Chapter 4: Grounded
Being grounded sucks. I can't leave my room. I am only allowed to go to the cave and the watering hole but that's it. Ahadi unplugged my technology devices and took the cords away so there was no use of my TV, phone, or laptop. I am bored as hell. Taka had the same punishment as me.
I did my best to keep my distance from Ahadi because he would hit me whenever Uru was not around. Ahadi hits Taka too. I had to hide my cuts and bruises with make-up so Uru, Aunt Selena, and Aunt Fura would not question me.
"Mom, I'm bored. Can I have my phone?" I asked Uru when she walked into my room.
"Not yet, you're still grounded," Uru said. I groaned in response. I still had a week and a half left of my grounding.
"Now come on, it's time for lunch," Uru said. Uru picked me up by the scruff of my neck and carried me to the cave. She set me down next to Taka and Mufasa when we got there.
"This sucks. I hate being grounded." Taka said.
"Me too," I said.
"You both got grounded?" Sarafina said.
"Yeah," I said. Uru talked with Aunt Selena and Aunt Fura while I sat in one of the other corners with the cubs eating our lunch. Ahadi was not present at the moment, but honestly, I didn't really care. As I was eating, I noticed a fresh cut on Taka's fur. Sarabi noticed too.
"Should we say something?" I whispered in Sarabi's ear.
"Not to the adults yet, but we should ask Taka," Sarabi said. Sarabi and I looked at Taka.
"What?" Taka said.
"Taka, what happened? You have a big cut on your face." Sarabi said.
"It doesn't matter. Don't worry about me." Taka said.
"Did Dad do that to you?" Mufasa asked.
"I said I'm fine!" Taka snapped. We all looked at each other with concern.
"Taka, you have to tell your mom," Sarafina said.
"No, I don't want her to worry," Taka said. Sarabi leaned on me, but she accidentally rubbed her head on my arm where my make-up was covering the fresh bruise Ahadi had given me earlier this morning. I frantically tried to hide the bruise with my shirt but unfortunately, the others saw.
"You too, Lana?" Sarabi asked me with shock.
"Don't worry about it," I said.
"You guys have to tell Mom. He's going to keep doing this if you don't." Mufasa said.
"If you guys do not tell, then I will tell," Sarafina said.
"No!" Taka and I shouted.
"Please, we don't want Mom to know," I said.
Sarafina sighed. "Fine. But if I see another cut, I'm telling." Sarafina said.
"Okay," Taka said. After I finished with my food, I was thirsty, so I needed to go to the watering hole. I needed to tell my mom where I was going first though.
"Mom. I'm going to the watering hole." I said.
"Alright, but no further," Uru said.
"Okay," I said.
I left Pride Rock and made my way to the watering hole. When I got there, I saw Ahadi getting a drink of water. I did not want to risk any interaction with him, so I slowly made my way around him. I tried to go as quietly as I could, but I was not quiet enough. I accidentally stepped on a branch, causing it to snap in half and make a loud noise.
shit, I thought.
"Who's there?!" Ahadi demanded. I hid behind some grass. "Show yourself!"
I did as he said and came out of my hiding spot. Ahadi glared at me when he saw me. "Trying to ambush me, huh?" Ahadi said angrily.
"N-no," I said, nervously. Ahadi roared and pinned me to the ground. "Dad, stop! You're scaring me!" I shouted.
"You know you are not allowed outside your room!" Ahadi yelled. Ahadi slapped me hard across the face. I groaned in pain.
"I was just getting a drink of water!" I cried. I winced as Ahadi raised his paw to swipe at me again. But he did not. I opened my eyes slowly when he put his paw down.
"You know what? I have a different punishment for you." Ahadi said.
"A different punishment?" I said.
"Yes. You will go hunting for me. And you will not come back until you have something. You will not return empty-handed. If you come back empty-handed, you're grounding will be extended to a month." Ahadi said.
"But Dad- I don't know how to hunt!" I shouted.
"Then I suggest you learn," Ahadi growled. "Now go."
I sighed and got up from the ground. I brushed the dirt off me before running away. I stopped so I could take a moment to catch my breath. I had some tears rolling down my eyes. Why does Ahadi hate me so much?
No, stay focused. I thought. I tried to find some animals, but I couldn't find anything. No animal in sight. I tried to go to the backlands. Nothing. I eventually found a herd of Gazelle grazing on grass in the distance. Jackpot!
I crouched down and tried to sneak up on them. I walked towards them as quietly as I could not to startle them. When I ran at them, they ran away. I sprinted after them to keep up with them, but they were fast as hell. I ran as fast as I could. I leaped up to try to catch one, but one kicked me in the face.
I cried out in pain as I fell to the ground. I put my hand to my face and felt blood pouring down. I had to get home before I bled to death. I don't care if my grounding will be extended to another month. I was in so much pain as I was walking home. My legs were tired, my face hurt like hell.
When I finally got home, Uru ran up to me. Her face was filled with worry when she saw my face.
"Oh my God, Lana! What happened to you?!" Uru shouted. Aunt Selena and Aunt Fura had concerned faces too.
"We need to get her taken care of, Uru." Aunt Selena said.
"Yes, Fura go get Rafiki!" Uru said frantically.
"I'm on it!" Aunt Fura said. Aunt Fura ran over to Rafiki's tree. I flinched when Uru and Aunt Selena put their paws on my face.
"Stay still honey, we need to stop the bleeding." Aunt Selena said.
"Mom?" I said.
"Lana, you know you are not supposed to leave your room," Uru said.
"I know, I know. But it wasn't my fault- Ahadi forced me to." I said.
"What do you mean?" Uru asked.
"When I was going to the watering hole to get a drink, Ahadi accused me of leaving my room. I was only going to the watering hole, Mom. Not anywhere else. But Ahadi didn't believe me and made me go hunting as a punishment. A Gazelle kicked me in the face as I was hunting." I explained while bawling my eyes out. I was crying because of the pain and because I was worried Uru would get mad at me for breaking the rules.
Uru's face turned to anger when I was finished with my explanation. "That- that swine!" Uru shouted angrily.
"I know, Roo." Aunt Selena said while nuzzling her. A few minutes later, Aunt Fura came back with Rafiki.
"I have Rafiki." Aunt Fura said.
"Thank you, Fura." Uru said.
"Now what seems to be the problem, my queen?" Rafiki asked.
"My daughter got kicked in the face by a Gazelle," Uru explained. Rafiki took a moment to examine me.
"Quick, get her to my tree," Rafiki said. Uru picked me up by the scruff of my neck. We rushed to Rafiki's tree. Rafiki laid me down on a bed of leaves. Uru was crying while Aunt Selena and Aunt Fura comforted her.
"How could he do this to her?" Uru sobbed.
Rafiki was able to stop my bleeding thankfully. Rafiki bandaged me up and cleaned up my wounds. "You need to rest for the next few days, Princess Lana. No physical activity but get enough food and water in your system." Rafiki said
"Thanks," I said.
Rafiki turned to Uru. "She will be okay. She needs to rest." Rafiki said.
"Thank you, Rafiki," Uru said. Rafiki nodded before leaving. Uru picked me up by the scruff of my neck again and carried me back to my room.
"I'll get you cleaned up and then you can rest," Uru said.
"Okay," I said. Uru took my clothes off and laid me in her arms. Uru started licking me clean. After my bath, Uru tucked me in bed.
"Mom? Can I sleep with you tonight?" I asked.
"Sure, sweetie," Uru said. Uru lay in bed next to me. I felt safe in her arms. In a few minutes, we both fell into a deep sleep.
When I woke up in the morning, I felt like shit. My head hurt like hell, and it felt like my body was burning up.
"Mom, I don't feel good," I said when Uru woke up.
"Okay, let me take a look at you," Uru said. Uru felt my forehead. "You're burning up. You have a fever. Just take it easy today. I'll make sure Ahadi does not make you do physical activity today."
"Thanks, Mom," I said. I wanted to use my phone because I was bored, but I remembered I was still grounded. But still, might as well ask. "Mom? I know I'm grounded, but can I use my phone?" I asked.
Uru stopped for a moment to think, but a few seconds later, she finally spoke up. "I guess, just for today. But an extra day will be added since you get a pass today."
"Okay," I said.
"Stay here," Uru said. Uru left my room and came back a few minutes later with my phone.
"Thanks, Mom," I said.
"Mmhm. Get some rest too." Uru said before leaving the room. The first thing I did when I got my phone was look at my face with the camera app. I took a while to inspect my face. Damn, it looks bad. The cut was deep. I hate Ahadi for doing this to me.
To entertain myself, I decided to watch some stuff on Instagram and check on social media to see what I missed the past few days. I was enjoying myself until I was startled when Ahadi entered the room. Ahadi had a glare on his face.
"Lana! What did I tell you about using your technology?!" Ahadi yelled.
"But Dad, Mom said I could!" I shouted. Ahadi walked up to me and smacked the phone out of my hand. Ahadi stepped on the phone with his paws and crushed it to pieces. I began to cry.
"Next time you follow my rules! Your grounding gets extended to two weeks!" Ahadi yelled. Ahadi left the room and slammed the door behind him. I continued to cry to myself when he left.
What have I done to deserve this? I hate my life.