*Chapter 9: Lesson to be Learned*
The sun started to set across Africa as Mufasa led the group of Zazu, Simba, Nala, and Ajani back to the Pride Lands. The two cubs hung their heads down in shame as the boy followed them silently. He promised Mufasa that he would protect Simba and Nala from any danger that would come to them. But he shouldn't let Simba and Nala talk him into taking them to the Elephant Graveyard. He didn't want Simba to be punished for this. Ajani will have to share the blame. Another thing what worried him most is what Mufasa will do to Ajani. Would he kick him out of the pride or have him for dinner? Ajani shook by that thought. Since he had joined the pride, Ajani looked to Mufasa as not only his king, but as a second father figure. His foster father did not count as his family. Only his first father and currently Mufasa. Ajani sees his pride as his second family. Simba is his little brother. Now Ajani will have to face consequences for disobeying Mufasa.
"Zazu!" Mufasa spoke, finally breaking the silence. The hornbill flew over to him nervously.
"Yes, sire?"
"Take Nala home. I've got to teach my son and our human boy a lesson." Mufasa said sternly while looking back towards Simba and Ajani. Simba crouched lower in the grass to try to hide while Nala simply looked down at him. Ajani crossed his arms nervously, looking down at the ground.
"Oh boy." He whispered. Following his order, Zazu is flying towards Nala.
"Come, Nala." He said. Nala bowed her head down sadly as Zazu turned his attention to both Simba and Ajani. The boy knelt down to Zazu's level as he placed his wings onto Simba's shoulders and Ajani's hand, saying with a heavy sigh. "Simba? Ajani? Good luck." Zazu started flying away with Nala following behind him and looked over her shoulder sadly as both Simba and Ajani gave her the same looks in return. As they continued to watch the pair leave, suddenly, they heard Mufasa call sternly.
"Sons!" Both Simba and Ajani flinched by the sound of his voice. They silently walk towards Mufasa. As they continued their walk, Simba's paw land in one of his father's pawprints. He looked down at the giant pawprint, seeing how smaller and younger he was compared to his father. Looking back up, Simba continued to walk towards his father. He made his way towards Ajani who was already sitting beside Mufasa with his head down, and sat alongside him, doing the same. Soon however, he looked up at his father fearfully.
"Simba, I am very disappointed in you and Ajani." Mufasa spoke as he looked down at the boys.
"I know." Simba said sadly.
"You could've been killed! You two deliberately disobeyed me!" Mufasa scolded. "And what's worse, you put Nala in danger! Ajani, I trusted you to look after them and put them in danger!"
"Dad, it wasn't his fault!" Simba said.
"Then whose is it?" Mufasa asked with a look. Ajani sighed and turned to the king.
"It's mine." He spoke. "Mufasa, you have every right to be angry with me, and there should be no excuse for what I did. But you trusted me in protecting Simba... I thought I was being so smart, but I was wrong for letting them go to the Elephant Graveyard. I thought I could handle the dangers and protect the cubs. You've been training me for weeks and...I guess I wasn't ready for the challenges." Mufasa's face softens a little by the words. He did admit that Ajani fought well earlier but couldn't fight those three hyenas alone.
"Ajani, you are smart to protect my son. And you may have been improving in your training, but what you did was really reckless. You, Simba, and Nala could've been hurt very badly or worse...The Elephant Graveyard is no place for anyone to be in, neither animal nor human." He said.
"W-We were just trying to be brave like you." Simba said, holding back his tears. Mufasa looked down at his son.
"I'm only brave when I have to be. Simba... Being brave doesn't mean you go looking for trouble." He told him.
"But you're not scared of anything." Simba argued.
"I was today." Mufasa replied.
"You were?" Simba asked in surprise.
"Yes. I thought I might lose you both." Mufasa answered as he bent down to the cub's level. Ajani smiled a bit.
"Oh. I guess even kings get scared, huh?" Simba asked. Mufasa nodded. "But you know what?"
"What?"
"I bet those hyenas were even scared." Both Mufasa and Ajani laughed.
"Because nobody messes with your dad." Ajani said to Simba. Mufasa pulled Simba in and gave him a noogie.
"Come here, you!" He chuckled.
"Oh, no! No! Aaagh! Errggh!" Simba shouted. After a short struggle, Simba broke free and pounced at Mufasa, knocking him down. Once the lion king got up, he started running away from Simba and Ajani in laughter as they began chasing him. Both Ajani and Simba managed to pounce at Mufasa, bringing him to the ground. They were all in laughter as Simba started playfully tugging on Mufasa's ear and came to rest on top of his father's head with Ajani sitting beside them with a giggle.
"You guys are crazy." He said. Mufasa chuckled along with him. They started to ease down. Simba looked down at his father.
"Dad?"
"Hmm?"
"We're pals, right?"
"Right." Mufasa replied with a chuckle.
"And we'll always be together, right?" Simba asked. Sitting up a little, Mufasa started to explain to them. Ajani sat up to look at him.
"Simba, let me tell you and Ajani something that my father told me... Look at the stars." They all look up at the stars in the night sky. "The great kings of the past look down on us from those stars."
"Really?" Simba asked with wonder.
"Yes. So, whenever you feel alone, just remember that those kings will always be there to guide you...And so will I." Mufasa said. Ajani looked up at the stars and started to remember what the shaman told him. Ajani's father is up there along with the kings and chiefs of the past.
"Same with my parents that I lost long ago." Ajani spoke. "They live in me. They live in us."
"Ajani, can I ask you something?" Simba asked.
"What is it, little brother?"
"Are humans...savages?"
"Simba!" Mufasa scolded. "What made you asked such a thing?"
"Well...Uncle Scar." Simba replied. Ajani sighed a bit. Why is he not surprised? "When I visited him earlier this morning, he said never to trust a human. He believes that Ajani..." Simba paused. Ajani reached out to Simba's paw.
"Not all humans are bad, Simba. Scar isn't just fond of me when I first joined the pride after you were born." He told him. "Some animals are afraid of humans, and I can't blame them. I will never be a savage to any animal here." He held his necklace. "My father told me one thing about Africa. It is full of life and mystery. There are laws here. Humans are not allowed to be killed or eaten by animals."
"Scar never liked that rule." Mufasa said. "It has been that way for generations. And I will have a talk with him too." They continued to look up at the stars. Ajani shuts his eyes as he held the charm of the necklace. His father, along with the past kings and chiefs will live in him and guide him.