Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I do not own the Lion King or any of its characters. If I did then I would be rich and looking down on all of you. You would do the same thing if you were in that position.

Also, give queenlionesses another round of applause for being an awesome Beta.

I do not own the following characters but have prior permission from the author, Nala-Nay to use them:

Hasani

Hiassen

The characters I do own are as follows (For now):

Kali (Fierce)

Usafi (Purity)

Kusudi (Purpose)

Ufisa (Variation of Ufisadi which means Mischief)

Chaka (Thicket)

Kumsa (variation of kumsaliti which means betray)

Some more authors I would like to recommend:

weather watcher: Shadowlands Princess and A New Way

Zero Unit RGB: Story of the Stars and Tale of Two Kings ( Not the same as mine)

Asante: The Lost Prince, The Rogue Pride, Man Comes to the Pride Lands, etc.

Dodger NYC: Legend of the Lion Kings

Also, I made some changes to this chapter and the one before it.

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!

The Elephant Graveyard

When they arrived, the three of them saw Simba and Nala, safe and sound. They at first were relieved but got fearful again when they saw that Ufisa and Kusudi were not with them.

"Simba, Nala! Where are Ufisa and Kusudi?" He asked with concern laced in his voice.

His brother looked at him with a confused and concerned look on his face and then replied. "Why would you ask me where Fisa and Kusudi are? Aren't they with you?"

"No. We were told they went with you, so we decided to come after you." Kali replied and his face paled. His voice was now laced with fear. It was a tone that Simba had never heard in his brother's voice and it filled him dread.

"Who told you they were with us? We haven't seen them since you left this morning." Nala asked.

"Hiassen told us they left with you because they wanted to go on an adventure. Knowing how those two are we immediately took it as the truth." Usafi replied.

Kali's face then became like stone. He was furious because he now realized what had happened. Hiassen had tricked him into getting panicked about the younger cubs safety just for laughs and probably hoping to get some alone time with Usafi. With this fury in his head he said.

"That guy better hope that we cats have nine lives. Because when I get my paws on him, he is going to lose at least eight of them." He stated in a cold voice like Scar's which everyone was startled to hear from him.

"Anyway isn't this place amazing. I really think we should check it out." Simba stated with a concerned but now eager tone. He was trying to lighten then mood with the thought of an adventure.

"Wrong! The only checking out you will do will be to check out of here." Zazu stated with a stern tone.

"Aw, man." Simba whined while continued speaking with a now fearful voice. "We're way beyond the boundary of the Pride Lands."

"Huh. Look. Banana Beak is scared. Heh." Simba said while looking at his brother. Kali looked at him with a frown.

"Simba. This is serious." Kali said with concern.

" And that's Mr. Banana Beak to you, fuzzy. And right now we are all in very real danger." Zazu replied while poking Simba in the nose.

Simba moved nearer to the entrance of an elephant skull and said arrogantly. "Danger? Hah! I walk on the wild side. I laugh in the face of danger. Ha ha ha ha!"

He was then cut off by three evil laughs that echoed through the graveyard. Suddenly three hyenas appeared and started looking at the cubs and hornbill.

"Well, well, well, Banzai. What have we got here?" Shenzi asked her fellow hyena.

"Hmm. I don't know, Shenzi. Uh... what do you think, Ed?" He said and turned to the third hyena that was obviously crazed. This one just keeps drooling and laughed uncontrollably. They then begin to circle the five of them.

"Yeah, just what I was thinking. A quintet of trespassers!" Banzai said.

"And quite by accident, let me assure you. A simple navigational error. Eh heh heh..." Zazu said in a tone that sounded like he was trying to negotiate. Bad idea Kali thought as he looked at the female hyena.

"Whoa, whoa, wait wait wait... I know you." She then peered at Zazu and said. "You're Mufasa's little stooge."

"I, madam, am the king's majordomo." He said with fear and offense.

"And that would make you...?" Banzai asked while looking at Simba and Kali.

"The future king." Simba said.

"The Prince of the Pride Lands." Kali said in unison with his brother.

"Do you know what we do to kings who step out of their kingdom?" She asked with a grin.

"Puh. You can't do anything to me." Simba spat.

"Simba please shut up." Kali whispered hoping his brother had heard, which he hadn't.

"Uhh... technically, they can. We are on their land." Zazu said.

But Zazu, you told me they're nothing but slobbering mangy stupid poachers." Simba said while Kali closed his eyes and thought Great job Simba! You just made things worse.

"Ix-nay on the oopid-stay..." Zazu whispered with fear.

"Who you callin' "oopid-stay?!" Banzai asked with offense.

"My, my, my. Look at the sun. It's time to go!" Zazu said as he tried to hurry the cubs.

"What' the hurry? We'd looove you to stick around for dinner." Shenzi while licking her muzzle.

"Yeaaah! We could have whatever's... lion around! Get it? Lion around!" Banzai jokes before laughing his butt off.

"Oh, wait, wait, wait. I got one, I got one. Make mine a cub sandwich. Whatcha think?" Shenzi adds before she begins laughing herself.

"Hey look. This one is so pink. I bet it means she is more juicy than most." Shenzi said while looking at Usafi and still laughing.

They keep making jokes about the cubs being dinner and eventually stop focusing on them. Taking advantage of their distraction, Kali and the other three cubs started running deeper into the Graveyard. Zazu at first was hesitant to fly and warn Mufasa. But just when the Hyenas noticed the escaping cubs and he thought he would be lunch, the hyenas began to run after the cubs. Zazu then sprang immediately into the sky and flew off to find the King.

Kali and the cubs had made a good distance into the graveyard but he knew they could not outrun the hyenas for long.

They eventually came up to a mountain of skeletons and stopped for a moment to ponder their next move. Almost immediately the three hyenas came up behind them and the cubs frantically began climbing the bones. Kali and Simba with little difficulty managed to make it up halfway before they stopped and heard a scream. They looked down and saw Nala and Usafi sliding back down, fearfully trying to stop their descent.

"HELP!" The two girls screeched in unison.

In that moment Simba began to race down the hill and scratched the Hyena called Shenzi across the face before she could harm Nala. Kali jumped from his location and landed on Banzai's back the moment he beared his fangs at Usafi. Seeing that both girls were safe, the boys began back up the hill with no difficulty, and they all ran into the nearby cave. They saw an exit just above them and began to try to climb up, but their combined weight caused the skeleton they were standing on to collapse. They quickly recovered just in time to see the hyenas arrive in the cave with murderous glares on their faces. Simba and Kali got in front of the girls defensively and braced themselves for what would happen.

Simba tried to roar at them, in hopes of scaring them off, but what came out of his mouth was nothing more than a 'rar'. The hyenas laughed and urged him to do it again and amuse them more.

Kali, now filled with fury, fear, and somehow courage breathed in deep and then from his core came "ROOOOOOARRRR!" The hyenas, startled by the adult roar coming from the young cub. His eyes now held the same light as the stars, but reflected his murderous hatred towards the hyenas. Soon, another roar was heard, from behind them. Out of nowhere, Mufasa leaped into the cave and began ferociously battling the three hyenas. Zazu flew in, landed near the cubs in a protective manner.

Moments later, Simba and Kali's father had pinned all three Hyenas and said with a cold voice. "If you ever come near my sons again…"

"Wait we didn't know they were your sons. Did we Shenzi?" Banzai asked pleadingly.

"No, no. Of course not!" She replied.

They both looked to their third member and asked. "Ed?" He shook his head wildly in a way that stated he did know who they were. At this Mufasa roared and all three hyenas ran off in fear.

Simba walked up to his father fearfully and said. "Dad I'm sorry..."

Mufasa looked at him sternly and said "You deliberately disobeyed me. Come, were are going home."

With that all four cubs and Zazu followed the King all with shameful looks on their faces. Unnoticed by all, Scar looked into the cave with both glee and confusion. He wondered why Kali was here. This was not part of the plan. He began to go into deep thought while he walked to where his forces of hyenas had gathered. At the same time, Kali thought sadly Mischief Managed.

Once Mufasa and the cubs were halfway to Pride Rock, the King called to Zazu and told him to take Nala and Usafi home while he would stay and teach his sons a lesson. Zazu complied with this, said 'good luck' to both boys and then lead the two girls home. Mufasa then called for his sons to approach him. Kali walked forward still shameful, but with confidence that his father would hear him out. Simba also stepped forward but hesitated when he saw his paw inside his father's. He wondered how can I ever hope to measure up to become as great of a lion and king as my fearless Dad. They both arrived and waited for him to speak.

He sighed and finally said. "Simba, you deliberately disobeyed me. You could have been killed, and what's worse, you both put Nala and Usafi in danger."

Simba stood there ashamed and did not answer his father. His brother, than stepped in and said calmly, "I was worried about Fisa and Kusudi. When I got back, I saw that they were both missing, so I and Usafi went looking for them."

"They were not missing. They were with me the entire time. I had decided to take them out to see the Pride Lands to treat them as member of the pride and to give your Aunt Naanda a break." Mufasa stated sternly. He thinks he can lie to me, YEAH RIGHT! Mufasa thought.

"I did not know they were with you Dad. I was told by Hiassen that they had gone with Simba and Nala on an adventure, so we ran after them and just ended up with Simba and Nala." He replied back in a tone that reminded Mufasa of his own father.

Mufasa was about to disregard his son's statement as false when the moonlight which had just appeared shone on Kali. Just as when it had first happened, Kali's fur began to reflect the moonlight and caused his fur to go from silver to a heavenly white. As he looked at his son's eyes, he saw his mother Uru looking at him through those same eyes and giving him that soft smile that she had always given him to let him know things were alright. Seeing this in his son's eyes, he nodded and replied.

"I will take your word for it Kali. I did see Hiassen when I left with them so you could be telling the truth." Mufasa said with a smile.

Simba then spoke to his father with newfound confidence, "Father, I know I disobeyed you but, I was only trying to prove I could be brave like you." He stated.

His father who was still humbled by Kali's words looked at him. He sighed and said. "Simba, I'm only brave when I have to be. Being King does not mean you go looking for trouble, but knowing when to tackle trouble and when not to."

"But you are never afraid of anything." Simba said and Kali nodded at his statement.

"I was today. I thought I might lose the two of you." He said while nuzzling his sons.

Simba then began to tell the story of what happened during the chase all the way up to Kali's roar. He paused, looked at his brother and said. "Kali, I think you should be the one to take the throne. You went to the graveyard for the right reasons, while I went there for thrills. You are better than me in every way. I mean back there you roared like you were fully grown and I felt like I could never measure up to you." He stated with some tears in his eyes.

Kali, who was at first shocked by his brother thinking about renouncing the throne, he quickly regained his composure and replied. "Simba, you are still the right one for the throne. You made a mistake, yes, but that is to be expected because like me, we are still young. I may act more mature at times and I seem to be better than you at some things, but you are better than me in other things."

"Like what? " Simba asked

"You are so fun loving, cheerful, and adventurous. You are faster than me and even have talented humor skills that I envy."

"So I have a talent with speaking and am only a bit faster than you. That does not mean I should be king, when your instincts are so much better than mine." Simba replied a bit annoyed.

"My instincts were wrong today. I am growing up too fast, which though good at times, it is bad for being a king. I have trouble relating to cubs my own age, how would I be able to relate to the subjects when I am older? You have a gift being able to see things from someone else point of view. That is what truly makes a great king." Just like the day Mufasa had asked them the question, Kali bowed to his brother, still recognizing him as the rightful heir.

Simba and Kali embraced each other. Mufasa then put on a playful face and began giving them both a simultaneous noogie. They both squirmed free and pounced on their dad together. Simba and Kali began to roll and then came to a stop. Kali and Simba were both on their father's head and all three of them were laughing. Mufasa then told them both of the Great Kings of the Past, and how they watched everything from the stars. He also explained that he would always be there to guide them along with the other kings. He then looked to Kali whose fur still held the same heavenly white color and proudly said.

"I know now that Simba is truly the rightful king. Kali, when you spoke, it was like Great Kings were are telling me through you, but you are also intended for greatness." He stated.

After that statement, they took one last look at the night sky and returned home to Sarabi. Seeing Kusudi and Fisa who was asleep in Nanda's paws gave the snowy white cub a sense of peace. Once all the cubs were asleep, Scar was just returned from his meeting with the Hyenas and rushed to talk to Mufasa.

"Mufasa." Scar called with mock desperation.

"Yes, Scar. Is everything alright?" Mufasa asked with concern.

"I saw you walking from the Outlands with Kali and Simba. What happened? Are they ok?" Scar asked with concern but with his smooth voice.

"Kali and Simba are fine. Simba and Nala decided to try to sneak into the Elephant Graveyard and Kali and Usafi ran after them with the impression that the cheetah cubs had followed them." Mufasa explained.

"It seems Simba has gotten himself into a lot more trouble this time. Have you punished him yet?" Scar inquired.

"Yes brother. I have and I assure you that Simba will not forget his act of disobedience." Mufasa stated.

"So when will you make the announcement?" Scar asked.

"Announcement? What do you mean by that?" Mufasa asked with confusion.

"The one where you announce Kali is your new heir to the throne because of Simba's disobedience." Scar said with a hint of excitement.

"Scar. Simba is still next in line for the throne and Kali accepts that. The punishment Simba received is that he knows I am disappointed and his training is being put on hold for one month." Mufasa stated sternly.

"Oh. I see. Well that sounds like a wise decision." Scar said with his smooth voice and eyed Mufasa with an empty gaze.

Mufasa then nodded and walked away to join his family in the den. As he departed, Scar's thoughts began going wild. He did not make Kali his heir? Why? Kali is better than Simba in every way and Simba is nothing but a little troublemaker. Of all the stupid… WAIT. I get it. He blamed Kali for everything and punished Simba just to get Kali to agree and plans to punish him later. OH Mufasa, you have no idea how stupid you are compared to me Scar thought as he entered his own solitary cave and began planning on how to turn Kali against his father once Kali became his heir.

However, unknown to even Scar, Zira who was in the center of the Outlands was speaking to three ominous figures and making her own plans.

"So you all know the plan? Right, Kuchin?" She asked with her usual evil grin and tone towards the largest and central figure.

"Yes! Tomorrow, Kali the silver prince will meet his end!" Kuchin said gleefully. She, her companions and Zira all began to laugh maniacally at the thought of what was soon to transpire.

Author: Once again we see Kali does not want the throne and the lengths he will go to protect his friends and his siblings. But what is this plan that Zira has planned? And who is this Kuchin and her two companions?

Swahili:

Ndugu yake tu hawezi kusubiri kwa kuwa Mfalme.
Lakini ni nini yeye unataka?

Translation:

His brother just can't wait to be King.
But what does he want?