The Lion King: Rise of the White Pride

Chapter 11: The Daylight of the Third Day

Hi, readers! Chapter eleven is here and I have a couple of things to mention:

I'd like to thank v.t.7 for her suggestion for the story's antagonist. It was a great idea.

Well, here's chapter eleven: "The Daylight of the Third Day."

It was morning, but Shaka and Simba were nowhere to be seen. The cheetress woke up under a large sheet of warm thick leaf. A portion of the sheet was on her side suggesting that whenever someone put it there, Shaka's still asleep.

Haraka emerged from the cave to find the beautiful scenery of the grasses decorated prettily with water drops that reflected the early morning sunlight making them shine. She stretched as soon as she got space. She glanced at her left to find fresh scratch marks on the side of a rock that was recently moved. Damn white she thought. She knew where it would take her: Rafiki's.

She sprinted toward northwest where Rafiki lived. She ran past a herd of gazelle before took a break. Thirty seconds top. That is Cheetahs' maximum time of running in their fastest. Any longer than that, they'll die with their brain burnt. That was what her father told her. She believed it, because she saw one die once, and certainly didn't want to end the same way.

Like Kasi, Haraka was very loyal to her friends; rather die than being a traitor. Burning my brain might be a good suicide tool she once thought. But since she never been in any situation like that, she never had thought about it. She continued running after five minutes intervals.

She arrived in front of a big thick baobab tree dubbed the Tree of Life. She closed into the trunk and found several claw marks. They're here. She put both of her forelegs on the bark and prepared to climb. Her once-a-time-friend, a leopardess, taught her how to climb. She had rough time trying that as climbing wasn't cheetahs' specialty, but in the end, she could climb trees more easily.

This time, the tree was bigger and taller. She inhaled and thrust her hind legs together with full force and climbed the bark in speed. On the way, her left hind leg crashed against a branch and went limp, she almost lost balance and fell, but she went all out and climbed the rest of the trunk. She jumped into the center of the tree to find Shaka, Kiburi, Kasi, Aibu, Shida, and Nzuri staring at her, shocked. Rafiki came down from above by a vine carrying a gourd. He jumped beside a bowl made from turtle shell and mixed the mixture inside with the gourd's juice.

Rafiki clapped his hand together and turned to Haraka. "Ah, Miss Cheetress," he said friendly. "You're just in time to see Rafiki's healing salve in action," he gazed at Haraka's hind leg, which was bleeding. Everyone else followed Rafiki's gaze toward Haraka's wounded leg.

After Rafiki pointed out her wounded leg, Haraka began whimpering of pain as she realized it. "Ouch!" she held her leg trying to suppress the blood to no avail.

Rafiki swung and slapped Haraka's paw off the wounded leg. He took a small portion of a green powder and gently applied it on Haraka's leg. She winced as it stings but exhaled in relieve as the pain went away and the blood slowly stopped flowing before Rafiki covered the wound in a cut rectangular leaf. Shaka, Kiburi, and Kasi were fascinated by the magic of Rafiki's medicines they saw just now.

Haraka looked at her leg before spoke up, "Mind if I joined in?"

"Of course no! Come on," Rafiki gestured to her to join them.

Shaka smirked. "Welcome to the group," he laughed along the rest as they sat in half circle against Rafiki.

Haraka limped beside Shaka and swiped at his shoulder. "That for leaving me alone."

"Well I didn't know whether you'll be mad if I woke ou up so I didn't."

"Ah, forget it," she shrugged. "Where's Simba?"

He shook his head. "Dunno, he's gone when I wake up."

"Oh."

It went all day in Rafiki's. The mandrill himself didn't expect more students to teach so he gathered enough topics to be taught to all of them. Luckily his knowledge was wide so he had many things to be told and taught. Haraka, though joined mid-event, was quickly interested in it. She was a little bit bored about psychology so other materials really brought her spirit up.

It was a busy day for Rafiki, and Kovu too. Kovu took a break at the promontory of Pride Rock and sat there looking out for his kingdom. You're a better leader. He always thought Simba's words every day since he ruled that he was a better king than Simba. Kovu expected heavy and busy days ahead as king but he passed them quite easily that he surprised himself. He never been a leader before but he could handle the pressure like lifting paper. Maybe mother and Scar were right. I AM destined to be king he thought. Though in different way around he added.

He'd just solved a cheetah and a rhino problem when he remembered something. He didn't see Haraka nor Kiburi and Kasi since morning and it is mid-day now. Kubwa and the quatre were sparring with others and those three were nowhere to be seen. Laini and Anahofia told him that the cubs were with the prince and princess. Should he send a search party? Nah he thought. His children were strong and capable. There's a chance Haraka was with them too. She's trust able like her parents.

Nala emerged from the den approached the distraught king. "What is it?" she asked when she saw her son-in-law in worry.

He sighed. "I let six cats out of my sight," he said, still in worry. "I can't believe I lost them again."

Nala tapped his shoulder. "Don't feel bad about it," she smiled. "You're a great father and they are strong because of you," she stood by him. "If you already searched the savannah, why don't you check Rafiki's?"

Kovu's head rose suddenly. "Haraka goes there every day, maybe she had them tag along!" his face lightened. "Thanks, Nala," he nuzzled her and bolted off to Rafiki's.

Meanwhile, far south past the deep forest of Waliopotea, there was a ravine. It was huge and jagged. Rocky terrain of wasteland was on the sides. Any animal dared to approach and stare at the endless darkness down there would die, not because of the terrain; it was because what dwelt in it.

An old wildebeest wandered alone on the side of the huge fracture. It was a little dizzy but still strong. It heard a scratching sound behind it. When it looked back over its shoulder, it found nothing. But as its sight returned forward, it realized that a huge shadow in front of it that wasn't there before appeared. It glanced upward to find a streak of white came at it and its neck was crushed. Its body fell limp to the side as the killer stood in front of it, licking its muzzle off the blood.

It was a lion. With white coat broken by darker shade on his underbelly, muzzle, and also his tail tuft. His mane was white with three spaced dark blood red lines running from behind his ears to the end of his mane on both sides with the top lines joined together on his back and the middle lines barely connected. The mane itself was thin but it already reached the back of his forelegs, making him around Shaka's age. He had a large scar across his face from the left eyebrow to right cheek. His highlightless eyes were bloody red.

Baring his teeth, he dragged the wildebeest up to a rock and started eating. He was just finished eating the torso when a lioness broke his silent feast.

She was slender and coated dark brown. Her underbelly and muzzle were a bit lighter in color. There was a tuft on her head that covered most of her eyes. Both of her eyes were closed. Her tail tuft was missing.

"He's near," she said, threatening voice she had escaped her throat.

The white lion stopped eating. "Tell me," his relaxed face turned serious.

"Beyond the Forest of the Lost he resides," she smirked. "Do kill," she whispered to the lion's ear.

The lion shook himself calm. "You know I can't," he glanced to the lioness one last time before he ran off toward the Forest of the Lost: Waliopotea.

Once the white lion was far enough, the lioness smirked. "Oh you will, my dear Hasira," she laughed loudly that it echoed through the rocky terrain before turning back.

The risen sun showed a cool morning as the sky slowly shifted to bright blue. The medical students were walking along the southwestern border looking for some things. Now go and find some herbs. Rafiki already told you all how to tell them apart. There should be a cluster of herbs around the Southern Forest, Haraka replayed Rafiki's words in her head. They were just drinking in a water pool before resumed looking just before the forest.

"We've seen hundreds of plants and none of them are herbs?" Shida clenched his teeth at Kasi and Nzuri. "You sure you're not mistaken?"

Nzuri snapped. "I'm sure of it!" she started to get annoyed by Shida's constant complains.

"Let's take a break," Shaka grinned, not even a bit showing sign of exhaustion.

"Fine," the group simultaneously said.

Shaka was getting adjusted to the Pride and gaining trust from the other members. He already gained Kiburi's, Kasi's, Haraka's, the cubs', Kiara's, and Simba's trust so he felt a bit free when he talked to them. Especially Kiburi, these two were close like brothers even Kasi pointed out that Shaka might be closer to Kiburi than she was to him. Both lions could only smile at the thought.

Just after Kasi sat down, the males tumbled down a hill and broke up to opposite direction, getting to their fighting stance. Kiburi leaped and caught Shaka's head but in turn Shaka thrust his head and sent Kiburi flying, but managed to land on his paws. Kiburi whipped around Shaka and tried to hit his hind legs but Shaka raised his hind legs, evading Kiburi's attack. With his forepaws as footholds, without even looking back, Shaka swatted both hind legs backwards hitting Kiburi on his shoulders.

"Ow!" Kiburi growled.

Shaka laughed. "Come on!" he taunted him. "I already taught you how to counter that, didn't I?"

Kiburi flashed back when they sparred this morning. Shaka taught many techniques he knew but Kiburi had difficult time trying to suit with them as his and Shaka's body were very different. One of them was the one Shaka called 'Block and Roll' where one parried an attack and used the residual force to roll back and make distance, but this one needed high reflex so Kiburi need time to adjust with it. He broke his flashback and charged straight to Shaka and they continued fighting.

The rest watched from a hill. "Males. I don't get them sometimes," Nzuri muttered.

Kasi smirked. "Didn't Aibu help you to?"

"He's too silent as a brother!" she pointed a paw at Aibu who was watching the rumble in complete silence. "I'm really starting to think that he's Kimbia's twin!" she growled.

"Wait," Kasi stood up. "Something happened," she said as she saw the males stopped fighting and looked to the same direction.

The females and Aibu scaled down the hill to Shaka and Kiburi before they saw Kovu in front of the two lions.

"Morning, Father."

Shaka made his face emotionless. "Good morning, Your Majesty," though his voice was rather sarcastic than respect.

Kovu shrugged him off anyway. "You two are practically skipping training for these unclear activities? No offense," he glanced at the youngsters. "Come on. You'll be training now," he continued.

Shaka felt annoyed by the King though he's right. But it wasn't like they learn nothing. They learned medics and Kiburi got some new moves even Vitani didn't know. It was a sad thing that Kovu placed so much distrust at the white lion, but as a king he had to make sure new members would be loyal to the pride. He didn't have much choice.

Kiburi wanted to refuse, but couldn't find a right reason to debate. He glanced at Shaka only to see him in his signature super flat expression which made Kiburi spontaneously held back his laugh.

But he found one reason, at least. "No," Kovu turned back. "I need refreshment and also making friends with Shaka. Don't you see?" he pointed a paw upside down at Shaka. "He's not dangerous."

"Kiburi . . ."

"You have to believe me. As king you know everyone deserve a chance," he stamped his paw at the ground, Kovu remained silent while looking at the ground. "Grandfather even gave you two," he said under his breath, which seemingly heard by Kovu.

Kovu attempted to reason when Shaka's face straightened and his ears went up. "Something is coming!" he snapped.

A lion emerged from the forest and knocked Kasi out cold before she even realize. He pounced at Shaka only to be intercepted by Haraka who was effortlessly swatted back into Kiburi. The lion turned to Kovu, unsheathed his claws and lunged at the still stunned lion. Shaka, however, snapped out and leaped at Kovu, pushed him off and took an attack meant for him on his shoulder. Shaka only let a silent gasp when he was struck and he fell to the side of the hill.

Kiburi opened his eyes while still under the thrown Haraka. "Shaka . . . !" Kiburi shouted at the rolling lion but lost consciousness shortly after.

Kovu attempted to bite the lion but the lion uppercutted him and did a following swipe at Kovu's side and made a long cut. The lion leaped to his side and swung his paw at Kovu's neck but Kovu's reflex was fast enough to dodge the death blow.

Shaka glanced to his right to find Haraka standing up dizzily, but they saw the same thing in front of them. As the lion prepared to deal the final blow, both Haraka and Shaka leaped in front of him, took the blow meant for Kovu and fell hard onto the ground. All three saw before they lost consciousness was a white coated and blood red eyed lion.

Evil ones appeared! What would they do next?