Five, it had only taken five seconds for the brown prideland lion to realize what he had done. He had just murder his brother, in cold blood. Death by a stampede incident.
"Scar? Scar? Is it done, it is done boss?" Banzai, one of his original hyena followers. He and two other spotted hyenas came of the shadow of dust that swallowed the gorge whole. Their snicker laugher rattled of the high rock walls. The green eyed lion turned his head.
"Yes, it's done." Three wide smile came onto the three stooges, impressed by their own work. But then, the female and leader of the group, Shenzi, spotted something extra with her keen eyes.
"Hey! Look, the kid still lives?! What do you want to do about the kid boss?" Scar thought, he walked over slowly to the small cub, who was still laying under his dead father chin. Scar could see the stream of tears collecting at the bottom of his mouth. What a side thing, he thought. The poor boy doesn't even know what death is, and yet it stares him right in the face. This cold, cruel world is no place of the naïve and weak. "Oh and boss, what about the dodo?" asked Shenzi. That was right, there was Zazu. But he didn't have to worry about that, the hornbill was still knocked unconscious somewhere in the rocks, and by the time he woke up, he wouldn't even remember the last few immigrations, and not to mention this morning. That scar was sure of. He waved the fools off and their trivial matters. He had something more pressing to deal with at hand. His brother only son, future king to the pridelands and more importantly, his competition.
Still he was only a cub, just born in the beginning of summer, he had no real experience of life. Nothing but the stupid tales his father told him of the great kings. Something along the lines of duty, honor and family, all tête-à-tête that Scar found useless. What is family? If you aren't belonged and accepted, what is duty, if you have nothing to live for and honor-please. Try telling the lion who just killed his brother with his own paws that. It meant nothing to the scared face lion, as he loomed over his brother still body, eyes glued to the small defenseless cub. The young Simba, oblivious of everything.
Away at the heart of the pridelands, a queen accompanied by her six pride sisters stalk on a morning hunt. Sarabi lead her lionesses in the focus point of the valley, where a mixture of animals; gazelle, zebra, and buffalo graze peacefully. By her side, her next in command and good friend Sarafina stood next to her. "what does it look like today?" she asked. The queens eyes, focused on the prey ahead. Her red eyes, keen to very little change on the prey around her.
"It looks like zebra today, look." She pointed to the direction of an eager sub adult male zebra, who was off stunting away from the safety of the herd. Sarafina smiled in agreement. "Are they ready on the other side?" Sarabi questioned.
"I'll check." Sarafina stalked off, snaking in between the tall grasses. Sarabi closed her eyes, she liked to gather her focus before starting any hunt. She rolled her shoulders in and out of their sockets, unleased her claws into the ground so they could dig into the warm earth, and lastly. Take a breath of air, recharging her lungs and taking in the scent of the induvial that would soon be hers. When she opened her eyes, she could see sarafina from across the way, giving her a signal. They were ready. They smallest of grins appeared on her face, and if only the prey had seen it for themselves they would have known it meant, death. Sarabi attacked, and Sarabi succeeded.
When the killing was over and the lioness could all catch their breath, around the fallen kill, the queen noted that something was different. It almost seemed too easy. Usually the zebras would be the first to go and run, along with the gazelle and buffalo. But today, it seemed they were having a lazy day, with their guard down. Because the pride land lioness were practically on them by the time the ambush was in full effect. Then she thought. There were no wildebeest. It was the wildebeest job to call the alarm of any sniff, sight or sound of lion. There were no wildebeest today. It was odd to say the least, because during this time all the grazing herds would be at the main valley. It wasn't like a wildebeest herd to not arrive on time, when the grasses were truly ripe and green.
the queen thought nothing of it, maybe the herd had moved on to another valley within the territory. Whatever the matters were they weren't there, but Sarabi did not have time to think on the matter. She wanted to get back as soon as she could, to hear all about Simba dad with his father, she knew he had only been waiting for a father son trip around the pride lands for forever. She couldn't wait for the outlandish stories his little mind would come up with.
The walk back from the gorge was a long and sorrowful one. Zazu flapped up ahead of the duo, Scar and Simba. His mind baffled on what had just occurred. Mufasa, his one and true king, was dead. The death happened, with no notice no warning- like death does- leaving the majordomo in a complicated situation, how was he to tell his queen the news. The news that her beloved king, ruler and father of her son was…gone. And he , Zazu, Mufasa's most trusted advisor- did nothing. The last Zazu remembers was waking up some time after, against the cold and Stoney rocks. Stunned as everyone else when he found the body of Mufasa. As he loomed up ahead, looked back and could only think of what the young Simba could be going though. To see his father dead.
"Keep up, son." Voiced Scar, walking ahead of the cub. Simba swollen red eyes looked up at his uncle. He couldn't understand, why did he have to leave his father? Why was his father no longer awake, and talking to him? Was he mad at him? And trying to teach him a lesson… the silence that had befallen the two on their walk home was soon replaced with the small whimpers of Simba as he started crying. Scar stopped, and looked back. He rolled his eyes to himself as he saw the cub wipe his running nose. Now was the time to expect tears.
"w..w..why..did we have to leave him uncle Scar?" Simba chested panted heavily, as he watched his little paws tremble. "Dads…j-just sleeping…" his uncle came towards the cub and brought him into his embrace.
"I know, I know. You're young and confused." He spoke. "You don't understand the ways of the world yet."
"…w…why wouldn't he get up…" he took no time in explaining.
"The king has moved on, from his world." Simba could only look up at his uncle and hope he would explain what he meant. Moved on? But moved where…and how, he was still there in the gorge where they left him. Why did he have to move on? What about him and his mom? Did his mother know that Mufasa decided to move on? Maybe she did, she did act fine this morning. Giving him his usual bath and chasing him around before she had to leave. Maybe he just didn't want Simba to know he wanted to move on. Poor Simba could think of some much and what moving on meant. "We have to get to your mother." He patted the cub on his back and kept to moving along. Simba wiped his cheeks and sniffed heavy. Slowly getting up and walking in the path of Scars pawprints.
When they arrived at priderock it seemed almost destined and uncanny that the lionesses could be seen making their way back towards pride rock as he and Simba had just reached home. Zazu swooped down and landed before scar. He wore a heavy face.
"I…I think I better tell them…" the brown lion nodded, with a still face.
"It would only be right, you were his most trusted and loyal advisor- practically his best friend," this only hit the majordomo hard like a pair of rocks. To say he felt like a failure then, when everything was happening and he somehow managed to do nothing to aid the situation-now after hearing those words, 'trusted' 'loyal' and 'best friend'. He hardly felt worthy now to look his queen in her eyes and tell her, how much of a failure he was to her and her king. It took he second then he mustered up the courage and flew over to the party of lionesses.
Simba watched, sitting next to his uncle. "Whats happening? Is he going to tell mom?"
"yes, son. He is."
"Is…he going to tell her I was playing in it…when dad-" suddenly a voice so loud shook Simba to his core. He felt his heart , blood race. He looked up to see were the sound of great distress was coming from. It was…his mother. He had never seen her heard his mother in such a frighten way, he up his paws up to close his ears. He watched from the distance as the others tried to console her. But it seemed to more they tried to talk to her and calm her the worse the queen got. Until suddenly she collapsed on the floor. And then her body looked still and cold like his father. "M-MOM?!...MOM" he was not heard or seen by the others, they were too preoccupied with their grief stricken queen. Simba went to check up on his mom, but was interrupted by of scars teeth to the by of his scuff. He was taking him away, he didn't need to see this, and he, scar did not want to be bothered with it right now. He walked back up the steps of priderock, with a silenced Simba in toe.
That night, Scar spoke words for his beloved brother Mufasa. On the top of priderock balcony, hanging his head low, but not shredding a single tear, Scar talked about how he truly admired him. "And it is true, we did not see eye to eye at time…i…I still found that I admired my younger brother. He was a great king-truly no one can follow in his pawprints. Not to mention he was a wonderful mate to Sarabi, who…my prayers go to her tonight- and not me. No one knows the pain of losing a mate, until they have lost one. So I ask the great kings to look out for our loved queen Sarabi in her great time of need. And lastly…Simba, I remember when my brother came to me the morning he knew he and Sarabi had conceived and would soon be parents. Boy or girl, we cared not. For family, to Mufasa was the most important thing. This duty and honor would always come last. And its with a heavy heart that I ask again…great kings. look after the fatherless boy now. Give him the strength he needs to become our future ruler of priderock…like Mufasa had intended." He coughed, clearing his throat. Maybe the thought of him actually losing his little brother did mean something to the lion. The six lioness watched as Scar gathered himself once more to finish. The cubs watched from under sarafina. "I want you to bow your heads to your king you have lost, a life lost a door closed. But…I want you to open your eyes to the new days that will be welcoming the pridelands in the time to come." He dismissed them. He disappeared down the steps of pride rock, while the lioness walked slowly to the main den.
When Simba walked into the entrance of the den, nothing had changed, his mother was in the back of the den, with Zazu by her side. Trying to sooth her. Simba wanted to go over to his mother, talk to her, nuzzle in her warm fur. Nuzzling in his mother security was all Simba wanted to do right now. But he couldn't get himself to move towards her.
"Come Simba." Voiced a sweet lioness, with a sad, yet another set of motherly eyes. "You'll stay with Nala and I today, is that okay?" the prince nodded. Sarafina smiled. And nodded to the direction where she and Nala slept. When he got there, he just stood. It was weird to look over to where he, his mother and father would sleep- just over a few feet-and now… to see his father wasn't there. Simba felt, empty. "I'll be back you two, I'm going to go check on Sarabi, okay."
"Okay mama." Voiced the daughter of the lioness. Her blue eyes and fur colored matched her mothers to a T. There was no denying this mother and daughter pair. They watched as she stepped away. Nala could see that her best friend looked troubled. His face was still fresh with tear stains. "Simba…are you okay?" the prince turned to her slowly. Shaking his head.
"I don't know…my mom just so sad…" he commented.
"I know…I'm sorry about your dad." She chimed, and showing their innocence of the world she says "I'm sure he'll get better."
"Really?" Simba asked, looking to his best friend who seemed to know everything.
"Really…he's probably just taking a nap and hasn't waken up yet." Her voiced added a slight glimmer of confidence and optimism. "It happens to my mama all the time, when she really tried. Maybe Mufasa just needs a nap."
"okay, hopefully it won't be a long one."
"why?"
"Because I want him to wake up so mom will stop crying…" they sat together and watched adults in the stillness.
In the cold, depth of the outlands a crowd had gathered. Hyenas from every corner gather and appeared from the bones of the elephant grave yard. "It has been done!"a cry heard from all the others, gathering the attention of the hounds. There appeared Scar. The lion, with the plan, the mastermind behind it all. The killer of Mufasa and the soon would be ruler of priderock. He had gathered his many minions. Back in his first home, priderock never felt like home to him…until now. "Mufasa is gone and our reign has begun!" the wave of laugher and cheers echoed though the walls of rattling bones. The pack of 20 or so hyenas all raised a paw to their new king.
"yea boss, we did it we did it!" cheerful himself the lion grabbed the dog by the cheek and sneered.
"Yes, my friend we did!" when scar had let go, Banzai had rub his cheek with the back of his paw. Who knew the guy could be so rough when he was trying to be gentle, geesh. "and I want to thank all of you, for making this happen."
"Hey boss it was no big deal to us!" chimed Shenzi, " Wildbeeste feels good in the belly!" she laughed as Ed the dumb one, of the three nodded in agreement.
"Well it's the least I could do for me helpful workers." Chimed Scar.
"A-and there's more where that came from, right boss?!" asked Banzai eagerly. The king nodded in agreement. "Whhoooaaa! Scars gonna be the best king ever!"
"Best king ever! Best king ever!" the pack howled together.
"Yea.. nothing can go wrong boss, unless that stupid birds remember hahah!" they laughed.
"Or or or! The cub Simba tries to get revenge for his dad hahah!" Shenzi, now this time. Scar began to note to simple, yet true simple point the idiot dog were throwing out. "And wait wait wait! This teeth are about this big! Whats he goon do, gum us to death?! Hahahah!" now the coard was in roar of laughter, but Scar was finding none of this…funny. The idiots were making a point and they were too stupid to see.
"…I have to kill him…" some turned their heads.
"Huh?" Scar repeated.
"I have to kill him, simba!"
"Why boss, what he do to you?" asked Banzai. Because he did not understand pride society and couldn't understand what killing a stupid cub would do.
"It's what's he GOING to do…when he's older…he'll want revenge. He'll want my throne!"
"well…tell him he can't have it."
"It doesn't work like that, fools! He's next in line! He's first blood, he's Mufasa son!"
"well…then…make him your son." What? The brown male turned with a raised brow. What did the dog just say.
"Come again?" because it had to sound stupid a second time as well.
"Make Simba your son, I mean he's about yea-big, young and impressionable. I mean that way, you can tell him what to do and we don't have to kill him- because cubs have these weird squishy bones that that make me-"
"You're right…I'll just make Simba MY son. I'll take him under my wings, make him see things my way-forget about his stupid father!… and what's a king without an heir right?"
"This is true, and who needs the work of making another cub right Scar…Scar?." Voiced Shenzi. A grimace came across the males face as he got up, making his way up the bone wall structure, back into a darkness of his bone den. This was a great idea, prefect even. Even he did not think of this, but why waste the prefect opportunity to change the life of the youth.
"hmm…looks like the little Simba, will have a father after all."