Chapter 9, Jay's Dominance
Nala, Kovu and the lionesses emerged from the trees. She came up over the ledge, where she gazed down the hill, where she saw Nyati laying motionless over the ground. But Jay was nowhere to be seen. Nala frowned, worryingly.
"Jay?" she said.
There was a look of shock and worry by the other lionesses. The the Buffalo leader, who had claimed the lives of many members of the Pride, now laid dead before them. A sight that was both a surprise as well as a relief that they no longer had to fear Nyati. But it seemed that Nyati had claimed his vengeance over their human prince. As yet another heir of Mufasa had completed their journey through the Circle of Life much too soon.
Kovu narrowed her eyes. He then glanced away in guilt and contempt. This was all his fault. He should have known that Taka and Zira would have planned this. They had asked him to lure Nyati to the others, so that they he would rid himself of his Rival to the throne. But he couldn't do it. He couldn't bear endanger either Nala or Jay.
So they decided to do it for them.
Mufasa, Sarabi and Zazu emerged from the trees. The other lioness made way for the king and Queen as they approached Nala.
"Nala, where is Jay?" Mufasa asked, curiously.
Nala glanced back at them, frowning. Mufasa came up over the ledge, where he glanced down over what appeared to be the body of a large buffalo. But Jay was no where to be seen. Slowly the realization came to him.
"No..." Mufasa said, shaking his head in disbelief.
Zazu landed before the king, where he gazed down over the body of Nyati.
"Oh, dear." Zazu said.
Sarabi came up to Mufasa, staring in awe and disbelief.
"Jay!" she exclaimed as she tried to run forward.
Mufasa came up in front of his mate, stopping her from going forward. She bowed her hear, her tears streaming down the sides of her face. She leaned her head to Mufasa, who nuzzled her back to comfort her. Nala glanced back at them, frowning in contempt. She turned forward, narrowing her eyes. When suddenly, she heard a a sudden brushing sound from within the grass. She then glanced up at Nyati, where she saw Nyati's head slowly lifting up the ground.
"Wait!" she said to the others.
Everyone glanced to Nala, where they then noticed the Buffalo's head lifting upwards. The other lionesses growled, wearingly, hunkering down as they readied to pounce. There was then a groaning sound coming from the Buffalo. But it was not the Buffalo. It sounded like...
A familiar hand suddenly emerged from behind Nyati's body, grabbing hold of his shoulder. It was then as Jay emerged from behind with his bloodied dagger. Nala and the others gasped in awe. Mufasa and Sarabi turned back to their son. Both of them surprised as well as relieved to see that Jay was alive.
"Jay!" Sarabi said.
Jay then stood up over Nyati's body, his breaths coming in heavy gasps. He then lowered his dagger to his side. The Pride gazed down at their prince with a look of awe and relief.
"He- he did it." one of the lionesses said.
"He killed him!"
The others erupted in cheer. Kovu stared, speechlessly and in awe at Jay.
"No way." he said.
Jay turned, glancing up at the Pride. Nala and the other lionesses roared to their human prince, cheering him for the kill he had made. Over the ledge, he saw his mother and father coming up over the ledge. Mufasa and Sarabi gazed proudly down to their adopted son. Not just for the kill he had made. But for the leadership he, Nala and Kovu had both shown. Not only had he proven his dominance to the pride. But he also displayed the leadership of a true King.
Jay then glanced down at the body of Nyati. The one who had slain so many lions and who has tried to kill both him and his mother all those years ago, now lies dead before him. He had made his kill. And it was the buffalo who had sworn vengeance against him. The lions who he had slain over the years had all be avenged.
Like Tarzan from the old books his mother used to read him, Jay placed his foot atop the buffalo's body. He then raised his arms in the air as he let out a cry that could be heard throughout all the pride lands.
Behind the hunting party. Taka and Zira watched from the cover of the trees. Zira stepped forward, growling in anger.
"No!" she said.
"How..."
She then glanced over to Kovu, who was standing with the other lioness.
"Kovu...!" She then growled, angrily.
Just as she was about to emerge into the clearing, Taka glanced to her.
"Stop!" he said.
"Not here."
Zira glanced back into the clearing. She then shifted her eyes to the side, narrowing her head.
"How could he allow this to happen?" she said.
"Now his rival to the throne had proven himself more powerful then him."
Taka nodded his head in agreement. The sight alone that Jay had killed Nyati was both surprising. As well as infuriating. Once more their plan to rid themselves of the man-cub had all but failed. And now that he had killed Nyati, Jay has earned the recognition of the rest of the pride.
His dominance and strength having to been displayed to all of the pride, proving to them that he would be a powerful king. Soon word would spread through the Pridelands and beyond, warning off any potential challenger. Now, no one would dare challenge Jay for the throne.
At least, everyone but him.
The other lionesses made their way down the hill to share in Jay's kill. Just as Kovu was to follow, he glanced back at the trees behind him. It was there he saw Taka and Zira staring sternly back at him. Kovu frowned, narrowing his eyes. By not leading the buffalo to Jay, he had gone against his parents wishes. An act he knew they both would not take well. Especially mother.
Upon glancing up to them, he saw his mother turn and walked back into the shadows. Taka soon to follow. Kovu then sighed, closing his eyes. He then narrowed his head as he turned away from the trees. Unannounced to him that Nala had been watching from over the ledge behind him, having to have seen what had happen. She squinted her eyes, curiously.
Already her suspicion of what was happening were beginning to appear to be true. Not that she hadn't been suspicious of both Taka and Zira in the past. Especially after seeing they way they had both treated Kovu and the rest of the pride. While she never believed that they would do anything that would go against Mufasa and the rest of the pride. She still didn't trust them.
She couldn't say for sure what it was. But she was sure there was something off about those two.
The pride feasted upon the Jay's kill that evening. A kill that proved to be quite plentiful. More so then any kill made by the many kings of the past. The lionesses were all gathered around Nyati's body, which had been nearly strip down to the bone. All the while, they continued to feast upon the flesh of the buffalo who had claimed the lives of many of their members in the past.
Jay was sitting on edge of the ledge, holding a strip of flesh that he had carved from the buffalo's body. Taking a bit out the strip of flesh, Jay glanced down to the others as they continued to feast upon his kill. Mufasa came up next to Jay, where he sat down next to him.
"It's been some time since the Pride enjoyed a kill like this," the king proclaimed to his son.
"Let alone it being Nyati. Well done, my son."
Jay glanced to his father, nodding his head to her.
"Thank you, father." Jay said, turning forward.
Mufasa frowned, noticing the sullen expression of his son.
"And yet you don't seem as excited as you were before," Mufasa claimed to him.
Jay sighed, narrowing his head.
"It's just... I know I should feel proud that I made my first kill," Jay insisted, glancing toward the body of Nyati.
"But... I don't know why, but apart of me just... I don't know..."
Mufasa squinting his eyes, understanding what it was that his son was trying to say. The truth of the words were beginning to become clear to him. Killing was not something one takes lightly. Especially when it came to hunting. Though it was the responsibility for predators such as them in order to maintain the Circle of Life.
"You feel remorseful." Mufasa insisted to his son.
"Remember what I had told you. Killing is not a easy thing to do. Especially when it comes to hunting."
Jay glanced to the side, sternly. Feeling remorseful was not something he would ever thought he would feel. Especially toward Nyati, who had tried to kill him and the others. Jay glanced up toward the rest of the prides, who continued to feast upon Nyati's body.
"Why should I feel that way?" Jay asked.
"Especially after what he did. To me, to the pride, to Mother. I should be glad that he's dead."
Mufasa frowned at what he had said.
"Vengeance does not help anyone, my son," Mufasa insisted to Jay.
"It is a dark path and is what drove the buffalo to his death. You must never kill for that reason."
Jay narrowed his head as he sighed.
"Yes, father." her said.
