VI

Blood for Vengeance

Sarabi stared in terror as Simba stalked closer to them. She tried to stand firm, in hopes of assuring her son that all was well.

"Now Simba, please don't-"

"You didn't answer my question mother," Simba said flatly. "Who is Kamau's father?"

Sarabi glared. "Why does it matter? Regardless of who is father is he is still your half brother! Don't you dare hurt him!"

Simba eased his advances as to let them no he meant no harm or foul behavior. He simply walked up to his mother and sat quietly in front of her and Kamau. Simba glanced over at Kamau with an eased, but pained look on his face.

"Why didn't you tell me who you were?" Simba asked sounding hurt.

"Simba I swear to you, I had no idea!" Kamau insisted. "I was-"

"You KNEW she was your mother!" Simba yelled as he leapt to his paws. "Why didn't you tell me that?"

"I didn't know how you'd react!" Kamau insisted urgently. "I'm not the son of the King as you are! I had no idea you were her son as well!"

Simba glared. "Well, mother won't tell me who your father is. Why don't you tell me? What's the big secret?"

Kamau hesitated. He still had absolutely no idea! He swallowed hard and looked up at his older brother. Simba bore no look of hate or spite, but of sadness, regret and hurt. If only he knew, then he would tell him! But Sarabi also seemed hesitant, and Kamau began to wonder why there was so much hesitation. Why couldn't he know?

"I...I don't...know who he is."

Simba looked in shock at Kamau, then back to Sarabi. Sarabi's eyes were cast to the ground in shame away from Simba.

"He doesn't know!?" Simba exclaimed surprised.

Sarabi shook her head. "Yetunde never told him. I asked her to keep it secret when she took him out of the Pride Lands."

"He can't go forever not knowing!" Simba exclaimed. "Tell us now mother, something like this cannot and should not go the course of a lifetime without being revealed. Kamau has a father. He deserves to know. As do I."

Sarabi pressed her eyelids shut as several tears slipped down her muzzle. The shame she felt, from having to reveal the name of the lion she detested more than anything. She raised her head and wiped away the tears, looking Kamau in the eyes. She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, but never removed her stare.

"Kamau..." she said softly as she shook her head. She then turned her gaze to Simba. "Simba..."

She took another breath and began. "In the time of the drought...before you came back Simba...I was raped by another male. He was insistent that I bear him a child, and through the rape I indeed became pregnant. I kept it quiet from everyone. But before my cub was born another gave birth. That was Kala. The lion liked her child very much, and swore mine to be killed. But I escaped, and Kamau was born. But he could not stay with me, for the risks were too high. That's when I gave him to Yetunde to take away from here....and from his father...Scar."

Simba was speechless for a moment. Unable to stand any longer, he sat where he was, and continue to stare at Sarabi with the most shocked, disbelieving eyes. He turned his head to look at Kamau, who wore the same expression of shock and bewilderment. Simba looked back at his mother and tried to speak, but could not. He swallowed his shock then turned a piercing stare on Kamau.

Kamau took a deep breath as tears began to well in his eyes. All these years he had wanted to know who his father was...desperate for just the name. But now all that longing had disappeared and what he'd hoped would be some relieving closure was not. How he wished he had never learned the name! It all dawned on him....for years he heard of Taka, the one called Scar, the most merciless and malevolent ruler in the times of Pride Rock. The one Simba had erased from the history of the Pride Lands. He recalled Yetunde's hesitation whenever he asked, and how she always seemed to detest the slightest thought of it. Scar was the most hated creature ever known. And he was his son.

"You...."

Kamau was snapped from his trance as he noticed Simba get to his paws and stalk closer to him, his voice cold and filled with hate.

"Simba, please!" Kamau pleaded as he backed away from Simba, closer and closer to the edge of the base.

"How DARE you come back into these lands!" Simba roared as he leapt centimeters from Kamau's face.

Startled, the young lion slipped off the edge of the rock, just grabbing hold of the wall. His claws scratched against the stone as he gritted his teeth from the effort to hold himself up. He managed to look above him to see the young King standing before him with a look of emotionless stone etched across his muzzle. Kamau was paralyzed in terror as he stared into the burning orbs of his half brother's eyes.

"KAMAU!" Sarabi cried as she leapt in to grab Kamau. "SIMBA DON'T!"

Simba leapt in front of her to block her attempts, forcing her back.

"NO!" he roared as he blocked her. "You will NOT save the lion who is the son of that-that MONSTER!"

Sarabi was in awe of Simba's cruel and horrid behavior.

"Whomever his father may be, he is still my son and he is still your brother!" Sarabi roared back.

At this point, the rest of the pride had heard the commotion. Tanabi and Kiara bounded up the base and skidded to a halt in front of Sarabi and Simba. Tanabi gasped in horror as he saw Kamau clasped over the edge, hanging on with every ounce of his strength and will. Seeing his father's look, Tanabi stared in horror.

"Father...what have you done?"

Simba whirled his head from Sarabi to see Tanabi and Kiara standing before him, along with the rest of the pride behind him. He turned his eyes to Kamau, then back to his children.

"Tanabi, Kiara," Simba said in a loud voice, meaning it was directed to the rest of the pride as well. "I'd like to introduce you to Kamau, the son of Scar and Sarabi."

The two stared in horror and disbelief at what Simba had just told them. The lionesses gasped in shock and shook their heads disbelievingly. Some murmured amongst eachother as they stared at the dangling lion. Kiara just stood with her mouth agape as Simba began to speak again.

"This means that he's also your uncle believe it or not."

"But daddy! He's hanging off the ledge! You have to help him!" Kiara cried.

Simba stood up tall. "This is the son of the lion that killed your grandfather. This is the son of the lion that raped your bibi Sarabi. This is the son of the lion that destroyed the Pride Lands, killed your bibi Sarafina, and starved our pride!"

"But he means us no harm!" Kiara cried out again.

Simba roared in defiance and lunged to the ledge. He clasped onto Kamau's paws tightly with his claws, digging into his flesh. Kamau roared in agony as he felt himself slipping. Simba's eyes burned hatred as he stared at the son of his father's killer.

"I can end it all here..." Simba hissed into Kamau's ear. "I can avenge my father right now, and toss you from this cliff. I can take your life as easily as your father took my father's."

"Simba please!" Sarabi pleaded through sobs. "Don't kill him! Don't kill him please!"

Simba snarled and flashed his stare at Sarabi before looking back down at Kamau.

"Dad..." Tanabi said quietly as he walked up to him. "Dad?"

Simba turned his head once again to look at Tanabi, the locks of his mane dangling over his fiery orbs.

"Great Uncle Scar killed my baba Mufasa out of hatred and greed, irregardless of the fact that he was his own brother. Will you do that? Will you kill your own brother out of hatred? Please dad. Don't be like Scar. Don't do what he did. You're better than that and I know it. I've seen it in you. This isn't the lion I love so much. My father would never do something like this."

Tears were threatening to fall from the young King's eyes as he stared into the pleading expression of his son.

"But this is Scar's son.... this is the son of the lion who destroyed these lands. Who destroyed our pride."

"But he is not Scar himself," Tanabi replied with the most simple, solemn expression gleaming in his eyes.

Simba pressed his eyelids shut as several tears escaped down his muzzle. He looked at Tanabi again before looking back down at Kamau. Kamau looked up at him with fear stricken eyes, eyes that begged for mercy. As he continued to stare at him, he saw only the color of his mane and the vague similarity in pelt to Scar. But this lion bore none of the evil lion's traits.

Simba looked back at Sarabi who stood a little ways back, staring fearfully at her oldest son. He looked at her solemnly before looking back down at Kamau. With a deep breath and tears sliding down his cheeks, he leaned down and grabbed Kamau by the scruff of the neck. Using all his strength, he heaved Kamau over the ledge, and pulled him up over it. He plopped him on the ground where he began to breathe heavily, then sighed in relief at living through his terrifying ordeal.

Kamau looked up at Simba from where he lay. Simba stared back down at him, with a look of pity for him, and sorrow. He shook his head.

"Forgive me," Simba said.

With that, he turned and made his way through the lionesses, heading back down the slope of the base. Kamau watched him go, then turned out to the Pride Lands to watch the young King make his way out into them. From where he lay, he could see Simba heading to a large crevice in the middle of the lands.

Kamau got to his paws, and nodded to everyone letting them know he was ok. Then he too headed down the slopes.

"Kamau!" Sarabi cried as she bounded up to him. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going after him," Kamau replied simply. "I need to speak with him."

Sarabi hesitated, but then agreed that it might be best if he did so. She stepped aside and allowed Kamau to pass, but not before nuzzling him warmly on the cheek.

With that, Kamau headed down the slopes and took off into the Pride Lands. He followed the young King's scent, and traced it to the exact point where he had seen him from above. Looking onward, he could see Simba making his way into the large crevice. Getting closer and following him in, Kamau finally saw what it was, and why Simba was heading there. Where it all took place.

The gorge.