Hey guys, it's me again! Thought I'd post 2nd chapter today to perhaps soften the blow of the last one so you at least have a sense of what direction this story is going to head in, and Friday is a while away. Yes, I'm one of those who "killed Simba off", but don't let it affect the story—though I don't mind sarcasm. It's all in the tension building and creating a massive problem and lots of turmoil for Kovu. Think about the stuff you've read up until now. And… you never know…
He felt so small and weak.
He couldn't take another step, nor could he bother to find a place to hide when he flopped down, tears of self-pity running down his cheeks that mingled with the sloppy mud and the downpour that had started not long after he had started his trek back to Pride Rock. Along the way, the zebra herd's trail had gotten lost in the rain, and everything had begun to look and smell the same. Darkness was looming behind the heavy cloud cover, and it was coming fast. He knew there were excellent trackers in his pride, but he wasn't so sure if they could find him. Hopelessness overwhelmed him as he wondered if he would ever see their smiling faces again. He thought it would be a miracle if they did.
His ear twisted to the sound of a grunt that was coming from someplace nearby, and he lifted his head. Shaking excess water and mud from his body, he stood ready to run at any hint of a dangerous attack. He hurried into a bush for cover, but just on the other side he could sense the creature that was making the noises. Through the leaf cover, he peered out. A rumble of thunder echoed across the land in the distance.
In the darkness, he could hardly make out the form of a creature that appeared to be dragging something a little bigger than itself. The creature muttered to himself through the fur of his load, and Asuma watched as he hid the motionless lump in a hole that must have been previously dug. A flash of lightening lit up the scene as the dark-maned lion backed away from the spot, once dirt had been pushed back over it, before he dashed away.
"Dad!" Asuma cried, bursting from the bush once he realized who the lion was. He chased after. "Dad!"
"Asuma?" The future king's voice sounded surprised and shaky. Asuma found him by his voice, nearly running into him. He leaped upon his father in his excitement.
"I'm so happy to see you!" Asuma cried, his voice a bit hoarse from calling out for help all day.
"What are you doing out here?" Kovu asked him. His bewildered expression was masked by the dark and his drenched mane which hung in his eyes. "Why aren't you at home?
"Natin talked us into going on a hunt with him, and I got lost when the zebra stampeded," Asuma explained. "With the rain, I didn't know how to find my way home. I-I thought I was going to die out here!" The young lion shuddered at that thought.
"Well, let's get you home," Kovu told him. "How long has it been since you left Pride Rock?"
He hung his head and sighed, thoroughly exhausted. Asuma said, "I'm not sure. Mother must be pretty worried about me, huh?"
His father frowned. "Yes. I'm happy that you're safe, Asuma, but this will not go unpunished. You must have known better."
Why didn't I just go back for help in the first place, Asuma thought self-loathingly. "Yes, Sir… I'm sorry. It'll never happen again."
He expected his father to break his hard demeanor, but Kovu merely nodded. He seemed eager be on the move, and Asuma blamed it on the weather. He led the way, and sure enough, the lion said, "Let's go home and get out of this rain."
Asuma trailed behind his father for a while, plodding along at a quick pace, neither speaking until the young lion broke the silence.
"Didn't you know that I was lost?" he asked, curious. "Weren't you looking for me with the rest of the pride?"
Kovu didn't reply instantly, but after a few moments he told him, "Why would you think that I wasn't?"
Asuma thought this response was a little strange. "Well, you were hunting, weren't you?" he said.
"You never pass up an opportunity for food, Asuma," Kovu told him.
"Aren't we going to bring it home then…?"
"Later I'll take care of it."
This didn't exactly satisfy Asuma, but he sensed his father wasn't going to say more than this. All he said was, "Oh… okay." Why is he being so short with me? he wondered. Did I do something wrong? Am I that much of a disappointment?
