Chapter Three - Growing Up
Rafiki sat in the Tree of Life, staring at his illustration of Sadiki. The cub was growing each day. "She will make a wonderful queen," Rafiki said quietly as the stars twinkled and the great Kings of the Past listened in from high above. All was silent with the exception of a soft rain. The old mandrill felt something was wrong, but could not place what. He concentrated on the image of Sadiki painted on the tree bark. "I suppose we'll just have to see," he said, looking up at the sky.
The rain soon stopped. Much later the sun began to rise and Kovu's pride began to stir. Simba and Nala, somewhat weak and old, stretched. Kovu blinked and stared outside at the rays of light that began to creep into the sleeping cave of Pride Rock. Sadiki, now nearly a young adult, stretched and bounded outside. Today Kovu and Simba would be teaching her the history of the Pridelands, from Mufasa's time to now. Apparently this period of time was very important, and soon Sadiki would finally know why.
Sadiki padded to the tip of Pride Rock and sat down. An explosion of color filled the Pridelands with light. A gorgeous sunrise. A small gust of wind tangled itself through Sadiki's short hair. She closed her eyes, smiling. She was incredibly happy here. Birds chirped somewhere in the distance. Sadiki stood and slowly walked back near the sleeping cave, hoping Kovu and Simba were awake enough to begin today's lesson.
Kovu was stretching, Simba at his side. "Are you ready yet?" Sadiki asked quietly, since a few lionesses were still asleep. Kovu nodded. "Come," said Simba. The two lions began to walk to the top of Pride Rock, the same place Sadiki had been taught her first lesson by Kiara. Sadiki had gone to the top many times alone, but each time seemed new. She loved the view.
"I was born to King Mufasa and Queen Sarabi," Simba began. "My father was a fair and kind ruler. His laws are still used to this day." Sadiki listened to Simba carefully, taking in every word and trying to remember each one. Simba continued. "But my uncle, Scar, was jealous. He wanted to be king. He had hyena minions, many of them...and I'm sure he set three of them on my best friend and I when we were cubs. I have no proof, but it's likely what happened..." Simba paused a moment.
"Who was your best friend?" Sadiki asked. "My mate Nala," Simba said with a smile. "Anyways, when I was a cub, Scar told me to wait in a gorge for a surprise. Soon, a stampede of wildebeest appeared and chased me. I was terrified...Scar got my father, who saved me. He tried to climb up a cliff, and he made it...then he fell and was trampled to death."
Sadiki gasped and nuzzled Simba's leg to comfort him. "I found his body and Scar told me that he was dead. Not only that, but that if it wasn't for me, he'd still be alive. He told me to run away. And I did." It was obvious Simba was having a bit of trouble telling the story of his past, but he went on anyways, for it was obvious Sadiki was interested.
"So I was found by a meerkat named Timon and his friend Pumbaa the warthog. I lived with them for years. I had no worries, I turned away from my past, I forgot my responsibilities. One day, a lioness appeared and chased Pumbaa. I attacked her, and she pinned me down like Nala used to do. I asked if it was her...and it was. We realized we were in love. But that night, she told me that Scar let the hyenas take over the Pridelands."
Simba continued on with his story as Sadiki listened. She was especially surprised when Simba nearly reached the end and told her that Scar had murdered Mufasa. Sadiki was shocked. Could greed really go that far? Then Kovu began to tell the story of Simba's pride, and how he had been raised to kill Simba. Sadiki gasped upon hearing of Zira's death, and how her mother had tried to save the cruel lioness. The story ended, and Sadiki was silent, contemplating the remarkable story as she stared at her lands.
"You may go now if you wish," said Kovu. Sadiki nodded, nuzzled the lions, and made her way down Pride Rock, thinking the whole time. Then, strange thoughts entered her head. Could she really blame Scar for his jealousy? What if he deserved to be King? What if he had been King the whole time, and ended up being a better one? She shook her head. No...Mufasa was a good king, Scar was evil. Then she thought about her grandmother Zira. Had Zira really done anything wrong? She was merely seeking revenge. Sadiki thought that she, too, would want revenge if someone she loved was murdered. Wait - Scar wasn't murdered by Simba. Or was he? Confused by these strange thoughts, Sadiki lay down under a tree to contemplate.
The more Sadiki thought, the more she felt sorry for Scar and Zira. She'd even started thinking that Simba murdered Scar and Kiara murdered Zira. "That isn't true," she whispered to herself. Sadiki was curious about these villians in the history of her lands. Sadiki got up and went to find Vitani. She enjoyed talking to Vitani...and she knew Zira was Vitani's mother.
Sadiki found Vitani soon and they began to talk about the history lesson. "My mother raised me to be on her side," said Vitani, "I knew there would be hardly any benefit for me from taking over the Pridelands. But it was like she brainwashed me. When your mother told us that we were one...I realized how pointless the fighting was..." "But Zira just wanted revenge for Scar, right?" asked Sadiki. Vitani nodded. "But Scar was greedy and jealous." Sadiki thought for a moment. "It makes sense he was jealous..." Vitani stared. "Maybe so. But that doesn't make it right." Sadiki nodded slowly as Vitani stood. "One more question...what did Zira look like?" asked Sadiki. "Hmm...she had tan fur with a lighter underbelly...yellow eyes with red pupils...one torn ear...and a stripe down her back. Just like yours." Vitani walked away.