*Chapter 18: Arguments*
Ajani and Zuri are standing by the waterfall as they watch the view of the jungle. Zuri took a bite of the mango fruit as she sat next to the mango tree. Ajani brought her close to him, stroking her arm.
"This is so beautiful." Zuri spoke as she held his hand.
"Want a grub?" Ajani asked with a smirk. Zuri gave him a disgusted look before shaking her head. The man laughed.
"No way I'm eating a bug." Zuri told him. "I'd cook them, thank you." She moved away from him to face him. "Ajani, have you considered the offer? Become the chief of our village?" She asked.
"Well...I will become one like my father. But...I've been thinking. Why not move our village in the Pride Lands? Like those stories when the humans and the lions are side by side." Ajani said. "I've learned from Mufasa that the Lion Guard used his roar to be rid of the humans because he wants to be king and the Lion Guard. But he can't have both. So, he lost his powers..."
"What about the one who is ruling the Pride Lands now? What was his name again? Scar?" Zuri asked. "What do we do with him?"
"We have to put a stop to Scar first. Simba needs to realize that he needs to go back to Pride Rock and be the king." Ajani said. "He...he doesn't know the truth about his father's death."
"He doesn't?" Zuri asked with concern. "Well, why didn't you say anything to him?"
"I don't know. He wouldn't believe that his own uncle killed his brother and tried to kill Simba. And me." Ajani said.
"Excuse me?" Nia's voice spoke as she approached them. "You wanna know how I know about Scar's scheme?" The humans turned to the hyena. Nia let out a sigh. "I...I have a gift, Ajani. I have visions of the future." Ajani stared at her in shock then turned to Zuri who nodded at him. "I warned you guys about the Elephant Graveyard, and the stampede. If I tell you about my powers, you...you probably wouldn't believe me. The only one who knows is Iris." Nia said.
"Nia, you don't need to be scared to tell anyone about your gift. I'd believe you then. I mean, look at Iris! She has hypnosis and can scream so loud to make us deaf for seconds or minutes." Ajani said. Zuri stared at the man in wonder, not sure if she can believe that sort of thing.
"You don't think I'm a freak?" Nia asked.
"No. No, you're not." Ajani said. "You're my friend since the beginning, Nia. You are special." He noticed her scar over her eye. He frowned a bit. "When we return to the Pride Rock, I'll make sure Scar won't hurt you ever again." The hyena smiled and nuzzled his face.
"I'm so glad you understood." She said. Ajani smiled and stroked her hair. Nia pulled away to look at his face. "So, does that mean you and Simba will come back home?"
"To save the Pride Lands, yes. And I'm sure by now Nala will convince him." Ajani said.
Simba and Nala were walking through another part of the jungle alone together, getting a beautiful view of the waterfall nearby.
"Isn't this a great place?" Simba asked as he and Nala are walking on the fallen tree trunk.
"It is beautiful." Nala responded. "But I don't understand something. You and Ajani have been alive all this time. Why didn't you two come back to Pride Rock?" She asked.
"Well, we just needed to...get out on our own. Live our own lives. And we did. And it's great!" Simba answered as he jumped onto a hammock of hanging vines.
"We've really needed you at home." Nala said with a frown.
"No one needs me." Simba said.
"Yes, we do! You're the king."
"Nala, we've been through this. I'm not the king. Scar is."
"Simba, he let the hyenas take over the Pride Lands." Nala said with a look.
"What?" Simba asked in shock.
"Everything's destroyed! There's no food, no water. Simba, if you and Ajani don't do something soon, everyone will starve."
"We can't go back." Simba said, getting off of the vine-like hammock.
"Why?" Nala asked loudly as Simba tried to walk away from her.
"You wouldn't understand."
"What wouldn't I understand?"
"No, no, no. It doesn't matter. Hakuna Matata."
"What?" Nala asked confusingly, raising her brow.
"Hakuna Matata. It's something Ajani and I learned out here. Look, sometimes bad things happen..."
"Simba!" Nala tried to speak to him, but Simba continued to explain as he began to walk on the tree trunk.
"...And there's nothing you can do about it. So why worry?"
"Because it's your responsibility!" Nala replied as she went after him. Simba turned to her.
"Well, what about you? You left."
"I left to find help! Zuri and Nia came along to help me! And I found you. Don't you understand? You and Ajani are our only hope." Nala said. Simba thought it over for a moment before responding to her.
"Sorry." Nala couldn't believe she is hearing. Simba is being stubborn. The son of the king isn't going to do something about his home. The Pride Lands is nothing, but a dry place and the pride is starving. Simba can't go back to Pride Rock after what happened to his father.
"What's happened to you? You're not the Simba I remember." Nala said.
"You're right. I'm not. Now are you satisfied?" Simba asked sarcastically.
"No. Just disappointed."
"You know, you're starting to sound like my father." Simba said in irritation as he began to walk away.
"Good. At least one of us does." Nala retorted. Striking a nerve with the lion, Simba finally had enough and angrily snapped.
"Listen, you think you could just show up and tell me how to live my life?! You don't even know what I've been through!"
"I would if you would just tell me!" Nala argued.
"Forget it!" Simba snapped as he walked away.
"Fine!" Nala shouted back. She turned her head away in anger. Ajani and Zuri appeared to see Nala alone. They had heard the argument. Ajani is shocked and disappointed. Zuri walked over to the lioness. Nala looked up at her. "He won't come back." She said. "Without him, the Pride Lands will be under Scar's rule forever. It's been too long since Scar took the throne."
"Don't lose hope, Nala." Zuri said.
"Nala, I'll talk to Simba. I'm his brother. He'll listen to me." Ajani said as he walked over to the ladies. "We'll come home."
"Good luck." Nala said. Ajani walked away to find Simba. Zuri and Nala decided to take a walk into the jungle and find a place to rest for the night.
Ajani walked through the tall grass and saw Simba pacing back and forth in anger. The man sighed a bit before approaching the stubborn lion. Simba will have to face the facts now.
"She's wrong! I can't go back." Simba said to himself. "What would it prove, anyway? You can't change the past."
"Simba..." Ajani spoke. Simba looked up towards the starry night sky, remembering what his father said long ago.
"You said you'd always be there for me!" He shouted. "But you're not. And it's because of me!"
"Simba." Ajani tried to talk to him again, but the lion continued to ignore him.
"It's my fault... It's my fault!" Simba said in sadness, bowing his head down as he struggled to hold back tears. Ajani walked around him so that he can make Simba face him.
"Simba! What happened to your father wasn't your fault!" He said. "Pull yourself together!" Simba looked up at Ajani with a look in his eyes.
"How would you know, Ajani? You weren't there! I caused the stampede!"
"You didn't cause the stampede! Now listen to me-"
"How could I be king after what happened to my father?" Simba asked.
"Simba! It was Scar!" Ajani told him. "The hyenas were the ones who caused the stampede! It was all part of Scar's plan! He's been trying to kill us! He...he killed Mufasa to be king! I believe it because Scar wants me dead and...Nia saw it happened."
"Nia? What does Nia have to do with it?" Simba asked.
"It's a long story. But don't you see? You are not at fault. Scar is to blame."
"No...you're lying." Simba said as he turned away from the man. "Scar wouldn't...he would never..."
"We need to go back to the Pride Lands. Your pride needs you. I promised Zuri that I will become the chief of the village to bring to the Pride Lands. I'm going to follow my father's footsteps. And you're going to be the true king. A better one. Scar is no king." Ajani said. Simba is silent for a moment. He looked at Ajani who brought his hand out to him. "Please, brother. Come back with me..."
"...I can't." Simba said, closing his eyes. Ajani brought his hand down and sighed.
"Fine." Ajani spoke and walked away. "I'm going back there. With or without you. Sooner or later, you will open your eyes."
XX
"What?! He's not coming back?" Nala asked in shock. Ajani shook his head. He told Nala, Zuri, and Nia what Simba's answer is. Nala bowed her head in disappointment.
"But I'm going back." Ajani said as he gathered his spear.
"You don't stand a chance!" Nala said. "There are hyenas everywhere and Scar would kill you!"
"I'm not afraid of Scar." Ajani said as he painted his face. "He should be afraid of me. And I'm going to be the chief of the village. The humans and lions shall be together as one like many years ago."
"If you are going to the Pride Lands, I'm coming with you!" Zuri said. Ajani gave her a smile. He's a bit worried about her coming along, but he needs help along the way. Zuri turned back to Nala and Nia. "Will you come with us?"
"I would but...I can't leave Simba like this." Nala replied.
"And it's best if we leave at dawn." Nia said. "We need to rest after a long journey to find you guys."
"She's right. Walking through the desert wasn't fun." Zuri said. "Ajani, we can go first thing in the morning. We're very far from the Pride Lands." Ajani thought it over and placed his things down. He'll let his friends rest for the night and he and Zuri will leave the jungle to go back to the Pride Lands. Ajani must prepare. The Pride Lands is crawling with hyenas and the abusive ruler.