Time felt very much quick like the moment the hunter claims his or her prey. The time that Bagheera had counted on arriving had come at last and to be a very much nuance to it all, he continued to hear of the animals share with each other of the news of Elsa. Through the several days to come and pass, there was much talk of Elsa by the jungle folk, the rumours of her continue to escalate. The matter of a mans-cub thriving in the jungle along with them, while it was very much a curious thing to know of, just the same as Kerchek's tribe it caused some to be very much concern for many. Man was but a threat to all and the tales that proceed them as such from their steal sticks that fires a bolt of lighting from which death to one is to follow. To add to it, they are the creators and control the destructing force that is the red flower. A power that could destroy the jungle at will.
Fear was indeed a know response for one to have of Elsa. Though of course another response to her was of disgust, one made by a particular brother of the king. If Elsa was to be brought up in the council meeting, which was very much a high chance, he wouldn't be of any help. Nor should he. The girl was very much a reliability to the pride if unable to learn how to hunt with her adopted family. Though it didn't phased the panther to be of any concern of him. For it was here on this particular evening that the panther was to reveal the solution he had come to find.
It was at the clove of the evening, slowly descended to the time of the setting sun. Far back to the den of the lions, Diata, along with Sarabi, Sarafina and the other lionesses were laying upon the stone pathway. As they rested and discussed with one another, the three cubs Elsa, Simba and Nala played along with one another. The three chased each other, laughing and chuckling, leaping upon each other and play fighting as they had done through the time they were together. Simba and Nala chased after Elsa, who ran atop all fours. Just as the two cubs caught up to the girl, Simba pounced at the the girl who then rolled forward and out from the princes grasp.
The girl turned to the lion prince with a great smile upon her face.
"You missed me, Simba!" she said to the young prince.
"Oh, yeah?" He said, smirking very in a scheming light.
The young cub then pounced once more and landed upon the girl-cub, causing the two to roll on their side. The girl chuckled as she tried to get up off the stone ground below her. However she was held back as Simba continued to playfully attack her.
"Ow, Simba!" she chuckled.
Elsa found herself caught in between Simba and Nala and was being brought down to the stone surface below her. The girl laughed as she was crawled over and playfully bit and tugged upon her ear, tackled by the two lion cubs. One of course would find moments of pain through the rough playing of a lion cub, and you would be right to guess that Elsa did indeed have many of those moments. For a girl-cub who played with lion cubs, they were always so rough in their ways.
Watching them play, Diata became concern for her daughter as she saw Simba and Nala were playing rough as they always do. She loved that they did wish to play with her, but still she was a girl-cub. She could be easily hurt very much physically. The white lioness got up and began walking up to the three cubs.
"Simba, Nala." She said as the three cubs stopped and looked up to her.
"That's enough."
Nala got off of Elsa, allowing for Elsa to lean up off the ground.
"We were just playing, Aunt Diata." Nala said.
"Yeah." Simba insisted.
"I know." She said, seeing that to be true.
"But you two have to be more careful with Elsa. You could hurt her."
"I'm not hurt, mama." The girl-cub insisted, as she came up on feet.
"I'm okay. Simba and Nala didn't do anything."
"It doesn't matter, Elsa." Diata said.
"You can easily get hurt, even if you think you won't, just try to be a little more careful. Understand?"
The wild girl shook her head to her mother, understanding what her mother was explaining to her.
"Oh come now, Diata."
The white lioness turned and looked to the pathway, there she saw the sight of someone very unwelcoming to her. Mufassa's youngest brother, Scar who was walking up to the den.
"Let the three cubs play how they please." He said.
"After all, what it to the... girl-cub to have just a few scraps here and there?"
The white lioness only stared sternly to him. He didn't understand just how dangerous this was to the girl, nor did he appear to care. Something that she did expect from him, he never cared for anything at all.
"If you took the time to understand you would know, Scar." Diata stated, knowing that Scar didn't fathom just how Elsa was so fragile compared to Simba and Nala.
"Elsa isn't like Simba and Nala, she can easily be hurt."
"Of course I understand, Diata." Scar said.
"She a liability to the pride. Quite frankly i don't see why you would bring her here to live with us. She'll never survive here in the jungle, she can't even learn to hunt."
Scar's words caused the girl cub to frown, while her mother glowered to him. Her expression however only caused him to smirk. Always trying to defend her dear beloved daughter and yet refused to see just what he meant.
"There's no need for any of that, Diata." He said as he continued on his way toward the den.
"It's only the truth."
Life in the pride may seemed to have much benefit to the girl, there was much downsides to it. Not surprisingly Scar was one of them. He was of course unwelcoming to her as he was everyone else in the pride. His thoughts of Diata bringing her into the the pride may not be as different than what one would expect. He had hatred for the girl the same way as he may have it for his dear nephew. Diata knew it to be true, which is why she had always warned Elsa to to steer clear of him. Quite frankly, Elsa always found Scar to be very intimidating to her. That being said, she always looked to do as he mother wished from her.
Though it was just than that all heard a dimmed sound of a roar in the distance. Everyone looked out toward the jungle, all familiarised to what the sound was. However one was curious to what it meant. The most being that of Elsa, who than turned to her mother.
"Mama?" She asked as the white lioness turned to her.
Yet there came another familiar voice. One that echoed from the sky above the sky above.
"Come Now all!"
Elsa and Diata each looked up to the sky above. Flying over the jungle above, the majordomo, Zazu soured above the lush jungle as he announced to all the jungle folk.
"Mufassa has declared the Council meeting. All must come!"
For one like us unfamiliar to the customs of the jungle, I bid to explain one of it's most sacred customs by all the animals. The council meeting is a occasion held through certain times by every generation to have come before. The animals by law of the jungle were to all come and gather at a place that was know as the meeting Rock. It there the king to share news to his loyal subjects and to hear from them of concerns that are taking place. It was as king one of his major responsibilities to honour. One much like Scar would consider it to be of complete waste of time, however this was a very vital custom for all to attend. The law of the jungle stated to all who lives by it, all must come and attend the ceremony.
Hearing Zazu, Scar rolled his eyes, giving a very irritated groan.
"Oh, how wonderful." He muttered very sarcastically.
The black maned lion turned and continued walking to the cave. However he didn't get too far inside. Just as he was to disappear into the darkness of the shadows that loom inside, Sarabi stood up from where she laid and spoke up to him.
"Scar!" She said, glaring to her brother-in-law.
The brown fur lion stopped and turned to Sarabi.
"Where do you think your going? You out of all of us is required to come to council rock."
"Oh, am I now?" He said turning to her.
"Surely it would be more fitting for you all to not be seen with me misconstrue the pride's image."
Scar then eyed toward Diata and Elsa.
"Not that it already is."
Diata glared in response of his insult to her and her daughter.
"Besides, I'm not very... fit for a meeting as important as this.
The excuse was hardly fazed Mufassa's beloved queen. She knew very well that as the kings brother he needed to attend along side Mufassa. It was a common tradition that was to be honoured by all who had come before. It would be a detrimental if one decided to disregard it. Scar's ignorance to his duty wasn't at all tolerated here and she was sure that he indeed had little care to it. However this wasn't up for debate.
"It's your duty as the kings brother." Sarabi stated.
"It wouldn't be very honourable to the pride for one of us to be purposely absent from the council meeting."
"Oh, yes." Scar said in an allusion he agreed with her.
"That would be so awful."
It was then he turned and walked into the cave, disregarding his duty completely. This action of course was very maddening to Sarabi. He was so inconsiderate and neglecting to anyone around him. Not only that, he was careless to the jungle laws and traditions. He refused to attend any like her rightfully should have, a very known example was at the time of Simba's ceremony. He was completely absent and cared very little of his nephews birth. That alone was bad enough for her and Mufassa to learn.
It was then her son walked up to her side, looking into the cave at his uncles departure. He gazed upward to her as she looked down to him.
Both Elsa, Nala and Diata gazed toward the cave entrance. The white lioness sighed and shook her head.
"Why am I not surprised?" She asked herself.
"Must he be so disobedient to the law like Zira and Shere Khan?"
"Why does he have to be so mean?" Elsa asked, looking up to her mother.
The white lioness looked to her adopted human child. The answer was very much complicated, he was very much unwelcoming to everyone. He was jealous of his older brother for the kingship he had inherited from his father. Therefore he brought such gloaming emotions to all around him.
"Jealously is a very corrupting power to people." The white lioness explained.
"Scar has let himself be consumed by his jealousy of his brother. Such a straggly fool, wants to position to be king and yet he won't even pay respect to our customs or laws."
Elsa looked up to her mother.
Sarabi turned back to Diata, Elsa and the other pride members.
"We must go." She said, knowing that they should be on their way.
Diata turned and looked down to her adopted daughter.
"Elsa, climb on." she said, kneeling down to her daughter.
The girl cub came up and climbed atop her mother's back. Once the wild girl had settled, she stood back up and began making her way down the pathway with their fellow pride members.
Bagheera stood over a large buffalo which laid dead below a small hill. A hunt that had been one well successful during the mid day for as he had brought down one of the cape buffalo who was foolish enough be out of reach form his herd. His catch was to serve a great purpose for the night soon to come.
"A very late hunt I see?" A voice called from nearby.
The panther gazed back to see that of Rafiki and Baloo approaching him from behind.
"That quite the catch you got there, Bagie." Baloo said, seeing the massive Buffalo in front of the panther.
"I wasn't hunting." Bagheera stated.
"Not since the earlier today."
"Then whats with the giant dead buffalo?" Baloo asked curiously.
"It is not eaten." Rafiki said, seeing there wasn't a single chuck taken out from it.
"This kill isn't for me to eat." Bagheera said.
"But Mufassa's pride will find very much benefit in it. As will I."
The mandrill raised his eye brow curiously to the panthers words. For what benefit this buffalo would be for him if not for the intention of eating?
"Uh... what?" Baloo asked, tilting his head confusingly.
Bagheera turned and began walking toward the steep hill side.
"There is a law that shall allow me to teach Elsa." The panther stated.
"That law their exists a price upon every cub. A price that can be paid and I am the one to who will pay it."
The panther's plan was very pleasing to hear from the mandrill. He chuckled out of his dedicated gratified to Bagheera who had come to make a plan to obtain the place that truly was his.
"A wise plan, Bagheera." The mandrill said.
"Luck shall be gratefully on your side, your place shall be given with such grace."
Once he came on the top, he gazed out to the wide field where he saw a large crowd of all the animals who dwell within this part of the jungle. The sight of which to the panther was the commencing of the Council meeting.
"Mufassa's roar was heard well." Rafiki said, seeing the great number of animals making their way to council rock.
Baloo came up beside Bagheera and sat down beside him.
"Geeze." Baloo said.
"You would think that at least some of them would have any other plans for tonight."
"I wouldn't view this in any way than concern." Bagheera said through his own view of the crowd of jungle folk.
To see the whole jungle come to the council rock, he knew that tonight they would see Elsa for the first time. Chances of which they would debate over her to live in the jungle. If it were, then she would need to be recommended by two non-pride members to ensure she was of no concern if she remained with them. There was very few in the jungle who would recommend her. Those that would do so, happened to be three of them.
"They come from far to hear the truth of the girl-cub." Bagheera said, looking to the bear and mandrill.
"I fear they will see her the way that man has always been seen to be."
Baloo turned to the panther.
"They can't actually think that about her." The bear said.
"She's only a kid."
"It's when she will grow that they fear more than anything." Bagheera explained.
"If she is to live here in the jungle, then she is to be recommended by two who are not of the pride."
Rafiki turned to the panther. He knew that it was true, the girl cub must be spoken for at this meeting.
"Yes indeed." the boy said as he stroked his white beard.
"That is very true. There must be two who must speak for her."
Bagheer gazed to Rafiki as he thought to who might be the ones to speak for the girl cub.
"An I may yet know just who may be the ones to speak for her." Bagheera insisted.
Elsa gazed through the border line of tree's to see a massive heard of animals moving ahead to the outer parts of the plains. Too many that the girl cub could comprehend, like a child at a zoo she felt so ecstatic to see the many jungle folk. There were the grass dwellers, the springboks, gazelles, antelope, cape Buffalo, and of course the striped horses, the zebra. There also the towering giraffes, the horned rhino and of course the might gods of the jungle, the elephants.
To even walk along the herbivores were the hunters of the jungle. The yellow spotted cheetahs, leopards and even the black stripe tiger were walking amongst them without a single need to catch them at this time.
Dashing out to the front of the group, Simba came by Diata and Elsa. The two cubs gazed out upon the fields and gasped in amazement.
"Wow!" Simba said.
The young prince looked back at his mother and the other lionesses.
"Guy's look at this!"
Nala rushed to his side as Diata and Elsa came up behind the two cubs. The two stopped as they both looked upon the herd for themselves.
"Everyone has come." The white lioness said.
"Come to what, mama?" the girl-cub asked curiously.
The lioness looked back to her adopted daughter.
"It is the time for the council meeting, Elsa." She explained to her.
"It is one of the jungle many customs. For all the jungle is to come and hear from the king."
"So they all have come here to listen to Mufassa."Elsa said.
Diata nodded her head to the girl.
"That's right, Elsa." Sarabi said, who walked into view beside them.
"It's the one of the king's important duties to the jungle. One that will be passed down to the future king."
Sarabi looked down to Simba in particular to the answer she thought of. The young cub looked back to his mother.
"You mean, I'll be doing what dad is when I'm king."
Sarabi nodded here head yes.
"That is so, my son." She said.
"You will be the one that the jungle will have to listen to."
The answer of which caused Simba to turn to her, smiling with glee. That was until the next thing she said.
"And you will have to hear what all will say."
Simba then frowned and groaned hearing the responsibility he would be given.
"What are we going to talk about?" Elsa asked, curiously.
The answer of which was very much unknown to the white lioness. The discussion that would have at this very night would be up to the people. That or some news that the king wished to share with the rest of the jungle folk. To whatever the answer was, it would have to be seem for themselves.
"I cannot say, Elsa." She said.
"But we should meet Mufassa at council rock. We may see just what we wish to know."
Elsa nodded head to her mother suggestion.
"Yeah, we should." She said.
The white lioness smiled to her daughter before turning ahead. Sarabi, Simba, Nala and the others followed in suit toward the moving herd of the jungle folk.
(I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, I'm sorry for it being so long I just started grade twelve and things started out rough. So I haven't been given the time to write much, but i promise I will try and Update as much as I can. Till then, I look forward to hear whatever criticism you have to offer.)