Cubhood: Chapter 6
Taka was not equipped to drag two small lion cubs back to Pride Rock. He was however, a Prince of the Pridelands. Before long, the scent of blood and the sight of two unmoving cubs had drawn the attention of the unsavoury forms of life often found within the Outlands. Circling on the winds, in the air high above were the unmistakable shapes and forms of the Outlands' least popular form of carrion birds. Vultures. Sensing the potential for a free lunch, the shapes circled lower and lower. One particularly brave one landed next to Taka, and blinked in surprise.
"You're not dead." The bird said. Taka smirked.
"Nope. Nor are these two cubs. You'll have to get something else." He said. The vulture clucked in irritation.
"Great. I don't suppose…"
"No…"
"It would be the merciful thing. They aren't long for this world." It suggested. Taka raised an eyebrow.
"Ah well. Can't blame a bird for trying." It said. Taka certainly could, but instead of saying so, he raised a paw.
"Tell you what. I can get you a sizeable bite to eat… if you do something for me first. Nothing major. Just a little thing." He said. The vulture eyed him carefully.
"What sort of thing?" It asked.
A few moments later, the vulture departed with an urgent message for the King of the Pridelands, and Taka was left alone with the two unconscious lion cubs again. For the first time he had the opportunity to really take in what the two siblings looked like.
"Rogues." He said the words aloud. He'd never met a rogue lion before. Somehow he'd always imagined them as being fully grown. Imani's father had been a rogue at one point. Though he returned to the Pridelands often enough that the lionesses who knew him referred to him by the more polite "nomad".
They were clearly siblings. Possibly from the same litter? No. Not twins. The male was larger already. He guessed that he was slightly older than himself, whilst the female was slightly younger. Zira (that was what she'd called herself anyway) was the paler of the two lions. Her yellowy brown pelt was dirty and streaked with blood. To be expected from the environment, he decided. Her muzzle and chest was a lighter shade than the rest of her fur. Though her eyes were closed now, they had been an intense ruby red, but were wide with fear and shot with exhaustion. He hoped she was alright. The two had clearly been running for a long, long time. Perhaps most intriguing of all was a long, dark, mark along the top of her head and down along her spine. A birthmark, or perhaps injury, he couldn't tell, but it ran from between her eyes, all the way down to her brown tufted tail.
Her brother was a darker lion of the same colour as the darker patches of his sister's mark. Like his sister, he had a lightening of pelt along his chest and muzzle, apart from a horizontal line of lighter fur across his brow, the colour of Zira's pelt. He sported a dark brown in a tuft of fur atop his head, and in his tail. Both looked thin… probably half starving, and he could see the tell-tale signs of termites among parts of their fur. They were not well.
"What happened to you?" He asked aloud, shaking his head.
After what felt like an eternity later, Taka turned, and saw the familiar figures of his mother and father rushing towards him, and close behind him, were the figures of Mufasa and Imani, with Sarafina and Sarabi close behind.
"Taka!" Uru said as soon as she saw him, and immediately nuzzled him, her face full of concern. Ahadi looked relieved when he saw his Son, but frowned as soon as he saw the other cubs.
"Are you alright?" Uru asked him, as Taka pulled away. "We got your message from that buzzard! What on earth are you doing all the way out here in the Outlands?" She asked him. "I thought you were playing with Mufasa and the others! You didn't tell anyone you were going somewhere else! You can't just run off like that!" She scolded him.
"I am fine. Sorry. I didn't really think about it. I just went for a walk when I'd finished with the others." There were a few other lionesses with them, and Taka realised that Ahadi must have rallied some of the huntresses.
"Your buzzard mentioned hyenas…" Ahadi said. Taka nodded.
"They were chasing these cubs here… and injured them." He said. Ahadi gave a sharp nod to some of the huntresses.
"Spread out, and find their scents. But be careful. These aren't our lands, I don't want a fight here. Just try and find out what's going on." Ahadi commanded, looking serious. Uru was inspecting the cubs.
"These aren't friends of yours are they? Tell me you didn't bring them out here…" Uru asked him. She looked anxious, and Taka indignantly shook his head.
"No. I've never seen them before in my life. They aren't from the Pridelands." Taka said. Ahadi looked down, and grimaced.
"Well, we can't leave them here. Uru, can you…?" Uru nodded, and picked up the unconscious lioness between her jaws. She grunted heavily. The cub was older, and probably a little too big to be carried like a babe in the jaws of a lioness, but there was no other way of moving them. A third of the huntresses picked up the boy, and the lions began to move back into the Pridelands, stepping through the shallow river that bordered their territory. A few moments later, the two huntresses returned, their faces pale, and spoke quietly to Ahadi for a long while. He looked shocked, and nodded.
"We need to take them to Rafiki… then I need to speak to some of the lionesses." Ahadi said, his expression grave and mirroring his lionesses. Uru nodded, sighing sadly, and moved with Taka.
Zuzu – who'd come with the King – had been sent ahead of them, and Rafiki was present at Pride Rock by the time they arrived back home. Rafiki took the cubs gently in hand, and took them inside the den. Uru went with him in case the lions woke up.
When they had been safely taken care of, Ahadi turned to his son.
"Right." He said. "Tell me everything."
Taka took a breath, and proceeded to tell Ahadi all about his morning, and how he had briefly crossed into the edges of the Outlands. Ahadi listened patiently, and let out a sigh when he had finished. Taka was nervous.
"Son… I don't…" He hesitated. "Please. Don't gamble like that. Things are… different in the Outlands. Youth is no defence. Mercy is not a quality they prize. What would you have done if this… this Caliban… had attacked you? He was perfectly willing to kill those two cubs. What if he was willing to risk going for you too?" He asked him. Taka weighed his options.
"I was already there. He'd seen me. Telling him you'd murder him and his clan if I'd been killed probably saved my life. In any case, it didn't make things more dangerous for me." He defended himself. Ahadi paused.
"You know… there are those who would say that using your title to threaten them was dishonourable."
"Ha. Those people are idiots. Probably dead idiots within a few years." Taka said quickly. Ahadi nodded in agreement.
"Very wise." His father said. "But don't take risks like that again." He shook his head. "Don't think for a moment that we would have thought less of you for running as soon as you had the chance."
"I would have thought less of me." Taka interjected. Ahadi said nothing.
"Would you really have got yourself killed to save them?"
"Getting myself killed would have saved nobody. It was a bluff. I probably wouldn't have done it. But they didn't know that. Not for certain, anyway." Taka admitted softly. Ahadi breathed a sigh of relief.
"You don't know how pleased I am to hear you say that. What you did was very brave Taka, and I am incredibly proud of you. But just promise me that you'll keep yourself from mistaking bravery for foolishness." Ahadi warned him. Taka swallowed. Then bowed his head.
"I am not Imani." Or Mufasa. He thought silently. Ahadi nodded. Then smiled warmly.
"Well done, Son." He said. "Now. Let's go and find out if our guests have recovered. Rafiki took them into the rear den. If they aren't awake yet, you'll need to sleep with them tonight."
"What?!"
"Taka." Ahadi said levelly. "They're two children. Alone in the wilderness. They're injured. And you want them to wake up surrounded by strange lions? You're the only one of us they've ever met. You'll need to be on paw when they recover." He said firmly. Taka groaned inwardly, seeing, but not liking, Ahadi's logic.
The King and the Prince made their way atop Pride Rock, and to the rear den, where Rafiki the Shaman was treating the young cubs. He could see their fragile forms more clearly now that the filth and dirt had been washed from them. They were thin, malnourished even, though the more pressing concern were the myriad of bruses and cuts that covered their bodies. Taka couldn't even see all of them. Rafiki had made some paste made of mud and herbs appeared to have rubbed into their injuries, presumably to prevent the infections and rots that could turn even the smallest of injuries into a serious, potentially fatal wound. Thankfully, there was no sign of any broken bones that could have been serious. Animals with broken limbs did not survive in the wilds for long. To Taka's surprise and obvious delight, both of the cubs appeared to have woken up. The girl's eyes widened in recognition when they saw him.
"You…" She whispered, her voice quiet and timid. Taka smiled warmly when he saw her.
"That's me." He said. "How are you feeling?" He asked her.
"Much… Much better. Thank you…" She said. Ahadi cleared his throat and Zira looked up at him, cringing slightly. Ahadi towered over them both a looming monolith of gold and black fur.
"Hello young one." Ahadi said, trying to put her at ease.
"I-Hello…" She practically squeaked. "Are you..?"
"My name is King Ahadi. I believe you've already met my Son."
"Taka… You said your name was Taka. You saved us from those hyenas." Zira said. That was good. They remembered.
"Thank you." The male lion interrupted. He tried to climb to his feet, but winced in pain, and was promptly pushed back down by Rafiki who shook his head.
"What's your name?" Ahadi asked them both.
"My name is Kasi." The male said.
"Mine is Zira." His sister added. She swallowed. "Where are we?" She asked.
"You're safe now. Welcome to the Pridelands." Taka said. The cubs glanced at one another, and swallowed.
"Oh." She said. Taka cocked his head, looking surprised at their response. "So when you said you're name was King Ahadi…"
"Yes. I am the ruler of these lands. You seem to have heard of us?"
"By reputation." Kasi said. "Sir." He added quickly.
"What were you doing alone in the Outlands?" Taka asked them. Ahadi's eyes widened in warning, but Kasi had already began to reply.
"We weren't alone… Where is Father? And Mother?" Kasi asked, concerned.
"They told us to run when the hyenas attacked us… They said to run, that they'd follow us." Zira said, herself now rising and starting to look panicked. Taka looked at his father, and suddenly, he knew why one of the huntresses had looked so panicked, so agitated upon returning from the Outlands. The same reason Caliban's followers had been streaked in blood.
"I am sorry." Ahadi said, seeing Kasi's expression. He swallowed. "Our huntresses found your parents when they scouted the area. They'd been killed by the hyenas." Ahadi said softly. Kasi's eyes widened, and Zira let out a pitiful sound. Kasi swallowed, and nodded.
"I… I see." His voice sounding hoarse. And Taka knew that he had suspected the news… he had tried to prepare himself for it. Perhaps he'd seen the hyenas attacking his parents in the moments before they'd fled. Perhaps he'd heard them, or perhaps Caliban had said something, some jibe or taunt. But either way, Kasi didn't look surprised by the news. He held himself, trying to maintain the façade of calmness, but Taka could see it, and felt a sudden and overwhelming surge of pity.
Zira however, had begun to cry, sounding desolated. She'd been clinging to some hope, some desperate hope that her parents had somehow survived. The other lionesses looked to one another, looking unsure. Every instinct said that they should say something, do something, go over there and offer some condolences, some comfort. But how does one comfort a complete stranger?
Ahadi sighed, clearly filled with sorrow. Kasi looked to his sister, and then to Ahadi, and offered his sister a comforting paw.
"I… Thank you Sir. For telling us." Taka felt a spike of anger at the universe. He hadn't known. He hadn't been told. But clearly Ahadi had known that the cubs had been recently orphaned. And he was thanking them. Ahadi had just told him that his parents were dead, and he had thanked them. He felt an uncharacteristic wave of disgust.
"I am sorry." Taka said, honestly. "That we can't do more." He said. Kasi glanced to him.
"You've already done enough for us. You saved us. You took us to your healer. What do you have to apologise for?" Kasi asked him. His words were mature and serious, but his face told another story. His eyes were red, and even as he spoke Taka heard his voice crack. He could tell that Kasi wanted nothing more than to curl into a ball and sob.
And why wouldn't he?
Sensing too that the cubs might be better served by a few hours of solitude to come to terms with their sudden loss and that to stay longer would be intruding on their grief, Ahadi gave a nod and the lionesses began to pull away, leaving the cubs in the den.
"If you need anything… just ask." Ahadi told them, but cursed inwardly at the impotence of the words. And left to give the cubs some privacy.
"How are they?" Uru asked Rafiki urgently. The ancient mandrill gave her a look as they moved away. Behind them, Taka saw Mufasa joining them, looking concerned.
"The cubs are dehydrated, malnourished and exhausted." Rafiki said. "Rafiki believes they will need care." He said.
"Will they be okay?" Taka asked his father, and Mufasa looked to him in worry. Ahadi sighed.
"I don't know Taka. Cubs who are abandoned in the Outlands rarely survive on their own. They were extremely lucky you were nearby. Even if they'd escaped Caliban, you probably saved their lives just by meeting them." Ahadi noted.
"What will happen to them now? We have to help them if we can." Taka asked. Uru smiled.
"Of course we do. It's only right." She looked to Ahadi. "I spoke to Sauda. She'd more than happy to look after them for the time being."
"Doesn't she have a cub?"
"Yes. Jicho, I think his name is." Uru supplied. Ahadi nodded.
"Will they be staying here then?" Taka asked him. Ahadi hesitated, and looked to his son.
"That depends." He said. "In the short term, yes. Until their injuries are recovered. After that… well… they aren't from around here."
Taka stared at his father in shock. Catching his son's expression, Ahadi quickly explained.
"So I don't know yet. I don't know if they'd even want to stay here." He said.
"Why wouldn't they?"
"Taka… Africa is a big place. There are dozens of Prides throughout it."
"But they aren't from a Pride. They're from the Outlands. There is nothing out there but rogues." Taka said. "That was Zuzu always said. The closest Pride to us is the Mountain Pride. That's to the east of here. Or the Southrons I guess. But I don't see how a Southern Lion could end up North of our borders in the Outlands." He added.
Ahadi smiled. "Nice to know that someone's been paying attention to their lessons. It's not uncommon for rogues to have sisters, cousins or aunts in other Prides. If Kasi and Zira's mother or father was born into a Pride before becoming rouges, they might have extended family somewhere else, where they would be happier. Aunts. Uncles. That sort of thing. We have a duty to make sure they can find a way to their own people, if that's where they want to go. But if they don't know where their parents were from, then yes. They'll be staying with us." He said. Taka nodded, sounding relieved. He hadn't seriously thought his father would abandon two children.
"Good. That's good." He said, throwing one last look behind him.
And with that the world disappeared into white light.
Kivuli was left, staring at Scar, who shifted uncomfortably under his gaze.
"What?" He asked him.
"So that's how you met her… In the Outlands."
"Where else?" Scar asked with mirthless humour. "I've never seen her like within the Pridelands, that's for sure."
"You saved her life." Kivuli said.
"I suppose so." He said. Ammit grunted in dissatisfaction.
"That seems uncharacteristically altruistic of you. What did you get in return? Hmm?" He asked. Scar snorted.
"I didn't get anything… I didn't mean to anyway. I was just a child. I just wanted… I don't know… to help I guess. What she suffered was a terrible thing."
"Being orphaned at such a young age is so terrible?"
"Of course –"
"Except when it's your nephew you mean…" Ammit added. Scar winced. He supposed he'd asked for that. Though in his defence, he'd never intended to leave Simba alive. He kept that to himself though. He doubted it would help his case to remind the two spirits that he'd never intended to orphan Simba, but to him murdered. By hyenas for that matter.
"So was Zira as devoted to you right then, as she became later? Or did you twist her around your paw over time? I can imagine her reaction. You, Taka, the Prince of the Pridelands. Saving her life from the marauding hyenas who murdered her family… Welcoming her into the Pridelands, providing her with a home. Its like something out of a fairy tale." He said. "Was that why she became yours in the end, do you think?" Kivuli asked. Scar threw back his head and laughed, loudly and long.
"Gratitude? Honour? Zira was never big on either." He chuckled.
"No." Kivuli commented sadly. "Perhaps not." Scar shook his head.
"I couldn't begin to guess why Zira was devoted to me when so many others betrayed me. Perhaps Zira was just special." Scar admitted.
"Special to you?" Ammit asked, smirking. Scar growled.
"You're a hypocrite, Scar. You risked much for people you didn't even know, but when it came to your family, when it came to Simba, when it came to people you owed your loyalty to, you slunk back into that hole of yours, and plotted and schemed."
"Ha! Me? A hypocrite? Because I acted differently when I was a child? Cubhood is all about becoming wiser. Becoming stronger. Everyone is a hypocrite if you judge them based on their cubhoods." Scar snorted indignantly. Kivuli growled in frustration.
"Okay. I get it. You changed. You died. You became Scar. You grew up. Whatever you want to call it. It happened. You're not the same now, than you are then. But don't pretend that it was just the aches and pains of growth that altered you, Scar. Don't pretend that the turning of the earth was what twisted you into a monster. What happened? I want to know." He said. Scar snorted again.
"Perhaps our answer lies not in Scar, but in the friends he had and lost again?" Ammit suggested. "In my experience, mortals are shaped more by external events than by internal bouts of feeling and emotion. What of Kasi and Zira? What of Imani and Nguvu? Where were these people, when your life ended, Scar?" Scar glowered.
"Friends. I had friends. But they didn't make any difference in the end. The friendless die all the same. Show me a friend who can hold back death? Who can extend one's life?" He snorted.
"I can't. But I know that friends are the ones that make life worth extending." Kivuli said coldly. Scar choked a laugh.
"Spare me the sermons and platitudes." He spat. Okay. That probably wasn't wise. He ought not to antagonise the creatures who possessed power over his fate and his immortal soul. But kings above and tyrants below, this Kivuli was so preachy. If he had to listen to much more, he'd take damnation out of desperation.
"I want to see more of Zira then. She changed as well. I want to see how you corrupted her." Ammit said. Oh he'd just love that, wouldn't he? Prove that not only was Scar's soul not worth redemption, but that he had dragged others down into the dirt with him.
"Corrupted her? Pah. You've never met Zira. You want to try influencing her to do anything, be my guest and see where it lands you." Scar said, but didn't feel as confident. He had forgotten. That once upon a time, Zira had been an Outsider, an Outlander. That Zira had been weak and defenceless and afraid. In his mind, Zira had always been strong. Ruthless. Graceful, but deadly.
The white mists descended yet again, and Scar prepared himself for another vision of things past.
