CHAPTER 6 – The Passing of the Crown
After a time – maybe just a few weeks, as I could feel the beginnings of the early summer heat in the air – Klins took our training to the next level.
We awoke that morning as we had every morning of our captivity, to the cracking whip of Klins. But we could all sense that something was wrong, different, foreboding about the day. Perhaps this was the day when we would make our escape.
As we were led into the arena by Narma, Klins stood in the center. To his left hand side there were five or six orange cats with black stripes covering their face and body. Muscles rippled under their skins. Obviously, their performances had pleased Klins, because it had become apparent to us that the amount of food we received was based on how much our performances had pleased Klins. The large, well groomed cats snarled and growled at us, white teeth flashing as they vocalized their threats.
"Come, bring the lions to my other side," Klins instructed Narma. "It is time for them to meet their co-stars, my prized tiger team!"
We were led to the center ring, the cage around it gone for repairs. Narma had just unclipped our leads for the session, when the big male of the tigers sprang forward.
My father met him in the air, trying to protect us. The others moved forward, each one attacking one of us. Taka was to my right, fighting one of the smaller males. I could see as I twisted around, fighting off a different male, when Taka's foe hit him in the left eye, claws extended. A piece of flesh was ripped away and blood gushed from the wound. Later that wound would heal, but from that time on, Taka carried a scar and a new name in remembrance.
I was busy fighting off the tiger before me. His teeth sank into my back, I slashed my claws across his face. All the while I heard the frantic shouts of Narma and Klins, but neither human dared to try and break the fight apart – and with good reason too, for there is no doubt in my mind that they would have been ripped apart. I had succeeded in getting the upper paw in the fight by this point, and was able to knock my adversary out and to the ground. I turned to lend my help to my father, who was struggling in his weakened state. But as I turned, I could see that it was too late.
The tiger leader had my father's throat in his huge jaws. It was a death hold, similar to the ones that the lionesses of my pride used when hunting. My mother had part of the tiger's neck in her own teeth, but I could see that she was weak, her body torn and bloody. A dead tigress lay on the ground, not far from where Sarabi was slowly killing the other. I threw myself on the big male, helping my mother, until the tiger was dead. But even as the tiger died, my mother drew her last breath, and fell beside my father.
"Father!" I yelled, seeing the blood gushing from the neck wound.
"Mufasa, my son. Taka, my boy. I'm sorry that I got you into this mess. Look after the Pride Lands for me. Mufasa, you are the king now. Always remember all that I taught you. I'm sorry I never saw you and Sarabi wed – but I know you will make excellent rulers of the land. Taka, I…I…"
My father, the great king Ahadi, fell silent and his eyes closed for the last time. I was instantly an orphan. The Pride Lands had lost both King Ahadi and Queen Zuri within the span of an instant.
Taka was snarling threats at the humans when I called to him.
"Come on Taka, let us leave while we still can."
"No, these two will pay for all that they have done!"
"No Taka! Our mother and father would not have wanted that. Leave them be."
But my brother would not be persuaded from his task, and as I turned to run from the building, he sprang at the two terrified humans. I did not turn around – I merely nudged the heads of my mother and father, kissed them both goodbye, and teary eyed, I headed to the exit with Sarabi.