Author: Daggermouth

Lion King 4
Chapter: III – Malka's Final Journey.

After remembering its history with Ahadi, Malka enters his home, the now peaceful Sacred Valley. Climbing down the mountain, eager to see his pride once more, Malka's pride descended directly from the cheetahs which lived here long ago, infact the cub Afua in the Dry Forest, fell in love with the little cheetah cub Beba, she grew up into the fastest cheetah and leopard hybrid the Pridelands had ever seen. Malka only had the honour of meeting them once, when it was deemed that Kopa from Priderock was gone, Malka travelled as he always does far to the north to inform the Dry Forest. Yes, the history of the Sacred Valley was one of great battles and sacrifice, but now in the present, the valley was peaceful and full of Ethiopian wolves, flamingos among other wonderful creatures who all uphold the Circle of Life. For when Vaxis was defeated the mist dispersed and the sun shone in the entire valley and as most know, all what the light touches is the king's land. Malka walks to his pride, nuzzling everyone, all with happy faces, most of them lionesses, but they were a few cubs as well, one of the lionesses was even pregnant and expecting any day now. Malka had missed much, but one thing was for sure, he was glad to be home.

Four Journeys had begun and three of them have ended, Vitani found Kivuli in the Outland while searching for Kopa, Nala returned home to Priderock and Kovu discovered Zira was still alive and planning with the hyenas in the Elephant Graveyard, but while all this was happening in the Pridelands the fourth journey with Malka in the Sacred Valley had just begun; This is the story of Malka's final journey.

It felt good to feel the grass of his home under his paws once more. Days had passed since the leader of the pride in the valley returned, and every nameless lioness was rumouring if their leader ever found his love, Tama, who is still alive someplace in the world. Regretfully their leader announced he searched literally everywhere in the savannah, the Grass Wall, the Elephant Graveyard, the Shadowland, The Sunstar Desert and Five Stones but he never found his lost love. He promised Nala that he would find her. Kopa had given him information on where he last saw Tama, but by the time Malka got the Evenstar Beach, Tama was already gone, only remnants of her and Kopa's life together on the beach remained. And now, Malka had given up all hope, he believed his love Tama had gone beyond the savannah into lands yet unknown. It's only when a young orphaned cub named Utchu pounces on the lovable Malka that he regained hope. Utchu had dark brown fur a white coloured maine and brown eyes, the happy cub approches his surrogate father.

"I can't find her Utchu; I swear I've searched everywhere I know." Malka bites the little cubs ear playfully, Utchu was like the son Malka never had, the little white pale cub looks up to his leader and smiles,
"Have you tried searching in the valley?" the cub says innocently. At first Malka doesn't take in the information, but then his eyes widen, his ears prick upwards, it's true, Malka had searched literally everywhere accept for the Sacred Valley, his own home! Jolting upwards and kissing the young cub on the forehead as thanks. He would have to cross the feral tiger jungle, across the muggy canyon and finally to that mountain Ahadi climbed to find Vaxis all those many decades ago, if she was anywhere, she would be there. With new optimism he rushes out, with short farewells to everyone including Utchu the small cub, Malka skipped out the leader of the pride once again leaves on his final journey.

He takes slow but careful steps he enters the first hurdle upon his quest, the jungle. The jungle stretched across the entire valley in a perfect line, dividing the whole valley into two halves. Malka precedes squeezing into a gap within the many huddled together palm trees; he carefully tries not to tread on any sharp twigs in the brushwood, little pockets of sunrays shine between the taller palm trees. Aware of his surroundings the jungle was full of insect and bug sounds. Malka gives a half-hearted chuckle thinking this could be a dubious second home for Timon and Pumbaa the 'insectivores'. He made his way across the jungle, his ears alert for any out of the ordinary sounds which could mean dangers, like the distinctive cry of the bush babies. The intent lion steps through the tightly huddled trees into a large opening where the sunlight can fully shine down from as there was a hole in the canopy here. Stopping suddenly as he hears a slight growling sound...

"Oh no," Malka whispers to himself, he looks around to see tigers, everywhere, he missed them completely, the tiger's fur blended into the environment and yellowish undergrowth of the unbreakable wheat grass. The tigers were sleeping peacefully, some were growling as they took breathes and he had to step right into the middle of their group. Malka kept thinking to himself: 'don't make any loud sounds—' Snap! Malka paw steps right onto a twig which snaps immediately waking the tigers who grunt and slowly get up around him. Malka whimpers and makes a dash for it, only alerting the tigers some more. Yelling loudly as the tigers chase the poor lion, but the lion quickly out manoeuvre them by fitting through another pair of tightly huddled trees, the tiger were too big to fit through and instead clawed violently through the gap as Malka ran away. The tigers were dangerous, feral and really didn't know any better. Malka looks over his shoulder looking to see if the tigers were following him as he kept running he laughs to himself thinking it was too easy but quickly smashes his face right into a stone wall. Grunting to himself he rubs his head and maine, and looks up to see what exactly he crashed into, before him is a large stone, ancient temple. Several large rocks made up the interior. Malka is clueless to what the temple was but he knew where it came from The Ancients. The creatures which lived before the Great Earthquake, they were said to resemble great and wise beings and they were all spiritualist, The Ancients could tap into the magic of the Pridelands like none before them. The temple itself was made up of old stones thrown or rolled together into a square pyramid shape. The Great Earthquake destroyed most of The Ancients. Malka takes note of the temples location and moves onwards over the stone temple and finally out of the stretched jungle.

As the chirping sounds of the jungle soon fade out behind him, it is not long before Malka reaches the next step on his adventure: the canyon. Malka had to cross this mammoth natural groundwork, the canyon had no name as most of the part of the Sacred Valley, but he gulps as he just wonders how many lives have been claimed trying to cross it. Far below in the stone canyon are large furnaces of lava which burn and bubble. Only a log acts as a bridge between the canyons two sides. Holding a paw over the edge of the canyon Malka can feel the heat of the lava down inside. A log bridge remains to falter the lion in his adventure; he finds it almost typical that the log barely looks stable. Taking his time the lion slowly climbs up onto the raggedy log, the log slowly turns from side to side, creaking as it does. Malka slowly spreads his wait across the log, almost comically clinging to it and sliding his way across.

"Don't look down... Don't look down..." Temptation overcomes Malka as he gets a glimpse of the red burning lava below before shutting his lightly coloured brown eyes. With no vision the log rolls over, quickly Malka digs his claws into the log as it creaks around, Malka now hanging dangerously from the log, his back paws dangling into the canyon below, grunting, he could feel the heat of the lava all on his fur, almost burning him, he groans before mustering his vigour and pulling himself back up on top of the log, crawling the rest of the way before rolling off the log and onto the other side of the canyon. Breathing sighs of relief he lays on his back watching the clouds for a second, taking his time before rising up onto his paws. Malka steps onwards onto the final leg of his adventure, toward the mountain.

Malka takes the time to remember his past...

When he was just a cub, that dopey little cub with the fur on his ears and small maine, Malka always used to get lost when travelling anywhere, this is how he came to meet Simba and Nala. Along time ago when heading someplace with his mother Kilo, Malka ran off and got lost in the Pridelands. Simba found him and together the two of them played. Malka was reluctant to admit to his problem, but eventually his mother Kilo came to collect her son, Malka, Simba and Nala were best friends from then on but Malka never heard of the end of the time he got lost in the Pridelands. Back then it was a happier time, when the Pridelands were peaceful and undisturbed.

Malka suddenly snaps out of his thoughts from the past as he reaches the foot of the mountain. Looking up at the huge mountain stretching up into the sky he wonders as to just how Ahadi climbed the mountain it was so steep and tall. The mountain used to be covered in cold mist and icy winds, but now the Sacred Valley was more peaceful and the climate was warmer, Malka steps forward to begin his climb. Minutes pass into hours and the sun starts to set on the horizon smouldering the sky red as it always does, but this doesn't falter him, he continues to march up the mountain, however steeps, whatever obstacles got in his way, he wasn't going to stop, he'd come too far to stop now. Finally the moment came he reached the flat peak of the mountain, walking the same Ahadi did, Malka is here. The air was only bitterly cold, not enough to harm or to shiver, stepping forward Malka makes his way towards the cave for the moment of truth, wondering just what he would say if he saw her again, poking his head inside the dark cave with a grin on his maw he steps inside. Squinting his eyes to disappointment, the cave is vacant, only traces of its past owner remains, Malka's heart sinks his smile wipes from his face, hanging his head low Malka walks out of the cave, he squints his eyes again but miserably this time. But then as he raises his head he hears the sound of pawprints coming up the mountain infront of the dazzling sunset Malka disappointment turns to one of delight, coming around the corner and up onto the peak, she arrives. She was beautiful, a golden-haired fur coat, a happy smile and clean composure, her stunning brown eyes and a small tuff of hair on the top of her head: Tama. Behind the sunset she seemed even more beautiful, she smiles almost nervously and Malka in amazement stares.

"A-am I dreaming?" Malka stutters vaguely gazing upon Tama, whom he'd never seen in so long.
"Come here you," Tama rushes toward her love, as the two of them meet in the middle under the blazing yellow sun, purring and nuzzling eachother warmly, her fur was soft and almost heavenly as they embraced eachother. They had waited so long for this moment, together they nestle within eachother fur, both smiling lovingly Finally Malka can complete those words he failed to finish as a cub all those years ago in the Daggermouth Gorge:
"I love you, I, love you!"
"Isn't it great?" Tama chuckles nuzzling him deeper a solitary tear of happiness rushing down her cheek. Feeling contentment for the first time in years, Tama gazes lovingly into Malka's lightly coloured brown eyes.
"You haven't changed a bit," she laughs happily beneath her tears, Tama looks upon the adult Malka for the first time, the tuffs of fur on top of both his ears, his maine which was two different colours: black with highlights of light brown. Both of them have so many questions, but for now, Malka was overwhelmed and blissful, he had found his love, he had found Tama.

Walking together in unison back down the mountain and across the raggedy log, together they cross the canyon with little effort, it was as if they gave eachother the strength to carry on but perhaps that is what real love is, neither one wanted to leave the others side ever again, it was time to ask the burning question "What's happened to you for all this time Tama?" Malka asks seriously, asking the question so many have wondered. Tama takes a deep breath in and starts from the very beginning—'

'— The rushing waves of the water was surrounding the eight cubs hanging in the thin tree within the Daggermouth Gorge, "Nala! Don't leave me!" the cub Tama shouts from the other side. As Nala watches Simba try to pull Mheetu up, he's just not strong enough to lift the cub. Nala is faced with an impossible choice. She can save Mheetu and watch her friend Tama fall into the water to be swept away. Or she can lose Mheetu, her only brother. As time for her seems to slow down as she decides who to save. The other four cubs on the stable tree, Chumvi, Tojo, Kula and especially Malka all watch as Nala rushes back to help Mheetu. Tama screams as her tree gives way. She falls with it into the unforgiving waters.
Tama falls into the cold water, frightened she tries to clambers back onto the tree but by now the waters was dragging here away from her friends, it's almost as if the water was pushing her down into its cold depth, Tama only manages to keep her head above the water, as she is dragged away she can only her the voice of Malka screaming "Nooooo!" parts of the tree Tama was swept away with slowly drift past her, Tama grabs onto to them to keep herself afloat, afraid and alone, her friends were gone so suddenly, not even their cries could be heard now, Tama clings onto the tree branch for dear life, her fur was dirtied by the water and broken logs, before quickly from shock the young cub passes out.

In the warmth of the savannah a newly formed tide covered with thick broken logs presents itself on a rocky coast. In the coastal waves a figure of a cub is washed away with the tide. With no strength to raise her legs she crawls out of the water and trundles further onto the coast. The strong waves trying to haul her back into the rushing river she came down from. The cub almost reached the end of her life when swept down the Daggermouth gorge when the dam broke. Tama wakens slowly, cold and afraid, the air here was silent accept for the peaceful waves on the beach. Her initial thoughts were shock and then amazement at being still alive. She shakes her golden furred body to release the water and only then she does look up at the horizon and stare at Priderock still standing strong in the distance, it was a mere dot on the horizon, so far away. And then Tama began to feel anger, Nala didn't save her; she saved her brother Mheetu instead. Tama had an impossible choice to face for one so young, she could return home and things between her, her friends and Nala would never be the same again, or she could stay here on the beach and out of spite vow never to return home. Then Tama remembers the brave cub named Malka, he was so sweet to her and caring. Whimpering but almost uninjured from her ordeal the young female cub decides to just rest on the beach for awhile, even if it was selfish, she didn't feel she could return yet, for now she just needed, rest.

Tama eventually got afraid, scared and too upset to return to Priderock. In a way she was just running from her past, but poor cub had never experienced such terror before. She ran away with herself, she didn't ever return, but not for selfish reasons any more, for reasons she couldn't control. In a way she does just what Simba would do in the Oasis in the years which would follow after Mufasa's death. But she wanted to forget her past; she felt the world was against her for some untrue explanation, besides Tama had never really liked Simba, she thought him to be cocky and almost arrogant. Tama created many different reasons to justify staying on the Beach. She was truly and sadly lost—'

Suddenly Tama stops, her voice similar to that of Vitani stutters, Malka immediately comforts her understanding it must be difficult to reminiscing and he apologizes, but he soon realises that is not the problem, he turns to look behind him and gasps to the sight of thick smoke in the distance, a monster of smoke hurls up from just beyond the jungle. Together the mates rush off through the jungle past The Ancients temple and making slight work of the various huddled trees, only Malka realises the jungle is strangely quiet, the chirping insects have stopped, all life seems to of gone, however, neither one of the mates stop until reaching the other side. Both stare in disbelieve the fire burning in the reflection of their eyes.

"No..." Malka whimpers, the pride was under attack, the fire raged from the general direction of Malka's own pride, roaring loudly Malka runs forward down further in the valley, along with Tama he reaches the pride in desperation, the fires burn brightly everywhere, but investigating further Malka realises, everyone is dead, all around him his pride lay lifeless,
"My pride!" he screams in throbbing pain as Tama comes up behind him she closes a nearby lionesses eyes with her eye as she does she notices sickly posture and all the colour had gone from her face,
"They've been poisoned," Tama says sorrowfully wishing it wasn't so and worrying for her mates safety as the fires burn around them both in a circle. Malka shakes his head in utter sadness and snarling slightly before spotting Utchu laid before him, his heart sinks furthermore than ever.
"Even the cubs..." Malka weeps bowing his head down to nudge the little Utchu, hoping he'll spark into life again but it's to no avail, Utchu was always full of energy and life, but now he laid his maw wide open in shock and horror. Neither one of the mares could find the words to react the sheer horror around them but no words came. Malka mumbles sadly almost stuck in a frozen moment, not one member of his pride was still alive. Very slowly and almost instinctively he turns his head over his left shoulder, for through the thick black smoke shine two red piercing red eyes. A venomous snake was watching the devastation as if it was a victory, he snarled down from the hill he was on, his eyes glare from behind the smoke. It was Joka. Snarling Malka breathes heavily and quickly in rage clenching his paws and drawing his claws he recognising the snake. Gritting his teeth he slowly and menacingly walks towards the killer snake, each step the strong lion takes towards the snake he digs his claws into the dirt in great anger, he has a killing look in his eye, he wanted vengeance. It's only at this moment he feels a soft fur paw hold him back, Malka grunts as the pas holds him back, stopping him from fighting the snake.
"Tama, what are you doing?" Malka looks back to his love wondering why she's holding him back, why is she stopping him from fighting the snake?
"A kind heart knows when the battle should be fought," she says gently and hugs him forcefully, as they hug Malka can only watch as Joka smiles deviously and suddenly disappears in a blink of an eye behind the flames. All the rage and hate from Malka gets drained from him as he embraces his love once more. In his anger he almost forgets Tama and now he only feels foolish. "Make no mistake; Joka murdered the pride," Tama says. Malka suddenly wonders how his mate knew the snakes name, Malka begins to doubt Tama's loyalty to the Pridelands and mayhap she might be working for the snake. Worrying greatly Tama tries to calm her mate down, they'd just found eachother and she wasn't going to let him go to unwisely attack a clearly powerful snake on his own. Thinking factually and carefully Malka suddenly realises the water supply of the entire Sacred Valley is poisoned, it was the only way he could of killed so many in such little time, now Malka realises why the jungle was so quiet on their return here, all the Sacred Valley was poisoned! Piecing everything together Malka thinks harder than ever before, and it starts making sense to him now, he turns to Tama a look of deep anxiety on his already worried idiom. Malka remembers all about Ahadi the past Lion King and how Ahadi was mysteriously—

"But that means, no, Tama, this is greater than any of us now, Joka, that damned snake, he killed my pride, he was the one who poisoned Ahadi! It all makes sense, he is a venomous snake; oh Tama, we have to warn Priderock; we are all in danger!"

The Sacred Valley is lost...

End of Episode III.