Rifts in the Ice: A Lion King Story
Chapter Five
The white Yetis closed in, tightening their entrapment of the cubs. Simba and Karina looked everywhere for an exploitable gap, some kind of escape space in the circle, but the creatures were too large, took up too much room. Simba bit at his lip. How they were going to get out of this?
The brown Yeti stepped up to the circle's perimeter. One of his subordinates leaned close, whispering something in their native tongue. The leader Yeti shook his head.
"No, you're not killing these ones. Keep them from escaping until I say otherwise."
"That's the leader," Karina said, standing beside Simba and frowning. "His name is-"
"Yavick." The creature entered the circle and bowed. "And he's happy to introduce himself."
Another white Yeti spoke up, growling its frustration.
"No," Yavick said, pointing at it. "You've already satisfied your thirst to kill. We need not take another snow leopard life today."
Karina and Simba gasped.
"And before either of you panic," Yavick said, waving a calming gesture, "your mother is fine. In fact, she's waiting for you back at your den." He voiced a slight chuckle. "She is worried sick, though. You're in for quite the tongue lashing." He stepped to the side, revealing a snow leopard huntress in the grip of another Yeti. "Unlike this one who will never hear tongues wagging again."
The victim leopard's eyes had rolled back in their sockets, trickles of blood trailing down its agape mouth. Its wrung neck lay bent at a sick angle, and its whole body hung limp. Karina slapped the ground, snarling white rage. "You monster!" She stepped forward. "How'd you get into our territory?"
Yavick laced his fingers together, forming a pyramid. Pacing within the circle, he said, "A just question. How did we intrude on land we normally cannot traverse? Your bear's ancient tricks remain potent, so how did we possibly get there?" The brown Yeti stopped and looked down at Simba. "The answer lies with our mutual friend."
"What? Simba's no friend of yours."
"On the contrary," Yavick snapped his fingers, and Simba felt his paw burning. "The exiled prince here has more in common with me than you think." Gripping it out for everyone to see, the wincing cub watched the glowing symbol bake his inner paw hot. With a shocked expression, Karina likewise observed the demonic symbol.
"Exiled prince?" Karina asked. Simba's insides flinched.
"Oh, yes, he didn't tell you." Yavick slowly tapped his fingers, crumbling the pyramid. "Our Simba here is royalty, a young lordling. Regal blood runs through his veins, and a kingly mane will one day cover his scalp."
Karina's stare burned Simba's skin hotter than any magic symbol. He couldn't look at her.
"He didn't just lose a father that fateful day in the gorge," Yavick continued, "his pride lost their king. Wracked with shame, the poor cub ran all the way into a forsaken wasteland and would've died had I not saved him."
The brown Yeti then reached forward and grabbed Simba by the scruff, lifting him up. Simba turned away from the creature's face, willing himself not to smell its putrid odor. Karina lurched forward, but another Yeti pinned her against the snow. Under its massive, wrinkled foot, she struggled. But such strength was futile.
Yavick stabbed a finger against Simba's collar bone. "You promised me a favor. You owe me a life debt." The Yeti snarled rank breaths into the cold air. "Did you really think I was going to let you just up and leave?" He grabbed the cub's paw and raised it. "You bear my mark now. Your body is under contract to me!" He dropped the cub, and Simba lost some wind from the impact. "You're not going anywhere I can't go."
Coughing, Simba struggled back onto his feet. Looking up at Yavick, he said, "Then tell me what you want, so you can leave us alone."
The brown beast let out a brash gasp of shock, placed a hand against his chest. "Such ungratefulness after all I've done." He scoffed, but Simba didn't believe his hurt feelings were genuine. All Yavick's words dripped thick with sarcasm. "Very well, let's get to the point." The Yeti eyed Karina for a moment. "But first," he continued, "it's best your friend doesn't hear our business. She's already knows enough.
He snapped his fingers, and Karina started sinking into the snow. "Say goodbye."
Screaming and clawing, she pulled against the hostile matter, pleading all the while for Simba to help her. But Yavick held the cub back, and the snow sank Karina's figure like quick sand plunging a victim. After several difficult seconds, there was nothing visibly left of her.
"What did you do?" He shouted. "Bring her back!"
"Patience." Yavick rose up. "You'll see her soon. But first you will hear me out!" Making strange gestures with his hands, the Yeti muttered a combination of gibberish and conjured a collection of tiny stars. They hovered in small assemblages before Simba, blinking beams of light in his face. Swirling in rhythmic patterns, they formed the constellation of a bear, and Simba felt new fear delving into his legs when he recognized who it was.
"This sadly mislead, although brilliant, ursine has become quiet the bother. His plans do not coincide with my ambitions. Therefore, he must be dealt with." The constellation reshaped itself in the form of a cave. "Now that your snow leopard friend has acquainted you with said troublemaker, you will sneak back into his cave and plunder a most valuable commodity."
Simba shot a skeptical glare back at Yavick. "You're kidding, right?"
The Yeti frowned. "Simba, your brain's existence is as fictional as the giant snake god dwelling in the holy Tymmilut mountains if you think I'm being funny right now."
Simba scowled, felt his fear turning into frustration. For the quickest of moments, he thought about leaping up and slashing those beady eyes straight out of Yavick's wrinkled stare. "That bear," Simba said, "thinks I'm a threat. He tried to kill me after Karina left us alone."
Yavick chuckled. "The hyperbole of a juvenile never ceases to amuse. The beast was putting up quite the scare, but I have no doubt he wouldn't have killed you. He doesn't have it in him to harm a child."
"How do you know all this?"
"Oh, young one. You weren't paying attention earlier, were you?" Yavick squatted back down in front of Simba. "Lift up your paw."
Simba obeyed, placing his appendage in Yavick's palm.
"This mark is not just an indicator of our deal," the Yeti continued. "It also allows me to check on your whereabouts and whisk myself to your location any time I please." Yavick gently lowered Simba's paw. It's padding still glowed with the mark in a faded orange. "Now this bear's trickery prevents me and my kind from moving into snow leopard territory. Up until you came along, we could only kill their kind when they traversed the neutral hunting grounds. But now that you're here with a trace of my magic, we were able to break some barriers, wouldn't you agree?"
Simba tilted his head. "Then why do you need me to steal this thing? Can't you do it yourself, now?"
Yavick shook his head, remained squatted. "Once I send you back to the leopards, Radimir will succeed in nullifying that magic mark. When he does, me and my kind will be prevented once again from striking within the leopards' territory." The Yeti put his hands together as if in prayer. "And that's what I hope happens. For you will tell him I forced this magic on you, and that you wish to be rid of it. The snow leopards will trust you again, and Radimir will let you be when the mark is gone." Yavick leaned closer and whispered, "It is then you will bring me this."
The stars changed positions again, forming a shape Simba didn't recognize. It was pointed, crooked along the edges, and gleaming. Yavick motioned towards it.
"This is a special crystal, a rock with mighty properties. With it, Radimir forges an invisible barrier, one that succeeds in keeping us out. It's this item I want you to steal."
Simba blinked, unsure of what to do. Everything was happening too fast.
"If I do this, will you leave the snow leopards alone?"
Radimir stood. "Our conflict with those white felines runs deep, going back generations." He folded his arms. "It'll take more than your debt repayment for the killing to stop."
Simba's face turned sad.
"However," Yavick added, "I'm not without generosity. Accomplish this task, and not only will I release you from your service, but I'll throw some tasty scraps your way."
"Like what?" Simba asked.
"Well, would you like to know how your father really died?"
A surprise jolt crackled down Simba's chest. His eyes widened, and his mouth turned slack-jawed. "What do you mean?" he asked.
"Let's just say, you're not the one who should be falling asleep with a guilty conscious." Yavick's tone conveyed a sickening pleasure, but the young cub was captivated. If he didn't cause his father's death, then who did? Zazu and Scar were in the gorge but up on a ledge, away from the stampede. It'd couldn't have been them. But what about the hyenas? Simba's stomach plummeted. They showed up too quickly for coincidence's sake. Did they throw his father off the cliff, waiting to strike at Simba when the time was right? He didn't know, but Yavick's offer was too tempting to pass.
Looking up at the deranged creature, Simba nodded, and said, "Alright, I'll do it."
Yavick laughed, clapping his hands together. "I knew you'd come around. A wise choice, indeed!" The white Yetis backed up, relaxing their postures. Yavick moved in close to Simba and gently brushed his head. "The crystal is small, around the size of my palm. You should be able to carry it, no problem. It's green and emits a soft glow. That'll make it hard to miss." Snapping his fingers again, all of the stars vanished. "After you acquire said crystal, leave the snow leopard's territory, and my magic mark will reignite. I'll find you, and we'll settle our business." Yavick then grabbed Simba's scruff, and the cub braced himself for what was coming next. "Now, off with you." He flung Simba into the air, straight towards a cloud.
Simba's body burst up from the snow. Coughing and rubbing his eyes, the cub calmed himself before looking around. He recognized these surroundings, knew he was on the edge of the snow leopard's territory. What's more, he saw small paw prints dotting the snow. Sniffing the air, he picked up Karina's scent.
"Good, she's alright," he sighed, following her trail.
The moon loomed high, and a strong wind swept down the mountain. Simba yawned, tongue out. This was way too late to be awake; he'd surely sleep in tomorrow if Nia allowed it.
Nia.
Simba felt worry settling in again. How would she react to all this? Would she kick him out? And if not, would he find himself actually carrying out the crazy Yeti's wishes? When it all was finished, what would happen to the snow leopards? It was too much for the young cub to think about.
Simba trekked up a slope. He then rounded a corner that brought him within sight of Karina's den. As he did so, a comforting thought warmed his mind. If Radimir could get rid of the mark on his paw, maybe it could give Simba the time he needed to plan something, anything. While Yavick did save his life, Simba wasn't prepared to harm the snow leopards. Especially after everything Karina and Nia had done for him.
Yes, he'd promised the Yeti he'd steal the crystal, but maybe there was another way around that. Without the symbol active on his paw, Yavick and his fellow beasts couldn't trespass snow leopard territory. They'd have no way of getting to him. Maybe that was the key.
Inside the den lay the two snow leopards. Karina nuzzled into Nia's chest while the latter licked her daughter's head. But as Simba reached the mouth of the cave, he snapped a twig. Both snow leopards looked over at him. Simba froze, unsure of how they'd react after everything that had happened.
After several silent seconds, Karina surged from her mother's paws and dashed towards Simba. The lion cub braced himself, but Karina tackled him into the snow. Without waiting for her friend to catch his breath, she wrapped Simba in a tight hug.
"You're alright! We're alive!"
"Yes," Simba gasped, likewise hugging Karina. "We made it!"
Nia walked over. "Thank heavens, you're both alright." She pulled the cubs close and nuzzled them. Immediately, Simba heard her sniff, felt her chest quiver. "I was so scared!"
The snow leopard mother lapped her long tongue over Simba's face. Turning to Karina, she repeated the affection. Simba fought the urge to cry himself, but Karina succumbed to sobbing at the sight of her mother breaking down.
The young cub remembered his own father's look after he rescued him from the hyenas; a flushed mix of anger, concern, and sadness. It felt wrong having to watch a parent lose control of their emotions. Parents were supposed to have all the answers, to be in complete control. Whenever they lost that, it was as if the whole world stopped working.
Leaning back, Simba relished Nia's affection as the female snow leopard licked up his neck. She cared so much for him, Karina too. How could he ever willingly bring more pain into their lives?
Nia gave Karina a few more loving licks before ushering the two cubs towards the den. Once inside, she settled them both in her paws.
"Simba," she said, "Karina told me you met the Yeti leader, Yavick."
Simba nodded. "I did," he said, revealing his paw. The symbol continued to glow.
Nia's face conveyed her shock. "You're both sleeping close to me, tonight. Lie down and get some rest."
"What about you?" Karina asked.
"Yavick can move in and out of our territory so long as that symbol is active." Nia nuzzled her daughter's head. "So, I'll stay awake until morning."
"What happens then?" Simba asked.
"Don't you worry about that. Now, get some sleep, both of you. We'll talk more in the morning."
As Nia stared into the night, Simba cuddled against her chest. His eyelids were drooping, his mouth releasing yawns. Karina placed a paw on Simba's cheek, leaned in close. Simba made a face, unsure of what she wanted. Surely his keeping his royal status a secret angered her earlier, and she'd launch words at him when given the chance. But to his surprise, Karna licked his muzzle and smiled before rolling over, committing herself to sleep.
Simba rubbed the spot where she licked, found himself smiling. Then, taking a split moment to look outside, Simba thought he saw a figure watching him back. It loomed large against the moonlight, a familiar, sickening smile stretched across its face. But after the young cub blinked hard, creature disappeared.
