Chapter 1

As the leathal claws teared his fleash Taka felt an unexpected rush of joy brush his body, the tiggleing soon stopped resembling joy and swichted to it's true darker form. Pain. Taka fell to the now blood covered ground and looked up at his older brother with a look of disgust and pride. Mufasa was quickly by his brothers side, still laughing about the succesful tackle.

"Say it," dared Mufasa wipping back his golden mane, so it shone as brightly as the sarhanan sun.

"Never," defied Taka. His brother smile faded into a devish grin.

"Then I'll have to make you!" Mufasa lunged at the wounded Taka and delt him another blow to the stomach.

Gasping for what little air he could through his laughs and damaged lungs he manged to muffle " Try again you over sized gazzel," and swiftly dodged his brothers mighty paw. Ramming into his sides he toppled over both of them over, a sevre miscalculation. Mufasa quickly spined and pinned his brother to the ground.

"Over sized gazzel?"

"Your right of course," he said shaking of Mufasa and standing upright "Over sized and fat gazzel".

The young cubs continued to chase each other round in the tall grass near the watering hole, until a strange creature caught there attion. It appered to be a buffalo and a hornless rhino moulded into one. The beasts unblinking eyes stared right at and right through the cubs simoutasly. Every move they made it followed. It must of seen them as a threat beacause soon it's defences came on. Bright blinding lights that came from diffrent places. Obisally a dazzeling distraction, the lights somehow resembled moonlight on water Mufasa thuoght. Darting around, hympontsing and always diffrent. It stared to gasp and gurggle. It could have been hurt. Taka thought a fire must be in it's belly as somke was leaving through it's behind. With a mighty roar of anger the mighty beast rocked the earth sending the cubs into a flur of panic.

They retred further into the grass both as scared as the other. "Ok then, startled gazzel," joked Taka and carefully started to clean his wounds. Mufasa did not feel as safe, he knew better being older.

Ahadi, there father, had already begun to show Mufasa the kingdom. In time it would become Mufasas and he had full intentions to run the Pride Lands as well as, if not better, than his father. With a faithful brother by his side there would be no problem in assuring the kingdoms survial.

The land Mufasa had learned was ever changeing. It was the kings job to surround the subjects with there past, slowly intruding new ideas and lifestyles. The most succesfull was the creation of Pride Rock. The home of all lions faithfull to the king. A monument to withstand time itself which would remind the creatures of the hard work and sacrafice which there leaders would always owe them. So far this had succeded, but Mufasa was still untested and needed to prove himself worthy.

Still there was plenty of time for such solum things. He turned to his brother and with trust embedded into his hazel eyes spoke softly with a tounge that was well past his years. "Hear let me, you'd think after all these play fights you'd know how to clean a wound."

Taka fell on his frount, his dark skin almost matching the mud. Mufasa started to lick the wound clear and covered it with mud when the deed was clompleted. "So mum cann't tell."

"Mum can always tell. I think it's to do with how overly protective she is," repiled Taka rolling on his back to further cover the blemishes.

"Yea we could of used her and the pride with that wierd beast earlier though."

"Please I could of faced a thousand of those things," boasted Taka. Mufasa laughed at his brother, his chuckle echoing of the earth but not shared by him.

"You can't even handle one of me!" he roared jumping into the mud which splased his brother. "Just trying to help out."

The two wrestled around, causing further disruption in the grass. Unfortenatly the fiend had heard there harmless play. The beast did not seem so harmless though. It plunged throungh the grass killing every blade it happed to meet, leaving no peace of ground untrammpled. The cubs senced this danger and did the only thing they where able. They panicked.

"Mufasa, what are we going to do?" Taka pratically begged his brother for an answer as he held the tears back in there watery cavern.

"Fight against them," he said strong and sure. His controlling voice was alawys calm with sercinty. A gift passed down from father to son. Unfortenly Taka got his mothers voice, always with a aragent and held a pesamit view. "Like you fight hold in those tears" Mufasas' gaze fell lightly on Taka, raing his spirts allowing the sun to kiss them with its golden rays.

Takas unsure smile felt somehow stronger when it was focused on his brohter. "Alright then brother, long live the next king," and on that note he charged. Using his claws as twenty mighty daggers Taka had penetred one of the monsters feet. Unpredictally a gushing wind threw him to the ground.

"No!" roared Mufasa sprinting to his aid. He fought against the rageing wind, blinded by the need to help his kin. Once Taka was secrured on his back they ran off into the distance. A horizon that brought home and safety.