice. "You deliberately disobeyed me. And what's worse, you put Nala in danger!"

"I was just trying to be brave like you." Simba said, bordering on crying.

"I'm only brave when I have to be. Simba… being brave doesn't mean you go looking for trouble."

"But you're not scared of anything." The golden fur cub said, still regretful and sad.

"I was today." The king confessed.

"You were?"

"Yes… I thought I might lose you." The king approached his son to reassure and show him how worried he was.

"Oh. I guess even kings get scared, huh?" the cub asked, less distressed. The king nodded. "But you know what?"

"What?"

"I think those hyenas were even scareder." The king laughed.

"'Cause nobody messes with your dad." The king said, bringing Simba closer to him. "Come here, you." He picks Simba up and starts giving him a noogie.

"Oh no, no…" Said Simba escaping from his father's grasp and then jumping over him.

Both father and son began to run across the grassland, playing and laughing… enjoying the moment as if it were something that they rarely were lucky to have and don't want to be taken from them. Simba jumped to his father and began to bite his ear, the king didn't even care, both were happy and wanted to keep the mood that way. After a few seconds, the cub let his father's ear and leaned back on his head.

"Dad?" Simba said. The king looking at him, waiting for him to speak. "We're pals, right?"

"Right."

"And we'll always be together, right?" The king rose slightly and looked at his son.

"Simba… Let me tell you something that my father told me…" The king raised his head and the cub imitated him. "Look at the stars. The great kings of the past look down on us from those stars."

"Really?" Simba asked, looking at his father, who stared back, smiling.

"Yes…" The king said as both of them turned to look at the shining sky of the night. "So whenever you feel alone, just remember that those kings will always be there to guide you… And so will I.

It began a beautiful day with the output of a bright sun, beginning to illuminate the soft, vast green grassland. It was a wonderful sight, leafs were slowly dancing in the soft breeze, birds sitting on branches were singing softly in perfect harmony, underneath the broad-leaved trees in an open space illuminated by the sun on a light green grass one could see many different kind of flowers already grown up and many of them still thriving.

Wild animals where going about their business, some gazelles chewing the grass slowly, others took care of their young, a small herd of zebras starting to move around here, a pair of wild pigs there, running blissfully. Peacefulness of this place was invigorating.

Inside of a cave near to a big lake, was a pride of lions completely immersed in their dreams, who still didn't realize the new day that had begun, and nobody would dare to awaken from their deep sleep.

There was nothing that could disturb this tranquility… except for me.

Avoiding awakening my parents and siblings, I got up carefully and walked without disturbing any of the lionesses, completing my escape and leaving the cave. Feeling the wind in my fur, I stretched my body and started to walk away, but when I took a few steps, I felt a big weight fall on my back.

"Get off of me, Murk!" I yelled, clearly irritated. The weight on my back just laughed, making me angrier.

"Good morning to you too, brother." The weight on my back answered moving a little, but preventing me from moving. "You almost managed to leave without my realizing it."

"Don't you have anything better to do?! And… Get off, now!" I yelled, moving even more, causing more laughter from him. After a few seconds, he pulled away, and I took that moment to stand up. "I thought you were still asleep, little brother." I smiled, giving him a look.

"How many times do I have to repeat it? Don't call me like that. You know that bothers me." Murk said, annoyed. I just smiled, increasing his anger. It was fun to make him mad, especially saying things that made him feel smaller than normal.

"But you know it's the truth. Now, go back." I said looking serious, but laughing inside. "You know you can't leave the cave without permission."

"Stop treating me like a baby." He said. "Besides, you don't have permission either."

"Since when do I need it?" I asked with indifference. "Technically I've done what I've wanted since… I don't know how long ago."

"Yeah, and mom and dad have accepted so well that attitude you have." Murk said, showing sarcasm in his voice. I just ignored him and started to walk away. "Hey, where are you going?"

"It's not of your importance, little cub." I said sharply and looked at him, a mocking smile decorating my face, which caused him to become angrier and ran to me, his obvious intentions. I crouched when he jumped, he hit the ground with a dry noise and I climbed on his back to avoid any movement on his part.

"Ow! Get off, that hurts!" Murk cried, trying vainly to escape. I started laughing and Murk started to shake his head thinking that it would help him.

"Ha! I win again!" I said mockingly, causing him to stop for a moment, before trying to escape again, with more force this time. "You know, you're really bad at this game."

"Maybe if you stop cheating!" He cried very angry, I laughed and I approached his face.

"Is that your best excuse? Come on, even I would do better. Now… you'll do what I asked you, you big crybaby?" I asked, a smile of satisfaction had hit my face.

"When you released me I'll show you what this big crybaby can do!" Murk shouted, and my laughter returned with more power, which made Murk stop for a second and asked, "What the hell are you laughing at?!"

"You realize that you called yourself a crybaby?" I said, still laughing. Murk began to shake more violently, but I kept him from moving.

"Let me go now so I can kill you!" He yelled, much more annoying than ever. My laughter simply increased and his escape attempts did not seem to stop, this was very funny.

"You two have already finished playing?" Said a voice suddenly appearing behind us. Murk and I froze after listening it, and a shiver ran down my neck. Looking back in fear I could see a black spot staring at us, and I began to smile nervously.

"Hi… dad." I said, releasing Murk, who got up quickly and stared at our father, it was clearly noticeable that he was shaking a little at the sudden appearance.

My father was the leader of the pride, a dark-haired lion, almost like the night. His muzzle, stomach and legs were a little lighter in color, his hair all black and brown eyes, which showed respect and wisdom, and he always wore a strange necklace, with what he used to say was the symbol of the family. Murk, my brother, was quite like him, with the difference that the lock of hair he owned was a slightly grayish color and his eyes were blue.

"Where were you two planning to go?" My father asked seriously, looking a little annoyed at waking him up or something.

"Well… I was going to the big lake to cool my throat." I said, trying to disguise my nerves. "I have no idea where Murk was headed."

"I did not even plan to leave without telling him how you do it." Murk answered quickly.

"I was going to be back soon, before you realized that I left." I continued, ignoring Murk's comment. Our father looked at us before he sighed.

"You'll never change, will you, T?" My father looked at me, somewhat tired. I just buried my eyes as I looked away and planned a way to go.

"He'll never learn, dad. The whole pride knows that." I heard Murk say.

"Why don't you find something better to do and stop getting into my business, brother?" I murmured, with some venom in my voice.

Lifting my head slightly to look at Murk, I could see that my words had hurt him… not that I would have minded. I just looked away from them again and started to walk away.

"Where are you going, T? I have not given you permission to leave." My father said annoyed, but I just went on my way, at least until another voice appeared.

"You should obey your father at least once, T." Said the new, feminine voice this time, making me stop my progress and sit right in that place and giving them my back. "Why can't you be a little friendlier, my son?"

At that moment I turned to face the new voice, but I stopped, unable to scream at my own mother, so I closed my mouth immediately and I avoided looking into her eyes. "I do not want them to start bothering me," I whispered, wishing she had not heard.

My mother was a beautiful lioness, her fur seemed to have a grayish touch and her eyes were that was not what made her beautiful, it was her dedication. She always took care of my brother and me and did not let us get hurt in our pranks, and even rejoiced when we were depressed, although I don't let her do that with me for a long time.

"Murk," my father sighed. "Tell Yusei to come." Murk nodded before returning to the cave, despite having seen the anger reflected on my face.

"Dad, please. No need to call him, I can take care of myself," I said annoyed giving him a slight glance. "All you have to do is trust me."

"I ask him to come precisely because I do not trust you, T." My father answered. "Besides, it's the only way to stop getting you in trouble. Or you want to happen again what happened that time?" He asked, pointing my left paw.

Now that I think about it… I haven't introduce myself. My name ... well, that does not matter now, so everyone who know me call me T. Yes, I know, a letter is not a name, but that doesn't matter to me. My fur is the same color as my mother, and I share with my father the color of my hair and eyes, besides wearing something called a bracelet, which has a somewhat strange pattern: several black and white squares, almost as if it were some kind of board or something like that.

"That happened because of you, remember." I said annoyed, this time without a look.

"Now you understand why I can't leave you alone at any time?" My father said and then take a long breath and look behind him. "Here he comes, anyway." At that moment I decided to look up, hoping it was a joke, but actually Murk approached, accompanied by two lions, a teenager and a cub.

"Sorry for the delay, I've been helping my mother all night and recently woke up. Besides she asked me to take care of my brother and…"

"Leave the excuses, Yusei," My father interrupted. "Do you know why I asked you to come?"

Yusei looked at me for a few seconds before turning back to my father. "Don't worry, I'll keep him under surveillance." My father turned his head to me with a satisfied smile before looking at my brother and looking back at Yusei.

"All right, I trust you will not leave him alone for any reason." My father said before he went away to do his morning patrol.

Yusei was, in some way, my father's right hand and also a nuisance in my back. His fur was a somewhat dark orange color, with green eyes and a dark brown mane, although his mane was not complete, being a teenager and all. The cub that accompanied him was his younger brother, Tuiz, a curious-looking cub because it was completely white, including his eyes.

"It's good to see you both," my mother said, looking at the newcomers. "I suppose your mother is already preparing for the hunt, isn't she?" She asked, earning a nod from the two. "Alright, it's better not make them wait." My mother approached me and at that moment a small cub very similar to my mother came out of the cave, sleepy, but began to run towards me just to see me.

"Big brother." Said the little cub when she was very close to me, giving me a big smile that made the anger I had vanished somehow.

"I guess I don't need to tell you to take care of your sister Akhela, right?"

I just nodded with a slight smile as I didn't take my eyes off my little sister. "I hope you do not get in trouble, my child." My mother said before starting to run with her hunting party.

"I think I can say that you will not get in trouble today, will you?" Murk said approaching to Akhela and me. I just groaned him and lifted Akhela to put her on my back, starting to head for the big lake.

"Where do you think you're going?" Yusei asked as I continued my way without waiting them.

"As I said to my father, my throat is dry. So do not worry, I do not think I'm going to move from there." After that nobody said anything, so I sighed as I looked slightly at Akhela, who smiled at me, lifting my spirits quickly.