Wassup y'all? Next chapter time! And now we'll see what damage Scar has done to the Pridelands. So let's see what awaits….
DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THE LION KING
Chapter 10 – "Growing Up: Part 1"
While the young prince was safe in the secure home of his new friends, his two companions were not so lucky. Under the new reign of Scar, life in the Pridelands was becoming unbearable. The animals were starting to disappear, food was starting to become scarce, some of the lionesses were becoming weaker because of the lack of food and everyone was starting to lose hope that someone would save them from Scar.
Anaya and Nala had both grown since the death of Mufasa and Simba. Both were teenagers now and were becoming accustomed to their changes. Nala had her same tawny colored fur and her sky blue eyes, but her frame was now a little thicker and longer. Anaya was blossoming as well and retained her golden sun colored fur and her mild blue eyes, but her facial features now resembled her deceased mother. The two teenage lionesses had put their differences aside and became close friends with one another. To Anaya, Nala was more like a big sister to her. Nala looked out for her and helped train Anaya in combat and hunting skills as did Zahra.
Sarafina, Zahra, Sarabi, Nala and Anaya were all out in the fields today, trying to catch something to bring to the den for other lionesses. They didn't share any of their food with the hyenas because they knew how stingy they could be and the lionesses needed all the nourishment they could receive, considering they did all the hunting and providing for everyone.
"See anything?" Sarabi asked. Nala sighed
"Not even a meerkat, Sarabi" Nala said with a sad expression. Sarabi sighed.
"At this rate, the pride will finally run out of sustenance and die off in a mere matter of months" Sarabi said.
"But we can't give up hope just yet" Anaya said
"Maybe we just have to go farther out or something" she added. Zahra smiled at her daughter.
"She's right, but the problem is that if there is food out there, it'll take days to reach it and at this point, me, Sarabi and Sarafina are too old, to go that far out…..but you and Nala can" Zahra explained.
All eyes were now on the two young lionesses. They both knew that Zahra was right because at this point, they were the pride's only chance of surviving. The other lionesses would run out of energy and become buzzard food in a couple of days, but because Nala and Anaya were young, they could make it.
"But will it work? I don't want my daughter to go out there and get killed" Sarafina asked with concern.
"I agree with you Sarafina, but at this point we really have no choice" Zahra reasoned. Sarafina sighed in reluctance. She knew Zahra was right but the thought of losing her only daughter frightened her. It was already bad enough that the young prince Simba, the true heir to the throne was lost to them all long ago, she didn't want her daughter to suffer the same fate as he and Mufasa had. Nor did she want the same for Anaya.
It was a hard decision for all 5 of them, but they knew in the end that it was their only option besides starvation. The sky darkened above them and they knew they had to head home now, before Scar sent his little friends to find them.
"Let's talk about this with the others" Sarabi advised. The lionesses nodded and went back to Pride Rock where they would discuss their plan.
At Pride Rock, the tyrannical ruler, Scar, was happy with his new title as King of Pride Rock. Inside the cavern, he rested on his back while picking a piece of old meat from his teeth with an old bone from an animal he had previously devoured. Zazu was trapped in a mini cage of rib bones, forced to sing songs for his King. He always hated Scar and now to know that Scar was his king was truly something he wished had never occurred. If only Mufasa, or even Simba were here.
"Oh Zazu, do lighten up" Scar advised and threw the bone at Zazu's cage.
"Sing something with a little bounce to it" Scar said. Zazu smirked and then began the first few lines of "It's a Small World After All". Scar stopped him abruptly
"NO! No, anything but that!" Scar yelled and then growled. Then Zazu started to sing the song "I've Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts" and Scar sung along with him.
"Ugh…I would never have to do this for Mufasa" Zazu mumbled but Scar heard him growled ferociously.
"WHAT?! What did you say?" Scar growled. Zazu backed away nervously.
"Oh nothing" he replied with a fearful expression.
"You know the law! Never, ever mention that name in my presence! I am THE KING!" Scar growled loudly and bared his teeth. Zazu flinched back.
"Yes, sire. You are the king. I…I..uhh…well I only mentioned it demonstrate your royal managerial approaches" Zazu said with a nervous chuckle. Then an annoying voice Scar knew too well entered the cavern.
"Eh, boss!" Banzai called. Scar groaned.
"Ugh…what is it this time?" he asked
"We got a bone to pick with you!" Banzai said
"I'll handle this" Shenzi said wanting to be diplomatic.
"Scar, there's no food. No water" she stated
"Yea, it's dinnertime and we ain't got no stinkin entrees!" Banzai complained. Scar sighed.
"It's the lionesses that do the hunting" he reminded them.
"Yea, but they won't go hunt" Banzai reminded him.
"Oh, eat Zazu" Scar said dismissively. Zazu looked at him bug-eyed.
"Oh no, you wouldn't want me! I'd be so tough and stringy and-"
"Oh Zazu, don't be ridiculous! All you need is some-"
"And I think things were better with Mufasa" Banzai mumbled.
"What did you say?" Scar growled and looked at them with piercing eyes.
"I said Mufa- I said umm…que pasa?" Banzai corrected himself and was thankful that Shenzi nudged him in time.
"Good, now get out" Scar said lowly. The three hyenas slowly walked to the exit but stopped.
"Yea but, we're still hungry" Banzai said
"OUT!" Scar snarled and they scurried way quickly. Scar groaned but then grinned devilishly when he heard Anaya's voice from outside. He went to the entrance and smiled down at her, but she could not see him.
"Hmm…my dear Anaya,…look how lovely you are growing. Such beautiful golden fur…..and such wonderful feminine qualities. Add that with a strong personality and….we get….the perfect queen to Pride Rock" Scar said deviously and then licked his dry lips. Zazu gasped silently and shuddered.
"Sarabi is too old to birth another heir and so is the lionesses. Nala is young too but not who I want. Only a little more time and soon you'll grow into a beautiful adult lioness…..then I shall take you….and you my sweet little Anaya….will birth my new heir…..whether you like it or not" he said with a crazed smile and then exited the cave. Zazu trembled and was fearful for Anaya now.
"Oh no,….Scar is…he'll hurt Anaya! Oh Mufasa, what will I do?" Zazu asked as small tears fell from his eyes.
Scar went to go talk with the hyenas of his plan to make Anaya his queen, while Sarabi, Sarafina, Zahra, Nala and Anaya finally returned to Pride Rock. Sarabi wanted to speak with the other lionesses about their plan but she wanted to make sure that Scar wasn't here to listen and eavesdrop on them. She climbed up to the cave and entered cautiously.
"Scar?" she called out and looked around for him, but he wasn't there. She was about to turn to leave but a voice stopped her.
"Queen Sarabi! Queen Sarabi, is that you?" Zazu asked. Sarabi edged closer into the cave and saw Zazu trapped in a cage of bones.
"Zazu! Are you okay?" she asked with concern
"Never mind that my Queen! I have horrible news to tell you" Zazu
"What is it?" she asked
"It's imperative that we keep this a secret, but…I overheard Scar not too long ago and….he…he"
"What Zazu? What does he plan to do?" she asked him
"He plans….to use Anaya… and make her his Queen" Zazu said. Sarabi gasped.
"Oh no….not Anaya! She's…she….he can't do that! She'll never agree to him" she said
"He will hurt her if she doesn't my Queen! And we can't allow that to happen" Zazu said. Sarabi was nervous now. How would they protect Anaya from Scar?
"What about me, Zazu? I'll do anything to protect her" she begged.
"You're too old my Queen. Scar wants an heir" he admitted.
"And I'm too old to bear one. I can't risk Nala or Anaya" Sarabi concluded. She sighed and thanked Zazu and hurried out of the cave and to the other lionesses but she didn't see Nala and Anaya.
"Where's Nala and Anaya?" she asked with concern.
"They're over there talking with each other" Sarafina replied and looked confused at the frightened expression on their Queen's face.
"Sarabi, what is it?" Sarafina asked
"I've….I've learned terrible news from Zazu" she said
"What is it?" One lioness asked
"Scar plans to make Anaya his queen" she revealed. All the lionesses gasped.
"What?! Oh no, not my baby!" Zahra said
"He can't! He won't! You're still the Queen!" Another lioness argued
"Scar wants an heir! And with an heir, he can banish me" Sarabi said. All the lionesses were worried now.
"What will we do?" Zahra asked
"We have to send her away. Far away so that Scar will not find her. And Nala has to leave too" Sarabi said
"No not Nala" Sarafina argued
"Sara, we have no time. When Nala and Anaya become adults, Scar will look at them. If we send Anaya away, that will only persuade him to have Nala and I won't allow either one of them to be taken from us" Sarabi said firmly. All the lionesses agreed. Sarafina and Zahra had tears in their eyes for their beloved daughters. They didn't want them to leave but if they stayed, they wouldn't be safe from Scar's clutches. The only way to protect them was to have them run away.
"Where will they go?" Zahra asked
"Somewhere, anywhere! Just far enough so that Scar will not find them. I know both of you are reluctant, but this is the only way. These two girls….are our only hope" Sarabi concluded. The lionesses were all in agreement with the plan they had set. The moment that Anaya and Nala were fully grown, they would send them off together and leave Pride Rock for who knows how long. It was heartbreaking to think about, but they had to save them. Nala and Anaya came back and soon were told of Scar's nasty plan. Anaya was scared beyond belief but Nala wanted to kill him.
"No! He won't touch her!" She growled. Nala had grown very protective over Anaya, like a big sister in a way.
"That's why when the time is right, you two will run away and never come back" Sarabi said
"You mean,….we're gonna be exiled?" Anaya asked
"Yes, my darling….I'm so sorry" Zahra said with tears in her eyes. Anaya nuzzled and comforted her mother as best as she could but she was scared too because by the next season, she would be a fully grown adult and her and Nala would have to run away from everything and everyone they had known and run away from their home….forever….
Whoa! Scar wants Anaya! And the lionesses now have a plan to protect her! Will Scar find her and Nala and what will happen to them?
R&R and you'll find out in the next chapter ;)
And with that I say peace y'all