Chapter 2, The Future King

A lone young male lion with auburn fur and a brown mane came up along banks of the watering hole. He stood along the water's edge, where he narrowed his head and began to drink. Suddenly, he heard the faint rustling of grass from behind. The young male then paused. He glanced back, scanning the long grass. Only to see there was nothing there. Slowly he turned his head back and continued to the watering hole and continued to drink.

And then heard it again. As the blades of long grass brushed against one another caused his ear to flicker. The young male raised his head, glancing back to the field of tall grass.

And then he heard another faint rustling. This one sounded close by. The young male squinted his eyes, scanning the tall grass. Slowly, he hunkered down as he crept toward the grass. He came up under the long branch of a nearby acacia tree, unaware that he was being watched from above.

Perched over the branch above, a figure hidden by the shadows of the brush above. He peered down over the young male lion, who continued to stare ahead through the tall grass. As he came out from under the branch from which he stood perched, the young male then paused.

Ceasing his chance, the figure above then leaped down from the branch above.

Before the young male could even react, he was then forced to the ground. He felt something wrap around his torso, holding him as tight as a rock python with it's prey. His captor then rolled over onto his back, pulling him along before being thrown to the into the grass. The young male landed over his side before he slid to a stop. He got back up quickly and pounced at the figure. Only to be caught by two firm hands which gripped his shoulder, forcing him to stand over his hind legs.

The figure then pushed the young male back, his paws slid along the dirt. He then threw the lion the ground as he came over top of him. The two rolled over one another before the young male found himself over his back, pinned by the two muscular arms of his assailant.

"Pinned ya."

"Seriously," Kovu said, glancing up with an annoyed expression.

"Your using Nala's thing now?"

Standing over top of Kovu, the figure was revealed to be Jay.

"Who else am I going to try it out on?" He insisted to him.

Kovu groan as he pushed Jay off of him with two front paws.

Eleven years had passed in the Pridelands, in that very time Jay had grown into a young man. He was eighteen years of age, tall with a quite muscular frame. His skin was darkly tanned and his dark brown hair was long, reaching down to the top of his back. Wearing but a loincloth made from the skin of a wildebeest which was wrapped firmly around his waist with his hunting dagger at his side.

Kovu stood up off the ground as he looked up at Jay

"You know, you can't always be up in the trees all the time," Kovu proclaimed.

"Sooner or later, your going to hunt from the ground like the rest of us."

Jay smirked.

"Your just jealous that I caught you again." He said.

Kovu rolled his eyes.

"Please, you got lucky," He pointed out.

"And what kind of lion hunts from the trees?"

"One that can climb." Jay claimed.

"Yeah," Kovu said, smirking.

"And one that looks like a chimp."

"Oh, yeah?" Jay said.

Jay then lunged onto Kovu as rolled over one another. The two tackled each other like the cubs of whom they were once were. Plowing through the tall grass, they came out into a nearby clearing. Where Timon and Pumbaa were huddled next to a log. A sudden shadow then loomed came over Timon, who glanced back and saw Jay falling over him.

Though before he could react, Jay fell over top of him as he Kovu pinned him down over the log.

"Come on," Kovu said.

"Say it, say it!"

"Okay, Okay," Jay said as Kovu pressed him down against the Log.

"I Give, I give."

Kovu smirked, seeing Jay admit he had beaten him.

"Will you two give it a rest?"

Jay and kovu looked back and saw Nala, who was now a fully grown beautiful lioness, coming out of the long grass. The sight of her along caused Kovu to tense up. He glanced away, trying to hide away his feelings.

"Nala." Jay said.

"Why do you two always have to fight over everything?" Nala asked.

"Were just playing around." Jay insisted.

"Uh, yeah." Kovu said, nervously.

Right then they heard a faint muffling from under Jay. The two glanced down and saw something trying to warm it's way out from under him. Jay got up quickly and upon looking back, they saw Timon, laying flat over the ground.

"Timon!" He gasped.

Timon gasped for air as he stood from the ground.

"Geese, what's the big idea?" He exclaimed, glancing up at Jay.

"Sorry, Timon." Jay said.

"Me and Kovu were just practicing for our first hunt tomorrow."

Timon stood up, dusting himself off.

"Carnivores." He said, as he walked over to the Pumbaa.

"Always rough housing and chasing you dinner everywhere. Why can't you lions be like us?"

Pumbaa leaned down his head, digging his tusks under the log as he hoisted it up. Underneath, they saw a whole bunch of bugs crawling about.

"Who needs to chase an antelope around," he said as he turned back with a large slimy bug in his arms.

"When you can just forage under a log?"

Pumbaa dropped the log.

"Slimy yet satisfying." He proclaimed.

"And so high in protein." Timon proclaimed before taking a bite out of it.

Kovu and Nala stared, repulsively at the meerkat eating the grub.

"Yeah, no thanks." Kovu said, shaking his head.

"Lions are proud hunter's Timon," Jay insisted to him.

"We play a vital role in keeping the circle of Life in Balence."

Jay glanced to Kovu with a cocky smirk over his face.

"And besides," Jay insisted, looking back at Nala.

"If I can catch Kovu, the I can catch a zebra or a wildebeest easy."

Kovu groaned and rolled his eyes. Kovu stepped up, glancing to Nala.

"Did you really have to show him how to pin?" she asked, curiously.

Nala glanced to the side and then shifted her eyes back to Kovu, grinning. She may have taught Jay a thing or two about pinning. Though she could exactly take all the credit. After using on him for so long, he started to really get the hang of the trick.

"Well actually, he figured most of our himself," She said.

"He's a fast learner."

Jay glanced back at Nala, smirking.

Kovu of which rolled his eyes.

"Of course he is." He said.

"Come on, Kovu," He said, walking over to the nearby tree.

"Lighten up. Tomorrows our first hunt with mother and the lionesses, remember?"

Kovu sighed, remembering they were to hunt with the lionesses for the first time. It was then that Nala came up next to Kovu and playfully she nudged him. Kovu of which tense up again by the sudden gesture. He raised his head as he glanced to her.

"He's right, Kovu," Nala claimed, glancing back to him.

"We have to be ready for tomorrows hunt."

"Right." Kovu said.

It was true that tomorrow was an important day. When the three of them would endure their first hunt with Sarabi and the lioness. It was a proud tradition of the Pride. One that went back generations.

"Relax, Kovu," Jay said as he turned and leaped up to the branch above.

He grabbed hold and slowly began to pull himself up.

"We got this," He proclaimed.

"You'll see. Tomorrow, we're going to become the best hunters in the Pride."

Nala and Kovu came up Jay and laid down under the tree. Placing his hands behind his head, Jay uttered a sigh of relief.

"Sire, Sire!" a voice called

Jay glanced up and saw Zazu flying overhead.

"Zazu?"

Zazu flew down in to the human Prince.

"Sire, your father asks for you." Zazu stated.

Jay stood up as he sat over the branch.

"Is something wrong?" Jay asked, curiously.

Zazu shook his head.

"Not at all," Zazu insisted, shaking his head.

"But he insists you come at once. There's something he wishes to speak to you about in regards to the hunt tomorrow."

Jay glanced back down at Kovu and Nala, who gazed up at them curiously. He then turned back to Zazu.

"I'll be right there." He insisted.

Zazu nodded his head as he flew ahead. Jay of which then hopped down from the branch above.

"What's going on?" Nala asked, curiously.

Jay shrugged.

"I don't know," he insisted.

"Come on."

The three then made their way down the hill.

"Hey, where are you going?" Timon called.

"We just started eating."


Mufasa stood at the top of Pride Rock, looking out over the horizon. As he gazed upon all his domain, he contemplated what was to come. He knew the day was coming. It was not far now. He was getting old. Most of his duties as King were becoming harder for uphold.

The sun had already begun to set on his time. And would rise with Jay as the new king.

He knew that soon the day would come that he would pass the responsibility down to his adopted son. He hope that he would be ready. He and Sarabi had been preparing him for this. And now with his first hunt with Sarabi and the lionesses tomorrow, Jay would soon face his first trial.

As all the past rulers before them, one's first hunt was their trial of becoming king. For a king's first kill would be their first act of proving their dominance to the pride. Jay would have to make a kill in order to prove himself to the pride. And while he Jay had proved to be a capable hunter as the rest of the pride, Mufasa still worried.

For never before had a human ever followed in the paw prints of a lion.

Mufasa closed his eyes as he bowed his head.

"Mufasa?"

The alpha glanced back and saw Sarabi walking up next to him. She sat next to her mate. She then leaned her head forward and nuzzled under his chin.

"Something troubles you." she said.

Mufasa pulled away, glancing to her.

"I've know that look," she insisted to him.

"What troubles you, my love?"

Mufasa turned away as he looked out over the Pridelands. He though for a moment, contemplating the path which lied ahead for their adopted son. And the trial which he would soon face.

"I worry for our son." he insisted, glancing back to her.

"Tomorrow will be a trial of becoming king. I just fear that if he cannot follow in my paw prints..."

Mufasa the paused. He narrowed his head, unable to fathom what would come if his fears proved to be.

Sarabi only chuckled. This wouldn't be the first time he worried of something like this. She could still remember long ago when he was the same age as Jay, when he had taken the trial. He feared he wouldn't be able to pass the trial as his father did.

"Who does he remind you of?" she asked, curiously.

Mufasa glanced to her, curiously. Sarabi of which glanced to him, as if he knew exactly what she meant.

"You were the same way your first hunt," Sarabi insisted to him.

"But you were also determined to face it. And Jay is as well."

Mufasa glanced to the side, knowing that was true. It was right at that moment that he felt her nuzzle under his chin.

"He will do fine." she proclaimed to him.

The two then parted. Mufasa looked up to his queen as the two stared in appreciation for her wisdom.

"Father?"

The two glanced back and saw Jay walking up to them. Sarabi stood up and walked down to her son, where he kneeled down to her. The two pressed their heads against each other, nuzzling each other. As the two parted, Jay glanced up at his father.

"You wanted to see me?" Jay asked, curiously.

Mufasa looked to Sarabi, who nodded her head to him. It was with that that he turned to his son and heir.

"Yes, Jay," he said, as he came down to him.

"Come."


Mufasa and Jay came up over the peak of Pride Rock. The alpha walked over to the edge, where he sat down and gazed over the Pridelands. Jay came up behind the alpha, who glanced back to him.

"Come sit by me, Jay." he said.

Jay walked up next to his father and sat down next to him. Mufasa stood for a moment, narrowing his head.

"Father?" Jay asked, curiously.

"Tomorrow will be an important day for you." Mufasa said, turning to his adopted son.

"I know, father," Jay insisted to him.

"It's my first hunt with mother and the lionesses."

Mufasa shook his head.

"It is not just your first hunt," Mufasa claimed to him.

"Tomorrow, you will need to make your first kill."

Jay turned to his father, curiously. He knew he would have to make his first kill tomorrow. It was how he would prove to the pride that he would be a capable hunter.

"I will." Jay proclaimed, nodding his head.

"I will prove myself to the pride as a hunter."

"It is not just as a hunter, Jay," Mufasa stated, turning to his son.

"Tomorrow you will be proving yourself worthy as King."

Jay glanced up to his father, curiously.

"What?" Jay asked, curiously.

Mufasa turned and gazed back out over the Pridelands.

"The first hunt of a King is an act of declaring his dominance," Mufasa explained to his adopted son.

"His must be the one to make the kill. And that kill will be an example of his strength and his will."

Jay bowed his head in confusion. He never had expected that his first hunt would be a demonstration of him becoming the king. Though it was far from deterring. Rather, it made him even more determined then ever to prove himself. He vowed to his father that he would be a true king. If this would keep his promise to him and the Pride, then he would not fail.

"Then I will do it," Jay proclaimed.

"I will make the Kill and prove myself to be king."

"Remember what I've taught you, Jay," The king remind his human prince.

"A true king does not search for what he can take. But what he can give. Hunting is to act of giving to the Pride. Your kill is not just for yourself but for all of the pride."

Jay bowed his head to his father.

"Yes, Father." Jay said.

Mufasa smiled to his son. He came up, placing his paw over Jay's shoulder and brought him close to him.

"I am proud of you, my son." He said.

The words growled from the lion who raised him, caused but a single tear to emerge from Jay's eye. Not one of sadness. But one of pride. jay embraced his father in his arms as he held him close. He would make him proud and keep the promise he made.