Chapter Four: Simba Finds the Pride
By now, Simba had wandered into the jungle, and was walking through the path—if it could truly be called a path—as the sounds of jungle wildlife echoed through the lush paradise.
"Wow, it's so green!" Simba exclaimed. Now I really wish Nala was here…If we'd all come here, this would have been a really cool expedition.
Simba shook his head and walked off into the jungle. He wanted to forget about everything and everyone back home, at least for the next few hours. He had a jungle to explore.
Khara slowly padded through his evergreen kingdom, clicking his claws against the ground as he surveyed his domain.
"Ah…my kingdom is quite the bountiful land, isn't it?"
To his right, Khara could hear something moving in the brush. He cocked his head to the side and listened.
He soon heard a cub mutter, "Stupid vine-infested jungle! Grgh! Can't even—ugh!—fight my way through here!"
Khara paused. "Hmm…How interesting," he chuckled. He then began to walk calmly and confidently towards where the sounds had come from.
"And now for my rendezvous with the little lost lion cub…"
Simba was now tangled in jungle vines, and the golden cub was making a pitiful attempt to kick and claw his way out.
"Just-have to-bite-this-one vine," he muttered as he strained to reach a particular vine. When he leaned in, however, he suddenly swung back to his original position.
"Argh! It's no use! I'll never get out of these stupid vines!"
"Perhaps someone can help," a smooth voice intoned from the shadows. Simba paused, and watched as Khara slowly walked towards him. Khara had a sinister smile on his face, which unnerved Simba, but he seemed like he wanted to help.
"Who-who are you?" Simba nervously asked the strange lion.
"Could it be possible that you don't know who I am? I'm King Khara, ruler of the Jungle Pride. I know this territory like my own paws."
Khara unsheathed his claws and sliced away the vines, freeing Simba, who fell to his stomach on the ground. The golden cub looked up at Khara.
"Tell me, cub, what are you doing all the way out here? It's not often we have visitors."
"I-I had to run away from my old pride."
"Oh? And why's that? Don't hold back, cub."
"Well…a while ago, my cousin humiliated me in front of all the other cubs. And so, they've been teasing me for the past week. Finally, today I struck one in the face. And I'm really worried about them retaliating, as well as how my parents would react. So I ran off. I left my family, my friends…even the girl I like."
"Well, that's quite the story. Come with me. I think you'll find the jungle is much more tolerant of violent actions than whatever kingdom it is that you come from. In fact, we don't just tolerate bloodshed, we encourage it."
At this point, Khara wore an absolutely terrifying smile, a smile that emanated pure evil from the depths of his very soul—if he had one to begin with. Simba cowered to the ground, unsure of what to think of this lion. Was he a friend, or a foe?
"Um…Khara? How do I know I can trust you?"
"Because you don't have a choice."
"Good answer."
The lionesses were resting in a clear spot in the jungle, a large circular spot with no plants that was simply a flat dirt surface. This was the Jungle Pride's hideout, and adjacent to the circle was the cave where they all slept. They were all anxiously awaiting their king's return.
"Look!" a lioness called out. "His Majesty has a cub with him!"
Khara and Simba stopped once they entered the circle. "Ladies, I wish to introduce a new member of our pride! This is Simba, a runaway from a distant pride. He only came here today! The other cubs have teased him ruthlessly, and today he scratched one on the face! Now he has fled his homeland in shame, and has come to us! Lionesses, we will accept him as a new member of our pride. He is a bright young child, and I see much potential in him. We will have him live with us, and we will transform him from this little cub into a strong young lion!"
Simba did not know what to think. This king intended on keeping him all the way into adulthood? He was really going to spend the rest of his cubhood here, away from his friends and family? Away from Nala?
"Um, Khara?" Simba meekly asked. The scarlet king turned towards him.
"Yes?" Khara smiled.
"You really want me to stay here for the rest of my life?"
"Of course I do! You're a bright young cub, and I have no offspring of my own, or even a queen among these lionesses. I see great potential in you, Simba. There's no limit to what we could accomplish together if you help me now."
"I really appreciate it, Khara, but I do have friends and family to go back to. I only wanted to stay a few days."
"How about you try it out for a week? Then if you don't like it, you can waltz on back home to your pathetic pride where no one seems to like you."
"There's a lot of people who like me! That's the point! I have so much to go back to!"
"Do we have a deal?" Khara snarled subtly. The king was a calm and confident individual, but Simba was beginning to irritate him…
"Yes," Simba sighed. He then followed Khara back to the clearing.
The two approached one of the older lionesses, and Khara pushed Simba towards her.
"Raise him," he instructed. He then leaned down to give Simba one last warning.
"I want to make this clear, Simba. Everything you've ever known is gone. You had friends? You'll find yourself alone in this jungle save for me. You were able to enjoy footloose freedom and caring, relaxed parenting? Not anymore. You are but a slave and an apprentice now. From this point forth, you are not to speak unless spoken to, or question even one word that I utter. I am the king! You break even one boundary set by any of us? You will be punished severely."
Khara walked away, satisfied. As he walked, he sang to himself, "I'm cruel as the mid-day sun, equipped with a fearsome bellow. And all who see me turn and run, though I'm a handsome fellow. Hehehehehe…."
Back in the Pridelands, Mufasa was standing at the edge of Pride Rock when Sarabi and Sarafina ran up the massive rock structure. By the time they reached him. they were panting heavily, completely out of breath.
"Sarabi? Sarafina? What is it?" he asked in a concerned voice.
"It's the cubs," Sarabi explained between breaths. "Nobody's seen Simba or Nala all day!"
Sarafina added, "From what little anyone seems to know, it looks like they ran out of the Pride Lands!"
Well, this was quite the pair of chapters, wasn't it? Khara seems like an interesting fellow, doesn't he? Anyone guess what Disney villain inspired him? He might end up being the equivalent of Hago in this series. Poor Simba has certainly been thrust into an awful situation too. Come back tomorrow, and we'll see how he fares with the Jungle Pride!