Hello again, dear readers! After the nice reception to the first story, I think we have a great future with this series. Now that the establishing story's over with, I think things will run a bit more smoothly. The cubs have all the time in the world to reveal new facets of their personalities, even as they encounter new enemies. Speaking of enemies, it seems you've all been looking forward to meeting the villains in this story!
Chu10: Yes, I initially forgot to label it as complete. I am happy to say that the problem has been fixed. And thank you for your comments! Welcome to the site, by the way!
Yeti1995: No Kovu here. As far as this series is concerned, he won't exist for a very long time.
ThatPersonYouMightKnow: Thank you for your critique and advice. Again, I think now that we're finished with the establishing story, the series can start moving along.
Greg M 94: It's incredibly easy to write Mufasa as being too harsh, as some of the Disney tie-in comics did, yet it also doesn't take much to turn him into a pushover. The fact that he's such a complex and realistic character makes him hard to write on occasion.
Haradion: You summed up my point perfectly. Now that the characters are established, things can only get better.
Family Troubles
Chapter One: Back Outside
Rain had been pouring down upon the Pride Lands for the past three days, and it did not seem that the rain would let up until the morning. The reason for the rain was, however, even more unusual than the downpour's duration.
Three days ago, King Mufasa's son, Simba, had met a host of new friends, including a beautiful she-cub named Nala. The prince had unwisely chosen to bring his new friends to the Elephant Graveyard, a dangerous pit inhabited by starving hyenas. Mufasa had rescued the cubs with the aid of the pride, leaving the hyenas broken and battered, before sentencing the cubs to three days in a small cave adjacent to Pride Rock.
But Mufasa did not want his little son—or his new friends—to feel resentful about the matter. He remembered all too well the harsh punishments that his father had imposed on him, as well as his younger brother, Scar. Mufasa knew his brother had become a cold and bitter lion partly because of this, and he did not wish for any of the seven cubs to go down the same road. Not that he thought something like this would cause such results, but he wished to take no chances.
Thus, he asked Rafiki, the wise mandrill shaman that had served the royal family for many generations, to create a rainstorm that would last three days. The storm would dictate the cubs' sentence, and it would prevent them from wanting to go outside. As a result, everyone involved had reached an agreeable arrangement.
When morning arrived, the sun was well into its rise over the savannah, casting a bright red glow over the Pride Lands. The rain had stopped, leaving small puddles everywhere, and every plant in the kingdom was covered in little droplets of water. The herd animals were just beginning to wake up.
In the cave, Simba was curled into a ball, his right paw covering his face, and his tail wrapped around his body. One eye slowly flickered open, and other soon followed, before he stretched out his front and back paws and stood straight up. He looked outside and smiled.
"Can it really be?" he whispered. "Is it really over?"
He walked back over to Nala, who was lying on her back, smiling, her eyes closed, and her little front paws folded in front of her chest.
I'd kiss her right now, Simba thought, but I really wanna go outside after spending three whole days in this cave.
He used his paw to poke his best friend in the side, as he whispered, "Nala, Nala, it's time."
She rolled on her side and began mumbling as she opened her eyes and got to her paws.
"What is it, Simba?" she asked in a bored tone as she rubbed her eye with a paw.
"The rain's finally cleared!" Simba happily exclaimed. "We can go outside again!"
"In that case," Nala purred, "I'll go ahead and tend to the…morning task."
She walked over to Kula and began prodding her in the same fashion that Simba had prodded her.
"Kula, Kula, wake up Kula," Nala whispered. "I know you like sleeping, but's it's time to go outside."
Kula slowly began to wake up, and asked through half-closed eyes, "Can't I sleep more?"
"No!" Nala shouted. "All you want to do is eat and sleep!"
"Isn't that what animals do?" Simba asked.
"Yes," Nala sighed. "But I can't get her to move. Why don't you try?"
Simba finally inhaled deeply, and once he had amassed enough air in his lungs, he let out a terrific yowl that echoed through the small cave.
This was enough to wake up the others, who jumped in pure shock simultaneously.
"Geez, Simba, couldn't you have just nudged us instead?" Tojo asked.
Nonetheless, they soon began rubbing their eyes and stretching out their paws before joining Simba and Nala at the cave entrance.
"Yeah!" Chumvi screamed as he ran outside. Simba and Nala followed him, and were in turn followed by Kula, Malka, Tojo, and Tama in the very back.
"Couldn't we have slept a few more minutes?" she grumbled to herself. "Especially with Simba shouting like that. That's one wakeup call I wouldn't want to hear again."
As the cubs took in the fresh air, basking in the yellowing sunlight, admiring the beautiful sight, Nala sighed, "I look forward to seeing Mom and Mheetu again."
Simba had a look of mild shock on his face. He understood the part about Sarafina, but in regards to Mheetu, he was somewhat confused.
"Nala, I know he's your brother, but he's been nothing but mean as far as I've seen. When I heard him talking to you like that the night we went to the cave, I felt so mad at him. He doesn't have the right to treat you that way."
"Yeah, you shouldn't have to answer to your own brother," Chumvi agreed. "Isn't he younger than you anyway?"
"Yes," Nala sighed. "But that's the problem. I'm the older sibling, so I'm automatically responsible for his well-being. Besides, I love him, and although he doesn't act like it, he loves me too."
"I suppose that's the case," a familiar voice declared. Everyone turned around to behold a smug Mheetu trotting towards the others.
"Hi sis. I hope your friends enjoyed their little stay in the cave," Mheetu smiled.
Simba snarled, his claws unsheathed.
"Hey, Simba, there's no need for violence," Mheetu purred. "I'm just coming to say hi. By the way, Mom told me that all of our parents have reached an agreement. As much as we're all gonna hate this…I'm now part of your little team."
No words could describe the shocked expressions on the faces of the cubs, Simba and Chumvi in particular.
"But that's not all," Mheetu continued. "We will all be looked after by the king's little pet!"
"Oh no! Not Zazu!" Simba moaned.
"Oh yes, Zazu," intoned a smooth voice. Simba turned with a pained expression to find a blue hornbill about his height standing behind him.
"Well, cubs, where must you drag me today?"
"The waterhole!" they all shouted as they ran towards the beloved pool.
"Wait for me, cubs!" Zazu squawked as he flapped his wings and began to fly after them.
"They're so energetic!" he exclaimed. "Oh, how I remember the last generation…"
