A/N: Hello and welcome to the newest chapter of my story. I hope your Christmas was a pleasant one and that your 2025 started the best way it could have done. And wasn't Mufasa: The Lion King simply terrific? It was so good, I watched it four times! I haven't even seen the 2019 film four times including at the cinema. Anyway, before we find out the consequences of Alex's words, I shall respond to the reviews for the last chapter.
Fly1ng D0gg0: Thank you for your review. At present, I project that this first part will be perhaps around 50 chapters long. We have now entered the second act of what is probably a four act story.
To answer your question about power scaling it's not a straightfoward one. In terms of strength and abilities, Alex's powers will increase and decrease at certain points, and this will mostly be linked with his mental state at that point. Not only will enemies pummell him, he will face almost unfathomable emotional hurdles.
Alex's POV
I audibly sighed as I walked back into the den. Weariness weighed heavy on my eyes. After an early start, I just wanted to go to sleep. Tomorrow would be another tiring day, but the prospect of meeting other lions made me want tomorrow to come sooner, and there is no surer timeskip than sleep.
I knelt down beside Simba and softly grunted as I lay on my side. Unusually, he was unmoving upon my presence. He must have been completely out of it, the poor tyke. I gently placed my hand on his shoulder and I leaned in to whisper into his ear.
"Goodnight, Simba," I whispered before I kissed the back of his head. "I love you."
I was about to let myself fall onto my back, but what happened next held my entire body up by my heart.
"Do you really?" the cub asked in an unconvinced voice. It was tainted with hurt.
"What?" I gasped. I wondered what I could have done to ever make him feel like I did not love him. Was he asking if I loved him because I wanted to, or out of duty? But then I realised what I had said not ten minutes ago.
"You heard our conversation, didn't you?" I asked. The only answer I got was a punishing silence, and that confirmed it. I sighed and rubbed the bridge of my nose. I am such an idiot.
"I'm sorry... I shouldn't have said that," I said. But I did say it, and the damage has been done. How could I possibly fix this?
"Why not? You were being honest," Simba finally spoke. And now I could detect the rawness in his voice that told me he had been crying. My throat tightened and my lip wobbled.
"Why would you pick Morgan over me?" he asked.
I sighed and clawed the side of my head in frustration. I wish I took what I said back. I wish I gave a different answer. But would it be honest?
"Simba... when you have a cub of your own, you will understand my thinking, maybe even more than myself," I said at length.
"But... what you said, it still hurts,"
"Yes... that feeling when someone who is supposed to always be on your side, who is supposed to support you, who is supposed to guide you, who is supposed to be loyal, and have your back, someone who you trust with all your heart, but they let you down and hurt you, that is perhaps the sharpest sting, and it's a hurt that can define someone," I said as I sat up and faced away from the cub whose feelings I devastated.
I then felt immense guilt and fear that what I had said had caused such a hurt that would lead to Simba becoming distrustful of not just me but everyone else he loved. Had I just changed the course of the future of the Pride Lands?
"Oh, I am the worst brother," I sighed with a shaky voice and I clenched my eyes shut.
"What?" Simba gasped.
I opened my eyes. That was the first time I ever referred to Simba as my brother. Not as a mere adjacent.
I turned my body to look at the cub, who was now sitting on his haunches and looking up at me. His amber eyes of unyielding kindness and his red irises of unconditional love shone in the dark den as beacons of renewed hope.
"I am not the brother you deserve," I said.
"But a brother you are," Simba replied. "You are my brother, and I love you," he affirmed.
That broke me. All it took was a small yet quick exhale and I wept. I rotated my body and leaned forward to embrace him.
"I miss Lewis," I wailed. "I miss him so much and I never got to say sorry to him for letting him down and not being enough," I lamented.
"He is your brother, Alex, and he already knows you're sorry, but he would never hold it against you, because that's what being a brother is about, being by your side no matter what, and... I'll be by your side, no matter what," Simba said as he nuzzled my face, his fur absorbing my tears.
That was the last moment I was conscious that night.
I woke up with my right arm between Simba's forelegs, which were wrapped around my right arm. My right hand was placed on his lower back. My left arm was wrapped around his body and my left hand was holding his paws around my right arm. We couldn't be closer at that point.
My sleep had been ended by the sound of something being dragged on the floor outside the cave. However, I didn't wish to move from this position, and neither did I want to slip back into sleep. I just wanted to look down at the cub's sleeping form. His closed, peaceful eyes. His soft whiskers. His handsome, pure and innocent face. His utterly content expression. He's so fricking cute!
"Simba, Alex, I got you breakfast," Mufasa called into the den. So that must be what that dragging noise was.
"Simba, it's time to wake up," I said tenderly before I planted a gentle kiss on his forehead. This caused him to grumble. I slowly moved my arms to accommodate his movements as he stretched his flexible body. The tense vibrations as he arched his back culminated in a small chitter. This elicited a chuckle.
"Morning, sleepyhead," I said quietly.
"Good morning, Alex," Simba replied with a weary voice. "Did you have a good sleep?" he asked as his eyes blinked alternatingly before quickly recalibrating.
"That was the best sleep I've ever had in a den," I said. "I had no blanket, yet I was warm," I smiled.
"Well, as much as I'd like to remain in this position, I am quite hungry, so let's see what Dad brought us for breakfast," Simba said.
"Good idea," I agreed when I felt the emptiness in my stomach begin to eat at my strength.
"So, Dhahabu let you hunt on her territory?" I asked the King after we emerged from the den and I collected some sticks and rocks to make a fire.
"Not as such. I hunted some rodents just outside of her realm, and I think it was leopard territory, at least that was the predominant scent," Mufasa said.
"You know, I didn't take you for a hunter," I chuckled as I held a stick with a pierced mouse above the fire I had put together.
"Well, a King is expected to learn the customs, traditions and skills of his pride, and I have been told that, were I a female, I would make quite an able huntress," Mufasa admitted.
"You would look so silly without a mane," Simba giggled. I could only snort as I tried to keep the urge to laugh within my mouth. This earned an amused glare from Mufasa, and I cleared my throat.
"Saying that, the lionesses praised my skills when we went tracking," I said.
"Good. The hunting party will need all the help it can get during the dry season," Mufasa said.
"What's it like in the dry season?" I asked.
"Hot and boring," Simba said.
"It has it's challenges," Mufasa chuckled. "But it has opportunities. When the herds migrate, the grasses can recover," he said. "Though, with every passing year, it seems as if the dry season grows longer and deeper," he sighed.
"That's probably our doing," I sighed sadly.
"What do you mean?" Mufasa asked.
"Humanity is a species that tends to consume more than it makes, and it has to make more habitats and means to make food, and those activities can emit gasses that trap heat in the atmosphere, and that causes the climate to change and weather events to become more extreme," I explained.
"I'm... sure you don't mean it," Mufasa answered. It sounded like he comprehended only half the words I said.
"There are plenty who care not for the damage our society does, but there are those who try to change it for the better," I answered.
Following a less than appetising breakfast, it was time to move on to our next destination. We were on schedule to arrive at the Kaskazini pride that evening, but we couldn't afford too many stoppages.
"Thank you for having us, Dhahabu," Mufasa said gratefully.
"The pleasure was mine, Mufasa," the Golden Zebra said. "It was a pleasure to meet you, little Simba. I had such fun frollicking and romping with you," she exclaimed.
"Uh, yeah, likewise, I had a blast!" Simba replied.
"And it was an honour to meet you, Alex," she said to me.
"The honour was mine. If I ever again see my brother, Lewis, this encounter will be one of the first things I tell him," I vowed. Dhahabu nodded gracefully.
"I'm sorry you couldn't stay longer, but I understand you have a long and perilous journey ahead of you, so I shall bid you farewell and a safe navigation of your journey, and a productive summit at the end of it," Dhahabu said.
"Thank you, Dhahabu, I appreciate it. I hope it is not too long before we meet again," Mufasa replied.
Scar's POV
That went perfectly. I said the right sanctimonious words and they ate up my inference about the humans. More will come to see that I am right about them. They will bring only trouble and grief.
My ears twitch as I hear the flapping of Zazu's wings as he lighted at the entrance of the cave. I hadn't had a full conversation with him since Mufasa's brat was presented to the citizenry. I didn't see what his problem was, for I had already been introduced to him on the day he was spawned. That insufferable sycophant has his beak so far up his-
"Good morning, Your Majesty," the hornbill said.
"What do you want?" I sighed. If I had to listen to much more of that unbearable droning voice, I'd surely develop a headache.
"I am here to announce the Morning Report," the majordomo declared. Oh, Kings above. This was going to be one of those days. Not even my father enjoyed the Morning Report when I had to accompany him on one of my pointless Royal lessons. Well, they were not entirely pointless, because I am going to be King.
"Oh, well, get on with it, then," I said.
"Well, the buffalo commended you on your attendance of the funeral and your, erm... oration, however..." Zazu hesitated.
"'However'?" I repeated. I thought this was a simple report, not constructive criticism.
"Well, some of the buffalo thought that your tribute was a tad impersonal, for you didn't even mention the names of the deceased," Zazu remarked.
"Nonsense!" I scoffed. "Everyone knew who I was talking about, did they not?"
"Well, it would have been courteous to at least keep the memory of their name alive," Zazu said.
"Whatever," I sighed. "Resume your report," I commanded.
"Well, it will soon be time for the zebra herd to appoint someone to be the prey for the hunting party," Zazu informed.
"And I need to know this because?" I asked.
"Because it is likely that it will be Kujua, the leader of the zebra herd," Zazu answered.
"Really? Why her?" I wondered aloud. I thought leaders were exempt from the law that said the herds were free to roam as long as they offer their weakest member of their herd as tribute to the ruling lions.
"Well, ordinarily, leaders are not expected to be appointed as the tribute to the hunting party, but as the oldest member of her herd, she has indicated that she would volunteer to be the tribute, which is an extraordinary gesture," Zazu remarked.
"Indeed. Who would take her place if that happened?" I asked.
"I believe it would be Kujua's son, that Thurston fellow," Zazu answered.
"Oh, yes, that one. He is a bit of a... unique character," I remarked. "Anyway, is that all for the Morning Report today?" I asked impatiently.
"Yes, sire," Zazu bowed.
"Good. I need to speak to Rafiki about something," I said.
Having set off to Rafiki's tree soon after concluding the Morning Report, I found myself at the foot of the broad baobab under whose shade of the countless wings of leaves was welcoming after a journey of a length I was not used to undertaking.
"Rafiki, may I talk to you?" I called. At that moment, a twig fell from an unseen place high up in the tree, and it landed at the foot of the sloped entrance to the tree. I promptly climbed it and, upon reaching the bsse of the tree, I saw that he was attending to Sarabi.
"Oh, sorry, I didn't know you were, um..." I stuttered and looked away in an effort to preserve Sarabi's privacy.
"It's okay, Scar, I was just about to leave," Sarabi said.
"Oh, right... okay. Is, um... is everything okay?" I asked.
"Yes, yes, Rafiki was just telling me what I had to do to ensure my cub remains healthy,"
"Oh, of course, I heard that you were expecting, congratulations," I said, putting on a gasp of pleasant surprise. Aiehu help us all if it turns out to be another little yellow brat.
"Thank you, though I do have experience in carrying cubs to term," Sarabi said a little exasperatedly while shooting a glare of frustration at the mandrill.
"That may be, but this is the first time you have carried on without Mufasa," Rafiki remarked.
"You will need all the support you can get, especially with the dry season looming," he added.
"I suppose you are right," Sarabi sighed before stretching. "I take my leave," she said before descending the slope down to the earth."What is it that you wanted to speak with me about?" Rafiki asked."Well, it's about you conducting funeral duties without my permission," I said."I prepare the bodies of all herd leaders for their final farewell, it is a duty of the Royal Mjuzi that is mandated by citizens, not the monarch,"
"Well, that would be fine if you were called the 'People's Mjuzi', but you are the Royal Mjuzi, and you answer to the King," I reminded him.
"Tell me, Your Majesty, do the flies require permission to land on your nose?" Rafiki asked. Here we go, he was going to give me one of his lectures that only made sense in his head.
"Well, no, but-" I sighed, entertaining this line of thought.
"They do it anyway because they need to, not beause they would like to. As King, things can be done in your name, but you must also do things in the name of your people. If you do things for people, people will do things to your liking," Rafiki said. What a load of sanctimonious twaddle. Kings exist because they are the most intelligent and strong. They are survivors. They know what they want and how to get it.
"What's your brother, Lewis, like, Alex?" Mufasa asked.
"Oh, he is... he's really smart and passionate about looking after animals and their habitats. His kindness and consideration knows no bounds, and he always tried to reach out to me, only for me to push him away, as I had always done, for I thought people wouldn't understand what I went through... but now I realise that to let people in is always the better option than to shut them out and let your suffering eat you from the inside. The fact that he never gave up on me made me someone who won't easily give up on those who I love," I said at length, my throat tightening every so often as the guilt of not being the brother he deserved surfaced in my mind.
"It's okay, you don't have to talk about it if that is what you wish," Mufasa assured me.
"No, it's fine. Talking about him is soothing as well as painful. It will soon be Christmas in my land, which is a festival where people come together to commit deeds of kindness, generosity, celebrate family, and worship a religious figure for whom Christmas is named after," I explained.
"That sounds a bit like Kupatana," Simba remarked.
"Every Christmas, I would kiss a photograph, which is like a captured moment of someone or something, of my mother. I wonder if Lewis will do the same this year. And I wonder if we will return in time to celebrate Christmas, as I had promised Morgan," I said. "I have kept count of the days since I arrived, and us humans measure time in months rather than moons, and each month has a certain name and each have a certain number of days. I arrived in the Pride Lands on 12th day of November, of the year 2016," I explained.
"What is today's count by human reckoning?" Mufasa asked."It's the 20th day of November, which is the penultimate month of the year," I said, before I came to a frightening realisation.
"Wow, have I really been in the Pride Lands for little over a week?" I asked rhetorically. In the space of just over eight days, I have survived an air crash, had my entire understanding of what I knew about myself and animals, met fascinating and inspiring people, confronted some of my demons, grew attached to a family of royal lions, caused a diplomatic crisis, took part in a war, sang in front of a herd of animals... what on earth am I going to get up to in the next week?
"It goes to show that you were always meant to come to the Pride Lands," Mufasa said.
"That's beyond doubt, but it also proves how welcoming you have all been," I replied. "When I woke up to see Simba's kind, curious, loving, and cute eyes, I would have never guessed that I would accompany him on this adventure," i said.
"I suppose I was drawn to you because... well, even though I didn't know you at all, I saw that, while there was pain in your eyes, there was also love, and even then, I knew you to be someone who would never give up on those they love," Simba said. "And from that, you were a pleasure to be around, you helped me overcome my insecurity, you saved my life, but... perhaps above all else, you bring out the best in me, in all of us," the cub said. My heart fluttered at his words of adoration.
"And when I met you, I saw that you were kind, noble, and hopeful. You and Morgan helped me find hope in myself when I didn't even know where to find it," I said to Simba, hoping it did justice to his tribute.
"I can attest to what Simba said. You have helped us in ways that go further than your duty as our Guardian," Mufasa said. "I have always known that, were I privileged enough to host a human, it would be a Guardian, and... maybe more than that," the King said. I nodded knowingly before I wrapped my arms around Mufasa's mane-covered neck and planted my head against his. I hummed peacefully as I felt Mufasa pur, but I did not see a mischievious grin form on his face.I felt my entire body being pushed to my right, and my legs gave way when Mufasa shifted his head into me. If he did it with any firmer force than he did, it could be classified as a gentle and playful headbutt. Nonetheless, I ended up on my arse.
I was speechless at him using my gesture of appreciation against me. I sat on the floor gawping up at the lion in disbelief. In a moment of vulnerability, he wrongfooted me and sent me to the floor.
Mufasa let out an unapologetic burst of merry laughter, and he was joined in by Simba, who erupted into a fit of giggles. He was now lying on his back, his paws holding his stomach and chest, and his hind legs kicking the air.
I then let myself admit that what Mufasa did was pretty hilarious, if a little devious. Where tears of sorrow and regret fell the night before, tears of laughter now fell.
With every step, our destination for the day grew ever closer, but with every step, our energy was expelled.
"My paws hurt," Simba moaned. He had been walking for hours at this point. I just wanted to scoop him up and hold him to my chest.
"I know, Simba, but tradition dictates that you are not allowed to be assisted at all on your journey," Mufasa said.
"When can we next take a break?" Simba asked.
"We can rest in these woods, but we mustn't overstay our welcome, for this is leopard territory," Mufasa said.
"Ah, I was wondering what that smell was," Simba remarked.
"What's so wrong about the leopards?" I asked. This probably wouldn't be a question that Lewis would ask.
"Nothing when you keep distance between yourself and them. They are fiercely territorial and would not be above attacking a cub like Simba if he were in the wrong place at the wrong time," Mufasa said sourly.
"Well, let us hope that we don't come across any," I said.
Morgan's POV
"Hi, Sarabi, where have you been, if you don't mind me asking?" I asked Sarabi. It was good to catch sight of a familiar face and being in her motherly presence radiated a comforting energy. It carried a feeling that everything was going to be okay.
"Oh, hello, Morgan. I just went to see Rafiki about my cub. He says that it is growing well,"
"Ah, that's good news. Is it kicking yet?" I asked.
"No, not quite yet, and I believe the cub to be a girl," the Queen declared.
"Interesting. My mother always said that she thought I was going to be a girl, but I was obviously a boy," I chuckled.
"Sometimes the will of our heart and the voice of our instinct can be confused for one another," Sarabi said with a smile. "Anyhow, how have you spent your first hours without Alex or Simba?" she asked.
"Well, I met a zebra," I said. "She's actually the leader of the zebra herd," I added.
"Oh, Kujua, yes, I always find her company to be enjoyable," she smiled. "Well, I'm glad you're finding new friends. Hopefully, you will have many tales to tell Alex, Simba, and Mufasa when they return," she said.
"Yeah," I agreed, but then I wanted some advice. "How are you faring without your mate and son? I can't imagine them both being absent is a frequent occurrence," I asked.
"Well, this is the first time they have been away, and to be honest, it feels like a small piece of myself is missing. Maybe that is me worrying about them, maybe it's me missing them," Sarabi answered. "But for every moment without them, it will make the reunion sweeter, and I am passing every moment by many means, such as talking to my cub, and to my sisters, which I now realise I hadn't been doing enough of in a casual setting," she finished with a chuckle.
"Is there anything that can be done to lessen the pain of missing them?" I asked.
"You shouldn't let go of that pain, but neither should you let it consume you. Let it motivate you to create your own stories. Make new friends, go on adventures, help someone in need," Sarabi said.
"Just like Alex said," I smiled. Sarabi nodded.
"You're a good boy, Morgan, you have a good heart. Don't let it be stayed by fear," the Queen said.
"Thank you, Sarabi. Simba is lucky to have a mother like you. I don't think he truly appreciates that," I said.
"I am touched, Morgan. Any parent would be rightly proud to have you as their son," she said before she gently nuzzled me. Even though I thought that this would be the culmination of our conversation, it caught me off guard. I felt the soft fur brush against the skin of my cheek, and beyond that, I felt the magnitude of her mighty and graceful being. Although fragile with expectancy, that only added to her robustness, her power.
I let her words melt into my mind, and I then felt like I would melt into her embrace. For the first time in what felt like years, I felt loved as a mother loves her son. I felt as if I was surrounded by a force that would stave off all that could hurt or frighten me. I was humbled by the idea that this instinct transcended species. I placed my arms around Sarabi's shoulders and buried my face into her neck.
"I miss my mum so much," I sobbed quietly.
"I know you do," Sarabi whispered as she placed a mighty yet gentle paw on my back.
"We're here for you, but nothing can replace the love of your mother, and that will live on in you forever," the lioness said.
"And thus, I will keep moving in her name. She wanted nothing more than for me to be free and happy, and I am free and happy here. I don't want to ever leave," I said.
"As long as you remain a citizen of the Pride Lands, and as long as you remain under the care of the Guardian, there is no force that could expel you from this land," Sarabi declared.
"But... what if I make a mistake, like with Hatia? I feel like I'm on a final warning," I admitted.
"We do not judge people on mistakes alone, but by their character, their resolve, their service, and we know you are a kind, honourable, determined, and loyal person," Sarabi said.
Alex's POV
We reached a grove of trees. The verdant grass was a pleasant respite from the straw-like grass and hardened mud. Simba made for the first tree with substantial shade and promptly flopped onto his side.
"Ah, yeah," I audibly sighed. "That's more like it," he said as he stretched his legs and the paws at the end of them.
"Mind if I join you?" I asked with a chuckle. I made an extended 'ooh' noise as I lowered myself and set my back against the tree.
"What was your first trial, Dad?" Simba asked when he ceased wringing his limbs of pain and weariness.
"My first trial of my Path was to do with leadership, and what I was confronted with was a situation where I had to prove my abilities as a leader, and that entailed me having to resolve a conflict between two herds who were fighting over a water source," Mufasa answered.
"How did you do that?" the King's son asked.
"It was between wildebeest and crocodile. The wildebeest wanted to bathe and drink in the water, but they distrusted the crocodiles who would not move because the river was running too high downstream, and they could not move upstream because it was too shallow and mountainous," the Prince's father answered.
"That does sound like quite a dilemma," I remarked. "How did you reach a compromise?" I asked.
"Well, I asked why the crocodiles could not move aside, and they said that the elder males were basking and eating on the sandy banks, and the females were laying eggs in the reeds.I asked if there were a path the wildebeest could take, they said there was but the wildebeest did not trust the crocodiles to not attack them," Mufasa explained. "And so I convinced the wildebeest to enter the river by going in myself and showing them that the crocodiles were no threat," he said.
"Wow," Simba gasped in admiration at his father's courage. "How scared were you?" he asked.
"I was doubly scared," Mufasa answered honestly. "Not only was I not a confident swimmer, I was also terrified of crocodiles due to an incident involving a pair of young crocodiles when I was not much younger than you, Simba," he said. "I wondered if it also counted as a trial of bravery, for I knew that bravery was about being afraid but not letting it stay your paw, but I found a couple of days after that it did not," he added.
"What was your trial for bravery?" Simba asked. "I bet you passed it easily, because you're the bravest lion I know," he smirked.
"My trial for bravery had me confronting a human, actually," Mufasa said.
"A human? You've actually met a human?" I gasped.
"I did. It happened just before we reached the Great Mountain," Mufasa answered. "My father and I were ascending the foothills, and as swift as a valley storm, my father disappered in the blink of an eye, and as I searched for him, I caught sight of a tall and thin creature who had dark skin and stood on their hind legs and weilded a stick with a sharp end that shone in the sunlight like a diamond," he recalled.
"I don't like the sound of where this is going," I said.
"I knew that the creature had the ability to end my life, for I was told stories of the violence and cunning of humans, and many are taught to hate them, I also knew that I could end theirs if it came to it, but when I stepped forward, they pointed their stick at me, and then I came to a realisation: we were both frightened of each other, and one of us would only harm the other because we were afraid. And I saw in their eyes that they didn't hate me at all, but they were absolutely petrified, and I realised we were not so different. Maybe they were on a Path similar to myself. Maybe they were trying to prove to their father that they were a worthy successor. Maybe they had hopes and dreams of their own, a love waiting for them where they called home. And I decided that I was not going to end their life, but maybe enlighten it with the wisdom and courage of peace," Mufasa said. I only leaned further in his direction, hanging onto each and every word that came from his mouth.
"I simply lowered my head and then smiled. They held their stick beside them and nodded. We then went our seperate ways, and soon afterwards, my father appeared and said he was proud of me," Mufasa finished.
"Amazing," I gasped. Up until a week ago, I had not experienced a confrontation resulting in an understanding of such intimacy with another species. I had always talked to animals as if they had a personality, and they responded to me with instincts such as fear, hunger, or love, but nothing like what happened to Mufasa.
"Do you... do you think that might happen on my trial of bravery?" Simba asked with hesitancy. "Would you... abandon me just as I am about to face my fear?" he asked. His voice grew smaller with every word that came from his mouth.
Mufasa and I looked at each other, as if we both came to understand that this is what Scar told Simba to unnerve him.
"Simba, the purpose of the trials is to demonstrate that you understand what it takes to be King, and when you are King, I will not be by your side, but you will have to rely on the wisdom that I pass on to you," Mufasa said gently. "Whatever your trial of bravery demands of you, I have no doubt that you will be able to meet those demands, because I know you are brave, and as you know, bravery isn't the absence of fear but conquering it, and you are the bravest cub I know," he said.
With that, all pain and weariness in Simba's paws were forgotten when he sprang up and planted himself against his father's legs, and he fiercely nuzzled them with unending appreciation for the words of support and confidence. When he had spent all his energy born from that burst of appreciation, he turned to me and looked up to me with a look that demanded honesty.
"Did Morgan tell you about my moment of doubt?" he asked.
"Nothing gets past you, does it?" I chuckled. "He did, but for the same reason you admitted to us about your fear. You were both being honest, and when people aren't honest, they become afraid and drift apart. If you kept your fear to yourself, you may have been consumed by it," I said.
"I'm not just afraid of what I might have to do, I'm afraid that I won't be good enough for what the trials demand," Simba said.
"Trust me, you aren't the first Prince to think they will be the first ever Prince to fail their Path, but let me tell you a secret as to why no Prince has ever failed their path," Mufasa said before lowering his head to meet with Simba's ear. "There is no one way of passing a Path, just like there is no one way of being a good King," Mufasa said quietly. Simba looked on thoughtfully at the trees before returning his gaze up to his father's eyes.
"I suppose you're right," the Prince admitted. "I'm a little thirsty," Simba said after licking his lips to moisten them. "Can I go and get a drink?" he asked.
"Very well," Mufasa sighed. "Take Alex with you. No cheetah would approach a cub who is accompanied by a human," the King declared. This sparked a feeling of pride in my chest, but I did my best not to let it show on my face.
"Come on, Simba, let's be quick about it," I said before we walked beside each other down a slope in the terrain, with the flora growing only greener further down the valley. "There should be a stream down the valley," I surmised.
As we delved further into the now dense forest, I realised that we had not made conversation for the duration of the walk, which was unusual for Simba, and unusual for two individuals who would regard each other as brothers. His mind was still troubled, despite our conversation seemingly restoring his confidence to face whatever obstacle lay before him.
"Is there anything else on your mind, Simba?" I asked, finally breaking the silence that was punctuated by the tweeting of birds and chirping of insects.
"Hmm?" Simba responded, answering the question for me. While we were both walking through a forest, Simba was wandering through a maze in his mind.
"I asked if you had anything else on your mind that you might want to get off your chest, but I guess my question was answered," I said with a chuckle that was gentle enough to not belittle him.
"Oh, uh, well... I suppose there is one fear that is not allayed," Simba admitted, looking at me only for the duration of his stalling, and then at each passing weed and blade of grass for the rest of his sentence.
"And what might that be?" I asked.
Simba stopped walking.
"I am afraid that, by the time I finish my Path, our relationship will be permanently damaged just as we realised the true extent of our bond," Simba admitted."Simba," I knelt down to his level. "There is nothing, and I mean nothing, that could stop me from loving you. You might make mistakes or do something that I disagree with, you might even distrust me at times," I said. "But even then, I will love you and stand by you, even when it's difficult," I declared.
"But... what if I stopped loving you?" Simba asked hesitantly.
I stood back up at that utterance. He wouldn't have said that if he thought it would never come to pass. Was this Scar getting into his head? Or did he merely exacerbate an existing insecurity?
"What... what do you mean?" I asked.
"What happened if something happens that... that breaks everything about our bond? Whether that's tomorrow or many moons in the future?"
"Do you think that could ever happen?" I asked.
"I don't want that to happen, but I'm afraid it might,"
"Simba, when you love someone, whether platonically or romantically, your heart binds with the other in a way that is almost impossible to break. True love is about trust and loyalty, it's about sacrifice, it's about being a shoulder to cry on, it's about uplifting someone. It's defined by actions, not mere feelings, and I know you have a good heart that can sometimes be restrained by fear, but fear is a feeling. When you acted, you found out that Nala loved you as you love her, and you found that being honest allayed your fears," I said. At certain points in my rant, my throat grew heavy, because I realised that I had not always practised what I preached. I had too often been controlled by fear. I had too often let down those who I loved. I had lied to them because I thought they would think worse of me, but it was the lying that made them think that way.
Nothing more was said until we reached our destination. The sound of water trickling against stone was a soothing soundtrack to the scene that was just as friendly to my eyes. A meandering line of trees forming a tunnel, that was sullied by dapples of sunlight, over a humble stream that was flanked by thick moss.
"Right, there's the stream, have your drink, and then we can go straight back and get on," I rehearsed the plan for the next ten minutes. I dared not to dwell on what might happen if we came across a leopard. If what Mufasa said was correct, I would have to prepare myself to put myself between the jaws of a leopard and Simba. But would they be able to outpace or outsmart me with their superior agility? In my power state, I have ran faster than a car at speed on a motorway before, but it was for about ten seconds and it took everything out of me.
Just as I was reminiscing the times where my powers caused people to threaten my brother in order to hurt me, I noticed Simba's ear twitching.All I could hear was the water flowing over a small hardrock platform and hitting a softrock plunge pool. I wondered what it would be like to have hearing so sensitive that I could detect everything from a grasshopper chirping in the immediate vicinity to the heavy hooves of antelope miles away. It would probably be a nightmare to focus, but I could probably learn to block out certain sounds, just as my brain makes my eyes disregard the nose between my eyes.
I watched silently for the next few moments as Simba lapped water from the stream. I was sitting on the exposed root system of an acacia tree and was cleaning the dirt out of my nails. The next time I looked up at Simba, he had entirely moved to the right and he was looking intently down stream.
"Have you finished?" I asked.
Simba shushed me, cutting me off. I frowned and rose to my feet and walked over to his new position and matched the direction in which he looked.
I gasped when I saw three leopard cubs. One of them had quite submissive body language, and the other two were more aggressive. They leaned in on him and sneered at him with craning necks.
"Simba, we should go," I said quietly but firmly. I may as well have said nothing, because he didn't react at all to my voice. His ears didn't even change direction.
"Simba," I growled through gritted teeth, and it was at this point that Simba swung his head around to look at me. His eyes shone in enlightened determination.
"Alex, I'm going to need you to trust me on this, but you have to stay here," he said with an authoritative tone. I admit, it did suit him, but it did not sway me.
"Simba, did you not hear what your father said about what the leopards could do to you? If their parents come-"
"Alex, this is something that I have to do. If something goes wrong, you'll be here," Simba interrupted me.
I opened my mouth to retaliate, but then realised what he meant. Maybe this was the first of his Trials. I sighed in defeat and said,
"Alright, but be careful," I said.
Simba's POV
I crawled on the moss, under the roots, between the shrubs. I copied what my mother and the hunting party did on their hunts, but also what Nala did when she would play tag, or when she would pounce on me and, after a short tumble, pin me to the Earth. Before I admitted my love to her, I found it so frustrating when she did it. It made me feel week, inferior... unworthy. But now, it just makes me admire her even more. It is one of my favourite places to be, because it allows me to get lost in her beautiful eyes, which is my utmost favourite place to be, even if it is just for a fleeting moment.
Oh, man, I miss her so much!
When I tell her of how I helped a stranger, not out of personal gain, but purely because it was the right thing to do, she will be so impressed!
And so will Dad.
But I have to get to the leopard to help him first. And I continued until I could hear their words."Why can't you let me drink some, Mapigano? It's not like the stream is going to run dry," one of the leopards asked. He had a gentle voice that sounded like it belonged to a kind and fair leopard. I continued crawling through the tall stalks of grass until I rounded a tree that was obscuring their position.
"We told you, you can have some when we're fiished, Badili," the second leopard said the name with malice. The one called Mapigano sounded mean and aggressive. He and his accomplice were forming an obstruction
"Who says only two leopards can drink from the stream?"
"We say so, because our father is the Leopard Lord of Mirihi Forest,"
"What? Mapigano, the Leopard Lord of Mirihi Forest is my uncle," Badili replied with a cocked brow.
"Yeah, and your father doesn't live in Mirihi Forest. You're lucky we even let you visit. Who knows what our father would do to a rival cub?" Makucha said. I knew leopards were territorial, but some tolerated the presence of at least two generations of
"You're being absurd, Makucha. No leopard would harm their own nephew," Badili asserted.
"Oh, did you hear that, Mapigano? He just called me absurd!" Makucha laughed.
"I don't think that tone warrants the right to drink from our stream, Makucha," Mapigano said condescendingly. "That said, I'm working up a bit of a thirst again," he said before turning to drink from the stream again.
"Good idea," Makucha responded before also turning his tail on Badili, who could only look on in anger and frustration. Man, these guys are so mean. Why not just let him have some water? Surely that's the easiest outcome for everyone? Are they that prideful that they won't let Badili have a drink?
"One day, someone will stand up to you and call you out for the bullies you are and show that you are truly the weak one," Badili declared. There was an increasing defiance in his voice. Was he going to resolve this himself? A part of me wanted him to be successful, but then that would mean I was wrong about this being a trial.
There was an extensive silence that fell on the vicinity like a mist. All that could be heard was the trickling of the water. I even held my breath in case that gave me away.
"Well, that someone won't be you, for you are the most pathetic leopard to ever live," Mapigano said. What a horrible thing to say! I unsheathed my claws, such was my contempt for this pair of bullies. With every passing second, I wanted to leap to Badili's defence, but I felt as if I had to wait for the opportune moment to intervene.
The silence was broken by laughter. Belittling, mocking laughter.
"Aw, is Badiwi gonna cwy?" Makucha said tauntingly while Mapigano cackled like a hyena. "I think Badili has outstayed his welcome," he declared.
"I got a better idea," Mapigano uttered as he slinked to Badili's rear. "Why don't we let him have a drink after all?" he suggested with a wink before he shoved Badili towards Makucha, who took hold of Badili's scruff by his mouth. Oh, that does it. I can't let this go on a second longer. I cut through the grass before jumping into the meadow.
"HEY!" I shouted, successfully capturing their attention. They had frozen in a perilous and criminal position. Makucha was
"Who the hell are you? What are you doing here?" Mapigano asked.
"Get lost, lion, or else we'll drop a bee's nest on you," Makucha warned. I'd like to see them try.
"I am Simba, son of Mufasa, and if you let this leopard be and let him drink from the stream, I may spare you from tying your tails together," I declared. I didn't know if I sounded badass or ridiculous, but in the face of bullying, I didn't really care.
"Who are you to deny the business of the sons of the Leopard Lord of Mirihi Forest?" Makucha asked aggressively.
"My honour demands that I stand against bullies, and there is nothing lordly about bullying. If you think strength is about punching down on those you deem to be inferior, then you are the pathetic one," I said.
"How dare you?" Makucha growled. "I am the son of Athiri, the Leopard Lord of Mirihi Forest, and my honour demands that I teach you a lesson for disrespecting me in my own territory," he said.
I raised my chin and stood my ground. "What lesson might that be, Makucha, son of Athiri?" I asked.
"This," Mapigano's voice said, though now it came from behind me, and before I could so much as turn my head, I could feel my entire body being violently yanked backwards, stealing my paws from the earth. The sudden and painful force was centred around the nape of my neck. I felt myself being dragged against the forest floor, I felt all sorts of leaves, sticks, stones, and other debris rubbing on my back. My paws were then forced behind me, with a great weight pressing on them.
"I'm going to leave a reminder of your disrespect that you will never forget," Makucha declared as he raised his right paw, his claws unsheathed. He was going to cut me, badly. He meant to leave a scar.
I clenched my eyes shut. All I could see at that moment was Nala's face of disappointment, no, disgust when she saw what had become of me. I saw my Dad frown at me in shame and embarrasment. I saw the children of the herds gawping at me, their parents awkwardly rushing them along. I saw my friends laughing at me. I could hear their laughter. They didn't even have to say the words of how hideous I looked and how cowardly I must have been.
I could hear my rapid breathing. I could hear the growls of the leopards. I could hear the water flowing. I could hear the booming roar of Alex's voice cutting through the air like a hawk, and the sound was accompanied by a wind that was like a spear. The whistling grew quickly louder, until it passed in front of me and collided with Makucha, who was sprawled across the floor when I finally opened my eyes. I quickly put a paw to my face and felt no pain and saw no blood. That was close!
"Simba, are you okay?" Alex asked breathlessly. I turned to see him lightly leaping over one of the exposed roots I crawled under. I finally caught up with my breathing, and I realised that I was only inches away from a lifealtering injury, and I realised just how dangerous this whole Path thing was. I burst into tears, and Alex promptly knelt down and comforted me.
"It's okay, Simba, it's okay. You did the right thing," Alex assured me. His broad hand running down my spine felt like a shield against all that could frighten and harm me.
Alex's POV
I watched Simba step as lightly as he could control. He moved ever further away from my radius of protection, but I had to trust him, I had to let him do this on his own, even when it hurt, even when I wanted to swoop in and extract him from a dangerous situation, he will, in all likelihood, walk into far more perilous situations as King, and as his Guardian, I can only advise him, I cannot compel him or stop him from walking into a situation where his life is at risk.
If someone comes to him with intent to harm him, they'll have to get through me first, but he is his own person. He makes his own decisions. His will does not belong to me. I can tell him he's being a reckless idiot, but I cannot physically restrain him from doing something like Mufasa did when he negotiated with the jackals.
At this point, the only way I could tell where Simba was situated was by following the sequence of clumps of grass being flattened. Even now, I was rubbing the side of my thumb against the end of my index finger while leaning against the tree where I had remained since Simba insisted on venturing into the heart of the confrontation between the leopards. This was a nervous twitch that I thought I had done away with years ago. The habit was so serious that it sometimes wore away the top layer of my skin, even with my accelerated healing.
I now could not follow his progress at my usual full height. The dense foliage obscured my view, and thus I felt even more helpless. When looking behind me to see if Mufasa was heading this way to see what was taking so lomg, I saw that the tree behind me had a sequence of branches that looked both easy to climb and sturdy enough to hold my weight, and so I grabbed the lowest branch with my left hand, placed my right foot on the bark, and hauled myself up on to the first branch, grabbing on to the next branch above to keep myself balanced.
I could now see through a gap between the trees. I saw Simba observing the argument between the three leopards. Two of them were standing between the third and the stream. They then aggressively approached the leopard furthest from the water, and said something that left the leopard deeply upset, on the verge of tears, and then they returned to the stream.
A part of me wanted Simba to intervene and bring this to an end. It was gutwrenching to witness such bullying. I had nothing but contempt for those who felt fulfilment from belittling others, for those who could only derive strength from making other people feel weak and small. I couldn't always respond in the way I wanted to. A sturdy shove from me would send them to the other end of a corridor.
The rest of me dreaded the idea of this going south. What if they noticed Simba and they all ganged up on him as they put their personal differences aside to chase out, or assault the trespasser of a different species?
I didn't think the odds of that happening were high, as the victim of the bullying said something with an angry and resolute expression on his face, and then the leopards looked at each other - I assume they said something to each other given how long they looked at each other. One of them shoved their victim towards their accomplice and they grabbed him by the scruff of his neck with their mouth and started dragging him to the water. No.
"C'mon, Simba," I urged with a desperate whisper. Surely enough, I saw Simba emerge from his hiding place with a determined and heroic pounce.
"HEY!" Simba's voice of fury reached my ears. I was so proud of him. To stand up for a stranger is one of the most noble things someone can do. I had no doubt of his honour before, but to see him demonstrate it made my heart beat stronger.
Wait... what is that leopard doing? He just slinked behind Simba, and was now creeping up on him as a hunter stalks their prey.
'Simba, look out!' I went to say, but then some barrier somehow kept the words in my mouth. I had to trust Simba to see this through, even when it hurt to do so. I would only intervene if he was certain to be hurt. I had to let this play out or I might ruin his Trial.
My heart sank when I saw the leopard behind him latch onto his nape with his mouth and violently yanked him into his back and dragged him towards a tree.
That does it. They will pay for harming my brother.
I leapt down from the branch, and when I stood at my full height again, I saw one leopard standing on Simba's front paws as they were forced behind him, and the other had his paw in the air with his claws unsheathed. All it took was one muscle movement assisted by gravity and Simba would be grievously wounded.
At that moment, I could only think to reach in Simba's direction, as if my will could affect that which was beyond my reach, and at that moment, anger and fear engulfed my body like a raging fire, and as quick as a blink of an eye, my vision turned blue, and a blast of energy was expelled from the palm of my left hand, causing my arm to recoil so much that I had to take a step backward.
I remained in that position for what felt like minutes. My open hand at the end of my outstretched left arm, and I adjusted my focus from my fingers to what I saw between them: the unmoving body of the leopard sprawled out in front of Simba, who was also unmoving.
I turned my hand so that my palm was facing me. Something like that had not happened in many years, not since I was a teenager. When I am sufficiently afraid or angry, I am at risk of surrendering to an instinctive force of pure energy that results in a blast of energy coming from my hand. It is not as tiring as when my entire body is in that state, but it can be just as damaging and uncontrolled.
Simba!
I ran towards the tree whose foot Simba was still lying. My eyes briefly lingered on the unconscious leopard, who was now being approached by his accomplice. I leaped over the root of said tree and knelt down to Simba's level.
"Simba, are you okay?" I said without breath. Adrenaline still coursed through my veins from the blast of energy.
Simba responded by looking at me with a blank and numb expression, and it quickly turned into a deeply upset one. His eyebrows arched upwards, his eyes glossed over, and he looked as if he was fighting to say a word that his mouth wouldn't permit to leave, so all he could do was surrender to tears.
"It's okay, Simba, it's okay," I assured him as I wiped a tear that fell down his cheek and continued moving my hand across his neck and down his spine. He responded by burying his face into my stomach.
"You did the right thing," I declared. I didn't want him to be dissuaded from continuing to stand up against those who prey on the vulnerable. He committed a deed of great honour and nobility. If this was his first Trial, he passed it.
"I w-was so scared," Simba's muffled voice shivered. I continued stroking his spine. I felt a slight tremor emanating from his neck, but it was not strong enough to be called a pur. The poor thing must still be traumatised.
"Makucha? Wake up!" Mapigano pleaded desperately. Simba looked up in the direction of the leopard on the floor.
"Is he okay?" Simba asked. My mouth opened slightly. He had every right to show no concern for someone who was about to condemn him to a life of feeling like a grotesque, of having to explain how he accrued a scar. I wouldn't bat an eye if he wished ill on him. It would only be natural in the immediate aftermath of that person being about to attack you.
And yet, try as I might, neither could I bring myself to suppress sympathy. This leopard was conditioned to behave like that. They didn't deserve to die because of what they did. I realised that I had regret in my heart. Not for stopping them, but for potentially killing them. I didn't mean for them to be hurt this bad, I just wanted to stop them from hurting Simba. And now that I recall it, I was only inches away from harming Simba as well.
That thought compelled me to stand at my full height and approach the two leopards.
"Let me check his breathing," I said.
"You're the reason he's not moving!" the leopard who rushed to Makucha's side growled.
"I only meant to stop him from hurting Simba, I didn't mean to render him unconscious," I said. "Simba has every right to command me to let him be, you are lucky he is so noble," I added. I then knelt down before the unconscious leopard. I received no answer and looked between the leopard whose eyes offered me nothing but contempt, and the leopard whose eyes told of conflict - while he hated his bully for what he did to him, he didn't want him to die.
I put my ear to Makucha's chest. His heart was still beating.
"He is alive, just knocked out," I said with relief in my voice.
"You're the one who knocked him out!" the leopard shouted.
"Where he lies is the consequences of his actions, Mapigano,"
"Shut up, you twerp," the leopard I now knew to be Mapigano said. Simba reacted to this by standing up, but did not change his location. He had a scornful expression on his face. It may have hid an underlying anxiety.
"And you, if you hadn't stuck your nose in our business, this wouldn't have happened," Mapigano directed his anger at Simba.
"Don't listen to him, Simba, do not let him make you doubt that you did the right thing," I said.
"The right thing? Is it right that Makucha was injured?" Mapigano asked.
"Was it right that he was about to wound Simba?" I countered.
At that moment, a growl that reverberated through my chest ripped through the otherwise still silence of the forest. As quickly as it traveled through my very being, I saw a swift moving form cut through the undergrowth. It was an adult leopard. I assumed it was their father. I immediately positioned myself between him and Simba.
"Would you care to explain why my son is unconscious, human?" the leopard asked.
"I'll explain when you tell me why your son thinks it's okay to bully others and try to wound innocent lion cubs," I argued.
"This cub is no innocent, he is a trespasser, as are you," the leopard condemned.
As a gale that threatens to uproot a tree, a deafening roar sundered the confrontation like a canyon. All looked in the direction of the roar's origin, and beheld an image of power and majesty. As he strode at pace, Mufasa's mighty mane flowed as if a permanent breeze passed through it. While my heart was still quickened and my hearing dulled, hope and courage filled my body.
"What is the meaning of this, Athiri?" Mufasa demanded.
"Ah, Mufasa, who else would bear a son so arrogant to trespass into leopard territory?"
"Simba stood up to these bullies and they decided he should pay for his nobility with his dignity, if not his eye," I said.
"That's not the whole truth! Simba threatened us as well! And Makucha is the one who ended up hurt," Mapigano replied.
"Enough! There is a witness here who has no yet spoken!" Mufasa raised his voice. I could tell that there was a small part of him . I then walked over to the leopard who was about to be drowned not five minutes ago. I stopped a couple of feet before him and placed my left foot on an exposed root and rested my arms on my knees.
"What is your name, friend," I said to the leopard.
"Badili," the leopard answered.
"Badili, I have been where you are before. I have been made to feel small, weak, and helpless. But now you have proven yourself to be brave, and strong, and now you can help the cause of justice. Speak your truth, Badili," I said.
Badili then looked between Simba and Makucha Mapigano. It was as if he was deliberating whose side of the story he would support. Would he choose to repay Simba for standing up for him? Or would he opt to avoid selling out his fellow leopards and risk further, even more brutal torment? Would he choose those of his species or the stranger?
"All I wanted was to drink from the stream, but Makucha and Mapigano wouldn't let me, and even when I asked them nicely, they refused, and when I pointed out their unkindness, their cruelty only deepened, and they said very hurtful things, they said that I was the most pathetic leopard in the world," Badili spoke and fought to contain the urge to cry. I looked at the faces of those who listened. I saw Simba look on with a mix of vindication and sympathy. I saw Mufasa's mouth open slightly, almost disbelieving that such a young thing could conceive of such cruelty. I saw Mapigano look to the floor. The predominant emotion was regret, but whether it was for the hurt he caused, or the fact that he wouldn't get away with it, I could not tell. I saw Athiri regard Badili with disappointment and disgust.
"That's a truly nasty thing of them to say, Badili, but it is also not true. If anything is pathetic, it is belittling you and trying to drown you,"
"That's not true, we weren't going to drown you, we were just-" Mapigano argued.
"So you don't deny dragging me to the stream? If it weren't for Simba, who knows how long I would have been submerged? Until you got bored? Until I stopped struggling?" Badili asked rhetorically.
Mapigano cursed himself for his slip-up, and sensed the glare of disapproval from his father.
"What did they do to my son, Badili?" Mufasa asked as gently as he could while rage brewed within him at the thought of Simba coming to harm.
"When he stood up for me, Mapigano sneaked behind Simba and pulled him onto his back and dragged him toward that tree," Badili pointed to the tree where Simba was sitting. And the trail of disturbed leaves, twigs, and mud through which Simba was dragged could be seen.
"Makucha stood before Simba and raised his paw with his claws unsheathed, and then something, a great wind or whatever, came from that way and hit Makucha," Badili pointed to the tree from where I spectated the confrontation. I looked down at the earth, regretting the consequences of me losing control of my power.
"That was caused by me. I didn't mean to hurt Makucha, but he was about to hurt my brother," I said.
"I wanted to help Simba like he helped me, but... I just wasn't brave enough," Badili lamented. His voice grew heavy.
"No one blames you," I assured him.
"Now you have heard all sides, Athiri. As Leopard Lord of Mirihi Forest and father of these cubs, it is your responsibility to dispense the sentence for their misdemeanours," Mufasa said.
"I will decide if I shall punish my own cubs, Your Majesty," Athiri hissed. "And Badili will be escorted to his father's territory," he added. Badili responded by looking to the floor with a fearful expression. To this, Simba rushed over to confer with him.
"Thank you for saying that," the lion said gratefully.
"It was the least I could do for the first person who ever stood up for me that wasn't a leopard from my own territory, and after I failed to stand up for you,"
"Just remember that you are stronger than you seem, and braver than you think," Simba said. I looked on at the scene with pride.
"How about you forget the hurt that was caused to your son, and we will forget what your sons did to mine," Mufasa said.
"So be it, but one fact remains: your son remains a trespasser, and your human companion remains a cub assaulter, and these are things we will never forget. Now leave my territory," Athiri demanded.
A/N: Wow, what a chapter! It looks like Simba passed his first Trial. I really enjoyed writing this chapter and I hope you enjoyed writing it. Stay tuned to find out what happens in Simba's next Trial, if this incident has any further consequences down the line, what other characters Morgan will meet, and if Scar can earn the respect of the Pridelanders. Please leave a constructive review and don't forget to press the follow and favourite buttons so you don't miss a moment! Thanks again for reading and I hope you have a splendid day!
