Chapter 9: Realization

Mtundu whipped his head around to face Mohatu. His eyes gleamed with anger and hatred, and his gaze was so intense that Mohatu felt like curling up in a ball and dying. He had never seen Mtundu enraged like this. Mad, yes, but never enraged. He was capable of horrible deeds when he was in a good mood, and Mohatu shuddered to think what he would do to Mohatu now.

Mohatu shook his head vehemently. "No," he said meekly, "no, Mtundu, I would never--"

"You," Mtundu snarled, making his way toward Mohatu. "You, of all the pride members..."

Mohatu began to shrink back. "No, Mtundu, I didn't!"

"Murderer."

"No."

"Cold--"

"Mtundu, please..."

"--blooded--"

"...you have to listen to me!"

"Murderer!"

Mtundu lunged at Mohatu with every bit of strength in his body. The two tumbled across the cave floor, and out the cave opening. Finally, they slowed to a stop. Mohatu pushed Mtundu off of him and painfully tried to pull himself to his feet. But he was too late. Mtundu jumped to his feet and with a powerful strike of his paw, hit Mohatu square in the temple, sending him hurtling several feet away, towards the ledge of Misty Rock.

Mohatu moaned. His ears rang so loud, he felt as if his head would explode. With another moan, he lifted his head from the cold, hard rock. "Mtundu, you don't understand," he managed.

Mtundu loomed over Mohatu menacingly. "No, it's you who doesn't understand," he snarled. Mtundu struck Mohatu again. Mohatu gasped as he noticed that there was no longer ground beneath him. Panicking, he sent his arms flailing in all directions, trying to catch hold of something. Suddenly, he felt his claws latch onto something hard. Opening his eyes, he looked up to see that he had just barely caught hold of the edge of Misty Rock. He looked over his shoulder. Long fall, if he should slip. He gulped.

"So, it's come to this," a voice said.

Mohatu jumped so hard that he nearly lost his grip on the rock. He looked up to see Mtundu sitting on the ledge. Mohatu gulped. Why did it have to come to this? he asked himself. His mother dead. His father accusing him of her death. His brother believe him. And likely, Mohatu's own death. Why?

"Mtundu, please..." Mohatu whispered desparately, "...don't do this!"

Mtundu laughed cruelly. "Don't do this?" he sneered. His face turned sour. "Don't do this? You're the one who did this!" Mtundu bent down so he was face to face with the terrified Mohatu. "You sealed your own fate. At the same moment you killed my mother."

Mohatu's eyes welled up with tears. So this was what it felt like to be accused for a crime you didn't commit. He shook his head slowly. "No..." Anguish gripped him with painful talons and began to eat him from the inside. The internal pain he felt now would probably kill him before Mtundu would have a chance to push him to his fate. Unable to contain himself, Mohatu burst into tears. He cried for the first time since his cubhood `ambush'.

Mtundu stared down at his brother. Suddenly, he became overwhelmed by Mohatu's anguish. He knew that Mohatu had always been very sensitive, which was why he made such a great victim. How could such a character kill his own mother? Mohatu despised violence, and had too soft a heart to harm anyone. Let alone his mother, whom had been his only supporter throughout most of his life.

"The only one who loves you is Mom." A familiar tune echoed in Mtundu's ears. He shuddered, remembering he was the one who had said it. Sadness gripped his heart--how could he be so cruel to his own flesh and blood? Mohatu had always been so submissive, so afraid to show who he really was. He spent his entire cubhood cowering in the shadows of Onevu and Mtundu. What a life to live.

I'm a monster, Mtundu realized. Here he was, standing over his brother, who was dangling feet above his death. Crying, bawling. Like the timid, sensitive being he had been made to be. Thanks to Mtundu. And his father.

Mtundu's face softened as pity and regret filled the dark hole that had so long been his heart. Mohatu didn't kill his mother--their mother. "Mohatu," he muttered, "I...I'm sorry--"

Suddenly, the piece of rock that Mohatu had been clinging onto crumbled. Mohatu desparately tried to catch hold of something, but there was nothing. He was going to die. He felt himself falling. Suddenly, he felt something sharp sink into his foreleg, and he stopped falling. After letting out a roar of pain, Mohatu opened his eyes to see what had happened. All he saw was Mtundu, with his arm outstretched, and his claws buried in Mohatu's skin. He was shocked. "What--" he started.

"Give me your paw," Mtundu commanded.

Mohatu didn't think Mtundu was serious at first, so he just stared at Mtundu quizzically. Mtundu nodded. "Give me your paw, and I'll pull you up, Brother."

Mohatu stared in amazement. Mtundu just smiled warmly, a friendly smile that Mohatu never thought he'd see from his brother. This kind of smile--not his usual, sadistic smile--made him look really quite charming. Perhaps if he used it more often, he'd have a mate.

Mohatu reached out and grabbed his brother's arm. Mtundu nodded his approval. With a grunt, he used all his strength to try and haul Mohatu up and over the ledge. Slowly, Mohatu felt himself being lifted toward the ledge. He helped the process by digging his rear claws into the wall and climbing up. Finally, with a great grunt, Mohatu and Mtundu both collapsed onto the top of the rock.