Hey again guys! Sorry for the ages its taken me to update this -- I just don't seem to have much free time anymore. Anyways, I've been writing my story at work now -- oops! Meh, what can you do, eh? Anyways, a big shout out to everyone who has left me a review, or a few! Its been great reading them and finding out what you think. I'm very grateful!
Well, here we go. Sorry, things will be a little bit grim for a while, but I hope that won't drive you away from my story! For those of you who have read any of number 4, you know things will get better. So, just bear with me, okay? Thanks! 3
A soft breeze swept through the jungle, as the glowing moon and the stars shone down on the silent lands. In the large clearing near the pond, the flox pack lay sleeping – the cubs curled up next to their parents, dreaming of tumbling and running about with their friends. In the center of the clearing, in the thick grass under a large tree, three floxes lay close together. Somewhere in the trees, a bird let out a loud cry, and the youngest flox woke and looked around him. The moon shone off his reddish coat, and his brown eyes gazed curiously around him.
Stretching, the young flox stood and carefully stepped over the sleeping forms of his parents, Anis and Jamela, leaders of the flox pack, and slowly made his way to the water's edge. Bending, he began to drink the cool water, his tongue lapping at the gentle waves.
Just beyond the clearing, two shadowy forms stood, watching the young flox. The larger turned to his companion and nodded. Without a sound, the other slipped off into the trees and returned a moment later, followed by more shadows. It was the Black Pride, ruled by hatred and the lust for revenge. Each of the lions who joined it was promised a life of freedom, where they could kill and destroy as much as they liked. In return, they would take on a new identity by changing their name, and coating their fur with a black substance. If they served their leader faithfully, he would ensure their protection and their wicked pleasures.
Motioning for his companion to wait, the leader – Vengeance, slowly stepped forward. He had spent months preparing for this attack. It would be the unveiling of the Black Pride, and he would make sure that the word spread to the Pride Lands. Glancing back at his followers, Vengeance smiled. He knew that fear was the greatest weapon of all.
Giving his mate Halima a stern look, Vengeance turned and continued on the last few steps out of the trees. Halima was carrying Vengeance's first cub, and he had ordered that she take extra care to ensure nothing happened to it. Two black lionesses stood on either side of her, ready to protect her from any attackers. Taking a deep breath, Vengeance readied himself to step from the shadows and into the clearing. He swelled with pride as he thought of how astounded his mother would be, if she saw him now. On the night Vengeance had met the great Scar, his mother, Zira, had run from the jungle. Vengeance hadn't bothered to follow her. He didn't love her. In fact, the only creature he loved was his self. Not even the quiet Halima, who worshipped him with her very life, was able to draw a spark of kindness from him.
No, Vengeance was exactly what Zira and Scar had hoped he would become – more evil than either of them.
Silently, Vengeance padded out into the clearing and stood at the other edge of the small pool. Where he was crouching, the young flox finished his drink. As he made to stand, he felt the fur rise along his back, as if something was watching him. Beginning to look up, the young flox froze in fear as he saw a black shadow reflected in the water in front of him. Slowly looking up, his eyes met with the ice blue eyes of a huge black lion, standing on the other edge of the pond. The flox wanted so badly to run, to do anything, but his legs wouldn't move. Gulping, he watched as more of the black lions crept from the trees. Finally, gathering enough courage, the flox lifted his head to the moon. He had to warn the pack.
Letting out a loud howl, the flox called for the rest of the pack to wake. In the soft grass, his mother, Jamela woke and looked frantically around her. When she couldn't find her son, she looked over to where the pond was. There, next to the water's edge, crouched the young flox.
"Jayson!" she yelped, leaping to her paws. Next to her, Anis was calling the rest of the pack closer to him, so that they wouldn't be so spread out.
At that moment, the black horrors began to advance.
Vengeance made his way swiftly around the pond, careful to stay clear of the water. He approached the young flox, and without warning, threw himself forwards. Anis let out a loud howl, and threw himself at the nearest lioness. His floxes followed suit, all the adults lunged into battle. The black lion looked around the clearing, watching as his pride fought the small floxes, who battled back with all their strength. Soon, the valiant floxes began to fall. Glancing down at the small creature trembling in between his paws, Vengeance chuckled. Standing, but still keeping Jayson firm in his grasp, the lion roared for his pride to stop. The fighting slowly halted and the clearing fell silent. Anis pushed his way towards Vengeance, his eyes blazing with fury.
"I am Anis, leader of this pack. I demand that you let my son go without harming him."
Vengeance looked down at the angry father, and a smirk broke out across his face.
"I am to be a father soon too," he said softly, a mocking tone in his voice. Then he turned to face the rest of the pack. "Do you know who I am?" he shouted. The silence enraged him.
"I am Vengeance, leader of the Black Pride! Tonight, my reign begins. This pride declares war on all those who oppose us!"
Anis peered up at the black lion, his eyes full of anger. He knew he couldn't defend his son, or his pack against this pride of lions – there were too many of them. But he would still do his best, even if it meant giving his life.
Vengeance glared back, furious that the flox wouldn't answer him or acknowledge him. He continued. "Tonight, we will make an example of you. That way, you can warn others that stand in our path." Leaning forwards, he dug his claws into Jayson's hind flank. Pulling back, he left three deep scars, and a loud snap echoed through the clearing as the young flox yelped in pain. Snarling, Anis rushed forwards, but Vengeance turned and met him in mid air. With a soft thud, the flox leader fell to the ground. Vengeance faced the floxes and stared hard at Jayson, who lay panting on his side, blood trickling from the wound.
"That marking is what shall be given to the first born of every group we face in battle. And if we ever see the one who bears it again, we will kill him." Giving the young flox one last hard look, Vengeance turned and led his pride away into the trees, heading towards the North. There, he knew, beyond the desert, lay more packs of these small creatures. Soon, his name and his pride would be voice with fear throughout all the lands, and then – that was when Simba's line would need to prepare.
As the sun slowly began to rise over the trees, the floxes tried to help each other the most they could. A third of the pack had been killed by the lionesses, and another third lay injured and hurt. Jamela lay close to Jayson, cleaning the blood off his soft fur, and trying to keep him still. The young flox was no longer able to move his leg, and he whimpered in pain. Glancing up, Jamela's eyes filled with sadness as she looked around the clearing and saw the destruction caused by the Black Pride.
Just beyond the jungle, a solitary creature made his way. Rafiki, the ever aging healer baboon of the Pride Lands, was on his way to visit the floxes, at the request of King Kovu. As he neared the trees, he noted the strange silence in the jungle, and stopped for a moment. Looking up at the sky, he saw that the clouds around the rising sun were glowing a deep shade of red.
The color of blood.
Running forwards, the baboon almost dropped his stick in his hurry to reach the floxes. As he stepped into the clearing, his heart sank as he saw the blood stained grass. All around him, floxes lay, trying to help the injured. As the baboon stood, unsure of who to help first, he saw a flox come bounding towards him. It was Jamela, mate of Anis. Rafiki was about to ask where the flox leader was, but one look at the female's face told him all he needed to know.
"Please Rafiki," spoke the flox, her voice trembling. "Jayson has been injured. I need your help."
The baboon nodded and followed her to where her son lay in the soft grass. Carefully and gently, Rafiki worked on Jayson, stopping the bleeding and binding his leg with leaves and vines. After telling the young flox to keep his weight off it for a few weeks, the baboon went off to tend to the other injured floxes.
That evening, the pack held a special ceremony, where they buried Anis and the other floxes who died courageously fighting for the safety of the pack. After a moment of silence, Rafiki turned towards Jamela.
"What will you do now? If you wish, you may travel back to the Pride Lands with me – I believe King Kovu will be more than happy to welcome you back and allow you to stay there."
Jamela thought for a moment. Sighing, she realized she didn't know what to do. She wasn't a leader – she had been supportive of Anis and everything he did, but she didn't know how to lead the pack herself.
Nearby, Jayson lay on his side, watching his mother's face closely. He had always been very close to her and he knew how she must be feeling now. Ha also knew, that this was his moment. The time had come for him to prove he was the son of Anis.
Struggling, Jayson managed to get to his paws and stood, careful to keep his injured leg off the ground. Looking around him, he noted the respect and honor shining in the eyes of his fellow floxes.
"Thank you Rafiki," the young flox said, "but this is our fight. I do not wish to bring our burdens to the Pride Lands. We shall travel deep into the jungle, and build our homes like the foxes of old did. That way, we will always have somewhere safe to go." Noting the approval in Rafiki's face, Jayson continued. "We will be much farther from the Pride Lands, but please let King Kovu know that they are welcome to visit whenever they wish."
Rafiki nodded, and picked up his stick.
"One more thing," said Jayson. "Please warn the Pride Lands that there is a group known as the Black Pride, who is out to fight anyone. They are the ones who have done this." As Jayson spoke, he knew that he had found the inner strength to lead the pack. Never again would he freeze like he had when he first saw the black lion.
Rafiki nodded, and approached the flox. Leaning down, he placed his hand gently on Jayson's shoulder, and peered deep onto the young flox's eyes.
"Dwell not on the past, Jayson," he whispered. "You shall be a great leader." Jayson nodded, and turned to the floxes. They looked expectantly at him, and he gingerly stepped forwards, moving in the direction of the inner jungle. Jamela came forwards, and walked beside him, allowing her son to rest his weight partly on her. Silently, the floxes followed their new leader towards their new home.
And behind them, Rafiki stood motionless, his heart breaking with sadness as he watched yet more victims of evil try to piece their lives together again.