Chapter 21: Confronting the Enemy
Back to the Pridelands, just like I said. So the war is brewing just over the horizon and none of the Pridelanders want it. Can they parley with Keino and his forces to stop the war or will Keino rage war against the Pridelanders? I guess we'll just look and see to find out.
I would like to thank Story Writer 2015 and Teddi 8347 and her sister for the ideas they gave me, one of which I will be using in this chapter. Thanks a ton you guys!
Warning: there is mild violence and a slight blood warning in this chapter. Nothing too extreme, but reader discretion is advised.
Enjoy the chapter!
Mufasa's POV
After many hours of negotiating and planning with the pride, I believe we may have this thing figured out. If we can convince Keino to stop waging his war against the Pridelands, then many innocent lives can be spared. But we'll need to handle this democratically or else the point of it is null and void.
After sending several messengers to Keino's troops, we have received word of him and that he will meet us a the same gorge where we last fought for a have agreed that the pride members attending will me myself, Taka, our mother, Uru, Kilana, and several other lionesses, long with Zazu, to accompany us if something should go wrong. Diku and the other lionesses will be guarding Pride Rock until we return.
Our group and I are moving at a quick pace to the gorge, for we agreed to meet them at specifically high noon. Mother is unfortunately lagging behind due to her age catching up with her. We simply wait for her to catch up and catch her breath every so couple of paces until she is ready to move with us again. Finally we make it to the gorge, right on time. Keino has been waiting for us with several of his jackals. The other lionesses and mother will be waiting behind us, hidden in the tall grass. We do not want Keino to discover there presence, but if he chooses to attack during or after the negotiation then our warriors will spring into action, ready to attack.
Keino notices my brother and I as we come up to him. His jackal soldiers and sentries growl and snarl as we make our way up. Keino himself is like a living nightmare. His dark brown, almost black, pelt is littered with scars and scratches, resembling long ago battles and possibly even self harm. His mane is full and black, yet it is messy and tangled due to improper or lack of grooming. Several claws and teeth from his past victims dangle around a vine on his neck, two on his ear. His eyes are the color of blood, cold and piercing. In my opinion, if the king of all nightmares took the form of a lion, then this would be his first choice.
"I see you have come, right on time to. I was beginning to think you would not arrive," Keino says, taking his words slow and and almost mechanical. I feel my heart seize up with fear inside of me, yet I refuse to let it show.
"We would not think of it," Taka says from beside me, sparing me of speaking. I silently pray a blessing to him.
"Yes, I see. I am assuming both of you are brothers, from what I hear from all the creatures my scouts have overheard," he inquires.
"Yes. Taka and I am both brothers, just a few minutes apart. I am the older one and he's just a little bit younger," I say. Unless I am hallucinating or something, I think I just saw Keino flinch. He then turns to us, smiling, but his eyes portray rage, hate, memory and... fear?
"Is that so? Well then, let me tell you both a story. Many years ago, beyond the mountains, there lay a small pride. A lioness had just given birth to two baby boys, myself and my late older brother," he explains.
"His name was Kondo. Apparently, being born first made him feel a sense of entitlement, one of being so much better than everyone else. And for that reason mainly I was so loathing of him." Taka and I exchange nervous glances. This sounds very much like Taka and I when we were kids, before that fateful night.
"Everyone adored him. From adults to cubs alike, they only cared for him, never looking out for his insignificant younger brother. And so the two grew up, the younger always in the shadow of his older brother. And so this extended until adulthood, where finally the older brother, Kondo," he spats out the name like it was poison, "married the lioness that the younger was set on having. And just to make it worse, the two had a cub. Do you know who that cub was," he asks, his eyes filled with insanity.
"That cub was Ni. The very same Ni that was destined to be king of the pride that exiled him under my doings. The same Ni who escaped here to the Pridelands where he met you and joined your pride. The very same Ni that was slain by the jaws of my jackals."
"You monster! You just killed your own brother and nephew off just because they had something you didn't!? I'll- I'll kill you," Taka screams, charging straight towards Keino. Keino just stands there facing us, an evil smirk on his face. Too late I realize we've fallen right into his trap.
"Taka," I scream, trying to divert him from the danger and make him realize it. He ignores me, heading straight to Keino. Right before he can headbutt him, Keino steps away from him, pulling out a paw and blowing a red dust cloud at Taka. I hear him scream, the red dust hitting his eyes, fallen into the same trap that I fell into before. He collapses onto the stone floor, Keino smirking above him.
All at once I feel a strange feeling welling up inside of me, filling me with a power unknown to what I have experienced before. Rage. It consumes all my thoughts. I let out a roar, signaling the attack. I charge towards Keino and his forces, ready to attack the one who hurt my family.
Keino dodges my first few attacks, more of defense than offense. The lioness hold back the jackals, just making the fight between me and Keino. He finally makes his first move, swiping his paw close to my neck, his claws almost grazing it. That leaves his right side open. Using his temporary blind spot, I quick ram my paw into his shoulder, knocking him to the side a few feet. I continue to punch and hit him many times, until his shoulder is bruised and maybe broken. Keino screams out in pain. I turn him over to face me, ready to give him the final blow when I hear-
"Mufasa!"
Turning to my side, I am horrified to see the yell came from a lioness, holding back two jackals while pointing to some other free jackals quickly moving to finish my brother. Realizing the imminent danger my brother is in, I get off of Keino and rush at the jackal, knocking him out and pushing him aside. I then grab his shoulders and shake them, trying to get him to awake. Another growl sounds from Keino behind us, ready to get ready to go for the kill. I get in front of Taka's limp body, preparing to take the blow for him.
But it never comes.
I let my eyelid go up just for a second to let me see what happened, but my eyes go completely open at the sight.
Mother jumped before us and is now dangling by the neck in Keino's jaws. He bites harder on her neck and her eyes grow wide one last time before becoming completely blank and lifeless. Keino drops her on the ground, her limp body completely helpless, like a puppet cut from its strings. A pool of blood is beginning to form beneath her neck. I stare at my mother's body for a moment, then turn my eyes back to Keino. Mother's blood stains his muzzle. He gives a sadistic grin before running away, calling his jackals off as well and disappearing into the foliage.
Kilana immediately rushes over to the old queen's side, putting her paws lightly to in front of her nose, checking for signs of breathing and placing her ear up to her chest, listening for a heartbeat. After a half a minute of this, she shuts her eyes and breaths deeply out. She takes up some of the tan-colored dust mixed with blood beneath her paw and, using one claw, gently draws a single line across her forehead, the mark of the gone. My heart breaks in my chest.
Mother is gone, taken from us.
I feel my legs collapse from underneath me. My dear, sweet mother, my last living parent, is gone. I rapidly blink, tear fluid coming down from over my eyes and pooling in the wells at the bottom of my eyes, soon overflowing and streaking down my face. I am crying, crying for my mother gone. A groan comes from the body behind me. I turn to see Taka stirring up. I bound over to him and start shaking him by the shoulders.
"Taka. Taka! Wake up. You have to wake up! Wake up! Wake up! Now," I scream, firmly and a bit hard, shaking him by the shoulders. Taka groans and slowly, and almost painfully, opens his emerald eyes. He shakily gets up, struggling to get a firm standing position. He then just sits there, with his eyes close.
"Taka," I ask tentatively, scared by my brother's weird behavior. He opens his eyes, but to my horror, they are no longer pure green. They are tinged hazel with a distinct red glaze over them.
Then without warning, Taka growls and leap straight at me, claws outstretched and teeth bared.
Where am I? After I had that red dust thrown at me, I awoken to this place. It is completely blank, just darkness and silence all around me. I try to move, but my feet feel like they are glued to the ground. From someone close by comes an evil cackle, mocking me in my attempts to free my feet from this glue trap.
From out of the darkness in front of me comes out the silhouette of a lion.
"I've been expecting you," he says.
"What do you mean expecting me? Who are you," I call out to him. The figure laughs again and starts to walk closer to me.
"Why, you don't recognize me? I would have thought for sure that you would have recalled something familiar about me. After all, we've been her together for years," he says cryptically.
"I don't who you are or what you're talking about. Now release me now or face the consequences," I threaten. He then laughs really loud and hard now.
"Oh Taka. You are in no position to make threats now. But I suppose if you really don't recognize you, I believe I should show you. I am the one that you should have become. I am the one lurking inside of your mind hoping one day to take control. I am the one that came into being the day you were scarred by your cruel and abusive father," he says, coming into the light.
"I am you."
I gasp as I see who it is in the light. A lion completely identical to me now stands before me. Same brown-red fur, same colored paws, same jet black mane, same squarish muzzle, same scar, same green eyes. The only difference is that around the pupil of my clone doppelganger's eyes is rimmed with red.
"Scar," I whisper is shock. The figure smirks, revealing the sharp glint of his teeth.
"That's right. I am Scar. And I am you," he says, before launching at me.
Taka is now attacking me, swinging his claws at me, left and right. I don't want to lose another family member, so I dodge each of his blows without striking him back.
"Taka! What do you think you're doing," I yell at him, but he just snarls at me and keeps trying to attack me. A few of the lionesses try to assist me, but I hold them back.
"No! This is a fight between Taka and me. No one else," I order. They retreat and instead go to where mom's body is with Kilana. Taka finally gets to me and scratches my leg, drawing a hiss of pain from me. Enraged by this injury, I ram my paw into Taka's face, sending him back a few feet. I hear a cry out in pain and when he removes his paw from his face, he has a large bruise forming on his cheek. I am shocked of what I am capable of. He growls at, fury swirling in his red-tinged eyes.
"Brother. I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt you," I apologize. Taka just laughs, but it is not like his usual teasing or humor filled laughs. This is a pure evil laugh.
"Hurt me, Mufasa? Ha! If only you knew. If only you knew that you were always the source of all my pain. From Ahadi favoring you over me as his heir to that day he gave me the scar on my face while you just sat there on the sidelines while I was bleeding, you were always the cause of my pain," he explains. It's Taka's voice I'm hearing, yet it sounds so different. But whose voice could... it... be...
"Scar," I whisper. Scar/Taka grins sadistically.
"So, it appears Taka has told you about me. Well, it's about time you found out," he says, getting into a fighting stance.
"What have you done with Taka," I yell at him. Scar/Taka just smirks.
"The same thing I'm going to do with you," he replies, before leaping straight at me.
"No," I scream, witnessing Scar using me to attack my brother. It's just not fair. Here my brother may die while I just watch, still stuck knee-deep in the darkness on the floor.
"It must be hard, watching your beloved brother fall. But all in all, it is for the greater good. By removing him, I will personally be doing you a favor. Finally, you will rule it all, never being second to the high king," Scar says.
"You monster! Stop this! You don't know what you're doing," I scream, struggling to get free.
"Foolish, weak Taka. I do what needs to be done. Don't you want this? To finally be able to rule it all, making every decision without being hindered by your brother's opinions. You can rule the Pridelands," he whispers into my ear, trying to tempt me.
"No. No, I don't want to. Mufasa and I will always rule together. After we defeat Keino and his forces, we will rule together in peace an the following generations will follow our example, ruling wisely and never turning against one another. And I will not let you succeed," I proclaim. Scar just laughs and uses his claw to make me look at him.
"Oh, I don't think you will. You're just too weak, Taka. You should have let me take over you on the day I came into existence. Your brother will die. Everything else dear to him will die. His mate, your nephew. Everything. And you will no longer have the power to do anything to help him," he says, beginning to walk away from me.
"No Scar. You forgot one thing," I say, realizing a thing he just never knew. Scar stops and turns to look at me.
"Oh yeah. And what might that be," he asks, feigning interest. A burst of light cloaks me, causing him to look away for a moment. When the light dies away, I am no longer captured. I leap at him, quickly pinning him down.
"Mufasa showed me that I was loved. He showed me that I mattered, without even trying. That I could gain power through hard work and diligence, not deceit and manipulation. I never became you because Mufasa saved me and told me that I could be king with him. And I never became you, so you never existed." As I am saying this, Scar begins to fade, tendrils of darkness wrapping around him and fading elsewhere. He looks up at me with both fear and hatred in his eyes.
"What's happening to me," he spats out, watching as he begins to disintegrate into nothingness.
"You never existed Scar. I never became you. I remained and will forever will be Taka, king of the Pridelands, king alongside my brother."
Scar is almost completely gone. He gives me one last glare before saying "You will never escape me. You will... n-never... escape... me..."
He is gone. Vanished. Never to be seen again. I am now completely alone in the dark void.
"Okay. How do I get out now," I ask no one in particulate.
In the tiny space of my mind, I hear a very faint voice saying my name.
"Taka."
I recognize the voice as my brother calling out to me.
"Mufasa," I call. "Mufasa! Where are you? How do I get out of here?"
A light appears right in front of me. It does not frighten me one bit. I race towards its glow, feeling it wash over me, welcoming the feeling of being in control again.
I can't take much more of this. I am quickly tiring, yet Scar still seems to have more energy than I do. He has me begging for mercy. I am quickly getting tired yet my opponent still seems to have the stuff in him. Finally, Scar sends me onto my back, pinning me from up above. I try to struggle and get out from underneath him, but he is too powerful. He raises his clawed paw up, ready to give the final blow and finish me off. As a last act of desperation and using up the last of my strength, I shut my eyes and scream at the top of my lungs,
"Taka!"
When blow never comes, I open my eyes and see Scar's eyes turning back to green again. My brother's eyes. He blinks rapidly, trying to get rid of the feeling. He then looks at me, still pinned from under him.
"Taka," I whisper again. My chest feels really heavy with my brother's weight on it. He cringes and hurriedly jumps of me, allowing me to get up and breathe once more.
"Mufasa. I am so sorry. It was never my intention to harm you. It was Scar who caused me to fight you. But he's gone now. Now and forever. I am finally free of him," he quickly explains. I lift up my paw to shush him, before getting to my feet.
"I know, brother. I know. Thank the Great Kings that you managed to defeat Scar before he defeated me," I explain. He closes his eyes and sighs in relief.
"Yes, well still sorry for what happened. Did I hurt you," he asks. I shake my head. "No."
"Did I hurt anyone else?"
"No."
"So there were no causalities?"
I cease up. Kilana then comes up. "There was one, but it was Keino, not you," she says sadly, turning her head to behind. I hear Taka gulp as he turns his head towards the body of the lioness nearby.
"No," I hear him whisper. I come up to him and rub his shoulders tenderly. Tears begin to form in his eyes.
"No," he whispers again, unable to turn his gaze from our mother's dead body.
"Taka," I whisper, trying to give him some comfort.
"No! No! No" he scream suddenly, barging past everyone towards our mother's dead body. He instantly buries his face against her neck, crying into her fur. "It can't be. It just can't be," he keeps repeating. All of us are beginning to cry now, mourning the loss of a dear pride member and queen. Taka throws his head back, giving out an anguished cry and roars, "Mother!"
Taka's POV
The remaining pride members that have not been sent away are gathered here on the hills where we bury our royal dead. After shedding many tears and saying our last words to mom, we place the dead body into a recently dug grave and cover it up. We lay the most beautiful flowers and plants we could find on her grave, planting a few so that there will always be a sign to where she is buried.
We send the pride home afterwards. Only Mufasa and I stay awhile longer. I nudge a pink petal of a flower closer to the other fallen petals on the grave. The silence is killing me along with the grief in my heart.
"Taka. Do you ever think that the great Kings and Queens of the past really look down on us? I mean, we're in a pretty bad situation now and we need their wisdoms to guide us through it, but they don't seem to be helping us," he asks, turning to me. His eyes are even redder from all the crying. I move closer to him, wrapping a foreleg around him shoulders and pulling him closer to me.
"I don't know, Mufasa. It does appear like the Great Kings and Queens have forsaken us in our time of need, but I feel that when in we are in our darkest hour, they will be there to guide us. And at least now mother is there with them, along with grandfather Mohatu, matriarch Kyra, Ni and...," I cut off before I mention our father's name. Mufasa senses my discomfort and wraps his foreleg around me and pulls me closer.
"Taka. I know that... that dad was never the best father, or husband for that matter, but I really think that once in awhile he actually thought highly of us. Even to an extent that he could say he... he loved us," Mufasa says.
"Humph, he sure did a crappy job of showing it. He mainly showed you love since you were chosen to be the next king and all," I bitterly reply. Mufasa looks down at his paws.
"Yes. He abused you and mother, yet never really gave me any hurt. I know I never wanted to be like him, but," he pauses, "sometimes I think I'm just like him."
I turn to look at him. His eyes are downcast but even I can see that they are filled with sadness and with some regret. Swiftly, I slap him on the back of the head. I hear him yelp in surprise and he turns to look at me, very annoyed I might add.
"Ow! Geez! Why'd you do that," he says, gritting his teeth.
"Helping you get over your stupid paranoia," I reply, "you're fearing over nothing brother. You're a wonderful father and husband to Simba and Sarabi. Everyone adores and looks up to you as king. Sometimes I even get jealous of you when my children come home and start bragging on how you did this or showed them that. You may have gotten a bit of father's looks, but you and him are way different from each other," I explain. Mufasa looks shocked.
"You really mean that," he asks quietly. I get up and walk over to him, then embracing him in a hug.
"I definitely mean it. Have I ever lied to you," I ask. He smirks.
"Well, you did said my son was playing near the mud pits and when I went to get him, he was not there and you pushed me into the mud," he says. I laugh at that memory.
"Yeah, well aside from that and any other times. I really do mean that Mufasa. I've seen you grow up with me and become the lion you are. The lion I wanted to be when I first found out we we're princes and one day we would be kings. And that is something a male does not lie about," I say. He chuckles.
"Hmm. Maybe you're right," he says.
"Maybe I'm right," I ask, giving him a mock look. "Okay. You are right. And thanks for helping me feel better brother. I love you, Taka," says.
"I love you to Mufasa. Now, how about he get back. Today has exhausted me and we've paid our memorial to mom so I think it's time we go to bed now," I say. Mufasa nods, taking on last glance at mother's grave before going off to me back to Pride Rock.
"Oh, and just one more thing Mufasa."
"Yes, Taka?"
"Why does my cheek hurt so much," I ask.
My apologies for the lateness, but my schedule is totally filled and I am just so busy lately. I just hope this a bit longer-than-normal chapter helps. I'm sorry that I killed Uru, but I am getting to a part in the story where I'm considering just how the ending goes. I think it will add for a bit of drama and some heartfelt times in later chapters. Anyways, please review, tell me how I did, and I'll see you guys next time. Sincerely, v.t.7