Rifts in the Ice: A Lion King Story
Chapter Three
The scent of berries fluttered out the cave's mouth like an insect, and sounds of plummeting water droplets echoed their wet cadences. Simba sat beside Karina, peering into the cave's center. Dark green moss grew along the stony floor while sharp icicles hung from the roof. The bulk of everything inside lay swallowed by a thick darkness, but Simba could still make out a few bulky silhouettes. One rested in the cave's middle, on what look like a rocky outcropping.
"So," Simba said, pausing, "are we going in, or?"
Karina cupped her mouth and made a quick, shrill call, startling Simba's hair to standing. "Hey, Radimir, wake up, you honey splurge!"
Honey splurge? Simba cocked an eyebrow.
"You dreaming about some grizzly adventure of yours?" The cub continued. "We need your help!"
Suddenly, one of the cave's silhouetted shapes stirred. Appearing to rise up from the outcropping, the massive figure lumbered towards the two cubs. It closed the distance, quaking the ground with its steps, and as sunlight revealed its stark features, Simba's eyes widened.
The creature was quite the beast, a mountain of fur and muscle. It walked on all fours like a lion but it had no mane and wiggled a tiny tail. Dry berry juice coated its burly paws, and a yellow hue stained its eyes. Simba inched his way behind Karina, unable to look away from this thing. Maybe snow leopards weren't the dominate predators here after all.
The beast yawned, dolling out a long tongue. Its open mouth boasted a set of crooked, ivory teeth, and along its tight lip stretched a pink scar, never to grow fur again. It smacked its maw with half-opened eyes before glancing down on Karina.
"Grizzly adventures?" It asked. "You can do better, young rebenok."
Karina smirked. "I'll bear that in mind."
The beast scoffed, clouds of warm breath escaping its maw.
"Karina," Simba whispered, "what is that?"
"I'll tell you my species if you tell me yours," the beast repeated.
"He's got excellent hearing," Karina said back to Simba. "So, you might as well speak normally."
"I'm a bear, young rebenok. And my name is Radimir." He moved forward and started sniffing the young cub. Simba flinched but remained in place, eyes shut tight as the bear's nose mapped his body's geography.
"Don't worry," she said as Radimir pulled back. "He does that to all newcomers."
"Your scent is not familiar to me," Radimir growled. "And you're clearly not a leopard, lynx, or tiger."
"I'm a lion," Simba said, shivering.
"Ah, so that's what you are," Karina said, looking back to Radimir. "He never told me."
"Yes, I did," the young cub replied.
"No, you didn't"
"I'm pretty sure I did."
"No, I'm pretty. And I'm sure you didn't."
"Regardless," Radimir interrupted, "why have you brought him here, Karina?"
The snow leopard cub padded forward, placing her front paws on the bear's forearm. "Simba's not suited for our weather. If nothing's done, he'll keep stealing my mom's warmth, and I'll be all alone in the cold." Buttering up her eyes, she flashed Radimir a wide smile. "So, could you spare some berries. You know, the kind that'll help him? Please, please, please? A thousand times please?"
Radimir looked back at Simba, eyed him over. The young cub felt himself so insignificant under this animal's glare, a helpless bug about to be squished. But Radimir eventually smiled and motioned towards the cave's mouth. "I think I have something you could use," he said. "Follow me, young rebenoks."
Without waiting for a reply, Radimir lumbered back inside. Karina nudged Simba's shoulder and the two walked close behind. Though he still wasn't sure what to make of this Radimir, Simba knew a hungry predator would've attacked him by now. He had no choice but to press onward, placing his trust in Karina's guidance. At least the cave was warm.
"What's a rebenok?" Simba whispered to Karina.
"It's my word for child," Radimir replied without looking back.
"Told you he has strong hearing," Karina said. "But if his berries sit well in your stomach, then you shouldn't have to worry about the cold temperature anymore."
"How are berries going to help me?" Simba asked.
"See, Radimir isn't your average lug of a bear. He grows and tends to special berries using magical powers."
"Unorthodox, substantiating properties, young Karina," Radimir corrected. "I don't delve into magic. Too many unknowns."
Karina rolled her eyes. "Whatever," she said. "But it doesn't matter, because these berries can do some cool stuff. Sometimes weird, but cool."
"Like what?" Simba asked.
"My yellow batches will give you the keenest of sight, but you'll turn into a scrawny, white bird with an annoying voice."
"Wait, what?" Simba gasped.
"I'm joking, young rebenok," Radimir peeked back, smirking. "You won't be able to see squat."
Karina laughed, pawing at her nervous companion. "You'd probably taste good as a birdie, though!"
The three animals traversed deeper into the cave. As Simba's eyes adjusted, he noticed a new, faint light casting itself around a corner. They rounded the bend, and a grove came into view, harboring clusters of berry bushes soaking up the winter sun. Each bush flaunted different colors, but they all nurtured green, prickly holly leaves atop their precious produce. Karina approached the bush growing some faded-pink fruit, glistening with dew.
"Hey, this is a new one," she said.
"Yes, but please don't eat them," Radimir replied. "Your teeth will start growing fur."
Karina made a face and backed up.
Simba, meanwhile, approached the bush with white berries. He gave them a long sniff. "How do you keep these alive during winter?" He asked.
"Water, sunshine, and a little bit of a clan secret." Radimir said.
Simba frowned. "But these are going to keep me warm?" There was doubt in his voice. Still, he reached forward, ready to pluck a berry, but Radimir stopped him.
"Try the ones off that plant." He motioned towards the red-berried bush.
Simba obeyed while Karina watched in anticipation. The young lion plucked off a large red berry and took a bite. A sour taste immediately fizzled his mouth. It was as if sparks were tingling his cheeks raw.
Simba nearly spat the bitter fruit out, but he willed himself to swallow. When the deed was done, he smacked his lips free of the bizarre flavor, and everyone sat quiet for a hard moment. Finally, the cub spoke.
"Did it work?"
Karina shrugged before scooping up some snow, rolling it into a firm ball of cold. Without warning, she chucked it at Simba's face, nailing the poor cub a bullseye.
Simba sputtered some of the snow out his mouth. "What'd you do that for?" He wiped his face clean.
Instead of answering, Karina scooped up some more wintery goodness and pelted her friend's face again.
"Why you!" Simba pounced at Karina, but the snow leopard rolled back and flipped the lion cub over, pinning him in a snow bank.
"How do you feel?" She asked.
Simba growled and started to struggle. But after a quick second, he realized the snow wasn't numbing his body anymore. Brushing his cheek in the bank, he happily confirmed the stuff felt dry as sand, a powder deprived of its most iconic feature. Karina smiled at this and let her friend up.
"Jubilation," Radimir said. "The young rebenok has found some heat. For a time, we won't have to worry about him."
Simba looked at Radimir. "For a time?"
"Unfortunately, the berries' effect is temporary. You'll need to come back here and eat another one eventually."
"How long until eventually?" Karina asked.
Radimir tapped his black, extended claws against his unkempt chin, looking up towards the sky. "I conservatively estimate five days. Seven if you're lucky and the berry juice was potent."
"That's not a problem," Karina said, nuzzling Simba's face. "My new friend's gonna stick around for a long time."
As she carried on with her affection, Simba glanced at the surrounding grove's trees, all of them skinny and baren, their brittle bark having been chewed off by herbivores. It was almost like looking at a carcass's skeleton, some stranger's remains you couldn't and wouldn't ever know. Simba could guess all he wanted, but, like the foreign bones, he'd never know what it would be like for him, a Pridelander lion, to live long-term in this place. Once the veil of night swept over the land, Simba would use this newfound advantage to disembark. Maybe, if he were careful, he could trick Karina into explaining the fastest way off the mountain. He'd certainly feel guilty about it later, but it was the only way. He couldn't keep counting on all this kindness.
"Well, thanks for everything, Radimir." Karina padded over and nuzzled the bear's thick forearm. "Knew we could count on you."
Radimir smiled and brushed his paw over Karina's back. "Anytime, sweet heart." He then looked back at Simba, his smile melting. "However, I must ask to have a word with your new friend in private."
Simba blinked and Karina's head popped up. "Why?" she asked.
"There is a matter of grave urgency that requires discussion. But I assure you, on my life, he will leave this cave and return home with you." Radimir stuck out his pinky claw. "I swear it."
Karina stared silently at Radimir, her face evoking skepticism, but eventually she relented and stuck out her own pinky claw. "Alright, but no funny stuff," she said, her tiny claw shaking with his. Karina smiled reassuringly at Simba and walked back inside the cave, off towards the front entrance. An uneasy pit formed in the cub's stomach as he watched her disappear into the dark.
Radimir lay in the snow and folded his paws. "The girl likes you," he said. "Do you like her back?"
"Well," Simba looked down, swallowing what felt like a large stone, "we kind of just met, but she's been really nice to me."
"I believe that. The poor rebenok gets so lonely, sometimes." Radimir swept a spot beside him, motioned Simba closer. The young cub gathered his courage and sat beside the old bear. "There are those who say some creatures are born on the wrong side of the world. But I like to think there are those of us born into the wrong species."
"What do you mean?" Simba asked. The two stared at the cooper sun sinking behind the mountains. Glinting orange rays between the trees, it bathed the vast snow lands in a flickering hue, something akin to a bush fire slowly dying.
"You don't know much about the snow leopard's way of life, do you?" Radimir asked.
Simba shook his head.
"Then tell me, rebenok. How was your feline family structured back home?"
With his paw, Simba drew lines in the snow. "We were a pride."
"And that is?"
"A group of us lions living and working together. My dad was…I mean, he served the king like the rest of us." Simba did his best to feign a truthful face. This bear was better off in the dark like everyone else.
"Ah, a family unit. Karina would love that." Radimir rose up, paced over towards the berry bushes. "For you see, snow leopards are the exact opposite of you lions. They are solitary creatures. They value independence and individualism, rarely coming together except in the direst of circumstances." The bear plucked a purple berry and popped it in his mouth.
"So, Karina's mom is all she has?"
Radimir nodded. "Snow leopard mothers raise their offspring alone. The fathers are barely involved. And once the little rebenoks come of age, they're sent off to find their own territory." Radimir scratched his ears. "Maybe they'll share it with a mate for a time, or perhaps they'll live alone until death's callous embrace pulls them back to the stars. Either way, the solace lasts."
Simba blinked at the word stars. Maybe snow leopard beliefs concerning the afterlife were similar to his.
Radimir moved back beside the cub, looked over towards the cave. "But poor Karina, she doesn't like any of it. The young girl yearns for companionship; she craves a hearty friend. Can't begin to tell you how many times she's prayed to the stars for such a thing."
Simba shrugged. "She has you, though. That's got to be something."
"Yes, but I split my time between many of her species." Radimir looked up towards the mountains, explained how several snow leopard mothers left their cubs under his protection whenever a group hunt took place. But those instances were rare, and Karina never got to properly bond with any of the other cubs her age. Everyone always ended up on the move.
"Why are they like that?" Simba asked, feeling comfortable enough to lean into Radimir's side.
Sighing, the bear placed a paw on Simba's back. "I'm not sure I'm the right individual to explain that to you." He gently ruffled Simba's hair. "When you feel up to it, ask Karina, or better yet her mother. But I'm sure now you can understand, lonely leopards are prone to trusting certain newcomers who wander into these lands." The bear's gaze turned harsh, and Simba felt some panic spike. "But there's something about you that bothers me."
Simba backed up a bit, ready to run if necessary.
"How did you come to find yourself wandering here?"
Simba stuttered.
"We can all agree you're not from these lands." Radimir moved his face down to the cub's level. "But don't tell me you simply got lost and found your way to our mountain. I wouldn't believe that for a bounty of food."
Simba wracked his brain for some passable excuse, but nothing came to him.
"Earlier, when I said your scent was unfamiliar to me, I wasn't entirely truthful." Radimir cupped Simba's chin. "You reek of something dangerous, something dastardly." The bear pointed a claw near Simba's eye, and the young cub wished he'd never come here.
"Show me your paw."
