Chapter Twenty-One

Tano's POV

The drop was frightening, I thought for sure I would skim too close to the wall of the canyon behind me and hit my head on something.

But I was lucky enough not to hit anything but the icy water below. Never before had I been so cold, the water of the river was Freezing. as soon as surfaced I wasted little time in locating the overhang where the steep path out of the gorge was.

"Hey Tano, how cold is it?" Kufa called down, his voice echoing down the canyon walls.

It was so cold that it was hard to draw in enough air to shout back up to him, "Why don't you jump in and find out?" I said through short pained breaths

"Nah, I'm good." was his quick reply

Vitani was the next to interject with, "Hurry and get back up here Tano."

"S-Sure thi-ing 'Tani." I called back shakily

The temperature of the water was making it painful to breathe or even move, I decided I had to get out of there quick or I was done for.

It was this moment that will be forever ingrained in my memory, as I grabbed the low overhang and began to climb out of the water, I felt a sudden, sharp pain, which was accompanied by the loss of feeling in my entire body, as I began to black out I heard Vitani and Kufa shout my name in unison.

Things only went downhill from there.

Tano's POV

The first sensation to return to my body was that of an intense ache in the back of my head, Something must've hit me, hard.

I slowly opened my eyes and took a quick look around, I was laying on my side on an unfamiliar sandy bank; the river had dwindled down to a small creek that trickled along just behind me.

"Kufa? Vitani?" I asked aloud, not really expecting them to answer me.

As I shakily got to my feet I repeated the question, just to be sure that nobody was around.

"Ah...It wakes, Greetings young lion." came a low, well-spoken voice.

I spun to face the source of the voice, in doing so bringing on a wave of nausea, "H-Hello? who's there?" I asked swallowing deeply to stave off the nausea.

The voice seemed apologetic for a moment, "Oh yes, how terribly rude of me." it said

The source of the voice revealed itself as it swooped down from a tall tree nearby and perched itself on a branch that was almost eye level with me. He was a Vulture, a Buzzard, a Scavenger; those were just a few of the names his kind was referred to as.

I took an involuntary step back, my back legs sloshing the small creek as I did so, "Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm not going to die tonight." I said bearing my teeth in warning on 'Tonight'

The Scavenger shook his head, "Now now, can't we discuss this civilly? I have no intention of eating you young Tano, I want to help you. You are quite the distance away from your home." he said

'How does he know my name?' I thought, "And you're going to help me...how?"

He seemed to take pleasure in my confusion, "Look around. This land is desolate, I will help you survive here until your father finds you; which could take quite some time you know."

"What's your name?" I asked, figuring my calling him 'Scavenger' would make him mad.

He tisked, "Your lion tounge could never make the proper sounds to call me by it, but others of your kind have called me Aeris, you may do the same."

I nodded, "How long have I been out?" I asked

"Two and a half days. I was beginning to question whether you would ever wake up." Aeris replied, "I am glad you did however. Your pride is looking for you young Tano."

Of course they would be, I broke curfew; Mom and Dad overreacted when I did stuff like that.

I stood there for a moment, not really knowing what to say or do, there would be hell to pay when they found me, I would be lucky to ever step foot out of the den again.

"Aeris?"

"Ask your question young one."

There was one thing that had been bugging me ever since this conversation started, and I intended to get it out of him, "How do you know so much about Me and my Pride? And why are you so eager to help me?"

Again he seemed to bask in my confusion, "I have my reasons. I occasionaly sojurn into your pride's territory, my kind has taken a liking to that area, That is how I know so much of your pride and of you son of Simba."

"So what are we gonna do while we wait for my pride to find me?" I asked, shrugging off the growing confusion at him not answering my questions.

He took off from his perch, the dried stick snapping as he did so, "Come, there is a cave this way where you may sleep. I shall maintain watch outside." he said as he directed me to follow.

I followed him the short distance to a small cave shrouded in part by an equally small grove of dead trees, it wasn't Pride Rock; but I figued it would do for the short time I was likely to spend there.

As I flopped down in the back of the cave to try to go to sleep, I mentally reviewed what little I could remember from almost three days before, something had hit me in the back of my head and knocked me unconscious, that much I knew; but who could've done such a thing? Nuka would be stupid enough to hurt someone, but I knew he couldn't bring himself to kill anybody. Vitani and Kufa were cool so I crossed them off my suspect list fairly quickly.

I took a deep breath and counted to five, Dad had once told me that was a great way of clearing up a headache, which I had. As I closed my eyes and began to drift off I remembered Rafiki saying to me, "Hah! you 'tink you 'ave it bad eh? 'den just be 'tinkin' dis over, your father lived 'is 'ole life in a jungle wit' a meerkat and a warthog eating bugs!"

I smiled inwardly as I finally slipped into a deep sleep.

Simba's POV

Tano was gone, again. The stories from his friends varied greatly, but all had one common theme: Tano was in serious trouble.

I had told Nala and the others to search the northren uninhabited territory while I followed the river south, this was my screw up and I wanted to be the one to right it. Our son was likely hurt and I didn't want Nala to find him like that ever again.

"Tano? TANO?" I called into the sprawling wasteland before me

I reprimanded myself countless times for being so stupid as to believe the word of an 11 month old cub, I truly had been as Nala had said to me once before 'too trusting' well never again. I would make sure Tano didn't leave my sight until he was old enough to be crowned king.

"TANO?" I called again

Again I found myself muttering obcenities under my breath all directed at my momentary lapse in judgement.

I followed the river until the canyon was no more and the water was nothing but a tiny stream cutting its way through fine sand, it had taken me the better part of three days to get this far, three days in which I had eaten very little, drank very little and entirely forgone sleep.

"TANO?" I called for what seemed to be the trillionth time

This time however was different, this time I got a response, "Dad?" came the faint voice

My mind raced, I was elated to a whole new level, my son was alive!

"Tano? I'm here son!" I shouted, my voice cracking from all the shouting I had been doing earlier.

He emerged from behind a small cluster of dead trees and shot over to me, "DAD!" he yelled at the top of his lungs, clearly overjoyed to see me again.

We sat there for hours expressing how happy we were to see each other; then almost as an afterthought Tano said, "I'm sorry for scaring you and mom, Dad I know how much you worry when I don't show for something and I am very sorry."

I supressed the majority share of my disappointment and frustration as I asked, "Tano, what were you thinking? Why did you run away?"

Tano took a step back, "I didn't run away dad I-" he started

I cut him off with, "Don't lie to me son."

Tears began forming in his eyes, "I didn't run away, I was knocked out and I woke up here." he explained

I wasn't buying that for a second, "Lets say I believe you. Why didn't you come back when you woke up here?"

"I didn't know where to go from here, and I can take care of myself anyway." he said, saying the part about him taking care of himself almost as though he were mocking me.

For reasons unknown to me, this got me upset, he thought he could take care of himself did he?

"You made your mother and I think you were dead Tano, I'm sorry too but this time 'sorry' isn't going to cut it." I said, he had to be taught a lesson; and this was the most effective way for him to learn it.

"Tano you're still a cub, but if you think you can take care of yourself I'm more than willing to oblige; I disown you. You are no longer Prince of the Pridelands and are no longer welcome inside their borders."

Tano sat there for a moment in silence, "D-dad, what does that mean? I'm not welcome? I can't come home?

I hadn't meant for this to be anything long term, I figured I'd appear serious and leave until I was just out of sight, wait a day and see how he coped with it. When I returned I would explain to him that I hadn't really meant it and he can come home with me.

I turned and began to walk away, "Dad, where are you going? Please...don't leave me dad...I'm sorry!" Tano called as I got further and further away.

I looked back, once, "Don't follow me Tano, you are now an exile and no longer welcome." I called

"DAAAAAAD! PLEEEAAASSSEEE!" He wailed hauntingly in response.

I looked up at the sky and continued to walk away. Wanting nothing more than to turn around and embrace my only son.

Tano's POV

Tears flowed uncontrollably as I watched dad walk away, I shook uncontrollably as I wailed and groaned.

"Dad...I...I'm sorry..." I said aloud, knowing full well he couldn't hear me and he never would again

I cried until my eyes burned and didn't move from that spot for hours

Then all at once, a deep uncontrollable rage began to build up, I began to growl, lowly at first then louder and louder until all at once I exploded, "YOU THINK YOU CAN ABANDON ME? I'LL TEACH YOU TO ABANDON ME SIIIMMBAAA!" I shouted, unloading my lungs into this furious shout; one of newfound hatered and resolve.

It was at that time I swore that I would see Simba, my own father, dead.

No matter what it took.

A/N: Hello there readers! Sorry this took so Darn long but you know how it is (Work, friends, Skyrim, etc.) I know what some of you might be thinking, but you're wrong! there's still one more chapter to wrap up loose ends. No guarantees on speed but I won't be wating 3 monts again ever.

Thanks for putting up with me and reading this far.

Oh and Merry Christmas!