Man it is so hot here, we broke a record already twice this week. Both days reached 97. I miss last year when it was in the 70s and only reached the 90s once. Well any way thanks time.
Bounding Jackalope: I don't know why but for some reason my Microsoft word says that Jackalope is spelled wrong, I wonder if it's in the dictionary, eh I'll check later to see what's up with that because I find that very strange. Any way thanks for the review and you will see what Zazu's life will be like, it will be interesting. Hope you like this chapter.
Gryfffinrose: How do you people do that with the Harry Potter books, I mean I love them but I feel that if I read them that fast I won't enjoy it chapter by chapter. Plus my eyes get strained easily when I read for a long time, don't know why either, my eyes are weird. And yes I am going for an internship at Disney but I will explain it more in a few weeks before I leave and stuff. Any way thanks for the review I hope you like this chapter.
Nala5: Glad you liked this chapter; you will see what happens to Amari in this chapter, it will be sad just to warn you. I'm also glad you are back online, isn't it annoying when the computer does stupid stuff. And don't worry about reviewing the other chapters you missed, if you read them that's fine with me. Any way hope you like this chapter.
QueenKiara: Yay someone new! I'm glad you have been enjoying this story. And I hope you continue reading it. Thanks for the review.
SunRise19: Yup because of my Disney Internship I won't be able to finish it, for at least five months any way. When I come back though I promise to continue, but I do hope to at least update once a month while I'm down there, if I get a laptop that might change though. Glad you liked this chapter. Hope you like this one and thanks for the review.
Simba11: That review was probably one of the funniest reviews I have ever gotten. I like that "The pure unadulterated PG-13 horror" very silly. Any way thanks for the review, hope you like this chapter.
MorpheusDreamer: Thanks for the review; yeah I thought it was a good idea for them to have one more talk before the storm hit. Hope you like this chapter.
Skima: Thanks for the review, glad you liked the little cliffy and I am glad you think this story is getting better and better even though I always feel nervous that something is missing or something like that. Hope you like this chapter.
Now time for the new chapter.
I awoke many hours later to find that the gorge was turning dark and the sky was turning light pink to signal the end of the day. My head still had a slight ringing in it from running into the wall so I stood up slowly and rubbed it for a moment while also trying to get a bearing of my surroundings. While I tried to get rid of the blurriness in my eyes, I wondered why no one came back to get me, perhaps they did not know I had lost consciousness, but then Mufasa would probably wonder where I was. Perhaps Sarabi was congratulating him over saving Simba and kissing Simba until the little tyke had enough which was usually in about ten seconds.
I sighed and decided to look around the gorge to make sure everything was okay and to adjust my eyes a little more. As I scanned the gorge, I noticed that there were still a few puffs of dust hovering slowly back to earth and it was so eerily quiet that I did not feel very safe down there.
I was about to fly off and find Mufasa when something caught my eye over by the dead tree that Simba had held onto. It was broken now and something was under it, at first I thought it was a rock but I then noticed that it was too furry to be a rock and that it must have been a wildebeest who got injured in the stampede and died there after being hit by his or her fellow members so many times.
As I flew in closer though I found my assumptions to be totally wrong as I gazed in horror at the body of Mufasa. I could not believe it, it felt like a dream and I kept telling myself that he was only sleeping as I watched for his chest to slowly rise up and down but sadly it never did.
I still could not believe it though, he had to be unconscious, so I walked up to him and shook him lightly in the mane.
"Sire wake up, the pride is waiting for you to come home," I said.
Nothing, not even a growl responded from him, I was so terrified that I barely felt my tears run down my eyes now that I knew the pride had lost a great king. It made me wonder if Simba and Sarabi knew about this. But Simba had to of known, he was being saved by his father and it made me wonder where he was now. I only hoped he was safe by his mother's side crying away his sorrows with her because that was what I wanted to do that instant. I wished Kalifa or at least my mother was there to comfort me over the loss of a good friend I had shared many memories with.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Said a voice behind me suddenly.
I turned around and saw Sarabi running down toward us, tears running down her face and looking very distraught. She reached Mufasa and then began to shake him vigorously.
"Mufasa my love wake up, we need you back at Pride Rock, we know we can't go on without you," she said before burying her face into his mane and sobbing uncontrollably.
I rubbed Sarabi's paw lightly for a few minutes while she mourned for her loss. "It's okay Sarabi, I'm here for you," I said softly after a long silence.
"Thank you Zazu, Scar told me he and Simba were dead, I could not believe it so I had to find out for myself," said Sarabi as tears fell down he face like a water faucet.
"Wait, Simba is dead too, but I don't see his body any where," I said.
Sarabi gave a sudden look of worry that many mothers give when they can't find their child and began running around the gorge frantically looking for him.
"Simba, where are you, are you alright, please answer me," she said before finally collapsing and crying even harder than she had ever had. I could not bear to watch her suffer like this and looked up at the gorge realizing that it was getting really dark and was not a safe place once darkness truly engulfed the gorge.
That was when I saw two green eyes descend down the gorge and toward Sarabi, I was about to warn her until I realized it was only Scar who showed the same face he always showed, that blank stare.
"Sarabi, we must get back to Pride Rock, since the king is dead it is time for me to ascend and take his place, come with me and I will tell you everything that happened when I get there," he said.
Sarabi said nothing but simply got up and followed him back up the gorge. I joined them as they walked the lonely trip back home, and to tell everyone all about the terrible news.
As we headed back toward Pride Rock, I could hear Sarabi crying and sniffling beneath me, I knew this was going to be something that would take a long time for her to heal. I knew Scar could hear her crying too, but he did nothing and walked with his head held up high as if he had already proclaimed himself as king.
Once we got halfway toward Pride Rock, Sarabi suddenly stopped and stood still, it looked as if she wanted to make up her mind and go back to Mufasa's body. I flew down to her to make sure she was okay while Scar stood there watching her like she was some sort of outcast.
"Your majesty, are you alright?" I asked.
"I don't know Zazu, I just suddenly feel like going back to the gorge and seeing if Mufasa woke up and if Simba is trying to find me," she said trying to hold back tears.
"Simba is dead too, I saw how it happened, now do you want to hear the whole story back at Pride Rock or not because I am not repeating it if you stay out here," said Scar who then started walking away.
What Scar said angered me and for the first time in my life I yelled back at him. "How could you say that to someone you have known since you were a cub? Can't you even help her out and comfort her through her time of grief. I find that to be really selfish of you Scar," I said.
Scar wheeled around and ran toward me; luckily I flew in the air just in time before he could grab me. "Just so you know, I am in mourning too, and I bet the whole damn pride is in mourning as well. How can I comfort every pride member over this, they need to be strong like I am now, and what I am about to do will show how strong I am," said Scar who then turned around and stomped off.
Once he was farther away I fluttered back down to Sarabi who still hung her head low letting tears stream down her face.
"What a selfish bastard," she said through clenched teeth.
"I agree with you, but you must remain strong, you are still the queen and you must help the pride learn to live with Scar, I can already tell he's going to be difficult to handle," I said.
Sarabi gave a big sigh and stood up. "Your right Zazu, I do need to help everyone get through this difficult time, it's the queen's responsibility to do so" she said and started walking back toward Pride Rock while I flew over her.
We reached it a while later and every single lioness was out there waiting for their return even Nyarai who had actually given birth to a litter of three cubs five days ago and had left them unattended in the den.
I saw Nala sit between her mother Amari was hiding behind her, looking around for any sign of Simba but did not see him and looked up at Sarabi.
"Did you find Simba?" she asked.
Sarabi just shook her head and watched as Scar ascended a small rock and began to speak while I stood beside Sarabi comforting her through what was going to be told.
"What I am about to tell you is going to be told with a heavy heart since I know you all are wondering what will happen," said Scar.
All the lionesses nodded as Scar continued. "I was out with Simba earlier today and decided to show him the pride lands a little more. Well after a while we both got tired and decided to sleep under a nearby tree. I woke up a few hours later with Simba gone and I began to search frantically for him. I then found him a few minutes later wandering the gorge and roaring at a lizard. I noticed that a band of wildebeests were on the other side of the gorge and I knew they would be instantly startled by a big enough roar, even one by Simba. I was about to tell him to stop when he gave the biggest roar he could and suddenly the wildebeests started to stampede. Poor Simba did not have a choice and began to run before the wildebeests could catch up to him and I decided to go get Mufasa since he would probably know what to do. I found him easily and told him Simba was down there. Mufasa and I ran back and found him as he was desperately clinging for life on that old tree. Mufasa went down to get him and what I saw once he was down there terrified me. Mufasa jumped up and grabbed Simba in his jaws but a second later a wildebeest hit him hard in the side causing him to roar in agony and throw Simba out of his mouth. The force from the wildebeest was so strong that he was buried under the stampede and I never saw him come back up, same for Simba who must had been trampled on so hard that nothing remained of him. When the stampede ended, I saw Mufasa's body and decided to run and tell all of you what happened."
Scar finished his sentence and I looked around, all the lionesses were crying while the four cubs that were friends with Simba huddled against their mothers paws for comfort. Nala especially looked like her world had fallen apart. Poor Sarabi though, she acted as if her world was now totally gone and I was afraid she would have no life left in her in a few days or more.
"Mufasa's death was a terrible tragedy, but to loose Simba who had barely begun to live. For me it is a deep personal loss. So it is with a heavy heart that I assume the throne," said Scar. And as he began telling everyone about him assuming the throne, we began to see dark shapes come toward us.
We all gasped in fear as we quickly realized that they were hyenas. We looked up at Scar as he began to ascend hoping he would stop the hyenas from coming toward us, but he did nothing and continued to talk.
"Yet out of the ashes of this tragedy we shall rise to greet the dawning of a new era, in which lion and hyena come together in a great and glorious future," Scar finished.
Once Scar finished his statement he made his ascent to the tip of Pride Rock while hundreds of hyenas came out of nowhere and began to circle us, laughing like it was some sort of game. Suddenly, Scar roared out toward the savanna letting the entire kingdom know that he was now king.
He roared for several minutes before he finally stopped and looked down at us, Sarabi pushed her way through the hyenas and ran toward Scar in anger.
"Why are you inviting the hyena's back into the pride lands, you know they have been banished from here since Mohatu's time because they ruin the earth and steal our food and since I am queen I still have to agree with whether or not this is right," said Sarabi with anger in her eyes. I could tell she was not liking this one bit.
"Ah but the rules have changed my fair queen, I am abolishing Mohatu's old rule and the idea of having the queen agree with me on what I can do or cannot do, those rules were really only guidelines any way," he said with a smile while three hyenas circled her and brought her back down Pride Rock.
"Why do you even want hyenas in this land, you know they eat all our food and will kill when they get a chance, why Scar?" asked Sarabi who was now tearing up again.
"Because I think hyenas aren't all that bad, they will make a perfect addition to the pride lands," said Scar who then began walking toward the cave.
"Oh and are you making us sleep outside with these hyena's now while you sleep in the cave?" asked Sarabi.
"No your highness, I am merely cleansing my new rule. Starting right now, all the male cubs of this pride are to be executed," said Scar with an evil grin.
"No!" I heard Nyarai cry. One of her newborn cubs was a male and was now desperately trying to get through the hyenas.
She never made it for a few seconds later; Scar came out carrying a cub in his jaws, not by the neck but had him clenched in his teeth. I could hear the cub crying as Scar showed no mercy and clenched down harder until his wails were heard no more. Then Scar did something truly and utterly vile, he threw the cub off the side of Pride Rock where a group of hyena's quickly grabbed him and ran off with him.
Nyarai watched them run off with her son and began to cry while some of the members comforted her.
Scar then began to stalk down the rock toward Sarafina where Amari was sitting and shaking between her paws. I watched as Scar got closer and began to smirk while Sarafina showed her pearly white teeth, something I had never seen before in her. Once he got closer, Sarafina struck with her claws but missed.
"Oh come now Sarafina, you are only loosing one, besides this ones a runt, he probably won't make it once he becomes older all alone out there in the open," said Scar with no sympathy whatsoever in his voice.
"How dare you call my son a runt, he's the son of a great prince and if you take him away from me, I'll plan to give you more scars on that ugly mug of yours," said Sarafina who tried to strike again while keeping Amari close.
Amari just held onto her tightly, I could see him shaking while Nala stood behind them, afraid to see what would become of her brother.
Scar stood there for a moment, seeming to ponder the situation until he finally stood up and turned around. "Fine then, I'll let him live for a while longer, but you better watch him for when your back is turned, he will be mine, and that goes for you too Chiku," said Scar who then gave Chiku a look of malice while she clutched Dume close.
Scar then ascended back up Pride Rock and walked toward the den. "It is time for us to retire, for tomorrow a new life will begin so you better be prepared," said Scar who then disappeared in the den.
I saw Sarabi look over at Sarafina and Chiku, both looked like they had no courage to go sleep in the den with that cub killer.
"Come we will sleep behind Pride Rock tonight, hopefully we will figure out a way to keep him from killing Dume and Amari," said Sarabi who showed courage in her voice. Something I liked despite her sadness in loosing Mufasa.
"If I may be obliged in doing so, I would like to stand outside and watch and warn you all if any danger appears for your cubs," I said.
"Thank you Zazu, that would be most helpful," said Sarabi who then led the two mothers toward the back of Pride Rock.
Once we reached the safe spot, I perched on a nearby tree and looked around. I quickly noticed that hyenas were everywhere and I hoped that I would watch for them well seeing as they would probably come from all sides.
"Zazu, if you see any of them come near just say your highness watch out and I will respond," said Sarabi who then disappeared in the den with the other two and the four cubs.
I listened to them for a minute and soon heard Sarabi cry again while Sarafina and Chiku tired to comfort her. I meanwhile stood watch and realized that it was going to be a long night for all of us.
A/N: Oh man I hoped you all liked that chapter because I found it quite sad and dark but that's just me, and you all might find it different from what I think. So please review and I will hopefully see you all again on Friday.