The Proudest of the Land
Chapter One
Pride before a Fall
The sun peeked delicately out over the African plains, as a new day erupted in the Pridelands. The majestic throne, Priderock, cast a growing shadow as the sun continued to rise, along with the lions within.
The young king, fresh to the sovereign, approached the peak of Priderock and breathed deeply, forcing his giant chest out like and expanding tan balloon. The charming brown eyes scanned the expansive area before him, the world was such a large place, and Mohatu felt lonely in it. He hadn't been king for long, and felt more like somebody looking after the Pridelands until the real king returns from a break, rather than a real monarch. Being a king didn't count for much in the Pridelands anymore, the last royal couple had died alone in the sleeping cave, and Mohatu and his Pride had simply moved in to rule over the last few remaining creatures in the now desolate, empty lands.
Once glorious and green, the Pridelands had become sandy and grey due to the seven-year drought. Mohatu may well be the largest lion to ever grace this world, but he also felt like the biggest failure. The few lioness who remained in his pride had only done so due to there inability to hunt, rendering them, unfortunately, useless.
The great brown king's inside gnawed with hunger, and he became resound to the fact that he was about to face another day without food. At this rate a zebra would have to walk into his mouth.
"Mohatu?" came the croaked voice from behind the king. Mohatu turned, facing him were the 4 remaining lioness of his kingdom, his only company. The front lioness, Melisa, had obviously been appointed the spokes-lion for the group. She looked shyly down at the ground, her dusky coat glowing amongst the grey backdrop.
"Yes Melisa?" responded the king.
"We want to leave. For good." she paused. "I'm sorry, but we just cannot live hear anymore. We've heard of a pride near the coastlands, that's where the others went, it's safer and easier to find food. Please let us go?"
This wasn't a surprise to Mohatu, he had been expecting this for a few days now, he couldn't force these wonderful lioness to stay, they would be condemned to death. He knew he must let them go, but he also knew he must stay, he didn't know much about being a king, but he knew not to leave Priderock to the mercy of any passing beast. He had to stay.
"You can go." he said quietly. He turned away from the old animals and faced the sun again, staring deeply into the bright abyss before him, time seemed to stand still as Mohatu realised he was very much alone. He thought solemnly about the King and Queen before him, at least they died together, Mohatu would have to die alone. But he was a brave lion if nothing else, a reckless, perhaps stupidly, but brave nonetheless. His large frame could carry the heavy burden, and he was consigned to death, all alone at the top of Priderock. He had nobody to blame but his own idiotic self, he'd heard of the previous king's call for help, but by the time he and his pride had made the long journey to the Pridelands, the corpse of the King and Queen lay alone in the sleeping chamber. Mohatu shuddered at the memory, which had been placed firmly at back of his mind was now at the forefront, he wondered who'd find his body. Mohatu decided to go inside, the glare of the judgemental sun was getting on his nerves. He turned slowly on the spot and toddled back inside the sleeping cave, the rumbles of his stomach echoing around him. The darkness suddenly encased him, and he slumped onto the sleeping pedestal in the centre of the cave. He'd never realised how large the cave was, now it was empty it seemed so ominously big. Again Mohatu's mind drifted back to the King and Queen before him, the skeletal bodies they found trapped in this very cave, he should've known then it would be a disaster thought Mohatu bitterly. He didn't even know their names, he didn't even know who they were. He'd heard the distress call, he could remember it just like it was yesterday…..
The sun was shining and the birds were chirping as ever, the large pride of lioness jumped and fought around the watering hole. Mohatu looked at them with amusement. He eyed each one of them playfully, why couldn't he decide on a mate? Chuckling, he realised that trying to chose a mate from a huge host of beautiful lioness was hardly a problem. The bright blue sky hung above their heads, glowing warmly. The antelope gracefully hoped by in the distance, safe in the knowledge that the lioness had already had a morning hunt, if they kept a respectful distance away, they would be safe. The wind rushed in slowly, and Mohatu's mane ruffled in the wind, a few speckles of brown hair flew towards the clouds ass the wind moved upwards. His eye's suddenly caught that of a brazen pink flock of birds who seemed to be descending at an alarming rate towards the watering hole. Mohatu sat up, and starred, open-mouthed, as the flamingos swooped down upon them all.
"The King calls for help!" came the cry as they landed. The large beak flapped up and down, as the bird at the front of the troupe tried to catch it's breath. "The King of the Pridelands requires help."
"Who?" asked Mohatu quizzically.
"The King." came the sarcastic reply. "Needs. Help. Now."
"The King?"
"Yes."
"As in, a real King?"
"Yes."
"And what does he do?"
"Rules."
"Who? What?"
"You for one. And me. And everything you see."
"Well why does he need my help?"
"He needs any help, move towards the sun."
Mohatu suddenly came back to the cold hard reality facing him in the deserted cave, he wondered what the kingdom was like before he came. He wondered how great it must have been, how much the king must have been respected. He had to find out. Mohatu made a plan there and then, instead of laying here and waiting for death, he was going to set out and learn about the Pridelands, about the old King and Queen, and maybe he could bring it all back. He wasn't going to die alone, that's not what a King does he thought firmly.