Two Brothers Under the Sun
Chapter – XXX
Bagheera's Boys
It was hopeless. He knew that from the get-go.
Nothing short of a miracle would be able to save him from this.
But that doesn't matter, as long as he could keep this monster away from the boys.
In his fight with Shere Khan, he made good use of his agility and speed to evade the tiger's claws and managed to land a few, albeit nigh-insignificant, blows on him. By leopard standards, Bagheera's also rather strong, jumping at the attacking tiger and hitting him at the perfect angle with enough momentum to send them both flying a few feet away.
That moment was the closest he got to making the Khan click his teeth in annoyance.
"You have no right to be here, Shere Khan!" Was he stalling so the patrols would get here to help him, or was it so he could spare his apprentices from facing the Dreaded? A bit of both.
"Every king has the right to defend his home from a Cascade," responded the tiger.
"This is no longer your home." Bagheera glared. "You tore the jungle apart when you chose war."
"What was I to do when you permitted men to live among us?" Shere Khan rebuffed his accusation with a sneer. "You pretend he is a gorilla. When we both know that is something he will never be. He will always be... a man."
A flex of muscles and The Khan surged forward. Ember eyes burning bright with fury were the last thing Bagheera saw before everything went black.
"You... poisoned the jungle."
Consciousness returned slowly; night terrors pestered him like mosquitoes.
He woke, but his thoughts were all a jumble, a mix of vivid memories and the languor of his time in sleeping. Odd sensations of pain burned through his body covered in pink petals and paste but, before he could do much more than open his eyes, something moved to his side, making him flinch. Blinking back into life, his eyesight adjusted as he kept track of it.
A shadow spreads from the darkness above, shifting and quivering like a living branch.
Coming to a halt in front of him, the panther was greeted by the sinuous form of Kaa.
"Welcome back, Bagheera."
###
Northwestern Bukuvu plains, Simba's territory
While patrolling a section of the jungle between Hakuna Matata Falls and Monkey City, the feathered quartet flies over their liege.
"Guys, how's it looking from up there?" Simba asks from down below. The vultures are his eyes.
"Umm, we've got a rain cloud moving in." Flaps observed. "Other than that, no sign of trouble."
"Wait," Dizzy eyes the path ahead and spots the cronies of a certain striped cat. "Its Mzin-that is: Shere Khan's parliament. They're circling... "
"And that usually is a sign of trouble." The lion muses in a deep frown. Following his close call with the Khan, he was none too eager to have his minions on his side of the river. "Buzzie, lead the way!"
"Yes, sir!" salutes the bald vulture before guiding his flock in the direction of their nefarious kin.
Overhead, Mzingo and company are seen chasing a young monkey through an open field.
"As senior member of the Lunch Committee, I move we forego prolonged debate..." Mzingo regards his flockmates and then swoops down towards the white-eyed Bandar-log. "And dive into business."
"I second the motion." Mwoga, a fellow 'senior member', and others follow his lead.
The panicked primate screeches as he continues to run.
Simba and his own vultures close in from the opposite side. "Mzingo! Leave them alone!"
Buzzie intercepts Mwoga, forcing the latter to retreat with a squawk. "Go ahead. Make your move, Mwoga!"
The monkey goes to Simba, hiding behind his legs while the rest of the band flies to cover them.
"Don't worry, baboonie! We will save you." Ziggy declared.
Mzingo's group exchanges a few blows with their counterparts, parrying talon strikes before bouncing away from each other.
Finally, a grunting Mzingo turns and yelps to his minions. "Uh, yield to the lion! Yield to the lion!"
Admitting defeat to the maned feline's forces, they spin around and make their way back to the South Banks. Seeing the enemy flying off, Simba goes to reassure the little baboon, who is now gibbering and panting.
"All right, little guy. You're safe." The sound of rumbling thunder prompts him to snap his head to the horizon, where heavy cloudsare forming. "Let's get you home before the rain gets here."
As they prepare to leave, the young primate pulls on Simba's ear to climb onto his mane.
"Hey, easy on the ears." Simba yowled, although he still smiled whilst he and his companions escorted the young fella back to Louie's Kingdom.
###
Cliffside Dwelling, Hakuna Matata Falls, northern Bukuvu
At the feet of the tallest edge of the rockface, a bear tied up to a harness made out of vines walks forward to pull the rope wrapped around a branch atop the cliff, activating an elaborate pulley system that allows his friends to hoist themselves up there so they can saw the honeycombs with their long serrated spears, dropping them into strategically-placed woven baskets where they can be safely collected once the baboons were done.
Jed, in a protective hood of tied-up ferns to shield him from the bees, slowly but surely cuts off the honeycombs while Fred arranges the detached pieces inside the basket (licking some of their sweetness in the process). Ned, for his part, was responsible for maintaining communication between them and Baloo.
Moving to stand beside a tiny stack of pebbles, Timon raises a green flag in front of the ursine. "That's the first mark."
"Got it." Baloo nodded and called to Ned: "That's the first mark!"
"Got it!" The baboon shoos up the long vine towards the top of the rock, sending along the message. "That's the first mark!"
"Got it!" Jed shifts around in his hoisted seat of branches and twine as he jabs at the honeycombs. "Whoo!" Putting a bit more force, he manages to break off a nice chunk of honey-glazed beeswax. "Yeah, I got it! Tell him to go to the second mark!"
"Got it!" Giving his brother a thumbs-on, Ned climbs down to Baloo. "Go to the second mark!"
"Got it." Genial as ever, the sloth bear pads after Timon as the latter brings the flag to the next stack. Noticing the big cat approaching, he calls out to him. "Hiya, Simba! Me and the boys are almost done here if you want some honey."
"Yeah, sounds good." Simba, along with the quartet, took a moment to watch the operation from a vantage point. Scenes like the one before them were always quite the sight; all of them served to show how crafty and inventive his brother is. Using vines, sharpened leaves, and pieces of rock, he was able to make some very impressive tools and devices.
The Ape-Man in question was now resting by a medium-sized pool of quagmire, a thin layer of mud mask applied to his face as he relaxed close to the wallowing warthog. Spotting his brother getting closer, Tarzan throws mud at his face.
"Hey! What are you doing?" grunted the now golden-and-brown lion.
"Giving you a mud facial!" snickered the masked brother. "It does wonders for your complexion."
"Besides, you said you wanted to make a good impression at the Royal Buffalo Wallow." Pumbaa reminded while wriggling.
The feline snorts as he wipes the mud off of himself. Indeed, Queen Vuruga Vuruga will be presiding over the ceremony on their side of the river for a change. And since Bagheera won't be there, Simba will be on his own, although his swine godfather invited himself to come along. "Yeah, but this isn't exactly what I had in mind."
"Trust me, Simba. If there's one thing I know about is..." Pumbaa started, the bubbly pig's voice slowly dying and his black eyes going wide as he glanced off to the side toward the treeline. The rest of the group soon looked over to where his gaze had fallen... and... well...
A lump got stuck inside Tarzan's throat as happiness gripped everybody's hearts.
Bagheera awoke from near death, though he was limping due to the blunt trauma he had suffered in the arms of Shere Khan.
Ignoring the throbbing pain resonating in his body, the panther lunged forward as Tarzan and Simba did the same. They met at the halfway point, the black cat sweeping into the tight embrace of his godsons. The trio remained that way for a moment, shutting out the rest of the world. Once they separated, the Black Back knelt down, pressing his hands gently to Bagheera's face.
"I'm sorry I couldn't save you," he whispered. The teacher pressed his body against the student's and the two of them maintained eye contact, refusing to look away. Tarzan tried to force a smile, even as he looked at his father covered in leafy bandages. "I wasn't there."
"It is not your fault." Bagheera gestured to his injured, disheveled bulk. "This is nothing, as long as you are safe." He turns to them. Despite his best efforts, Tarzan picked up on the passing glance he gave to his chest scars and man-made robes. "Although, I won't be able to hunt for days."
Baloo, Timon, and Pumbaa came next. "Oh, boy, did you have me worried, Baggy."
"Are you all right?" asked the warthog.
"Heh, I am fine." Bagheera stretches even as he swallows back groans of pain. "It'll take more than that to bring me down."
"So... Shere Khan did this." Tarzan's tone darkened and his eyes narrowed in rage. "He is not gonna get away with that."
"Now, Tarzan, don't do anything foolhardy. Kaa said I will heal in due time."
Simba interjected. "Some family we would be if we just stood by after what the Khan did to you, Bagheera."
Their godfather sighed tiredly. "We will talk about this later. For now, I need your help till I recuperate."
Tarzan snapped out his hateful fury and perked at him. "How can we help?"
Bagheera retained his inner relief, glad to switch topics for the moment. "Firstly, a report would be good. What's happened while I was out?"
Tarzan was about to answer... until he realized right now was to be the moment for him to tell Bagheera that he became teacher of the Bandar-log.
So that's what he did.
There was silence for a moment as the panther digested his pronouncement… and then made a noise.
And slumped to the ground.
Everyone started to shout in a commotion, as Baloo and Pumbaa tried to prop the leopard up, while Tarzan's brain gave the command for him to run off and scream: "Kaa, get over here! Bagheera's collapsed!"
"We have been working together on a little Project. No big deal."
Baloo's words bring the Hairless Ape back from his daydream.
"You, working?" Bagheera raised an eyebrow. "That's a new wrinkle."
"Eh, what can I say?" The bear points over his shoulder to the honeycombs piled to be sent later to the stash. "I was convinced."
Thankfully, the panther didn't see the baboon brothers hidden behind it... sadly, that wasn't the case with the Ape-Man's contraption.
"What in the jungle is that?" To Tarzan, that sounded like a demand.
Sighing, the youth recognized there was no point in hiding anything from his mentor. "Don't be mad, okay?"
"Why would I be mad?" Even those who didn't know Bagheera would pick up that he was being rhetorical... as if the cold look in his eyes wasn't as striking as it was.
"Because you're always mad when I do stuff. You gotta promise not to be mad this time." His apprentice shrank inwards.
Bagheera's face turned carefully neutral. "...Show me, then I'll decide."
"Now, whose turn is it to climb down and pick up all the throwing fruit?" Uroho asked his troopmates in a tree overlooking a patch of greens where a bunch of fruits, mostly melons, were disorderly scattered.
All baboons pointed at each other, making him grunt and roll his eyes.
"Baboons..."
Somehow, the fact that Bagheera kept his silence even when it became obvious they were guiding him to Monkey City only served to make Tarzan more nervous.
On the way there, the group saw some of the denizens bonk one another on the head with coconuts. Afterward, they caught a glimpse of a troop checking the smell of their own backsides only to collectively pass out and drop from the trees. Some younglings were jumping on their beds of leaves and flowers; others were spitting out seeds across the jungle, doing something useful for a change by planting new plants for their home.
Same old Bandar-log.
As they trekked deeper and deeper into the interior of Louie's Kingdom, however, that's when the black feline spotted something new.
He saw monkeys dinking around with various materials found around their forests: winding coils of twine to lash one branch together with another, picking fan-shaped palm leaves and cutting them into numerous strips, which they then use to fix spiky stalks to thin branches, and lassoing trees to make new paths for them to traverse the jungle.
"Come on, check it out! These are the vines I use for the beehives on the cliff." Tarzan showed him the very same ropes he would make of vines twirled together to make them longer and stronger; outright confirming he was the one who taught the monkeys how to do it.
Pumbaa went for a swing but got his tusks stuck on the vine, ruining his attempt. "Dang, these tusks."
Bagheera knew these tricks all too well... which, in turn, reminded him of things he really didn't want to be reminded of.
"Come on, let's go," Tarzan said, taking the lead once again.
Eyes flicking around as they entered Louie's palace, Bagheera glanced at a tipsy Donlumangani sipping from his drink before calling to him in between gulps of booze.
For some reason, the big cat had the oddest sense that Kerchak didn't know he was there.
Amidst the primates making their best jitterbug impressions and roosting about on the high ceiling, King Louie was putting his jazzy hands to work by doing push-ups with a big boulder without displaying many signs of strain; unsurprisingly, considering how he would proudly show off his arm strength whenever he balanced himself in just one of them. His feet, honed from years of doing pull-ups from the stone ledges, were visibly not neglected either. All across the room, numerous Bandar-log released gasps of surprise. They all heard tales about the panther's clash with the tiger, which by now had escalated to him meeting his supposed demise in the python's embrace.
"Hey, Bagheera! You are back already." Tossing aside the boulder, he went to them while smiling the smarmiest of grins. "That sure is a surprise, but a welcome one!"
The feline merely responded by narrowing his eyes at the orangutan in a distrustful manner. Said expression intensified when he saw his godson step up to the Red Ape so they could greet each other by slapping their forearms together in such a natural manner that Bagheera easily figured out it wasn't their first time doing it.
"So-"
"Have you lost your mind?!"
Tarzan cringed, temporarily clamping his mouth shut. "You said you wouldn't get mad."
Simba shook his head and gulped. "Oh boy."
"Ugh, distressed panther," Timon commented from the sidelines, too. "That can't be good."
"Did you listen to anything I taught you?" Bagheera leveled that glare he showed whenever he or Simba did something... unwise. "There's no place in the Jungle for these... tricks!"
"But I am doing good! And Louie has helped me a lot too."
"You don't have a choice!"
"Now, what kind of thing is that to say?" remarked Baloo.
Bagheera regards his trio of fellow godfathers. "You were supposed to be watching him!"
"Hey, it's not like he is a kid anymore!" argued Timon.
"Yeah!" Pumbaa affirmed.
"If I recall, I told you that Monkey City was forbidden!"
"You make all the rules and nobody else can say anything." Louie snarked snidely. Big mistake.
Bagheera responded by giving him a look on par with one of Kerchak's infamous death glares. "Listen to me, you con artist! He may not know your game, but I do. He's leaving now."
This earned a series of angry murmurs from the monkeys. Seeing his cousin's mouth curling into a snarl, Tarzan intervened. "Ah, Bagheera..." Feeling the panther's eyes bore into him, the White Ape sighs: "I can't go. I can't abandon these guys, they need me here. Cousin Louie and I are working together, we are partners."
"We scratch each other's backs. Family's gotta stick together after all." Louie flaunted. He and Bagheera locked gazes, snarling at each other with such intensity that their shared enmity resembled two crackling streamers of lightning arcing back and forth between their eyes.
Fortunately, or not, the hunter turned to face his godson. "You are not a monkey!"
"I am a man!" Tarzan chewed on the inside of his cheek.
"Don't stray from the Jungle Law. Man means trouble." He didn't like the look Bagheera was giving him, it was a look of shame. "Look around, they are making weapons. Surely you don't think this is good for people."
"It's also making everybody happy." Except you. "Just because you don't understand something, doesn't mean it's wrong."
"I have never heard such nonsense in my entire life." More and more it looked like his teacher was about to bust a blood vessel. "You deliberately disobeyed me! I never want you going back here again. Do you hear me? These tricks are dangerous!"
"Now just a minute, that's goin' too far." Baloo declared, backed up by the others. The monkeys increasingly looked like they were about to go ape on the feline.
"I can't! Not yet, there are some things I need to take care of first."
"What do you think you are doing with this? Tell me it isn't about the Khan."
"He hurt you! For how much longer will we have to put up with him?! One more rip from his claw and I am done for!" His fingers touched his scarred right thorax. "What do I do then, Bagheera, huh? You tell me!" Gone were the days when the pupil would cower before his master's scolding... yet, this conversation itself struck him harder than any of those. "If we wanna live in peace, we have to get rid of Shere Khan. It's me he wants, this is my great chance to end the war."
"...It's not the gorilla way."
"I am not a gorilla, I am a man!" Tarzan suddenly snapped, causing his godfather to slightly recoil. He had done so by accident, regret immediately coloring his expression. "I-I'm sorry, but... This is who I am" He pulls out his iron tooth, previously concealed under his clothes.
Bagheera sank his nails on the floor, tempted to reach forward and drag Tarzan back to the Wakalu even if kicking and screaming. But in the end, he couldn't do it. The conviction in his eyes, the strength in his words. They were bright enough that Bagheera was forced to look away, searching for something, anything he could say that would stop him... but recognized there wasn't.
"Why don't we all just settle down for a minute?" Baloo stepped in to try and defuse the situation. "Look, it's a beautiful day and Baggy finally woke up from his nap, why waste time with all of this? How about we all just have a good night's sleep, then we can talk about this in the morning?"
"...Fine. Have it your way…" Bagheera muttered, releasing a sigh of defeat as he turned his back to him. "I won't tell Kerchak about this, I can promise you that." He knew the Chief was in the dark about this; he could have slept through 100 Seasons and it wouldn't be even close to how long it would take for the Silverback to warm up enough just to tolerate such craziness. "But until you come back to your senses... I will be waiting."
"Bagheera..."
"Ah. Foolish man-cub." The panther took his leave without another word.
As Bagheera left, he turned to shoot Louie one final glare before disappearing into the trees. The monarch glared up at the space the panther had occupied before his cousin's head fell on his broad shoulder, bringing his attention back to him.
"Sheesh, so much for a happy reunion." winced Timon.
"Ok, folks. Nothing to see here, move it along." Baloo addressed the not-so-small audience that had formed in the throne room, shooing them to the exits. Done that, he moved to his now despondent godson's side. "Hey, Baggy's just a little... steamed. He'll cool down."
Tarzan allowed himself to sag in place, succumbing to the weight of what he'd done and letting it roll over his heart and body before it receded, allowing him to recover so he could turn to face… everyone.
"You okay, cus?" Louie asked immediately, his eyes sympathetic... but also hiding a glint of satisfaction.
"Will you be okay?" Simba corrected, ready to offer support to his Blood Brother.
"I… will be," Tarzan promised them. "I just… need some time. To think."
"Here, care for a cup?" Timon came to offer a cup of juice to cheer him up, but it didn't work. "Ugh, this isn't cheering you up, is it?" He gives it to Pumbaa instead.
"I don't get it, guys." He breathes out, lowering his head. "I try to do something good, and..." The youth walks off, aimlessly making his way along a dilapidated fountain.
Baloo sighed with the others, even though they respected his obvious desire for some privacy. Having raised him since cubhood, they knew he would catch up with them later.
"That's the problem with doing the right thing. Sometimes ya do it by yourself."
Tarzan needed some air, it was too crowded in the city for his liking. Others looked at him and the Ape-Man felt the muscles in his neck strain before he quickly made his exit, pushing away from the large assembly of monkeys and reaching for a great tree.
He needed to get out of there, away from everyone else. He practically dug his nails into the trunk, getting his fingers full of bark by the time he reached the top. He faced the breeze, feeling the air hit his face all the way from the coast. The jungle was quiet, but his mind was a flurry of emotions and thoughts and there was only one cure.
Crouching, the wonderful feeling of muscles tensing filled him before he pushed off, easily soaring through the air. He landed on top of a broken tower, its roof faintly groaning under his weight before the Mangani leaped off again, flying over the roofs of Monkey City. Time and again he crouched and jumped off the balconies, finally landing on a column before racing forward. Sometimes he jumped and other times he would fall to all fours, running like a monkey reared in these very ruins.
Reaching a window, Tarzan took a breath before bursting into a run. No matter how many times he did it, there would always be this delightful terror when he bounded off from an elevation hundreds of feet up from the ground below. The rush of wind on his face, the sudden sensation as he began to fall… and then clutching a vine in his grip and allowing it to carry his body over the western forest before sending him high into the air. Like the Red Cousin and his subjects, Tarzan streaked through the branches above strips of verdant land that made up his second home away from home, making sure to take a weaving, erratic flight.
Chin down and opposable thumbs in, he goes down on a roll in the grass; after which he hurries out into the grove.
"I will show him. I'm gonna show all of them."
###
Bagheera's mohwa tree, northeast Bukuvu, Troop territory
The panther, having marched his way down the shade of his dear mohwa, found himself looking back at what was to return to be his domain after a few moons according to the wise python. He began scanning the horizon and taking in all of the changes, however small, made to the land. With the wind whipping at his fur under the clear blue sky and as he watched some herds move across the rolling fields to disappear on the next turn as they headed for a different pasture, the jungle cat laid on his belly and brought his chin to rest atop his paws. Closing his eyes and breathing in, Bagheera did his best to try and calm himself down after his altercation with his foolish godson.
Somehow, even though they were hundreds of miles away from their nearest den…
Somehow, even though he made sure to teach Tarzan as little as possible about the Ways of Men…
Somehow, even though he was so close to forgetting them himself…
His godson was turning into a man.
Right now, Bagheera held his worst fear. He always knew that this would happen. Though Tarzan was a child of the jungle, the blood of men courses within his veins and he will grow.
"He is what he is and that won't change."
Try as he might, Bagheera found it difficult to swallow the truth.
"What to do? I know his kind. I have seen what they can do. I know too well what he'll become... for as long as I draw breath, I'll remember."
A clearing of a throat prompts him to jerk upright in surprise so he can turn and see Simba strolling up the hill toward his position. Already expecting his disciple to show up at the part of the jungle he was well aware his teacher chiefly used, Bagheera said nothing and helped himself to a drink.
The Panther purred approvingly; after a laborious hunt (for the injured feline that is), the water felt might good. Then again, that might be because he was just happy to drink from his springs again. Sitting next to him, the lion's eyes stared down at the leopard's latest meal, which didn't go unnoticed by Bagheera.
"I know it's not much," he said politely, "but my gut is badly wounded and Kaa said it's best that I eat soft foods until everything is healed for certain. And I'll need to eat slowly."
"Will you be all right?" he heard Simba ask.
"The worst is past." Though the scabs under his fur were itching. "Now I just need sleep so my body can heal itself."
"If you want it, you can use the guys' Mystery Hot Spring. A warm bubble bath will help fix you up."
"That would be good," Bagheera conceded before looking off. "Speaking of baths, the elephants were nice enough to share the latest news with me." He picks up something, a pair of melons, one he brought close to himself while the other was offered to his godson. "To Aminifu."
Simba accepted the fruit and nodded solemnly. "To Aminifu."
They chew on their respective snacks for a moment. A silence permeated between them until the maned cat decided to break the ice.
"Much happened while you were at Kaa's," Simba managed to get out.
"Did it?" his godfather asked.
Nodding, the lion elaborated. "Makuu's been an annoyance lately. Same with the Khan," he paused again. "I changed too."
"And yet you still act like the tawny cub I had to call out because you refused to attend your lessons." His godfather shook his head.
"Well, I was just covering for you." The youth insisted. "This is your land."
The black leopard simply stared at him. "You know, I was just talking with some of our neighbors. Couldn't help but wonder what your tenure was like." Bagheera looks at him dead in the eye. "You were a good Alpha. A good protector."
Simba was bigger than him, that had been the truth for quite some time now. And, in his current state, anything bigger than a gazelle was more likely to put up a fight over fleeing from the panther. Even so, he managed to make the lion feel like a maneless cub again.
"You are the Alpha Predator of the North Banks." Bagheera smiled as he spoke. "You remind me of myself, Simba, and for that I am glad. You have earned the title."
Simba was at a momentary loss for words, completely blind-sided by this earnest and heartfelt declaration. Although Bagheera is quite humble, the ground rumbles and the feeble-hearted crumble when he roars. To say nothing of the respect he inspired or the jungle wisdom he had acquired through the Seasons. He felt a swell of emotion upon hearing that one of the people he respected the most held him in such high regard.
Even still, it eventually gave away so he could direct a piercing gaze into the panther's eyes.
After all, there was more to why he had come talk with him.
"Why can't you be proud of him too?"
Bagheera's expression hardened. "Because if there is one thing I understand more than my duty, it is men. Their ways are tricky. Tarzan may think that he and Louie are the same. He may think it's all a game, that it's all only fun and joy. He may even think he is in control now, but that can easily change." For a moment, he allowed his mind to drift away into old memories. "It may not be his taste, but he's going to have to face that the jungle is no place for men's tricks. And I fear he will find himself in grave danger by the time he does."
"We are all the protection he needs." Simba pressed.
But Bagheera stood his ground. "If you knew half what I know about men..."
Though they'll think of him cruel, they won't know there is no other way.
###
Middle lands, near Delta Float territory, northern Bukuvu
"I found crocodile eggs," Flaps stated, looking down at the nest surrounded by reeds and getting his flockmates' attention.
Dizzy was quick to notice movement coming from the opposite direction. "Hey, fellas. Here comes their mother."
She surged forward; the vultures squawked and hightailed in a hurry. So hasty was their escape that Ziggy unintentionally grabbed Flaps by the wing and knocked him over to the floor.
"Hit! Oh, I am hit. Going down!"
"Pull up, pull up!" Buzzie shouted but their comrade fell to the patch of wetland grass. He and the others swoop quickly to check on him. "Flaps!"
"Is he okay?" questioned Dizzy as Ziggy held their blonde friend's unmoving body, which looked as peaceful as a vulture's breakfast.
"Flaps. My buddy!" The brown-topped bird cries before opening his mouth. "My stomach salutes you."
"Hey!" Flaps snaps awake with startled indignation and pushes the hungry beak away.
"You are alive." Dizzy deadpanned.
"Yeah, better luck next time." The blonde told Ziggy.
"Thanks."
"You're welcome."
A discouraged Buzzie shook his head. "Well, so much for working for royalty."
Ziggy, along with the others, mirrored his gloomy expression. "It's going to be a bit dull without the Boss, isn't it?"
Buzzie sighed. "Yeah, so what we gonna do?"
"I don't know - and now don't start that again!" exclaimed Flaps.
"Ohh, yeah. Bein' one of the good guys has its advantages. Ahh... advisor to Simba, the new Alpha Predator of the North." Dizzy's features scrunched to form a scowl. "And we would be nothing like that wanker Mzingo."
All nodded fervently and Buzzie added: "We'll never stand in his shadow again."
"I would take flying solo over going back to him." Ziggy declared honestly; not just because the Parliament would vote to punish them by plucking their feathers one by one... while Shere Khan would...
Flaps thought about their current predicament. "You really think Simba won't stand up for us after all we have been through?"
"Perhaps, if Bagheera decides to blame us for his wounds." Seeing they were now staring at him, Buzzie said defensively, "You saw how angry he got at Tarzan for befriending the monkeys. Imagine what he will think about Simba doing it with us right after the Khan invaded and put him in a coma."
No answer was given to him... until:
"Help!"
...Ignore Ikki. You have your own problems to deal with right now.
"Someone please help!"
It's alright. Someone will take care of it; probably Bagheera or Louie... or Simba.
"The Khan's forces are invading, they have crossed the river! Someone stop them!"
Seriously! It doesn't concern you! Not anymore!
"It's Mzingo! They are hunting a little baboon! Somebody help!"
...Sigh. Damn it. Each member of the quartet spreads their wings and jumps off, slicing through the air.
Hista would wake up a little out of it lately.
Back at the Cold Lairs, The Mjuzi could be heard crying at night as though in the grip of a neverending nightmare, much to the Parliament's vexation and the Khan's concern. So the latter demanded that the former continue patrolling the lands of the northern basin, potential run-ins with the enemy be damned. He had become especially agitated upon learning that the Bandar-log took in the Man-Cub. An entire pod of hippos with a hernia would be a more comforting vision. Thus, the patrols had to double their missions, leaving them hungry and not particularly eager to warn Shere Khan that Bagheera had survived their last duel.
So now, Mzingo and his famished companions circled above the cliffs by the shore.
"Hmm, I was certain I saw that delectable little baboon around here somewhere." He said between wing flaps. "I move we keep looking."
Mwoga joined his side with the others. "And I second it!"
"All in favor?"
Multiple "ayes" responded, cueing the flock to carry on with their search.
Keeping low to the ground, a solitary baboon accidentally prickles their finger on an uncurled bramble, enticing a pained gasp he tried to cover with his palm.
Mzingo perks to a halt in mid-air. "Hmm. All who think that sounded like a little baboon say aye."
Another series of "ayes" answers him.
"The ayes have it. Let us investigate."
The intruders roost on a lonesome tree in the middle of the field, from where they spot something rustling a trail in the tall grass.
Mzingo's grin turned sinister. "Motion to engage with lunch?"
A bunch of "ayes" later, they swoop fast towards the little monkey. The poor thing, realizing the nearest cover was too far, gasps and braces himself.
"Oh, no, you don't!" Dizzy shouts, leading his own flock to intercept the attackers.
Squawks follow as both groups meet on the halfway. Mzingo's vultures are caught by surprise but are quickly rallied by their leader on a counterattack. While the little baboon screeches at the frightful scene, the scavengers do battle over the verdant plains.
"Mzingo! Talons off the baboon!" Buzzie snaps; his speed and agility allow him to avoid the enemy's onslaught. Yet, Mzingo leads his flock for a reason: Buzzie can't touch him either, leaving the two of them hovering in front of one another while fruitlessly attempting to go for the other's belly.
"It's no use, traitor scum." Share Khan's majordomo bites back. "You can't fight us and protect him at the same time."
The bald bird gasped when he glanced away from his adversary to see Mwoga right on the baboon's tail. He calls to Ziggy. "Get the monkey! I'll take care of Mzingo." He grunts while parrying another strike from his foe.
One baboon and two vultures vanish in the foliage. The loyalist to the Khanate chuckles while stalking his prey.
"Come out, come out, wherever you-"
'ROAR'
The fighting ceased instantly; Simba's voice commanded attention.
Mwoga is sent flying at high speeds, ramming Mzingo with great force right on the gut and dropping both backward to the ground. The next animal to pop out of the grassy patch needed less momentum to knock the nearest bunch of southern vultures farther away from the little primate, who now sits behind the large cat who defends him from his tormentors. The quartet gathers together next to him, staring in awe and relief at Simba's battle. The youth rushes to pin down the enemy birds, who take off either in fright due to his roars, or so they wouldn't swiped under his powerful claws.
"Oh. It's you." To his credit, the Khan's spymaster regained control of his nerves despite the fact he now had a lion glaring daggers at him. "Greetings, Simba."
Mwoga came next. "What happened to that delicious... I mean, adorable baboon we were trying to help earlier?"
Eyes narrowed, the Golden Brother questioned. "Trying to help?
"Oh, yes." Mzingo proclaimed, lying through his beak. "He was hopelessly lost and we were trying to guide him home."
"I'm sure he's found his way home by now." Simba flexed his muscles and yawned to show his fangs. "So, if you don't mind... I'm on a hunt."
Mzingo gulped. "Hmm. Indeed. Uh, what are you hunting?"
"Well, you're looking pretty plump," Simba said, grinning predatorily like a cat who had caught a canary.
The vulture leader recoiled slightly, fidgeting in mid-flight. "Me? Yes... Well... Ahem. Emergency motion to cease and desist!"
"Shall we form a committee and put it to a vote?" Mwoga asked.
Simba roared again: "Back off!"
"Meeting adjourned!" All from the enemy flock fly away, retreating southwards.
"Boss, you saved us!" Flaps cheered, fastly joined by the others.
Simba smiles warmly at them. "That's what a king does: look after his subjects."
His scouts return it tenfold.
In the midst of the fruit trees where some of Louie's subjects settle down for the night, various baboons climb down to greet one lion and six vultures who had just escorted one of their juveniles back home.
"Simba!" "Simba!" "Simba!"
They chant in unison, honoring the lion for his actions. Their acclaim earns a sheepish smile from Simba... as well as picking the interest of a certain black panther on an overlooking outcrop. At the same time, not too close from there, a jungle man balancing himself in the nearby vines is made aware of the fuss by the treeline's end.
The baboon's mother approaches him, her son safe and sound right behind her. "Thank you for saving my son, Simba."
The feline smiles and waves back at the grateful primate over her shoulder. "No problem."
"Hey? When you see Mahra, will you give her a message from us?"
"Sure, what is it?"
The baboons throw fruit at him while shrieking.
"Ooh, ooh, ooh! Ah!"
Taking it stride, Simba licks off the papaya that had smeared into a paste upon colliding with his face. "Baboons," He chuckles and rolls his eyes. "Nobody delivers a message like them."
After that, he regards his scouts:
"Now that's over. How did I do?"
"You did great." Buzzie proclaimed.
"Great?" Simba questioned faux-unsure.
"Great."
"Great." The lion repeated to himself.
Then Dizzy came to him. "How did we do?"
Their liege smiled. "You did very well."
"Um. Yeah. Very good indeed."
Everyone's heads whirled and the vultures 'eeped' once they saw who had spoken. It was Bagheera.
The predator levels an even glare at the birds. "How could you show your faces here?"
While the quartet gulped, Simba merely smiled at him. "Bagheera, perfect! I want you to meet these guys; they helped me out a lot around here and I bet they can help you too."
The panther's enthusiasm didn't change even when he shifted his attention to his protege. "Simba, do you know your friends served in Shere Khan's Khanate?"
"Yeah, so?"
Four vultures blinked like owls. Wait, what? He knew?!
"They are with me now. I think we can trust them, Bagheera." The lion saw his silence as a bid to continue. "Not sure I can explain it. I guess I saw some good in them. Just like you saw some good... in a fraidy cat."
His teacher's features softened a bit, leaving him with an unreadable expression.
"Well, Simba." Baloo declared as he, Timon, and Pumbaa walked over to them. Tarzan hung in the back. "If it doesn't bother you, doesn't bother us."
The Ape-Man sighed and stepped forward. "Bagheera... they helped me when Shere Khan attacked. They didn't have to, but they did."
"Rescued?" The leopard juts his head at the scavengers. "Them?!"
The flock nodded vigorously and Flaps added: "Please note, "Did not have to, but did."
Buzzie moved to stand in front of the panther, taking a deep breath before speaking. "Can we ask you a favor, Bagheera? We don't want to go back to work for Mzingo."
"We can't go back home either." Dizzy pointed out. "We have gone solo."
"Being a Won-tolla stinks," Ziggy mentioned.
Buzzie stammered momentarily. "Um, so we thought: could we stay here with you?"
The quartet extends their wings and joins them together while smiling 'sweetly'.
"Please?" x4
Pumbaa came forth. "They really helped Simba take good care of things here."
"Judge them now for who they are." Tarzan gave Bagheera a look, unlike anything he had used to address him before. "Or are they to be blamed for a crime they didn't commit?"
Timon shrugged. "We owe them one for what they did for T."
Baloos smiled. "Well... then I guess you can give them a chance."
Bagheera took a moment to look around, all eyes were now upon him in anticipation for his answer. With a tired look, he finally decided after gathering his thoughts. "Oh, I'll try."
"Lethu Busa Ngoxolo." His maned pupil replied, satisfied just like his scouts.
"Rule With Peace". A twitch of pride flared within him from hearing Simba recite one of their older lessons, one the panther himself had learned from tales the elephants brought from the Pride Lands.
"Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a royal duty to perform." Simba bids them goodbye and motions for the vultures to follow him. Soon, they are departing for the Waingunga.
"Oh! The Buffalo Wallow, I almost forgot." Pumbaa hurries after them. "Don't start without me!" That left only an Ape-Man, a panther, a bear, and a meerkat gathered in front of the monkeys' forest.
"Sounds like fun." Baloo turns to Tarzan. "What say you, T?"
Tarzan didn't respond; too busy trying to put up a cold shoulder to match the one his teacher gave him before leaving. After that, he lowers his head, picks a vine with good reach, making sure he feels each finger clamping down on it, and swings up and away. His face looked troubled as he went to find a place where he could be alone.
Alone with his thoughts.
Seeing this, Baloo sighed while resisting the urge to rub his temples. They can't bear to even look at each other.
Timon sighed. "Too bad Bagheera doesn't like baboons."
"He likes them just fine," Baloo sadly stated. "As long as they're not anywhere near T."
Standing on the bear's shoulder, the mongoose whispers in his ear. "Should we mention that we also owe Louie as well?"
...
...
"...No." x2