A/N: Hi to all fellow writers and readers! Ok, here we go. *clears throat*

I really, really (x10000) want to become an author when I'm older. So, please make you sure that you review this. :) Just tell me, honestly, what you thought about it- what was good, what was bad and how I can improve my writing techniques. :)

For those of you who are reading my second story that is yet to be completed (Journeys of the Spritual Kind), please don't think I've forgotten about it. I'm not sure right now if it'll take a back seat as I begin this new story or whether I'll update both of them consistently. However, if Journeys of the Spiritual Kind hasn't been updated for a while, I'm either working on this or in a writer's block with it. Both stories will get completed though. ;)

Also, the Outlanders in "The Lion King 2" don't exist on this story. That's Zira and Kovu etc.

Italics represent a character's unspoken thoughts. :)

Prolouge- The Dawning of a New Era

"Ssh, little one. You're safe..."

His uneven cries faded away as quickly as they had come. Only darkness surrounded him but it did not scare him in the slightest, not now. The voice that sounded from above meant no harm. Even though it was extremely feeble, it made him feel peaceful and calm. He wished that he could see the creature that was soothing him but the somehow comforting black that enveloped his body did not disappear.

Sensing warm fur brushing softly against his own, he turned his head to seek, yet again, for the source of his protector. Instead, a gentle, caressing lick of the tongue moved silently across his head. The voice whispered again, but this time it was near impossible to hear. "Just like me, aren't you?" it uttered, now sounding in great pain, the words making themselves known in short, sharp intakes of air. A gasp pierced his ears. His weak muscles tensed insticntively, hairs on edge. "Never be afraid of it... embrace it."

The last sentance trailed off. Expecting more to come, he waited and listened. Only mocking silence answered him. He whimpered, slightly frightened, burying himself against the once comforting fur that his unknown saviour had. He wept again because the creature that had brought him so much comfort, still did not answer his pleas.

Nothing...

The lion felt himself slowly awaken from the depths of, what should have been, a much deeper sleep. He tried to capture the last few moments of the dream, the dream he'd experienced since...well, he'd always experienced it- during every single maddeningly frustrating night. But the images in his jumbled mind slipped far away from him like miniscule grains of sand. Opening his eyes, letting the annoying crust of sleep fall from them, his jaw stretched into a wide yawn. Remembering the dream didn't really matter to him, anyway; he was more troubled by why it kept deciding to sneak up on him when he never expected it to.

Glancing at the entrance of the cave he now decided to call "home", the dark maned lion noticed the sky outside. It was stained with a colour of darkest blue, tiny silver stars dotted throughout it, each casting their own small glow of...hope. A memory of shining vividness, that was not tainted by the harshness of realtity tried to glide to the front of his mind but he forced himself to not relive it. With a surge of anger, he knew that blocking it from himself took a near impossible amount of willpower. How pathetic he scolded himself bitterly. Are you not strong enough for that one, simple act?

An abrupt, high pitched squeak caused him look down at his front paws. A young, grey mouse was trapped beneath one of them; only the thin, straggly tail visible. It flicked in a severely agitated manner and he could feel the small animal struggling to free itself from his light grip. Hmm, never tried mouse before he thought ironically, as his stomach decided to emmit a particularly loud rumble at that precise moment. He could almost register a time when he wasn't constantly hungry but what choice did he have? He didn't dare go and collect his share of the kill, not with everyone staring- he'd had enough of that. And hunting wasn't exactly his "forte."

So, he picked up the mouse between his sharp claws absentmindedly. While opening his mouth, he still couldn't believe he'd sunk so low as to do this. But it was food; no matter how small.

Just before he placed the unusually motionless animal into, literally the jaws of defeat, something stopped him. In those beady black eyes of the unfortunate creature, he saw...everything. Yes, everything was bluntly staring at him through the depths of nothingness. "Oh, don't look at me like that," the lion half sighed, slowly lowering the mouse back to where it belonged. Releived, it scurried off to a little crevice within the cracked stone walls. The tail was the last thing he saw before it too was whisked quickly into darkness.

"You could stay," he called out, not really talking to the animal. It was his own useless attempt of breaking the silence that he'd forced himself to contend with. "You're my first visitor, after all... Second, actually," he added.

The dark maned lion waited for a couple of minutes, then looked once again at the sky outside. He groaned when he knew it was still deeply blue, almost a striking indigo. It was an age away from the time when the others would wake. But he knew there was no point in getting back to sleep; he was one of those lions that, once awake, he simply could not drift off again. Back to endless pacing, then.

However, the fact remained that soon after dawn, he would arrive, as he had done for the past seven days in a row. He wondered when he would ever give up for it really was getting quite tiring facing him every morning. But, he knew that he was stubborn. As stubborn as I am. Well, at least we've got one thing in common.

He stretched, elongating his limbs in a way some lionesses would describe as graceful. Camly standing up, he began his mindless pacing. And so, the dark maned lion kept on waiting for the inevitable to come.

He tried to hide it but his breathing quickened alarmingly, as did his heart, the repetitive drum that hammered uncomfortably against his chest. The scent of danger hung heavily in the air but what could he do? There was no point in turning back now.

A terrifying roar seemed to cut open the very savannah itself and he saw the deadly flash of teeth that glinted like perilous diamonds.

"You dare to defy me?! Show your King some respect!"

He gasped loudly as the nightmare that was seeped with the bitterness of real life left him. The imaginary roar seemed to echo painfully in his ear as if it had sounded right beside him. He exhaled, letting the air escape his being ever so gradually so that the rest of the Pride would not hear. The lionesses were clearly deep in slumber- he noticed that with a small smile as he looked around his home. The only signs of movement were their chests that gently rose and fell in their sleep.

But two members of the Pride were missing. One of them was a lioness. That didn't come as a surprise to him because she had always disappeared from the cave every dawn for what seemed like forever, now- it had become a normal thing, one to be expected. The lioness whose precense he wholly relied upon was here, though, which made his heart swell and become considerably lighter. Her tan pelt was illuminlated by the rays of sudden sunshine that were pouring into the spacious cave. She seemed to be in a peaceful sleep and he grinned when he noticed that her body was curled so it touched his own fur softly. This made him feel safe and it comforted him to know that her relaxed stance meant she needed him, too.

He moved extremely carefully round her, gently pushing her paws that were wrapped loosely around his forelegs. The golden lion's amazingly amber eyes squinted in the abrupt brightness. They raised heavenward when he saw the back of a lioness sitting on the edge of Pride Rock. There you are-again.

"Morning, Sarafina," he called out to her in a teasing, sing-song tone.

Her head rose and turned to face him. She rose her eyebrows indignantly. "It's Saffy," she reprimanded, sounding slightly annoyed.

He sighed and slowly moved to sit beside her. The view was magnificent- the sun glowing high in the cloudless, azure blue sky highlighted the whole of the Pridelands; every tree, every rock, every little detail. It still dazed him that he had the crucial role of taking care all of this and he once again felt the immense weight of responsibility crushing his body. Brushing these concerns aside, though, he said softly, "You shouldn't let it spoil a lovely name."

The lioness did not reply and the twinge of frustration niggled at his mind. Such a short time ago, Sarafina was so sure of herself, so confident, always chatting kindly to everyone...now she was barely recognisable. But, he reminded himself, give her time to get back to her old self...

"Are you ok, then?" Sarafina asked. "Today is a big day for you, after all."

His stomach squirmed at the very vague mention of it. "I'm fine," he lied inconvincingly, looking down at his paws like a sheepish cub. A joking shove answered him. "Don't fib, Mufasa- I know you far to well for that!" she retorted, laughing quietly.

He tried to chuckle but the sound came out strange and strangled. Sarafina stopped, sensing her close friend's mood. "Are you going to try again?"

The determined look he gave her as a reply answered everything. "I've got to. He's...family. I love him and-" The lion faltered. "I'm sure he cares, too..."

She snorted. "Yeah, well he's got a funny way of showing it. He's deserted you! We never see him and-"

"Saffy," he warned the lioness not unkindly but firmly. It aggravated him whenever anyone spoke ill of the lion, even though a few of the things that were said about him he thought had some truth in them. She noticed the warm yet serious tone in his voice and backed down. He wondered if he should tell her...but decided not to. Not without permission.

"I think you should visit later, Mufasa. Isn't the ceremony meant to be performed in the morning?"

"I want to learn to rule on my own. Besides...he's more important."

***

His claws dug into the ground nervously, creating deep marks in the healthy ground. He knew he had the power to turn back and ignore it all but he also knew the guilt would more than likely gnaw away at him until... Mufasa shuddered. Well, here we go.

The crimson maned lion hesitantly lept of the small ledge, making his way cautiously towards the far too small cave. He can't enjoy living here, surely...? He stepped over the threshold, the first thing he noticed was the long claw marks etched deep into one of the cave walls. Only then did he see his brother, who was pacing up and down the cramped area. Mufasa cleared his throat quietly but Scar's ears pricked up and he spun around. The emerald green eyes flashed for a second, drawing attention to the crescent moon shaped scar that ran down his left eyelid.

He inwardly winced at his brother's appearance. He's getting thin; too thin.

"Good morning, your majesty," the lion uttered scornfully, before resuming his pointless ritual of pacing. It took a siginificant number of seconds before Mufasa realised that "your majesty" was directed at him. He automatically assumed the title still belonged to the old King- his father...

There was an extremely awkward (well, awkward for Mufasa) pause. Scar still strode swiftly across the cave floor, not even acknowladging that his brother was still standing near him. After waiting for what he felt was a sufficient length of time, Mufasa cleared his throat once more; two times, pointedly. The dark maned lion eventually halted, scrutinizing his brother with a steely gaze. "What's the point anyway, Mufasa?" he inquired cooly. "You're only here to ask the very same question, like you do every single time you "visit." The answer isn't going to change."

Anger bit at his heart persistently, but he pushed the feeling away with difficulty. "I was hoping it would," he replied, trying to talk calmly. When his brother simply stood there, still looking him up and down, he continued, "It would mean a lot-"

The red maned lion was cut off by a scoff from Scar: "Oh, I'm so sorry to disappoint you, sire," he spat, every word dripping with sarcasm. "Did you want all of your subjects to rejoice for the new King who will lead them into a bright and glorious future?!"

As Scar spoke, he moved closer and closer to him, until their noses were almost touching. Scar's blows were tearing into Mufasa's soul for his brother did not need to wound by using violence- words did the damage for him. He was seething with barely unconcealed rage but did not retort. Don't rise, whatever you do, don't rise...

But then Scar dealt the deadly attack, "This isn't a fairytale. Get over yourself."

Mufasa was sure he felt something inside him snap painfully. This wasn't the first time that his brother had injured him with words. In this particular case, he knew the one thing that would hurt Scar the most. Normally, he never would have dreamed of uttering it, but the strength of his fury clouded all sense of reason. "I'd be careful, if I were you," Mufasa whispered dangerously, looking directly into the lion's dark green eyes, seeing through the black pupils. "With that attitude, you'll find yourself with a real scar."

Oh my...you idiot!

A silence claimed them both and only then did Mufasa understand what he'd just said. He audibly gasped at his own actions, recoiling back from the lion, feeling that a swipe would soon strike him. However, Scar was absolutely still; he could hear his rapidly ragged breathing.

"I'm- I..." He attempted to force the much needed apology out but his brother,once again, interuptted him. The green eyes stared and stared. "Get out," he hissed icily, claws abruptly gripping the hard rock beneath his paws. Apart from that single thing, his position appeared normal.

Mufasa mouthed sentances that were never voiced, stepping back to the exit of the cave clumsily, tripping over his own paws which he had never done before. Then he left, or rather, fled. No pathetic goodbyes or excuses- he just fled.

If he had stayed one second longer, he would have seen a single tear, leaking out of Scar's eye, trickling down his guant cheek and falling to the ground without a sound.

Her mind was spinning. This was too much to take in. This could not possibly be real. No, that was it. This was all happening to another lioness- not her. Surely not her. She closed her eyes, but when she opened them she was still in the exact same situation. The baboon was surveying her with a mixture of curiousity and mild amusement; like how one would watch an adolsencent lioness embarking on her first hunt.

Well, don't just sit there gaping. Say something! "Are you positive, Rafiki?" she asked breathlessly. "Absolutely sure?"

The shaman flashed her a kind grin. "I'm not meaning to boast, but yes, I am completely sure."

Sarabi glanced at the trunk of the colossal tree in front of her, hoping that the ancient bark might give her guidance, answers, anything really. She almost felt sick, sick with nerves. What on earth am I going to tell him?!

Rafiki laughed. "Sarabi, shouldn't this be a moment of celebration?" he told her, winking.

What felt like a warm glow made itself known in the lionesses chest, giving her remarkable feelings of joy and excitement. The fear of it all still existed, it was just dimmed slightly by the other far more important emotions. She did wish that the timing could have been a bit better...Oh, stop complaining. You should be grateful!

The long grass tauntingly brushed against the back of Mufasa's heels, making them itch irritatingly. However, he didn't notice this fully. He was still coming to terms with what had just happened, or rather, what hadn't happened. The troubled lion felt that everyone assumed he should be happy today, all because of him changing from the Prince to the King of Pride Rock. Really, this day would only have been perfect if he could have hus brother back. Last night, he had pictured it all before going to sleep- how Scar would successfully return to where he belonged and... just be with him. That's all he wanted; family.

Now, he didn't have a clue why he had blissfully dreamt of peace. How childish his outlook on life was... I'm not ready to be King. But Mufasa knew that this wasn't something you could run from. He had only one choice: to become King and make sure the Pridelands stayed healthy or give up and watch them slowly rot and decay. The choice was simple to make but it wasn't easy.

Mufasa looked up at Pride Rock, the midday sun shining like a burning beacon, a flame of golden fire over it. This signalled that he was late, extremely late and he imagined a whole host of Past Kings looking down on him from the sky scornfully, shaking their regal heads with disappointment and shame. He sighed heavily, wondering if he would ever be considered worthy enough to join his ancestors in the grand openess that was the great African sky.

"King Mufasa" the lion spoke slowly, trying to taste the words on his tongue as he drew ever closer to the intimidating rock. The name didn't feel right, it was wrong, all wrong. He merely wanted to be Mufasa- just Mufasa because he had never given the chance to be anything else. Even as a cub, it was Prince Mufasa. His lip curled in embarrassment. But Sarafina knows that I'm just a lion, she always has. And Sarabi, too...Sarabi.

As he climbed with ease to Pride Rock, he was met with a whole host of lionesses, perfectly alligned at the base of the rock tower. Most looked bored and impatient and he almost cowered under their gaze as if they were large, menacing beasts. Sarafina was the only one whose look appeared sympathetic. She moved closer to him and whispered in his ear,"Sarabi's inside."

Mufasa nodded and started to go to the cave but then turned and gave Sarafina a look, trying to communicate without the lionesses hearing. It was a thanks-but-they-don't-look-very-pleased kind of look. Yes, it was obscure, but Sarafina, being the lioness she was, understood. "Take all the time you need," she told him in a slightly louder tone than usual so the Pride learnt their lesson. One lioness tutted as Mufasa disappeared but he noticed, and a bit of his dwindling self confidence was shattered.

Sarafina stared at her in disbelief. Can't they give him a break? "I'm sorry, do you have a problem?" she enquired, addressing her directly, feigning politeness. The lioness rose her eyebrows but shook her head slowly, turning to chat with the others.

Mufasa gulped, looking across at Sarabi in curiosity, who was positioned at the very back of the cave. He moved towards her apprehensively. "Are you alright?"

"Yes," she replied but her voice sounded extremely timid, alerting his suspicions. But she then said, slightly more sure of herself, "How did it go with...?"

Mufasa grimaced, trying to think of the best way of answering her. Perhaps his uneasiness must have shown on his face because she stated quickly,"Never mind."

He was filled with a sudden longing to run to her and just forget everything. To pretend that he and her were the only creatures exisiting in this place. Obviously, he didn't voice these thoughts because the nervousness that had been building up inside of him ever since he had awakened was threatening to reach an unbearable point. He gritted his teeth to stop a cry sounding from him but Sarabi saw. "What is it?" she said softly in her beautiful voice, pronouncing each sound of the words delicately.

He looked into her crimson eyes that were softened by the earthy colour of brown within them. His pulse quickened. "I can't do this," he said quietly.

Sarabu smiled now; a broad, tender, loving smile. "Of course you can," she encouraged him. "You've got a whole Pride who are behind you."

An uncertain laugh wobbled in the air from the crimson maned lion. "Somehow, I don't think all of them like the new King."

"They never liked the old one, either," Sarabi said, frustrated. Her eyes widened. "Sorry, that was totally stupid," she stammered.

Why apologise? I'm thinking the same thing. "You just need to show them what you can do, Mufasa," Sarabi persisted urgently. "You're a great leader, Sarafina and I know you are."

The nerves decided to let themselves be known to the lioness. "How can you say that?!" he blurted out loudly. "I don't have a c-clue what to do! He never told me what a King does!"

"Why don't you start be being the lion who I know. Just relax, be yourself."

With a shake of the head, Mufasa turned away from her. But he felt her head gently rest on his shoulder. "This isn't the best time to be telling you but..." She faltered, stopped and fell silent, forcing him to look at her. "What?" he asked, not really paying attention, still contemplating what decisions he would have to make later.

"Mufasa...I'm pregnant."

For a moment, he was sure he had misheard her. Something like this couldn't just happen so suddenly, especially not at this point in time. "You're what?"

Sarabi backed away, voice becoming higher. "I-I know it's not...with everything that's been going on but-" She swallowed. "Please don't be angry," she begged.

It was Mufasa's turn to grapple with words. "Angry?" he repeated. "Of course I'm not angry."

He was even more terrified than he was a few seconds ago. On top of everything- Scar, the old King, the Ceremony, the lion had to learn to be two very difficult things in an extremely short space of time. Now was the time to find out how to be a true King. And how to be a father. He was completely lost on how to do both of them.

A/N: That's the Prolouge done. I apologise that this was a rather slow beginning- I was just really trying to set the scene for the story and try and make the reader wonder what has happened in the past and what will happen later. The 1st chapter should be more eventful than this.

I don't think I have anything else to say. But you could...

Review? Pretty please? XD