Chapter 24 Leave, Leave Now and Never Return
"Son?" Mufasa asked as his heart sank into his chest, making him feel suddenly ill.
"Yeah, is there a problem your Majesty?" Maini asked, "He may not have a mane yet but Chumvi is definitely a boy." She thought as she bit her tongue.
Sarafina had a small smile on her face but tried desperately to hide it. Mufasa decided to speak up, "Sorry that you two made the trip all the way here... I have a son."
"Oh god this is so embarrassing!" Maini gasped, as all the blood in her body flooded her face.
"Well if you would accompany me back to Pride Rock we can discuss what we should do about this situation."
"Well this is awkward, and I really don't want to go back to that hellish hole in the ground." Maini thought.
Chumvi was just as confused as the rest of them, "So wait we won't be staying?" He thought as they began walking back to the giant rock formation protruding from the earths crust.
The caravan of lions walked through the heart of the Pridelands seeing a variety of animals ranging from elephants, to zebras, and even the ever elusive okapi. The sights left the young Chumvi awestruck, "This place is beautiful." He thought outloud.
"Yes, young one this is truly a beautiful place." Mufasa said from the head of the formation.
Chumvi hopped onto his mothers back, "I don't want to go back to the Crater can we please stay?" He whispered into his mother's ear.
"We are about to find out, you should go find someone to play with." She said out loud.
"Okay, Momma!" Chumvi hopped down off of his mother and ran off.
"I'll go with him." Sarafina said as she trotted after the energetic cub.
Shortly After Nala's birth…
Sarafina and Ni were starting to head off to a cave to take care of their daughter, "Such a cute couple, I wonder if Scar and I will ever have a family like that?" Uzuri thought.
"Hey, there everything okay... Z?" Rafiki asked as he patted Uzuri on the back.
"Ugh… Yeah I'm fine." Uzuri said as she snapped out of her trance. "Do I look okay?"
"You seem a little off… What have you done with your fur?"
"Nothing, just my normal baths." Uzuri was starting to get confused.
"Come join me in my tree." Rafiki said as he exploded up into the trees canopy.
Uzuri started to claw her way up into the old baobab tree, and she almost lost her grip as a migraine hit her like a rhino. "What's wrong with me?" she thought.
"Come lay over here." Rafiki had dressed the area, where Sarafina had given birth, in palm leaves.
Uzuri laid down on the palm leaves and she could still feel the dampness under the leaves from Sarafina and Nala. "Now what?" she asked as felt the wet surface shift beneath her weight. Making her feel uneasy and nauseous.
"Have you been feeling sick, nauseous, moody, or how about you appetite?" he asked, as his fingers fluttered over her body starting at her throat and ending on her stomach.
"What about my appetite?"
"Just answer the question."
"You asked like six different questions!" Uzuri snapped.
"Mood swings check." Rafiki noted.
"Hey!" she protested, but her stomach growling silenced her.
"When was the last time you ate?"
"Like four or five hours ago… Am I alright?" Uzuri asked as she was beginning to become anxious.
Rafiki began to laugh like he just got done telling his favorite joke, "You're fine, but you need to eat enough for two."
Uzuri went into shock. "Excuse me?"
"My dear Z you are pregnant." Rafiki laughed as he jumped into his hammock.
"I'm gonna be a mother?" Uzuri thought as she made her slow trek back to Scar's Cave. The migraine still hanging out at the back of her head.
With Chumvi and Sarafina…
"So how old are you Chumvi?" Sarafina asked as the walked toward the nursery.
"I am about three months old." He said indifferently. "Is there anyone that is close to my age here in this Pride?"
Sarafina had to think for a second, "I think the only one is, Kula."
"Can I go play with her?"
"No… She really doesn't like to be bothered."
"Why not?"
"Well she has been through a lot."
"So?"
"I don't think you understand."
"Why?"
"Please not the why game." Sarafina pleaded in her head, "Because her parents are dead." She said and immediately began kicking herself "Why did I just say that?" She thought.
"That is no excuse."
"My dear I don't think you understand." She reasoned. "Her parents were murdered."
"So was my father." Chumvi said instantly silencing Sarafina.
"What happened?" She asked.
"I was the prince in the Crater and we were all happy…" Chumvi coughed a little bit, "My father was executed in front of everyone and my mom took me and ran so I wouldn't get killed too."
Chumvi wasn't even half a year yet and he has already been through more than half of the lions in the Pridelands. Chumvi's story made Sarafina think, "How far will I go for my own flesh and blood?"
"Mrs. Sarafina can I go meet Kula now?"
Sarafina snapped out of her trance and was brought crashing back to the real world, "There is no need for a title just call me Sarafina, and sure maybe you can help bring her out of her shell." She said in a friendly tone and she lead Chumvi to the nursery where Kula spent all of her time. Although the question still hung in the back of her head, "How far will I go?"
Back at Pride Rock…
"So who are you?" Mufasa asked trying to get to the point as quickly as possible.
Maini expected this, "I am the one that King sent for-"
"No, you aren't." Mufasa had to gather himself. "I got news from the crater. There has been a change of power, now who are you?"
Maini was now backed into a corner. "I am… Queen Maini of the Crater Pride."
"So why have you and your son come here?"
"What were you told?"
"Excuse me?"
"What were you told about the change in power?"
"I was told that your husband was accused of murder and exiled."
Maini started to laugh, "That is a bunch of crap, he was no murder." She wiped tears from his face, "They attacked him and managed to drag him into the center of the kopje where they proceeded to slice his throat…" Mani was hoarse now. "He drowned in his own blood and they forced my son and I to watch."
Mufasa was horrified, "How did you get here then?"
"I managed to slip away during the panic with the help of one of my pride sisters, and we intercepted the messenger bird." Maini was trying to keep calm, "Mufasa, I am here to ask to join your pride."
Back in Ni's Cave…
"Now there Simba not so rough!" Ni shouted as he was having problems taking care of the two cubs.
Simba reared back and launched himself like a ballistic missile at Nala who all too easily redirected it. "Pinned ya again!" Nala squeaked.
Ni couldn't help but laugh at how his daughter was dominating the larger Simba, "Now there Nala you will be marrying him in a few years be nice."
Nala disregarded her father and continued to torment Simba when ever she got the chance. "Now there listen to your father." Scar taunted Ni as he entered the secluded den.
Seeing Scar in close proximity sent a bone chilling shiver through his body. "What do you want?" he snarled baring his razor sharp teeth.
"What's with the hostility Ni?" Scar cooed in a taunting manner.
Ni unsheathed his claws "Go now!" He threatened.
"What can't I see my nephew without getting treated like a criminal?" Scar said innocently.
"Fuck off, you have done enough to me and my family, LEAVE NOW!"
Nala was still rough housing with Simba till they tumbled into Scar leg, "Come here." Scar pulled Nala till she was under his lifted paw. Scar shot his claws around Nala's small frail body forming a cage. Ni growled and took a step forward, "Nu uh huh, I wouldn't do that if I were you."
Ni stopped, "What do you want?"
"Leave, leave now and never return!" Scar threatened.
"And if I don't?"
"Theeen…" Scar put his other paw on top of Simba's tail, "I will kill him and pin it on you!"
Ni snarled, then his face softened, "I promise I will see you again Nala." He then looked to Simba, "Keep her safe…" Ni glared at Scar. "Kick his teeth in for me." With that her left and sprinted into the Outlands.
AN: Hello, sorry for the long wait but this is published right before Halloween and I will have one up right around Halloween. On the plus side its my girlfriends birthday so this chapter is for her. As all ways leave a review lets get an average of two reviews per chapter and then we can work our way up to 50 reviews, and my 50th reviewer will get a shout out so lets get reviewing.