Proposals
Author's Note: Hi everyone! Thank you for your support so far. I am happy that you're all enjoying this story so far. Keep the reviews coming!
Chapter Summary: While Zarifa gets a long-awaited proposal, Nala gets one that will surely destroy her.
Time passed and Zarifa grew into one of the strongest and fiercest hunters that the Warrior Pride had ever seen. From the moment the sun rose to the moment it set on the savannah, Zarifa trained. She adopted the Warrior mentality: her best was not good enough. She needed to be stronger, faster and smarter. She needed to be if she was to defeat Scar.
Zarifa had seen her mother only a number of times since she began living with the Warrior Pride. They were able to see each other at the border, but the visits couldn't last long because a hyena or Scar was often escorting Sarabi to make sure she didn't flee. But those glances and being able to mouth the words "I love you" were enough to keep Zarifa going strong.
And on those days when Zarifa didn't feel that strong, when her heart was heavy with longing for her mother and her old life, Apollo was there for her.
"Apollo, come on!" Zarifa called out over her shoulder. They were climbing up Mount Kilimanjaro, which had become something of a routine for them. Apollo laughed as he ran to catch up to her.
"I'm coming, you're hard to keep up with," Apollo said with a smile. His mane was growing impressively, his chestnut mane resembling his father's. Zarifa flashed him a smile.
"And whose fault is that?" Zarifa asked, as she charged up the mountain, Apollo following after her. They were both laughing.
They didn't go up as high as they would usually go. This time, they stopped at one of the peaks. Even though they didn't reach the top of the mountain, Zarifa and Apollo still had a beautiful view of the savannah. While Zarifa looked at the stunning view, Apollo was looking at her, an equally stunning view in his opinion.
"What's going to happen when you defeat Scar?" Apollo asked. Continuing to look at the view of the savannah, Zarifa simply shrugged her shoulders.
"I get to be the Queen of the Pride Lands," Zarifa answered.
"I know that, but does that mean that you'll be going back?" Apollo asked. Zarifa nodded, smiling at the thought.
"That's the plan. Oh, as soon as that day comes, I am never going to leave my mother ever again. I'll probably hold her so tight, she'll be begging me to come back here," Zarifa said with a giggle, but the thought made her happy.
Apollo licked his lips nervously. He had been dreaming of this moment since the moment he and Zarifa sat under the moon her second night with the Warrior Pride. His parents were getting older. They weren't dying, but Apollo knew what his destiny was: he was to be king of the Warrior Pride. And the more time he spent with Zarifa each day, the more he realized that he wanted her to be his queen.
Trying to calm his beating heart, Apollo put a paw over Zarifa's. This sudden action of his finally got Zarifa to look over at him. She saw that his eyes were serious, a stark difference from Apollo's typically happy-go-lucky demeanor. Apollo sighed.
"Selfishly, I don't want you to go, Zarifa," Apollo said just above a whisper. Zarifa raised an eyebrow.
"You don't want me to go?" Zarifa asked, though she was hardly surprised. She and Apollo had been getting closer and closer, especially now that they were maturing into young adults.
"Be my queen Zarifa," Apollo said a little more rushed than he meant to. Zarifa blinked hard.
"You want me to be the Queen of the Warrior Pride?"
"Think about it. The Pride Lands will belong to you and the Warrior Pride belongs to me. We will be the most powerful lions if we rule together," Apollo said, his eyes wide at the thought.
Zarifa bit her lip in disappointment. "Is that why you want me to be your queen? For power?"
Quickly realizing his mistake, Apollo began shaking his head. He had no reason to be nervous; he knew he loved Zarifa. He just needed to be himself and not overthink. Apollo leaned forward and nuzzled Zarifa, as affectionately as he could.
"No, of course not. Zarifa. I love you. I always have. You are a million and one things and I love you for each. When I look into your eyes, I see a life that I never thought I would ever have. A life filled with love, happiness and your laughter. Zarifa, daughter of Mufasa and Sarabi, will you accept me as your mate?"
In that moment, time stood still. There was no pageantry, nothing froufrou or extravagant. It was just Zarifa and Apollo, in their absolute favorite place in the savannah, just talking to each other. It was exactly how they were as a couple. Zarifa wouldn't have wanted Apollo to ask her to be his mate any other way.
Practically bouncing, Zarifa leapt towards Apollo and gave him an affectionate pounce, tackling him down to the ground. Laughing joyously, Zarifa alternated between licking and nuzzling Apollo's face.
"Yes! Yes! I thought you'd never ask! I want nothing more than to be your queen! I love you," Zarifa happily announced as she continued to lick and nuzzle Apollo.
Relieved and incredibly happy, Apollo eased into a smile. He knew that Zarifa wouldn't have said no, but he was nervous that he wouldn't do the moment justice or say something stupid.
Getting up from the ground, he gave Zarifa a proper and tender nuzzle. They brushed their noses against one another. They were both smiling.
"This is the best day of my life," Apollo whispered, licking Zarifa's cheek. She smiled ecstatically.
"Mine as well, my love," Zarifa said. Apollo pulled away and could barely contain his excitement.
"I will tell my mother at once! My parents and the elders will make all of the arrangements for the ceremony. We will be announced King and Queen in two moons," Apollo excitedly said.
To his surprise, Zarifa wasn't bouncing with excitement. Instead, her shoulders were hunched and she was biting her lip. She also looked like she was trying to keep herself from crying. Apollo looked at her, concerned. Had he already done something wrong to make Zarifa change her mind?
"What's wrong?" Apollo asked, his voice gentle. Zarifa sighed and shut her eyes, tight.
"Apollo, I love you. And I would have the ceremony be tonight if I could. But I don't want to have the ceremony until my mom is able to be there to watch. I don't want to go through with it without her," Zarifa said, tearing up at the thought.
Apollo understood that it hadn't been easy for Zarifa to live with his pride without Sarabi. Lupita had taken care of Zarifa, but she wasn't her mother. Apollo couldn't possibly imagine what it must be like to be forced to live with another pride for the safety.
With an understanding smile, Apollo nodded and licked the red lightening bolt-shaped birthmark on top of Zarifa's head. It was an odd marking, but it was one of Apollo's favorite parts of her.
"In that case, let's keep training you to be strong enough to take down Scar."
The Pride Lands were destroyed. Most, if not all of the herds had fled to find home elsewhere. It had not rained in weeks, resulting in the watering hole drying up. Hyenas multiplied, while it seemed the lionesses were either dying of starvation or being executed for attempting to flee. There was no hope.
Though the hyenas never found Zarifa, they had resigned to searching for her. For them, it was easier to tell Scar she had succumbed to the elements, and she would never be back. Sarabi prayed she and the pride would live long enough to see Zarifa come back to take her rightful place as queen.
Sarabi remained stoic as Scar circled her on the promontory. She was aware that her pride was watching her with fearful eyes from the den.
"I think you should reconsider my generous offer, Sarabi. Even after you betrayed me by concealing your pregnancy and plotting my demise, I still cannot help but love you," Scar said, continuing to circle Sarabi. She scoffed in disgust.
"I wish you wouldn't," Sarabi retorted. Since being separated from Zarifa, Sarabi became less interested in playing nice with Scar. He didn't miss a beat.
"All you have to do is be my queen, and all will be forgotten," Scar said, which elicited an eye roll from Sarabi.
"Every day, you ask the same question. And everyday, I give you the same answer. I'll die first," Sarabi hissed, the rage in her heart barely containing itself.
Whenever Sarabi denied his advances, Scar would roar and yell and hit the ground beside Sarabi. But this time, Scar stopped and looked at the lionesses, hovering in the den. More specifically, he was looking at Nala.
And a sudden thought came to him. His teeth were bared in a conniving grin.
"NALA! Approach!" Scar yelled suddenly. Despite Sarafina's objections, Nala swallowed hard and walked up the promontory, ignoring the growls of the hyenas and the nervousness in the pit of her stomach. She stoically sat beside Sarabi.
"Yes, Scar?" Nala said, trying to remain as composed as Sarabi always had. Scar went back to circling the two lionesses.
"It seems as though Sarabi does not want to be my queen, even though I have more than enough to make her happy," Scar began, his movements quickening and making Nala jumpy. Sarabi bared her teeth.
"Enough Scar," Sarabi warned in a low voice. Scar continued to circle them.
"You know something? Sarabi may have a point. She may not be the queen for me. The whole purpose of this stupid circle of life is keep the circle going, to not let it end. My heirs will keep my circle going. And Sarabi, as in love with her as I may be, is too old to give me cubs. I will need a queen who is young enough to give me what I want," Scar said, stopping abruptly in front of Nala.
Both Nala and Sarabi stood there, with wide and shocked eyes. This couldn't be what Scar was wanting.
"Scar, no, not this," Sarabi pleaded, trying to make him see reason. But it was no use. Scar stood tall with his chest out proudly, to make an announcement.
"I take Nala as my queen!" Scar bellowed loud enough for the whole pride to hear.
Sarafina was screaming the word "no" over and over again, while there was a chorus of cries from the lionesses and laughter from the hyenas. Nala was shaking her head, holding back desperate tears.
"Scar, please, no, I can't be your queen! I was already betrothed and I…" Nala began to say before she was interrupted by Scar's laughter.
"And that is why you should be my queen, Nala! Your precious Prince Simba is dead. And what a waste it would be to let a lioness as beautiful and young as you to wilt into something ugly and barren. You are my queen, or you can face certain death," Scar roared, causing Nala and Sarabi to jump. Scar laughed.
"We will have the ceremony tomorrow. And my hyenas and I will be sure to sleep outside the den tonight, so that there will be no great escape like Zarifa did. I must go prepare for our ceremony, my queen," Scar hissed, licking Nala's cheek, which resulted in a disgusted shudder from her. Scar stalked off with his hyenas following.
Now freely crying, her mother and the other lionesses surrounded Nala. Sarafina was nuzzling her daughter, in tears. She had been so excited when Mufasa and Sarabi announced that Nala would be Simba's betrothed. Now she wished that she could give her daughter more than what she was being given. There was nothing she could do. Nala was hiccupping.
"Mother, I can't be his queen. I won't betray Simba like this," Nala cried. Sarafina licked the tears away.
"I know Nala. I don't know what to do," Sarafina admitted. Nala suddenly jolted up straight.
"I have to leave. I have to find help. It's time we take Scar down," Nala said, her tone of voice restless. The lionesses' ears perked up.
"But how?" Visolla asked.
"I think it's time we get Zarifa. She is old enough now, about the age I was when I did my first hunt. She and the Warrior Pride can come and help us fight. We cannot survive much longer like this," Nala said, taking charge as if she were already queen. Sarafina was shaking her head, like a mother.
"Nala, no. It's too risky."
"Mom, I have to go. The pride is depending on this," Nala reasoned.
"Nala, if you leave, if they catch you leaving before this ceremony, Scar will kill you. Do you understand that?" Sarafina exclaimed. She already lost her mate; Nala was all she had left. She couldn't lose her too.
"There are some things worse than death," Nala said in a low voice, which silenced Sarafina.
Sarabi stepped forward, her chest out and her shoulders strong. She looked every bit a queen.
"I agree. Nala will leave during the night and bring Zarifa back to fight Scar. We cannot go on like this. And it is too cruel to force Nala into a marriage like this," Sarabi said. Sarafina was shaking her head.
"Sarabi, no, Nala is my daughter. If she goes, this will be a death sentence," Sarafina said. Sarabi shook her head.
"Sarafina, you forget that you raised Nala. She is a strong fighter, hunter and lioness because of you. Let her prove herself," Sarabi said.
Sarafina looked at Nala, and was surprised to see that she didn't see a young cub anymore. Instead, she saw a lioness full of poise and determination. Nala was grown up now, and Sarafina needed to accept that. She nuzzled her daughter.
"I trust you, Nala. But how is she going to sneak past Scar and the hyenas?" Sarabi smiled at her best friend and the rest of the pride.
"Leave that to me."
Sarabi waited until she could hear a chorus of snores. Sarabi poked her head out of the den and saw that the hyenas seemed to be mostly sleeping on top of one another. Scar slept at the top of the promontory. Sarabi tucked her head back in, the lionesses watching her intently, waiting for direction.
"Lions, watch the entrance. Nala, Sarafina, follow me," Sarabi whispered as she made her way to the back of the den. Confused, the mother and daughter followed after Sarabi.
When they were about to ask Sarabi where Nala would be escaping from, Sarabi began moving rocks from the wall, revealing a crude exit way. She turned to face Nala.
"Nala, you're going to walk through here ; it leads to the back of Pride Rock and into the savannah," Sarabi instructed in a whisper. Nala looked at Sarabi incredulously.
"Sarabi, where did you find this way?"
"Mufasa and I made it when we wanted to sneak out at night to swim in the watering hole," Sarabi said with a grin. "Do you know how to get to the Warrior Pride?"
Nala licked her lips nervously. "I think so."
"If you find another pride before you do Zarifa, send them back our way and then find Zarifa. You are the best hunter in our pride, Nala, you are going to be fine," Sarabi reminded Nala, leaning forward and nuzzling her.
"Thank you, Sarabi. I will get Zarifa and we will fight. I won't let you down," Nala said. She turned to her mother, who was tearing up. Until that moment, Nala had been composed.
"Oh mother, don't cry," Nala whispered, cuddling into her mother. Sarafina licked Nala's head, like she did when she was a cub.
"Please, be safe my daughter. And stay downwind. And let the love and prayers of our pride be your guide," Sarafina whispered. "I love you very much, Nala."
"I love you too, mother. I will return. Goodbye," Nala said quickly as she turned away from Sarafina and Sarabi and slithered out through the hole, as quietly as she could.
Within minutes, Nala was out of the cave and escaping from the Pride Lands, determined to do whatever she needed to do to save it.
Sarafina and Sarabi both watched Nala run away until she was speck in the distance. Sarafina rested her head on Sarabi's shoulder and cried softly. They were two best friends, who shared a lot of grief in common. They each lost their mates, their homes and now they both had to give up their daughters for the sake of the Pride Lands.
"She'll be okay, won't she?" Sarafina asked Sarabi, needing any reassurance that she could get. Sarabi bit her lip and nodded her head. She knew how Sarafina was feeling; she was asking herself the same kinds of questions when she left Zarifa.
"Of course she'll be okay. Both of our girls will be."
To be continued…
Happy New Year everyone! I hope your 2020 is full of Hakuna Matata and good things! Please leave a review!