Chapter Nine
Nala's POV
I found Simba looking at the wastes that used to be his childhood home with something akin to disgust and disbelief. I figured he'd take it kinda hard when he first saw what had happened while he was gone.
"It's awful, isn't it?" I asked him, following his gaze around the barren landscape
He nodded slowly, "How could anyone do this?" he muttered under his breath, just loudly enough for me to hear.
I had often asked myself that very same question
I changed the subject, "What made you come back?"
"Well, I finally got some sense knocked into me. And I've got the bump to prove it." he said
"A shame that I wasn't there to see it happen." I joked
Simba gave my joke an absent-sounding laugh, then got suddenly serious, "I'm ready to face him. This is my kingdom, and if I won't fight for it then who will?" he asked, glaring at pride rock.
I stepped forward, "I will." I said, I wanted to help Simba in any way that I could, I loved him.
He looked concerned, "It'll be dangerous."
I decided that I needed to remind Simba of what he used to be like, "Danger? Ha! I laugh in the face of danger, Muahahaha." I said, mimicing him from our journey to the elephant graveyard as cubs.
He cocked his eyebrow at me, and just as he went to respond, he was cut off by, "I see nothing funny about this."
Timon and Pumbaa had actually decided to help?
Simba seemed about as surprised to see them as I did, "Timon, Pumbaa, what are you guys doing here?" he asked
Pumbaa gave him a cheezy looking bow and said, "At your service, my leige."
Timon had a more...cheery take on things, "So...were gonna fight your uncle...for this?" he asked
Simba nodded, "Yes Timon, this is my home." he said
"Oi, talk about your fixer-upper. Well, if it's important to you, we're with you to the end." Timon replied
I nodded my agreement, and we started for Pride Rock
Timon's POV
We actually got in pretty close with no signs of life, but as we came up to a ledge that overlooked the main rock, I almost fainted from what I saw, there must've been hundreds of 'em.
"Hyenas. I hate hyenas." I said, shivering a little.
I then thought of how Simba would sneak in, "So what's your plan for getting past those guys?" I asked him
Looking back on it, I shouldn't have asked
"Live bait." was his reply
I nodded, "Good Ide- HEY!" I said, realizing that he meant me and Pumbaa were gonna be the bait
Simba wasn't gonna let us walk away that easily, "C'mon Timon, you two have to create a diversion." he insisted
"Well whaddaya want me to do, dress in drag and do the hula?" I asked him, sarcastically
Simba seemed confused, "If you think that it'll work long enough for me and Nala to get in close, then go for it." he said
I nodded, "We got your window ol' buddy, you just give your uncle a five across the face for me ok?" I said, waving for Pumbaa to follow me
I really hoped that I would live through this distraction, "Uh, Timon, why are you shivering so much?" Pumbaa asked me as I donned a grass skirt
"Pumbaa, we're about to dangle ourselves in front of ravenously hungry hyenas. Why are you not shaking in fear?" I shot back
Pumbaa thought it over for a second, "I am worried, but I think we can do this Timon." he said, that goofy determined look on his face
"Alright then ol' buddy, we're both terrified out of our minds, but let's do this. For Simba."
"For Simba."
Hula Dance Scene/Timon's POV
Pumbaa and I snuck out to a fairly noticable spot undetected, I looked around at all of the sleeping hyenas nearby, taking a deep breath I readied myself to begin the distraction, just as soon as Simba and his girlfriend were in position.
I saw Simba give us the 'ready' signal
I drummed the opening beat loudly on Pumbaa's stomach, "If you're hungry for a hunk of fat and juicy meat..." I started, making the words up as I went along
The hyenas were waking up...
"...Eat my buddy Pumbaa here 'cause he is a treat..."
"Yup-Yup" Pumbaa joined in
"...Costs you not a dime, for this tasty swine, all you gotta do is get in line..."
"Awww you're achin'..."
"Yup-yup-yup"
"For some bacon?"
"Yup-yup"
The hyenas were getting close, we had to wrap this up quick
"He's a big pig."
"Yup-yup"
"You can be a big pig too."
And on that note, Pumbaa and I had done our job and were out of there, the majority of the hyenas right behind us.
Nala's POV
"Nala, you go find my mother and rally the lionesses, I'll look for Scar." Simba said
I nodded and as I went to go down to the courtyard, where I could see a bunch of lionesses, I heard Scar's booming voice shout, "SARABI!"
The echoes took a few seconds to stop reverberating, I saw Simba's mother making her way slowly through the crowd of hyenas, her head held high and her eyes closed.
Scar sounded furious, whatever he had to say was surely not going to end well, I had to hurry and let everyone else know that Simba was back.
Sarabi's POV
As I made my way through the crowd of hyenas, I wondered to myself what Scar could possibly want, my hunting parties were under his explicit order not to return without food. Those who had returned were under explicit orders not to go back out until it rained again.
"Yes Scar?" I asked him using my neutral, uncaring tone
Scar was angry, "Where are your hunting parties? They are not doing their job."
As if there were anything left for them.
I maintained my neutral tone, better not to make Scar any angrier than he already was, "Scar, there is no food." I said, pointing out the obvious
It's as if he chose not to hear me, "They're not looking hard enough!" he declared, putting the blame on me and my lionesses where it did not belong.
I became slightly offended, "It's OVER, there is nothing left." I insisted, "We have no choice, we must leave Pride Rock." I then pointed out
Scar became furious, "We will do no such thing. We aren't going anywhere." he said
I was concerned, did he not care if we lived?
"Then you have sentenced us to death."
Scar shook his head defiantly, "Then so be it."
My concern grew into fear, "You can't do that." I said, momentarily forgetting who I was talking to
"I am the king, I can do whatever I want."
He had no concept of what the title truly meant, Scar was not a king, he was a tyrant, "If you were half the king Mufasa was th-"
I started to retort until I was knocked aside by a powerful blow, he'd hit me.
"I AM TEN TIMES THE KING THAT MUFASA WAS!"
As I began to black out, I heard a low growl from over my shoulder.
Simba's POV
Scar had actually hit my mother, to say that I was mad at him would be putting it lightly, as I made my way over to mom's side I growled at him.
"Mufasa? No. You're dead." he said, horrified
Did I look that much like my dad?
I nuzzled mom to wake her up, "Mufasa...?" she asked, giving me a strange look.
I smiled at her, "No, it's me." I said
She seemed confused, but at the same time, she seemed relieved, "Simba? You're alive? How can that be?"
I shook my head, "It doesn't matter, I'm home."
Our tender moment was cut short, Scar seemed greatly relieved that it was me and not my dad.
"Simba, what a surprise to see you...ALIVE." he said, shooting a glare to some hyenas nearby.
I was through with Scar, "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't rip you apart." I said threateningly
There was something not quite right with Scar, like on the day of the stampede, "Simba, you must understand, the pressures of ruling a kingdom..."
"Are no longer yours. Stand down Scar." I commanded, cutting him off
"Well, I would, but...erm...you see, they think that I'm king" he said, pointing up at a large group of hyenas
"Well we don't." Nala said, standing in front of a large group of lionesses, "Simba's the rightful king."
Nala's mom helped my mom to her feet, the two of them glaring angrily at Scar.
"It's over Scar, either step down or fight." I said, giving him his options
A wave of confidence seemed to wash over Scar as I said this, "Now now, must this all end in violence? I'd hate to be responsible for the death of a family member, wouldn't you agree Simba?" he asked
I shook my head, he wasn't going to get to me like that, "That's not going to work Scar, I've put it behind me." I said
"Ah, but what of your faithful subjects? Have they put it behind them?" he asked, walking over to where Nala stood
Nala looked over at me, confused, "Simba, what is he talking about?" she asked
Scar didn't tell them? I figured that would've been the first thing he would've told them. This was not a good time for this information to come out.
Scar noticed my confusion, "Ah. So you haven't told them our little secret. Well Simba, now's your chance to tell them, tell them who is responsible for Mufasa's death."
All the lionesses looked over to me, eager to hear my answer...
"I am." I said
Sarabi's POV
I closed my eyes as Simba answered Scar's question, I was feeling a very strange mixture of disbelief, hate, and disappointment.
I walked over to my son, "It's not true, tell me that it's not true." I begged him
Simba seemed hurt, "It's true." he said
Nala's POV
So, that's why Simba had never came back, that's why he hid in a jungle like a coward.
I loved Simba, but he was a murderer, responsible for the current state of things in the Pridelands. I was in dire emotional straits indeed
Simba's POV
Scar let my admission sink in for a few moments, "You see, he admits it! Murderer."
I was horrified by the claim, I didn't mean for anything like that to happen on that day, "No, it was an accident!" I said back to him
Scar moved forward, causing me to start backing up, "If it were not for you then Mufasa would still be alive, do you deny this?" he asked me
I frowned, "No." I said
"Then you're guilty." Scar replied, a smile taking the place of his usual frown
I didn't realize this at the time, but Scar had gotten inside my head, ,"No, I'm not a murderer!" I said
I looked over to the lionesses, Nala was crying, and her mother was glaring at me angrily
"Oh look Simba, you're in trouble again, and this time, daddy isn't here to save you. And now everybody. Knows. WHY!"
Scar had backed me over the edge of Pride Rock, I dug my claws into the rock face and held on
"Simba!" I heard Nala call out as I went over the edge
Scar seemed to be enjoying himself at this point, "Well, now this looks familiar, where have I seen this before? hmm...let me think...Oh yes I remember, this is just the way your father looked before he died."
How did Scar know that?
Scar quickly dug his claws into my wrists, I winced in pain and looked up at him. He leaned forward and whispered into my ear, "And here's my little secret..."
"I killed Mufasa."
A/N: Chapter 9 in the books, time to start chapter ten. As I said before this story will not end after the final battle. It will end with the "Death" of Simba and Nala's son
Review and watch out for chapter 10 soon.
Thanks guys!