Gathered around were the impressionable youths that someday would be the ones to determine the future of the Pride Lands.For now,the old king thought to himself as he began the story,they were just rambunctious cubs.
"Have you little ones ever heard of The Great Drought?"Mohatu inquired his charges,knowing full well they had not."Well,the first signs began on..."
Taka rested his chin propped up on the bottom of his paw,remnants of the last story still pouring through his mind.He glanced over casually to the girl cubs Sarabi and Sarafina who were at least pretending to display interest.
"...the sun was high and blazing..."he paused."Yes,Mufasa.What is it?"
"Grandpa,did the Forbidden Waters dry out?"
Mohatu centered his gaze."As it happened,little one.They did not."
"Oooo..."Some cubs moaned spookily.
"Father,"Ahadi suddenly approached from behind and leaned down to whisper into his King's ear.Taka sighed in relief at his own father's arrival.
"Finally.No more History Lessons."
"History really has lessons,Taka."Sarabi argued.
"Yeah,Mom says that learning from other's pasts are the best learning."
Mufasa grinned haughtily toward the lionesses."Baby brother has a good point for once though.We ought to be out there living instead of learning."
Sarabi rolled her eyes."You know we can't leave during story hour."
"Well,I'm tired of being stuck listening to other lion's lives."he countered at her,getting up and beginning to roll about."I wanna have a real adventure."
Taka unmounted the stone he lounged on,coming over to stare down into his brother's face."You know you'll get yourself killed.What'll I tell Mom?"
The older boy sprawled himself back over and rose to his superior several inches in height,shoving his nose into his brother's."What are ya,chicken?"
"No."he said sorely."Just smart."
Mufasa appeared satisfied and turned to the girls."Are you guys coming?"
They looked at one another."No,"Both chimed cheekily.
He shrugged before starting off."Fine then.I'm going to the Waters."
Taka watched him leave without surprise.Mufasa never backed down.
"We'll cover you both,"Said Sarabi suddenly,which made him turn to see that her face matched her worried voice."But you need to stay with him."
"Why me?I'm no match for whatever tries to eat him out there."
She glared hard at him."Please,Taka.I know were not always nice to you and especially Mufasa but if he goes to the Forbidden Waters he could..."
"All right,all right,"he inched away from the tearing up female."I'll find'im."
x.x.x
The clouds were faintly enameled in yellow and were parted in crevices to let sunshine pour down over the Pride Lands.Mufasa made a game out of trying to reach these openings before they were closed by the rapid wind.
Good thing those wusses didn't come,he thought proudly.Nearby a zebra galloped by with it's young and a lemur blinked.They'd just slow me down.
Savannah trees rustled and several leaves fluttered out.The cub perked his ears at a close bush,sensing a stalking animal he lowered considerably on his forepaws and extracted his small claws.Braced for whatever confrontation.
"Mufasa!"Taka suddenly sprung from the bushes that he realised now were on a higher rise of land and closed his eyes as his brother came flying down.
"Three...two...one."he managed to jump back just as the other cub landed.
"Oof!"
Mufasa appeared above Taka who now lay on his back,much as Taka had earlier and laughed.He clutched both sides and fell back in sheer guffawing.
"What WAS that!?Your pouncing?"
"No,"his brother retorted irritably."THIS is!"
The laughing ceased."What?"
"Ahhhhhhh-arrggghhh!"
Taka pounded down hard on his brother in a strong pounce and sent them both tumbling down an even steeper slope.Mufasa felt a wooziness enter him as they crashed into some scratchy underbrush that jabbed everywhere.
"Whoa,"he scrambled to free himself."Let go!"
"I don't have you,this bush does."
The boys grunted as they finally worked themselves free.
"Ugh!"Mufasa cringed when he saw the pricks clinging to his fur."Great job little bro,"he grumbled as he used his teeth to pulled them out."I'm sticked."
"Yeah,well my foot is still sticked!"
He threw Taka an exasperated look."That's stuck.Hey!Look over there!"
As Mufasa barely brushed by his brother,the mahogany cub grabbed onto his tail so that his tangled foot would be pulled free and trailed a few feet behind him as the two ventured down toward the darkened edge of a pond.
That's when Taka took note at how spindly and twisted the thick,prodding bushes were now.The ground had become a deeper hue of clay and the clouds seemed to almost smolder above the two cubs.Take gulped loudly.
"Uh...M-Mufasa?"
"Stop your worryin',would ya?"Instructed his brother from the water hole's edge."You have to c'mere and see this,Taka.I can't even see my reflection!"
Letting his brother's almost assuring enthuse guide over his nerves,the little cub trotted up from behind him and caught Mufasa smiling at him broadly.
"Well,go on.Look already."
Taka held his breath and peered down nervously.It was as black as night.
"There's a better view from up here."Mufasa called from a distance.
He could have croaked.The foolish lion had climbed up a rise in the pond to cross what appeared to be a rotted out log that stretched to the other side.
"Dumby-head!
"Scaredy-cat!"
"Big nose!"
"Third runner up for King!"
That last remark hit home.Taka bared his tiny fangs and charged up to the top of the log,only to wrap his body around it tensely before he even stood.
"Oh man,look at your fa-"Mufasa paused mid-insult."-ce.You hear that?"
The two folded back their ears as they heard the snapping noise of one side of the log as it lost it's roots and the moaning of wood as all balance shifted.
"Taka..."
"Yeah?"
"RUN!"
The two tried to scamper in the direction that seemed more stable but that side broke loose almost the instant the other side did.Both cubs hollered as they were sent plunging and the center log was struck onto a point of rock.
Taka quickly formed an idea as he hurried to the other side."Mufasa,stay at the other end!"he called over one shoulder."I'll go to the other.Don't move!"
Once it felt like they were balanced out,Mufasa released a quiet "whew" all the time while Taka spared no expense on just using his precious seconds of not being thrust around.They weren't dead and now they needed to leave.
"Nice work,Bro."Mufasa marveled as he was still standing confidently,but a moment later his admiration turned to one of mischief as he crouched down.
"What're you doing?"
"Noth-ing."his brown claws hooked into the log and he yanked his arms up to move himself higher.Taka yelped and pulled up also so as to balance out.
He succeeded but underestimated the fact that Mufasa's side then would've had to move back down as well.It soon dawned on him clearly;titter-tooter.
x.x.x
Father and Prince continued to hash out something to do with hyenas while all the cubs grew even more restless.Sarafina yawned and looked at Sarabi.
"Are you still worried?"She inquired.
"Yes,"The little lioness sighed."They've been gone too long,Sara."
Her friend suddenly giggled."I know why your so worried."
Sarabi frowned inwardly.
"It's because your betrolled to Mufasa."
"That isn't even what it's called."she shot back."And you should be worried too,Sara.What if something bad happens?Mufasa is stubborn and Taka's-"
"A wuss."The cub finished boredly."Sarabi,nothing bad ever happens in the Pride Lands.I mean,everyone knows we'd eat them so they won't hurt us."
As much as she wanted to argue,the other lioness did make a good point.
x.x.x
"You're right."Taka laughed after a few minutes had passed."This is fun!"
The two continued to push up and down upon the strangely stable stump.
"See,if you learn to not be scared even when it's scary you'll still have fun."
Mufasa's proposal sounded convincing.It wasn't just the fact that his brother was older and bolder,but there was something else that he could feel;Trust. Taka always felt that no matter what,Mufasa would never steer him wrong.
"Whoa!"The moment was broken by an upsurgance of water behind him.
Two giant eyes popped open,belonging to a wet,rubbery hippopotamaus.
Mufasa stole a glance at his terror-stricken brother and pulled his side of the log up so that Taka's side lowered down to the hippo's huge closed mouth.
"What're you doing?!"He was going to make him hippo chow!
His brother didn't respond and in slow motion-like,the four cub-sized teeth were exposed."A little bit more."Mufasa told him in a low voice."Almost..."
"I hope you like the fact that they'll never make you king now!"
"Now?OK!"
Taka was literally in the jaws of death before he felt himself thrown from his side of the log and tossed into a nearby tree,where he looked on fearfully as Mufasa had to scale to the top of the log that was now floating one side out.
"Brother!"He cried as the hippopotamaus lurched up to take another chomp.
Suddenly,a paw-sized stone knocked into the large mammal's eyes,causing it to groan and yet continue it's quest for lunch.Mufasa and Taka looked on to see Sarabi and Sarafina placing rocks in a big,stretchy glob of fresh tree sap.
And using it as a sling shot.
x.x.x
"Take that,hah!"Sarafina laughed triumphantly as she loaded yet another one one the transparent mass and Sarabi launched it into the irritated hippo's eye.
"Yeah,dead-eye!"Mufasa cheered,but silenced when it turned his way again.
The closed it's huge front feet around the tree and started to bring it down to his level,now effortlessly ignoring the string of stones thrown at him.Both girl cubs gasped as they realised they had only been an irritating distraction for it
"No,"Sarabi whispered inaudibly.
The hippo was inches from Mufasa when out of nowhere,Taka came soaring through the air and clung to the hippo.In the process he left a scarlet scar that ran across the animal's eyes,causing it enough pain to fall back with a bellow.
Mufasa and Taka then both took to the water.
x.x.x
"I have ta hand it to you,brother.You did all right."All four were headed back for the Pride Lands,two of them sopping wet."I could've been his next meal."
"Yeah,well.You did the same thing and weren't even scared."
Mufasa eyed him in surprise."You were scared?"
Sarabi and Sarafina continued ahead of them as they stopped.
Taka wrinkled his muzzle."I'm confused.What,you thought I was brave?"
"More then me."he admitted once the girls were out of range."I mean,Taka.I never saw anyone fly down and land an attack like that before.Majorly cool."
The two smiled at one another as they kept walking,Pride Rock now in sight.
To be continued...