Kings and Kahns
Prologue: Scars
The sun rolled high through the sapphire sky, casting its searing radiance onto the savannah below. A light wind rolled across the grasslands, causing the tall grass to waft back and forth. The whole area gave off an aura of peace. At least it would have, if it weren't for the dozens of lions racing through the tall grass.
The grass rustled around the lions as they shot through the savannah, focused on nothing more than reaching their destination. There were lions and lionesses in equal measure, all following a single lion at the front of the pride. The lion was large and powerfully built, his fur a deep yellow color while his mane was a dark brown. His face had wisdom to it as his brown eyes were narrowed in focus.
As he ran, a blue and white colored hornbill swooped down from the sky, flying along next to the lion.
"Zazu," the lead lion stated with a deep voice, sparing a quick glance towards the hornbill, "Report."
"The remaining enemy forces have been driven into the Dry Mazes by Colonel Hathi's men, My King," the hornbill, Zazu, reported with a cultured voice.
"Elephants are too large to fit into the Mazes," the king said, his eyes narrowing even further.
"Exactly, which is why a group of our warriors pursued them," Zazu explained, "The Outlander is with them as well."
If this information bothered the king, he didn't show it as he continued to race across the savannah, altering his and the other lions' course based off of the new info.
"There's another thing you should know, My King," Zazu said hesitantly, struggling to keep up with the lion's quick pace.
"What is that?" the king asked, not even sparing Zazu a glance.
"The group that went after the enemy forces," Zazu stated gravely, "Your brother is among them."
This information drew a reaction, causing the king to narrow his eyes and increase his already blistering pace.
The Dry Mazes,
Thunderous roars echoed off the hard rock walls that made up the series of canyons aptly named the Dry Mazes, dirt and grit kicked up by the combatants battling within its confines. Among them was a thin lion, his fur a dark tan, his mane pitch black in color. His green eyes narrowed as he looked at the battlefield around him, the dry floor of the canyon growing wet from the blood of the combatants, the bodies of lions littering the ground along with the black and orange colored forms of tigers. A roar of pain brought the lion back to the matter at hand.
From the large cloud of dust and grit that had been kicked up by the battle, a lioness came rolling towards him, a deep wound in her gut. The lion looked at her for a moment before the sound of something approaching caught his attention.
Approaching him through the dust was a massive creature, twice the size of any other tiger, which were already half again as large as a lion. His tawny hide was a mesmerizing patter of orange, black and white while his eyes were a brilliant amber color. His mouth was lined with red blood that he licked at with his long pink tongue, showing of his pointed teeth. This beast could only the leader of the invading tigers, the one they called Shere Kahn.
"Well, well, well," the tiger intoned with a cultured voice, grinning at the lion, "Aren't you the unique specimen? I have not seen many lions with your coloring before."
The lion was on edge as Shere Kahn stalked towards him, while the tiger acted like he was having a conversation about the weather.
"Wait, I know who you are," Kahn said with a chuckle, "You're the prince, King Mufasa's brother. It's truly embarrassing but your name seems to have slipped my mind."
"Taka," the lion growled in annoyance, doing his best to not let Kahn get a rise out of him.
"Taka, of course," Kahn replied with a sigh, placing a paw to his head like he was embarrassed he had forgotten, "My apologies. Though in my defense, it is a rather forgettable name. Appropriate for the forgettable brother of a king."
Taka growled as his annoyance rose.
"Ah, what was that?" Kahn questioned with a blood chilling grin, "Have issues with your brother do you? The second son, heir to nothing."
"Shut up," Taka snapped.
"That touched a nerve," Kahn observed, unperturbed by Taka's rising anger, pointing one of his claws at the lion, "Someone resents their lot in life."
"You don't know anything about my life," Taka snarled, leaning down as if preparing to pounce on Kahn.
"Oh please, what are you going to do? Pounce at me?" Kahn asked with a laugh, "I've already killed more than my fair share of your kind today, I don't feel the need to kill you as well, little lion."
"You're rather confident for someone who's lost his war," Taka spat as he glared at Kahn.
"I admit this little campaign has ended…less than optimally," Kahn stated with a sigh, "But it is only a minor setback. I will rule the Pridelands the same as I rule my own."
"I think not," Taka growled before leaping at Kahn. Kahn smirked before swatting Taka aside like a petulant child, batting the lion out of the air and sending him rolling across the dusty ground. Taka groaned in pain, feeling something cold and wet running down his face and over his eye, the stinging forcing him to close it. The rumbling laughter of Kahn drew his attention back to the tiger.
"That is quite the wound," Kahn observed as if he wasn't the one who had inflicted it, "I do believe it will leave a scar."
"There's a thought," Kahn continued, taping his chin thoughtfully as Taka tried to pick himself, "Scar. I much more memorable name, if I do say so myself. What do you say, Scar?"
"Don't call me that," Taka growled threateningly as he took a step towards Kahn.
"Are you going to try that again, Scar? Truly?" Kahn questioned with a sigh and a laugh, "My time here runs short and I tire of this game. I will be taking my leave now."
Turning, Kahn began to walk away from Taka, which only served to anger the lion further. Roaring, Taka leapt into the air, trying to pounce on Kahn. Before he could though, something slammed into him from the side, smashing him against the ground.
As Taka tried to push himself to his feet, he heard sinister chuckling from nearby. Lifting his head, he found himself staring into a pair of cruel black on green eyes. The eyes were attached to the body of lithe and powerful looking leopard. The black spotted cat snarled down at Taka, liking his teeth hungrily.
"The Assassin," Taka observed as he pushed himself up to his feet, earning a wicked grin from the leopard.
"I prefer Sabor, Scar," the leopard sneered with a raspy voice.
"Don't call me that," Taka snapped angrily.
"I'll call you what I please, Scar," Sabor replied simply as he began to stalk around Taka.
"Try not to kill him Sabor," Kahn said offhandedly as he began to disappear into the cloud of dust that covered the battlefield, "I find this one amusing."
"As you command, my Kahn," Sabor replied as Kahn disappeared into the dust before the leopard turned back towards Taka with a sadistic grin, "You know, I've grown to quite like the taste of lion."
"I thought he told you to spare me," Taka stated.
"It's a war," Sabor shrugged as his smile turned more vicious, "Accidents happen."
Then, with a snarl, Sabor leapt at Taka, the speed at which the leopard moved not allowing Taka a second to react. Luckily, he didn't have to.
A second before Sabor landed on Taka, a black shape shot out from the side and slammed into the leopard's side, sending him crashing to the ground and rolling across the hard packed earth.
Sabor snarled in agitation as he pushed himself to his feet, whipping his head around to glare at his attacker. Standing before him was a black panther, his fur a silky black covering his sleek body. He watched Sabor through narrowed, yellow eyes.
"Bagheera," Sabor snarled.
"Sabor," the panther replied with a smooth voice.
"I thought you would know better to get between me and my meals," Sabor stated as he began to circle the panther.
"I'm a slow learner," Bagheera replied, clearly unintimidated.
"Then I'll have to be sure this lesson sticks," Sabor spat before leaping at Bagheera with his teeth and claws bared. Bagheera snarled and dodged out of the way, avoiding Sabor as he clawed at the panther. Spinning around, Bagheera slashed at Sabor with his own claws, striking the leopard across the face. Sabor snarled in fury and lashed out, striking Bagheera across the face in turn. Bagheera quickly recovered as Sabor leapt at him again. Sabor's body slammed into Bagheera's, knocking the panther on his back. Bagheera quickly recovered though, planting his feet against Sabor's belly and pushing up, knocking the leopard away as the panther rolled back to his feet.
Sabor snarled as he pushed himself back to his feet, his eyes narrowing as he moved to attack Bagheera again. Before he could, a thunderous roar brought his attention to the edge of the canyon wall. Glaring down at them, Mufasa stood on the canyon's edge with Zazu perched on his shoulder and surrounded by a number of lions.
"The Lion King," Sabor muttered to himself before turning his attention back to Bagheera, "Another time, panther."
"I'll be counting the seconds," Bagheera replied coolly as Sabor turned and bound into the dust, disappearing. Bagheera looked in the direction the leopard had gone in for a few moments before turning his attention to Taka.
"Are you alright?" Bagheera questioned as he approached Taka.
"I'm fine," Taka replied, pushing himself to his feet, "I've had worse."
Reaching up, Taka gingerly touched the bleeding wound on his face, observing his now bloodied paw in surprise.
"Or perhaps not," Taka replied as he studied the blood on his paw.
At that moment, Mufasa had reached the canyon floor with the other lions and quickly approached Taka and Bagheera.
"Taka, are you alright?" Mufasa questioned as he approached, a worried look on his face, "I feared the worst."
"Well, it would appear your fears were unfounded," Taka answered, whipping his drying blood on the ground, "I am very much alive."
"Though not unharmed," Mufasa commented as he nodded to the wound on Taka's face, "What happened?"
"Courtesy of the Kahn," Taka explained, "I parting gift, if you would."
"You saw the Kahn?" Mufasa questioned, "What happened to him?"
"Disappeared," Taka explained, "Retreated into the dust with what remains of his forces. They're likely making for the Wastes to return to the jungles."
"Not all his forces," Mufasa observed, "What quarrel did the Assassin have with you?"
"The Kahn left him behind to discourage me from following him," Taka replied, "It was quite effective."
"Indeed," Mufasa mused, once more looking at the wound his brother had suffered.
"Should we pursue?" Taka inquired.
"No," Mufasa replied with a shake of his head, "That could be just what Kahn wants. We might be walking right into a trap."
"Or he might be going off to lick his wounds and regroup his forces," Taka retorted, "If we go now we can catch up to him and end this threat once and for all."
"At what cost, brother?" Mufasa questioned, his ire rising at Taka's continued pushing, "We've already lost a number of our people routing Kahn. I won't let anymore die trying to pursue him across the Wastes."
"So instead you'll lose more people when he inevitably returns," Taka sneered, "Oh, very wise, brother."
"Do not take that tone with me, Taka," Mufasa growled, "Brother or not, I am still your king."
Taka looked as though he wanted to say more, but held his tongue, choosing instead to merely narrow his eyes at Mufasa. Bagheera, watching the exchange from the side, gave Taka a weary and appraising glance.
"As you command," Taka said evenly after a moment, "My King."
This seemed to satisfy Mufasa, who sighed and nodded his head.
"I do not think you are wrong, brother," Mufasa admitted, "I just do not think it is the best course of action."
"As you say," Taka replied, his voice betraying no emotion.
"You should go rest, Taka," Mufasa said as he leaned closer to his brother, "You've done well today. Perhaps you should have Rafiki look at that cut. It looks like it might leave a scar."
Slowly, Taka brought his paw up to touch the wound that Shere Kahn had inflicted on him, the stinging sensation returning as he remembered the injury was there. A thoughtful look crossed Taka's face as he thought of what Kahn had said to him before leaving.
"Yes," Taka agreed with a slow nod, turning and beginning to walk away, "I think it might. I shall wear it with honor as a reminder of this conflict."
"In fact," Taka stated as he paused and looked back at his brother, "I like the sound of the name Scar. Has a nice ring to it, don't you think? Much better than Taka."
With a chuckle, he turned and walked away, leaving his brother to watch him leave with a confused and concerned expression.
"I would watch that one, Your Majesty," Bagheera spoke up, drawing Mufasa's attention towards the panther, "There is something off about him."
"That is my brother, Outlander," Mufasa stated in a warning tone.
"My point still stands," Bagheera replied, not backing down under Mufasa's gaze, "If you remember, I gave you much the same warning about Kahn."
"Indeed you did," Mufasa agreed, "But my brother is not Kahn."
"As you say, Your Majesty," Bagheera said neutrally.
"What will become of you now, Bagheera?" Mufasa questioned, "You are welcome to stay in the Pridelands if you wish. You have proven yourself a valuable ally and you have given much to help defend my people."
"I thank you for the generous offer, Your Majesty," Bagheera replied with a small bow, "But I am needed elsewhere. Kahn is still alive, and your brother speaks the truth. It is only a matter of time before he turns his eyes towards another kingdom, whether it be yours, the Old Ruins or even the Mountain Tribes."
"Bah, let him have those flea ridden apes," Zazu snorted in contempt, "It's not like they lifted a paw to help us."
"They had their own people to think of," Mufasa stated, quieting the hornbill but clearly not changing his opinion on the subject, "Not all of us have the freedom to consider the goodwill of all like our friend here. So you mean to cross the Wastes, Bagheera?"
"I do," Bagheera answered with a nod, "I know the Colonel plans to make his march back to the lagoon where the elephants birth their young."
"Ah yes," Mufasa stated in understanding, "His wife is with child and will be giving birth soon. I know Rafiki is planning on making the journey as well to help with the birth."
"He should make good company," Bagheera observed with a smile, "His wisdom is as revered in the jungle as it is here."
"Just don't keep him too long," Mufasa stated with a chuckle, "My wife is expecting as well."
"Congratulations, Your Majesty," Bagheera said, his smile growing, "That is wonderful news."
"Indeed," Mufasa agreed as he began to walk out of the Dry Mazes, Bagheera following along at his side, "It is exactly what we need to begin a time of renewed peace."
"Are you hoping for a son or a daughter?" Bagheera questioned.
"A son," Mufasa answered with a grin, "Though don't let my wife hear you say that."
"Mums the word, Your Majesty," Bagheera stated, "I'm sure he will do you proud."
"I hope so, Bagheera," Mufasa said with a nod, "I truly hope so."
A/N: So the idea for this story has been bouncing around in my head since it was suggested to me almost a year ago and I've been working on it here and there in between other stuff. I hope you guys like it, this is only the first chapter and I'm already having fun with it. Shout out to Z-King for suggesting the story. Turns out, if your idea is good enough, I do indeed do requests. As always, feedback and critiques are always welcome, so please review! Later!