The Proudest of the Land
Chapter Four
A Lesson Learnt
Mohatu pulled his body to a standing position from the slumped way he had been previously stationed. He glanced up, and saw Rafiki perched on a tree branch, mumbling to the sky. The giant lion sighed, he was grateful to the monkey, but was growing frustrated with him with each passing day. All he did was mumbled and mix disgusting sediments for Mohatu to take every morning. The large wound on his back had finally began to scab over, but his knees still buckled if he walked for an extended period of time. He felt old, and passed a prime he'd never really had. Again, he sighed.
"Madi ao!" screeched Rafiki, looking to the skies. "Leka, sebete chia ho oele sebatha!"
"What are you doing?" snapped Mohatu.
Rafiki ignored him and continued to chant.
"Mo leka oeme o tsaba hoa!" he erupted once more, throwing seed to the air. After exhaling deeply, he turned his head and looked at Mohatu, who was clearly exasperated. "I am speaking to de great kings ov da past. Seeking council." he nodded.
Mohatu growled lowly, annoyed at another mysterious answer.
"What kings? Where?" he moaned. He stared at the young mandrill. He didn't have a wrinkle or a blemish on him, must only be a year or two old, yet he was much wiser than Mohatu was.
Rafiki stared back at the great beast and smiled.
"Before da king who you found, his fatha, and his fatha and his fatha as far back as anyone knows had ruled a land, not far from here."
Mohatu stared at Rafiki, who turned his back on him, continuing to mix in his bowl.
"And?" Mohatu groaned once more.
"Da last king, Caesa, moved his Pride to da Pridelands cos he thought it would be suitable. And for a while it was fine. But when da Queen did not have any cubs, da King became distressed." Rafiki stopped, and seemed to smell something on the wind. He snapped his head upwards and frowned. "He told da lioness to stop hunting, and dey all left da Pridelands for new Prides."
Mohatu shuddered at the sudden feeling of de ja vu which overcame him. His lioness had too adondoned him in his darkest hour.
"And da herbs got bigga and had more off-spring." continued Rafiki. "Da circle of life could not be completed, and so disease set in amongst the animals, and soon many began to die and da rain stopped falling. All da time da King sat in Priderock and refused to help." Rafiki paused again. "Hyenas began to rule, they hunted all animals and left them to rot. Da King would not help, but still da hyena would neva got near Priderock."
Mohatu shuddered, he had let the wild dogs into the 'rock, even Caesa hadn't done that he thought with embarrassment.
"Packs and herds began to leave, and they left behind only the ill, so da Pridelands had became infested with illness. Da King and Queen soon became sick, and I think he realised his sins, dats why he asked for help. Dats why you're here." he finished kindly.
Mohatu nodded solemnly, and Rafiki swung back up to the top of the tree. Continuing his chanting and incantations.
The tan of Mohatu's coat had slowly began to return, and he limped meekly towards only source of fluid in the Pridelands. A small watering hole, which was really just a large puddle, a collection of morning dew, with only enough substance to keep the lion going through the day. As Mohatu slumped over to the small bounty, he began to ponder his next move. He couldn't live with Rafiki forever, an hour with him was taxing enough, never mind a lifetime. His chances of returning to Priderock was even slimmer. There was no way he could take on that many hyena alone. Maybe he could head east and find his old Pride. But even that came with queries, they would ask questions. Why had he left Priderock? Why couldn't he survive alone? Was he a coward? He shuddered at the thought, but then realised it was probably the most reasonable of his choices.
He was going to have one finally sleep in the tree, and then set off towards the east at dawn.
A/N Sorry for lack of updates, I've been really busy at University. Anyway, I know this chapter hasn't been up to much but the next one is gunna have a major plot twist. Please R+R! J Liam.
