About Kings and Ghosts, pt. 3

Mkali felt hear heart beating against her chest rapidly. Gasping, she looked around her for the zillionth time, desperately. She tried hard to keep herself under control, but it was impossible.

"Utamu!" she screamed through the fog, trying to see her daughter. "Utamu!" she screamed once again, wanting to hear her daughter's voice. "Utamu, where are you!?"

The cheetah started to run and sniff the air around her, dying with the need to feel her daughter's scent, but nothing came. Mkali growled under her breath and started to look anxiously. Her thoughts went rapidly from one another in seconds: first, she felt angry and thought Utamu would be grounded for a week; then, she began to think maybe her daughter wasn't guilty and someone had done something to her, and finally she only focus on find her, no matter what had happened.

"Oh, Utamu, daughter, where are you…?" asked Mkali in a whisper, crying.

The whole pride was sleeping peacefully, their snoring resounding through the den, especially Mufasa's. From nowhere, a little shadow appeared, advancing slowly towards Sarafina, who was sleeping with a wee smile on her face. The shadow, who in the light of the moon was showed as Simba, made sure she was asleep and then, he turned his head, nodding to his friends, who were in a corner, hidden. Nala then went running to Simba's side and both cubs nodded their heads. Nala stood in front of her mother whilst Simba put himself behind the lioness. With a nod from Simba, Nala understood she had to be prepared and take in some air to concentrate.

"Sarafina…" started to say Simba in a whisper. The lioness didn't seem to notice. "Sarafina…" tried Simba once again, but the lioness kept sleeping.

The four cubs looked at each other, and shrugged, not understanding anything. Simba cleared his throat.

"Sarafina" he said once again, this time with a frown.

The prince smiled a little when the lioness started to move, but showed a sad expression when the mother of his best friend just changed the posture and kept sleeping, murmuring a few things. Simba pouted.

"Sarafina, wake up!" he said, angry, and hitting her a bit with a paw.

Sarafina then jumped, afraid, opening her blue eyes. Simba, rapidly, ran out of her sight and hid himself in a shadowy place of the den, observing the scene and nodding at Nala, who made the same move and looked at her mother with a serious expression.

"Wha… What?" asked Sarafina, yawning. Her eyes fell on Nala and she smiled a bit. "Nala, something's wrong?" she asked a bit tired.

"Redrum" said Nala in a whisper.

"What?" asked her mother with a cocked eyebrow.

"Redrum, redrum, redrum!" started to say Nala in a louder voice and walking towards her mother with slow steps.

"Nala?" said Sarafina a bit afraid, getting up and walking backwards. "Nala, what are you saying?"

"Redruuuuum!" said Nala with a frown and standing in her rear legs.

At that, Sarafina let a very pitched scream out her throat, and closed her eyes, unable to keep seeing her daughter like that. The entire pride awoke, afraid from the lioness' scream, and went running to her side in a blink of an eye. The lionesses made way for the Kings and both Sarabi and Mufasa were at Sarafina's side in less than a second, trying to calm her down. A bit after, Scar was there as well, seeing the scene by Mufasa's side. Both brothers looked at each other, with raised eyebrows.

"Fi, Fi, you've got to calm down!" said Sarabi, shaking her friend a bit.

"I can't calm down! Mu daughter has been possessed!" she screamed gasping for air. "Oh, gosh, oh, gosh…"

"Sarafina, what are you talking about?" asked Mufasa taking one step closer.

Sarafina just sobbed a bit more, and the royal couple looked at each other, worried. Suddenly, the cubs approached the scene with a yawning Nala.

"Mum?" said the cub. "Are you alright?"

"Daughter, you're talking like a normal animal again!" said her mother, happy, and ran to hug her.

"Of course I am…" said Nala, pretending to be surprised. "Mum, what's wrong?"

"Honey, you were in front of me, saying a strange thing!" explained Sarafina to her daughter, forgetting the rest of the pride were hearing their conversation.

"What?" asked Nala showing a lost expression. "I didn't do such a thing!"

"Eh?"

"I was sleeping and then I was awaken by your screams!" said Nala shrugging.

Tojo let a few giggles escape his lips, and Tama hit him to shut him.

"Basically what happened to rest of us" commented Scar, who couldn't stop looking at Sarafina with a frown.

"But… But… You were there, I saw you!" said the blue-eyed lioness. "You were saying something like… Red broom, or something like that!" she explained, frustrated.

"What's a broom?" asked Diku titling her head.

"I don't know, that's why I said it was strange!"

"Sarafina…" started to say Sarabi, getting closer to her. "I think you should rest… Now for real" said the Queen with her ears pinned.

"But, Sarabi…!" tried to say Sarafina.

"I agree with my mate" said Mufasa, approaching her with a tender smile. "You've been working very hard lately, leading the hunting" he added with a frown of worry.

"Why didn't you tell us you were that tired?" asked Naanda, feeling bad for her friend.

"Yes, we could've helped you" added Zinguela.

"But I'm not tired, I know what I see!" complained Sarafina.

"Mummy, I'm afraid…" said Tojo with a pitiful tone of voice, hugging her mother's leg.

"There's nothing to be afraid of, Tojo" said Zinguela with a tender tone.

"Yes, there is" contradicted her son. "Simba told us the story of that cheetah cub…"

At that, all the lions, even Scar, looked at the cub with wide eyes, and then started to look at each other. No one wanted to say a thing. Fortunately, Mufasa cleared his throat.

"Your mother is right, Tojo, there's nothing to be afraid of" repeated Mufasa with a serene smile.

"But, the cheetah ghost…" said Tojo with at the verge of tears.

"That's only a legend" said Mufasa rapidly. "Ghosts don't exist"

"That's what you say now" commented Scar rolling his eyes. His brother dedicated him a death glare.

"But Dad, Sarafina says…" tried to say Simba, a bit worried.

"She only had a nightmare" interrupted his father quickly.

"Maybe you're right…" said Sarafina finally, with a sigh. "If Nala says she didn't do it, I believe her…" she added with a warm smile towards her daughter.

"That's it. Now, we should go back to sleep" said the King, turning around.

"But, I can't sleep like that!" said Tojo with his ears pinned.

"Me neither" added Tama showing also a frighten face. "I think I also hear things…"

"Well, Tama, I'm surprised!" said Diku with wide eyes. "You are always so brave…!"

"I know, Mum, but…" started to say the cub, but she stopped and started to sob.

"Oh, sweetheart…" said the lioness, licking her forehead. "Don't worry"

"If you need it, I can go where Rafiki's and let him explain it to you" said Zinguela with a tender smile.

"Rafiki?" asked the four cubs.

"Yes, he is very good at communicating with spirits" explained the lioness. "If Rafiki says there are no ghosts in here, then it will be clear and there won't be discussions"

"Seems fine to me" said Mufasa after a long sigh. "But, please, Zinguela, don't go all alone" he added worried.

"Oh, Mufasa, don't worry, I'll be fine" said Zinguela with a giggle.

"No, I insist" said the King stubbornly.

"I'll go with you" said Sarabi suddenly.

"No, Sarabi, you should…" started to say Mufasa, worried.

"…go with her" finished her mate for him. "Mufasa, I'll be fine, really. I'll be more anxious if I stay here with one of my pride out in this fog" she explained with a smile.

"Alright…" said Mufasa after thinking a bit. "But, Zazu will go with you" he said, glaring at the bird.

"My pleasure, sire!" said the hornbill, flying a bit above everyone and landing on Sarabi's shoulder.

The two lionesses and Zazu exited the cave. Mufasa watched as her mate and Zinguela disappeared in the fog. Without anyone noticing it, the cubs supressed a laugh and give high-four with their paws, smiling triumphal.

When Sarabi and Zinguela arrived at Rafiki's tree, the silence really creeped them. Normally, there was always a sound as it seemed Rafiki never slept or needed to. Always a singing, a laugh… Something. But that night there was nothing. The Queen and her friend shared a glare of worry.

"Rafiki?" called Sarabi. No answer. "Odd…" she commented with a frown.

"Maybe he's sleeping?" said Zinguela, shrugging. "I mean, it's very late…" she added with her ears pinned, due to concern.

"Zazu, could you fly and inform Rafiki we want to see him?" asked the Queen looking at the hornbill.

"Immediately, your majesty" said Zazu flying off her shoulder.

Zazu looked for the baboon, but he was nowhere to be found. He started to be worried too. Since they knew each other, Rafiki never abandoned his baobab without letting the King or someone of the kingdom know. Besides that, the fact that he, the King's majordomo, wasn't informed of this situation. He called the shaman's name a few times, but he received no answer.

"What happens, Zazu?" he heard the Queen asking.

"He's not here!" answered Zazu with a worried tone.

"What?" he heard both lionesses asked, perplex.

The hornbill went rapidly where the two of them were standing, now with concern expression adorning their faces.

"What do you mean with that?" asked Zinguela, getting a bit closer.

"None a track" answered Zazu feeling disappointed with himself for being unable of telling them something more.

"That's very alarming" commented Sarabi. "We have to go back Pride Rock" she said with a frown. "Mufasa must know this"

Zazu and Zinguela nodded and headed back to their home, trying to keep themselves calm. Sarabi couldn't stop thinking about what Mufasa would say. She was sure he didn't know, otherwise he wouldn't let them go in his search. Rafiki was very complex and anyone could understand him, but everyone in the kingdom loved him, though. Sarabi didn't want to think that something bad could had happened to him. It would be devastating for the whole pride, her mate especially.

Since cubhood, Rafiki was there, alongside Mufasa, guiding him and giving him the advices he needed to go on. Even Scar, who was always so distant towards everybody, would be sad even if he wouldn't show it. Rafiki was the only one who, nowadays, remained by his side and treated him like if nothing happened. Sometimes, Sarabi felt bad for Mufasa, who was always trying to get closer to his brother as they used to, just to receive bad answers and cold glares. It was something that infuriated her. But Rafiki acted always so positive and talked to him directly, without fear. And Scar, to everybody's surprise, allowed him that acting. The Queen stopped abruptly when she felt Zinguela stopping in her tracks all of a sudden.

"Something's wrong?" she asked worried.

"Didn't you hear that?" asked the lioness, gazing everywhere.

"What?"

"Yes, I heard it too" commented Zazu, a bit afraid.

"But what?" asked Sarabi exasperated.

Before anyone could answer her, a childish voice talked again, echoing through the whole savanna.

Mummy! Mummy! Where are you, mummy?

Sarabi felt numb in that moment, and her body trembled with fear. She tried not to show it, as she was the Queen of the Pridelands, and had to keep the façade no matter what. Zinguela, on her behalf, dug her claws on the ground, prepared for whatever it may happen. However, when the voice sounded again saying the same sentence, the two lionesses ran off, gasping frightened, and Zazu followed them in the air, screaming.

It all happened too fast. Rafiki was alone in his tree, as always at that time of the night, drawing a few animals in his baobab, singing an old Swahili song he knew till he was little, when a sound made him jump. Cautious, he grabbed his crook and advanced slowly to where he had heard the sound. He wasn't afraid, he tried to think it would only be an animal who couldn't sleep and needed a remedy, or something like that.

Then, the sound sounded again, startling him. With a heap, he turned around, holding his crook in his two hands, a frown on his face. He examined the whole place, trying to catch something. It sounded again and, this time, Rafiki looked up, seeing it was only the wind moving the leaves and his empty fruits he used to decorate his home. Sighing with a smile, he laughed at himself for being so dumb. Lowering his guard, he was about to sleep a bit to clear his ideas when something hit him in the back of his head, making his whole world black.

The next thing Rafiki knew was he wasn't in his tree anymore. Instead, he found himself lying on some cold place, surrounded by rocks who didn't let him see properly where he was. Rafiki felt his head hurting like hell, and put a hand on it, trying to erase the pain with no avail. He touched the ground beneath him, trying to feel something more, and, luckily, he felt his crook by his side. With a groan, he got up, supporting himself with it, and tried to walk a few steps blindly in a useless attempt to find an exit. He had to stop when a deep voice sounded behind him.

"Well, well, well, look who's up…" it said with a small laugh at the end.

Guiding himself with the voice, Rafiki turned around and tried to see through the dark. The only thing the shaman saw was the form of his companion. By the size of its body and the volume in its head, Rafiki could tell it seemed like a lion. But not if he knew him or not.

"Who are you?" asked the baboon, holding the crook firmly.

"The question is not who I am, but what you can do for me" said the voice, enjoying the situation.

And Rafiki prayed to all the Kings of the Past for being watched over till he could recover for the dizziness and find out something more about that strange subject.

So, serious things are starting to happen in this story... To be completely honset, it wasn't the plan at first, but then I thought... Why not? Just a series of things in this AU world where the stampede plan can be avoided, but you'll see... Thanks to all the people who are reading, favoriting, following and commenting this story, it really means a lot =P