The Neutral Prince
Arthur's note: I love this story and have some ideas for it, but I'm open to suggestions. Swahili would be in this chapter.
Chapter 4: Minor Inconvenience
The helm of the brown-coated lion's den was ordinary quiet, only the constant munching coming from lionesses who were eating away at the early kill. Mheetu stared at the entrance of his den, ignoring everything and allowing the surroundings to flew in the air. The sun rising would have been flashing through the brown-coated lion's eyes. Not far away, Mheetu would have heard his army was training endlessly by biting and fighting away at each other. Accompanying these lands were animals who would be hunted for survival. Since Mheetu is calling for war, he wanted all of the predators involved in his army to be stronger and not allowing for them to show weakness. Unlike Scar who thought he was tougher by his own, Mheetu would have train each day. Usually he would have been with Kion, training him endlessly yet Kion just escape last night. Now, Mheetu was enraged at some in his army who claimed he went to the Outlands borders.
"You have failed me, Mbadala!"
Mheetu's voice echoed through the caves, having just receive the report of Kion's escape. Beyond furious, Mheetu's eyes went darker and even other lionesses were taken aback. Mheetu never seem to be so angry. His rage were slowly rising at just lashing out at the species whom failed him. They should have been able to stop Krayt! Had they did, Mheetu would have continue Krayt's training. He was so close to actually turn Krayt truly against him, considering Krayt was starting to become more bloody. He had wanted Simba to die by his own son and make him saw his own face in his dreams. Luckily, the brown lion has a backup plan in his true son, but Kion seem to have more potential.
Why did Mheetu had trust the boy so much? He should have had lionesses guarding both borders, otherwise escape would have been slim for him. "Kukosa." Mheetu's voice went high. "Kwanini niliamini hawa wapumbavu." He seem to be talking to himself, saying words unrecognizable.
They also knew Mheetu had at least some attachment towards the prince, considering he had treated him fairly since the beginning. He seem to love him despite who his real father was. Kion had much potential and would have likely been much like him in a few years. Kion had much hope and promised, but he instead wants to just be another Pride Lander. As the rage burned in his soul, Mheetu's rage decrease for a second, and his face have became one of something else, non familiar. Yet, his eyes gleamed and finally became a feeling they all recognized. Impressed and perhaps admiration. Which was a shocker considering Mheetu had wanted to follow through with Kion's training.
Kion will be practically a weapon for Simba now. But yet Simba can't keep Kion forever on his leash. Kion is too emotional and untamed, and likely some of the Pride Landers would see him as a threat that must be kill immediately. But yet, Simba would be too soft to dish out the killing blow to his own son. Also, not like Nala would allow him or anyone else to do it, so Kion would be easily playing into the game.
Mheetu grinned as he turned back around. "In fact, I have just gotten a new plan," he cackles. The Pride Landers won't know what hit them, and this force would be even greater then Scar or Zira. Yes, he knew about her intentions to kill Simba, but that boy of Zira is too weak to kill the princess, and reuniting the two may spark lost memories. Yes, he knew about that encounter, for he have seen Simba scolding her the aftermath of the event. He have punished her for a week, and she clearly despise that punishment and would have turned to him. Kion was similar to her when he gotten a punishment, yet atleast he acted more mature about it and not argued with his parents and make attempts to get out, such as time when Kion took his best friend to the crocodiles and gotten trapped there. Once Simba was told, he immediately grounded Kion due to him doing something wrong.
Mheetu allowed questions, statement, to fly through his mind. Why had Kion choose to remain loyal to Simba, who always spend more time with Kiara as a cub? Will Kion eventually hate the treatment at being hold back? There was a difference between Simba and Mheetu, regarding Kion; Simba would have held Kion back and force him in his sister's shadow, and Mheetu would have exposed him the truth of his strength. Kion could have been a strong asset and could have killed anybody he wanted, but yet it seems he haven't truly turned against his family, like it seem he have.
Prince Kion, the prince who was captured by his own uncle, second son of Simba, now basically one of the Right Paw of Simba once he finally returns to the Pride Lands, were currently stranded into the Outlands.
Let it be said that Mheetu haven't taught Kion to be calm in unusual situations. But for some who is stuck somewhere, not sure were he was going, the prince was surprisingly taking this well.
As Kion scrolled through the Outlands, he cursed to himself silently as he again went by the same rock that he went by a hour ago. This is humbly ridiculous that he cannot find his destination. How can he find himself back home if he isn't exactly sure where he was going? Luckily, there has been a small watering hole that Kion ran into and he drink so he can reenergized himself. Kion closed his eyes and gritted his teeth and allow the emotions to come back towards himself. He had thought about his dream that previous night about being with his family at last. For once, he was happy at thinking it was real. Everything was so cheerful, until something happen. Pride Landers were overrun and hunted down. Bodies laying everywhere with him just trying to find the source, and him finally finding it, but instead of fighting against his uncle, he bowed down before him and fully accepted the name as Krayt.
'I shall carried out your orders until I become king, father, no one would stand in our way, and all of the Pride Landers would die.' The dream Kion had said. Mheetu had grinned in the dream and ordered for him to rise before him and gave him another command and brought the princess before him. She begged for his mercy, but Kion just smiled darkly and lifted her up and snapped her neck and tossed her to the side without a simple tear. He was full of hatred and didn't care about the action, until he woke up, thinking it was real.
Kion's eyes opened as he remembered the dream of yesterday. "I feel like I'm going into circles, where am I?" Kion mused, marching through the barren lands without a care in the world and just wants to find the pathway to the Pride Lands.
Kion stopped dead in his tracks as he swear he heard something. He turned around, only to see nothing. Was some animal trying to sneak up on him? He sniffed the air and smelt the presence of something he haven't never smell. Somehow though, this gave him a sense of Deja Vu to where Mheetu would force him to kill small animals and him being the hunter. Now, the hunter is likely being the hunted.
He have remember his parents and all by their faces, but Kion couldn't remember their personality. Were they like Mheetu? Is they going to force him down a violent path such as Mheetu did? Kion wondered what path he would be on now. Even if he returns to the Pride Lands, likely Kion would get help; but after all he wasn't sure. He can never be the prince he was meant to be perhaps one time ago. His emotions were too uncontrolled but he is trying to balanced both.
Kion blinked for a second, seemingly waiting for something to happen before he turned around and dodged a blow from someone lunging at him, causing them to fly against the rocks.
Kion let out a low growl as jackals came down around him, surrounding him. "What are you doing in a place like this, cub?" The jackal infront demanded, her green eyes glaring at the lion cub with hunger in her eyes.
Kion didn't want a altercation for now at the very least, despite how easily he can kill these Pride Landers. He decided to play it off cool. "None of your business," he said roughly. "Now, I'm taking my leave."
Kion begin to walk off but yet the jackal jump towards him and pinned him by placing a paw on his tail. "What's the hurry?" The jackal laughed lowly, placing her other paw on him. "We can show you the way home."
The lion cub snorted humorously at that comment. Seriously? They honestly think he would fall for that old attempt. It can be seen through easily, but yet he didn't want to commence a battle. "Thank you but no thanks." Kion interjected, his patience wavering from these annoying jackals. "Now, walk away from this peacefully or we'll have a problem."
To that, the jackals laughed in amusement, not taking him seriously and firmly. Kion allowed a snarl to come, but yet he decided not to do anything... yet. Their thick skulls can lead to their death.
The female jackal stormed up towards the lion cub, seeing he was trying to move away again. "You're not leaving here alive." Kion sighed as he unsheathed his claws and ram into the female jackal on her side, knocking her back and sending her to the ground with a large painful hiss. He turned around and saw the shock faces of the jackals. Some had their mouth open out of shock, and others out of rage, but very few were exactly scared but all stood their ground. "You all could have made this so much easier," he states bitterly. "But I'm afraid that it have to end this way."
Krayt saw the jackals beginning to come forward again and trying to get around him. Simply, he growled as he stood in the middle, examining each, silently daring one of them to make a stupid move. And one did. One jackal raced up towards the lion cub and raised his paw to bring it down, but Krayt growled and lunged towards his paw and bitten down, causing blood to form. He gotten a good grip by biting down on his neck before sending him towards two other jackals. The two jackals were send to the ground on their bottoms.
Krayt laughed cruelty. "Hyenas prove more a threat then you all, and you all were suppose to be more as a family." He kicked his hind legs towards the two jackals who dared try to sneak up on him and kicked them away on the ground. Krayt can easily kill these fools without hesitation, but there is one reason to why he is refusing to do the killing blow. He need information.
The jackals attempted to overrun him just because he was a cub, but now they are the ones under his paws. Krayt smirked as he picked up the female jackal, while holding the other jackal down who must be here mate. "Your name now," Kion ordered abruptly, pulling her close she can see the inside of his eyes. He had seen the deep fear and shock in her eyes, probably because he is tougher then her and him being a cub is surprising.
"Re-" Seeing that she couldn't breathed his name out, Krayt released his hold onto her slightly yet harshly, his hold still tough and firm. "My name is Reirei." She choked out.
"Why did you attack me?" Krayt demanded.
The jackal choked out. "Because we-we're hungry and need something to eat. My pups haven't eaten for weeks."
On the surface, Krayt's face remain firm and tough. But on the inside, Kion swear he can feel his heart's crumbled. Not eating for weeks? That is tough. Considering Mheetu would have force him to eat to not kill himself out of hunger, Kion can feel related to these jackals' somehow. But they may kill so many innocents who was just minding their business. Kion has to consider the path of killing and sparing the jackals. Surely, he can cracked her neck and proceed to slaughter her entire clan, but what about their cubs who would need their parents. The poor cubs who may be innocent may be shaped into bloodthirsty villains and throw their life away eventually.
Krayt remain there for a moment, thinking about something that affect him. His mother's face and eyes. She was always a calm and peaceful soul that managed to calm him in his dreams. Sad thing was that he was stripped away from her by his evil uncle who cares about no body but himself. Once upon a time, he would say that there was no bad guy in Africa, but now being one who had been force to kill innocents. Mheetu made him do things towards innocents. Just because he needed to survive, Kion honestly force himself to kill those innocents.
Kion wondered about the outcomes of both options, before he made his choice. Getting close to the jackal, he released her and allowed her to hit the ground. "Run," he ordered. "I won't kill you today, but if you ever threaten a young life then you better run or I shall kill you. Do you understand me?" The jackal nodded and called off her jackal.
"Retreat! Retreat!" She ordered, as her jackals ran off. She turned and saw Kion staring at her with a deep glare. Returning the look with a nervous one, she ran off after her clan. Their yelps still echoed into the distance.
Kion sighed and breathed in and out. "Maybe I should have finished her off, but her pups must have parents, and it's clear that she love them at the very least." Feeling eyes falling onto him, Kion looked around and gotten into a battle position. "Show yourself or I would hunt you-"
"Alright, alright, I'm coming out," a feminine voice interrupted him. Kion turned and glared to the top of a ledge where he saw a female hyena with purple eyes, a tiny scruff, and some dots on her body. "Just saw you taking those jackals down, I got to admit you have strength, lion."
Kion's battle position didn't wavered, "Who are you, hyena?!" He demanded.
"The name's Jasiri," Jasiri said honestly. "And while I would usually kick you out of my territory, you had just kick those greedy beasts out of here with their tails between their legs, I would allow you to stay atleast for the moment. You can also save your position, for I would attack you already if I wanted to. Now my turn for the questions. Who are you, and why are you here in the first place?"
Kion lowered his battle position and retracted his claws. He wonder should he tell her his real name. There is a possibility that she is align with Mheetu, but then again Mheetu only accept albino hyenas, because of their "raw strength" and "rarity" of them and wanted their numbers for them to rise. After all what harm can it do? Kion decided to tell his real name.
"My name's Kion," he introduced himself.
Jasiri smiles, "I guess I'm in your debt, since not any lion would come to my territory. I fear they were going to go after Wema and Tunu since they are just small playful cubs, and I have warn them before to stay out."
Kion nodded but to his surprise he returned the smile, "Who is these hyenas?" He inquired. "And are they as slow as you?" He teased. He have always been a teaser like that; shows what little part of the Pride Lander personality.
"Shut up." Jasiri shot back. "I was just waiting. Those jackals are really pathetic though. Part of me can't believe you spare her, because she always escape from me before I can get her in a similar position. Though I understand why you did it. Where are you from, Kion?"
Kion frowned, but decided he can surprisingly trust this hyena, "The Pride Lands," he answered.
"How did you end all the way up here?" Jasiri interrogated.
"Minor inconvenience," Kion said bitterly as he thought of what Mheetu had shaped him into and what he could have been. He sighed, "The truth is that I don't know where I'm going. Can you lead me back?" Kion persisted as she turned to look at him.
"That big, eh?" Jasiri pressed. Once Kion didn't respond and instead was locking stares with her, the hyena let out a soft sigh and nodded. "I guess I should because what you have just done, I will always been in your debt." She added with a respectful tone that Kion prior hadn't knew she did have.
Priority, Kion thought that all hyenas were bad, considering he remember the small tales that his father would have told his big sister about hyenas, yet he had no proof whatsoever. After all, when he was young, he'd thought all of the lions were the good guy, but Mheetu had proved him wrong. Sad thing is that Kion is use to "Krayt" name by now. Mheetu have taught him some good things, such as fighting moves that can be use as a good thing if it can be controlled. Sadly, sometimes Kion feels like he has no control over his body; same for Krayt as well. He knew both were just a name but with different meanings.
Kion was a innocent lion cub who was ready to see this world and wanted to meet everybody. His name was by his true family who loved him endlessly, and hadn't completely lost his soul. Had he still be that cub several months ago with this strength, he would've had little struggle to spare animals and not threaten them, even should they threaten him. Krayt was somebody different however; he was colder, darker, and can easily make some animals in the Grasslands shake before he even said his name. He would kill without hesitation. The only reason to why Krayt haven't completely took control is that Kion was always nice and innocent before his capture.
The lion cub was in a deep conflict between Kion and Krayt. To him, he was both light and dark between which name. Though he highly doubted it was that easily as it seems. He didn't even knew why Mheetu changed his name to that pathetic name anyway. Krayt knew he would have to allow this part to get out of here at last. Even though he's with an hyena, predators must know to stay away from him for his journey back to the Pride Lands.