It was several days after Sarafina saved Tojo. The cub was leading Mheetu through the Pride Lands. Under Sarafina's old tree, Penda waited, Tojo's baby birds fluttering around her paws. He had asked his aunt to look after them when Sarafina had been injured. Now, he was introducing his half-brother to the birds, as promised.
Things had grown worse under Scar's reign. The hyenas still had the full run of the Pride Lands. Only yesterday, a few of them had tried to kill Nala. Fortunatly, a rouge named Ni had saved her. A few days before that, Toka had been chased out of the Pride Lands by hyenas. No explanation had been given to the Pride on why he had been chased out. Nuru and Tama left that night, sneaking out so the hyenas couldn't punish them for straying beyond the borders. Prey was becoming scarce, and Scar and his hyenas weren't doing anything about it.
Mheetu's eyes widened at the sight of the birds, who fluttered over to investigate the newcomer. "They're so cute!" He said with a grin.
Tojo smiled. "I thought you'd like them. That one there is Ruka. He's the leader, the one they all listen to. Over there is Nyota. She's smarter than all of her brothers. Over there is Nya. She's sweet and shy, but she's also as smart as her sister." This one here is Amka. He's a bit more secluded than the rest, and a bit more grumpy. That one is Viza, the joker. He loves pulling tricks on the others."
Mheetu caught sight of Cheki fluttering away from them. "What's wrong with him?" He asked.
Tojo answered with a frown, "That's Cheki. I'm not sure what's wrong, but he's always been like that."
Mheetu padded over to the bird, ignoring the ones that were fluttering around his paws. He looked down at the baby bird thoughtfully. After a few moments, he waved his paw in front of the bird's face. Cheki didn't respond.
Mheetu looked over at his half-brother. "I think he's blind." He said quietly.
Tojo berated himself for not realizing that earlier. "I think you're right." He said worriedly. He padded over to his half-brother, looking down at Cheki with concern. The bird was oblivious to their concern, pecking at the ground. The dark gold cub wondered aloud, "Now what do we do?"
Mheetu's face scrunched up in thought. "He'll have a harder time flying. He won't be able to see where he's going, so he runs risk of flying into stuff."
Tojo looked down at the bird with concern. "We have to figure out a way for him to be able to tell whether he's flying towards something."
Mheetu looked thoughtful for several moments. He said slowly, "What if we give him a feather or something to hold in his beak when he's flying? That way, if he feels the feather bump against something, he'll know he's about to fly into something."
Tojo looked at his half-brother in surprise and admiration. "That could work. Good idea."
They started working with the baby birds, Tojo working with the regular five on their flying, Mheetu working with Cheki on his flying. The cream cub was gentle and patient, and the bird was soon fluttering around, testing the ground in front of him with a lead they had found. "Tomorrow, I'll ask Zazu if I can use one of his tail feathers." Mheetu said as they were leading the baby birds back to Pride Rock at the end of the day.
Tojo smiled at his half brother. "Good idea. They're certainly long enough."
The cream colored cub looked back at the birds trailing behind them. "Thanks for introducing me to them." He said shyly.
Tojo shrugged. "It's the least I could do after the way I treated you."
Mheetu smiled. "Don't worry about that. It's in the past."
They soon reached Pride Rock. Sarafina was awake, her head lifted and her eyes shining with a tired light. Nala was sitting in front of her mother, listening to her mother speak with a smile. She turned her head when she saw Tojo and Mheetu approaching. "I was wondering where you two had gotten to." She remarked with a slightly forced smile.
Sarafina turned to looked at both cubs with warmth in her eyes. "I was beginning to worry." She chastised lightly. "Come here, I was just about to tell Nala a story."
Mheetu trotted over instantly to his mother, his tail held high. Tojo hesitated, then turned to leave. This wasn't his family; he had no right to intrude.
"You too, Tojo." Sarafina's lightly ammused tone caused Tojo to turn around, hope in his heart, unsure if he had heard right. Sarafina was looking at him with an expression that was both knowing and welcoming. Mheetu was looking at his half brother with complete acceptance in his eyes. Nala looked hesitant for a moment, then smiled at Tojo and nodded.
Tojo padded over slowly, still not entirely sure he was welcome. His birds sat down around his paws, except for Cheki, who fluttered over to sit by Mheetu.
Sarafina asked, "Now what do you want to hear about?"
Mheetu said brightly, "Tell us about our father!"
Sarafina stiffened, her eyes flashing momentarily with sadness. "Are you sure?" She asked softly.
Mheetu nodded firmly. Sarafina sighed. "Very well." Tojo felt his interest stir. All his mother had ever told him about his father was that Sarafina had seduced him and stolen her away from him. Here at last was the chance to learn the whole story.
Sarafina proceeded to tell them the story of Runju. She told them how she had fallen for the handsome lion, how she had turned to him for comfort, both when Zira left and when her mother died. She told them how he in turn lied to her and had cubs with Shinda behind her back. "He didn't just break my heart." Sarafina said sadly. "He broke Shinda's heart as well, and she took that out on the only other lion she thought was responsible; me. She couldn't let go of her anger. Every time she sees me, she is reminded of Runju and why she lost him."
Tojo looked down at his paws, guilt and shame building up inside him. He had hated an innocent lioness for too long. "I've never heard the story of my father told that way before. I'm sorry my mother gave you so much trouble."
Sarafina smiled warmly at the cub. "Don't be. What your mother did was not your fault. Remember that."
Tojo sighed. "I will." His perspective on the lioness had changed. Instead of being the enemy, a threat he knew only from a distance, she had become almost like a mother, warm and caring. She had gone from being unknown to being a real lion in his eyes. And now, as he sat listening to her tell a new story, he felt as if he had a real family at last.
Aw, Tojo's got a mom that isn't a jerk. Back to Zira next chapter.
Tojo, Mheetu, Sarafina, Nala, Tama, Scar, Ni (c) Disney
Toka, Nuru, Shinda, Runju (c) Me
