Chapter 3: Unexpected Saviors
"What are you doing Jason?", The innocent voice of Stacy asked.
"Jason you can't die like this.", David said with disappointment. "You gotta wake up man!"
Suddenly I could hear the pounding of my heart repeating through my ears. I felt like someone was drilling into my head. An overwhelming feeling of deep sorrow and doubt flooded my mind.
"Please Jason Live for us!", My mother pleaded.
"Mom?"
"You need to make it, don't you give up and die.", My father commanded.
"I don't understand.", I cried. Millions of voices called my name telling me to wake up. I tried covering me ears to block them out, but they were still audible. Through clenched teeth I called, "Please...stop..."
"JASON!!!", They called one final time.
I quickly shot up clutching my chest feeling my heart racing. My breaths slowed down with every passing second. Cautiously observing my surroundings. I was placed on a hammock with soft padding underneath me.
My sprained leg was held together by a makeshift splint made from sticks and wrapped with rope. It was apparent that the walls were made with a hay like twigs. "Where am I?", I wondered carefully getting off the hammock.
I made sure not to put too much pressure on my injured leg. A cloth was tied around my forehead, presumably to stop the bleeding. Guess I'm in some kind of hut? Maybe I was found by some locals and brought here to heal.
I carefully treaded to the door made out of twigs and sticks of all shapes and sizes. I reached out to push the door open, but out of nowhere someone from the other side.
An adult male lion stood right on the other side quickly startling me. Out of fear I backed away, but tripped on a rock and grunted in pain falling right on my ass clutching my leg.
He kneeled beside me and asked with an deep but caring voice, "Are you ok? My deepest apologies if I startled you?"
He was an exceptionally large and muscular lion, bearing powerful shoulders and a compact build. He has golden fur, with a beige muzzle, paws, and stomach fur. His upper eye shades are darker than his main pelt, the lower eye shades were lighter, and his eyebrows are thick and black. He wore a brown loincloth with a belt that held daggers and cutting knives along with a crossbow on his back.
"Please don't skin and eat me!", I cried in a panic closing my eyes.
Instead of feeling my guts being torn out sounds of laughter came from the anthropomorphic big cat. "I have no intention of eating you.", He reassured giving me a friendly smile, his voice booming with authority. He kinda sounded like Darth Vader.
He held out a paw err...hand and helped me off the ground. "So you aren't going to kill me?", I asked once again.
"If that was my goal you would've never woken back up.", He chuckled. I fake laughed along with him trying not to shit my pants. I knew he was joking, but he could've lied a little on my part.
"You never told me your name.", He mentioned.
Not wanting to piss off this almost three hundred pound adult lion I wasted no time and answered almost immediately. "My name is Jason...Jason Cain.", I answered.
"I'm pleased to finally meet you Jason. I'm King Mufasa of the Pridelands.", He formally introduced himself. I swallowed the lump in my throat upon him hearing that I was speaking with royalty.
I wanted to bow in servitude, but ya know the broken leg. "My King...", I bowed to the best of my ability.
"No need to be so formal Jason.", Mufasa said patting me on the back almost pushing me on the ground unintentionally. "Come! We have much to discuss." I assumed I was supposed to follow him since he left the hut that I was just resting in.
The bright light from the sun hurt my eyes once I was outside. Once I was able to get a clear view of my surroundings I felt everything within me freeze. This place was like one of the typical african tribal villages I'd seen in those books back at school. One eye-boggling thing I saw was a huge ancient rock formation.
"Pride Rock.", Mufasa said with pride. "I see it's caught your attention."
"Yeah it's beautiful here.", I replied in amazement.
We walked side by side down the a dirt path. "So, How long have I been out exactly?", I asked him with curiousity.
"About three days now.", He replied.
Three days? God I've been out of it for awhile. "I guess you must've found me on the brink of death and brought me here right?", I guessed.
"Not quite.", He stated and I tilted my head in confusion kinda wanting to know what he meant by that. "My son Simba and his friend Nala found you deep in the savannah, gravely injured, and they had brought it to my attention. So we had our Shaman Rafiki tend your wounds and let you rest until you had woken back up."
Now that I'm getting a proper explanation it all came together and made more sense. We passed by many in my own words "Beautiful Lionesses" and some cubs playing. The ones that noticed me stopped and got the attention of the others while pointing in my direction.
"I'm grateful that you helped me.", I thanked. "I would've died out there if it weren't for those damn Hyenas."
Me mentioning those scavengers caused Mufasa to stop. "Hyenas? They attacked you?", He asked.
"Yeah, They came out of nowhere and ambushed me.", I said in remembrance. "There was one that wanted to let me free. If only I could thank her somehow..." I didn't hold any resentment towards what's her name?...Dimika I think. She proved to me that not all Hyena's have bad intentions.
"I've told them on various occasions to stay out of the pridelands. Seems like I'll have to deal with that later.", He stated. "ZAZU!!!"
"Coming! Coming!", A british accent came from above.
A small red-billed hornbill landed on Mufasa's shoulder and did a bow. "How may I be of service?", Zazu asked in servitude. He looked in my direction and I gave a friendly smile and waved to the small bird perched on Mufasa's shoulder. "Appears the human has awoken."
"I just wanted to get you two properly acquainted. Jason this is my Majordomo Zazu.", Mufasa introduced. "Zazu this is Jason."
"Glad to meet ya Zazu.", I smiled.
"The pleasure is all mine Jason.", He bowed.
"Zazu why don't you take Jason to meet Sarabi and Simba?", Mufasa suggested. "I have to talk to Scar about something." I raised an eyebrow at the mentioning of this new name, but brushed it off.
Zaza nodded and took off to the skies. "I'll talk to you later tonight about what to do with you.", He said before leaving me by myself. I followed after Zazu who was waiting for me to get moving.
"So what's Simba like?", I asked Zazu who was sitting on my shoulder.
"Well he is the heir to King Mufasa and Queen Sarabi.", He responded. Sarabi must be Mufasa's better half. "The boy can be quite the troublemaker in my opinion."
"Eh what kid isn't?", I asked.
In the distance now becoming visible to me were two lionesses sunbathing on rocks. Part of me wondered if that was uncomfortable to them? They're probably used to it after all Lionesses are huge. Zazu jumped off my shoulder and flew towards the lions.
He pointed a wing in my direction and the two big cats stood up. Now infront of the two ladies I kneeled with respect. "M'ladies.", I greeted getting a couple of girly chuckles from them.
"You must be Jason.", The lioness on the right questioned. She was a slender lioness, beige fur, cream muzzle, underbelly, paws and eye patches, salmon nose, black tipped ears, black eyebrows, dark eyelids, piercing and caring orange eyes. "I'm Queen Sarabi, but you can call me Sarabi if you'd like."
The Lioness beside her was almost somewhat similar in appearance to Sarabi that you'd believe they're sisters. "This is my sister Sarafina.", Sarabi added.
Wow, guess I was right.
"He's finally awake!", a voice that sounded like it came from behind me shouted with excitement.
Turning around I found myself looking at two young lion cubs beaming up at me. One was male while the other was female, How I could tell? Not quite really sure myself just had a feeling ya know. "You must be Simba and Nala correct?", I playfully asked.
"Yeah!", They both answered
"What's your name?", Simba curiously asked.
"Jason Cain, but you can just call me Jason your majesty.", I bowed getting a cocky smile out of him.
"Where's your tail?", Nala asked.
"And your fur? Where's your mane?", Simba added both him and Nala inspecting my features.
"I'm a Human.", I chuckled at their childish antics. "No mane, no tail, and no fur."
I then noticed them staring at my injured leg. "Oh this, This happened way before I came here. I just had a very bad accident, but I'll be fine. Just can't do too much with this leg. Thanks for saving my butt out there by the way."
"Do you have anywhere to go?", Sarafina asked with concern.
I sadly shook my head trying to hold back tears, "No I'm lost and I don't even know where I am, Everyone I know is gone. It's just me now..."
Simba and Nala had sympathetically frowned at the statement. I didn't want to tell the full story especially with kids around, nor did I want to remind myself of the tragedy. "Mom can please he stay with us?", Simba pleaded trying his best to look as adorable as possible. I could only imagine myself living among a pride of lions.
"If it were up to me I'd allow it.", Sarabi answered. "It's up to your father so you'll have to ask him."
"Ok...Can he play with us?", Simba asked.
"I'm not sure that's only if he's able to properly able to move around.", Sarabi warned them. I've been out for three days and my leg doesn't seem to be aching, I was able to walk here without any difficulty.
"I don't mind getting in a little exercise.", I said with determination.
"Are you sure Jason? But your leg-", Sarafina started.
"I'll be fine. Like they say back where I'm from, "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger.", I smiled. "Come on you two let's go play!"
-Pride Rock-
The view from up here was beautiful. Watching the sunset was helping me console and find solace in these hard times. If only I could've saw this with Mom and Dad.
"Quite the sight isn't it?", A cold menacing voice asked.
The voice came from another male Lion. He was a slender lion, tawny fur, cream muzzle, underbelly and paws, black nose and claws, circles and ear innards, black mane, tail tip and fur on the elbows, thick black eyebrows, dark brown eyelids, neon green eyes, pink scar over his left eye, and wispy thin black whiskers.
"Who are you?", I asked masking my fear as best as I could. This Lion in particular had a very negative aura to him, one that I couldn't quite pinpoint or understand. In a funny way he reminded me of Jafar from Aladdin except if he was a Lion.
"Please, Excuse my manners. My name is Scar. And you are?", Scar paused.
"I'm Jason.", I replied keeping my distance.
"Hmph So you're Jason? You're the one Simba won't stop talking about. I didn't believe him when he told me Mufasa brought a human here.", Scar explained his attitude becoming bitter by the second.
"I'm hoping that I can stay since I currently have nowhere to go.", I brought up hoping that I'll be able to stay.
"Wouldn't that be amazing?", Scar sarcastically remarked. "If I were in your position I'd watch myself."
After threatening me he left to alone to my thoughts. Something told me he didn't want me here and he had some sort of resentment towards humans. "Man, What a dick.", I thought folding my arms.
"I have great news for you Jason.", The voice of Mufasa announced. My heart began to pound with nervousness and anticipation. "With enough thought, it's been decided. You'll be staying here with us in the Pridelands for the meantime."
I began bounding in joy like a child getting something they always wanted for christmas. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!", I repeated with joy. "If there's anything you need don't hesitate to ask. I'm forever in your debt."
"No need Jason. What kind of king would I be to turn down one of his subjects?", Mufasa stated putting a reassuring hand on my shoulder. In this moment I saw my Dad in Mufasa. "Besides Simba and Nala along with the other cubs are taking quite a liking to you."
We stared at the horizon seeing flocks of birds flying above the decending Sun. This will be one Helluva experience, living among lions.
"Mom, Dad, Stacy, David. Wherever you guys are I love you.", I thought.