"Skill… From the looks of things, Simba, I doubt you'll be able to win this test," Hila said to Simba, a confident smile on his face.
Simba, Nala, Haiba, Hila, Mufasa and Sarabi had all gathered in the middle of a grassy field, which was where the first test was to be held. Hila was the challenger, so he got to choose the first test. He had decided on the test of skill. Being extremely confident, he knew that Simba wouldn't be able to win this. Then, all he had to do was win at least one more challenge, and the kingdom would be his for ever.
"So what do we have to do?" Simba asked, ignoring Hila's insult towards him. This cub just seemed to thrive on insulting people. Already he was sick of it. "Unless of course you have some more bullying to do."
"I don't bully anyone," Hila stated. "I'm just exercising my assertiveness as a king. Your future king."
Simba frowned. Was this guy really convinced that he was going to become the new King of the Pride Lands? Over his dead body. Simba wasn't going to let him have it. He was going to win this Royal Challenge, and make sure Hila never set a paw in the kingdom ever again. "Yeah, of course you don't bully people. Now explain to me what the first test is."
"Oh, that's very simple," Hila told him. "Tell me, Simba – how good are your climbing skills?"
"Great," Simba replied almost instantly. "I can climb anything. I've been doing it since for ever."
"Well, the first tests is all about skill – in this case, your climb ing skills. You see that tree over there?" Hila pointed to the centre of the field.
At the end of the field was a huge tree. Perhaps the tallest one in the Pride Lands. It dominated the large field, and was so tall that Simba thought it went past the clouds. He was supposed to climb this? "Yeah," Simba replied. "I see it. So we're supposed to climb it – right?"
"Climb that?" Nala's eyes widened. "How does that even prove that you're skilled enough to be the King? It makes no sense!"
"Shut up," Hila snapped. "Listen to your future King. Now, the point of this is to prove that your skilled and clever enough to overcome tall obstacles – such as this tree. It's the tallest one in the Pride Lands, and it'll take all you've got to get to the top."
"So it's a race?" Simba presumed. "Whichever one of us gets to the top wins. Am I right?" he asked.
"Not quite," Hila replied, shaking his head. "You see, you have to rescue the person trapped at the top of the tree, and bring them safely down to the ground. The Royal Challenge is supposed to be deadly, you know."
Haiba shot Hila a look. "So who's this person at the top?" he asked.
Everyone stared back at him. "Why are you all looking at me?"
"I cannot believe you're allowed to do this," Haiba said, once Hila had finished tying him to the top branch of the tree with vines, so he was hanging upside down. Already he felt dizzy. "I feel like my brain is about to come pouring out of my ears.
Are you sure you'll be able to rescue me before my head explodes?"
"Nope," came the simple reply from Hila. "There are no promises in the Royal Challenge. Just be hopeful, and then you just might make it out of this alive."
Haiba raised an eyebrow at him. "Just what is your plan?" he asked. "Why do you think you even deserve to become the King?"
"Because I am a god," Hila replied. "And a god must also be a king. So, what better king can you be than the King of the Pride Lands? It's a match made in heaven. Don't you think so?"
"No," Haiba said. "I think it's sick. You're sick. Are you sure your mother didn't drop you on your head when you were a baby?"
"I could say the same of you," said Hila.
"She did drop me on my head," Haiba informed him. "But I'm still smart enough to know that I'm no god. You're just insane – like most of the other psychos I've met around here. You need help."
"I need to win," Hila stated. "Without this, I'm nothing. So, try not to make this too difficult for me, and I just might give you a reward."
"Does that reward involve you moving your butt out of here?" Haiba quipped with a smile. "'Cause that'd be great!"
Hila ignored him, and began to make his way slowly back down the tree, his mind focused on how he was going to beat Simba at this test.
"So how come you got to take him up there?" Simba asked, once Hila had climbed down from the giant tree.
"Because I'm the challenger," Hila replied. "And that gives me special priority. If you weren't so foolish then you'd know that."
"Can we just do this?" Simba said, just about ready to tear Hila's head off. That arrogant little brat deserved nothing, as far as he was concerned. "I want to get this stupid Royal Challenge over and done with."
"Very well," Hila said, joining Simba by his side. He looked at Nala, Mufasa and Sarabi. "All of you, step back. Stay too close to the competitors and that might just count as cheating."
"Good luck, son," Mufasa said to Simba, backing away along with Nala and Sarabi.
"Don't lose!" Nala advised.
Sarabi opened her mouth to say something, but fell to the ground, unconscious again.
"You ready?" Hila asked, staring at Simba.
Simba's eyes remained fixed on the tree. "Oh, I'm ready, all right," he told him, a determined look on his face.
"Then let's do this." Hila took a deep breath. "Three… two… one… go!"
Simba raced off towards the tree. He was going to beat Hila to the top. He was going to make it look easy.
He hopped up onto one branch, and began to quickly scale the tree, using all of his skill. He chuckled, and looked down, only to realise something very, very strange.
Hila hadn't moved. He was still stood in his original spot, not having moved a single muscle. What is he doing? Simba wondered, a confused look on his face. Why's he just standing there?
Simba shook his head. Forget it. It's his loss. He continued on his journey, climbing from branch to branch, his only goal being to get to the top and rescue Haiba. I'm going to do it, Simba realised, a triumphant smile on his face. There's no way Hila can b eat me now! He's done for!
He quickly glanced down, and saw that Hila still stood in the same spot. He looked back up at the tree, not noticing the sneaky smile on Hila's face…
Simba finally got to the top of the tree, and found Haiba dangling from the top branch, tied up with vines. "Finally!" Haiba exclaimed. "I've been waiting five minutes for you to get here!"
Still with a sneaky smile on his face, Hila walked over to the tree, and gave the trunk a mighty whack with his paw.
The tree rattled slightly, and the vines that held Haiba to the branch snapped, sending him hurtling towards the ground below.
He screamed as he fell, only to be caught by Hila, who gently lowered him to the ground. "There we go," he said, smiling.
"You're safe and sound." He grinned. "I win."
"You win?" Nala exclaimed, walking over to Hila's side. "You didn't even climb the tree! Simba should have won!"
"Actually, that's where you're wrong," said Hila, shaking his head and smiling. "The rules never specifically stated that I had to climb the tree. I just had to rescue the person at the top, and make sure they landed on the ground safely. I rescued Haiba, and now he's safely on the ground. So I win. Any more questions?"
Nala growled loudly. "Why, you little—"
Hila walked off. "Time for the next test, I think," he said, knowing that the kingdom would soon be under his control.