Chapter 11- Education Education and More
The morning couldn't have come any sooner. Sarabi, Sarafina, Nala and I made our way into the Pridelands, taking the day long venture away from the den that the two lionesses had suggested. The sunrise itself was spectacular to see lifting above the horizon. The orange glow it gave to everything it touched gave a radiant beauty to the land. However, when one looked closer at the land itself, it was difficult to ignore the landscape changing to a less luscious state than even when I had arrived. No doubt Sarabi and Sarafina were aware of this as well, which is perhaps why they insisted we were out today instead of a later date. They didn't know when it would become barren and pointless to walk us through. It was best to give us the chance before it was gone. It became clear it was an issue that had both of the older lionesses concerned. It didn't take me long to notice that I had actually grown already in the short time I had been in these lands. Beforehand I hadn't noticed it, but it was difficult not to. Of course, I was nowhere near being a full grown lioness, but I had definitely grown in height. I felt stronger than when I first arrived by a long distance, though I hadn't noticed it until I started thinking about my growth. It reminded me that lions grew up faster, and for a brief moment brought me to the reality of a shorter lifespan. The thought was only brief though, as a part of me felt like it wasn't a big deal. It was the natural progression of things and a shorter life didn't mean a worse one. Though the savanna was still plentiful in the area, it seemed as if it was wilting. Through the beginning of the venture, I heard Sarabi mentioning to Sarafina about the circle of life being imbalanced. With the evidence I could see, she wasn't wrong. The fact the savanna was wilting, looking like it was leaning away from a certain direction. It almost looked like it was trying to escape the Pridelands.
Looking around, there were definitely fewer animals around than I had noticed previously, extending to the flocks of birds that roamed the skies. A feeling in the pit of my stomach felt like it was burying deeper, making me walk around with a concerned expression on my face. None of the others noticed my dull mood, at least to start with. In all, the Pridelands I had seen before were vanishing under Scar's rule. Another thing I had noticed was that the weather had become harsher since Scar ascended to the throne, as if it were trying to make his unsteady ascension even more tricky. A part of me wanted to think that some of the animals had left purely out of protest for the rule the Scar was showing. The same way that protests may happen with a change of government. In this case, I felt it would be Scar's reputation as a royal who did little to interact with others, that would be the reason they would refute him. Most wouldn't have an idea on what his company was like, but would follow from rumours that may be exaggerated from the source. In truth, I felt like there was still a great deal I didn't know about him, though I think that also came from his distaste of cubs, from what I could see. As my mind stuck on the thought of Scar's reputation, I thought of what Sarabi told me just the day before "His way is not the path you should follow." It was clear she didn't have much trust in him, though I couldn't know of the reasons. I felt it would be too personal to ask, but I had a decent idea something in their shared past made things bitter between them. I looked toSarabi as we walked, trying to picture her face when she had been mentioning Scar. She wanted to frown more, but restrained herself in front of me, not wanting to put an impression on a cub. She couldn't entirely hide it though as there were occasional breaks in face.
In all the thoughts I had been having, I hadn't been paying much attention to the surrounding area, missing the details of the fading paradise. It was something that hadn't been missed by Nala, the cub nudging against me and gesturing ahead with a smile. I couldn't help but think that was a rather reserved bit of contact she gave me. Normally she would have initiated some kind of playfight. When I looked over to her after she left me, she was sticking close to her mother, brushing up against her as she continued to walk on. Sarafina joined in the purring with her daughter, the two of them treating the walk as a chance to bond. I felt for a moment that I should try to do the same with Sarafina as she was the one who had acted as a parent to me from the start, though it had been the queen at the forefront of my care most recently. I felt if I were to try with Sarafina, it would interrupt the quality time she was getting with Nala. I didn't want to get in the way of their relationship. I didn't want my presence to weaken it. It may cause some resentment, and I didn't want to have that with Nala. Of course, I knew that could be an escalated reaction and it would all be fine. However, looking at the two of them, the sun shining a warm glow on them, I knew it would be best to leave it for the moment being. Another thought of mine went towards the queen, seeing as she had been acting as a parent for me. It made me wonder if it was a way of coping with the loss of her own child. I knew she was distraught at losing Simba, as any mother would be. I knew she was strong and even through that she would try to continue as best as she could. The two of us did share a good relationship, with her teaching me, as well as my own ability to listen and process what she told me. As I had already shown, I wasn't incapable of making mistakes even after hearing advice from her. Her strong, caring personality seemed to match nicely with my own personality. There were moments I could tell she wanted to be stricter with me, but could tell I would resist more if that were to happen.
We had been walking for a while, though the depth of my thoughts meant I felt as if I hadn't been walking for more than five minutes. Because of how far we had gone from Pride Rock, when I looked back, it appeared very small in my vision. The land around this area had a higher quality about it. I realised that the effect of Scar's rule wasn't too widespread just yet, but looked as if it was growing fast. The grass was taller, stood up firmly as there was no wind to sway it. Looking around, I could see that whilst there still wasn't as much wildlife around as before, there was more than when closer to home, which made sense, considering the lionesses would welcome prey closer to home, it meant less distance to carry a kill. There were definitely more animals around in this part though. If I had to make a guess, I would say it wasn't a coincidence and that the two mothers had brought us here because it would be a better experience for us. Looking around to see the other animals, a natural instinct kicked in for me, my stomach growling as if I had been deprived of many meals. Of course, this was far from the truth, but it did get the attention of the other three I had been with. All of them let out a small giggle, Sarafina also rolling her eyes, mentioning that it was typical of a cub to be hungry just as they wanted some time to just lay down and relax. It had been an early start after all. The attention on me shifted when Nala's stomach joined mine in an audible demand for food. We were told to wait for now, as it was not the time to get food.
The two adults did however, led us to a small body of water. Many animals that would be considered prey were also there, taking their fill of water, though from the other side. I assumed that there was a sort of agreement that none would be attacked when getting water. That's not exactly how I remembered the nature documentaries going when Sir David Attenborough would narrate them. There was never a mention of unspoken pacts between the animals that only away from water holes were the prey fair game. Being there though, it was pretty clear; a group of antelope not even flinching when they saw four lions nearby. The four of us were also too preoccupied with rehydrating to bother chasing after antelope. There was almost no use in trying when there were only two grown lionesses there. A pack would have to work together to take down as many as there were. I thought of how different this could have been if we were hyenas. No doubt the antelope wouldn't have been drinking water beside those predators. "Does Scar know that we aren't helping today?" I asked. Of course, I wasn't referring to myself and Nala helping with the hunting efforts, but I couldn't imagine Scar being happy with two fewer skilled hunters to help catch for the large number of mouths to feed. The regal lioness looked at me with half a smirk.
"Scar doesn't need to know. There's plenty of food caught and plenty lionesses to catch more if he so demands. He knows that he cannot do much about it if we are gone." She explained, keeping a calm tone about her.
Sarafina was quick to add "He knows that the others still see Sarabi as someone to look up to. He couldn't risk any sort of attack on her. The little trust he already has would be lost if he were to do that." Both of them nodded to each other, giving their support to one another. I thought to myself, if anything, their bond would grow stronger when times were getting harder. I had noticed it already. Sarafina had been there for Sarabi the moment that she learned of her king and son's death.
I looked to both of them with a growing smile, though I couldn't help but ask another question, inspired by a similar one Nala asked me "Aren't you scared of him, what he could do?" My eyes felt a little larger as I waited for the response.
Both of them shook their heads, even a chuckle escaping from Sarafina before her friend responded "Scar doesn't scare me, no. I have known him for so long and he is aware that I am not the kind of lioness that will simply submit to him. He hasn't the respect of the pride and in all honesty, it is only our land's need for a king that he has come to the throne. It would be best for him to remember that, but I know the possibility that power has gone to his head already is very real. For now though, it does seem as if he can be reasoned with." I couldn't tell in the end if she was talking to us or herself. Giving it a thought, it looked like Scar did listen to some things, but only a few. One of which seemed like he listened to me for some reason. Of course, I couldn't work out why, but he didn't ignore me. Often he found himself engaged in conversation with me. As if she heard my thoughts, Sarabi continued my thought "Oddly, he seems fond in his own way, of you, Tishala." All eyes fell on me, even some of those from the animals we would consider prey. Talking about this made me uncomfortable. It wasn't like I picked to be liked by him. In fact, I had done much that I thought would make him dislike me quite strongly, but for some reason it just kept him coming towards me.
I shook my head, though it wasn't in disagreement this time "I'm not trying to be his friend." I argued, pouting some as the older two smiled down to me as if I told them a particularly amusing joke "What?" I raised a brow starting to get defensive in front of them. Their expression didn't change though, still finding amusement in my exasperation. It was a little but intimidating to have them look at me, as if I were a caught criminal.
Sarafina laid down, pulling Nala against her "We know. We just said that he seems to be fond of you. Usually he isn't so keen on cubs. He hasn't ever offered any cubs his company. He hasn't been king before, but then I don't think he is only inviting you to learn from him just because he is king. I think he is just curious and can't place why he doesn't dislike you either. I guess you just have something about you. Maybe it's those cute little charms you have." She teased me, causing Nala to laugh, making me feel a little bit flustered. Being told I had something cute about me was still alien and I didn't think I would ever get comfortable with it, even from Sarafina. Despite her being older, it didn't stop the lioness from having a somewhat childish, playful side. I could see where Nala had learned her teasing from at that moment. "Even he couldn't resist those looks you give when you're confused." She chuckled. I had no idea what kind of faces I was pulling when I gave my natural reaction to things. It was just the way I was, but I didn't know if my expressions would be seen as funny or not. I had no idea they had such an effect on others.
Sarabi came to my defence before Nala could join in her mother's teasing of me "Much the same looks your own daughter gives, I can assure you. Not unlike how Simba was as well. I think it's just a natural thing. Of course, there is a chance that I could be wrong. However, how often have I been wrong, dear friend?" She raised a brow with a smirk. I hadn't seen this side of Sarabi much, but if anyone was going to bring it out of her, it would be her childhood friend. The two were verbally jousting at each other as if they were cubs again. I was surprised that a playfight didn't start between the two. It went on for a few more minutes before they silently agreed on a truce. "I feel like we should try teaching these two future huntresses some more lessons." Sarabi suggested, changing the subject as well as the tone, becoming more serious, but no less friendly.
"Oh, can we do it so that I go with mum and Tishala goes with you?" Nala jumped up with excitement as she asked the question "Like we did last time." She continued, her enthusiasm enough to bring a smile onto the two mothers' faces. I saw the life in Nala's eyes and honestly, I would have found it impossible to say no to her.
It seemed I wasn't the only one to feel that way, because Sarabi was quick to nod in agreement with the cub. "Very well. Sarafina, teach your daughter whatever you feel would be best. I will do the same for m-for Tishala." My ears weren't the only to perk at hearing that little slip up. Despite that, she didn't flinch when eyes were on her. It was clear she didn't see any issue with what she nearly referred to me as. Even as she ushered Nala away, Sarafina held an amused little smirk in the direction of her friend. She and Nala quickly said goodbye to us before it was just me and the queen.
Sarabi gestured for me to follow as we headed away from the body of water, moving in what seemed like a right angle from where Nala and her mother went. I followed her quick pace, leaping occasionally when there was some taller grass I needed to see over. She would look back to me, making sure I was still there, reminding me to stay alert in case any danger did present itself. For what I could only assume was my more childlike mental state, I felt carefree despite all the rather bleak events taking place, but being with the older lion and exploring around with her, I felt completely safe. It was possible I was feeling a bit more of a bond to Sarabi because we both shared close losses. Whilst our losses were different, I still found myself alone, much like Sarabi must have felt when she was told of her family's passing. The losses weren't the same, but I was the only one who knew that. A part of me wanted to tell her, though I had the feeling it wouldn't do anything other than confuse her or cause the queen to laugh it off as the imagination of a child. Through all the minor frustration there though, there was no denying I was becoming closer to Sarabi and neither of us seemed to be fighting it much.
Without any warning, the taller grass was gone and replaced by its shorter counterpart. With this, I took off in front, seeing only animals in the distance, aside from a few critters who watched on with caution in their eyes. Now we were away from the body of water, the natural food chain I knew of was back in working order. Even at my small size, I could tell there was a sense of fear that they would look at me with. I chose to ignore it as I had Sarabi alert me to her, calling me over. "Do you remember how we practiced before?" I gave it a thought for a moment, thinking back to over a week before when I had a private lesson on hunting with Sarabi. I gave a small nod in answer to her question. I couldn't remember all of the things she said, but there were some details that stuck with me. There was an immediate display of amusement from the older lioness, looking at me with a brow raised "Well then you can tell me what you should do if your prey is standing too far away?" She leaned down to get her face closer to mine, though she could see in an instant that I had forgotten that detail. I didn't expect to be quizzed on it. For all the experience I had of learning and storing information to be tested on when on the veterinary medicine course as a human, but my mind had found it more difficult to focus since I arrived in the Pridelands, likely due to my age regression. Seeing that I didn't know the answer, Sarabi answered for me "Reposition yourself so that you are closer, or in a place that will become an easier one to strike from. Of course, in reality you would have other lionesses to move for you if it was a more sensible decision." The lioness explained, quick to give me assurance as our cheeks rubbed together.
I was given the option of practicing more of the hunting skills straight away, or we could wait a bit. In the offer though, Sarabi hinted that Nala would be practicing and it would likely be the better option to get started. "Before we start though, I have to ask: are you actually not scared of Scar?" I asked, earning a more serious look from my guardian. She laid down to get eye level with me as I stood looking at her.
A long sigh escaped her as she began to answer the question "The lion does not scare me. The lion's ambitions scare me. Do you know what ambition means?" She asked, seeing my nod soon after. "Well, I don't know his ambitions for the pride. Not entirely anyway. I don't know if there are ambitions for the pride at all. I look to him and see a different look than Mufasa would give when talking about the land he rules. I worry that his ambitions may only include himself, but he is still the king. The Pridelands are still our home, so if something happens, I know that the right king will make the changes needed to protect these lands." She took another deep sigh "So in short, Scar doesn't scare me. What he has the potential to do does." My reaction did nothing to hide that it worried me he had even unnerved her. Sarabi was quick to spot it though, leaning in to comfort me again "I will never let anything bad happen to you though. Don't worry, you have all the lionesses to protect you. Though it won't be too long before you will be part of the hunting. No doubt Scar will force you to start the moment you're big enough." She reverted back to sighing, clearly not in agreement with the new king on how he appointed his lionesses to work. "So it is important you learn where to be when catching prey." She turned both our attention back to hunting skills, likely feeling the topic of Scar needed to be dropped.
I wasn't so keen with the idea of dropping the topic though, speaking up again "Scar isn't going to be the lion to make the change, is he?" I asked, though knew the answer. Sarabi was wise to my words, noticing that I had picked up on the things she may not have expected from a cub.
"I don't think so, Tishala. I don't think he will be." She answered, sadness clear on her face. She stared off for a moment and all I could think was that she was seeing the fall of the homeland she loved so much; memories of the past and of those yet to be made, the changes she could see for the worse. It was a pessimistic outlook in her eyes and I couldn't feel any different about it. "What do you think…what do you know about it?" She asked me, the look in her eyes telling me she wanted to know the extent at which I understood events.
After thinking for a moment, I looked back at her "I heard you and Sarafina talking about how the land was getting worse and the animals were leaving, which means that hunting will be harder. Scar told you to hunt the animals a lot, which means that they would leave. Scar made the order that has started to make the Pridelands worse. I can't find the words I want to use, but I don't think he will make this place better again." I took a moment to assess my thoughts, thinking how I could make this more impactful "My parents' pride. They told me that another pride they knew about had lost everything. They started using everything faster than it could be replaced. It was like they didn't see all the alternatives they could have gone to. In the end, they didn't make it." I spoke, feeling I was getting my point across to Sarabi, although it was somewhat fabricated, I was basing it off my own knowledge of civilisations suffering when resources were not used in a sustainable way. The chaos it led to in the end was what I could see happening with the Pridelands because of Scar's rule. I couldn't prove he was involved in any wrongdoing, but it was clear he wasn't a king that would keep a lasting kingdom. Only a short time into his reign, he was losing subjects and the scenery was starting to wilt closer to our home.
Sarabi listened to my words and replied "I think your parents have taught you a valuable lesson with that story. They may not have told you about the circle of life, but it seems clear they understood the same thing. Only those who do not follow the circle of life's delicate balance will make the world around them suffer." Her words seemed a little closer to things I had heard from talks about climate change and the use of fossil fuels. It appeared that whatever the scale, sustainability was needed. "Perhaps we ought to focus on preparing you for your part in the circle of life." She once again tried to move the subject to teaching me to hunt. I wasn't reluctant to do so, but I had so many questions. I just wanted to get an understanding for what she was thinking of everything going on. It almost lifted my spirits that my thirst for knowledge was still strong, although I felt that my understanding of certain things had waned somewhat. It was a constant frustration that my understanding had decreased, even if my ability to take in information had grown with the new form I was in. I wanted to keep my intelligence, but it seemed that I was slowly losing the battle to the body I was in. I hadn't tested them out as much, but I could tell that I had gained more natural instinct than when I first arrived, signalling further loss of my humanity.
I was snapped from my thoughts when Sarabi nudged me with her head "If you catch that beetle, you can ask me another question. You have one attempt; you'd better make it a good one. Show me how much you remember. I bet you can't get it." She wagered, looking at the beetle she mentioned, her nudge being a signal for me to look at it as well. I had always been the type of person to rise to an occasion and I needed to do that if I wanted my chance to question again.
Despite the more pristine land we had travelled to, it wasn't lacking some rocks of varying shapes and sizes. It just so happened that the beetle Sarabi pointed to was on a rock that stood in the middle of a few that descended in height from it. I couldn't reach it from the ground, not even with the biggest jump I could muster. I looked to the lowest one and then the next three the preceded the centre rock on one side. It seemed too convenient to me that Sarabi had tasked me with getting the beetle that just so happened to be on a tricky looking rock formation. Regardless of my concern, I got onto the first rock without any trouble, its top surface giving me enough room to stand on comfortably. Sarabi warned me to be careful climbing those rocks. She approached them just in case I were to fall on the higher ones. When looking to the next stack up, I saw it was not only higher up, but also thinner than the other. With that in mind, I looked ahead to the next, seeing it followed in a similar pattern. I wasn't even convinced that the last one would be able to hold my slight weight. I made a quick check to the top rock, seeing the beetle had barely moved. In my head I pictured it taunting me and that was all the encouragement that I needed to start going forward onto the next step up. I looked down and saw that I was likely a couple of metres up from the ground, or that's what it looked like to me. The mistake I made was looking down though as I started to wobble, almost falling off until I was reminded that my tail would aid in my balance, so I let that thought relax me and sure enough, I became stable again, even if I wasn't standing cleanly on this rock. It was sturdy enough that I could find a way to edge closer to the next one up. Sarabi urged me on from below, though I wasn't really much higher than her, she still had to look up, standing beneath where I was just in case I were to fall. I almost heard her gasp at the moment my balance went the first time.
Before too long there was virtually no space between myself and the largest rock in the centre. In truth, I was clinging onto the upper sides of the closest rock to it, the top centre of it not having enough space to let me stand there. The beetle had remained there, but now I could see it was looking at me, waiting for me to make the move it expected. It had all come down to this. It was me versus the beetle, a sort of David versus Goliath match-up in my mind. Even as a cub, I was so much larger than it. "I don't want you to kill. Just catch it if you can." She told me. I gave a thought for a moment, realising that this wasn't really a pouncing lesson. There was no way as a lioness I would be pouncing for prey like this. Sarabi had turned it into a game, practicing something for me. I decided it was to judge my patience, as it took a while for me to traverse and climb those rocks to reach this close to the beetle. She wanted me to pick the best moment to strike. All things considered, asking me to complete an action that required that much skill was maybe too much, but it didn't mean I wouldn't give it a go. Judging the stack the beetle was on, it wouldn't hold my weight if I stood on it at the top, but perhaps it would be sturdier lower down. I steadied myself, making sure I could make the jump the moment my claws retracted.
Nothing in life was ever as simple as what would be planned out in one's head though. As I jumped, I realised that my legs were stronger than I thought. As a result of the miscalculation, I was launched towards the rock, only having a split second to still try and capture the beetle. I didn't even know if I had it though because when I thought I might have caught it; I felt my body collide with the large rock. Despite how thin and flimsy it looked, I felt like I would be the first to break from the impact, the rock proving to be more sturdy than I had thought. The next sensation I felt was the free falling as I closed my eyes and waited for the painful slam I would get. It didn't happen though, at least not to the same extent. Instead I heard a small grunt that wasn't mine, but instead was Sarabi's. She had used her body to catch me when I was falling. My eyes still wouldn't open until she rolled over, holding onto me until she needed to use her paws, allowing me to slide off and lay on the ground. "Are you okay?" She asked, to which I looked up to her and nodded, a smile on my face as the fall had given me a small surge of adrenaline. This made me feel more excited than maybe I should have been after falling like that. In my own excitement I hadn't realised that the lioness was looking down at me with a somewhat surprised smile "I'm impressed." She gestured for me to look to my paws. I looked to see that I had the beetle in between my paws. It couldn't have been comfortable for the poor guy, so I let him go, watching as it almost seemed to look back and scold me before making its getaway. "Maybe it wasn't the most graceful way of doing it, but you did do what was asked of you." She leaned in to lick over my head "I am proud of you for doing that." I couldn't help but let out a satisfied purr in response, as if I had been working towards the praise and now that I had it, I would treasure those words until I could better it.
Standing up straight in front of her, with the proud smile on my face, I spoke to her "That wasn't hunting was it?" I asked the question, not realising I'd given up my chance to further quiz her on Scar.
The queen was more than willing to answer me on this though "It was still a valuable skill for a hunter. It taught you to pick your moment. Fortunately, we aren't having to repeat this too much for you it would seem. Your judgement is good, though I think we will need to try another time just to make sure." She shot a wink at me, her friendly demeanour never fading. She purred with me, only pulling up to start talking again. I could tell before she was speaking that she was going to be somewhat reminiscent "Tishala, I don't think it would inappropriate for me to say that having this chance to look after you has helped me a little bit. I should thank Sarafina for the suggestion. I am also thanking you for being the delight that you are." I could tell she wanted to speak of her lost son, but didn't know if either of us could hold out very well for it. It was still a fresh wound on her, but it seemed she was strong enough to keep going. It showed why all the others in the pride were still following her more than they were following Scar. She was putting the needs of others ahead of her own, but this. Looking after me seemed to soothe her somewhat, like she was getting the chance to do the parenting she would never get to do with her own child now.
Both of us wanted to talk more, perhaps bond more, but we wanted to address the elephant in the room, to open up to each other about her fallen family members. I don't know what compelled me to want the topic so much. Maybe it was because I felt that it would be a good way to bring her through a healing process. "Sarabi," I started, getting her attention "can we go to the gorge…where you found me there?" I realised that my wording wasn't the most eloquent, but it was hard to say when she was looking down on me.
She didn't let her expression change, but the sigh she gave almost sounded like she was relieved. Perhaps I was right, she was thinking along the same lines as me. "I did say if you behaved. I suppose we can." She agreed, but hadn't sounded any more cheerful because of it. "We will have to find Sarafina and Nala and tell them where we are going. If they knew we are going elsewhere then they won't be waiting for us in vain. Sarafina and I need to establish a reason with Scar as to why we were gone for so long." She paused before shaking herself out of it "Don't worry about that though. Even Scar won't deny a child's freedom to play and explore." Sarabi started walking away, prompting me to follow behind her, presumably in the direction of the other two we had come with. "See if you can pick up on their scents, help me find them…in fact." She looked to me with a smile on her face "How about you guide us to them? Of course, I will find it anyway, but it would be good practice for you to have. Just picture Sarafina's face if you were to find them all by yourself. We may have a talented tracker in the making." She cooed, adding incentive to doing this little task. I was more than up for it.
I lifted my head up, taking in deep breaths through my nose, trying to pick up the distinctive scents that I knew. By this point, I was most familiar with Nala's. I had to pace around a few steps in all directions, hoping I would find something to go from. It wasn't long before I caught the familiar scent of the lion cub I had befriended. Sarabi must have known I had found the scent because she stood closer to me, almost pressuring me to make the decision on where to go. It didn't bother me though, feeling confident that I had locked onto Nala. I bounded ahead, no doubt making my grown-up company laugh a little inside. I slowed as the scent grew stronger, letting me know that I was closer than before. What surprised me though, was that with the instincts kicking in, it was like I knew how much further away she was. My elder had already found the two of them, but was crouched low, hidden from sight. She spoke to me in a hushed tone "See if you can catch Nala with a pounce. Remember how to be quiet, stay low and make sure to pick the right moment to go." She instructed, getting me to crouch down with her, letting my claws out, using what felt like a sixth sense to avoid making noise from any foliage on the ground that might cause a disruption to my stealth pursuit of the other cub. If I had a moment to think about it, I would have realised how much easier the instincts were coming to me. In my slow-motion stalk towards Nala, I started to move left through the grass, coming to the edge where I could just about see her form when the grass had shifted to allow me a quick view. She was still. It appeared that Sarafina was wise to my presence already and was forcing Nala to try and counter if she could.
This had suddenly become a contest between the two of us. It was a question of who would hold their nerve the best. In terms of past experience, it would have been wise to think Nala was going to come out on top in this. However, I wasn't the type to give up. I crouched lower than before, my chest brushing with the floor, having a quick look back to check if my tail was down. Thankfully it was, so when I made the decision to edge off to the left further. I hoped with this, I would have the other cub caught surprised. I laid in wait as Nala looked around. As she scanned, it didn't appear that she had spotted me, nor the rough direction I was in. I grinned to myself as I prepared myself, my back legs coiled, ready to spring.
The moment I launched into the air, I chose not to yell, just in case it gave me an extra chance of winning this. The good news in my attempt was that I landed on Nala's back, grabbing hold, though I was careful my claws didn't dig in too much. It seemed as if it was a complete success for me. However, it didn't last, with the other cub able to shake me off and the moment I finished tumbling, I was flipped onto my back, pressure applied downwards onto me. I opened my eyes to see a smirking cub pinning me down "Pinned ya!" She said in a teasing voice, her tail flicking in amusement just in the background of my vision. "I guess you've gotta get even better than that. If you don't, you'll never beat me." She continued to tease, though I did have a smile as she started to giggle.
The next thing I heard was Sarafina's voice over us, lifting Nala after saying "Okay, she knows." And then continuing once her cub was placed just by my side. "I think you have to tell Tishala that you didn't know where she was. She didn't stay on you, but she did get you, and when she learns more, gets stronger, then she will be a good hunter to have with us." Both Nala and I righted ourselves, standing up against Sarafina's legs as Sarabi stepped into view.
The queen was nodding, looking at her friend as she came closer "I agree with that. I think she is getting good at staying quiet. If you can learn that as a cub, you can be very good when older. At least that's what my mother told me." She chuckled. Her friend nodded, letting Sarabi join the three of us. With all us reunited though, Sarabi was quick to change the subject. "Tishala and I are going to visit the gorge. I told her if she behaved well, then we would. We needed to tell you so that you didn't worry." The two friends nodded to each other, rubbing their cheeks together and purring. "We will be back long before sundown, so maybe these two can still play once we are back. Would you like that?" She looked to Nala and I, earning nods from both of us. "I thought you two might feel that way." She smiled, looking away soon after "Okay, Tishala and I will see you later in that case." The two older females once again embraced each other before Sarabi separated from her friend and headed in the direction of the gorge. I didn't waste any time in getting alongside her to follow.
The two of us had sat side by side in silence. We were perched near the edge where Sarabi caught and stopped me jumping from. Looking out into the empty space, it had a calming effect on me, like the expanse of nothing was able to store any stresses that I might have. For the time we were sat there, I was left to my thoughts, which would normally mean I would overthink any and every situation. However, this place was different. Sarabi had outlined it as a place where we would get away and, in a way, remember the fallen that we knew. Even though we were sat apart, the time we had spent with each other meant I felt Sarabi was closer to me. Whilst I didn't have a mother here, I had more than one mother figure and most recently I found myself gravitating towards the darker furred lioness, though this was partly due to my own concerns that I was getting in Sarafina's way of being a mother to Nala. The last thing I wanted to do was compromise others.
The two of us sat there for what could have been half an hour before Sarabi decided we would finally speak. Now the two of us were alone, it felt any topic could be discussed, away from everyone else. There was a silent agreement between the two of us that what we spoke of wouldn't leave where we sat. "I miss him." I told her, knowing she would understand who I was referring to. "I didn't know him for long, but I could tell we would be good friends." My voice was lacking much expression. I hadn't had to talk to someone about such a painful loss before. The worst I had gone through was a relative who had a long life before they passed on. There had been little to no tragedy in my life. Whilst I was upset with the recent losses, it couldn't have been as strong an impact on me because I didn't know the two as well as the others did. It wasn't my child, best friend or brother. As much as I wasn't a fan of Scar, and as much as I didn't trust him, I could still see it had an effect on him. I knew coming to this place would lead to conversations being repeated, but then I understood that was a coping mechanism for many.
Sarabi listened to my words, responding after a brief pause "He made friends easily. He was just like his father in that regard. Even in the short time you knew him, he did talk about you a little bit. Not as much as he was telling his dad about how he would be a strong king just like him." She chuckled, picturing the memory "I don't think I'd ever seen a cub so energetic in the morning as he was. He couldn't have got that from me." Her chest rumbled with a purr that mixed in with her gentle laughter. Looking at her, the smile was large, and her eyes were watery with the tears that were inevitably going to form. "I miss him too. For the time he was here, he was my life. Nothing else mattered." She never once took her eyes off the empty landscape. "Sarafina would agree with me. To a mother, her child is the most important thing." She continued. The talk of motherhood forced me to sit there rather straight faced. I couldn't contribute to it, nor had I ever thought about it. I'd only been this gender for a short time. I was also a cub, so didn't think I would need to talk about it. Sarabi had noticed my awkward stance about it and once again let out a soft chuckle, nudging me "One day you may understand." She spoke with a gentle tone, as if she was assuring me, unable to see the internal alarm bells going off within me. It wasn't something I was comfortable thinking about yet. It may never be.
I knew I had to change the topic before I was asked any further on an interest in it. I wasn't the type to want to upset others, so I would have made up something, but then I would feel uncomfortable with holding that lie as well. I couldn't win if I stayed on the topic. "He was going to be a good king, wasn't he?" I asked, getting Sarabi's attention.
The older leonine was in agreement "He may have been a little bit reckless, but I really do believe he would have learned well under his father's guidance. Mufasa was a wise king, so Simba would have been set up to have a kingdom that would prosper." She explained, again a small shine to her eyes told me that was what she truly believed in. Before I could even ask, it seemed like she knew the question that was coming "It is something that Scar could have benefitted from. His and Mufasa's father didn't include Scar as much when it came to giving advice on how to rule the kingdom. Perhaps Scar would be less bitter if he were included more, but then I don't think their father thought that Mufasa's reign would end so suddenly without an heir to take his place. I learned of the duties because I was Mufasa's queen."
I raised a brow at that, stepping closer to her "Why can't you rule outright then?" I asked. There had been matriarchal monarchies before in many different countries. Off the top of my head, Queen Elizabeth the first was the most notable. "My mother and father had an agreement that they ruled together, but if one of them died, then the other would be the ruling power." I continued, fabricating more. At this point, I was sure if I was getting my lies crossed. "So, my mother could have been queen and ruled like she was Mufasa…but in our pride." The whole time, Sarabi was looking at me and I couldn't tell if she was confused, amused or a combination of the two.
The older lioness was happy to let me finish though. She didn't wait to give her response "I was not born into the royal family. It may be different if Simba was still alive. He was too young to rule outright, so it is likely I would have made the decisions for the pride with the advice of Scar if he chose to involve himself." She shrugged at the mention of Scar's possible involvement. It did appear that he only did something if he had the final say, or if it would benefit him.
"My parents didn't let me do any ruling stuff. I guess it's because I wasn't ready for it or something. You're still the queen though, aren't you?" She nodded "Does that mean you're now Scar's queen?" I asked, tilting my head as my ears came forwards, eager to hear her response. I could see she was anticipating that question, disdained with it.
"I am not Scar's queen." She had a heavy sigh "A long time ago now, when Mufasa, Scar, Sarafina and I were still young, we were all friends, if not to a great extent. Mufasa and I were falling in love, and I think somewhere down the line of events, Scar thought that I was showing my love for him and not his brother. One day he asked for my companionship, to be his. I told him the truth of it. I was not nasty about it and he wasn't ridiculed, but I think he felt very embarrassed." She looked to me with her face in a slightly sad way. "After that, he talked to me less and less, and then he started acting indifferent to me. Because of that, my fondness of him dwindled to what it is now." She explained, her head lowered as she let out a deflated huff. Once I heard it, my face changed to a frown as I struggled to think of a Scar asking for another's love. Apart from a few exceptions that I had seen, he had only been cold and uncaring towards everyone. The fact he had asked Sarabi only to find out that she was interested in his brother made me feel a little sad for him. I thought to myself how that may have influenced the lion he had become.
I could almost picture a young Scar having been rejected, running back to his hiding spot, tears in those green eyes of his, a pure emotion escaping from him as he felt the loss of what he thought was a chance at happiness maybe. A part of me wondered what things would have been like if Sarabi said yes on that day.
The mention of lions in love gave rise to another question that I was interested to hear the answer to. "So how did you know you were in love with Mufasa?" Her mood lifted at that question, almost grinning at me, it was like she had become a cub for those few seconds.
Her answer came almost as enthusiastically "In truth, we had always been friends, though Sarafina and I were friends from the start, but after I got over the fact that Mufasa and his brother weren't just weird, I found myself enjoying his company. What neither of us knew was that we had were betrothed anyway. The day I knew I was in love with him though? It wasn't a large event or anything, just a little thing. He and I had taken a walk to the watering hole. When I looked at our reflections, I was caught staring at his. Being as oblivious as he could be, he didn't realise, but that was when I knew I loved him." She looked at me, trying to gauge my reaction to the story "As a cub like you, I always imagined I would fall in love with some grand gesture. I imagine that you might think the same thing, but in my years, I've noticed that often the little things we think of as nothing end up being the things that influence things like love the most." She allowed herself a chuckle at that, though the longer she left it on that, the more tears started to form "To lose the love of my life so early…I mourn for the loss. I mourn for what memories we still had to create. I cherish the time that we had." She looked to me with a teary smile "He was the best king he could be. He will be watching over us, always. I'm sure I can feel him here with me now. I can even hear his voice. He would tell me I'm too beautiful to cry like this." Through her tears she did let out a little laugh "At least use my mane to soak your tears." She tried to mimic Mufasa's voice, laughing at the quote she delivered.
The laughter was infectious, my own higher pitched laugh coming through and joining hers. After a while, we slowed it down, feeling the place's calm bring us down. "What do you think is out there?" I asked, gesturing out beyond the Pridelands, over the edge we were sat near.
Sarabi shrugged, a show of indifference from her as she replied "I don't know. I've never had a reason to go and find out. It's possible some animals of the Pridelands have come from a place beyond our sights here. I expect that there's a land as filled with life as the Pridelands. Whether it's the same or not, I don't know. As I said though, I haven't found the need to discover if anything is out there. It looks like it would be a difficult journey for anyone. Unless desperate, I don't think anyone would travel through." She made a guess at that, reminding me just how harsh the location would be, making survival unlikely.
Despite her words, I didn't hesitate "I think I would like to explore there someday. Maybe I could tell you what's out there…if there is anything out there." I looked up to her with a smile, as if I was bringing good news to her.
Her expression back to me suggested she didn't see the prospect of me exploring the unknown as a very positive one. However, she wasn't harsh with her response, instead deflecting it a little bit "You'll be far too busy in the pride by the time you're big enough to make a journey like that." I was told. I knew it was a subtle way of telling me that she wouldn't let me go there. It was dangerous, but for different reasons to the elephant graveyard; the unknown was as scary as it was exciting and I could feel it getting my attention, drawing me in. "On that note, Tishala, shall we make our leave?" It wasn't so much a question as a statement of her own action. She stood up to make her way back, reaching the corner before she looked back to me, seeing I still peered out into the distance "Tishala?" I was taken from my stare, nodding as I joined her.
Even after we had gotten back, the day was still not over. Sarabi and Sarafina suggested both Nala and I rested, with Sarafina volunteering to stay with us, having been allowed to by Scar, which was a surprise to say the least. Despite both our protests, Nala and I found that actually we had been exerting ourselves more than we thought, the two of us closing our eyes just minutes after the suggestion of a nap was presented to us.
The nap was dreamless but had an abrupt end when I opened my eyes to see a pair of green eyes looking back at me. They pulled back to reveal the king had been responsible. He wore a sickly grin, knowing he had the audience of me, Nala and Sarafina, the latter of which was frowning at the king, muttering something to do with how cubs needed their sleep. Before I could join in the protests though, I yawned, blinking a couple of times to wake up. I was about to let him know I was quite happy staying asleep, but the lion started before I could "The king requests your presence, outsider." One of his claws trailed over my head slowly "This is something you'll like. I'm making good on my word, now come on, you wouldn't want to miss this. I won't offer again." He let out a small giggle, which sounded odd. Before Sarafina could argue with him, he was quick to speak up again "Ah, no, king and invitees only. I am afraid a king's business is highly confidential." It almost looked like Sarafina was going to explode as he denied her speech by putting a claw over her lips.
With a groggy, unhappy face, I stood up and shook my head to Sarafina. I didn't want to go with him, but it would likely be easier if I went along with it than resisting. The older lioness moved her head away so she no longer had a claw pressed to her, but she didn't tell him anything, instead keeping an intense glare on him as he turned his view away from her, ignoring her completely, huffing as he pushed his chest out. As he got to the mouth of the den, he looked to me with annoyance, showing a quick change in attitude that made me nervous "I despise waiting. Do not make your king wait." That last part sounded like a warning, so I sprinted up to him, my ears still held back, demonstrating to him the fear he instilled. I didn't look, but I was sure there was a smile on his face when he saw that. "Very good." He responded to my turn in speed before he turned and made his way out onto the rock that stretched out, the king's perch. He could look over all the Pridelands from there and hadn't shared it with anyone "Follow me." He spoke, leading me up to the edge with him.
My eyes had adjusted enough for me to realise that sunset was very nearly upon us. I sat there, looking over the land as Scar was sat close to me; uncomfortably so. As he sat there, he was purring, though I didn't dare look or ask why. "Not too long now." He said, no doubt referencing to the setting sun. It was approaching the horizon. "My father gave his favourite son this talk. With me as the king though, changes are being inputted to bring this Pride greater glory than ever before." He continued purring, a paw reaching over to pull me against him. "You see, I've heard the talk." He cleared his throat "Look out there. Everything the light touches is our kingdom." He hummed to himself "Though I can't help but feel the talk is rather short sighted, wouldn't you agree?" He pulled me up against him and shook me a little bit "The talk of what the light touches being our kingdom works for those lacking ambition. What about those rulers who are looking to build upon their kingdom? That is what separates the cubs from the kings." He continued, finally letting go of me.
The sun had been setting all the while and had disappeared into the ground, casting a red glow in the sky, but the land around became a more sinister looking place. "Now look. Tishala, you may have been told that everything the light touches is yours, but what if I told you that everything the darkness touches is as well? Well, that's simple, you have more. You rule over more. The darkness covers all." He couldn't help but smile at that.
Because of the length at which he was talking, I didn't understand it all, looking to him, questioning him with my looks "What? You've told me everything the darkness touches is mine? I'm not sure I follow…" I frowned, unwittingly inviting him to pull me in again.
This time he was looking right into my eyes "I am showing you the kingdom that only the greatest lions shall rule." As he spoke, I could hear some distant cackling from hyenas below, adding to the eeriness of his words. "I did say I would teach you…Princess." He pulled back, smirking at his own words.
The confusion was clear on my face. Had he really just called me princess? I couldn't resist blurting out the question directly "Why did you call me p-" I was stopped before I could finish.
The lion king shushed me, holding a paw over my mouth until I stopped struggling, giving up on my question. Once he let go, I took in deep breaths, letting the oxygen in, staring out to the darkened landscape.
Without giving me time to gather myself again, Scar announced with a growling voice that set my fur on edge "Your first lesson has started…"
A/N: Here you go then. I do not own Disney nor do I own Lion King in any way, shape or form. I hope this was worth the wait. A few things came up that took precedence in the interim. I hope you like this; it is the longest single piece of writing I have done outside of my academic writing. Please let me know what you think with a review. I do like to read what others think about my writing, so please, the more reviews, the happier I am! Until next time!