"Good teachers know how to bring out the best in students." - Charles Kuralt.
Guardian, Teacher, Friend
The jungle life for Elsa had many significant changes. While some not very welcoming to the girl there were many which that were for the better. One of them being the new friendships she was given from the animals. Never had she been given any companionship before, only her parents were the only ones she had ever known. Through the years of confinement within her family's home, there was but little contact with anyone outside.
Yet here in the life within the jungle the wild girl had many folk to be considered her friend. The king's son, Simba and the daughter of Sarafina, Nala are but the ones well known to be of strong bondage with her. Of course there were several others such as the she-ape, Kala, whom the girl had visited from time to time, enjoying the jungle's many fruits. Another that could be seen as a friend was the bear, Baloo, who shows Elsa the joys of the jungle through the bare necessities.
Yet the tale that I will share with you now is of another friend of Elsa. One who stood out from most of the jungle folk. One who in of himself raised her with the white lioness and the pride who had adopted her. To tell you the tale of this particular friend, we must be taken back a few days after Elsa was found by Diata.
The Savannah fields just outside the jungle were very much excruciatingly hot during the mid day. The few herds of wildebeests or the small groups of zebra's or gazelles gathered around the watering hole to drink. Yet none of the Savannah people had much notice to an approaching predator approaching eastward of the watering hole.
Walking out from the tall standing grass, it was to be Bagheera, the panther who emerged in the opening and approached the bank of the small pond. A few spring bucks raised their heads up from drinking the water and spotted Bagheera who was but a few feet and closing. They each of them separated and made a wide gap for the panther as he came before the water.
Bagheera gazed to the two bucks.
"There isn't any use of being Afraid, bucks." he said, turning to the spring buck at his left.
"I've already hunted."
He bowed his head down and began to take a drink from the water.
Everyone knew Bagheera and Nobody dared cross his path. For her was as cunning as Tabaqui, as bold as the wild buffalo and as reckless as the wounded elephant. But he had a voice as soft of wild honey dripping from a tree and a skin softer than dawn.
It was just above the panther a familiar blue bird flew above his head and to follow was a voice that he considered familiar.
"Why, good afternoon, Bagheera." Zazu said as he descended to the ground beside him.
The Black Panther raised his head and turned to Zazu
"Zazu." He said.
"I thought you would be on your daily inspection of the jungle."
"I'll have you know that I have been flying around the entire jungle this morning." Zazu explained.
"Still all seems to be in complete order as it should be. No sign of anymore unwanted visitors. Nothing goes unnoticed as long as I am the king's majordomo."
Bagheera chuckled as he began turning from the watering hole.
"You shouldn't be so prideful, Zazu." He said
"Even the smallest mishaps can happen right under your beak."
The majordomo only gave a slight smirk at that. He already had so much evidence and proof that could disprove the panther. He searched the entire borders that contain their whole part of the jungle. He saw no sign of any mishaps or any problems that needed to be reported to the king.
"You are very mistaken on that, Bagheera." Zazu insisted
"You forget that I am the kings majordomo. I always check the entire jungle from all here all the way to the western, southern and Northern border."
The panther shifted away from Zazu and walked toward a nearby umbrella tree.
"And yet you couldn't find a man's bird laying dead to the west?" Bagheera said, turning his head back to him.
The bird smeared at the Black Panther. He leaped up into the air, spreading his wings out and flew after him.
"Man is always tampering with nature." Zazu said, referring to the metal plane that crashed landed eastward of the jungle.
"Is mother nature not good enough for them anymore?"
"Man is specie who creates its own world." Bagheera said as he walked along.
"Pitiful apes." Zazu said.
"They're never accepting of anything that is given to them."
"It's best not to let the girl-cub hear that." Bagheera said, referring to Diata's now adopted daughter.
Bagheera leaped up to one of the lowest branches atop the tree. After of which the panther settled down atop the reaching limb, gazing out toward the grass fields. Zazu flew up to the branch and landed in front of the Black Panther.
"I do admit." Zazu said turning to Bagheera.
"Elsa is a delight to have around. Just yesterday she complemented me of my feathers, such a dear she is."
The panther gave a brief sigh as he turned his head. The joy Diata was given to her with the adoption of Elsa was very much pleasing to him as it was her. However there was turmoil to that thought. The jungle was no place for a cub as her, as young and fragile without any of what is needed for survival. That alone put her in such peril from those that followed no law. It was then Zazu gazed out to the fields at his left. It was then he smiled very graciously to what sight his eyes were set upon.
"Oh, look." he said, putting his feathers on his sides.
"There they are now."
Th panther gazed out to the field. Further out from the tree atop a hill, the panther laid his sights upon two lionesses, one of them a tanned coloured while the other was of a white pelt. With them were three cubs and one of them being of a girl-cub.
Diata and Sarabi walked through the plain fields. Following behind them were Simba, Nala and the now adopted cub of the white lioness, Elsa. The young girl laughed and skipped along with Simba and Nala, still wearing the same blue dress but now with several tares at the bottom and missing the left sleeve.
The three cubs chuckled as they leaped around behind the two mothers, getting further from them. Diata looked back to them, who were all so consumed by playing with one another.
"Hey you three." She called back to them.
"Stay close!"
The three gazed toward the two adults and quickly raced to keep up. She ran atop her now bare feet as she raced up to her mother's side.
"What are doing out here, mama?" She asked her white lioness mother.
Diata turned to her with a smile upon her face.
"It's for something very important, Elsa." She said.
"Ohh, what is it?" Simba said, coming up with Nala.
"Yeah?" She said.
"Today you three are going to learn how to hunt." The white lioness answered.
By the answer, the two cubs smiled and gasped in excitement. That was except for Elsa. The girl stood in fear and discontent.
"To hunt?" The girl asked, curiously.
Sarabi turned to the young cub, smiling.
"Yes, Elsa." She said as the cub turned to her.
"Hunting is a very impotent for our pride. We depend on it for our survival in the jungle."
Hearing the queen, Elsa immediately felt very much overwhelmed. She couldn't see how she was able to do something like this. She knew nothing of how to hunt and she had no fangs or claws like the others in the pride. Nor could she run as fast as anyone. She was not like any of the other pride members, therefore her struggle would be even greater than her.
"Don't worry, Elsa." Diata said as her daughter to her.
"It will be a long time before that happens. Till then, me and Sarabi will teach you everything you need to know. You'll be more than ready when it's time for you to run with the pride."
By her mother's reassurance and dedication, the girl felt very much relieved from her fear. She was very much thankful that her mother would help her. With a responsibility as massive as this to the pride, one would need to be taught the knowledge and ways from one before them. Though it proved to be a great challenge to go through, she did look go through with it.
Diata leaned toward her and nuzzled her adopted daughter.
"Come." She said as she and her daughter continued on.
"Let's begin with a pouncing lesson."
Elsa smiled and nodded her head yes.
"Yeah!" Simba gasped out.
"Alright!" said Nala.
Bagheera was still spying upon the small group of lions, observing the lesson the two lionesses were showing the cubs. He saw Diata hunker down under the cover of the tall grass. Elsa, Simba and Nala gather to her side, observing the stance of the white lioness.
"Would you look at that." The bird said.
"A pouncing lesson. So nice to see the cubs learn something new."
Bagheera had little response for the bird, though he too admired the dedication of the two lionesses were very much great at that. Both Diata and Sarabi were very much experienced hunters and very skilled at that. They both hunted together with the other pride members and knew many of the tactics and faced many barriers along the way, that being on the part of Diata due to her white fur. Though she was able to work around them and be able to catch most of her prey. However there was a major barrier on the part of Elsa, that being her being a girl-cub. She had none of the qualities that were need for one to hunt. No fangs or claws to grip her prey with, nor was she fast enough to keep up with the pride. The girl cub would have but little chance of survival; Bagheera knew this to be true.
Elsa stood beside her lioness mother, observing the stance she was making. The white lioness turned to the three cubs at her side.
"Pouncing is a crucial part of hunting." Diata explained.
"You first must stay low to the ground and say behind the tall grass. It will hide you from the sight of your prey."
Simba got down in the formation Diata showed to them.
"Okay, how's this." Simba asked, turning to her.
Sarabi came up to her son, gazing down to his stance.
"That's good, Simba." She said, though she saw his back end of his body sticking up in the air.
The lioness queen reached her paw out and placed it on her back, pushing it down upon his hind legs.
"But you need to be a bit lower than that."
Diata turned to her adopted daughter.
"Come, Elsa." she said as she stood up.
"Just do what I showed you."
The wild girl nodded her head to her mother. She got down on all fours and stood atop her hands and feet. She lowered herself down behind the grass at the very best effort she could muster. She could feel he mussels begin to ache, a feeling of shaking came over her body. She groaned as she tried to hold herself together. She turned her head to her mother, who smiled encouragingly at her.
"That's it, Elsa." she said.
"You're doing well."
The white lioness turned forward. She got back in pouncing position, ready to demonstrate the next move.
"Now, leap ahead!"
The white lioness leaped up and flew over the grass before landing in an open spot. She later turned back to her daughter. Elsa gazed back at her before trying to push up as fast as she had done. However her attempt was but timid and the girl fell upon her stomach on the grass in front of her.
Zazu flinched as he saw Elsa fall on the grass below.
"Oh... dear." he said, shaking head.
The sight however wasn't surprising to Bagheera. This was what he expected to see from the girl cub. She wasn't fit for hunting the way her pride had, with the missing qualities they had was very evident of it.
Elsa picked herself up off the ground. Her torn blue dress was covered by dirt and strands of grass. She sat up, trying to clean her dress off a bit. It was than that her mother came up to her.
"You alright?" She asked, lowering her head down to her.
Elsa looked up to her mother, frowning. She shook her head, disappointed in herself for her failure to pull off the pounce.
"I'm sorry, mama." she said.
Diata smiled to her adopted cub. The lioness came forward to Elsa and bowed her head down to the girl, slipping it under her arms and pressing it against her chest. She then pulled upward, bringing her daughter to her feet.
"It's alright, Elsa." She insisted, as she moved her head back from the girl.
"It's just your first time. Don't worry, you'll get it eventually."
The white lioness had very little reason to be upset with her daughter. She knew that this was only Elsa's first try; she wasn't going to get it at the first try. It would take much time for her to be able to pull it off perfectly. She didn't expect that from her.
"Come." She said as she began to turn around.
"Let's keep trying."
The majordomo shook his head in disbelief at the girls attempt.
"Oh my, oh my, oh my." Zazu said as he looked to the panther.
"The girl cub seems to be a bit clumsy, wouldn't you say?"
Bagheera gave no response to the blue feathered bird. His focus was still directed to the girl-cub. This of which caused the bird to be fed up and turn his expression anger. The panther had been so absent from any discussion between them.
"Hmph." the bird glared as he turned away
"How rude."
The bird spread his wings and flew away. However his sudden decision to leave hardly phased by the panther.
The wild girl got down in a pouncing position once more. One hand was under her while the other in front of her. The same went with for her feet. She once more tried to withstand the stress that she placed upon her mussels. For a short while, she held herself there before trying to jump up and pounce like a wild cat.
Yet still it resulted in falling upon the ground upon her arms and legs. Just as she tried to get back up, Diata came up to her side.
"That was much better, Elsa." Her mother complemented.
The wild girl turned to her adopted mother.
"I still didn't do it though." She said, seeing that she didn't accomplish a pounce.
"It's alright, Elsa." Diata insisted.
"Remember that this is just your first time. You won't get it until you've practice a few more times."
"But how many times, mama?" The girl asked curiously.
"How many more till I can pounce."
"As many as it takes, Elsa." The white lioness explained.
"It is different for many people. It sometimes takes a long time for one."
The wild girl narrowed her head, frowning. Her want for being able to hunt like her family was very much a dire need. She wanted to learn how to pounce and accomplish all the skills needed for hunting. As such, she wanted to get better at it in a short number of try.
"Now how about we try something different?" Diata suggested.
Elsa shook her head in agreement. Diata turned and her adopted daughter followed her over to where Sarabi, Simba and Nala were.
The white lioness stood before the three cubs, who were gathered in front of her. The next lesson to be taught was one that will be a test of skill. One that she knew they would be all so eager to do.
"If a pride is to hunt, they must hunt together." Diata explained to the three cubs.
"When it is time for you three to run with the pride, you must learn to work as one. To catch and bring down the prey you chose to pursue, it is the chase that will be the one to judge the chances you are given."
"The chase?" Simba asked eagerly.
Diata nodded to the young prince. She turned herself around so that he left side faced the three young pride members.
"We will practice that chase now." Diata announced.
"I will be the pray and you three shall be the hunters. You must run as fast as you can and be swift when you catch me."
Simba and Nala each stood up on their four paws, looking to each other with high hopes. Diata then looked to her daughter, who seemed a bit nervous yet very much determined at the same time.
"Are you ready, Elsa?" She asked.
Her daughter shook her head yes.
"I'm ready." She said.
Diata smiled at her daughter. Her spirit and courage were ever so admired by the lioness
"Alright." She said just before she walked away and positioned herself for the chase.
Diata stood just a few feet away from the three cubs. She glanced back at them to which she saw her daughter kneel down along with Simba and Nala. The three cubs each prepared for the chase.
Sarabi came up behind the three cubs.
"Stay low." she said to the young cubs.
"Don't make a sound."
The girl cub gazed up to the lioness queen, listening to the instructions she gave them. She turned forward and lowed herself, careful with whatever moment that she made.
Once seeing that the cubs were ready, the white lioness turned and began to run ahead through the plain fields.
"Go, now!" Sarabi advised.
At the queen's quick warning to strike, Simba and Nala each raced out to pursue the white lioness. Elsa ran after them, though the girl had little speed to compare to that of the two lion cubs. The girl cub tried to desperately run with the now ragged and torn dress she wore.
"Wait!" she called to Simba and Nala who were far ahead of her.
The two cubs were already just a few feet from Diata.
"Hey, slow down!"
Elsa tried to pick up the paste, yet she felt much resistance from her legs by the dress she wore. The fabric around them kept them from going any further then they were already going. However it still didn't stop her from trying. The girl continued to run till suddenly her leg was caught by the ripped skirt of her dress and the girl plummeted to the ground once more.
Elsa got up off the ground and came to a sitting position. She gazed ahead to see her mother, Simba and Nala had already gotten so far from her. The girl cub frowned and moaned disappointingly. She bowed her head, feeling upset that she had failed once more for unable to keep up with her friends or her mother. She was never going to make it in the pride, not the way she was going.
However her sadness and sulking for her assumed failure was then cut short by a sudden voice from above.
"Sulking will not get you anywhere, girl-cub."
The girl wiped her tears and gazed up to the branch of the nearby umbrella tree where she saw a black furred leopard staring down to her. The girl got up on her feet as she turned to face the tree.
"W-who are you?" The girl asked curiously.
Bagheera stood up and leaped down from off the he landed before Elsa, the girl was startled as she came faced with the panther. Just as the Black Panther came up before the girl, she felt very much intimidating by him. Looking right up at him and into his sharp green eyes, causing shivers that ran through the girl's body and she was hesitant to move.
Carefully she took a step back from him. Even now, Bagheera could see the fear in the girl's eyes. It was that of fear that he guesses would be such a barrier for the girl. It was something to be expected for a girl-cub to live here in the jungle, but here it was a danger to her. He knew there was more to it than that, but this was the biggest problem to hold her back. For fear and doubt that can very much keep one from ever accomplish anything.
"I knew this was true." He said, as he walked around the girl.
"A girl-cub can't follow in the prints of a lion."
Elsa turned as he kept him in sight.
"That's not nice." The girl said to him.
"You're afraid." The panther said, as he stopped and turned to her.
"You're letting your fear and your doubt controls you. You're not fast enough to keep up with your pride members. If you can't learn to conquer your fear then you won't run with the pride."
The girl frowned at what the panther was saying to her.
"But I'm not fast enough." Elsa said.
The panther turned to her.
"That isn't any excuse, girl-cub." Bagheera stated
"If you can't learn, then you'll be someone's dinner."
It was just then, another voice came from behind the girl-cub.
"Elsa?"
Bagheera turned to see Diata along with Simba and Nala approaching them. The white lioness looked past her daughter to see the Black Panther, sanding before her daughter.
"Bagheera?" She said.
"What are you doing here?"
The panther walked around the girl-cub and came up to the white lioness.
"I was hunting here just at the beginning of the day" The panther said.
"But I found you and the queen here with the cubs. One of them happen to get left behind."
Diata came up to her daughter.
"Bgaheera, this is my new daughter, Elsa." The white lioness introduced.
The panther turned to face the girl-cub once more.
"I've heard much about this girl-cub." Bagheera said, turning back to Diata.
"So the rumours are true. The pride really is raising one amongst them."
Diata nodded her head yes.
"I hope you are aware of what this brings."
From what he had said, the lioness had a very clear understanding to what he meant by that. The dangers of those who have broke the law of the jungle and there for went against the circle of life. Not only have that but those who may be against the fact of having a girl-cub lived among them, a clear example being that of scar. But all that mattered to the white lioness was that of raising Elsa properly and give the life she would want for her.
"I am, Bagheera." The white lioness said.
"But for now I'm just preparing Elsa for her first hunt with the pride."
Diata turned to her daughter. By the small look that she presented to her, it would appear that this lesson of hunting was more then enough for today. It was time that they were given a rest from all of it.
"But I think we might just had enough for today. I think we all must be getting back to the den now."
"Already?"Simba said.
Diata nodded to him.
"Yes, Simba." She said, obliging him to move on.
The young prince and Nala began to walk back to where Sarabi waited for them. Diata turned to Elsa, bobbing her head in the direction of Simba and Nala, wanting for her to follow them. By her mother's wish, the young girl began making her way with them. Before departing with them, Diata first looked to Bagheera.
"You know there is more to this than that." Bagheera said, referring to her daughter unable to accomplish what she tried to teach.
"She won't survive this way. She can't follow the ways you hunt."
The white lioness narrowed her blue eyes. She knew he was right, but she saw no other way around it. If Elsa was to live here in the jungle then she would have to learn all the ways of hunting. Without any answer to give him, the white lioness turned and walked in the direction of the cubs.
Bagheera was left to ponder. He knew of what she thought and hat he spoke the truth. However she had already told herself that this was the only way to go. This already puts the girl in a very difficult path to follow. If she could go along with the ways of the pride, what hope would she have living here in the jungle?
(I hope you enjoyed this first chapter of Guardian, teacher, friend. I have to say this was the hardest one to do in this series of Elsa, took several rewrites just to do it. But I feel like it was well worth it So I hope this final draft is the one. I look forward to what you all have to say, please comment and review!)