This is my first attempt at a writing a fanfiction. I have always read them but never actually tried writing one before. I would love some creative feedback (even negative feedback is welcome) to help me improve. Any ideas you have that could help improve the story would be greatly appreciated and considered. I am also going to try to make my chapters longer each time I post but please be patient with me. ~Kitsune
Disclaimer: I do not own Lion King. I do own my characters though!
I am, at what many would come to remember as "The Battle of Pride Rock". Cornered by flames and those who I once thought of as friends. As the hyena's drew closer to me their teeth glistening with saliva and eyes filled with malice, my thoughts drift back to when I was a young cub and this all began.
Two young cubs were playing a pouncing game each trying to outdo each other, "Hey Muffy no fair that was my hopper!" said Taka
"I saw it first Taka! So bleh!" Young Mufasa said, sticking his tongue out at his younger brother, who then proceeded to pounce him. They ended up wrestling and rolling around until the sound of someone clearing their throat was heard. "Ahem"
The two young cubs looked up smiling, "Daddy!"
Ahadi smiled and looked towards the eldest of his two boys, "Mufasa, it is time for you start learning the basic of ruling this Kingdom."
Mufasa's tail began to move excited at his father's words; he took his place by Ahadi's side looking at Taka.
"May I come too?" Taka asked politely and proceeded to walk toward his brother and his father.
Ahadi gazed at his youngest with steely eyes, which stopped the young cub in his tracks.
Taka's eyes slowly looked down at the earth to hide his tears from his father. When he looked back up again he saw his father and brother walking away, Mufasa turned his head back slowly mouthing "Sorry".
Taka said nothing back; he turned around and began to walk a few feet away from where he and Mufasa had been playing.
"It's not fair…I am a prince too shouldn't I learn stuff like that as well?" he mumbled kicking a few rocks with his paws.
After a few minutes of walking Taka looked around a little lost then took a step forward. The ground gave way under him, he fell rolling down the hill and landing on his back in front of a medium elephant skull.
"Ow" he whined weakly standing up favoring his front right paw.
"Hey guys look!" A voice echoed from the skull, followed by the sound of 12 paws pounding the earth.
Three young hyenas came out of the elephant skull and up to young Taka; the one in the middle was the tallest and has black bangs falling over her eyes which seem to hold an almost playful look. The one to her left was dark grey with black spots on him and seemed to have a larger then normal head, he was a little shorter then the first one. The hyena on the female's right was lighter grey with dark brown spots, his eyes were cross and his tongue hung out of his mouth, giving him a comical look which was only intensified by the random giggles he let out.
"Hey there, yah lil fuzz ball! You took a nasty fall there, did you hurt yourself? Name's Shenzi by the way. The lug with the oversized melon is Banzai" the tallest one said looking at him.
"Ummm I'm o-ok, I-I-I'm Ta-Ta-Taka" as the terrified cub spoke, realizing he was now in the hyenas domain and outside of his fathers protection.
"Ah come on we won't bite yah to hard! Right Ed?" Banzai smiled showing his sharp fangs; the third one just laughed nodding his head very fast, his tongue flail with his head nodding and licking his lips.
Shenzi looked at the young cub and noticed his cheeks were wet, "Hey kid you been crying or are those tears because you're so scared that you're crying from fear?"
Taka looked down and spoke softly, "I-I-I'm not s-s-scared…But y-y-yes, m-my father hates me and spend more time with my brother then me." He then started sniffling and wiping away his tears.
Banzai and Ed start circling around the young cub laughing as Shenzi started to talk in a sarcastic tone, "Ooh your dear papa is ignoring you and didn't invite you into his special club." The other two stopped and looked at her with an odd look. Shenzi looked back at them "What?" in questioned. "Sheesh Shenzi." Banzai said "Why don't you just lion to him and make us a cub sandwich instead?" Shenzi became slightly flustered "Well I would, if you weren't lion around so much and back me up here." Taka couldn't help but to laugh some, but not too loud. Banzai had himself slightly angered and said, "Who's lion around here Shenzi, when you're the one who's rhino this and rhino that all the time." Shenzi starts circling around Banzai "Take that back Banzai! I do not act like a know it all the time!" "No cause it's the truth!" Without warning the young female pounces on her friend causing Banzai to yelp in surprise. Ed sat off to the side watching and laughing at them, while clapping his paws together in amusement. The two rough housing pups glared at Ed before both of them pounce on him. They started biting and clawing at each other. Rolling around stirring up the dust around them. Taka sat watching amused at the antics of the hyena pups and began to laugh, which drew their attention on him.
"What chu laughing at lion boy!?" Shenzi said, pouncing at the cub who ran away while laughing. This ended up with all four of the youngsters playing a game of tag.
"What are you three doing" a deep, older voice growled from above them.
The three hyena pups stopped and looked up to see one of the elder hyenas standing on top of the elephant skull they had exited earlier. Scrambling to get off one another and stood side by side quietly not moving a single muscle as he jumped down and walked over to them.
"Hey guys why did you all stop running? I am still it you know!" Taka asked running over and accidently ramming into the elder's leg falling over. The elder looked down and saw a small brown lion cub
"You idiots, goofing off with a weak, little..." he stopped talking looked closer at the young cub.
"One of the Princes" he thought his gaze shifting from Taka to the hyena youngsters, a seedling of a plan had began to grow in his mind. "Continue playing pups. It's fine. But keep that young lion safe. He is very special." The elder turned but before he started walking he looked back over his shoulder. "Young Shenzi, your grandmother said to come to her den later tonight for your matriarch training."
The hyena looked at the lion cub and Banzai spoke up, "What did the elder mean by your special Taka?"
Taka looks at his new friends unsure how they would react but spoke softly, "I am Prince Taka of the Pride Lands. Youngest son of King Ahadi and Queen Uru, brother to the future King Mufasa".
Taka looked at his paws ashamed that he hid something so important from his new friends.
The three pups looked at him then each other and started laughing. Shenzi was the first to speak, "So what if you're a prince? Here you're just another lion cub and our new friend. Just like I could rub it in your face I am the matriarch's granddaughter and next in line, since my mother passed but I don't. We are all just a bunch of kids having fun! Speaking of which can you come back tomorrow? I have to go meet my grandmother because I have more training to do. See you later!" She ran off as she said the last part leaving the three boys sitting there looking at one another. Banzai looked at his brother Ed and Taka, "What do we do now?" he asked quietly, falling to the ground as Taka tackled him playfully and they started to wrestle as Ed laughed, watching he two.
High above the three sat the same elder male, who had started to scold them before watching them, his eyes having a calculating look.
"Tazani, why are you allowing those pups to play with a filthy lion! It's a disgrace!"
Tazani turned, looked to where the voice originated from and smiled, "Ah, Lady matriarch, I was just going to come see you about this little situation. That cub is not just any filthy lion cub look at him closely, Lady Janga"
Janga looked down and she growled, "So, that disgusting mud colored cub is one of the princes. You should have killed him on sight, Tazani. Now he knows where we are and can tell his brute of a father."
"I do not think he will, my lady. Earlier, I overheard a conversation he was having with your grandpup and I don't think he means any harm. He just wants a friend. Apparently, his father is shunning him and putting all his attention on the elder brother. I think we could use this to our advantage."
"How Tazani?"
"What if little Taka became king and we had extracted a promise from him to allow us back in the Pridelands without penalty of death?
Janga snorts at Tazani's words, "Tazani, the king is in his prime and a large lion, and it also looks like the elder prince is following in his footsteps, not only in personality but in build as well. Look at that cub. He is scrawny and can barely handle the worst fighter among our pups. How will he become king?"
Tazani grinned and started to chuckle, "Well, if the King were to have a little accident, my lady….and then the elder brother to follow, that would leave the spot open for our little Taka."
Janga, after hearing the plan, grinned, "Yes, an accident."
An hour or so had passed and shadows started to form around the graveyard, Tazani went down to where the 3 young males were playing. "Prince Taka, night is falling I think it is time you make your way home. Do you need an escort?"
Taka looked up from where he was pinned under Ed, "Oh…um yes sir. I think I might. I wasn't really paying attention to where I was going when I stumbled down here."
Tazani smiled, "My name is Tazani, young prince and I would be happy to escort you to the watering hole. Do you know your way from there?"
"Yes sir, I can find my way from there!"
"Well let's go then, I am sure Queen Uru is getting worried."
Taka struggled to get out from under Ed and followed the elder as Tazani began to walk off towards the Pride Lands.
The two were quiet until they reached the watering hole when Taka spoke up quietly,
"May I come back and play with Shenzi, Ed and Banzai tomorrow?"
The elder hyena smiled and replied with genuine honesty, "Of course you can. Just make sure your father does not find out. He would hurt us if he found the pack so close to the Pride Lands. Do you promise to keep our little secret?"
Taka grinned," Sure no problem!"
"Now head on home and remember this is our little secret!"
The young lion ran off, unaware of the evil grin spreading across Tazani's face.