Author's Note

All names are in Swahili, in keeping with the theme of the original books and movies. If you wish to translate them, use Google translate.

Story basis credit goes to author of the original books, Don Ferguson, if I am correct.

There were great kings, such as the heralded Mufasa and Simba, regal queens like Sirabi, Nala, and Kira. They were the stuff of legends, legends that were told in the Pride Lands for generations, and these legends were the basis for the moral compass upheld by the great family that led the pride. This family of lions, for generations, ruled with a love for their pride, always doing what was best for those in their care.

Generations after the great kings and queens died out, though they forever watched from the heavens above, the family held the pride together as it had always done, thriving in their beloved pride lands.

There was a scourge though, brought by the humans. This scourge, dumped in a wildlife reserve at the edge of these great wild lands, left their new home in search of a better life. But these lions were… wrong. The humans left them in the wild to fare on their own, led by their pride leader Damu Bwana, Lord Blood. Bwana, Lord, was quick to kill those who got in the way of his pride's happiness, only allowing the best for his cubs and his brothers' and sisters' cubs. Bwana led his pride out of the wildlife reserve and into the wild, in search of a proper kingdom in which he could rule with an iron fist.

They soon found the pride of Mkuu, one of the wisest kings to ever have lived. Mkuu accepted them peacefully, offering them sanctuary with the pride, allowing them to stay permanently if they wished. For days, Bwana's pride lazed about with Mkuu's own, gaining their trust under the pretense of lions born in captivity. While they had been held in captivity for a time, each lion in Bwana's pride was, for the most part, born in the wild, and it was that wild nature that Bwana nurtured upon his arrival at their former home, finally becoming too much for their human caretakers, forcing the humans to leave them in the wild.

One day Bwana asked that he and his fittest pride members be taken out and taught to properly hunt. Mkuu sent his finest hunters and huntresses, pleased with the progress these new lions were making in accepting their "newfound" situation. When the lions left, the hunters and huntresses were at ease with their new companions. Bwana's plan fell together. The hunters were caught unawares, killed quickly by their charges. Bwana instructed his lions to pile their corpses on his back, for he was an exceptionally large and strong lion. He carried the corpses back, knowing they had eliminated the pride's primary protection.

With their arrival at the pride lands, there was a great commotion amongst the pride, wondering what had happened to their loved ones. Those of Bwana's pack who had not gone hunting had been instructed to scatter themselves about the pack so they could take any oppressors down quickly and efficiently.

Bwana and his hunting party ascended Pride Rock and dropped the hunters' corpses at the paws of a forewarned (and alarmed, though he did not show it) Mkuu.

Bwana's voice was loud and clear so that all lions could hear him. "Your pride has no protection, and those who oppress my lions will be slaughtered without mercy."

Mkuu remained calm as he faced this murderer. "I have given you sanctuary. These lions have fed you, taken you in, and given you nothing but trust and respect. What more do you wish?"

"The pride lands will be mine."

"What if I refuse? These lands have been ruled by my family for generations."

"Your pride has three options. First, you can surrender wholly and live under my rule. You, Mkuu, will become just another lion, barely fit to breed. Second, you can leave. Give me these lands and retreat to the badlands your ancestors once came from. I will not bother you there unless you attempt to enter my lands or harm my lions. Third, you can fight for your land. You, without your finest protectors, can attempt to kill my lions and myself. You will fail, and you will die. Those who do not fight will be given the option to live with my pride or die. It is your choice."

By now the sun had begun to set.

"When must I make my choice?"

"I will return at dawn. I will not harm anyone who does not attack me, I will not leave, and I will not rescind any of the three options."

With this, Bwana and his hunters left. Those who were with Bwana stayed with him while the others remained scattered, prepared for an attack. Mkuu's pride was restless. Some spent the night prowling. Mkuu spent the night troubled, finally sleeping a few hours before dawn.

With the rising sun, Bwana and his hunters ascended Pride Rock.

"Mkuu, have you made your decision?"

"Bwana, I do not wish to part with my home. You do not need to do this. You may live peacefully with us."

"If you do not surrender, you will die." Bwana's hunters began slowly circling Mkuu and his family. "Make your decision now."

Mkuu hung his head momentarily, a sign of great sorrow. When he raised his head a moment later, he spoke so that all lions could hear.

"Damu Bwana, your name truly does suit you. I had hoped it was simply a poor choice by your parents that you were given that name. We will leave. We will retreat to the badlands, and we will leave your fiendish pride to live under your rule here, in the pride lands." Mkuu fixed Bwana with a stare that unnerved the great lion. "Should you ever harm one of my own, we will take our home back with a force stronger than the spirit of the great lioness Kira, who once united two prides."

With this, Mkuu and his family descended Pride Rock.

Mkuu led his pack away from Pride rock, out of the pride lands, and into the badlands. Here, they dwelled. Here cubs were born and lions died. The food was meager, the water scarce, but the pride survived. The badlands had begun thriving to a degree since Queen Kira united their two prides, so the pride lived a little more comfortably than their ancestors. For generations though, the story of Damu Bwana and Mkuu would remind the cubs of the badlands never to enter the pride lands.

The same story would empower those future generations of the pride lands, and the malevolent descendants of the great Damu Bwana would happily anticipate the day the lions of the badlands came looking for their old home again.