The hot sun beat down upon the dehydrated lions, as they crossed the cracked ground of the Dry Lands. A bead of sweat trickled down Simba's exhausted face, and he had to clinch his teeth to keep from collapsing. He looked at his weakened mother, and he began to worry greatly. If they did not find water soon, Sarabi would not survive the day. He looked to Timon, who was slumped over Pumbaa's back. Pumbaa was panting heavily.
"Timon," Simba panted. "Isn't this where you found me all those years ago?"
"Uh huh," Timon groaned.
"Then where's the oasis you took me to?" Simba asked suddenly.
Timon sat up and thought about this. His face suddenly lit up. "C'mon Pumbaa! This way!"
Timon kicked Pumbaa in his side and they sped off westward. The Pride sped after them, and after only a few minutes, a small, green oasis came into view. The lions cheered and picked up speed. When they finally arrived, Simba jumped into the little pool of water and roared happily.
"Ha!" Timon said putting his hands on his hips. "You may call me Super Timon! Hero of the Lions!"
The other lions ignored the conceited meerkat and lapped up the nice, cool water. Simba sat and looked at his tired Pride, and began to consider the rest of their route. There was nothing but cracked ground and no food or water for at least one more moon. In a natural situation they would last just fine, but the heat was too intense here. He decided that they rest by day and travel by night until they escaped the Dry Lands.
A groan of exhaustion could be heard from where Simba was sitting, and he looked to see his mother lying down by the pool. She was breathing heavily.
"Mother!" Simba cried and bounded towards her. He nuzzled her head, and she gathered up enough strength to look up at her beloved son. "Mom, are you Ok? Did you get anything to drink?"
She nodded to him, but Simba could see that it was still too late. Sarabi was an old lioness, and probably wouldn't last as long as the younger, stronger ones. He wanted to stay an extra day to give his mother a chance to rest, but he knew that they all had to eat. At nightfall, Simba slipped Sarabi on his back, and carried her through the night as they traveled Northward.
The moon shone brightly that night upon the King Simba, and he welcomed it. It seemed to lay off the intense weight. He grit his teeth as he began to falter, and trudged on.
Nala looked to see her mate tumble forward, and Sarabi hit the ground. She ran towards them, and lifted Sarabi up as Simba got to his feet and ruffled the dirt out of his mane.
"Are you alright Simba?" she asked concerned.
"I'm fine," Simba gruffed. "C'mon, we gotta keep moving."
Just as Simba was about to lift Sarabi upon his back again, a faint voice fell on the air.
"Asante sana
squash banana
we we nugu
mi mi apana!"
"I know that delirious saying anywhere!" Simba said whirling around.
Moving to the beat of his little tune, the wise baboon Rafiki walked up to his King. "Ah, Simba! I have found you at last!"
The two shared a brief embrace, and Rafiki took a look at the dehydrated Sarabi.
"She is very sick, yes, very sick.," the baboon mumbled frowning. "But I am not de one to leave unprepared!"
With that, Rafiki removed a gourd from his walking stick, and another attached to a rope flung over is body. The one from the rope contained not fruit juices, but water that he filled them with instead. He mixed the two liquids, and fed it to Sarabi. He then mumbled what seemed to be some sort of prayer, and doused a little dust on her forehead. In moments, Sarabi got to her feet.
"Rafiki? What was that?" Simba asked amazed.
"De two liquids I mixed togeder formed a solutuion dat increased de speed of her recovery."
"Thank you Rafiki. I am eternally grateful," Simba said smiling.
The shaman bowed. "My pleasure Simba,"
And with that, the Pride walked onward into the night.
*****
The great African sun loomed over the western hills, before finally peeking over the tops, and shining on Simba's tired face. Sunrise.
Thankfully, the lions had escaped the Dry Lands, and were now crossing a large, green field. Simba looked at it closely. It seemed large enough for a lion Pride, except that no other animal was there to serve them as a meal. That's when he smelled it.
Simba looked up to see a large lion heading towards him. He looked similar to Scar, except that he had a much stronger build, and his mane was thicker and longer. A long scar trailed from his right eye, all the way to his left cheek. His eyes were a bright red, and his claws were extended, long, lean, and sharp. He growled and bared his teeth at Simba. He then began to circle him.
"Well well well, what do the gods bring into my territory today?" he growled.
"Now please," Simba said trying to reason with him. "I had no idea this was your territory. If it is, we'll just go,"
"You're not going anywhere trespasser!" he roared. "No one comes through my land and lives!"
Simba then began to circle as well, not taking his eyes off the lion. "I don't want to fight."
"You don't have a choice!" he roared, and lunged at him.
Simba extended his claws and leapt as well. The two hit with extreme force and swung their claws madly at each other. Simba then sank his teeth into the lion's front leg, and jumped back as he roared with pain. He then took a sudden leap, and pounced on him with great force. The two rolled down a small hill, but Simba landed on top.
"A little something my mate taught me," he snickered.
The rest of the Pride looked down from the hill and cheered as they saw Simba on top. But this lion was not to be defeated so easily. From his position he stretched his paw back and swung at Simba.. Simba toppled backward and fell. Blood seeped from a wound on his left flank. The evil lion walked towards Simba in his weaked state, and prepared this time, to cut his throat. Just as he was about to swing, yet another roar came from the top of the hill. Another lion charged down the hill, and stopped in front of Simba.
He had a fur color not much lighter that Simba's but a mane of the darkest black. He had intense, yet focused blue eyes, and a sleek, powerful appearance. He seemed the same age as Simba.
The newcomer growled angrily. "Enough Urokai!" he growled.
Urokai bared his teeth at the lion. "And what are you gonna do about it Kazumi? You don't seem much older than him!" he said pointing at the young King.
Simba then got to his feet, and prepared to pounce on Urokai.
Urokai realized he was badly outnumbered. He turned away from the two young lions growling. "I'm gonna get you trespasser! Nobody comes through my land and lives."
Simba looked at Kazumi with a smile on his face. "Thank you for your bravery. I may not have survived that."
"My pleasure," Kazumi said bowing.
Simba looked at him confusedly. "You know I am King?"
"Yes," Kazumi replied. "I spoke with the baboon before charging down here. I know all about you."
"Then do you know where the Sacred Land is?"
Kazumi smiled at Simba. "Let's go sit down. We have a lot to talk about."
"Timon," Simba panted. "Isn't this where you found me all those years ago?"
"Uh huh," Timon groaned.
"Then where's the oasis you took me to?" Simba asked suddenly.
Timon sat up and thought about this. His face suddenly lit up. "C'mon Pumbaa! This way!"
Timon kicked Pumbaa in his side and they sped off westward. The Pride sped after them, and after only a few minutes, a small, green oasis came into view. The lions cheered and picked up speed. When they finally arrived, Simba jumped into the little pool of water and roared happily.
"Ha!" Timon said putting his hands on his hips. "You may call me Super Timon! Hero of the Lions!"
The other lions ignored the conceited meerkat and lapped up the nice, cool water. Simba sat and looked at his tired Pride, and began to consider the rest of their route. There was nothing but cracked ground and no food or water for at least one more moon. In a natural situation they would last just fine, but the heat was too intense here. He decided that they rest by day and travel by night until they escaped the Dry Lands.
A groan of exhaustion could be heard from where Simba was sitting, and he looked to see his mother lying down by the pool. She was breathing heavily.
"Mother!" Simba cried and bounded towards her. He nuzzled her head, and she gathered up enough strength to look up at her beloved son. "Mom, are you Ok? Did you get anything to drink?"
She nodded to him, but Simba could see that it was still too late. Sarabi was an old lioness, and probably wouldn't last as long as the younger, stronger ones. He wanted to stay an extra day to give his mother a chance to rest, but he knew that they all had to eat. At nightfall, Simba slipped Sarabi on his back, and carried her through the night as they traveled Northward.
The moon shone brightly that night upon the King Simba, and he welcomed it. It seemed to lay off the intense weight. He grit his teeth as he began to falter, and trudged on.
Nala looked to see her mate tumble forward, and Sarabi hit the ground. She ran towards them, and lifted Sarabi up as Simba got to his feet and ruffled the dirt out of his mane.
"Are you alright Simba?" she asked concerned.
"I'm fine," Simba gruffed. "C'mon, we gotta keep moving."
Just as Simba was about to lift Sarabi upon his back again, a faint voice fell on the air.
"Asante sana
squash banana
we we nugu
mi mi apana!"
"I know that delirious saying anywhere!" Simba said whirling around.
Moving to the beat of his little tune, the wise baboon Rafiki walked up to his King. "Ah, Simba! I have found you at last!"
The two shared a brief embrace, and Rafiki took a look at the dehydrated Sarabi.
"She is very sick, yes, very sick.," the baboon mumbled frowning. "But I am not de one to leave unprepared!"
With that, Rafiki removed a gourd from his walking stick, and another attached to a rope flung over is body. The one from the rope contained not fruit juices, but water that he filled them with instead. He mixed the two liquids, and fed it to Sarabi. He then mumbled what seemed to be some sort of prayer, and doused a little dust on her forehead. In moments, Sarabi got to her feet.
"Rafiki? What was that?" Simba asked amazed.
"De two liquids I mixed togeder formed a solutuion dat increased de speed of her recovery."
"Thank you Rafiki. I am eternally grateful," Simba said smiling.
The shaman bowed. "My pleasure Simba,"
And with that, the Pride walked onward into the night.
*****
The great African sun loomed over the western hills, before finally peeking over the tops, and shining on Simba's tired face. Sunrise.
Thankfully, the lions had escaped the Dry Lands, and were now crossing a large, green field. Simba looked at it closely. It seemed large enough for a lion Pride, except that no other animal was there to serve them as a meal. That's when he smelled it.
Simba looked up to see a large lion heading towards him. He looked similar to Scar, except that he had a much stronger build, and his mane was thicker and longer. A long scar trailed from his right eye, all the way to his left cheek. His eyes were a bright red, and his claws were extended, long, lean, and sharp. He growled and bared his teeth at Simba. He then began to circle him.
"Well well well, what do the gods bring into my territory today?" he growled.
"Now please," Simba said trying to reason with him. "I had no idea this was your territory. If it is, we'll just go,"
"You're not going anywhere trespasser!" he roared. "No one comes through my land and lives!"
Simba then began to circle as well, not taking his eyes off the lion. "I don't want to fight."
"You don't have a choice!" he roared, and lunged at him.
Simba extended his claws and leapt as well. The two hit with extreme force and swung their claws madly at each other. Simba then sank his teeth into the lion's front leg, and jumped back as he roared with pain. He then took a sudden leap, and pounced on him with great force. The two rolled down a small hill, but Simba landed on top.
"A little something my mate taught me," he snickered.
The rest of the Pride looked down from the hill and cheered as they saw Simba on top. But this lion was not to be defeated so easily. From his position he stretched his paw back and swung at Simba.. Simba toppled backward and fell. Blood seeped from a wound on his left flank. The evil lion walked towards Simba in his weaked state, and prepared this time, to cut his throat. Just as he was about to swing, yet another roar came from the top of the hill. Another lion charged down the hill, and stopped in front of Simba.
He had a fur color not much lighter that Simba's but a mane of the darkest black. He had intense, yet focused blue eyes, and a sleek, powerful appearance. He seemed the same age as Simba.
The newcomer growled angrily. "Enough Urokai!" he growled.
Urokai bared his teeth at the lion. "And what are you gonna do about it Kazumi? You don't seem much older than him!" he said pointing at the young King.
Simba then got to his feet, and prepared to pounce on Urokai.
Urokai realized he was badly outnumbered. He turned away from the two young lions growling. "I'm gonna get you trespasser! Nobody comes through my land and lives."
Simba looked at Kazumi with a smile on his face. "Thank you for your bravery. I may not have survived that."
"My pleasure," Kazumi said bowing.
Simba looked at him confusedly. "You know I am King?"
"Yes," Kazumi replied. "I spoke with the baboon before charging down here. I know all about you."
"Then do you know where the Sacred Land is?"
Kazumi smiled at Simba. "Let's go sit down. We have a lot to talk about."