Chapter 6: To Believe or Not To Believe.
All eyes are on the cubs.
Simba: Get of the way! You two both know of what humans are capable of!
Simba looks from them to Chester with an angry look on his face.
Cub 1: But he's different!
Simba: Only in size!
Simba gestures them to move away but the cubs stand their ground. Simba narrows his eyes at them.
Simba: Why do you protect him?
Cub 2: Because we wouldn't be here if it weren't for him!
???: How do you mean, Komali?
Chester heart skips a beat. He looks behind Simba and sees that a number of lions had gathered to see what the fuss is all about. A lioness closest to Simba was looking at the cub.
Komali: He saved our lives, mom!
The lioness looks thoughtfully from Chester to the cubs. A male lion with a scar round his eye with a jet black mane steps forward to join the lioness.
Male lion (whispering to the lioness): What do you think, Kiara?
Kiara (whispering back): I'm not sure but they seem so convinced, maybe it's true, Kovu.
Kovu: Is this true, boy?
Chester nods stiffly.
Kovu looks at Kiara thoughtfully. Kiara looks at Chester curiously; she's faced with a dilemma- if this was true, then they owe him more than she could think of. The cubs meant everything to them but, what if this was a lie?
Kiara: Then, how did he save you?
The male cub, Komali, is about to answer but stops. Unknown to Chester they had told them about the hyenas but didn't mention that they only got out alive thanks to the help of a plucky human boy.
Simba (looking at Komali): Well?
Cub 1 (quickly): The hyenas!
Kovu, Kiara and Simba: What?
Cub 1: The hyenas had ambushed us and we were cornered by them, and he (indicating Chester) was nearby listening, they would've killed us but he stopped them and helped us escape!
Simba: That's all well and good, Malika, but where's the proof? How do we know he's been in contact with hyenas?
Malika, the female cub and Komali are both looking at Simba but Kiara is the only one still looking at Chester. He catches her eye and by instinct he removes his dressing and shows her the now-swollen wound that Shenzi had given him on location. With that, Kiara begins to believe him.
Kiara (whispering): Kovu! They're telling the truth! Look! (She indicates Chester's wound)
Kovu looks at it and looks at Kiara nods in agreement.
Simba looks at Chester and sees the wound but is unconvinced.
Simba: You could've got that from anywhere!
Chester can't think of answer so he stays quiet.
Kiara: Daddy! Can't you see he's telling the truth!
Simba ignores her.
???: Simba, don't you think you're being a bit unreasonable?
Simba turns around and sees a lioness about his age with a calm face.
Simba: Nala, you know how I feel about humans! I'm just not convinced that this boy is sincere.
Chester is in deep thought. Komali and Malika looks at him, appealing for help. Simba still thinks he's scum, even though he is outnumbered.
Nala: Yes, I do know that but look at him! He doesn't have the teeth make that kind of injury! (Indicating Vitani's almost forgotten injuries)
Everyone looks at him.
Vitani: That was a misunderstanding!
Some eyes are re-directed to Vitani.
Nala: What do you mean?
Vitani: He came into the clearing looking for shelter; he thought some of you guys were after him. Rabia came in to the clearing and thought he attacked me but I'm positive he didn't!
Nala (convinced): Well, Simba? What do you think? Wasn't this the whole point of this confrontation?
Simba looks from Chester to Vitani and then looks at Nala. He seems to begin to realize what he's doing. He looks ashamed at her. Chester clears his throat.
Everyone looks at him again.
Chester (quietly, looking down at his feet): Um, the hyena, the one that injured me, she mentioned two names to Komali and Malika, Scar (he pauses slightly) and Mufasa, I don't know who they are but (pause) does that help?
Simba stares at Chester amazed and then answers.
Simba: Mufasa, was my father, he was murdered by my uncle. He was called Scar, he's also dead. (He pauses with a thought) Do you know by any chance who the hyenas were?
Chester looks up at Simba, he is nearly in tears.
Chester (slightly louder): Their names were; Shenzi, Banzai and Ed.
Simba: I. (He pauses in hesitation) I believe you. (He hangs his head in shame and pauses) I'm sorry that I lashed out at you.
Chester (With a small smile): It's cool Simba. Listen, I'm sorry man.
Simba: For what?
Chester: I'm sorry about your dad.
Simba looks up at Chester with a smile.
Simba: That happened when I was a cub. Thanks for your concern though.
Chester nods and Simba moves away to let him get up. Chester gets up and dusts himself off. Simba turns away.
Simba (shortly): I'm going to see Rafiki, everyone. I'll be back soon.
With that Simba walks off.
Komali and Malika walk up to Chester, smiling.
Chester (gratefully): Thanks for sticking up for me. I doubt he would've believed me on my own!
Malika: No problem! We couldn't just stand by without him hearing you out; you saved our lives, it was the least we could do.
All the other lions are looking at the trio smiling. Chester and the cubs walk towards them. The cubs run towards their parents leaving Chester feeling rather sheepish at the fact everyone was looking at with mild curiosity. It appeared to be wonderful for them that Chester turned out to be a hero not an enemy.
All eyes are on the cubs.
Simba: Get of the way! You two both know of what humans are capable of!
Simba looks from them to Chester with an angry look on his face.
Cub 1: But he's different!
Simba: Only in size!
Simba gestures them to move away but the cubs stand their ground. Simba narrows his eyes at them.
Simba: Why do you protect him?
Cub 2: Because we wouldn't be here if it weren't for him!
???: How do you mean, Komali?
Chester heart skips a beat. He looks behind Simba and sees that a number of lions had gathered to see what the fuss is all about. A lioness closest to Simba was looking at the cub.
Komali: He saved our lives, mom!
The lioness looks thoughtfully from Chester to the cubs. A male lion with a scar round his eye with a jet black mane steps forward to join the lioness.
Male lion (whispering to the lioness): What do you think, Kiara?
Kiara (whispering back): I'm not sure but they seem so convinced, maybe it's true, Kovu.
Kovu: Is this true, boy?
Chester nods stiffly.
Kovu looks at Kiara thoughtfully. Kiara looks at Chester curiously; she's faced with a dilemma- if this was true, then they owe him more than she could think of. The cubs meant everything to them but, what if this was a lie?
Kiara: Then, how did he save you?
The male cub, Komali, is about to answer but stops. Unknown to Chester they had told them about the hyenas but didn't mention that they only got out alive thanks to the help of a plucky human boy.
Simba (looking at Komali): Well?
Cub 1 (quickly): The hyenas!
Kovu, Kiara and Simba: What?
Cub 1: The hyenas had ambushed us and we were cornered by them, and he (indicating Chester) was nearby listening, they would've killed us but he stopped them and helped us escape!
Simba: That's all well and good, Malika, but where's the proof? How do we know he's been in contact with hyenas?
Malika, the female cub and Komali are both looking at Simba but Kiara is the only one still looking at Chester. He catches her eye and by instinct he removes his dressing and shows her the now-swollen wound that Shenzi had given him on location. With that, Kiara begins to believe him.
Kiara (whispering): Kovu! They're telling the truth! Look! (She indicates Chester's wound)
Kovu looks at it and looks at Kiara nods in agreement.
Simba looks at Chester and sees the wound but is unconvinced.
Simba: You could've got that from anywhere!
Chester can't think of answer so he stays quiet.
Kiara: Daddy! Can't you see he's telling the truth!
Simba ignores her.
???: Simba, don't you think you're being a bit unreasonable?
Simba turns around and sees a lioness about his age with a calm face.
Simba: Nala, you know how I feel about humans! I'm just not convinced that this boy is sincere.
Chester is in deep thought. Komali and Malika looks at him, appealing for help. Simba still thinks he's scum, even though he is outnumbered.
Nala: Yes, I do know that but look at him! He doesn't have the teeth make that kind of injury! (Indicating Vitani's almost forgotten injuries)
Everyone looks at him.
Vitani: That was a misunderstanding!
Some eyes are re-directed to Vitani.
Nala: What do you mean?
Vitani: He came into the clearing looking for shelter; he thought some of you guys were after him. Rabia came in to the clearing and thought he attacked me but I'm positive he didn't!
Nala (convinced): Well, Simba? What do you think? Wasn't this the whole point of this confrontation?
Simba looks from Chester to Vitani and then looks at Nala. He seems to begin to realize what he's doing. He looks ashamed at her. Chester clears his throat.
Everyone looks at him again.
Chester (quietly, looking down at his feet): Um, the hyena, the one that injured me, she mentioned two names to Komali and Malika, Scar (he pauses slightly) and Mufasa, I don't know who they are but (pause) does that help?
Simba stares at Chester amazed and then answers.
Simba: Mufasa, was my father, he was murdered by my uncle. He was called Scar, he's also dead. (He pauses with a thought) Do you know by any chance who the hyenas were?
Chester looks up at Simba, he is nearly in tears.
Chester (slightly louder): Their names were; Shenzi, Banzai and Ed.
Simba: I. (He pauses in hesitation) I believe you. (He hangs his head in shame and pauses) I'm sorry that I lashed out at you.
Chester (With a small smile): It's cool Simba. Listen, I'm sorry man.
Simba: For what?
Chester: I'm sorry about your dad.
Simba looks up at Chester with a smile.
Simba: That happened when I was a cub. Thanks for your concern though.
Chester nods and Simba moves away to let him get up. Chester gets up and dusts himself off. Simba turns away.
Simba (shortly): I'm going to see Rafiki, everyone. I'll be back soon.
With that Simba walks off.
Komali and Malika walk up to Chester, smiling.
Chester (gratefully): Thanks for sticking up for me. I doubt he would've believed me on my own!
Malika: No problem! We couldn't just stand by without him hearing you out; you saved our lives, it was the least we could do.
All the other lions are looking at the trio smiling. Chester and the cubs walk towards them. The cubs run towards their parents leaving Chester feeling rather sheepish at the fact everyone was looking at with mild curiosity. It appeared to be wonderful for them that Chester turned out to be a hero not an enemy.