A/N: Whew, talk about a monstrosity... x.x *holds up bloody fingers* Don't worry guys, it's just fictional character blood, so it's okay... hehe... xD
Well, I pretty much just finished 8,000+ words of text spanning one chapter... or two. The way I see it, you all will either love me for putting up so much suspenseful writing in such a short period of time and space without all the waiting, or you will hate me for going all violent and forcing you to read so dang much. x) One or the other... personally, I'm hoping for the first reaction, but don't pelt me with vegetables in case of the second. XD
So let's get started, shall we? ;D
mom: Glad you liked the chapter. :p And yeah, you are first this time... hmm... where's Reldor? O.o *scratches head*
theAnGerFlarE: Thank you. :) And I know, I hate that when I read. ;/ I wouldn't want to torment you guys with them too much... (although it IS in the Suspense genre for a reason, right? ;p) Hehe... anyways, hope you keep reading. :D
TheTrueJuliet: Yeah, Askari stopped to smell the roses... or something. X) lol And thank you - I was trying to make the scene emotional, yet also tense and exciting. :D I've got more plans for drama in the future (after this physical bit XD), including a flashback which seems oddly like a scene you used in Brother... great minds think alike, maybe? xp I kid... lol
pokeking95: Yeeee, that was just the atmosphere/reaction I wanted! :D (Sorry, I get excited when that happens xD lol) I'm so glad you're enjoying this... I hope you like this chapter too. :) Y se dice "el flashback" - yo vi un fic por un hispanohablante con "el flashback" para el titular de un capítulo. XD Yo pienso que este fic está medio terminado a lo más... I tend to underestimate, though. Around Chapter 10 I planned out the chapters up until about this point, and this was supposed to be Chapter 19. XD
IronicSnap: Ahh, I thought you'd be mad because I hadn't gotten far in it yet, and then I got all stressed out! DX Hehe... and I'm glad you liked last chapter, even though you've told me you aren't big into emotions (I still remember you saying "... ugh, feelings..." in Accidental Love XD lol). Now enjoy all the fighting. ;)
Guest: Thanks for the encouragement, Guest-who-sounds-like-Reldor-even-though-it'd-be-weird-for-him-to-be-last-and-not-log-in (wow, that's a mouthful... XD). If you're not of Reldorian origin, then never mind what I just said. lol I can just discern these things. xp
All of you keep an eye out for the wild ForeverNocturnal. Said creature looks like a bearded dragon and is known to roam around these parts. :p
(Also, watch out for possible blood splatters around this area - the rating's T for a reason. ;D)
Scar stopped in the gorge, in the middle of his first free moment… and possibly the last chance for him to escape. He whirled about, confused to find nobody in his way and nothing obstructing his view. No hyenas leapt out of the shadows and tore at him, and Mufasa was nowhere to be seen. Indeed, for several moments all was shockingly silent… until the rough sounds of fighting, yipping, and crazed growling resounded from behind a rock nearby. As afraid as he was, he was curious… looking once more down the empty gorge, he turned away and went towards its source, surprised to find Mufasa fighting with a lone hyena.
There was only one hyena. Normally Mufasa would have pinned it down and ended the fight by now, but this was different. The hyena appeared to be trouncing him rather badly, his muscular figure advancing on the large form of the lion with commendable aggression and hostility. He couldn't understand why he was alone—it was unlike the hyenas to send out one solitary individual instead of a ruthless pack. Yet he took this as a good omen: there was only hyena to flee from, and Mufasa was occupied in his fight. His path of exit was wide open, and he was prepared to take it. Perhaps the hyena would even get lucky and kill Mufasa… then things would be significantly easier. In any case, the two were fighting and… wait… no. Mufasa?
Why was the hyena fighting his older brother? Weren't they after him? Mufasa didn't do anything to them—at least, nothing but…
Their exile. Surely, if they were after him, it was vengeance for that… or they were trying to kill him as the king of the Pridelands. Either way, it didn't look good. They must have had ulterior motives, something they were up to…
Scar skidded to a halt, his paws digging into the hard rock as he ceased his sprint and brought his escapade to an end. Something pricked up inside of him… something conflicted.
A part of him didn't care. A part of him was urged forwards by his fear, which told him that his survival was the only thing that mattered—not his brother, not the hyena, not the kingdom he had tried to take for himself… as long as he made it out of there intact, it would be a victory. And yet, at the same time, south wasn't the only direction he was being pulled towards. For there was something else. Something deeper. For surely, once Mufasa was rid of, the hyena would attack him as well—the chances of killing their enemy without suffering casualties was greater if the two lions worked together. And if there was one other being he wanted to avenge himself upon more than his clueless sibling, it was that hyena. The same one he recognized as cutting off his finger… and the same one doubtlessly sent to cut both their throats.
Besides, if worse came to worse and both of Pride Rock's princes were killed, they could go through with their plan without him and take over the kingdom. And who knew what would happen once that became a frightful reality…?
It was settled in his mind: he would need to transcend his instincts. He would kill the hyena alongside Mufasa—and then, in the aftermath, go through with his original idea and find the convenient moment to slip back into the shadows. It surely wouldn't be too hard if Mufasa was battered, bruised, and possessed by the idea that he had risked his life for him… It was a risk, and rather circuitous, but in the end it would placate his brother and remove the most dangerous of the hyenas as a threat. And one sacrifice now was bound to ease both of those burdens in the future.
He turned back, slipping through the shadows and towards the fight. Returning to the place where his brother had last been seen, he stopped and looked around, only to discover that there were no sounds of fighting and his brother was nowhere to be found anymore… first he looked left, and then right… nothing. Until, at least, he looked up.
Mufasa was climbing up the rock. Scar cocked an eyebrow, regarding this fact with suspicion—Mufasa was not a coward when it came to a one-on-one fight. But he must have possessed the knowledge that hyenas were foul climbers, and that it would perhaps even the odds slightly if he moved to a higher location. Of course, from Scar's point of view, Mufasa was also a foul climber as far as lions went… so the risky move would probably only end up endangering both of them.
How smart of him.
Scar paced, agitated, as his brother neared the very same spot where he'd been thrown off once before… it was sheer and nearly vertical. And, as always, Mufasa was having a hard time climbing it. Askari, who had lagged a bit behind climbing up the gorge wall, was now approaching his heels again.
The dark lion rolled his eyes with the knowledge that, if Mufasa were left to his own devices, it would end badly… and then he disappeared stealthily, the spot he had once occupied lapsing back into nothingness. The years of creeping about after twilight to find food suddenly came in handy, his paws making no sound as he swiftly found a way up through the scoping ledges of rock and precarious edges. Only the occasional scraping of a rock was heard, and this was drowned out by the overwhelming degree of his brother's desperate scrapping at the ledge.
He could hear Askari's growls as he systematically climbed after his lion prey, the both of them nearing each other as the ledge got steeper and Mufasa's forward progress ceased…
Scar continued to move up the shallower, more indirect routes, his fur bristling as he got closer. What exactly was he doing? … What was he getting himself into?
He was nearing them… it wouldn't be long now. Mufasa finally pulled himself up, succeeding in the very task he had once failed to do. Turning around and looking sternly down at the tenacious hyena, he let out a growl.
The younger brother, having crisscrossed through a maze of narrow, winding ledges, now watched the scene from the nearby shadows. To his amusement, Mufasa tried to do what he himself had once done to him… he whipped forwards, trying to take Askari's paws in his own. The hyena, while deft, could not avoid the large lion's grasp… but he could break it. With similar, if not faster, reflexes, he drew forwards and bit him harshly in the face, and with a surprisingly spry move he took advantage of the lion's pain and confusion and jumped onto the ledge. Mufasa drew back with a paw at his face, indignant and feeling blighted, but he didn't have much time to ponder it—Askari had already leapt at him, and he could do nothing but try to defend himself.
Scar stood at his place, eyes narrowing calculatingly as the two fighters advanced back and forth against each other. He waited for his moment, claws digging into the rock and a rumbling growl beginning to form in the back of his throat. Neither of them noticed him—Mufasa in particular had more important things to worry about: namely, not getting killed. Any moment now would be his to strike… any moment.
Finally something seemed to unfold. Mufasa tripped, or something thereabouts, and Askari was advancing on him, seemingly one move away from pinning him to the wall behind their narrow ledge. Mufasa was mostly cornered, and neither moved around the other…
The dark lion, still hidden in the shadows, prepared himself. The muscles in his limbs tensed and he crouched, eying them and trying to time his pounce in the most advantageous way possible. He had a few seconds at best… the shine from the splotchy moonlight illuminated the alcove and his targets well, and so it was that he could see even from his place of darkness.
And then he leapt. Claws out, limbs stretched, jaw line hardened as he bared his fangs… at the end of it all he couldn't suppress a roar, his show of anger as his paws collided with the hyena and sent them tumbling. Askari pricked up in surprise, and Scar could feel the warm, breathing weight tense up and lie sedate and in wait as his momentum carried them farther along the edge. The hairs on the back of Scar's neck prickled as he vaguely wondered what his enemy had in mind, and at just what sort of fight he had entered… Already he was starting to regret intervening at all.
Mufasa stood at the back of the wall, his breath heavy and his expression now concerned. He'd stayed behind for a moment, having received some minor injuries from the brisk scuffle… but he had a feeling it was nothing like the fight that was about to unfold. Scar had saved him—he didn't know why, and he doubted that his intentions had suddenly become benevolent… but he could admit to that much. He moved forwards, trying to locate his younger brother again, only to see that the hyena had leapt at him and knocked him off balance. Suddenly unsettled, he gritted his teeth and watched, not in a position to help and knowing firsthand that a drop straight to the ground from this height had the potential to hurt badly…
Scar hovered momentarily and cautiously on the precarious edge, trying to maintain his footing and barely succeeding. Askari took advantage of his position and leapt at him again—having no other choice, the lion embraced him, digging his claws and paws into the ruff of fur about his opponent's neck. If he was going to fall off the gorge, he was taking his attacker with him. And so it was that he wavered slightly, and then fell backwards off the ledge…
The younger lion's breath caught in his throat, and he suddenly found himself falling off the shelf. For a moment, all was still, save for the hyena struggling under him. His attacker tried to claw at any parts of him he could reach, hoping to do some damage, though he quickly realized he was falling and tried to make the most of it. Both of them fought and scrabbled with each other, attempting to make sure that their opponent would be the one to fall to the ground under them.
What was he doing? He wasn't sure… he could only hope that the hyena would be hurt more than he would—for no matter which way it went, he would be in for some hurt by the time he reached the bottom. His shoulder smacked into a rock, and another sharp boulder nicked him in the side. Askari had since wriggled out of his grasp and was trying to roll on top of him in midair, though each time they collided with any protrusions it jostled and jarred them somewhat. One moment Scar was on top, trying to force Askari's head down with his paws and let him cushion his fall; the next, however, the both of them had rolled head over heels, and it was Askari's turn to try to claw his opponent and push him under.
This all happened very fast, as both fighters had quick reflexes and movements… yet the fall could only last so long. Scar, having drawn the shortest stick, could see that he was about to collide into a ledge midway down the drop. He swiftly braced himself, muscles tensing as everything crept closer.
Smack!
Scar's side was jammed up against the rough rock, knocking the air out of him with a hard blow. Askari, dazed yet resourceful, landed simultaneously. Using his enemy's current weaknesses to his advantage as he always did, he had briefly positioned himself so that, at the moment the two hit the ground, the full combined force of gravity and the collision would drive his elbow deep into the lion's soft, yielding gut. The move worked perfectly, and though the hyena had trouble rising to his feet after suffering such a fall, Scar was in for a significantly harder time. Having been pressed into from both sides, he could momentarily do nothing but double over in pain, his lungs empty and a sharp stab assailing him from below his ribcage. By the time he'd rolled back onto his belly and risen halfway to his feet, Askari was already up and prepared, and it was all too easy for the hyena to keep his adversary at bay with a strong swipe to the face. Scar recoiled and staggered to the side, leaning against the rock wall for as long as he possibly could. He stood dazed, his hot flanks heaving as he struggled to catch his breath and ease the pain in his chest and stomach.
All this lasted for but a moment, as Askari had already leapt at him again… this time with the obvious intention of clawing him across the throat for a deathblow. He almost succeeded, several inches of Scar's mane being cut as he drew his head back. The lion tried to take a step backwards, eyes widening as his foot slipped and the realization came that he was again on the precipitous edge of falling and could not move farther. Desperate, he tried to move closer to the ledge, though this only cornered him more. Askari leapt at him with a passionate surge, paws smacking into the lion's chest and sending the victim to the ground in a sprawled heap.
Scar finally stopped moving, a momentary moan of pain escaping his curled figure. He blinked, unable to hear anything over the echo of his heartbeat as it pounded in his ears. There was nothing he could do at this point—his breathing was still labored and painful as he tried to catch it, and Askari was already looming over him, a victorious smirk on his face. The hyena lifted up his paw, the claws on it pulled out and prepared to dole out whatever he wished…
"Well, I suppose I should thank you for this, Scar. You told us all to be prepared, and now I'm prepared… to kill you. So góða nótt, sæturprins... I hope the nights are equally pleasant down in the fire where you're going."
Scar exhaled in defeat… he had been beaten. He could do nothing but lie there, pinned down by Askari's paws and hoping that it would end quickly. Besides, he was supposed to die. He was supposed to die all along. His brother was nowhere to be found… nowhere to help him, just as he'd thought. And why should he? Scar never should have turned around and tried to save Mufasa's life… he should have turned coward and run with his tail between his legs instead…
Or maybe not. He was about to die, yet he still felt like he'd died for something… something other than himself. Something bigger, and greater—he didn't know what it was, or if it was even significant. He only knew that he'd never felt anything like it before. Having stayed and fought, he could have the pride and dignity to die something other than a coward's death. And so he didn't plead. He didn't beg or kick or scream… he only sat silently, his sharp eyes studying Askari's as if defying him to go forwards with this.
He did. Or he would have, at any rate. For, at the very moment of impact, something came between them.
Scar heard a harsh, raspy scream from his rear, and he perked up in surprise to find a lioness in front of him. She knocked Askari off of his still body, fighting without any coordination whatsoever. Her sharp claws attempted to cut into him, slashing the rock and their surroundings in the process. The hyena backed up, looking no more than miffed… and as she overstepped her bounds to take a large, failed swipe at him, he took advantage of her exposed self and leapt forwards, his fangs sinking in around her neck.
He continued with a quick, efficient move. Alas, it wasn't enough to snap the stout lioness' vertebrae, but with a further jerk he found himself with most of her throat ripped away in his mouth. A thick splatter of blood sprayed out, covering the dark, silhouetted rocks… indeed, some of it found its way onto Scar, who was greeted with a warm peppering of crimson on his muzzle.
"YOU!"
The wrathful voice of Mufasa suddenly boomed from the ledge above, causing both Scar and Askari to jump slightly in surprise. Scar had found his clumsy way onto his feet as fast as he could, as the hyena's attention was on the older lion trying to leap down the rocks. Pricked by a strange mix of curiosity and horror, the dark lion was incited forwards, trying to identify the victim in whatever stray slivers of moonlight had danced across her form. In the end, her now bloody figure, still somehow barely alive, was not obvious… until he decided to take a whiff of the blood's sharp, overpowering odor.
Sarabi.
… Sarabi?
His nose wrinkled in confusion, at least until Askari shot him a thick, potent glare. The hyena's dark eyes shimmered in the night, his facial expression betraying the words hidden within his silent body. Thick globules of red dripped off his muzzle, and he looked ready to ravage anyone or anything he happened to come across… The younger lion's flesh crept, blood curdling as he stood with seeming calmness on the ledge. The façade did not fool his enemy—nothing did.
I'm not finished with you…
Mufasa ran with rage and climbed down the cliffs, the unbridled fury he felt at his ex-mate's death surprisingly strong. Askari smirked and, without warning, rammed into Scar. He knew that the older lion would be too distracted with Sarabi's silencing figure, and that he would have enough time to settle the fight and kill the younger and weaker of the princes he was assigned to assassinate. The both of them vanished, and Mufasa arrived just in time to see his mate take her final breaths.
"Sarabi! Sarabi, I'm here…"
He tenderly took her paw in his own, a wild and desperate light coming into his eyes as he tried to get her to stay with him… yet the gleam in hers was rapidly fading. She had seconds to live, at the very most. Mufasa could not help but be sprinkled with his beloved lioness' blood, which was pumping out of the gaping wound on her neck and trickling down her chest and limbs to come to rest on the ledge…
"Mu… Mufasa…" she paused a moment and coughed horribly, her body undulating as it racked her entire being. The crimson fluid came forth from her lips, staining her muzzle as she turned and struggled to look at him. "Don't… let it… just… let…"
Her breathing hitched and became weak, Mufasa pressuring her to continue with his steadfast gaze. The grip on her paw tightened, the tears brimming in his eyes as he looked upon her, the lioness who had so suddenly come from nowhere and saved his brother…
Why?
She looked up at him, the rest of her energy going into one last, soft smile. The lioness could tell she had less time than she thought—that this would be her last breath. And so she ignored what she had said before, instead reminding him of the one truth which needed to be acknowledged, the one axiom she couldn't leave without imparting to him…
"L… Love you…"
And that was it. She exhaled, her head flopping back limply and her body becoming still. No more pulses of her heart resounded, and her chest rose and fell with breath no longer. She was gone.
Mufasa nuzzled her, an odd hardness piquing in his heart. He didn't want to let go. He simply wanted to stay there, to remain by her forever. She had left him twice now, and he didn't know what to do… it was too late—this time her departure was for good. Never again would she be in the world of the living, and he could do nothing but cuddle up to her and hope she would come back. She wouldn't. But it was worth a try.
He felt alone. Abandoned. Like an orphaned cub, a ravaged widower… although he supposed that, technically, he was both of those things, or had been at some point. The golden lion sulked, wallowing in his solitude. His son, his mate, his parents, his friends… all gone. He was the only one left, the only one surviving with the breath in his body. And surely it was only a matter of time before that too was ripped away from him.
A part of him did feel like it was pointless… he wanted to join them in the afterlife, so that they could be together again. Besides, his kingdom would go to shambles under him, and he simply didn't feel like he could lead anymore anyways. Nyota was right—his judgment was foggy… and Usiku… Usiku was also right: he was a putrid ruler and could do nothing to protect even his own subjects. Indeed, they were all correct in some way… he'd come up short. He wasn't good enough. The last being to love him had just perished, her mind already ravaged and his own likely to follow. What more purpose did he have? Why even bother anymore…?
What more could he do? He'd let everyone down…
But wait. No. There was one relative of his still alive, one more being sharing in his parent's blood as he did. One who had saved him despite the odds and despite everything… a lion who was down there on the ground, perhaps struggling for his life and in need of help. And then it all became clear. He did have one thing left to live for… one solitary mission. One thing he would see fulfilled before he succumbed to the clutches of death. A whisper of wind ruffled through his mane, as if to condone his choice, and his face tightened up in determination.
Scar was his brother, and the only one he had left. For if he died, he truly would have failed in everything. Everything he had promised to his family… it was now time for it to be tested. This would be the hardest of all… he would have to face his past, and the one being who had had enough hatred to deign to break their bond. If Sarabi had the courage to jump into the fray, to show them both that she forgave them despite losing everything, then he could do the same. He would give it everything, for that was the only thing he could do…
He would save him.
Yep, so that's the first tidbit of action there. The next part will be posted at midnight my time - about 3.5 hours from now - so stay tuned and be prepared. It is already written and completed, and there will be no author's notes at the beginning: only the chapter. After that it slows down for a while, though there still will be some good scenes coming up. ;p
If you're curious about fanart, then check my profile page for links to my TLKFAA album (a little bit of TLK art is there, though not much at the moment) and my MLK forum account (also a snippet of off-topic artwork there). Since I use traditional media, do not expect to see Photoshop work or things with elaborate backgrounds. What's up now is mostly a sample. :3
Anyways, leave a review if you liked the chapter, or you have any predictions on what will happen. Or, better yet, just say anything you want - everything goes, so post away. ;)
Vayan con Dios!
Twin (: