Sorry it took me so long. Life has been very busy and life does come first. Hard to write and plan vacations and other things.
But I decided to gift you all for Christmas.
Sorry in advance if the chapter is short. Not proud of it. Just hate how blank my mind goes when I have other things in life distracting me left and right.
So Merry Christmas everyone.
Chapter 15
The soft weeping cries of a broken heart were lost to the winds that blew the grasslands of the stillness night that settled upon the Pride Lands.
For a young lioness the darkness of the night was nothing compared to the darkness of the grief that plagued her heart and mind.
To have watched her family come so close to being reunited only to have her hopes torn apart before her very eyes. Said sapphire eyes stared into the sorrowful brown ones that watched the young former Pridelander Queen mourn before him. Furless hands clutched a staff of wood that they leaned their long lean body against. The Guardian every watchful of the brown lioness as if waiting for her to do something like she had tried before.
Why was he so sorrowful? She thought bitterly.
How dare he try and feel sorrow for her!
Was it not he who had stopped her?
He who stepped in her path and forbidden her from contacting her mate and showing him the truth of what was hiding before him?
Both Zuri and Musa that very day had been following Kiara. With the knowledge that her daughter had been let out onto the Pride lands on her own for the first time, the former Queen had wanted to be there to watch over her in some way. The joy she saw on her daughters face was worth tailing the cub like she'd done when she had taken Kopa out into the Pride Lands when he been Kiara's age.
It did her heart good to see how much Kiara was taking after Simba and a bit worrisome as well. For it meant her mate would have his paws full with Kiara. More so since she seemed to have inherited his taste for adventure. Now Zuri was not denying that she too had a taste for it growing up but never as much as Simba seemed too.
And that sense of adventure had led Simba and them into a lot of trouble growing up. This she only hoped Kiara would not inherit and instead listen to the words of warning Simba had given her before she and Kodi had run off from Pride Rock.
But that soon became apparent would not be the case. She could only watch with wide worried eyes as Kiara had tricked her friend into playing a game of hide and seek and had used it to use off toward the Outlands where Simba had forbidden her to go.
Fearing for her daughter's life for she knew Zira was known to patrol the borders of the Outlands, Zuri had taken off after her daughter with Musa hot on her tail.
But that fear that short turned to…hope…when she had seen who it was exactly that Kiara had run into.
Of course both cubs didn't recognize each other.
Musa had been excited to see his two sisters and littermates side by side again and had pranced around on the spot. While his mother stood with shining tears in her eyes at the hope that filled her up at the prospect of knowing that Simba would be on his way to look for Kiara once Kodi alerted them that the Princess had run off. And when he arrived he would take one look at Eshe…Zawadi…and know the truth of who she truly was.
How could he not?
No cub alike had many of the same markings. True there were some twins in a litter that did. But no cub born apart from another lioness did not. He would have known who she was just by the markings of white on her front legs. And then…and then she would have gone home with them and had been safe.
She would know the truth and for Zuri part of her mission to reunite her family would be somewhat complete.
But her hopes were shortly squished when she had seen Zira and Kumai getting involved with keeping her daughter away from her mate. From her rightful family and home.
It been almost too painful to watch.
The brown lioness could have just seen the malice shining in Zira's eyes and almost hear the plan churning in her wicked mind as she spoke with Simba. Zira wanted Zawadi to see Simba as a tyrant…wanted the cub to believe every terrible thing she had to say about Simba…and it was working…Zuri would just see it and sense it…their daughter would grow up hating her mate…hating her true Father…
The young lioness could only hope when it came time to reveal the truth that it would not break her beloved daughter. Like Zira was breaking her now. For she could not intervene right now…
Oh…she had tried…she had made the attempt right then and there to break all rules and reveal herself and the truth to her family.
The waiting game was become too much. She been careful in the past with things she revealed in the dreams she had sent Simba and Kiara and when she had spoken with Zawadi when the cub was still only a few weeks old…
But the wait was just becoming too unbearable…more so when she saw just how close they had been to each other and yet so far apart at the same time.
So there she'd been…ready to step forth…reveal herself…and let the truth be known…if it had not been for Bakari stepping in!
He had been silently watching from afar just like he always did. Only approaching her when it was important for him too. Watching the brown lioness' motives quite closely for he had suspected she might try something and he'd been right.
It had angered him on the two occasions she had visited first Simba then Kiara in their dreams all the while showing herself personally to Zawadi. Of course she hadn't revealed who she truly was to the cub for fear of what Zira would do to her daughter. But that did not mean he did not put a stop to that long ago.
The dead were not supposed to show themselves to those who would not need them or unless those who did not serve them…
Even Mufasa had waited for the right not to approach his son. And Mohatu who had been given special permission for the tasks he performed in his life to give his great grandson the proper path toward the Pride Lands upon his return.
And yet Zuri acted on her own like it was her right too…
So when he'd seen what the former Pridelander Queen had planned on doing, he had quickly stepped in.
Told it that it simply was not yet time.
When Zuri had argued, and he knew she would, he was quick to counter whatever she had to argue that should they do anything Zira would surely kill Zawadi before Simba even had a chance to stop her and retrieve their daughter back.
It had been that, that stopped the lioness.
The thought of loosing yet another one of her precious cubs.
And with that, Bakari knew the argument had won in his favour. No matter how much the Queen hated the fate had dealt her family. No matter how much it had torn them apart and how close they had come…she would not risk the life of her daughter to just get them reunited before it was the proper time.
But that didn't mean she didn't have to like it and wouldn't complain about it to him. To which the Guardian could not fault the lioness.
"How dare you look at me like that…it's because of you…they been so close…so close…she would been safe with her Father…with her sister…her pride! But now she's still out there…in her grasp…her plans…" Zuri hissed at him. From beside her Musa whimpered nuzzling his head against his mother's leg trying his best to cheer her up. Though he could not talk, Zuri knew he felt the same as she. Upset that his sisters were not together again and with their Father.
Reaching down she wrapped her paw around her son drawing him closer to her bending down just enough to gently rub her nose against his ears and top of his head.
"You knew from the beginning my Queen what fate had in store. It is never wise to tempt fate. You already know your son Kopa could only run for so long before he finally submitted to it and Jelani training for him. It is not our place to interfere with the plans that are woven in fates web. And those who do…the results ever vary from good to disaster." Bakari approached the lioness staring down at her while she lifted her head from seeking comfort in her son and stared off into the distance at Pride Rock and then toward the Outlands where her separated family slumbered away none the wiser of what had happened that very day.
And never would for some time…
Simba would never allow Kiara off on her own for so long now…and no longer would she approach the Outlands and Zawadi would never step foot in the Pride Lands. Her family was so torn apart it broke her heart everyday to witness it. She so badly wanted her plans to reunite them have happened quicker then she had hoped for but that would never be.
For Bakari would never allow it.
"But what if it had ended up good…what if things went fine?" Zuri breathed out closing her eyes.
"That we will never know. The Circle of Life is filled with so many unanswered questions. But there is one constant thing…the living and the dead. Neither is to co-exist with each other. If you had no need for this duty to watch over the Pride Lands and your cubs and those that would need your guidance when the time came I would not even permit you entry to these planes given how emotional you are to what is going on and your need to interfere…not even your son should be here." Bakari's eyes drifted to the cub that huddled under his mother hiding himself from the Guardian's gaze.
Bakari was still bias about the young spirits presence. If it had not been for the fact that the cub had been hidden from him when he first appeared then given to his mother for safe keeping or the other spirits putting their paws down refusing to let the boy go to the higher planes alone without his Mother that's exactly where Bakari would grab and drag him off too.
Sensing her sons fear, Zuri got to her paws placing herself fully above her little cub and fixed her fierce gaze on the Guardian who stared back with one of his own. "If it is my job to guide them then why would you not let me reunite my family? Simba would have taken care of Zira…he could have taken in her cubs at my request…everything would have been fine…then I could tell him to send word to the Rasheda's again to tell them the truth this time with the right location of them…he could come home…Simba could welcome the Rasheda's here if we told him what was going on…" Zuri felt her tears returning to her eyes as she thought of her family and old pride and new pride together as one.
"It is not yet time."
"And when will it be the right time?" Zuri shouted stepping away from her son but Musa kept close to her back legs keeping out of sight of Bakari.
"That I cannot answer. But when it does come you will know."
Cryptic.
Always cryptic.
It was always cryptic when it came to Bakari. Everything he said he always never truly gave a straight answer and it drove her crazy from time to time.
Clenching her eyes shut, Zuri turned her body away from Bakari, and wrapping her paw once more around her young son she drew him close to her. The former Queen tried to stem the raging emotions coursing through her but that was harder said then done. She did give half a smile when Musa rubbed his tiny head against hers, his tongue licking her cheek and jaw in his attempt to comfort his mother the best his young cub self could do.
Since he could not speak these were the best gestures that he could possibly make to reach out to his despairing mother.
From where he stood, Bakari shook his head and turned on the spot. "I know this is hard on you. It had been hard on Mufasa when he had watched Simba run away from the Pride Lands. To watch his mate grow up under the tyranny of his brother. To watch as they starved as the land died and his son grow up far away from his mother who grieved believing he was dead along side her mate. But he pushed on, knowing that there was really nothing he could do and that if Simba returned too soon before it was time that he could have possibly been killed by Scar." The Guardian spoke so softly that Zuri almost didn't hear him.
"But this…"
"I know you think this is different but it is not." Bakari cut her off. "There are things out there that cannot be explained. Thing's that happen for a reason. Death and life always happen for a reason my Queen. Whether you choose to believe it or not. We have no say in the end when it is our time. And what happens afterwards we still have no say…but we can help as best we can to guide those that need it…you need to be there…to watch over them. For when the time comes and you'll know it. You will guide them on the right path." Gripping his staff he turned his head enough to look back at her watching the former Queen slouch her body even more as if defeat sunk down heavy upon her. "Life is not fair my Queen and neither is death." Saying nothing more, the Guardian turned on the spot leaving the grieving mother vanishing from sight within three steps.
Zuri waited until he was gone before lowering herself to the ground. Gathering Musa in her arms she nuzzled him enjoying the contact she had with at least one of her cubs. The brown cub purred in his mother's arms, rolling onto his back while she ran her nose along his tummy earning a small squeak in response.
The brown lioness did not know what to think. Some part of her mind knew that Bakari was right. She simply did not have the power over what fate had in store or what the living did. But another part of her wanted to claw the Guardian into tiny bits so that he could not stop her again.
She didn't know how long she'd been sitting there when she heard the sound of someone approaching. Lifting her head, tearful sapphire eyes clashed with sky blue. Kopa gave his daughter a small smile while he came to sit along side her, his paw resting on her back. The lion did not know the words to say to her, for Bakari had already said them. Death and seeing what became of your family was never something one should see. He figured that was why so many of the dead preferred to stay in the higher plains rather then walk among the living.
Up there one could live in complete ignorance while down here you could see everything and feel helpless knowing there really wasn't anything you could do that wasn't allowed.
After several moments of sitting in silence, Kopa cleared his throat. "Do not be so hard on yourself my little beauty"
"I am not being hard on myself…and I am not little."
"You will always be my little beauty Zuri. It is why I named you such." Chuckling, Kopa shook his blonde mane from his face while he stared down at his daughter on the ground his face going from playful to serious. "And yes you are."
"It's just…"
"I know." Kopa closed his eyes lowering himself down next to her he watched Musa climb over to his mothers arm and stare up at him with wide chocolate brown eyes. A grin came over the older lions face at the sight of his youngest grandson.
Grandsons.
Granddaughters.
Boy he really was old. He smirked inwardly. Leaning over he nudged his daughters head with his own. "Look at it this way. Despite not having been able to do something today. You still managed to make it known to your family that you are watching over them, even if Zawadi does not remember anything of her true identity. They are lucky to know that you watch over them and that we all do…you didn't have that privilege nor did Simba. He thought his Father had abandoned him in death. But your cubs do not think that." Kopa draped his arm across her back and pulled her close letting her rest her head on his other leg while Musa snuggled up against his grandfather's chest.
"What if Zira does something to her?" Zuri whispered while Kopa turned his head in the direction of the Outlands.
A look of pure unadulterated hatred appearing on his face at the mention of the lioness that had killed his daughter and grandson and made the rest of his grand-cubs motherless and scattered.
He wanted nothing more then to see the lioness fall and was looking forward to the day she did. For when she crossed over, he would be waiting and he was sure many others would be too for the crime she dealt their family.
While killing cubs was not unheard of in lion society. It did not mean there weren't those who looked down upon it.
Kopa was one of those very few.
Closing his eyes, he gave a grunt. "She cannot. Zawadi is a precious pawn in her goal for revenge. But I cannot promise that she will not shape the girl into her own image. That is the thing that should be worried about not whether she would kill the cub. But there is nothing we can do. We can only pray that in the end it works out in our favour and not hers." Licking the top of his daughters head, he listened while she settled herself down.
The dead never needed sleep.
But there were times when they wished they could. This was one of those times. But Zuri settled down nonetheless, while she and Musa curled into Kopa closing her eyes enjoying the presence of her Father that she had missed her entire life.
"How if he…?" her voice but a whispering breath but the blonde mane brown lion heard her.
He didn't even have to ask who she was referring too when he answered. "Mansa and your mother say he is coming along fine. He has started his training with Jelani. Right now it's more mental then physical. He needs to overcome the guilt and emotions he feels for what had happened that night." Zuri sighed at this news. It wasn't her son's fault but he felt like it was. If she had just told Simba the truth in the beginning then none of it would have happened so in a sense it was her fault entirely. If only she had managed to talk to him before Zira attacked.
That she had found out had been planned. She been shocked to find out Zira had known where they were for so long and had been spying on them.
Sighing and pushing her head up to stare at the stars knowing miles away her eldest could be looking at the same ones too. "He's a strong boy. He can do it."
Grinning and nodding his head, Kopa Sr. stared off in the same direction of sky. The direction that led to the home they both were from. "He's like his parents. Stubborn as can be" He chuckled at the glare his daughter gave him. "But brave and strong willed as well. He got all of your best traits…and your worst!" The older lion roared with laughter as Zuri shoved him with her paw and climbed up onto hers snatching her son up by the back of his neck.
Laying there on the ground, Kopa stared cheekily up at her. "And that temper there you got from your Mother." Rolling onto his stomach and pushing himself up Kopa slicked his blonde mane back from his face and waggled his eyebrows. "I on the other hand am where you got your good looks from!"
Rolling her eyes, the lioness turned on the spot and started to trot away. "Hey! Don't leave me!" With her Father calling after her. Jumping to his paws Kopa bounded on after her.
The two of them walked along in silence. Then setting Musa down, Zuri let him scamper on ahead to Pride Rock where the little spirit would be spending his night in the presence of his Father and sister.
The former Queen watched while her son vanished from sight, sitting herself down between the borders of the two lands. After a moment she sighed and asked. "Do you think it's wise I have him down here? Do you think he would be better off in the other plains with others of himself that he could possibly play with?" The thought had crossed her mind on many occasions. There were plenty of young cub spirits up there for Musa to play with unlike down here he only had his mother and grandparents to play with since he could not play with his living siblings.
The blonde mane lion seemed to have to think about the question for a moment. Then shaking his head he stared off in the direction his youngest grandson had run off in. "Possibly I cannot truly say. But I think he is good for you my dear. You need him more then anything and he does need his mother and he enjoys being with you and down here." Kopa ran a paw over his paw brushing it back from his face flashing his daughter a grin which widened when he saw the hint of a smile coming over her own face.
"You're right…I do need him…" she whispered closing her eyes as the wind blew through the Pride Lands.
It no longer could reach her but she still liked to remember what it felt like to have the wind caress her on a hot muggy day in the savannah to have it ruffle her fur. Now it just passed on through her like she wasn't really there and in a sense she wasn't. "How are things in the Jungle? Have you spoken with Mother and Uncle Mansa?" She inquired turning her head toward her Father.
Taking his eyes off the distance formation of Pride Rock, Kopa answered. "The boy is coming along well…your Mother has reported that his nightmares seem to be lessening but they're still there." He watched from the corner of his eyes at the look of sadness that came over his daughter's face. "You should not worry about him Zuri. He is in capable hands. Jaali who would let anything come to him, nor would your Aunt and the pride. Kopa is as much family to them as you had been and Simba had been while you were there. They still consider you family though you are dead and Simba is far away"
"But they like my son believe Simba and the Pridelanders are dead." Zuri turned her head toward Pride Rock.
"In time the truth will be revealed and all will be right again." Reaching over, the older lion laid his paw on his daughter's making her look back at him. Seeing the soft gentle fatherly smile on the lion's face, Zuri returned it with a smile of her own. "I know it's hard but you just got to be strong. You're so much like your Mother in that regard."
Laughing, Zuri shook her head and turned her eyes up to the stars above. "I know I must be but I am a Mother first and foremost and I must worry for the cubs I cannot hold and comfort and care for like I should." Closing her eyes she seemed to be thinking about something. Something that could be done to reunite her family…and possibly save those innocent cubs of Zira's that she had come to love as much as her own…that was when she got struck with an idea…grinning she turned and began walking toward the Outlands.
Kopa stared on after her. "Where are you going…Pride Rock is that way." He pointed with his paw.
"I'm going to see my daughter…" Zuri called over her shoulder as she ran leaving him behind.
Finally she headed on toward the termite mounds, while in her mind she thought over the plan it was something that she knew wouldn't be able to be brought into effect for some years to come. But if she pulled it off…she knew she wouldn't be able to do it alone…the problem was seeking the right help for it…and who?
Old Rafiki did not know what he did to deserve to be visited by such spirits as those who now sat themselves perched among the branches of his tree. But the old Mandrill was beginning to wonder if he was cursed that day. On a normal day, such a visit would be a blessing to have the former King's and Queen's among his humble abode.
Today was not one of those days.
For instead of a nice quiet visit and conversation. The former royals say above him in the branches their voice's echoing among his home while they argued back and forth.
His hand rubbed his chin while he watched them from his place among his things. It had been the young Queen Zuri who had first come to visit him upon a request and advice that would be helpful to a plan she wished to set in motion. When she was not sure. But a plan she wanted to discuss the best solution on how to go about it. That was when she told him they would be expecting more visitors for their advice…
One visitor in particular he wasn't expecting…and it was what started off the arguments to begin with.
"First you wanted to set my daughter up with your son and now this. You are simply blind you foolish female!"
"I am not anymore a fool then you. She was the only know young female at the time. Of course it would have been possible to have seen a union between the two. This plan could either work or backfire. But I am hoping that it will work."
"Use someone else."
"He's not even your son!"
"But my eldest is! And he already close enough to your other daughter!"
"Oh that's my fault now?"
"Yes!"
"And here I thought you repented from your negative ways!"
"I repented for the thing's I've done. You can't change a lot about a person now can you?"
"Why you…"
"Taka! Zuri! Behave yourselves!"
The heads of the brown lioness and reddish brown black mane lion turned toward the large golden brown red mane male that sat watching them with a hard expression of a King who had enough of the bickering of the two in front of him.
Scowl on his face, Taka sat himself back; lifting a paw he used it to brush his mane back from his face. "Whatever you say dear brother." His voice dripped with boredom.
Zuri giving the reddish brown male in front of her a hard glare she relaxed her face and looked between the two males. "We need a way to bring the two prides together or more importantly get those cubs back to Pride Rock including my daughter. I don't care about the rest of the pride only them. Zira and the other's I don't care what happens to them. Now Zira plans on using Kovu to get into the Pride Lands to get close to Simba to kill him along with Zawadi in some way…we need to have a plan to…"
Taka huffed shaking his head. "A useless plan."
Sighing, Mufasa hung his head as the two in front of him started bickering yet again, turning his attention to Rafiki he saw the old shaman no longer paying attention to them but drawing on his walls. "What do you think my old friend?"
"Da young Princess is growing to be indeed beautiful. Like her mother." Rafiki answered after a moment of paused silence. His back still turned to the three spirit lions in the tree with him. "She will one day be a Queen that will make is very proud. Like her mother before her and her grandmother and many more."
"Yes, yes but what was not what he was talking about monkey. He was asking whether this foolish lioness' ridiculous plan would work." Taka rolled her eyes a bored expression coming over his face. Turning his head away from Zuri as she began to bicker that she was not foolish and her plan was not ridiculous. Her voice rising even louder when the male raised his hand and started opening and closing it in a mimicking fashion.
Groaning and covering his face with his paw Mufasa did not know how the two could be in the same room ever and be cooperative. Just staring at them was like Taka was the older brother and Zuri was the younger sister from how they were bickering like a pair of siblings.
The only nice thing Mufasa took from the whole ordeal of watching the two of them was seeing his brother act like something other then his old murderous angry self.
"The plan would need to be well phased…" Three heads turned to face the old shaman as he stared at the drawings he had just finished drawing of several different cubs. Zuri right away knew hers and knew Zira's. "This cub Kovu…everyday Zira fills his heart with more hate as he grows stronger…and Zawadi…" Rafiki's face turned sad as he stared at the drawing of the young brown lioness cub. Such a fate she been handed.
How fate could be such a cruel mistress.
Rafiki turned toward the three. "Zawadi's heart I am afraid might be the one you'd need to worry about the most." His eyes went to Zuri giving the lioness a sad look.
"What do you mean?" Jumping down from the branches, Zuri landed before the mandrill her face close to his. "What do you mean by that?"
"You have seen her for yourself my Queen." Rafiki shook her head. "Da young Princess is being warped by Zira. Her heart and mind. Kovu still has some good within his soul. But Zawadi my Queen…" Rafiki gave her yet another sad look making the brown lioness turn from him and pace the length of the tree.
"Can't you do something?" Zuri shouted turning to face Taka who still sat up among the branches.
The reddish brown male stared down at the mate of his nephew. Then stretching he laid himself out on the branch one paw dangling over the edge while his head rested on the other. "What would you expect me to do?"
"Speak to Zira!" Zuri growled. "She is your mate."
"We already had this argument she'll never listen. And it is not my job too. Bakari gives you enough trouble for the inferring that you do. Do you really think I want to listen to that hairless ape?" Taka stared down at the brown lioness.
Shaking, Zuri turned her gaze away from the lion and looked at her father-in-law who smiled sadly down at her. Jumping down, Mufasa approached her giving her head a small nudge with his own. "Be brave Zuri. We will find a way…" Mufasa rubbed his chin looking at his son's mate to Rafiki and approaching him he nudged the old shaman making him stumble back a bit and smack at his paw. "The plan my old friend…the one Zuri mentioned what do you truly think…"
Staring at them all, Rafiki rubbed his chin while he leaned against his staff thinking it over. He looked at the drawings then the lion before him. "You wish to set the cubs up in the future?" he looked from Mufasa to Zuri who nodded her head. "Hm…" He rubbed his chin some more closing his eyes then shook his head vigorously dropping his staff he threw his hands around in the air.
"Are you crazy?" The three lions stared at the shaman as he raved. "This will never work! You two have been up there too long your heads are in the clouds!" Rafiki reached for his staff and swung it at the two in front of him only to have it pass through them. "What do I look like to do…I am a healer…not a match maker!"
From where he was perched Taka snorted amusingly. "Well it seems like you have been promoted."
Growling Zuri put her face close to his. "Tempt me shaman and I'll bite your head off. Will you help or not?" She watched the old shaman stop his raving and stare her in the eyes.
Closing his eyes giving it moments thought the old shaman sighed and nodded. "Okay! Okay! All right, okay!" He held up his hands in front of him then started walking around the lioness leaning on his staff. "I don't think this will work. But I trust you…" Turning he pointed at the two. "I just hope you know what you are doing!"
"It is a plan that won't take part for a couple years. Plenty of time to see how it works out and see how Zira raise's those cubs to be. If the plan does not work we need to figure out a different way to bring them all together." Zuri looked toward Mufasa and then up at Taka who was sitting up once more.
Jumping down to join the two, he sat down with them shaking his head. "The shaman is right it will never work."
"That we do not know. But this pride has been divided long enough thanks to you brother." Mufasa spoke staring at the younger male who glowered at him. "I know you repented brother and I am glad. But the seed's you planted with your anger…what it led to now…with your mate…"
"Do not put Zira's doings on me Mufasa!" Taka growled stomping his paw. "It was not I who killed me…"
"And neither was it my son!" Mufasa growled right on back. "But your mate seems to blame him anyways. Look at what she has done." He nodded to Zuri but Taka growled louder.
"I have already apologized to her!" He hollered stepping closer to his brother but Zuri stepped up to him and nudged him hard. "I know you have Taka. That is why I have you here. I would not accept your council any more then I would Zira's if I did not know you honestly felt bad for the things you have done." Zuri looked the lion in the face when he turned to face her.
"But you still see reason with my brother's words." It was not a question but a fact. And Zuri nodded her head. "Then why am I still here?" Stepping back Taka turned and began to leave.
"Because like you have loved to have pointed out our entire life Taka. For as far as brains go, you got the lion's share. You can help us. Do something useful in the afterlife where you did wrong in life." Mufasa called after him. The two watched as the black mane lion stopped and seemed to be thinking something over.
Taka just wanted to keep on walking. He didn't want to get involved in any of this. When he had died, and laid there with his last breathes of life he had thought back on the things he had done. He begged his brother for forgiveness…had he wanted power? Yes. Taka had wanted it for some time. And he loved it.
Being King.
Oh how he loved it.
But not all of it. He did not enjoy watching the lands of his home die beneath his paws. Watching it decay further as his reign carried on. He could not understand. He had seen droughts before; there had been one during his youth. But never, never had it been as bad as when he was King.
Everything had died. The Kingdom he wanted died. The animals left. The pride starved. All he strived to have been gone and all remained was an empty Kingdom.
But he had been in such denial that he would not openly admit that anything was wrong. That there been no reason to live like Sarabi had suggested that night of Simba's return. Blaming it all on the lionesses for not finding food to feed him, his cubs, his mate, and the hyenas along with themselves. Saying it was their fault that they were starving.
Deep down he knew…he knew the truth…but he would not accept it. So as he laid there dying he thought about it all…then when he saw his brother above him seeking his soul to bring it to the afterlife…it had been a tough decision. Bakari had been there…argued with Mufasa that his soul did not belong with the others in the sky but with those far below the grounds for his deeds.
It had been Mufasa who argued that Taka was still buried deep within. The brother who had loved him. The brother who still had good in his heart. Scar had not thought it would be possible but Mufasa had urged him. To cast aside the name he had taken up the day his heart became more clouded upon the day he received his trademark scar all because he sought the approval of his Father.
His brother had urged him to remember their lives as cubs. Before jealousy and hatred began to build its way inside Taka's soul burying it beneath the scar and the name that went with it.
That was what he did…he did not wish to think of the struggle that had happened during which time…but his soul had seemed to split…the good went with Mufasa while the bad went below. But his personality as his brother liked to point at remained as much as it could.
Hanging his head, the lion growled and slapped his paw against the tree. He glowered over his shoulder at them. "How am I supposed to help dear brother?"
"By observing the others with us." Mufasa held his head high as he spoke. Taka stared at him and then started laughing. "It took a lot to get Bakari to allow me down here brother." Taka smirked. "How you going to…"
"He will have no choice if he wants me to go through what fate has designed." Zuri spoke up stepping toward the reddish brown lion. Blue eyes clashing with striking green. "Taka please…you know your mate better then anyone…you know the hatred that will fill those cubs…your cubs…and my own…do you wish to see them go the way you did?" She watched the brief flash of emotion come over the lions face before his stoic mask replaced it once more. "No…I can see that you don't…"
"Match making is your big scheme?" Taka shook his head rolling his eyes.
"No…yes…no…" Zuri sighed and hung her head. Closing her eyes she breathed in deep through her nose. Though she really did not need to breathe anymore it was an old habit. Grunting, she lifted her head to look at him. "I want to bring them together…in some way that will make them break through the hatred that Zira will put into their hearts. Be it together or not…I want to break through the hatred." She smiled looking him in the eyes.
"You know better then anyone how difficult that can be." Taka reverted his gaze from hers. Shaking his head he turned to glare at his brother then the lioness in front of him and pushed at her with his paw. "You are a foolish lioness." Turning he started walking away again.
"So you'll help us?" She called after him. A grunt was her only response which made her smile even more as Taka vanished from sight. Smiling, she turned her head to look at Mufasa who came up beside her a proud smile on his face at the thought of his brother. "Is he always like that?"
"Hm, yes." Mufasa nodded. "Ever since we were cubs. Stubborn. But smart."
"So he'll help us?" Zuri asked looking at him. Tilting his head down a bit to look at his son's mate Mufasa gave yet another nod. "He did not disagree therefore he will help. If he had wished not too he would have said otherwise." Walking to the edge of the tree the old Pridelander King sat himself down while Zuri sat along side him. Amber and sapphire blue eyes watching the horizon as the animals of the Pride Lands went about their daily lives.
Far in the distance laid the great kopje Pride Rock. Where Zuri knew at this very moment in time her beloved daughter Kiara was sulking from yet another day of being grounded. There really was no sweet talking her way out of being grounded this time for the young Princess. For the King seemed very determined to make her learn her lesson about running off and doing this he told her not too.
Let's hope that worked. Zuri thought. If she was anything like Simba, then it wouldn't last long in her mind on not doing exactly that.
"The plan…what do you really think Mufasa."
The large lion grunted and stared off over the lands he once ruled. "It is a start. Nothing more Zuri. We cannot be exactly sure until the time comes."
He was right. She knew he was. But that didn't make her think that it could be the wrong idea. She had thought about it many times, days, weeks even. Before finally coming to Rafiki to hold the council between her, Mufasa and Taka. At first she had thought otherwise of having Taka there but the lion would be of help…she knew he would be.
But sitting there she could only pray it worked. Match making they called it. Perhaps. But she saw it as a way of making sure the hearts of those Zira wished to plague with darkness would still be willingly opened to love. She could see it everyday with Zawadi and Nuka already. The two had a bond. What that bond was at the time, was something to think about for it wasn't completely sure.
Friendship for the time being it seemed like it.
Someone to be there for Zawadi and someone to be there for Nuka as the young lion coming of age grew under his mother's constant ignorance. Zuri only hoped Zira showed her love for her eldest son before it was too late. She feared Nuka only thought he no longer held his mother's love. But Zuri knew it was there. How could a love truly hate their young? She did not know the answer to that.
Hate was such a strong thing.
It could control one beyond the point of no return.
That was unless something was done about it. Something that lingered deep within buried beneath it.
For her daughter and Nuka she hoped that was enough to let it not control them completely. For Kovu and Vitani…she had to wait and see and hope. That friendship with each other and Zawadi would do that.
But the future was so far off that Zuri would not tell what would happen.
No one could tell the future.
If they did, Zuri would beg for their knowledge.
But until then she would have to lay in wait.
Work along side those around her while they tried to bring the divided prides together in hopes that for once peace could reign and in Mufasa's very words. That they finally be one. That the seeds that Taka had planted would finally be uplifted and shine in a new light.
"Have faith Zuri."
Faith.
That was what she told her mate in his dreams. To have faith.
Yes, that's what she needed to have.
Faith.
Faith that she was doing the right thing.
Faith that she would make everything go right.
Faith…that hatred would never conquer the hearts of those she loved.
Not when she had anything to do about it.
Not proud of this chapter. I hate writers block! I hate distractions! I know this scene happens later on but I thought it would be interesting to add now instead of later.
Hoped you liked it better then I do. I do hate disappointing fans with crappy work and taking so long.
Merry Christmas.
