Prisoner
Zazu, the hornbill majordomo of the Pridelands, sat on a rock overlooking the vast and drying savannah. It had been several months since that awful stampede that killed Mufasa and Simba, and needless to say, life was not the same. The lionesses were still grieving-Zazu knew his own sorrow palled dramatically when he looked at Sarabi and Nala-and his heart ached for the two of them.
He watched them now; Nala napping against Sarabi's side as Mufasa's queen studied the restless herds-no doubt surveying the dinner options. Nala's mother and Sarabi's best friend since their cubhood, Sarafina, was drinking from an ever dwindling water-hole, several yards away.
A hyena squabble broke out closer to Pride Rock-somewhere Zazu tried to stay away from as much as possible these days. Coming to work just wasn't a highlight anymore, after all, and he turned his attention to watch them with contempt.
They made him remember that Scar was king-not a pleasant thought.
The dry season was upon them now and, while the grass was still green, it was pale and brittle underfoot. The herds were already moving to greener land. Pickings were slim and would soon get slimmer. The squabble seemed to be about, as far as Zazu could tell, the leftovers of a crocodile kill that the hyenas had drug closer to home. Ridiculous!
Zazu caught sight of Scar's black mane as he headed into the den and figured that it would to be a good idea for the majordomo and go see what he could do for his new king. He flew high over the arguing hyenas, landed with a flurious, and bowed.
"Good afternoon, your majesty, may I be of some service?" Zazu felt proud that he could say that with a straight face.
Scar's grin was evil, "What are the lionesses doing? It's near dinnertime."
"I just saw Sarabi surveying the herds-I imagine a hunt will proceed shortly."
"That's good, I'm hungry and so are the hyenas."
Zazu was was pretty sure he'd heard wrong.
"Pardon, your majesty?"
"You heard me."
Scar continued, "Sarafina?"
"Tending her cub."
Scar seemed satisfied and Zazu suppressed a sigh. Scar was a terrible king.
Why didn't I go for help that day? he thought.
He tried to recount the events of the stampede.
He was doing a border check with Mufasa when Scar had come running up with the news that Simba was caught in the stampede. He had flown down into the gorge and located the young prince hanging from a branch and then flown back to where Mufasa and Scar stood, to tell them. Simba was nearly knocked off the dead limb and Mufasa had plunged into the stampeding herd to save him.
After he had watch for a few minutes, Zazu had panicked and told Scar that he going to go for help. He couldn't recall what happened after that; something had hit him-he had always figured it was something the herd had kicked up-and he was knocked out cold. When he had come to, Mufasa and Simba were both dead.
As he stared at Scar, Zazu suddenly remembered a conversation the two brothers had had after Scar missed Simba's presentation.
"Oh no, Mufasa, perhaps you shouldn't turn your back on me."
That was what Scar had said. He had always been jealous of his older brother's position in the family. Ahadi and Uru were forever breaking up fights. Then an odd thought hit the hornbill-but then again, maybe it wasn't an odd thought after all.
As his thoughts wandered, Zazu had failed to notice that Scar now stood over him-his eyes reading Zazu's thoughts as an evil grin spread over his face.
"Ah, Zazu...perhaps you'd be more comfortable sitting in that antelope rib cage over there."
It was not a suggestion.
Zazu's heart sank as he watched Sarabi and the other lionesses returned from their hunt and the hyenas began to circle them.
"Listen up, all of you!" Scar called from the entrance of the den, "I'm making a new law." "Henceforth, no one may utter the names of Mufasa or Simba in my presence-I am the king!"
All Zazu could do was watch.