Chapter 10

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1 as usual.

To Be King

*2 weeks later*

*Mufasa's Dream and POV*

Here I am laying in a beautiful field of flowers with my beloved mate Sarabi. We have been here for almost all night and we are about to watch the sunrise together. "Oh Mufasa. Isn't this wonderful?" I looked into my mate's eyes with absolute adoration for her and saw she had the same.

"Not as wonderful as being with you my beloved!" I nuzzled her and then felt a lick on my cheek in return.

"Oh Sarabi."

"Mufasa, you have to wake up!" I then got confused. Wake up?

"Are you alright Sarabi? I am wide awake if you did not notice?"

"Muffy it's time to wake up. We gotta go." Now I was even more confused. Go? Where were we going?

"I don't even know where we are going. Is it somewhere fun?"

"Muffy, Muffy, Muffy, Muffy…" She kept saying my name over and over and over again to the point where I wondered What the Hell?

*Simba*

"Dang it! I thought that would get Dad out of den." The sun has just started to rise and me and my brothers are trying dutifully to wake up our father. He is supposed to show us the kingdom from the kings point of view today. I had just tried shouting in his ear and he simply talked to me like I was Mom.

"What do you suggest we do, Malka?" Kopa was obviously flustered as well, I could hear it in his voice.

"Does he get the boulder, the burn, the soak or the gust today?" Malka was always one to go for an elemental wake up call. Sometimes, Kopa would touch Dad's tail with a hot paw or Malka would dump a small pile of cold water on Dad's head. Only on rare occasions did I ever need to use my air bending to blow Dad over or use my earth bending to throw a rock at his head.

"We used the gust yesterday! But I don't think a water blast will work today. I think Dad is having a sappy love dream with Mom." I said Kopa. I shuddered thinking about what Dad would dream about in those lines.

"YUCK!" My brothers and I obviously think alike. I mean yeah, Malka is my adopted brother but we do so much stuff together that we are just as close as me and Kopa. I know that it is the same between them. "Well, then what do you suggest bro?" he asked. Kopa eyed me and he knew I would probably come up with a funny idea. I then remembered a memory of when Dad had had a similar dream and what I and Kopa had done and it was very fun.

"Kopa do you remember King Charge?" I eyed my brother and I saw the smile crawl onto his face. He knew exactly what I was thinking.

"Gotcha Bro!" He replied and then we looked to Malka who looked confused but we told him to just follow our lead.

Kopa ran up to Dad's face and began saying another mantra of "Dad dad dad dad dad…." The noise seemed to only wake mom who said "Your sons are awake."

Dad seemed to stir but by the look on his face, he was still in the land of Oz, "Oh my dear Sarabi, can't we just enjoy our lovely time together? Besides, before sunrise they are your sons." Me, my brothers and mom all rolled our eyes at Dad and chuckled a bit.

"Mufasa! Wake up! We gotta go." Malka said, and pounced on Dad and started tugging on his ear but sadly he lost his grip and tumbled into the bones of a former kill that was left. I chuckled at his attempt and then I heard Dad purr.

"Oh Sarabi, you feisty girl!" OH KINGS! He is getting serious in his dream. Whatever adults mean by getting serious that is.

I crouched down and charged at full speed towards my father, aiming for his muzzle. I collided hard with his face and I heard the telltale oof come from him as he began to wake up. I gave my brothers a look that they read instantly and they were immediately by my side as Dad opened his eyes and looked at us with a tired expression.

"You promised!" We all said in unison and then put on fake hurt expressions. I heard mom chuckle at us and then saw a look of defeat in Dad's eyes as he realized we weren't going away.

"Alright! I'm up, I'm up!" Me and my brothers did a little victory dance as we heard Dad yawn that seemed to rumble the den, and then started running around as he got to his paws.

We trotted towards the entrance with our parents but then went back to Mom to nuzzle her legs which she responded by nuzzling Kopa, giving Malka a lick and then giving me a nice nudge to the rump. With that we began following our dad out of the den and walked up to the peak. Once there, Dad sat down at the edge and we all followed suit and sat in a straight line next to him. As we sat down, the sunlight rose over the horizon and revealed all things once hidden in the shadows. I felt like I was just born and seeing everything for the first time as I watched the sun rise.

"Look boys, Everything the light touches, is our kingdom."

"Wow!" said Malka. We were all obviously equally amazed because I saw the same wide-eyed expression on their faces that matched mine.

"A king's time as ruler, rises and falls like the sun, or burns like a flame. One day boys, the flame on my time will go out and a new flame will begin with one of you as the new king." I took in my father's words very carefully and while I was excited at the thought of being the next king, I was also sad because I also knew that for that to happen, Dad might have to die first. Something I was not and I was sure my bros were not looking forward to.

"And then all this will be Simba's?" I perked my ears at what Kopa said and I turned to look at my scarred twin who had a smile on his face and also saw that Malka also had a smile. Did they discuss this behind my back?

"Kopa? What do you mean by that?" Dad is obviously confused as well because otherwise he would not have asked that of Kopa.

"I meant what I said Dad. Me and Malka think Simba should be King." I looked into my twin's eyes and I saw that he honestly meant what he said. Why would he want me to be King?

"Why Kopa? Don't you want to be king as well? And what about Malka?" Sure he isn't Dad's blood son but he is our brother and if he is in this family then he has a right to it. Should the very powerful Avatar even have a kingdom? How can I keep balance between the 4 groups when I rule one.

"We all discussed it Simba. I thought I wanted to be king too. All I really want is to live a good life. You take the throne bro!" Kopa then ruffled my mane tuft and I gave him a grumpy look cause he knows I don't like it when does that.

"I don't want the throne either Simba. I am not the king's son by blood and in truth, all that responsibility does not fit with my Hakuna Matata motto. But there is one more reason, I wanted only to have a lasting family in my life and I found that with you and your family." As I heard Malka finish his speech, I felt hot tears well up i my eyes and I smiled a huge smile as I looked at my brothers.

"Come on Sim. Don't cry! Future kings don't cry you know?" Kopa has always been able to make me feel strong and right now I really appreciated that. I quickly dried my tears and then I heard our dad clear his throat and I turned and saw a big smile at his face aimed directly at me.

"Simba. Are you prepared to be the next king of the Pride Lands when the time comes?"

"Yeah Dad, I am." I felt like I was going to throw up as I said that but I held it in so I could appear strong.

"Alright then. Then I will announce it to the pride tonight when the day is done." Me and Dad then turned back to the edge and Kopa and Malka walked off while giving me a look that said they would see me later.

As I looked at the beauty of the Pride Lands, I caught something odd out of the corner of my eyes. A dark spot in the light.

"Dad you said everything the light touches is our kingdom right?"

"Yes son. That is correct. Why do you ask?"

"I want to know if that little shadow there in between the Fire and Earth Districts counts as our territory?"

I saw my Dad's face grow stern, "That is beyond our borders. You must never go there son." This bit of information confused me because the way I saw it being King meant….

"I thought a king could go wherever and do whatever he wants."

"Ha ha ha. Simba. Being King and in your case the avatar means more than just getting your way all the time." I perked my ears at this. More?

"There's more?" I asked eagerly as we began to descend Pride Rock and journey across the plains.

"Simba, tell me what you see when you look at our lands." I took in what Dad asked. I took a long look at the kingdom and then said.

"I see a bunch of animals with elements living in different parts of the plains." I said this with absolute confidence as I looked back at my Dad and then saw him chuckle. Did I get it wrong?

"You know what I see? I see a delicate harmony of nature and between beast and element." I raised my eyebrows at my Dad's statement.

"How do you see so much, Dad?"

"Perspective, son." Now I was even more confused, Perspective?

"What is that Dad?"

"Perspective is a way we adults look at things. Everything you see exists together in a delicate balance. As king, you need to understand that balance and respect all the creatures, from the crawling ant, to the leaping antelope."

"But Dad don't we lions eat the antelope? And where do the elements fit in?"

"I will explain the elements when you are older son, but when we die our bodies become food for the grass and the antelope eat the grass our bodies feed. Thus, we are all connected, in the Great Circle of Life."

"Good Morning, Sire." I looked up and saw Momo, the flying lemur bat majordomo of my father flying in. More than likely here to give the 'Morning report'.

"Good Morning Momo!"

"Checking in with the Morning Report." I knew it.

"Fire away." Momo began his rambling and I spotted a grasshopper and thought time for some pouncing.

*Momo*

I started running off the many problems that had been reported as a good Majordomo just like Master Zazu taught me to and I felt pretty impressed with myself at what I had gathered. The reason he stepped down from the position always continues to elude me. "Cheetahs never prosper.." I was about to continue with my report when I heard Mufasa say.

"Momo? Could you turn around please?" This request sounds oddly familiar but who am I to refuse the king.

"Of course sire!" I politely turned around with my back facing the king and young Prince Simba and continued my report.

"Giraffes keep complaining about the trees being too short!" I then heard some rustling behind me and turned to look and see Mufasa and Simba crouched in the grass. I could not help but ask, "What's going on back there?"

"A pouncing lesson!"

"Oh Yes! Very good! Pouncing." My eyes then widened as I realized, "Pouncing! Oh Sire, you can't be serious?" I saw him twirl his paw toe and I turned back around reluctantly, "This is so humiliating." Now I remember why he stepped down, he did not want to be pounced by a younger generation like he was by Mufasa and his brother. He must have thought my younger bones could handle it better, though that is debatable on my end.

I heard Simba chuckle and then I became even more worried, "What are you telling him Mufasa?" I was answered with silence and began to get panicked, "Mufasa? Simba?" I then heard rustling in the grasses behind me and I quickly turned and said, "Nice try, cub!" Only to find that it was just a gust of wind. "Huh?"

"HAA!" I then felt a load pounce on me from behind me and I looked to see Simba with a proud smile on his face. I also heard Mufasa laughing as Simba walked back to him.

"That's very good!" How non regal it is for a prince to pounce on his major domo. I also feel like there is a bunch of dirt in my fur. And after I spent such a long time to look presentable, I then heard something come out from behind me and saw, Chaka the gopher.

"Momo?"

"Yes?"

"Sir, news from the underground. Hyenas have been spotted in the earth district by Kyoshi's gorge." My eyes widened at this and I immediately went to the king.

"Sire! Hyenas in the Pride Lands!" Mufasa's eyes widened as well and he immediately took off while asking , "Momo, take Simba home!" Simba was obviously going to protest from his grumpy look.

"Aww Dad can't I come?" and only to be buffeted down by a refusal as his father left to deal with the threat.

"I never get to go anywhere." I felt the same as him when my mother would not let me go early on my lessons.

"Oh Young Master! One day you will be King and you can chase those slobbering, mangy, stupid poachers from dawn until dusk." He was obviously cheered up by this cause I heard him laugh as I escorted him home.

"I can't wait to tell everything I did to Uncle Scar." he said as he sprinted off to his uncle's den. Why does the young master bother with him, I'll never understand.

1) What do you think Simba could have done to wake Mufasa up instead of tackling him?

2) Who do you think were the father figures to the following members of team Avatar: Aang, Zuko and Toph?