Chapter 3
Mournful cries carried into the dark of night as it descended upon the Rasheda's, that night no moon rose and not a single star twinkled in the blackening skies for the Pride who grieved for the loss of their King who parted from the world as the last rays of the morning light disappeared beyond the horizon.
The lionesses sat in a circle in the center of the grove, their heads bent while tears streaked their fur. In the middle of the circle sat the Rasheda Queen with her two youngest cubs, the five month old Princesses had their heads buried against their mothers legs while they cried for their father's passing.
Queen Leta's face itself was impassive save for the tears that streaked her face while she stared up at the starless night sky above. Her mind filled with silent cries and prayers for her departed mate, it took all her strength not to break down in front of her Pride for she still had to remain strong for them as best she could. Along as being strong for her son whom she knew wasn't ready for the responsibility of being King.
The lionesses lifted their heads turning them all to the side when they caught the sound of flapping wings and watched Jamine descend from the sky to land before his Queen; his head bowed low raising it only when they all heard the sound of approaching paws. The Pride watched their young Prince, now King, appear out of the darkness of the Jungle his once playful eyes clouded with grief, his face lined with the grim fact that his Father was officially gone.
The Pride broke apart for their Queen who climbed to her paws and slowly made her way toward her only son. Jaali bent his head as she approached, "It's been done Mother…I have taken Fathers body to the Pride's resting place, I laid him next to where he had laid Aunt Zakia." His voice had hardened to keep his grief from spilling out of him like it was threatening too, but he hadn't needed too, his sisters spilled enough grief for him, as their cries grew louder at the mention of their Father having been put to rest.
They were too young to have experienced the loss of their Father.
The Queen stopped just before her son, her eyes heavy with the sorrow she didn't openly express. The loss of her sister, her still-born son, her nieces departure from the pride, and now the death of her mate, took a toll on the old Queen but she wouldn't let that hold her down when she had her son and two daughters to care for still and a Pride that needed taken care of.
Jaali however could see through his Mother act, and with his paw he reached out and pulled his mother toward him, laying his head against hers while she buried hers into his mane. Not sure what to say to a grieving lioness, especially his mother, Jaali just held her to him in the only form of comfort he could think of while nuzzling her gently with his nose.
Leta remained in her sons hold long enough to collect her thoughts, now was not the time for her to cry tears of grief. Not when she still had her responsibilities.
Taking a long, but steady breath, Leta pulled herself away from her son lifting her face to his. Her eyes reflecting her sadness as well as her will to stay strong, with her back to her pride she sidesteps Jaali while approaching the waterfall, with a single bound she landed on the tallest boulder and turned to face her pride.
"The passing of our beloved King, Mansa, is indeed a saddening time. This pride has lost so much in the last year. And now to loose Mansa…" Leta clenched her eyes shut, taking in a shaky breath, she felt her will power crumbling but she opened her eyes and stared down at her pride sisters and cubs. "But Mansa would not want us to grieve for him for long; he would want us to remain strong. We are all that is left of a dwindling Pride.
"We must push forward. Let the loss of our king not weaken us, but make us stronger. Let his spirit make us strong like those of our ancestors have many times in the past. Let the wisdom of that he has taught his cubs!" Leta lowered her eyes to her son and daughters, "Be the strength that will guide them to secure our pride's future as we too will soon pass on to join Mansa among the place of our mothers and fathers of old!" her smiled softened while her eyes swept over her pride.
"Let our grief be turned into strength as we welcome our new King, my eldest and only son, Jaali!"
The Rasheda's turned their eyes from their Queen to Jaali, who began to approach his mother while the lionesses hung their heads in respect. Climbing atop the stones with his mother, Jaali kept eye contact with her, whispering; "I'm not ready!"
Leta placed her paw atop of his and stared her son in the eyes, "I know…" she whispered to him. "It is why I shall keep my title of Queen till the time comes that you find a mate or death takes me like it has done my mate. I will help you, Jaali, on the path you take now. Like the many Kings before you, you now hold the responsibility of leading your Pride into the future. To secure their safety. Do you accept?" Leta this time spoke loud enough for the rest of the Pride to hear her.
Jaali turned his head ever so slightly to find the eyes of the lionesses all on him, many of their eyes and faces wary with age, the only youngest among them able to bear cubs now were his two sisters. He knew his mother would not be able to rule alone, she did not have the strength to protect the Pride from danger with her old age. But Jaali himself did not know if he was ready to become King just yet…he expected a year or two more of his Father's life but that was cut short.
His eyes for a moment swept over the crowd as if with hope to search for two sets of familiar eyes of his cousin and his friend. But he found nothing but the stares of his pride. The two he was always the closest too were now gone…and he was alone where he as had always expected Simba to be there along side him to help guard the pride.
But he was alone. When word from Zazu had come telling them all of Zuri and Simba's new cub, a cub they named Kopa after his late Uncle, it had brought joy to them. He had been ready to ask to be allowed to travel to see the cub, when the news of his father's accident with the mamba had stopped that. How he wanted nothing more then for his friends to be there, by his side…
A nudge from his mother, had Jaali turning his attention back toward her, Leta was watching her son with sad but soft eyes. She didn't have to say anything to let him know that he wasn't alone in this, that he had her, along with many of the other lionesses to help him.
Lifting his eyes to the sky, Jaali sought for a sign that would show him that he was ready for this responsibility. As he watched the sky, his eyes widened as he watched the first star of the night slowly blink into existence, shining brighter by the second. A smile spread across his face.
Thank you…Father, he thought silently.
Lowering his head, he smiled at his mother. "I may not be ready as I had hoped…But I accept the duty of ruling and caring for my pride like those before me!" he declared loud and clear for all the lionesses to hear him.
Smiling, Leta nodded and turned to face her Pride, "Out of the grieving loss, and the bones of the dead, a new King steps forth and takes the place that many before him have. Let him roar, let it carry throughout our lands, let the animals hear it, let it be loud enough to carry to our ancestors in the sky!" she announced stepping back as Jaali stepped forward.
The lionesses below climbed to their paws, their eyes watching their new King with hope. His sisters pushing their way to the front to look up at him, now that their Father was gone, he was responsible for their safety as well as that of the Pride's. Lifting his head to the sky once more he stared at the only star in the sky…
"It is your time my son, I want you to know, that I've always been proud of you…even though I've never truly shown it. You are my only son, my heir, and I love you dearly"
Jaali felt his heart lift remembering the last words his father had spoken to me shortly before he had passed from the world, and with that, he let his voice be known, be heard as he roared the loudest he'd ever had before. Letting his voice carry throughout the grove, the Jungle and the sky, letting it be known that a new King had stepped forth.
Behind him, Leta watched her son with pride; lifting her eyes to the sky where she too saw the new star and smiled closing her eyes she finally let the tears for her departed mate fall. Her ears listening to the roaring cries of the lionesses joining chorus with their new King welcoming him.
Unknowns to the pride, a greyish mane lion stood in the shadows of the Jungle, his eyes watching held sadness and pride for the new King and the pride. A voice sounded behind him; "Come Mansa, the pride will be safe under in the paws of your son. But the future heir of the Rasheda's needs your watchful eyes!"
Mansa turned his head toward the large red mane lion behind him. The lion held the strangest resemblance to the young lion he had taken into his pride years prior and though he never admitted it out loud he had come to see Simba as a second son after all and was proud of him just as much as he was proud of his own son, and in the beginning when he saw him, he thought they were the exact same lion till he noticed the differences. This lioness was larger, his mane was fuller, and his name wasn't Simba at all…
"Take me to my great-nephew…Mufasa!"
Mufasa nodded turning he disappeared from sight in a few short steps. Taking one last look back at his Pride he too turned and left them behind following the former Pridelander King to the Pridelands where he was told he must watch over the son of his niece and keep him as safe as he could.
