Chapter 8
A Journey Ends
"The Land of Kings..." Alani whispered in disbelief. Nala limped up behind her, and the two stared speechless at the paradise before them.
"The Secret Land hidden by the Great King Amari, the first king," Nala smiled.
Kazumi narrowed his eyes against the sun to observe the land, and found several herds of antelope, wildebeest, and zebra grazing peacefully over the grassy fields. Food was plentiful.
"Amari outdid himself here," Simba chuckled.
And with that, the pride stepped down the rocky gorges into the luscious, green valley of the Sacred Land. They came to Valley Rock, almost identical to Pride Rock. The only difference was that the edge had a curve on it, so it looked like an eagle from a distance. Simba climbed up the long slopes, and looked over the edge, standing in a regal position. The animals stopped their grazing and looked at the King, his mane wafting in the breeze. They then got in straight lines, and made their way towards Valley Rock to greet him.
Simba waited at the foot of Valley Rock as each animal came up to him. An elder wildebeest later approached and bowed to him in respect.
"I am Tsavu of the Wildebeest clan. The wildebeest greet you with good fortune and hospitality descendant of Amari."
Simba had been very confused throughout this experience, and with the guidance of the elder lionesses, welcomed their greetings.
After each clan had given their welcome, Simba ascended the mighty rock, and looked over the herds of animals.
"Give us your name mighty King!" A young gazelle cried out.
Simba replied with a regal tone. "My name is King Simba, son to King Mufasa and Queen Sarabi. Descendant of the first King Amari."
The animals rejoiced. "Hail King Simba! Long live the King!" they cried in unison.
At that, Simba took a deep breath, and roared loudly across the valley, announcing his arrival.
* * * *
The Pride slept soundly through the night, slowly digesting the sacrifices of the Antelope clan. The sun spilled through the cave, and rested on Simba's eyes. They opened droopily, and he grumbled in frustration. He just wanted to sleep in! He sighed and stretched his paws. He stepped out of the cave, and tried to get the "sleepy" out of his eyes. He pricked his ears up as he saw the young lioness Alani with her ears drooped, sitting on the edge of Valley Rock. Her dark fur hustled in the light breeze, and Simba saw a tear trickle down her "Scar-like" nose. He trooted up next to her and sat down. Trying not to make her feel nervous, he began a conversation completely off the subject.
"Sure is a beautiful sunrise huh?" he said gently.
She merely nodded her head. "Yes sir."
He looked into her bright green eyes and smiled warmly. "Nala loves you very much doesn't she?"
Alani's tears came more frequently now, and Simba saw her back jump several times. She put her paw against her muzzle to stop the tears, but it came to no avail. She felt a large paw go over her, and Simba held her close. Feeling his comfort, she wept into his mane, and he held her tighter.
"This journey has left you many scars hasn't it Alani?"
He felt her nod her head against his mane.
"I understand how you must feel. Lots of death, pain, anger, destruction and hate followed us on this journey. And a realization of who you are."
"Why did it have to be this way? It's all my father's fault! He killed Uncle Muffy and he killed my mother! And he called me his daughter! He practically gave me to Urukai! I'm so sorry Sir, it's all my fault! Urukai's after me! He won't stop till he gets me!"
"Alani! You think this is your fault?" he smiled. "Oh Alani, never! None of this was your doing. You did not choose to have Taka as a father. You did not call Urukai to us. You merely are a shadow of a being that enslaves Urukai's heart. And I know you can overcome."
She looked into Simba's bright eyes, and smiled. She felt so lucky to have him as a cousin. He was her last living relative.
"Feel peace Alani," Simba continued. "You are safe now."
She nodded, but he could still see her conscience was not yet cleared. "Something continued to drive you Alani."
"Yes Sir," she replied. "I never wanted Urukai, but should he find me, he will kill me."
"Why is that?" Simba asked.
"I love Kazumi," she whispered with her eyes cast down.
Simba looked at her. She had taken on the traits of a full grown lioness by now, which didn't surprise him. She had been born not long after Mufasa showed him the Pride lands, and Scar had received a great anger from Mufasa for mating a lioness not only against her will, but without the notification of the King. Mufasa had taken her to raise, but was killed not long after. Scar then set his intentions on her mother a little while later. Alani had been a cub then, and since Nala was already in adolescence, took care of her then after.
"Well, you picked a good lion," he chuckled.
He saw a smile come across her face, though she tried to hide it.
"C'mon," Simba urged. "No use in hiding a smile!"
With that, she started laughing, and Simba embraced her in a loving hug.
"Nala and I will always be here for you Alani," Simba whispered. "And I'm sure Kazumi will too."
She nodded to him, and they retreated into the vast lands together to meet the locals.
Throughout the day, Simba met with Kazumi, and they played like reckless cubs over the plains. Simba shoved Kazumi into the waterhole, and laughed hysterically at his mangled appearance when he got out. They played hide and seek, as well as tag, and pinned one another every chance they got. Nala mumbled something about immaturity to Alani while watching, and Alani burst out laughing.
That night, as the stars twinkled silently in the night sky, Simba looked up at them intently. He saw a shooting star streak across the sky, leaving a trail behind it as it passed. Simba smiled at it, and he soon saw more shoot past. A gift from Amari no doubt. He noticed the sun had begun to rise, and was surprised. He had been out there almost all night!
He then heard a crack from the gorge they had entered through, and his eyes chased the sound. Urukai stood with his pride behind him, a smug look crossing his face.
"So the war begins at last," Simba said turning, and awoke his sleeping pride.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
oooooo, dun dun dun! The ultimate battle is almost here! Remember, read and review pleaze!
I would just like to give my sincerest thoughts and blessings to the friends and families of the astronauts who died on the space shuttle Columbia on February 1st, 2003. God Bless them, God Bless America. =)
"The Land of Kings..." Alani whispered in disbelief. Nala limped up behind her, and the two stared speechless at the paradise before them.
"The Secret Land hidden by the Great King Amari, the first king," Nala smiled.
Kazumi narrowed his eyes against the sun to observe the land, and found several herds of antelope, wildebeest, and zebra grazing peacefully over the grassy fields. Food was plentiful.
"Amari outdid himself here," Simba chuckled.
And with that, the pride stepped down the rocky gorges into the luscious, green valley of the Sacred Land. They came to Valley Rock, almost identical to Pride Rock. The only difference was that the edge had a curve on it, so it looked like an eagle from a distance. Simba climbed up the long slopes, and looked over the edge, standing in a regal position. The animals stopped their grazing and looked at the King, his mane wafting in the breeze. They then got in straight lines, and made their way towards Valley Rock to greet him.
Simba waited at the foot of Valley Rock as each animal came up to him. An elder wildebeest later approached and bowed to him in respect.
"I am Tsavu of the Wildebeest clan. The wildebeest greet you with good fortune and hospitality descendant of Amari."
Simba had been very confused throughout this experience, and with the guidance of the elder lionesses, welcomed their greetings.
After each clan had given their welcome, Simba ascended the mighty rock, and looked over the herds of animals.
"Give us your name mighty King!" A young gazelle cried out.
Simba replied with a regal tone. "My name is King Simba, son to King Mufasa and Queen Sarabi. Descendant of the first King Amari."
The animals rejoiced. "Hail King Simba! Long live the King!" they cried in unison.
At that, Simba took a deep breath, and roared loudly across the valley, announcing his arrival.
* * * *
The Pride slept soundly through the night, slowly digesting the sacrifices of the Antelope clan. The sun spilled through the cave, and rested on Simba's eyes. They opened droopily, and he grumbled in frustration. He just wanted to sleep in! He sighed and stretched his paws. He stepped out of the cave, and tried to get the "sleepy" out of his eyes. He pricked his ears up as he saw the young lioness Alani with her ears drooped, sitting on the edge of Valley Rock. Her dark fur hustled in the light breeze, and Simba saw a tear trickle down her "Scar-like" nose. He trooted up next to her and sat down. Trying not to make her feel nervous, he began a conversation completely off the subject.
"Sure is a beautiful sunrise huh?" he said gently.
She merely nodded her head. "Yes sir."
He looked into her bright green eyes and smiled warmly. "Nala loves you very much doesn't she?"
Alani's tears came more frequently now, and Simba saw her back jump several times. She put her paw against her muzzle to stop the tears, but it came to no avail. She felt a large paw go over her, and Simba held her close. Feeling his comfort, she wept into his mane, and he held her tighter.
"This journey has left you many scars hasn't it Alani?"
He felt her nod her head against his mane.
"I understand how you must feel. Lots of death, pain, anger, destruction and hate followed us on this journey. And a realization of who you are."
"Why did it have to be this way? It's all my father's fault! He killed Uncle Muffy and he killed my mother! And he called me his daughter! He practically gave me to Urukai! I'm so sorry Sir, it's all my fault! Urukai's after me! He won't stop till he gets me!"
"Alani! You think this is your fault?" he smiled. "Oh Alani, never! None of this was your doing. You did not choose to have Taka as a father. You did not call Urukai to us. You merely are a shadow of a being that enslaves Urukai's heart. And I know you can overcome."
She looked into Simba's bright eyes, and smiled. She felt so lucky to have him as a cousin. He was her last living relative.
"Feel peace Alani," Simba continued. "You are safe now."
She nodded, but he could still see her conscience was not yet cleared. "Something continued to drive you Alani."
"Yes Sir," she replied. "I never wanted Urukai, but should he find me, he will kill me."
"Why is that?" Simba asked.
"I love Kazumi," she whispered with her eyes cast down.
Simba looked at her. She had taken on the traits of a full grown lioness by now, which didn't surprise him. She had been born not long after Mufasa showed him the Pride lands, and Scar had received a great anger from Mufasa for mating a lioness not only against her will, but without the notification of the King. Mufasa had taken her to raise, but was killed not long after. Scar then set his intentions on her mother a little while later. Alani had been a cub then, and since Nala was already in adolescence, took care of her then after.
"Well, you picked a good lion," he chuckled.
He saw a smile come across her face, though she tried to hide it.
"C'mon," Simba urged. "No use in hiding a smile!"
With that, she started laughing, and Simba embraced her in a loving hug.
"Nala and I will always be here for you Alani," Simba whispered. "And I'm sure Kazumi will too."
She nodded to him, and they retreated into the vast lands together to meet the locals.
Throughout the day, Simba met with Kazumi, and they played like reckless cubs over the plains. Simba shoved Kazumi into the waterhole, and laughed hysterically at his mangled appearance when he got out. They played hide and seek, as well as tag, and pinned one another every chance they got. Nala mumbled something about immaturity to Alani while watching, and Alani burst out laughing.
That night, as the stars twinkled silently in the night sky, Simba looked up at them intently. He saw a shooting star streak across the sky, leaving a trail behind it as it passed. Simba smiled at it, and he soon saw more shoot past. A gift from Amari no doubt. He noticed the sun had begun to rise, and was surprised. He had been out there almost all night!
He then heard a crack from the gorge they had entered through, and his eyes chased the sound. Urukai stood with his pride behind him, a smug look crossing his face.
"So the war begins at last," Simba said turning, and awoke his sleeping pride.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
oooooo, dun dun dun! The ultimate battle is almost here! Remember, read and review pleaze!
I would just like to give my sincerest thoughts and blessings to the friends and families of the astronauts who died on the space shuttle Columbia on February 1st, 2003. God Bless them, God Bless America. =)