AN: Greetings, fellow Lion King fans!
I suppose you might ask why I am starting another story despite not completing the one I've already began. Well, to tell you the truth, I am currently working on two different stories, but since I am having some difficulties with both of them, I decided to publish this.
Just as you are able to read in the summary, this is actually the first TLK fanfic I have ever written in my life, that I had given the Polish title "Waz w trawie". Now I decided to translate it to English and show it to you people. It is a little different than my later texts- much more plain and uncomplicated both in terms of language and plot. It tells the story of my own idea of a character (you can also meet him in 'Dark Legacy') that interferes in the lives of the lions in crucial moments, what has effect on what happens later… Besides that, it's as faithful to canon as can possibly be. It's no big deal of a story- a 'light, easy and pleasant' one, as we say in Poland. Thanks to that, and also to the fact that the chapters are quite short, I think I'll be able to publish on a regular basis. Will you like it this way? Well, read it, see for yourselves and do bother to let me know in a review. To na razie!
PROLOGUE
"Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made" (Gen 3,1)
The Pridelands are a place where all beings are inscribed into a natural order, called the Circle of Life. While that order is undisturbed, everybody prospers and enjoys a happy passing of days, but when somebody distorts it, the fact influences the lives of all of the inhabitants. For generations the duty of keeping peace belonged to the lions- the strongest of the creatures that lived in the land, and among them especially to the Lord of the Beasts- to the king of Pride Rock. That task had been successfully accomplished by the succeeding monarchs- Mohatu, Ahadi, Mufasa… Later, however, came the time of Scar's reign, and along with it unrest appeared in the Pridelands. When all was almost lost, the situation was saved by Simba's interference. But in spite of that the old wounds have not yet been healed. There is a worrying division within the pride. The rulers of the land, set against themselves, have weakened in their role of protectors of the order. Now the natural run of the Circle of Life has to be restored by someone else- someone who has stayed vigilant for years, watching and waiting for his right moment to act…
CHAPTER I – HELP
Zira was hungry as usual, and so, as usual, she was angry. For a few hours she'd been walking around searching for something she could hunt, but as for now her efforts seemed to be of no use. Days like these strengthened her belief that sooner or later Simba would have to pay for banishing her and the ones faithful to her from the Pridelands. She missed the plentiful waterholes and the herds of wildebeests roaming the area to as far as the eye could see. Here, in the place of her exile, the only thing that was plentiful were termites.
She stopped for a bit to take a look around, raising her head above the dense, dried-up grass. Within the range of her sight there was nothing, only the wind was moving the blades. No other animal will stray to this cursed land anymore, she thought. She decided to turn back, hoping that maybe the other lionesses were more lucky than herself. She took a step forward, but right after that she froze. Lifting her head again, she turned her ears. Somewhere nearby, something rustled. And then another time. And then again, this time closer. The old lioness crouched, observing her surroundings carefully and unsheathing her claws. It wasn't anything big, but as for today, it would be enough to satisfy her.
-Sss…
The sound was very near. Zira fixed her eyes on the clump of grass from where it came. As silently as she possibly could, she slowly approached.
-Sss…
She could almost feel the warmth of her prey. She stooped down to the ground.
-Sss… A!
Suddenly from among the thicket a black mamba jumped straight at her, almost biting her in the muzzle with it's deadly, venom-dripping teeth. The agile huntress managed to move away in the nick of time. Her heart was pounding- she was perfectly conscious that the poison of these snakes was able to kill a grown lion with ease.
-Ssss, Zzzira…
The serpent writhed among the grass, circling at the edge of what she was able to see. She was mad and nervous, she wanted to leave, but whenever she turned to any particular direction, the snake was already there fallowing her.
-Ssss, Zzzira! I know you!
Surprised to hear her own name, she halted. She decided to wait and see what was going to happen. First, the serpent stuck his head out from behind the shrub. He gazed at her with tiny, shining black eyes.
-Zzzira. Zzzira…
-What do you want, snake? – she said with anger. She didn't quite like the feeling that he was playing some sort of game with her.
The snake presented himself even more. He was even longer than her own body. A lot longer. He crawled up to her to as far as leaping distance, and then lifted the front part of his body from the ground. He was now looking her straight in the eyes.
-Zzziraaa… - he hissed protractedly with a note of something similar to joy.
-What is this about? What do you want from me?
-Oh, don't worry… I'm really far from wanting to poison sssuch a lionesss as yourssself. Sssuch an… important lionesss.
Zira was displeased with the mamba's riddles. She wondered if she could jump and smash it's head, but unfortunately that always bore the threat of getting bitten.
-I do not understand what kind of business you might have with me, snake.
-Then allow me to exsssplain, my dear… My name isss Elkanah. I am an ancient ssserpent… a ssserpent who has a certain tasssk to accomplish. A tasssk that involves you, my dear…
-Me? And how might I be involved? What do you, the snakes, have to do with us lions?
-Oh much more than it ssseems. Once upon a time, ssso long ago that no one can really remember, we have been granted with a misssion. I sssupose one can sssay that we are here to help you.
-I'm still not getting any of this. You are starting to irritate me…
-Have a bit of patience for me, will you? Believe me, you might profit from it in the future. The lionsss' duty, as you probably know, isss to maintain the order in these lands. To maintain… the proper turning of the Circle of Life. At the present moment, however… that order isss largely dissstorted, wouldn't you agree?
-You're talking about… the Pridelands?
-What I am talking about is you, Zira! And in fact let me tell you even more- what I am talking about isss… Ssscar!
-Scar! You knew him?
-As I have sssaid before, I am an ancient ssserpent. It wasss way back during the reign of your… friend… when I came to him with the proposssition of help and advice. I wanted to aid him in maintaining his power, to become ssstronger, more protected. But, alasss… he ssseems to have made his mind up too late.
-What kind of help can you possibly provide us with, snake? We are taking care of ourselves perfectly, we are strong and proud creatures!
-My dear Zzzira, you sssimply have to lisssten to the very end of what I have to sssay! I am not underessstimating your power. But I sssupose you yourssself sssee that there isss an obssstacle in the way of your, that is the lionsss' prosssperity. You are divided. Your own pride isss in the ssstate of exile, while the Pridelandsss are being ruled by that weakling… Sssimba!
The lioness growled silently.
-Yes! So what you want to do is helping me in getting rid of that foolish pest?
-His presssence disssturbed the natural run of the Circle of Life. It is what we, the sssnakes, are here for- to ressstore it in the rare eventsss when you, the lionsss, the rulers of the sssavanna, are having any sssort of difficulties. In a very sssubtle way, if you get my point.
Zira wondered. Indeed, she kind of liked what Elkanah told her. Someone like him might really help the Outsiders in recapturing their authority over the Pidelands. She decided to hear the plan that he had brought her.
-Ssso here'sss the case- I can grant the wish that you carry in your heart concerning Sssimba. I can remove him from the throne ssswiftfully and with ease. You will not have to blunt those claws of yoursss, my dear Zzzira.
-Keep talking, Elkanah.
-My proposssition, however, does have a few conditionsss. In order to fully ressstore the Circle of Life to it'sss proper motion, there hasss to be sssomeone to replace the deceased king. Sssomeone… powerful.
Zira bared her fangs in a grin.
-You mean someone like Kovu?
-Exsssactly.
-Don't worry about that! I'll train him to become a king!
-And I have absssolutely no doubtsss about it. You knew Ssscar, you will know how to teach the cub to think like his ssstepfather. And you will teach him to hunt. To fight. To kill. Thessse are crucial ssskills for a ruler.
-Kovu was born to rule and kill just like Scar has. Fighting is part of our flesh and blood for us Outsiders!
-That isss also sssomething I am sssure of. But I do alssso have one more requessst.
The serpent crawled even closer towards Zira, standing face to face with her in order to make his words fully understood.
-I do not want a war, Zzzira. War isss something that shattersss the harmony. I don't even want to hear about an asssault at Pride Rock or any of it'sss inhabitantsss getting hurt, do I make myssself clear? Your target isss Sssimba. With him gone, you and Kovu will be able to come back to the Pridelandsss to take control over the abandoned lionessses. Then we will have peace.
The lioness had always been ready for an open conflict. The possibility that made her initial plans thoroughly unnecessary was a bit disorienting, but she considered the snake worthy of being given a chance. Indeed, with Simba out of the picture, nothing else will matter anymore.
-We have a deal. For now, I'll restrain from starting a war. I'll take care of my son's training. As for you, Elkanah- you take care of Simba!
-Oh, that'sss exactly what I'll do. Jussst give me some time. Everything hasss to be done in a clean and careful manner. You'll be sssatisfied with the resultsss, you'll sssee.
The black mamba reached out with the end of it's tail, while Zira lifted her front paw from the ground and shook it. But before she let go, she asked the reptile one more question.
-Tell me, what's in this for you, snake?
Elkanah stayed silent for a while.
-We are all part of the Circle of Life. The duty of my kind isss to guard it'sss turning. When that'sss provided, I'll enjoy it jussst as the other animalsss will.
The serpent pulled it's tail out of Zira's paw, later hissing protractedly before starting to crawl towards the thick grass. The lioness also turned in her own direction, but before leaving, she could still hear a voice from behind the thicket.
-Zzzira! I sssaw a sssmall herd of antelope wessst of here. I think they ventured a bit too far from their regular pastures. Feed your lionsss today. Tell them it'sss a gift from a new ally…
AN: So here is the first character I ever invented- Elkanah the Snake. Is he going to have a big influence on the events in the Pridelands? For now, that is a mystery. After all, the English title of this story derives from another passage from the Bible: Job 30, 18-19.