Author's note: Hello again! Here is Chapter 2 and since this is one of those bigger ones, I'd really appreciate if you commented your thoughts on how I handled this, especially the action parts. Hope you like it and if you don't, please tell me what you don't like and I will work on fixing it in the upcoming chapters. Peace!
CHAPTER TWO: BUSA LE LIZWE BO
"Rafiki!" Simba called out, trying not to be too loud as he and Kovu sneaked around the Tree of Life.
While Simba was calling out Rafiki's name, Kovu quietly ran closer to the tree, which was now partially burned. The fire didn't seem to last long or otherwise the entire tree would be burned out. Still, seeing the tree lose half of its momentum was a sad sight. One side was still very much vibrant and filled with life, glowing in the bright light of dawn, but blending into decomposing blackness.
Kovu began climbing up the still healthy side, struggling hard to stay on the tree while digging the claws inside of it, but somehow managing to get up on it. Simba looked from below as Kovu got lost in the shrubs.
"Kovu, get down from there, I don't think there's anyone up there," Simba said.
"How can you know?" Kovu's voice was heard from the shrubs. "Maybe he's just sitting somewhere completely shut off. That seems like a Rafiki thing."
"Well, can you see him?"
After some more crawling through the branches, Kovu answered: "No."
"Well, then?"
"I'm getting down," Kovu said, his head finally reappearing as he started to get down, a little more clumsily than getting up. "What now?"
"We will try to look for some trails around here."
Kovu gave up on trying to get down easily and jumped from the tree, faltering and just barely managing to land on his paws.
"Wait," Kovu said. "If Rafiki had really stuck to the Pride Lands territory, we would have encountered him by now. He would have gone to us, right?"
"Right, unless he took some other way if someone was chasing him..."
"But if he had reached Pride Rock, Zazu would have warned us by now. If he saw anything, he would come to report to us. That leaves us with only one option," Kovu said, looking ahead in the direction of the desert, just barely seeing it sprawl on the horizon.
Simba nodded. "Then we have to move immediately. Come on."
And so the two lions started running into the progressively more and more desolate lands.
...
As the sun rose higher and Simba and Kovu reached the desert, it was like stepping into flames. But even at the zenith, they still ran, only stopping for a few times, just to catch a few breaths. At least as much breath as could be caught in such heat. All the running made their breaths shorter and shorter with their lungs burning up just and skin being scorched by the sun, burning beams hitting them like the whips of fire. It was hard for them to even open their eyes a bit wider without getting completely blinded by the bright shine of the sun against the burning sands.
Simba was falling behind, but he couldn't allow himself to stop. He couldn't admit to himself that he was no longer as strong as he used to be, that he was growing old. Leaving Kiara behind was his worst fear. Kovu, on the other hand, could go. As hard as it was, Kovu could go against these conditions. Even though he didn't have Simba's strength, life in the Outlands taught him how to adapt to pretty much any kind of surroundings.
Kovu moved his head over his shoulder, noticing that Simba was no longer picking up, and stopping in his tracks completely when he noticed he couldn't find him. Turning to face the way he was going from, he frantically looked around, only to find Simba lying in the sand a few meters away, hardly moving. Immediately upon realizing what happened, Kovu ran to Simba's aid.
"Simba!" Kovu yelled out when he reached him. Simba was panting and could barely open his eyes from exhaustion.
"Water..." Simba muttered.
"We're close to an oasis, Simba, just hold on a little more."
Simba's head just fell on the ground, leaving no response from him, just deep, exhausted breaths in a delirious state. As heavy as Simba was, Kovu realized he had no choice but to try to get him up on his own back and carry him to the oasis. The fact that the oasis wasn't too far from them and that he could actually see glimpses of it in the distance gave Kovu more strength to go.
Kovu dug his head in the sand under Simba's body, slid it down to his back and somehow, just barely, managed to get him up, his legs shaking while doing so. Simba's legs were dragging through the sand, but Kovu managed to keep him on his back. Standing there for a second, he knew he couldn't possibly run like this, so he walked as fast as he could. After a few meters, he could feel Simba slowly starting to move and mutter.
"Wh-what's going on?"
"You passed out", Kovu replied.
"Oh." Simba sounded surprised. "Put me down."
Kovu gladly did as Simba said and lowered his back down so Simba can slide off properly. In that moment, Kovu suddenly felt like he could run another mile.
"Sorry about that", Simba excused himself. "This doesn't usually happen."
"Don't worry about it", Kovu responded. "Let's just get to the water."
The two lions somehow dragged themselves to the bustling greenery of the oasis in the middle of the desert's infernal brightness. Quickening up the pace, but just a little bit, they finally entered the shadows, feeling as if someone took all the pain away in one second. As they got through a small path and approached a pond, both of them suddenly had enough energy to run to it. Once they were there, they didn't stop drinking from it for more than a minute, manically smacking their tongues against the fresh water, restoring them back to life. Kovu was done before Simba and laid on the grass, still panting, but finally calming down. Simba slid down in the pond, freshening himself up and taking all the dirt away.
"We will rest here until we feel ready to move again," Simba spoke, sounding like he was acknowledging his defeat. One by his own body and his own mortality.
...
Moving on, the rest of the desert that lied ahead wasn't that big, so they steadily picked up the pace and rushed into the full greenery when they finally saw it. Places like these never failed to make Simba feel some sort of nostalgia for the careless time he used to spend raised by Timon and Pumba, at least before he grew up and his past kept knocking in the back of his mind. He desperately hoped they weren't in danger too. They were like second parents to him, but also his best friends. Maybe they didn't really teach him the most valuable life lessons, but they took him in when he had no one and also taught him how to let loose when necessary. Besides, they were exactly what he needed when things, well, happened.
"Maybe we should go a bit more carefully now," Kovu whispered as the jungle got thicker after a few minutes of walking at a moderate pace.
"You're right. There could be a trap," Simba agreed.
While they were trying not to make a sound, they also moved around the bushier parts so they couldn't be seen so easily. For Kovu, at least that was easy. Pouncing was one of those things he always excelled at. Simba wasn't as sneaky, but he was doing fine enough and could only be noticed if one was being extra careful.
After a short while, they saw a clearing, with some trees, ponds and thickets scattered here and there. It was a peaceful view with no one around. Everything was suspiciously too quiet.
"Simba, look," Kovu whispered, looking at something on their right.
Simba looked in the direction Kovu was showing and saw a lioness carefully walking a few meters away, only partially covered in bushes. She seemed to be around Simba's age, maybe older.
"Let me," Kovu pleaded.
"No way," Simba replied.
"Together?" Kovu mouthed as he pointed his paw at both Simba and himself. Simba couldn't say no to this with a reasonable explanation, so he just nodded.
"You jump and pin her down, I'll do the rest," Simba ordered and Kovu nodded.
Kovu picked up the pace while remaining hidden and quiet, slowly approaching the lioness from her side. While he did this, he began considering quitting on this plan. It seemed too easy. Like the lioness wasn't even trying. Like it was some sort of an act. So, instead of jumping at her right away, he decided to follow her a little.
He turned around to check on Simba.
"What are you doing?" mouthed Simba.
"Shh," Kovu responded and nodded to reassure him. Simba didn't look very reassured, but he stayed put, slowly following far behind both of them.
While they followed the lioness, Kovu had time to check his surroundings at every turn, but never noticed anyone or anything, as careful as he looked. So after a few more minutes of aimless following, Kovu finally took the leap and burst out of the grass. While he was knocking the lioness down, she tried to hit him in the face, but he avoided it by a close second. It almost made him lose balance when pinning her down. Still, he managed. A devilishly satisfied look in the lioness's eyes confused Kovu, but confirmed his suspicions at the same time. Simba appeared in a second and Kovu let him take over. The lioness attempted to escape, but Simba pinned her back down.
"Who are you and what are you doing here?" he said in a strict, but controlled tone.
The lioness chuckled in his face. "And who are you to give me orders?"
"I'm Simba, the king of the Pride Lands," Simba groaned as he pressed her neck with his paw. "And you better answer my question."
"Ah, so you're Simba? You're just as arrogant as Scar describe you. I see the constant need to prove yourself hasn't vanished."
Simba's eyes widened. Neither he nor Kovu could hide the surprised look on their faces. Scar was always that one link to the past that just refused to go away.
Still, Simba tried to pull himself together. "Scar is dead."
"No, he's not. You are."
The second Simba felt someone's claws touching him, everything played out like slow motion. He knew knocking down came next. And he hoped and hoped and hoped it wasn't Scar. It couldn't have been. Kovu was terrified, but he didn't let the lioness get up. Simba carefully slid away and rolled over in the grass. The claws scratched him on the back, but he didn't have time to worry about that. He got up in the fighting position, quietly growling at whoever was ahead. And in that one moment, his heart stopped as he saw the lion standing in front of him. It didn't look like Scar, or maybe Simba refused to believe that it truly was Scar, but when he looked at his familiar grinning face, he couldn't deny it anymore. It really was Scar standing in front of him. He was very old, but he somehow looked tougher than he did when he was younger. Still, Simba's fear quickly turned back into anger and protectiveness. Kovu's heart, however, was pounding.
"What are you doing here, you scum," Simba quietly said in a voice filled with nothing but hate.
"Now, now, that's not the way to greet a family member. I thought your daddy taught you better."
"Don't you dare mention my father!" Simba growled out.
"I'll mention whoever I want to mention!" Scar growled back.
Just when Simba and Scar started circling around, Kovu yelled out: "Leave him!"
Scar turned around, finally acknowledging Kovu. Scar chuckled and began approaching him. "And who are...wait..." Scar said as he stroked his chin. "Little Kovu?"
Kovu lowered his look down. He couldn't stand speaking directly to Scar's face. He could barely remember Scar. Last time Kovu saw him was as such a small cub that he couldn't even remember it. Though, he could create some picture of him based on what Zira told him. But when he saw him this time, it was like everything instantly came back to him, like he knew him all along. He was always this creeping presence in the background, or inside. Never quite there, but could always be felt. Looking at him now sent shivers down his spine.
"Scar, watch out!" the lioness suddenly yelled out.
Simba used Scar's moment of lacking concentration to jump at him. Scar turned his head around, but it was too late. Simba already pressed his paws against Scar's chest and pinned him down.
"It seems that I wasn't clear enough when I told you never to come back," Simba muttered out in a threatening tone.
"Oh, Simba, Simba," Scar said as he grinned at Simba's face. "You really thought I'd come here only with my mate?"
Simba suddenly heard Kovu roaring and saw another lioness knocking him off of Scar's mate. Scar used the surprise factor to his advantage and pushed Simba off of him with his legs. Simba quickly got up and stood up in the fighting position, growling at Scar. While Kovu was trying to fight off two lionesses at once, Scar seemed pretty calm, not taking any fighting position at all. Simba quickly put it together and backed away from the attack he knew was coming. Another lioness jumped out of the bushes, but instead of biting him by his neck, she sunk her teeth near his shoulder. Simba roared, but he was lucky to avoid the neck bite and he was in a perfect position to hit the lioness and move her away, which he successfully did, the lioness growling as she fell on the ground with a loud thumping noise. He wanted to check on Kovu, but next thing he knew, Scar was jumping at him. Simba managed to roll over in time, so Scar missed him and flew farther than intended, but he still stood his ground by digging his claws in it. He was far enough for Simba to have a chance of escape.
Simba's heart stopped when Kovu suddenly appeared right in front of him, tiny blood drops decorating his mane.
"Come on, we have to run!" Kovu shouted.
Simba wasn't used to running away, but staying was not an option in this situation. Simba swung his paw across the face of a lioness approaching Kovu from behind and they started running deeper into the jungle. Scar was very close behind at this point, but Simba and Kovu were faster. Scar refused to stop running even when he was falling farther and farther behind with the other lionesses catching up with him. Soon, the lionesses were ahead of Scar and approaching Kovu and Simba, but the adrenaline kept the two lions from tiring. However, Simba and Kovu had no idea where to go. Their current goal was just losing Scar and the lionesses and avoiding the obstacles.
Thankfully, pretty soon they burst out into the clear they had seen before, but unfortunately only then realizing that they ran in a circle. Kovu wanted to run as fast as possible, but he kept in line with Simba. He was confused, terrified, and ashamed, reminded of his disgraceful past and of guilt that came with it. They still didn't know where exactly to run, but for now, they followed a river that they noticed on their right eventually, coming from the southwest. Their hearts sunk when they noticed the river disappearing close ahead, turning into a waterfall on a wide cliff, so they stopped right at the edge. Both of them looked behind to see the lionesses, along with Scar falling behind, still after them a good distance behind, but short enough to reach them if they started running on the edge of the cliff to the left or the right. The height of the cliff wasn't as terrifying as it could be, but it was bad enough to get one's legs broken in case of jumping.
Kovu almost turned to the right in panic, but then he noticed Simba jumping off the cliff.
"Simba!" Kovu screamed and took a look over the edge. However, when he saw Simba standing on a bump on the cliff not so far below with plenty of room for both, he didn't hesitate to do the same.
Kovu landed successfully. His back almost slid over, but he got himself up. The height suddenly seemed a lot worse than when he was steady on the ground, along with the striking rays of the setting sun shining into his eyes and partially blinding him.
"There's another one!" Simba said and pointed his head towards another bump not very far ahead. "There's an entrance to some cave right next to it."
Right after saying this, Simba took a leap and got himself on the rock, entering the cave to make room for Kovu. As soon as Simba stabilized himself, Kovu followed right after. Both lions now in the cave took deep breaths just like in the oasis, only this time they didn't realize how tired they were until they stopped.
Simba spoke first. "Did you see them looking over the edge?"
Kovu just shook his head.
Simba nodded and continued talking. "This was a set up."
"Obviously," Kovu responded.
"The pride must be under attack, or otherwise they wouldn't drag us all the way here. But Rafiki is somewhere around here. This cave must lead to some place. Maybe he's hiding. We have to at least try to find him before we move."
"I can't believe he's alive," Kovu said in disbelief and then repeated in an angrier tone, "I can't believe he's still alive!"
"I never did kill him, Kovu. But I suppose I always hoped he wouldn't come back. Well, now he is. And this time I'm not running away. As soon as we find Rafiki, we run back to the Pride Rock as fast as possible."
Kovu was still in a state of shock. "He never even bothered to look for us. My mother dedicated her whole life to someone who abandoned her! She died for someone who never really cared for her!"
"Listen, Kovu, I know you're angry," Simba tried to keep him together. "So am I. But we have to think clearly now."
Kovu exhaled. "She pretty much raised me to be him, and he was right there somewhere all along," he said in a little calmer voice.
"Breathe, Kovu. You'll be fine."
Kovu nodded and began slowly inhaling and exhaling.
"Now say you'll be fine. I want to hear it from you."
"I'll be fine."
"Good. Don't lose yourself now. It's important we keep our heads clear."
"Okay. So, we move?"
"We move," Simba confirmed and so they began walking deeper into the cave.
The cave was pretty easy to follow. It was all a single path and they could only go ahead. It was getting darker and darker, but their eyes easily adjusted to the increasing darkness.
Then, out of the blue, Kovu felt a strike on his head.
"Ow! What the..."
"Rafiki, it's us!" Simba quickly reacted when he recognized the situation.
It really was Rafiki standing right next to Kovu, his eyes wide, his face looking like he aged for 10 more years in one day, tension visible on his body.
"Simba?" he asked.
"It's me and Kovu, we came for you," Simba said.
"No, no, no, no, what are you doing here? Get away from here, it's not safe!" Rafiki commanded as he approached Simba while waving his arms to chase him away.
"We know. We barely made it here," Simba reassured him.
"So, he found you?" Rafiki said what sounded more like an already known fact waiting to be fully confirmed.
"Yes."
Rafiki looked frantic and intense. Simba and Kovu never saw him this jumpy. He was always a little mad, but this was something else. For the first time, Rafiki looked out of his own control.
"They burned it," Rafiki muttered.
"Come here, old friend," Simba said as he embraced Rafiki with his paw.
"They burned it," Rafiki repeated, staring wildly into nothing. "And they dragged me here. I escaped but I'm forced to hide, they are everywhere. I can't go back."
Kovu exhaled loudly and stared into the floor. He felt so much anger about everything that happened, but when he became aware of it, he wondered if this is what led Scar to his behavior. He repressed so many feelings, thought they wouldn't bother him, but those emotions were too strong. He was afraid of Scar. But he was just as afraid of himself.
"New life will grow there," Simba consoled Rafiki.
"Yes, Simba." Rafiki finally started to look like his usual self again and smiled to Simba. "And the same fate awaits me. I can feel it."
"Don't talk like that."
"Oh, Simba, Simba," Rafiki spoke to Simba as if he was a cub. "When will you learn that death is not where it ends?"
"I know that, Rafiki." Simba began to sound annoyed.
"But you can't accept it," Rafiki persisted. "Besides, you're not so young anymore either. You're growing old, Simba."
"Rafiki, I feel as fine as always," Simba said as he tried to put on a smile.
"Do you now?" Rafiki saw right through it.
Simba kept quiet this time. He just didn't know how to respond.
"You carry too much of a burden with you. Have some faith in those around you."
"And just let them be?" Simba asked. "They are still inexperienced."
"Then how do you think experience is gained?"
Simba was about to say something, but he shut his mouth again. Rafiki always got him in the corner with words.
Kovu heard all this while lying a bit behind, his back turned on Simba and Rafiki, giving them some privacy. He agreed with Simba, but Rafiki's words did come to him. Maybe that was the point too. The old mandrill probably knew Kovu was listening and said it to him just as much as he did to Simba. Thinking about this put a smile on Kovu's face. That was just such a Rafiki thing to do.
"Kovu, why are you isolating yourself?" Rafiki soon called him out.
"I'm just letting the two of you have a conversation, that's all," Kovu awkwardly replied, his back still turned.
"And why do you think you shouldn't be a part of it?" Rafiki said with a stare that Kovu could feel even on his back.
"Well, I...I don't know," Kovu blurted out in an insecure tone.
"See? Come here, then."
"Alright," Kovu said as he shyly got up, turned around and dragged himself towards Simba and Rafiki.
"Now, tell me," said Rafiki, his eyes filled with amusement and an ounce of pride. "How is Kiara?"
Kovu smiled at the very thought of her. "Oh, she's great. Well, at least when I'm around."
Rafiki laughed in his usual, slightly maniacal tone. "That's great to hear. And how is life in the pride?"
"Oh, everything is good, yeah, it's all fine," Kovu said as he slowly drifted off.
"But?" Rafiki asked, raising one eyebrow.
Kovu exhaled. "I don't feel like I deserve it. Like no matter how hard I try, I'll always stick out."
"Aah," Rafiki said like he caught a child in a lie.
"Kovu, that's nonsense," Simba interfered, his tone unintentionally coming off as more frustrated than consoling. "You belong with us, we all accepted you as our own."
"Yes and I can't thank you enough for that. I guess it just takes time for the inhabitants to get used to the whole situation," Kovu continued.
"Kovu," Rafiki broke his silence after a chain of thoughts. "Do you respect your pride?"
"Yes, of course I do."
"And you would do absolutely anything to protect it?"
"No question."
Rafiki gave Simba the 'I told you so' look, but Simba didn't seem to quite pick it up.
"What are you looking at me for?" Simba asked.
"Oh, nothing, nothing," Rafiki said as he nudged Simba with his elbow and then returned back to Kovu. "You're confused, Kovu. Of course you are after everything that happened. But someday you will be a king and you have to learn how to trust yourself. And to trust yourself, you have to respect yourself."
"But how am I supposed to do that?" Kovu said, finally lifting his head and looking Rafiki into his eyes. Rafiki saw buried pain in them. Pain from the years-long struggle that maybe faded a little over time, but came back now when he was supposed to confront his past again. In that moment Rafiki knew, Kovu was more like Simba than he could ever be like Scar. He remembered Simba being just as lost.
"Let me tell you something I already told someone. The past can hurt, but the way I see it, you can either run from it or learn from it."
Simba smiled to himself, recalling the moment that pointed him towards his destiny.
However, before Kovu had time to answer, they heard someone landing from above, the same place that Simba and Kovu entered through. Soon after, they heard the echo of Scar's voice, whispering and ordering something, but they couldn't understand what. Simba and Kovu looked at one another with the almost palpable tension. Rafiki looked into the depth of the tunnel. Something about that sight made it seem like he was just getting to know all the secrets of the universe from there, but his posture got a lot more peaceful.
"We need to go," Simba said. "I'll go last."
"Simba, I'm going," Rafiki offered as he turned around.
"No way, I'm not letting you..."
"Simba," said Rafiki as he put his hands on Simba's face. "The world is not only your burden to carry. You have a pride waiting for you. But my time has come."
Rafiki swiftly moved before Simba could stop him and moments later he was running back up, turning right to another tunnel that Simba didn't even notice. Rafiki laughed histerically, as if he just preformed the greatest trick ever, seeming to make as much noise as possible. And that's when a horrifying truth came to Simba's mind.
That was probably the last time he ever saw Rafiki.
Simba wanted to roar, wanted to run to his aid, but there was too many of them and he knew he wouldn't stand a chance. So, for one last time, Simba put his trust in Rafiki.
Holding back his tears and swallowing his pride, like all those years ago, Simba ran, but this time with a future king by his side.
