El Rey Leon The prequal

El Rey Leon :The Prequal

Part Two

Cub Days

Prince Mufasa stood up, stretched, than padded up to the summit to gaze at the kingdom he would one day rule. His brother Taka would rule after him, if he had no heirs of his own. Behind him, he heard feet patter around the bend. "Muffy" a voice whispered. "Get back to bed, we could get into trouble" his brother whispered. "Muffy, come on!" his brother said, annoyed. Mufasa could tell by the sound of his brother's footsteps that he was coming nearer. "Wow. Can you believe we gonna rule this, one day Muffy?" his brother asked, still obviously impressed with the view 'throne ledge' gave. "Yeah I know. Come on let's go wake dad. He promised us a really important lesson yesterday" Mufasa said, giddy with excitment. The two brothers raced one another back to the royal cavern, where their parents, King Ahadi, and Queen Akase slept, surrounded by their pride of lionesses. The two heirs, giddy with excitment bounded toward the large rock, on which thier parents slept, calling "Papa. Papa!". The great king rolled over, his massive paw resting on his mate's side. "Mm, Ahadi, your sons are awake" she murmured to the king, half awake. Ahadi grunted, muttering back "Before the sun rise, he's your son". "Ready Taka?" Muffy asked, leaping at his father, and nipping the king in the ear. Taka giggled, watching his mother swat her mate on the behind with her tail, as if to say get up now. Mufasa tugged his father's ear, pulling with all his strength, suddenly losing his balance and rolling into a pile of bones. "Ow, Dad!" Mufasa growled annoyed. Together, the brothers head butted their father, causing him to stire awake, and their mother to roll off the rock in her sleep. "Akase!" the king called in a worried voice. Their mother smiled at them, than looked sternly at their father. "Now Ahadi, you promised our sons a lesson yesterday, now get on with it" she said. She looked at her husband, whose tail was between his legs. She chuckled. "Dont worry, my king, I'll make it up to you" she purred, seducitivly in his ear. The lion king and his queen walked out with their sons. Mufasa watched as his father stretched, and let out a yawn that was half a roar. Taka and Mufasa followed their father, than ran back to their mother to give her a hug. Akase licked Mufasa's cheek,as Taka stood up on his hind legs to hug her. Taka giggled as he rolled across the rock. "Go on boys, your father is waiting" she told them, watching as they scampered off. She smiled as her boys made their way to the summit. Taka and Muffy are gonna have a fun day she thought, walking back into the cavern.

At the top...

Ahadi, Muffy and Taka sat at the ledge of Pride Rock watching as the sun rose on the horizion. "Look, my sons. Eveything the light touches is our kingdom. A king's time is wiser then ruler, and falls like the sun. One day, Muffy and Taka my time will set here, and will rise with you as the new king" Ahadi said. "And this will all be ours?" Taka asked, in awed, walking around the massive space. "Yes Taka, but Muffy is the first born, and if he has no heirs of his own, you ascend the throne" his father explained. "Yeah, but what if Muffy gets a girl cub?" Taka asked with a smirk on his face. Muffy growled. "A girl?" Mufasa asked his father in disbelive. The king nodded, thinking of Elanna. "That happens, sometimes..." the king's voice trailed off, close to tears. "Papa, your crying" Muffy said. Ahadi wiped his face with a massive paw. "You two had a sister" the king said. Taka squirmed. Mufasa poked him in the side. "She died the morning you were both born. Her name was Elanna" Ahadi said. Taka's ears dropped at the mention of the sister he would never really know until he went to heavan. The brothers traded a look, than plastered a smile on their faces. "Papa, I thought a king could pretty much do whatever suits his fancy?" Taka said, changing the subject. The king laughed. "No, my son, there is more to being king then getting your way all the time" Ahadi said, walking back to the ledge to meet with the rising sun on the horizion. "There's more? no way!" Taka and Muffy chorused together. Ahadi laughed and led his heirs to the Pridelands to show them the balance of the circle of life.

The Circle of Life...

Ahadi, Muffy and Taka walked through the great expanse of the Pridelands, looking at all the animals as something that kept the circle in balance. Ahadi cleared his throat. Muffy and Taka looked up at him exspectingly. He smiled. He stared off at the distance for a moment. He saw his mate with the lionesses bathing in the shady area at the back of Pride Rock. He heard a thump near his foot. Muffy had slapped his tail against the ground in a sign of impaitentness. Ahadi snorted. "Muffy, please be still my son" Ahadi told his elder son, who kept shifting in place. In the distance, he saw his father's majordomo flying toward them, intent on giving the king the morning report. Chango landed in front of them. "Good morning Sire" he said. Mufasa and Taka tried pouncing at a bug, but the insect didnt wish to cooporate for some reason. Ahadi smiled down at his sons as they played. "What are you two doing?" he asked, with amused expression on his face. "Oh nothing, just... pouncing" Taka said, glancing at his father, who again smiled, followed by a laugh. "Let me show how it is done, my sons. Your mother taught me when we were very young, a couple of months old, if I remember correctly" Ahadi said. "Chango please turn your back" Ahadi instructed to his majordomo. "Stay low" Ahadi whispered to Taka, who was first for once. Mufasa watched closely. "Easy quiet slow breathing, dont make a sound" Ahadi explained. Taka did as he was told. "One more step, son" Ahadi whispered. Taka took one more step... and flew out of the grass and tackled the surprised bird. "Yeah, I got you Cha- n -go" Taka said, showing off to his older brother and his father. "Nice job Taka" his friend Shasa said. He gave her one of their private looks. Mufasa tried it, and shot the bird half way down the hill. Taka, Shasa, and Ahadi screamed with laughter. Muffy smiled, wondering where Sarabi was. "Chango, news from below, hyenas in the Pridelands!" the mole said. "Sire! hyenas in the Pridelands!" the bird screamed. Ahadi jumped over his sons' heads, who for their own good sense ducked. "Papa can we come?" Taka asked, trotting after his father. "No Taka, stay with Chango" Ahadi said, than hurried off. The cub grumbled. Chango noticed and asked the cub what was wrong. "We never get to go anywhere" he said. Chango smiled at him. "Dont worry Taka, one day you will get to be king" Chango said, exscorting them back to Pride Rock.

Let's Roll...

Taka, and Muffy ran to find their uncle Timba and tell all of what they learned. "Uncle Timmy, Uncle Timmy!" they shouted at him. "Oh good morning" he said, faking a smile at them. "We saw the whole kingdom, and we gonna rule it all!" they said with to glee. Their uncle bristled at the thought, but to them he smiled. "Oh really, he didnt show ya what is byond the southern border?" Timmy asked, faking a mistake. "No, he told us we cant go there" Muffy said, glumly. Timba brighten. What if he could trick them...? he thought. "Mm" he mumbled. Muffy looked up. "Well boys, it is a graveyard, and only adult lions go there" he said, surpressing his laughter. "Cool, we must go tell Shasa, and Sara" Taka said. Muffy smiled. "Yeah" he cheered. "Bye uncle Timmy" they said, running off. "Have fun" Timba said.

Shasa and Sara were being bathed by their mothers, Asha, and Shanni, who smiled when Taka and Muffy ran up. Their mother Akase was sleeping. "Hi Sara" Muffy said, giving her a wave, while his brother leaned over,and bumped his nose, playfully against Shasa's flank. Her mother smiled, knowingly, while their mother seemed surprised at this public display of cub affection from her son to his friend. Shasa smiled, and licked his muzzle. Shanni smiled at her daughter's obvious love for Taka, only it wasnt full grown love yet, but it would one day be. "We gotta show you something cool" Taka whispered to Shasa, who smiled delighted, glad that she would be alone with him sort of. "Mom can we go with them" she asked Shanni, as her three best friends smiled with hope. Shanni nodded. "What do you think your majasty?" Shasa asked Akase. She smiled and nodded. "As long as Chango goes with you" the three lionesses said in unison. The cubs groaned. Chango led them near the waterhole. The cubs plotted to rid of him. "Great idea Shasa" Taka said, smiling at her. They looked at one another, smiling. Muffy snorted, bringing them down to earth. Chango smiled at Taka and Shasa, who didnt seem to mind the betrothal and actually liked the idea of being mates, forever joined, but... Muffy, and Sara hated it and thought it gross and weird. Chango laughed. "We cant marry one another" Muffy said, after he couldnt take anymore of the bird's constant chatter. Muffy heard giggling behind him, and knew Taka and Shasa were sharing a joke, a private joke. "Phew, not the way I see it" Muffy said... The four cubs began chasing Chango around until finally they lost him. The laughed and whooped, with victory. Taka and Shasa hung back, wanting to hang only with one another for the moment. "Come on, you guys, Let's Roll!" Muffy said, slamming his paw against the ground, Shasa shook her head. "Um, no thanks, we could get into trouble anyway" Taka said, hoping it worked. Muffy shrugged his shoulders and walked off with Sara by his side.

In his arms...

Shasa touched Taka's shoulder, who smiled at her. She gave chase, and Taka came after her laughing. She ran through the tall grasses, quickly followed by him. She stopped to catch her breath, and was surprised to find Taka there, next to her. But then again he was a fast runner, faster then his father, and mother put together. She smiled at him, and licked his muzzle,laying her head against his shoulder. Taka smiled, his tail twitching. She lay down in the grass, gesturing with her paw for him to join her. "Shas" he said, bumping her muzzle with his. She looked at him. "We cant, we're not even pledged yet" he said. "Or full grown" he added. She laughed. "I know Taka, I just want you to lie next to me, I dont expect us to mate, yet" Shasa said. He smiled, relived, and pleased. They tussled for a minute. As night fell across the plains, they figured Muffy and Sara got into trouble, while they were laying there, talking of the future which seemed so far off. Taka rested his head in his paws, suddenly hearing a familar flap of wings in the distance. Shasa shivered. Taka, seeing this, pulled his friend against his warm body. Taka's muscler body was warming her from the cold african night. The two cubs fell asleep, warmed by the other's body heat. Chango find them sleeping next to the other, obviously very comfortable, and warm. Chango landed, and tapped Taka on his shoulder. "Whuh?" he said, groggily. "Come on man" Chango said. Taka nudged Shasa. She gasp. They took off for Pride Rock. "Hello Ahadi" she said, meekly, her head stooping slightly. She looked at Taka, who shrugged his shoulders. Ahadi cleared his throat. Taka smiled at her. He came near, and licked her cheek, in a effort to comfort her. She smiled, and pawed him, than licked his muzzle. She padded into the cavern, her tail swishing from side to side. Taka smiled after her.Ahadi cleared his throat, and Taka followed him to the summit. Once there, Ahadi turned and snorted. "Papa, your mad?" Taka asked. "I'm just glad you know what you want, but dont push, because once you become teenagers, you'll be entering the big leagues" Ahadi explained. "Oh you mean cubs?" he asked. Ahadi smiled, and nodded. "Yes that is what I'm talking about my son, and I will give you the talk at that time but now, you are still to young" Ahadi said. Taka smiled. "Go to bed" the king said. Taka walked into the cave, and found his usual spot next to Shasa. He licked her ear, and she purred.

A few months later...

Lullaby...

Taka shook Shasa awake the next morning, in a hurry to tell her what was going to happen. "Shas get up" he whispered. She opened her eyes. "Seria is going to have her cubs today" he said. She smiled at him, and they ran off to go see the cubs being born. They found Seria with their mothers, Akase, Asha, and Shanni, who smiled when they came up. "You havent had them yet, have you Seria?" Shasa asked, bumping heads with Taka, who smiled at the thought of Shasa giving birth to his cubs. Shasa nudged him. "It's time" she said. The two cubs smiled, and went to join the others. They found Seria in the birthing cave. Rafiki was in the process of slipping the first cub out of Seria. "It's a girl" he announced. "Cool" Shasa said, bumped heads with Taka, who smiled, and they talked silently with their eyes. Shasa nodded, and kissed Taka's muzzle, pleased with the knowledge that they were gonna see what it was like, so they would know what to do when the time came. They heard a cry, and saw Akase hobbling in pain to the cave. "Mom what is wrong?" Muffy asked alarmed. "Get your father, it's time" she said, entering the cave and laying down near Seria, who was in the process of having her third cub. "Your mother was carrying Taka? I had no idea" Shasa said to him. "I didnt know either, neither did Muffy" Taka said. "I knew" Muffy said. "Mom and Papa told me" he said. "Well Rafiki what are they?" Shasa asked. "They are girls" Rafiki said to Seria, indicating her last two cubs, who lay at her side, eating. Rafiki was cleaning the oldest one off. "What are their names?" Taka asked, wondering what his siblings were gonna be. "This is cool I wont be the youngest anymore" Taka said to Shasa, who smiled, and playfully bit his nose. Taka smiled, and bumped his nose against Shasa's. Shasa purred. Taka and Shasa walked over to his mother and lay down next to her, ocasionally rubbing heads. "Akase" a deep voice said. Taka looked up to see his father standing in the entrance. Akase smiled, and motioned him to come forward. Ahadi smiled at her, and looked around, noticing his son and Shasa lying next to the queen. "Hello son. Shasa" Ahadi said. "What are you two doing here?" he asked. "We saw Seria's cubs born, she has three girls" Shasa said. Ahadi smiled at Seria who was nursing her daughters contently. Seria looked up and smiled at him. "Do you wish to see them Ahadi?" she asked. He smiled, and looked down at her daughters, than bumped his nose against hers, than turned back to his mate, who was in the processing of deliving their third child. "What is it?" he asked Rafiki, who smiled. "It is a boy, your majasty" Rafiki said. "Awsome" Taka cheered, while Seria, Shasa, and Asha smiled. Shanni, Shasa's mother watched,proudly from behind Seria. Sara, and Muffy grinned. "What is his name, your majasty?" Shasa asked. Ahadi thought for a moment, but came up with a blank. "What about Chako?" Taka suggested. His parents smiled. "What does it mean our son?" Akase said, smiling. "It means little brother" Taka explained. Ahadi smiled. "It sounds good" he said. "Fit for a future king" Akase , and Shasa mused. Taka chuckled, and bumped his nose against Shasa. "The second cub, your majasty, now shows us his presence" Rafiki told Ahadi, proudly. "Cool" Shasa said. "How about it Muffy, a name?" Taka asked his brother. "What about Mohatu, or Roo?" Muffy asked his parents. "I think Roo Ahadi" Akase told her husband, who nodded in agreement. "You guys choose" Taka and Muffy told their parents, who traded a look worried that they wouldnt be able to come up with a name. "What about Mohatu?" Ahadi said. Eveyone nodded. "For your father, Papa?" Muffy and Taka asked. The king nodded. Akase smiled at him. She gave a jerk, and relized there were two more coming. "Rafiki, two more are coming" Akase told the shamen, who blinked in surprise. "What are you going to call your cubs Seria?" Shasa asked. "Sarafina, finny for short, Sarabi, Sari for short, and Tanga" Seria said. Shasa, Asha, Shanni,Akase,Taka,Muffy,Ahadi and Shaka smiled. "Their betrothals are tomorrow" Ahadi announced to everyone. Akase smiled. Rafiki stared sadly at the two silent infants. "Um sire, they are gone, to heavan now" Rafiki said to Ahadi, who nodded. His face blank of emotion.

The end of Part Two