CHAPTER 11:

"Omen"

The arid rocks were starting to hurt his claws, which were trying not to lose hold as well as they could. His rear legs never stopped moving, in an attempt to climb a bit more and reach the surface. The sun burnt on his pelt. The dust made his eyes burn and made him cough a few times. Below him, he could hear the growls and attempts of the wild dogs, trying to catch him and sink their teeth in his skin.

Mufasa felt a strange sense of déjà vu taking over him. He had lived this before, but differently. There were stochastic images that appeared in his mind and, as fast as they came, vanished. They beat in his forehead, almost making him lose his whole concentration. His other senses began to feel things that were not real right then: blandness, mud, rain… He knew around him the sizzling hot was almost palpable, though.

More dust was born in another attempt to reach the top, introducing itself down his throat, making him cough. That sound was easily quieted when laughter began to be heard below him. Hyenas, just what he needed… He took in some air and tried to climb. And then, a stinging pain took over him. His muscles hurt and were tightened; his paws hurt as he had run too fast and too much before; an iron taste filled his mouth and nostrils.

Something appeared above him at the same time the noise of heavy and agitated hooves hitting the ground invaded his ears. The growls and laughter were still there, echoing in the back of his mind. It was about to drive him crazy! For pure exasperation, he looked up. He had expected to see a hyena or a wild dog… Instead, there was his brother. Scar didn't seem affected by the fact that he was hanging on a cliff, but Mufasa didn't pay too much attention; he was used to his coldness by then.

"Scar! Bro…!" he slipped a bit and held himself with the last strengths he had left. "Brother! Help me!"

Mufasa didn't mind if he sounded too desperate. When your life is in danger, you don't doubt about screaming for help. To anyone. He was lucky that this time it was his brother and not someone else.

Seconds passed. For him, it felt like hours. He looked up again, and this time his soul froze when he saw Scar had his two emeralds, apathetic and cold, on the top of him. It was like he was seeing a piece of rock drying after a storm, not his own brother about to fall to his death. He hoped it was only his way to express shock…

Finally, a movement. Scar stabbed his claws in his paws. And Mufasa roared, both from shock and pain. All the noises, his five senses died. Scar gained his whole attention, especially when he got closer to him. Face to face, his vision clearer than ever. Not only he could see the surface, but what was beneath.

Scar's face, at first, was serious, almost disgusted, as if he was seeing a despicable and filthy rat; then, it became worse: he smiled. Not only with satisfaction, but also with pure happiness. He wanted this to happen, he was glad to see him at his worst, he was rejoicing with the thought of his imminent death. A shadow, so dark, so dense, so cold covered his brother's emeralds, which used to be as brilliant as their mother's.

Mufasa tried to convince himself this wasn't happening, that he was imagining what was in front of him. He really wanted to believe it was other of his hallucinations, of his flashbacks, that liked to attack him when he lowered his guard.

His brother got a bit closer, his grip became more painful, and, if with that he hadn't have enough evidences, he saw Scar's face hardening, heard what'd be the last words his brother would say to him, holding so much venom and hatred. It hurt to finally know this was happening for real.

"Long live the King"

A small sign of how betrayed he felt, how hurt, how… everything! He wanted to scream at him, to demand him explanations for his treason, to obligate him to confess what was he going to do about Sarabi and Simba once he wasn't there anymore. But there was a question that he wanted to scream the most: why. Why this, why him… How? How could it end like this?

Mufasa wanted to scream all that, even when he felt himself being thrown by Scar, when he felt falling backwards, when he felt himself moving his paws in a useless attempt to grab something at last second that could save him or, at least, would make the fall not mortal.

Nothing of that happened.

He kept falling. Only a scream in a roar he was able to do. Only that. He hoped Scar would pay him enough attention to hear his unspoken questions and feeling of betrayal.

Then, he crashed…

…and an exhalation left his mouth. Gasps followed it. The colours around him were blurred, and slowly, began to form shapes, things he knew. Leaves, wood, branches… The feelings visited him, then. Tiredness, exaltation, shattering, need of oxygen; his senses also woke up, making him feel the cold leaves of the cold nest he was resting on, the cold wind, the cold air going down his throat in his gasps… He felt so hot, suffocated even, while everything around felt so cold…

As cold as his brother's glare.

He growled and lowered his head. Breathe. In and out. In… Out… In… It was just a dream, just a dream. You're alive, you're in your kingdom… he said to himself. He could calm himself, still he wasn't able to feel the peace of the night. He looked around. This had to be Rafiki's tree. He knew it too well, had visited it too many times.

Silencing his complaints, Mufasa got up and took a look at himself. His wounds were covered by large leaves, tied and stuck to his pelt. He felt them sticky and they hurt, but at least he could move. He felt like walking with daggers through his body, but he could walk. He was perfectly fine to go back to the kingdom and alert the pride.

"And, where do you think you are going?"

Or not… A few wounds, a beating headache, a shattering feeling all over his body… Nothing for him. Now, Rafiki in the middle of his way? Well, that was another level. With elegance and agility, the shaman of his kingdom descended from the higher branches – has he been there all the time? He had no idea, and he flinched at that unknowledge – and fell in front of him.

Rafiki naturally bore a smile on his face, it made you feel warm and comfortable; he was the personification of friendship, doing justice to his name. Now, there was not a shadow of any of that. For the first time since he had known him, Mufasa saw the shaman dedicating him a saddened and serious expression. It was a signal. A signal that screamed: 'Hey, something really, really bad has happened or is about to happen!'. Mufasa really had to put a lot of effort for not sigh in his face with all the frustration he was feeling.

At first, he waited for him to say something. Anything. Even the worst news ever. He could handle it. He wasn't the King for anything. Just when he saw the frown in the monkey's face and the silence that persisted, Mufasa remembered he was asked a question. He didn't think he would have to answer it. Normally, Rafiki wouldn't be that finicky. Whatever news he must be hiding from him, they had to be bad if he had come to this extreme…

"I was heading to Pride Rock. There is something the pride needs to know" he explained as quick as he could. He tried to move forwards, but the shaman didn't move an inch. And he was starting to be more worried about his acting.

"Unless you want to show yourself collapsing in front of everyone, I doubt you want to go there" the tone was severe, hard as a rock and sharp as one of his claws; it felt so foreign in Rafiki's voice. So… wrong. "Your brother took you here. You were a mess. He explained wild dogs cornered you and that you've been feeling bad all yesterday…"

And then, Mufasa knew what kind of tone that was. The tone of a disappointed yet relieved parent whose cub had gotten into trouble but now was safe and sound. A part of him wanted to feel affronted, yet the side which was feeling pleased won.

He hadn't heard that kind of parental tone from no one since he was a cub. Only his mother dedicated it to him sometimes, the few times they could spend together. His father, rougher and more insensitive, never talked to him in such a manner. Even his brother, when they were both little, had talked to him like that, as an older brother should. These days it was strange – nearing impossible – to hear Scar talking to him like that. Which made the confession that Rafiki knew all that, even how bad he was feeling for a whole day, because Scar had told him more comforting; his brother knew he wasn't fine and saved his life. And you exiled him, a maleficent voice said in his head. Shut up, this is not the appropriate moment.

Seeing he wasn't going to say anything, Rafiki kept going: "He had gone to fetch some water. Scar. You had a really annoying fever…"

"You can say that again…" was all the King could say.

Rafiki's features seemed to soften at the sound of his voice: "Come on, Mufasa, lie down. Whatever you have to tell the pride, I'm sure it can wait until you're feeling better"

Mufasa shook his head: "No. It is important. Extremely important" he emphasised. "My brother told you about the wild dogs. They are not going to stop just here. They will go further. I would never forgive myself if…"

A sudden sensation of fatigue took over him. Mufasa didn't have enough time to think "not again" before he felt himself falling. He was rapid enough to recover his senses in order not to hit the ground. Rafiki, however, was already at his side, supporting him.

"I am not called 'shaman' for anything" said the baboon with a tiny smile. It was so fake and it showed so much tiredness, that Mufasa didn't have enough guts to contradict him again.

A few minutes later, in which none of them talked again (another strange thing coming from Rafiki, this was getting more worrisome at each minute…) Scar came back. In his mouth, a fruit full of water. He put it on the ground. Mufasa hadn't felt how thirsty he really was until he saw the clear and crystalline water in front of him. He sat on his belly and began to drink. His brother had his two emeralds on him, and a rapid flashback of his dream almost spoilt that peaceful moment.

"I see you could hold him here" it wasn't dedicated to him, Mufasa knew that without having to look at Scar.

"It cost a lot of patience, but it worked like a charm in the end" the shaman said, with a hoarse laugh.

"Maybe because of that he has that bitter expression on his face" commented the dark lion.

Mufasa frowned at his remark. For the moment, it seemed his brother wasn't annoyed or angry. Good sign… Or false sensation of hope? Only time could tell. The important thing was that he was there. Disobeying laws was Scar's hobby, but everybody, even him, knew an exile was very important. If Scar was there was because he had lost the small respect he felt for him as a King or he had known it was the fever along with exasperation talking and not him. Mufasa prayed it was the second one. Please, let it be the second one…

"How are you feeling?" this time, the question was for him. Appropriate to the situation as it was, it was still shocking to hear that from Scar. "I can't remember the last time I saw you like that"

"It was only a bit of fever. I'm fine already" he looked at Rafiki with the corner of his eye. Rafiki caught the indirect yet didn't seem prone to let him go.

"A bit of fever? That is not what I saw. My mane has a particular aroma telling another story…"

There was a brief image that appeared on Mufasa's mind. He felt his cheeks burning. "Oh, that happened for real?"

"I fear it did"

"I'm sorry"

"It is not the first time you bring up on me. But I hope it is the last one"

Mufasa couldn't contain his laugh. But he tried to keep being serious: "No. I'm sorry for… what I said earlier"

The fact that his brother was joking with a not very sarcastic and hurtful humour was a good sign; that he was there was a good sign; that Scar was the responsible that he was still there was a very good sign. And Mufasa didn't know if they were good for real or just pretended. Scar was very sensitive, even if now tried to act as cold and hard as rock in the outside. Words affected him, and he found difficult to forget them. Mufasa had done a lot of things wrong already, he didn't want to add one more to the blacklist his brother had him on for sure. Apologising sounded fine right then.

"And I'm grateful for your help"

Thanking him sounded right, too.

Rafiki eyed them both. The shaman didn't know what he was talking about but didn't mind. His whole attention was on his brother. That cold glare, that hatred, that darkness… Was it all real or was a warning? Were his dreams just dreams or something alerting him that something had to change? He made a mental note he hoped to remember, about to ask Rafiki about his dreams, if those images had some kind of meaning. He had dreamt about a stampede twice. Mufasa never believed in coincidences.

"Mufasa?" a female voice said.

It broke the silence, the tension and the seriousness. Also, the chance for his brother to answer, to let him know if he was forgiven. Mufasa would have cursed if the voice hadn't belonged to Sarabi.

The lioness didn't give him time to turn his head towards her; she was already on the top of him, nuzzling him, kissing him, breathing with relief in his mane, inspiring his scent, as if she was afraid of losing him. Did Sarabi know what had happened to him?

"I thought… No one had seen you and I… Oh, I was so worried! I woke up and you weren't… What happened to you? Why are you covered in bandages?"

No. She didn't know. And she was also at the verge of a panic attack.

"Sarabi, I'm alright. Calm down…" he said with a tender tone. He hated to see her so agitated. "I went to take a walk at the gorge, and there, a pack of wild dogs attacked me. But I'm fine, there's no need to worry. We just have to alert the pride, and arranging a meeting with the Committee…"

He was starting to ramble, and he knew it. A bad habit he had since little, and it became worse and stronger with the years. In a sense, it calmed him down, knowing he had everything planned, and so, in control. For the others, it was annoying most of the times, but he knew they never complained due to who he was. This time Mufasa could stop in time when he saw how tensed Sarabi had become. The beautiful ruby on her eyes clouded. He also felt Rafiki pressing his lips. He knew something was going really wrong…

"What happens?" he asked, getting up.

"No, dear, do not get up…" advised Sarabi under her breath.

"What happens?" he repeated; voice more potent, deeper. He saw his brother eyeing his sister-in-law, a bit curious.

Sarabi took her time to answer. Another bad sign. She never thought too much about telling him something unless it were bad news. "Kwenja is dead"

'How to worsen an already horrible day volume II'. Sarabi was starting to perfectionate her technique. Scar's eyes shone with a mix of feelings he wasn't able to distinguish. Was he affected, was he angry, was he worried? He didn't know. Mufasa knew he was feeling like a bomb about to explode. How many things would go wrong this week?

"We will have to inform his sister and friends when the Committee…"

"His sister knows" Sarabi interrupted. "She saw him die. We all did" she pointed at Rafiki with her eyes. "He tried to tell me something, but he died before he had the chance"

Her eyes went down, to her chest. It was then when Mufasa saw the red shades in Sarabi's pelt. Blood. Shed a time ago, tried to be clean uselessly. Sarabi maybe was too nervous, too in shock to do it properly. He would help her after he had all the details.

"How did it happen? I thought Rafiki told us he only needed rest" he looked at the shaman. He didn't want to make him feel guilty; Rafiki could be wrong, but they were talking about a life.

Rafiki sighed and shook his head: "I would want to talk about this when you're recovered, but I can see in your eyes you won't give me that possibility, am I wrong?" he asked with a sad smile.

"How did it happen" asked Mufasa, turning to face the shaman completely. "And do not hide anything from me this time" he warned.

And so, he was explained about everything. His brother, who hadn't been there, was also new to all the story. Mufasa couldn't believe his ears, and, for the gleam in Scar's eyes, he supposed his brother was as lost as him.

Kwenja had attacked Rafiki, he tried to even kill his mate. Mufasa admired how diplomatic Sarabi could be in some situations, he would have not thought about anything else if he had seen that cheetah attacking her. Or anyone he cared for. When Sarabi explained how Kwenja seemed to come back to his senses thanks to Izulu, everything seemed more complicated, and lost the small sense the story had.

"He tried to warn me" Sarabi said. A frown wrinkled her pretty face. "He told me… That someone was coming"

"Who?" asked Mufasa, now more worried than before.

Sarabi shook her head, and Mufasa contained a frustrated growl. "He couldn't tell. He… He… passed out"

Mufasa supposed that was easier than saying 'he died on the top of my chest, with his sister looking'. He growled this time. It seemed like a fantastical story, one a parent would tell their children at All Hallows' Eve, not something a King would have to take care of. A King should worry about droughts, food and the peace among species. Not this crazy thing.

"He seemed to be in a trance, then" Scar spoke. "It's a psychologic mechanism when someone abandon certain external or internal conditions" he explained, looking at Mufasa with the hint of a smile.

"I know what it is…" said Mufasa rolling his eyes in annoyance. Yet, those little taunts made him remember their cubhood, so he let him do.

"Rafiki, you muttered something about Kwenja not being Izulu's brother anymore" said Sarabi, with a sober expression. "Did you say it because you knew that?"

"Yes, I did" the shaman confessed. Mufasa saw he was still rigid, tensed. He was still hiding something. But this time he let Sarabi handle him. She could be very terrifying. when she wanted to. He had seen it himself.

"Then, why didn't you…?"

"It is not easy to explain" interrupted the baboon. Another strange thing from him to do, but he talked so calmly no one dared to say a word about it. "I can recognise it because I can do it"

"Using animals as puppets?" asked the Queen, arching an eyebrow.

"I'm a shaman, remember?" he asked, this time with an annoying tone. Mufasa remembered he had said that to him before, but doubted he was annoyed because of repeating it. There had to be something else. "My family has known and practised all kind of magic. From white and pure to cure animals in need… to the darkest ones, able to curse the enemies of our Kings"

Everybody had their glares fixated on the baboon. They knew Rafiki could be powerful – being able to talk with the spirits, predicting the future most of the times with a simple turtle shell… those were things that could be used as evidences of how strange he was, and what kind of powers he held. But none of them ever thought about the possibility of him using bad magic… Or black magic… Or whatever that was called. Mufasa didn't want to think about that very much; the headache was coming back.

"Are you saying that the wild dogs have a shaman helping them?" asked Mufasa, when he saw nobody else wanted to talk.

"I… I can't be sure of that"

Another lie. Mufasa saw it but decided to let it go… by the moment. He decided to focus on how strong that dog seemed to be, how absent a few seemed, how their moves seemed to be automatic and not thought. Chills went down his spine. Thinking about someone controlling another living being as a personal puppet was one of the few things that turned his stomach.

Rafiki' sigh – a very tired and exhausted sigh, another bad sign… How many had occurred by then? – took them all out of their thoughts.

"This has been a very tiring day. I think the best we can do is going to sleep"

"Sounds good for me… I'll go to the den; Simba must be waiting for me" Mufasa saw his mate avoiding his glare.

"Is everything alright?" he asked, worried for their son.

"Yes, dear, do not worry" said the Queen, giving him the best smile she could do in a situation like that. Then, she nuzzled him once again. This was enough to calm him by the moment. "Try to sleep and rest. Tomorrow we will need a lot of energy"

She was right. They would have to arrange a meeting tomorrow, alert of the danger, interrogate Rafiki… Well, he could do that on his own. When his mate left, not before licking his cheek with affection, his eyes fell on his brother. He admired how cold-headed he could be after everything he was informed. He wished to be like that sometimes.

"Scar" he called, taking a step closer. With the corner of his eye, he saw Rafiki climbing the tree. "Again, thank you for your help"

His brother eyed him with a bit of curiosity. Then, he just shrugged. "Listen to your mate, Mufasa; I know your big pride wouldn't stand repeating the lamentable spectacle I had to witness today"

And with that, he disappeared from sight. Mufasa swallowed, trying with all his might not go after him. No, right now, you owe him with your own life. You will have to stand all that until the favour is given back. He doubted Scar would think like that; returning favours was an important law and tradition. Two things Scar never wanted to know anything about. But Mufasa will do it. For honour, at least.

He rested on the nest, not before trying to see Rafiki among the leaves. Nothing. He was starting to be sick of that bad habit of disappearing with ease. He thought about Simba. Was he fine? Sarabi seemed to know something about him he didn't…

He thought about all he would have to explain to Kali, and how he would have to arm himself with patience… He thought about how would he talk to Jelani about what happened with Kwenja without sounding an idiot or a mad lion. He rested on his side and closed his eyes. Tomorrow was going to be one of those days when he hated to be King.

Usually, she would have feared the image in front of her. He was beyond mad, had a dangerous gleam in his red orbs, they seemed fire. Her soul burnt because of them. His white fangs cut her with only looking at them. He tapped the rock ground with one paw, the only sound that was heard.

By her right, her mate stood. Head bowed as usual. By her left, that damned dog, Uhari, looked at them both with anger and, should she said, repugnance. She didn't mind. She didn't mind at all. She only had one thing in mind. And that was the most important thing of the world. The rest wasn't important right then.

"What should I do now…?" the dark and deep voice of that revolting being echoed through the cave. His voice was so calm… and that was dangerous. His calm irritation was so damn dangerous. "Should I forgive your foolishness? Or should I punish it? I must admit I thought you would have learnt what happens when you disobey my orders…"

"Master, we didn't want to…" tried to apologise her mate.

A roar silenced him and made him flinch. "No more excuses, Batili! I see myself as a very understanding lion, but you seem to like the beast instead of the diplomatic me…"

"No, that is not…"

"I said silence!"

He got up. She saw him bigger than yesterday. Each day he seemed bigger, more like a shadowy monster. Each day she hated him more.

"I see I made a mistake by trusting such a difficult task to stupid and incompetent creatures… I should have trusted you first, dear" he said, now looking behind them. Nyeti didn't need to turn to know whom he was referring to. "You can go, then, sweetheart, I know you won't fail me as these brainless mongrels"

As Nyeti heard steps getting further from them, she gritted her teeth. Unable to be silent anymore, she dared to speak without permission: "It wasn't our fault that your favourite takes the law in his own paws" She felt the dangerous shine of the dark lion's eyes with more intensity then; the terrified look of his mate accompanied it.

"Ny…!" said Batili in a low voice, wanting to reprimand her.

She wasn't going to allow him: "No! My sister is dead because of that stupid and selfish bastard!" she screamed at him. Then, looking daggers at the lion, she added: "And because of you! How do you dare talking about disobeying, about punishments? You say you're understanding? You only focus on taking over a kingdom, promising us food and security, but since you arrived at our lives, we've had everything but that!"

It was her truth, a truth she didn't dare to say aloud because of fear. But today that was over. When they were running away from the hyenas, her sister was left behind. Uhari, who saw her first, could have saved her, but he left her behind. He left her to die. She doubted those stinky hyenas would have mercy on her. Ujinga, her little and beloved sister, was dead. There was nothing more important for her, not even her own life.

Her complaints were rapidly silenced. She had expected the blow, but it surprised her, though. She felt his claws scratching her snout, making her roll and hit the wall. A few pebbles fell on her, but everything was going in circles around her, so she barely felt them.

"Nyeti!" she heard her mate calling her, worried, and in less than a second he was by her side. "Are you alright?"

She didn't have time to answer. The dizziness and the deep voice of the lion prevented her to do so: "You sister is dead because she is the one who always took the law in her own paws" he got closer to her and Batili. The male bowed his head, still she could see him baring his teeth. It was good to know he was still defending her under his passivity. "She listened too much to her feelings, she believed too much in peace offers and talking, instead of acting. She wrote her own destiny, and today was her last chapter" He turned his back on her. "Now, get out of my sight, or I'll reunite you with your little sister"

"Come on, Ny" whispered Batili, helping her to get up.

She only had strengths to nod, unwillingly though. She could only think, while eyeing that filthy beast: You would do me a favour, then…