Hay Y'all Okambattleblock here, with a new chapter (surpassingly!) So I wanted to post this now as school is starting to really pile up, and so instead of one long chapter a mouth, how about a few smaller chapters a mouth! That way the story gets updated faster, and I can put a little less time into the story, but with just as much focus! Anyway, see y'all at the end, please leave a review.
Taka enjoyed the night heat as he looked up to the starry night sky. Sure while the rough grass of Nyota made it a tad bit uncomfortable to lay on his back, but being a ghost had it perks. Kion slept soundly next to him, letting out tiny little purrs as he rested. Sleeping was the only time Kion let his guard down, and it brought Taka some joy to know he wasn't always so up tight. Taka put himself on all fours and starched out his body, letting out a small roar as he felt his ghostly bones crackle. As he began to take his leave he heard Kion start to whine and grumble tossing and turning as he felt Taka's present leave him. Seeing the 'monster of the pride lands' so upset over something so little warmed Taka's heart.
" Sleep Kion. It's not like I can leave you." Taka said soothingly, petting down the teens back fur. It seemed to have worked as Kion settled down quickly returning to his slumber. As Taka started to take his leave Kion sleepy grumbled something out.
" Good. Cuz I'll hate you if you did."
" Even if I could, I wouldn't." Take said with a warm tone and with a smile Kion went fully back to sleep allowing Taka to take some much needed alone time.
After his and Kion's second Outland adventure, Kion actively avoided the pride, and the guard for the rest of the day. For the rest of the afternoon he and Taka just wondered around the Pride Lands. The two just enjoyed the down time together, just talking, playing, and bonding. As the sun went down the two made for Nyota hill to turn in for the day.
Take walked down the hill and out into the dry night. Passing by the sleeping animals of the Pride Lands without a problem. Soon the brown lion got to the watering hole, well watering pond, to think. He couldn't remember the last time he had a moment to himself. Sure he loved the little guy but still he loved the feeling of being alone. But maybe that was his problem when he was alive. He enjoyed it too much and let the isolation twist his mind. How different could his life have been if he was this loving, this opened to the world when he was alive. Maybe it could have all been different.
" Would you even believe me if I said I'm sorry?" Taka said to his nonexistent reflection.
" Who are you?!"
Taka froze as an all too familiar light and queenly voice rang past his ears. With a sigh Taka turned his eyes to meet Kiara's who was ready to attack at a moment notice.
" Peace lioness, I am nothing but a simple wonder looking for a place to rest." Taka lied so easily. Kiara let her guard down and put on a melancholy face.
" Well I'm sorry you can't stay here. The Pride Lands is going through a hard dry season, and my father isn't letting rouges pass though at the moment." Kiara said her voice was sad.
" Surely your father won't mind just a bit of a rest then for an old lion would he?"
" No… I guess not. I just keep stay until you leave." Kiara said with a hint of playfulness. " If you don't mind of course."
Taka motioned Kiara to follow as he began his midnight stroll.
" If you don't mind me asking, what is princess Kiara doing up so late?"
Kiara was shocked at first when Taka said her name, but the Pride Lands monarch wasn't exactly secret so it made sense to her. " Doing a late night portal, looking out for any dangers that might come out when everyone is sleeping. Plus it' the only time I get to be in danger."
" What do you mean in danger?" Taka asked, his interests peaking.
" My dad teaches me about how to be a good ruler almost everyday. He says I have everything to be a good queen, but just the thought of me hunting by myself scares him to his core."
" I say that's a sign meaning he cares deeply for you."
Kiara flashed a smile smile towards Taka. " I know he does, but after the-the queen's death he's been too protective. I mean I'm still just Kiara no matter my destiny."
Taka had a smile grin. He never got to talk to his niece before, all he got most of the time was Kion's heated rants about her. But even she held some faults. He could help but chuckle at the thought.
" What so funny!?" Kiara asked offendedly.
" It's just funny, you remind me of your brother."
" You know Kion!" Kiara sounded understandable shocked. " I'm sorry for how ever he acted towards you."
" No need to worry. I know the laid for a long time now, he and I are as close as siblings." Taka said with a genuine smile. But that made Kiara a little suspicious.
" You know I just remembered I don't know your name."
" Taka, your highness." He said with an overproduced bow.
" How you have you know Kion, because you look older than my dad."
" Ever since he was a cub, and to answer your next question. He wanted to keep this friendship of ours a secret."
Kiara grew more and more suspicious of the lion in front of her. Something inside her told her not to trust or believe anything he said, but on the fill side she wanted to. It made her happy that Kion had a friend, and the way he talked held no reason to distrust him.
" How did you guys first meet?" Kiara asked softly.
Taka stopped as he looked up towards the sky, as if trying to recall his memories. " It was a warm morning years ago, when he was only a bumbling toddler. Barely could speed a word." Taka sat down on the flat earth using his tail to tap the ground next to him let Kiara set closer.
" He was able to avoid the watchful eyes of the pride and stumbled off into the wilderness by himself, and stumble he did. He was able to get down to the base of Pride Rock, before tripping on something. Naturally there was no true damage done, but for a baby a small fall is death. So as you could guess I happened to be around Pride Rock at the time. At first I paid him no mind, but his crying would draw unwanted attention so I coddled him tell he calmed down."
" But why did you keep coming back? For years!" Kiara asked, as she was growing more and more curious at the lion's story.
" I-I guess- it felt like the kings were giving me a second chance. I did some bad things in my past, that's why I was a rouge. I saw it that if nobody cared about you, then you had the right to make life better, no matter the cost. But after years with your brother, I can see that I was wrong." Taka said with a melancholy tone.
Taka looked over to Kiara who was in her own state of thought. Taka couldn't tell what the young lioness was thinking, but he had a slight idea.
" I know I rambled on a but, I have far more memories of Kion. If you want to here them."
Kiara looked up to him, she looked like she wanted to cry but couldn't. Like something was holding her back.
" Please tell me. I want to know everything." Kiara particle begged him, and Taka was more then willing to tell him.
" Well, only two years before becoming the leader of the guard, he and I went out to this very spot , and needless to say that day would change both of us."
Taka: End of Mei or early Juni
This painting-perfect afternoon we shared
Run the winding country road
Grab a bit from the hunting fields
And then we're there
An open field that's framed with trees
We pick a spot and shoot the breeze
Like buddies do
Quoting things from that baboon
Telling jokes no one understands
Except us two
And we talk and take in the view
All we see is sky for forever
We let the world pass by for forever
Feels like we could go on for forever this way
Two friends on a perfect day
" Wow sounds like you two were close." Kiara said a hint of jealousy in her voice.
" We were. For years I told myself I was only with him to keep him company, but then something changed." Taka said as he looked up towards the sky.
" Run away with him, chasing after him as he called my name with out a care in the world made me feel like a-"
" Father." Kiara said as a single tear dropped from her eye. Taka felt the effect that word had on the lioness.
" So what happened next?" Kiara asked trying to change the subject.
" Well-"
Taka: We walk a while and talk about
The things we'll do if we just ran away
"Rule the backlands trails or
Paint a cave or learn to fly
Wouldn't that be cool?"
There's nothing that we can't discuss
Like dad's we wish would notice us but never do
He looks around and says to me
"There's nowhere else I'd rather be"
And I say, "me too"
And we talk and take in the view
We just talk and take in the view
All we see is sky for forever
We let the world pass by for forever
Feels like we could go on for forever this way, this way
All we see is light for forever
'Cause the sun shines bright for forever
Like we'll be alright for forever this way
Two friends on a perfect day
Taka could hear the small snuffling of the Princes next to him. He could feel a bit of regret in him, sorry for putting her through this, telling her the life she could have had with her brother. But something told him he had to continue with his story.
Taka:And there he goes
Racing toward the tallest tree
From far across the barren field I hear him calling, "follow me" there he go
Wondering how the world might look from up so high
One paw after the other
One branch then to another
He'll climb higher and higher
He'lI climb 'til the entire
Sun shines on his face
And I suddenly hear the branch give way
His on the ground
He's goes numb
He'll Look around
And he sees I've come to get him
I've come to get him
And everything's okay
All we see is sky for forever
We let the world pass by for forever
Kion, you and I for forever this way, this way
All we see is light
'Cause the sun burns bright
We could be alright for forever this way
Two friends
True friends
On a perfect day.
It was silent for a moment, with nothing but Taka's words ringing through the night as well as both lions minds. Taka haven't even noticed that he was gripping the dirt, like he was trying to hold onto someone, nor did he notice his own tear rolling down his old face.
" Um- I'm sorry if-"
" Thank You for looking after him." Kiara cried as she looked to the brown lion with tear stained eyes. Here voice cracking with regret.
" He seemed so happy, but it wasn't because of us. It wasn't because of me." Kiara cried.
" You can still make it right." Taka said softly, "because I can tell you deep down he wants nothing more to be with you."
Kiara looked at him, with misty eyes, and a torn heart. Maybe there's a chance that he's right.
" I will, thank you again."
" It was my honor. You can stay here and think, I'll see myself out." Taka said softly, as he slowly left the princess, with his own thoughts swirling in his mind.
Taka slowly fluttered his eyes opened, his heart slowly beating. As he opened his eyes could see that he was in his old den, complete with the hollow darkness.
" I would have thought those dogs would have ripped me apart! Unless my nephew wishes to torture me!" Taka grumbled as he got up. He was expecting his body to sting with various battle wounds. But he felt no form of pain once so ever, more so he couldn't see a single scratch on his body, save for his famous scar.
" He wants me alive for some reason." Taka quickly grew a grin as he thought of the events. " That means I can still take what is still rightfully mine!" Taka said sinisterly as he ran out of his cave ready to surprise the pride. But as he ran out a hard pain in his head, causing him to fall in grip his head in pain. His heart started to race as he began to cry out in pain. Still he crawled his way to the light, with each step the pain grew. With a loud roar he finally made it out of the dark, and just like that the pain stopped. Taka took multiple deep breaths as he wrapped his mind around the past event. But it didn't last as sharp crying noise flew through the air.
Taka growled as he tried to cover his ears from the dreadful noise, but it was so loud it was a surprise not a single animal head. Taka rolled his eyes as he began to walk away from the noise, but then something stopped him. He didn't know why but he was curious about the sound. So he flowed the loud crying behind Pride Rock, only to find what he expected a toddler lion crying out to the air.
" Ugg, what else did I expect?" Taka growled as he began to take his leave, but the same mysterious feeling took over him, as he made his way over to the child.
" You alright little one?" Taka asked like he cared, his voice still cold. Snuffling the cub turned around with damp tear tracks down his eyes.
The cub only made inaudible between his snuffling, but Taka wasn't exactly the kindest lion.
" Come now out with it! I can't help you if you don't speak!" Taka shouted loudly, but it only caused the baby to cry louder.
" At this rate he'll wake the whole pride!" Taka grumbled under his breath. He wanted to leave the brat behind, but something told him to stay. Like he was being forced to take care of the crying cub. He only knew one way to calm a cub, but he swore he would never ever do something so demeaning. But it was the only thing he could think of and with his deflated pride he began his plan.
Turning around so his back was to the cub, who had quiet down a bit, and lifted up his tail. For a second the cub let out a few more snuffles, and Taka took a deep breath as he swished his tail to the left. He could feel the cubs eyes watching his tail move, so begrudgingly he swished his tail to the right, then back to the left. Soon small cubby growles came from behind him, and Taka could feel the swapping motion of a paw rush past tail. Taka hated every moment of this, he was the rightful king of the Pride Lands! Not some cubs plaything. But he can't lie, a part of him kind of enjoyed it. But any sense of enjoyment he got was taken away as he felt the cub grasp his tail in his paws. Taka was able to pull it out of the cubs gasp and with a sharp turn started to growl at the cub. Understandable the cub was scared of the mood change and the angry lion in his face. But though his anger Taka finale had a chance to get a good look at him.
He was nothing special, although the red tuft of hair on top of his head stood out, what caught Taka's attention was the cubs left eye. His right was a shiny ember, a color he grew to hate, his left was a familiar eerie lime green. Taka and the cub grew silent, simply staring at each other.
" Kion! Where did you go!?" A voice called from close by. Taka snapped back into reality as the voice was all to familia. It belong to his murder, Simba. There were two ways out but both would give him away. But Taka decided to take the opportunity to reclaim what was rightfully his. He waited for Simba to draw closer, then as the lions footsteps grew louder with a lunge Taka attacked, but to his dismay he flew right through the lion. Taka was so confused by what just happened he couldn't stop his fall in time and rolled onto the ground, only being able to watch the interaction with the cub, now known as Kion, and Simba.
" How in the Pride Lands did you leave the den?" Simba asked not expecting an answer, as Kion could only look at Taka who lied ideally on the floor. Simba looked behind, hoping to find what the cub was looking at. Taka swore his and Simba's eyes crossed paths, but Simba looked like he was looking right through him, and that's because he was.
" What is it, Kion?" Simba asked as he did a double take, looking back at Taka then back to the cub. Kion let out little babbles as he pointed towards Taka, and each time Simba looked back Taka hoped he would see him.
Simba sighed as he tried again to see what Kion was pointing to, but gave up and graped the cub by the nape of his neck with his mouth. Taka could only watch as Simba took the cub up the steps of Pride Rock. Still a little confused of the recent events Taka took a moment to think.
" So I'm grandfather !Wonderful! Still why can't anybody but the brat see me?" Taka asked himself as an unexpected voice rang in.
" Welcome back your majesty!" An old, irritating voice called to him mockingly.
" Greeat, not only can a brat only see me, but so can the crazy monkey!"
" Ohoho you think old Rafiki can see you!? Then you are very mistaken. I can only hear you Taka." Rafiki said to the air, but the sound of his old name was forgein to him.
" Why are you here mandrill?! Better yet why am I here I thought Shenzi and her dogs would have torn me to bits!"
" They did Taka, right down to your bones." Rafiki said his words sending chills down his spine, as he took up a meditation pose. " You are nothing more than a spirit, saved by the kings from internal damnation."
Taka was getting more irritated with each answer. " What torture could my brother and father think of. Isn't death by hyenas enough!"
" Torture! I think your brother is giving you a chance to redeem yourself. You see my deer prince, you are back here to protect the kings second born."
Taka widened as Rafiki calmly told him the reason behind his return, and he absolutely hated this! This was the absolutely torture ordered by Mufasa himself. He would have rather burn forever in the volcano then be forced to live again under his nephew, though seed nephew's son. With a grow Taka jumped through Rafiki with a roar, Taka was now face to face with the shame, who's eyes were closed shut.
" You! Can't you send my soul back to wherever it came from!?"
" If I did that, then the princes would meet an early death. Breaking the hearts of many."
" You think I care! If anything taking away Simba's boy would, would kill him." Taka said slowly as a new evil plot formed in his head. " Making him an easy kill." Taka looked to the mandrill, and it seemed he wasn't listening. Taka let out a small chuckle, as his mind flowed with ideas.
" Ohh Kion! I think you and I will grow to love each other!" Taka said wickedly as he went up the steps to find his grandson.
Taka now sat over Kion, watching the teen's cheats slowly bob up and down as he steeped. After his meeting with Kiara Taka reflected on his time with Kion. He remembered why he cared for the boy. Early on he was merely a means to the ends for him, nothing more than another body to bury to the throne. Just the thought of his old habits made Taka chuckle to himself.
" I guess it was a blessing in disguise." Taka said softly to himself. Kion was so peaceful, as if just for tonight, nothing could go wrong. But Taka knew the moment he wakes up, the day world will attack him, much like it attacked him. But Taka knew Kion would be alright, as he had Taka, and Taka had Kion. It meant everything to the brown lion that he was here with someone who had touched his heart.
Taka:All those days watching from the darkness,
All those years outside looking in.
All that time never even knowing,
Just how blind I've been.
Now I'm here blinking in the starlight.
Now I'm here suddenly I see
Standing here it's all so clear.
I'm where I'm meant to be.
And at last I see the light.
And it's like the fog has lifted.
And at last I see the light.
And it's like the sky is new.
And it's warm and real and bright.
And the world has somehow shifted.
All at once everything looks different.
Now that I see you.
Taka began to pet Kion, making sure he was as comfortable as he could be. Soon Taka could hear low purrs combing from the boy, Kion even began to push himself closer to the paw. A smile appeared on Kion's face, which warmed Taka's heart to the point of tears. Taka looked up to help stop the flow of tears, as regret started to fill his body. His life could have been this, so full of moments like this. But his idiotic lust for the throne pushed him away from this. But the low purrs below told him it didn't matter any more, because he was here with Kion. That thought alone brought a smile to Taka's face.
All those days chasing down a daydream.
All those years living in a blur.
All that time never truly seeing,
Things, the way they were.
Now he's here shining in the starlight,
Now he's here suddenly I know,
If he's here it's crystal clear,
I'm where I'm meant to go.
And at last I see the light.
And it's like the fog has lifted.
And at last I see the light.
And it's like the sky is new.
And it's warm and real and bright.
And the world has somehow shifted.
All at once everything is different.
Now that I see you.
Now that I see you.
" I love you Kion."
" I love you to dad."
Ahhhhhhhhhhhw! This has to be the most mush stuff I've ever written and I am proud of it! So again I'll try to update more frequently, but I won't make any promises. Song used are "For Forever" from Dear Even Hansen, and "I See The Light" from Tangled. Please leave a review as it will help me get better. See Y'all later.
