Hello, audience, and a Happy New Year! How has it been 7 years since I first started writing this story? What a juicy chapter the last one was! Well, I'm back with another one and in this one, we'll see the immediate fallout of Morgan and Alex's actions. What will their punishment be? Will they be punished at all? I'll respond to the reviews of the last chapter and then we'll find out.
Fl1y1ngD0gg0: I would say that Alex is just below superhuman level but when he enters his power mode, he becomes solid superhuman. And by the end of this story alone, he'll become a 'building level' force.
L0RD3N: Indeed they are! This moment came to me as an idea while I was writing the chapter and, just as it disturbs the equilibrium, it disturbed and challenged me as a writer because it was a slight deviation from what I originally planned.
"I ask again - what happened here?" Mufasa asked. "Why... is Hasira..." he looked between the carcass of the buffalo and his sisters by law and shook his head in shock and grief.
"Uh... um," I began with a pathetic stutter, which caused Mufasa to glare at me with raised eyebrows. Give me a buffalo charging at me over that look baring down on me any day of the week.
"It's our fault... Your Majesty," Morgan answered. "I killed the buffalo's son and, in doing so, violated the hunting laws," he admitted. Mufasa could only let out a regretful sigh.
"And how did Hasira die?" the King asked.
"I killed him," I said while looking at Mufasa in the eyes - it was the least I owed him, but when his glare hardened in my direction, falling on me like the onslaught of muggy heat, I looked at the floor, to the side, at the lioness, anywhere and everywhere apart from where I might risk meeting Mufasa's eyes. "He succumbed to grief and vengeance as he went on a frenzy against Morgan and then me when I stood between him and his idea of justice," I explained. "The only way to make him see sense was for me to challenge him for the mantle of the leader of the Buffalo Herd, which I don't even think was valid as I'm not a buffalo,"
"Well," a voice from above interjected. The voice belonged to Zazu as he descended from above the treeline and lighted gently on a branch of the tree nearest to Mufasa. "Given that the original authors of the Buffalo Law had never encountered a human or a being that was powerful and foolish enough to challenge a buffalo, they didn't see the need to stipulate that only a buffalo could challenge for the mantle of the leader of the Buffalo Herd, which I think is a rather embarrassing oversight if I do say so myself, but I digress, it may not be within the spirit of Buffalo Law, but it is not forbidden," the hornbill explained.
"Thank you, Zazu," Mufasa said procedurally. "And why, Morgan, did you kill Hasira's son?" he asked. I looked at the boy in question and he was arrested by guilt, his gaze firmly fixed on the floor. It looked like he couldn't speak or even breathe.
"Because... he wanted to provide, he wanted to not rely on the lionesses," I replied on his behalf. I understood and appreciated his logic but because of a lack of communication, a horrible and tragic misunderstanding came about as a result.
"I asked Morgan, not you," Mufasa said, causing my face to warm up very quickly before I looked at Morgan and waited for an answer.
"Because... because I'm a useless idiot who doesn't think before he acts," he answered, punctuated by a stunned silence. Where the hell did that come from?
"Look, Mufasa, the onus was on us to tell Morgan not to hunt at all, let alone kill a calf, but he acted before we could tell him, so we have some responsibility for this," said Sarafina, putting an end to the silence.
Mufasa sighed and closed his eyes before looking up to the sky. His expression became more resolute before he instructed,
"Alex, you will decide Morgan's punishment, and see to it that you make peace with the buffalos and ensure an orderly transition of power," he ordered.
"Yes, M... Your Majesty," I corrected myself. I was humbled into formality and would not risk disrespecting Mufasa at this point.
"Zazu, Sarafina, inform the buffaloes of the news," Mufasa instructed.
"Affirmative," Zazu replied immediately before flapping his wings and ascending above the coppice.
"As you wish," Sarafina nodded before following Zazu's path.
"C'mon, Morgan, it's time to go," I said but got no answer. I then looked in the direction of where he was standing and saw nothing but the flourishing flora of the coppice. I quickly turned my head in the other direction and saw the boy standing over the corpse of the buffalo calf.
"I'm so sorry... you're dead because of me, your dad is dead because of me," Morgan lamented. I walked up to him and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Are you okay?" I asked.
"I'm a murderer, Alex," Morgan said in a harrowing whisper.
"No, you're not a murderer, you did what you did because you wanted to eat, you did what our ancestors would have done millennia ago, you didn't kill him out of spite or vengeance or just for the sake of it," I said firmly. "Whether you are a criminal is one question, but you are definitively not a murderer, and if someone ever calls you that, you send them to me to sort out," I said while playfully punching his shoulder, unsure if it was an appropriate thing to do in that situation, but at least it elicited a weak smile on Morgan's face. Still, it faded when he saw where the knife once was.
"Where is the knife now?" he asked. "I don't want to see it ever again, I want to bury it, I want to destroy it, I want to make sure it never hurts another innocent person," he said, almost descending into tears.
"I think there's more to this knife than meets the eye," I said. "I never picked up the knife from here, and yet it came to be in my possession in the woods," I added.
"You think it's... magic?" Morgan asked, looking up at me in amazement.
"Don't tell me you're surprised by such a concept," I replied.
"Well... it just makes me think that we have no choice in our actions, no power in shaping our path, no say in our destiny," Morgan said. I recognised that line of thought in more ways than one, and I was guilty of doing it this very day.
"You absolutely have power, you have the power to create a whole new reality and one day, you'll have the power to create life itself," I replied promptly.
"Can we go home now?" Morgan asked. I paused for a moment. If someone offered me a chance to return to my home in London; to my Xbox, to my warm coffee in the winter mornings, to deciding for myself how to spend my day, to my phone, to my family... for the first time, I wouldn't know how to answer. I miss them more than anything, but could I walk away from this? Despite being caught in a diplomatic dispute, despite the sinkhole incident, despite being charged by a buffalo, I wouldn't be able to find it in my heart to abandon the Pride. Not only do I have obligations here, I have loved ones here. People who I love platonically but also as if they were family.
"Yes, let's go home," I replied.
"When you have conveyed Morgan's punishment, you will accompany us to Chakula Plains where the buffalos are today, and we will inform them of the accident, and you will introduce yourself as the new Leader of the Buffalo Herd, and goodness knows what you'll do to lead them, you don't know a thing about buffalos or their ways," Zazu explained and said the last part with gritted teeth. We were now standing at the foot of Pride Rock, and when Sarabi descended the slope beside the promontory, her smile of pride and anticipation dissipated when she saw our expressions of mourning and guilt.
"What's the matter?" she inquired.
I took in a shaky breath of air and looked down at Morgan.
"A horrible misunderstanding happened..." I began.
"Morgan... did something he wasn't supposed to," Sarafina sighed.
"Oh, for goodness sake, I killed Hasira's son, okay? Let's not sugarcoat this - I went to hide my knife and then I saw a buffalo calf that I thought would make a nice meal for me and Alex, but I realised too late that I wasn't supposed to be hunting and that the buffalo was Hasira's son," Morgan said heatedly and pointedly, leaving everyone who could hear his voice stunned into silence.
"Wait, wait... he killed Hasira's son... with a knife?" Sarabi asked with shock weighing down on her voice. "What knife?" she asked further.
"The knife that was used in the attempt on Morgan's life, Rafiki gave it to Alex, who, in turn, gave it to Morgan," Mufasa answered.
"Rafiki," Sarabi whispered. "So there is a reason to all of this, maybe even extending to the conflict with the jackals," she surmised.
"It appears so, but even if this is part of a bigger picture, we must proceed as we would normally - Sarafina will inform Hasira's daughter, Vuruga Vuruga, of her brother's death, Zazu will inform her of her father's death in the challenge, and introduce Alex as the new Leader of the Buffalo Herd," Mufasa said.
"Technicality," Zazu muttered.
"Thank you, Zazu, but first, as the adult responsible for Morgan, Alex will decide the terms of his punishment," Mufasa declared, which was underscored by a nod directed at me.
"If I may, Mufasa, I wish to consult with Morgan in private," I said while looking at Morgan. He suddenly seemed anxious and his eyes frantically darted between the lions.
"Uh... let's go, Morgan," I said as made a ring of my palm and fingers around his wrist. It took some effort for him to be extricated from where he stood.
"Help me," he whispered to one of the lions.
"What was that?" I asked looking over my shoulder as we ascended the slope beside the promontory.
"Nothing!" Morgan quickly replied. Even as we crested the slope and walked along the relatively flat surface, it felt as if Morgan was leaning against me. By the time we were at the mouth of the cave, he was physically pulling against me.
"What's gotten into you?" I asked, frustration beginning to get the better of me. "Don't make this harder than it has to be," I said before I bent my legs to pick him up around his waist and lift him over my shoulder.
"No, please! I thought I would be safe here, I thought I could trust you, I thought you were different!" Morgan shouted as he hammered his fists against my back at the same time he was kicking his legs in tandem, and his swinging foot caught my stomach, causing me to keel over and instinctively move to cover my stomach, but that meant the grip in the hand in which I held holding Morgan was undermined, and faster than I could realise what had happened and ignore the pain, Morgan fell to the floor, eliciting a rather forced scream of agony.
"What the fuck?!" I exclaimed as my senses were under attack on multiple fronts. I took a step back as I covered my ears, but the pain in my stomach still made its presence known. I could only retreat for the sake of my ears.
"Go on then, do it! Hit me! Smack me! That's my punishment, isn't it?" Morgan yelled through tears. My face fell in horror. How could he think I would do that to him? And then, like another kick to the stomach, my heart sank in realisation.
"Oh, my God..." I gasped. There was a hint of this earlier in his answer to Mufasa. He was being abused. And then I collapsed against the cave wall when I came to another realisation - I had been using the language of an abuser. Drowning in guilt and sympathy, I allowed tears to fall from my own eyes.
"Now I realise... I could see the pain in your eyes, I could hear it in your voice," I said quietly now that Morgan had calmed down by this point. He was lying on his side on the floor in a fetal position, his right hand on his left shoulder. "You were beaten by your parent with fists and words, weren't you?" I surmised. Morgan's head moved in confirmation. I blinked and another tear stung my eye, just as my heart was stung by this revelation.
"My Dad beat me, called me useless, tried to control every aspect of my life," Morgan revealed.
"That's not what a good father does. No parent should lay a finger on their child in anger, and if that's the only way they know to put their point across, then they were never fit to be a dad," I said with a contemptuous growl. Morgan's right hand slowly made its way to his left elbow and he let himself fall onto his back.
"My Dad would hit me when I misbehaved or was disobedient," Morgan said quietly. "I deserved it," he claimed. I shook my head vociferously.
"No," I quickly refuted as I pushed my arms and legs against the floor and wall to get up quickly. "You didn't deserve that, nobody deserves that," I said as I sat down next to Morgan on a sloping indent in the wall. "Whatever you did, how you were punished was not right," I added. I couldn't conceive of the idea of hitting your child - an extension of yourself, the product of your love for the person you chose to create life with. No matter how frustrating they might be, to resort to hitting one's child is an act of weakness and cowardice. A thought borne from horror and contempt then entered my mind.
"Did your mother know what your dad did to you?" I asked. Was she taking him to someone who she knew was hurting him?
"No, she didn't know, but I think she was being forced to take me, my dad was threatening to fight for custody of me unless she took me to South Africa, and it's because of him that she's dead," Morgan broke down and curled up once again in a ball of sorrow and regret, his cries of anguish once again filling the otherwise empty cave. I slid my body down the indent and reconfigured my body so I could lie beside Morgan. I then stroked his hair, and the boy responded by practically attaching himself to me.
"It's okay, he can't hurt you anymore, he can't take anything else from you," I assured him. We lay there together on the dusty floor in a rather muggy cave for what seemed like an hour, but the moment was cut short by a voice calling into the cave.
"Alex, Morgan? Are you okay? Have you decided on a sanction yet?" the voice asked. I raised my head to find that it was indeed Sarafina. She had a reassured expression on her face, appreciating our current connection.
"As a matter of fact, Sarafina, I have," I answered as I used the indent to pull myself up to my feet. Morgan asked the question with his eyes and the brows above them, accentuated by a slight turning of his head.
"His sanction is that he won't be allowed anywhere in the Pride Lands without someone to escort him and that someone will be me," I declared. Sarafina reacted with a cocked brow, showing her confusion at what she thought to be a rather lenient punishment for such a breach of the law, but then her expression softened as if she knew she could trust me to have a good reason for this sanction.
"Well, if that's settled, we shall make our way to Chakula Plains," Sarafina declared.
"The first thing you need to know about buffalos is that they are honourable," Zazu explained as he flew above our heads. "As strangers, you will have to introduce yourselves in the correct manner, which is to bow your heads before you tell them your names, and then Sarafina will say her part, then I will say my part, then you, Alex, will introduce yourself as their new leader," Zazu said. I couldn't help but scoff at the absurdity of where I found myself. I had survived a plane crash with a boy nearly half my age, I found out that animals could speak English, had concepts of authority and had an intricate & interweaving society, that animals had diplomatic relationships with each other, and that magic existed, and then a teleporting assassin tried to kill the boy, and then I formed a bond with a pride of lions, and now I am the leader of a buffalo herd.
"Oh, hi there, my name is Alex, I might be of a completely different species but just killed your last leader and I'm your new leader," I said sarcastically. "This is..." I stopped myself from swearing. "...insane."
"You're not wrong, that is weird," Morgan remarked.
"Yeah, well, this whole situation is a rather exceptional set of circumstances," I said sharply, rendering the boy silent. Guilt stung my heart at my comment. "I'm sorry... look, I know a way to make this right," I said.
"And what might that be?" Zazu asked with an unimpressed tone.
"I may not be able to restore the lives of her brother and father, but I will make sure that she inherits her birthright as the daughter of the former Leader of the Buffalo Herd," I answered.
"Hmph, good luck squaring that circle," Zazu rolled his eyes before he flew ahead of us and landed before the herd of buffalos, some of whom were resting on the grass and others were wallowing in mud. A young but large female stood up upon being approached by Sarafina and Zazu.
"Vuruga Vuruga, I come to you today with dreadful news," Sarafina said softly. It was barely audible from where we were standing. "I regret to inform you that, in a truly tragic misunderstanding, your youngest brother was slain in a hunting accident," Sarafina said mournfully. Upon hearing this, Vuruga Vuruga's expression conveyed understandable shock and disbelief, quickly turning into a sorrow deeper than the darkest ocean.
"No, it can't be... it just can't be," Vuruga Vuruga whimpered. I couldn't imagine what it would do to me if I lost Lewis, and it was at this moment that I felt a surge of guilt at the thought of nearly thrusting that grief on him myself. Her fellow buffalos joined Vuruga Vuruga as they comforted her. "Hatia, my baby brother... how could you be taken so soon?" she lamented.
"I'm so sorry for your loss," Sarafina said. Vuruga Vuruga could only nod in acknowledgement of Sarafina's condolences as a tear streamed from her closed eyes.
"How... how did my brother die?" Vuruga Vuruga conjured the courage to seek the answer to a question no sibling should have to ask.
Sarafina sighed before she glanced over her shoulder, where she could see the killer of the buffalo's sibling. She was afraid of what might happen after she told Vuruga Vuruga who killed Hatia. Was it really a good idea to bring Morgan to the sister of his victim?
"He was killed by... by Morgan, thinking that he would not have to rely on the hunting party, and not realising that he shouldn't have been hunting, and I can assure you that Hatia did not suffer," Sarafina said.
Vuruga Vuruga's lips wobbled as she glared at Morgan, who looked to the floor when he noticed the weight of her eyes fall on him. The anger and hatred in them terrified him. His eyes told me that he felt like a hideous monster, having done something that inspired such emotions in a person.
"What was his punishment? Why does he still walk free?" Vuruga Vuruga asked. I wasn't looking forward to what her reaction would be when she found out that I killed her father.
"His punishment is to remain under the watch of the older human until he comes of age, and that he lives with the guilt of what he did. He will also be forbidden from engaging in solo hunts," Sarafina answered. Vuruga Vuruga shook her head and snorted.
"He lives... while my brother is dead," she growled. "How can that be just?" she questioned.
"Death is never just, but it can serve a purpose. What do you wish to happen to his body?" Sarafina asked.
"He was killed in the name of the Circle of Life, then that is what the purpose of his death will serve, Morgan may eat his kill, and may the guilt sit in his gut like a cramp that won't go away, just as our pain and emptiness will linger until our journey in the Circle of Life is ended," Vuruga Vuruga declared.
"So be it," Sarafina replied before she motioned for Zazu to make his announcement.
"Madame Vuruga Vuruga, as the King's majordomo, I am bound by the King's law to inform you, the daughter of the last Leader of the Buffalo Herd, that there has been a challenge for the mantle of the Leader of the Buffalo Herd and, in accordance with buffalo law, the challenge has concluded with a new Leader,"
"Wha-?" Vuruga Vuruga shook her head in disbelief. "Where is this new leader? Where is my father?" she demanded. It broke my heart to think of losing my father and brother on the same day. I would probably die of a broken heart. I thrust that eventuality on Vuruga Vuruga, so it was the least I owed her to tell her what happened to her father. I promptly walked forward and stopped only when I was beside Sarafina and Zazu. I then bowed my head and kept it there for a moment, almost afraid to look into the eyes of the daughter of the father I killed.
Vuruga Vuruga let her head fall in response and was slow to raise it again. It was as if grief had stolen her strength and energy.
"I am the new Leader," I announced as soon as I raised my head. Vuruga Vuruga looked at me with bewilderment that almost surpassed the grief in her eyes.
"You? You... you come here, cause unrest, think you're high and mighty with your powers, and you think you can be our leader?" she asked in an astounded tone.
"Vuruga Vuruga, I challenged your father because he refused to let due process play out. I am to be a guardian of this land's law, I cannot make an exception. He didn't accept the challenge verbally but engaged with me in combat. We both fought with courage and honour, and we both fought with what we were given - Hasira by birth and me by destiny," I said. "I... I defeated your father with the same knife that ended your brother's life," I fought to keep my eyes up. I owed her that much.
"My father... is dead?" Vuruga Vuruga asked quietly. I could see in her already sullen eyes that her world was broken all over again before she could even pick up the pieces.
"I'm so sorry," I barely spoke. "If there was another way to ensure justice, I would have chosen it," I said.
"You... you murdered my father! You allowed this boy to walk free after he took my brother's life, and you speak of justice? I will not accept you as our leader!" she cried.
"If I may interject, Madame Vuruga Vuruga, but per buffalo law, Alex is the new Leader of your herd, and even though this is unprecedented, so is refusing to recognise a new leader... at least without challenging them," Zazu explained.
"And that is why I come to you now, to invite you to challenge me for the mantle of Leader of the Buffalo Herd," I said. Everyone looked at me as if I had said something unutterable.
"Now I have seen everything," Zazu exhaled. Sarafina's expression evolved from shock to concern and anxiety.
"Alex, you don't have to do this," she said. "There has to be another way, I don't want to see you get hurt, even if being hurt isn't as painful for you, it is still painful for me... for Morgan,"
"I have to do this properly. That is the least I owe," I replied. "What say you, Vuruga Vuruga?" I asked. The buffalo in question could only look intently at the floor and then at her herd. It was as if she was debating whether or not to accept the challenge, and therefore accept me as the Leader of the Buffalo Herd, at least for the moment, with her eyes alone.
"I accept... your invite," Vuruga Vuruga said at length. "I challenge you for the mantle of the Leader of the Buffalo Herd," she declared, making it clear that she held the idea that a human could lead the buffalo herd for even a moment and on a technicality with the deepest contempt she could muster. She was fuelled by vengeance and honour and immediately charged me.
"Ah... right, yes, I was rather hoping that we could do this more ceremonially," I said quickly as she unrelentingly ran as fast as she could in my direction. She took no notice of my blathering. "I yield!" I declared loudly, hoping that she would skid to a halt at the last minute, but that hope faded almost instantaneously when she reared her head to the side and swung it in my direction.
"I YIEL-" I cried before I was silenced by an impact centred around my chest that took me off my feet and, in landing, caused me to roll backwards over my head.
"Are you okay, Alex?" Sarafina's voice became more defined as she rushed towards me. It took me a moment to recover from being winded. When Sarafina saw that I was struggling to lift myself up, she reached out her paw for me to hold on to as leverage to pull myself up. It was another moment where I reflected on the surreal nature of where I was now. I took a moment to feel the softness of her fur but also the strength and firmness of the extremity.
"Thanks... I think that's enough interaction with the buffalos for one day," I breathed.
"I'll say... but at least you put things as right as they can be," Sarafina said with a comforting smile. I nodded before looking behind me to see Morgan's expression evolve from frightened to relieved. He was holding his right shoulder with his left hand and his left side with his right. Will this happen again - Morgan getting into trouble and me getting him out of it? Fixing a mess he makes?
I don't care. I'll do it however many times it takes for him to be free and happy. That's all he deserves. There isn't a malicious bone in his body. He fell into a chasm of guilt for something he did by accident and was consumed with burning regret for something that was done to him and was gaslit into thinking was his fault. I will always advocate for him, even if that conflicts with my duty as the Guardian. The duty I hold over Morgan is of a universal mandate.
Zazu lighted between myself and Vuruga Vuruga and cleared his throat to earn the attention of the audience of the duel.
"Under the power bestowed on me by His Majesty, King Mufasa, as a spectator of this duel, I declare that Vuruga Vuruga has emerged victorious and is now the Leader of the Buffalo Herd," he announced.
"Congratulations, Vuruga Vuruga, I am relieved of this burden that you now carry, and I hope you may come to forgive me and Morgan for what we did," I said.
"Burden?" Vuruga Vuruga scoffed. "You were our leader on a technicality for a matter of moments. You know not what it's like to be a buffalo, let alone what it means to lead them. My father died in the name of vengeance, and in the name of my father, I will convey neither condemnation nor forgiveness for you," she said. "As for Morgan, I will forever regard him as the boy who took my brother from me, and the consequences of which, my father died. I have no judgment to offer him but contempt," she added. "As Leader of the Buffalo Herd, I declare that Morgan shall never be allowed in Chakula Plains."
"Hmm... I'm not sure you have the authority to refuse a citizen of the Pride Lands-" Zazu was cut off by Morgan.
"It's okay, Zazu, that's a perfectly fair punishment and one that I will not challenge. You will not see me in Buffalo territory ever again," Morgan declared before he promptly turned to walk back in the direction of Pride Rock.
We returned to Pride Rock with Zazu and myself engaging in a conversation regarding constitutional politics. I told him how my country's laws were made and he was simultaneously fascinated and horrified at the concept of liberal democracy. "What's stopping the flies on the lion's nose from getting a vote?" he would say. To that, I replied that even the flies played a role in the Circle of Life. I then told him about the recent rise of populism in human democracies, how reality was being politicised, and how decency and consideration were being vilified. I told him about Brexit, which explained to him by comparing it to the Pride Lands deciding to leave the Council of Kings.
"Well, you might disagree, but I think the only thing that Mufasa should answer to is his family and Aiehu," Zazu said.
"Even if we disagree, I do enjoy having someone to talk about this kind of stuff, I used to be interested in human politics when I lived in London, it was difficult for someone like myself to join with likeminded people in a cause I believed in, but here, I can do exactly that," I said.
"You and I are similar, Alex. Everyone calls me boring, but when things get interesting, I'm the first bird people refer to for answers," Zazu remarked.
"I get why 'may you live in interesting times' is more of a curse than a well-wish," I said.
"Oh, and speaking of the Council of Kings, the King wished to speak with you on the matter, I think he wanted you to accompany him to the summit by the Great Lake," the hornbill informed me. The idea that Mufasa trusted me to such a degree that he would make me a part of his diplomatic mission instilled both pride and anxiety in my heart. And by Great Lake, I guessed that Zazu was referring to what humans would call Lake Victoria. At that moment, even though I knew it was an area rife with human activity, I had no thought of escaping back into human civilisation. What would I be escaping from? I have a loving home, I have duties that leave me with a sense of purpose and fulfilment. More than what I left in London.
"Yes, he'll fill you in on the details sometime later," the bird said as we finally arrived in the immediate vicinity beneath Pride Rock. "Well, I must admit, I didn't think you would achieve what you achieved, and I commend you for handling that difficult situation... relatively diplomatically," Zazu complimented.
"Thanks, I guess," I chuckled sheepishly. Zazu seemed like the type of person from whom it was difficult to earn praise. I then noticed that Morgan was sitting against the rock on which the promontory of Pride Rock lay. He had his arms wrapped around his bruised shins, his hands now cleaned of blood, but he still looked at them as if they were coated in the crimson liquid. "I'll catch you later, Z," I turned to bid him farewell for the time being.
"Z? No one has ever called me that," the blue-feathered bird remarked on my almost total truncation of his name, which made me chuckle, but my smile fell when my eyes fell upon Morgan once more. I walked over to Morgan and only stopped when my shadow covered his entirety.
"Hey," I said nonchalantly.
"Hey," he replied lowly. I then sat down beside him and let out a sigh.
"What a day," I exhaled as I put my left hand on the left side of my face and let it fall. "And it's only just gone noon," I added.
"Remember our first day here? We were hungry and tired and we were waiting to die, and the only thing that brought me comfort was the idea of joining my mum in a peaceful sleep that lasted forever. That would have been better than any day of my life,"
"Well... I'm sure that's not entirely true," I said after swallowing the urge to cry having listened to Morgan's harrowing recollection. "There must be one day that was worth being born for?"
"Only moments in those days and most of those moments were dwarfed by the suffering inflicted on me," Morgan answered.
"I have felt like the only answer was pain, that the only solution was death, but with patience, I found that the answer was to carry on and tell yourself that you can be someone and do something if you are first patient with yourself," I said. "I used to think that I was a fundamentally bad person because I felt the way I did about myself, but I then realised that wasn't what made me a bad person, but if I had misused my gifts, hadn't shown remorse for hurting people, and let my mistakes define me," I added. "If you're looking to take your path in life, the one thing you have to do is to forgive yourself for your mistakes," I concluded.
"I suppose you're right," Morgan said after a brief moment of silent reflection. "And there was one day that was worth being born for, and that was the day I met you," he said. That profound comment threatened to rip apart my heartstrings. Just the notion that all of his suffering and pain was worth it so he could meet me... was I that much of a contrast, a source of hope and love for him? Was my entrance into his life a greater joy than the sorrow of his mother being taken from him? I had no words with which I could convey in response my gratitude for his sentiment, so I leaned in to embrace him and kissed his forehead. The boy responded by holding onto my right arm.
"Indeed, everything that has happened in my life has led me to meet you, and I wouldn't have it any other way," I replied as I cradled Morgan as gently as the breeze that passed us like the time that elapsed until it was ended by Mufasa interrupting the moment by clearing his throat.
"Oh, Mufasa," I said hurriedly as I rotated my body clockwise and then rose to my feet. "Look, about earlier..."
"It's in the past," he cut me off. "You did what you could to uphold due process, and it's not your fault that you weren't ultimately successful, and you did your best to make amends for what you did, so as far as I'm concerned, you are forgiven,"
"But... I killed your friend, one of your citizens, how are you so... chill about this?" I asked. If something like this happened in human society, the legal consequences would have been protracted over weeks at best, let alone the mental consequences.
"Hasira's journey in the Circle of Life was always going to end this way, it is only when it happens that we realise it. It hurts because it was unexpected, but the pain is soothed in the knowledge that it was done by the law," the King replied.
"Fine... whatever," I shook my head. I guessed that death was a more common fixture of life in this part of the world. In less civilised areas, it was common for innocent cubs to die. The Circle of Life is vicious. "Zazu said you wanted to speak with me about this Council of Kings... thing," I said.
"Ah, yes... well, I had hoped it would be conveyed in better circumstances, but I would like to formally invite you to my mission to the Council of Kings summit," Mufasa declared.
I exhaled as my heart beat strongly at the thought of the King deeming me worthy of accompanying him to this prestigious event that presumably had a lot at stake.
"I would be honoured," I chuckled. "Thank you!"
"The honour is mine, I can think of no more worthy person than yourself to join me on what can be a perilous journey... especially for Simba,"
"Simba? Why is Simba coming?" I asked. I wouldn't have thought Simba was ready for the delicate intricacies of diplomacy.
"I thought it was appropriate to take him to his first Council summit to give him the head start that I never got... and the journey also coincides with the Path of the Prince," Mufasa said hesitantly.
"The Path of the Prince?" I repeated.
"It's a tradition of our kingdom in which King and Prince, monarch and heir, father and son, partake in a trial that tests their endurance, their mettle, their leadership, their honour," Mufasa explained. "It involves climbing the Great Mountain," he said.
"Wait... you mean Kilimanjaro?" I asked in disbelief. I couldn't tell if it was more for the idea that the trial demanded this of a cub or the prospect of fulfilling a long-held ambition. Would I have to climb it without safety equipment? I doubt a lion would freely ascend the trails marked by humans.
"Indeed. The very mountain you can see to the east on a clear high sun," Mufasa confirmed.
"But where does that leave Morgan?" I asked, regarding his fresh punishment of having to be by my side at every moment until he comes of age.
"I'm afraid he must remain here. This journey is not safe for a child,"
"Oh, but it's okay for Simba to climb a mountain," I nodded sarcastically before shaking my head. "I know it's tradition and all, but surely you can see the double standard?" I questioned the King.
"I can, and the danger is exactly the point of the Trial. As the upholder of our customs, I am obliged to perpetuate it," Mufasa replied.
"You are the King. You can make laws, you can abolish laws, you can make your own legacy," I countered.
"If we were to forsake our traditions, we would lose what makes us who we are, we would lose a vital connection with our ancestors. On this particular tradition, I agree that it is too barbaric, and I will be the last King to partake in it, for I shall abolish it upon its completion," the King declared.
"Are you sure that you're the first one to say that? Why would you put Simba through something you think is unconscionable?" I questioned.
"Because Simba won't be alone," Mufasa smiled.
I nodded in understanding. "Right... right, forgive me," I said quietly.
"No, it's fine," Mufasa affirmed. "I know how you feel about things like this, but you put your feelings aside in the name of your duty. That's one of the reasons why I respect you," he said.
Wow. A king respects me. A member of a mighty species has respect for me. And I am about to accompany them on a journey to a meeting with other kings. What is life?
"And I you, for what it's worth," I grinned. "Are we to tell Simba?" I asked.
Mufasa answered after a few seconds filled with silence. "Yes, I'll tell him," he said. I wondered if he was deciding how to inform Simba, whether he would take advantage of Simba's curiosity. If you told the cub that he'd be taken on a great adventure that would challenge him and test his worthiness as a future king, he would be sold on the idea even before you could finish the pitch.
"Any idea what our parents are talking about?" Nala asked as she walked into the main cave of Pride Rock.
"I dunno, something to do with Morgan and Alex and the buffalos," Simba sighed. "They speak of an accident... a tragedy," he added.
"My mom said that Hasira died and that Vuruga Vuruga is the new leader of the Buffalo Herd,"
"Wh- really? Wow... that's sudden," Simba remarked. "Hasira was a good friend of my Dad, he was wise and honourable,"
"Forgive me for thinking this, but... you don't think... Alex or Morgan was behind this, do you?"
"No... no, no!" Simba shook his head unequivocally. "There's gotta be an explanation for this," he added. "What makes you think that?" the Prince asked.
"I dunno, it's just that... a lot of crazy... scary stuff has happened since they arrived, and nothing like what has happened before," Nala replied.
"That may be, but they also got us out of that crazy, scary stuff, and as long as they remain here, we'll be okay," Simba remarked, remembering when Morgan comforted him when he was trapped in the sinkhole, and when Alex made sure he got medical attention after being bitten by a snake.
"Yeah... but this situation with the buffalos is weird. My mom was very keen to change the subject," Nala said. "Oh, speaking of which, my mom told me that we were going to see my Dad... in fact, we're heading to my father's kingdom tomorrow," she revealed to Simba's dismay, which he made a poor attempt at concealing.
"Oh, I see..." he said lowly. "So soon?" he chuckled.
"I meant to tell you earlier. I found out the morning after Alex and Morgan's ceremony, but I couldn't find a time to break it to you until now, I'm sorry it's such short notice," Nala apologised.
"How long are you going for?"
"Well, we're going in time to see him off to the Council of Kings thing he has to go to, and we'll remain there until he returns and then we will all visit you in the Pride Lands," Nala explained her itinerary.
"Oh, how every day without you by my side will seem like an endless night," the Prince lamented as he nuzzled his future Queen.
"Wherever our paths take us, know that I'll always be with you... in your heart," Nala said as she returned the favour.
"Ah, there you are, Simba," Mufasa called from outside the cave. "Hello there, Nala," the King acknowledged the future Queen.
"Good day, Mufasa," Nala replied with a nod.
"Can I just borrow Simba for a moment?" the mighty lion asked of the small cub.
"Of course," Nala acquiesced. "I need to see my mom about tomorrow. See you later, Simba," she said as she nuzzled her best friend before she emerged from the basin of darkness into the ocean of light.
"Is it about Hasira and his son?" Simba asked when Nala was beyond the point of overhearing.
"So you know about that tragedy?" Mufasa surmised. "Hasira was a good friend, but to lose his son..." Mufasa sighed.
"I didn't know his son well, we only played together once, but he was nice," Simba replied.
"Indeed. But that's not what I wanted to talk with you about," Mufasa responded. "How would you like to go on an adventure?"
"An adventure?" Simba echoed excitedly. "Where to?" he asked.
"Our ultimate destination will be the Council of Kings summit by the Great Lake, but before then, we will embark on a quest to test your resolve as a future king,"
"I'm in," Simba blurted out faster than Mufasa could perceive.
"Now before you make your decision, I must warn you that this quest will test our bond as father and son as well as Sovereign and Heir- wait, you're..."
"You're telling me that I get to live out one of my dreams? That I get to play out the subject of the games I play with my friends?"
"This isn't something to be taken lightly, my son, it's a tradition that carries great danger,"
"All I want is to be worthy of you, to make you proud, and if I pass this test, I will achieve that," Simba professed. Mufasa's heart deepened at this sentiment, but the emotion was soured by the question of whether he ever said or did anything that caused his son to question whether his father was proud of him.
"Simba, you don't need to pass a test for me to be proud of you. I have been proud of you since the moment you were born. I couldn't have asked for a more handsome, honourable, noble and courageous son. If anything, I wonder how I am worthy to be blessed with a son like you," Mufasa said. To this, Simba nuzzled his father as if he was trying to dissolve into his mane. Mufasa chuckled as he returned the gesture by placing his left paw on his son's back.
"I love you, Dad," Simba's muffled voice could be heard.
"I love you too, son," Mufasa replied. "And guess what?" he elicited Simba's gaze.
"Alex is coming too."
A/N: Well, that could have gone worse. But what will this 'adventure' entail for Simba? How exactly will it test their relationship? We'll have to wait until the next few chapters to find out. And to celebrate the 30th anniversary year of The Lion King, one of my unofficial resolutions is to complete this story by the end of this year. I'll probably fail miserably, but it's the effort that counts. Anyway, thank you for reading and don't forget to review constructively and add it to your favourite/follow lists. See you next time.