The Lion King VII:
Kusa and Cheasala
~Description~
Kusa is the prince of Pride Rock, who’s a lion filled
with boredom most of the time, until he meets a new cub his age called
Cheasala. But will Cheasala choose to stay with him? To save a whole Kingdom
that lion would have to choose yes, and yet she and Kusa are both kept from the
secret of why it would be good. So they take their time in having a blast
around the Pridelands and even in the dreaded elephant graveyard! It’s all fun
and games until the day Kusa goes out on his own. Hopefully there will be a way
to find him.
Note: The characters Mangel, Singa,
Shyla, Timba, Runu, Aurora, Larka, Pala, Sithuka, Zaraku, Garofé, Sekeita,
Kadio, Tanko, Onay, Baynarr, Monagbor, Kusa, Cheasala, Ariko, Bayngo, Russtet,
Rayana, Hârdlayje and Corga have been created by me and are not allowed to be
used without my permission, so please email me first if you would like to use
any of them. And I apologize if any are the same in other fan-ficts and I
didn’t know, so I won’t change anything unless you email me. You can also email
me at wolfcub_gemini@usa.com if you would like to say anything about the
stories. The characters, Simba, Nala, Mufasa, Sarabi, Sarafina, Scar, Shenzi,
Banzai, Ed, Rafiki, Zazu, Timon, Pumbaa, Zira, Kovu, Kiara, Vitani and Nuka
have been created by Disney.
Warning: You won’t get this if you haven’t read my first stories, The Lion
King III: A Clash of Kingdoms, The Lion King IV: The Lost Trio (all three
parts), The Lion King V: Attempts of the White Lioness and The Lion King VI:
Pride Rock’s Heir. Also, you obviously won’t get any of this if you haven’t
seen The Lion King or The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride, both created by Disney.
What it’s Based On…
This story was somewhat based on the very first TLK.
Mostly in the beginning when they’re in the elephant graveyard and whatnot.
Also when Kusa runs away like Simba did, only this obviously is different
still. In this story you’ll see it gets more spiritual than my other fan-ficts,
sort of like in the first TLK also. Well, I hope you enjoy. =D Oh and by the
way, all my other TLKs are created like a story. This one is, too, but it’s
made differently because I was hoping I could get both more action and dialogue
in it this way…it didn’t really work, but hey, it was easier. I don’t know if
I’ll be doing any other fan-ficts like this.
Scenes/Chapters
1. A New Cub
2. The Other Pride
3. Startled
4. Elephant Graveyard
5. Farewell, Pala
6. Desperate
7. Runaway
8. The Story of Simba
9. Corga
10. Hippos
11. Teachings of the King
12. The News Ones
Characters
Original Characters from Disney
Simba (Once King of Pride Rock, son of Mufasa and
Sarabi, father of Kiara, mate of Nala)
Nala (Once Queen of Pride Rock, daughter of Sarafina,
mother of Kiara, mate of Simba)
Mufasa (Once King of Pride Rock, mate of Sarabi,
father of Simba)
Sarabi (Once Queen of Pride Rock, mate of Mufasa,
mother of Simba)
Rafiki (Once shaman of Pride Rock and the Boulder of
Strength, brother of Garofé)
Timon (Once royal baby-sitter)
Pumbaa (Once royal baby-sitter)
Zazu (Once royal majordomo of Pride Rock)
Kiara (Once queen of Pride Rock, daughter of Simba,
mother of Mangel and Shyla, mate of Kovu)
Kovu (Once
King of Pride Rock, son of Zira, brother of Vitani and Nuka, father of Mangel
and Shyla, mate of Kiara)
Zira (Mother of Kovu, Vitani and Nuka)
Nuka (Son of Zira, brother of Kovu and Vitani)
Vitani (Daughter of Zira, sister of Kovu and Nuka,
guardian of Shyla)
My Characters
Mangel (Once King of the Boulder of Strength, son of
Kovu and Kiara, father of Aurora, Timba and Runu, older brother of Shyla, mate
of Singa)
Singa (Once Queen of the Boulder of Strength, daughter
of Zaraku and Sithuka, mother of Aurora, Timba and Runu, and mate of Mangel)
Zaraku (Once King of the Boulder of Strength, father
of Singa, and mate of Sithuka)
Sithuka (Once Queen of the Boulder of Strength, mother
of Singa, and mate of Zaraku)
Shyla (Daughter of Kovu and Kiara, baby sister of
Mangel, and princess of Pride Rock)
Aurora-
(Daughter -youngest- Mangel and Singa, sister of Timba and Runu, shaman of the
Boulder of Strength and Pride Rock)
Runu (Son
-middle one- of Mangel and Singa, guardian of Baynarr)
Timba (Son -oldest- of Mangel and Singa, King of the
Boulder of Strength)
Garofé (Once shaman of the Boulder of Strength,
brother of Rafiki)
Sekeita (Sister of Kadio and Tanko)
Tanko (Brother of Kadio and Sekeita)
Kadio (Brother of Tanko and Sekeita)
Pala (Guardian of Shyla, tigress in the Pride Rock
pride)
Larka (Friend of Aurora’s and Runu, mate of Timba,
Queen of the Boulder of Strength)
Baynarr (Son of Timba and Larka, prince of the Boulder
of Strength)
Onay (Royal majordomo of Pride Rock)
Monagbor (Mate
of Shyla)
My New Characters
Kusa (Son of Shyla and Monagbor, prince of Pride Rock)
Cheasala (Daughter of Ariko and Bayngo, sister of
Rayana, Hârdlayje and the other lionesses, betrothal of Kusa)
Ariko (Father of Cheasala and Rayana and Hârdlayje and
the other lionesses, mate of Bayngo, leader of his pride)
Bayngo (Mother
of Cheasala and Rayana and Hârdlayje the other lionesses, mate of Ariko, leader
of her pride)
Rayana (Sister of Cheasala, Hârdlayje and the other
lionesses, daughter of Bayngo and Ariko)
Hârdlayje (Hare-d-lay-ha-hey) (Sister of Cheasala and
Rayana and the other lionesses, daughter of Bayngo and Ariko)
Corga (Monkey, friend of Kusa)
Russtet
(Hippo, leader of the hippos)
Tayquwya (Lioness of Shyla’s and Monagbor’s pride)
Scene One:
A New Cub
-=Pride Rock=-
~Time passed from last story: Six Months~
-= View:
Everything shows suddenly =-
(The sun is high as many
animals gather at Pride Rock. On top of Pride Rock, right on its peak is a
lioness who walks very slowly. She is a beautiful dark gold. In her jaws is a
newborn cub. Its fur is in-between light and dark—almost—yellow. The baby blue
eyes blink many times as it is carried to the very tip of the peak. Finally,
the lioness drops it slightly so that it now hangs from its scruff. And then,
she takes one last step at the tip, her left front paw up and curled, herself
standing tall on the other three paws so that the baby is hanging over the tip.
All the animals many many yards down start to cheer and bow. Four lions’ faces
appear in the clouds. They are smiling down at the new heir to Pride Rock, and
sending their love and light upon it, letting the sun shine down on it.
At last as it is over, the
lioness turns around as all the animals start to leave. She turns with the baby
in her mouth still and spots its mother: another beautiful lioness, but, she’s
very unusual, for she is all white. Both lionesses smile at each other. And
then, the shaman turns to see the father beside the white lioness. They bow to
each other.
Carefully, Aurora sets the cub down in
Shyla’s front paws as she lies on the peak. As the animals below scatter, the
other lionesses from their pride stay in the cave. But, there had been another
pride who had bowed just as the other animals. They were the pride from the
Boulder of Strength. As they climb Pride Rock, the majordomo of Shyla’s and
Monagbor’s pride greets them with a squawk. The leaders come over to the Queen
and King.
Timba looks darkly at his aunt, but smiles
weakly at Aurora and Monagbor before bowing, grinning at the cub, and setting
off again. An adolescent lion blinks and turns to the cub. He purrs, his
hay-colored bangs hanging over his spotted face. And then, Baynarr follows his
father. The pride roars out to the other one and then goes off with their King.
Winking at Shyla, Aurora, Monagbor and the cub, the Queen, Larka, turns after
her family.
After awhile, the departing family is gone
over the horizon in the distance in the north.)
-= Fades =-
Scene Two:
The Other Pride
-=Pride Rock to
Pridelands=-
~Time passed from
last scene: Two Months~
-= View: Behind a
flying hornbill =-
(It’s a sunny day. The
hornbill flies over some plains and hills in the savanna of a mixture of very
long, yellow and green grass. It passes a couple elephants and giraffe that
eats from a tree. Over the river it flies, sticking its feet in the water as it
flies down low before coming high up again. Then, after a few seconds of more
traveling in the air, it’s right at the tip of Pride Rock’s peak, but it keeps
flying. The view is just barely showing the flat rock about a foot beneath the
bird. When it comes to a cave, the hornbill turns easily to the right. The view
is still behind the flying bird as it flies now, only five feet above the
ground. It swerves down passing many lionesses who lie lazily about, sunbathing
on rocks and ground on the main pathway of Pride Rock. As it passes the
lionesses, a mixture of purrs, growls and gossiping is heard. It flies low, and
even flies under a standing lioness, the view still following. But soon,
the hornbill turns once again to face
Pride Rock as it starts to fly upward, a tree is seen in front of the bird.
Finally, it comes to a stop and perches upon one of its few branches. The view
suddenly turns around so that the bird’s face is seen as the view starts to
back up, back to the ground passed the lionesses once more. Once again, the
view changes as a pair of lions come out to the main path way.)
-= View changes
to normal =-
SHYLA: (In a cheerful
voice) Onay! D’ ya have any news?
(The lioness’s tail
swishes back and forth as Onay ruffles her feathers and stretches.)
ONAY: Yeah! (Happy, young
voice, not in any way sounding snooty) I saw ‘em. They’re just a few miles from
the Prideland’s western borders. It’ll probably take them a couple good suns to
make it here. But, I was thinking, maybe you could meet them at the borders.
That’ll be faster t’ see them.
SHYLA: (In a thinking
way) Yes, I suppose so. (Turns to the lion that stands on her right) What d’
you think, Monagbor?
MONAGBOR: Well sure! Why not? Besides, Kusa
needs t’ get out of the Kingdom. (Gets excited) It’ll be his first time off
from Pride Rock!
(A little lion cub comes
running down from the royal cave. He stumbles a bit, but then reaches his
parents. He is of light brown all over, and now has brown eyes.)
KUSA: (Excited) What? Are
we goin’ somewhere? (Both his parents nod) That means I finally get t’ step out
on land! Whoohoo!
SHYLA: (Not too sure)
Well…
KUSA: (Pleadingly and
cute like) Pleeeeeease?
SHYLA: (Sighs in defeat)
Oh, all right.
KUSA: (Excited again)
Yeah!
MONAGBOR: You’re growin’,
son! It’s time to step paw out of the Kingdom for the first time.
(Both the King and Queen
roar to the pride.)
ONAY: (Cries out happily
as she takes to flight) I’ll lead you!
(The King and Queen,
after the bird, lead their pride out into the Pridelands, their cub right
between them. Evening rolls around and they find themselves at a place with
yellow, swaying grass upon a hill. Onay lands proudly in front of the pride.
There’s another pride that comes over, a lioness and a lion in front.)
LION: Greetings, Queen
Shyla and King Monagbor of Pride Rock. (Bows respectfully)
MONAGBOR: (Casually) ‘Ello there, o’l fella.
SHYLA: (Scowls) Mongabor!
(Elbows him, but then looks to the lion and his mate beside him and bows)
Evening, Ariko. (Turns to the lioness and bows) Evening, Bayngo. (Respectfully)
(Kusa stays under his mother, looking
curiously and quite frightened at these new lions.)
ARIKO: (Chuckles, looking
at the cub. Looks up to Shyla and Monagbor again) We have brought two
adolescents and three young adults who have all agreed to join your pride.
(Five young lionesses
step out from behind the lead lions and bow to the King and Queen.)
Bayngo: (Sadly) They’ll
make your pride youthful again.
(Bayngo and Ariko both
lick their daughters before the lionesses step beside Shyla and Monagbor. Then,
another lioness from this other pride steps out from behind her leaders with a
small cub in her mouth. The cub is pale. Her figure would look like Nala. She
is sleeping.)
SHYLA: The betrothal?
(Bayngo nods sadly and
licks the cub.)
ARIKO: (Wearily) She is
our youngest…Please take good care of her.
SHYLA: We will. After
all, she is the princess.
(Bayngo starts to cry.
Her mate licks and nuzzles her affectionately.)
ARIKO: (Reassuringly to
Bayngo) It’s for the best.
(In turn, the lioness nuzzles him back. And
then her youngest daughter. Ariko licks his cub, too. The lioness with the cub
in her mouth sets her down in front of Shyla. She still doesn’t awake as Aurora
comes up and takes the little lion in her mouth.)
BAYNGO: Her name is
Cheasala.
MONAGBOR: Does Cheasala know your are leaving
her with us?
ARIKO: (Shakes head) She
wouldn’t understand.
(Suddenly a tigress steps
over to them. Ariko and Bayngo, along with their pride are surprised, for they
have never seen a cat like this. Pala growls lowly at them all.)
PALA: What are you doing
with this poor cub? (Glances at the sleeping Cheasala) How do you think she
will feel when she wakes up to see that her parents and the rest of her family
have left her?
ARIKO: Her sisters will
still be with her. Besides, this is for her own good. And your pride’s own good.
PALA: Really? How is it
good at all?
SHYLA: (Steps to Pala,
and purrs reassuringly) Please, Pala. Try to understand. For many generations
prides from the Outlands have given up cubs to be the betrothal to the prince
or princess of Pride Rock.
PALA: (Looks at Shyla
coldly) Oh yeah? Well how come I’ve never heard of this?
SHYLA: I don’t know.
Mother and Father have told me about it, though. Simba and Nala were the last
ones to have that done. Nala was betrothed to Simba when she was just a cub,
given up willingly from a passing pride. After that, it kinda got out of paw.
Now I would like to start this tradition again.
PALA: Why take a cub away from her family?!
(Outraged)
MONAGBOR: (Roars at the
tigress suddenly) Why go against your Queen’s rules?!
PALA: (Lashes out at
Monagbor as she jerks to him) I’m not going against her rules! I just see that
this is unnecessary!
RADNDOM LIONESS FROM
SHYLA’S PRIDE: Please, you’re scaring Kusa. And you’ll wake the other little
one.
(Kusa whimpers under his
mother. Shyla licks him reassuringly.)
SHYLA: (Turns to look at
Monagbor and Pala) Tayquwya’s right. You two hush. (Turns to Pala) If you don’t
like this, fine. You don’t have to. But I don’t see any other choice. Besides,
it’s to carry on the Circle of Life. (Turns to her mate before Pala can react) Stop
your roaring and calm down. She’s my friend and you must treat her with
respect. Even if you are the King. You are a leader, but it doesn’t make you
better than anyone else.
(Shyla bows to Ariko and
Bayngo. Roars to her pride and turns around to start back to Pride Rock. Onay
takes flight and Aurora continues to carry Cheasala in her mouth. Pala scowls
and follows, glancing back darkly at Ariko and Bayngo. Monagbor bows to the
other leaders, glances at the news lionesses, then follows his mate. Kusa pounces
around under his mother, following, too. The two prides separate.)
ARIKO: (Calls over his shoulder in a roar)
We’ll visit in a few suns!
-= Fades =-
Scene Three
Startled
-=Pride Rock=-
~Time passed from
last scene: Three Hours~
-= View: Pride
Rock fades in, later that evening, and then the view goes inside the cave =-
CHEASALA: (Sleepily)
Wha…? (Looks around and blinks, then starts to panic) Where am I?! Mom? Dad?
LIONESS: (Reassuringly
and purring) It’s all right, Cheasala. I’m right here.
(A lioness nuzzles the
cub.)
CHEASALA: Rayana! (In
relief) Sissy, where’s Mom and Dad? And the rest of the pride.
(The cub gasps as she
looks around. She and her older sister are in the royal cave.)
RAYANA: Don’t worry,
Cheasala. We’re in a safe cave. A royal cave at that!
CHEASALA: (Confused) Huh?
RAYANA: Mother and Father
have left for a few suns. Along with the pride. They’ll come back in a few suns
to check on us.
CHEASALA: (Panicky again) What’s happening?
Why’d they leave us?!
RAYANA: For our own good.
And this pride’s own good.
CHEASALA: Our own good?
What pride? (Tilts head)
RAYANA: I and your other
sisters have decided to stay here. Live here with this pride.
CHEASALA: Why?
RAYANA: (A matter of
fact) Because it’s a royal pride that needs to be carried on. The King and
Queen are young, but their pride is old. It needs youthful lions in it t’ hunt
and carry on the life. They even let us bear our own cubs if we ever find
mates. And we get t’ stay in this place called Pride Rock, which is the
Kingdom, and we’re in it right now. And the lands are called the Pridelands.
They’re lush and great and have a lot of fresh water and much prey. You get t’
roam around all day or sunbathe on a rock if you want. But all t’gether the pride
stays here, instead of traveling all the time. And they’re so well respected.
It’s great!
CHEASALA: (Thinking and
admiring) That’s sounds great. But Rayana, I miss Mom and Dad. And the whole
family. Why can’t we all stay here?
RAYANA: If another pride
came in with this one, it’d be intruding on them. Besides, Mom and Dad are
traveling lions. They can’t just ever stay in one spot.
CHEASALA: (Getting up and
yelling) I don’t wanna stay here if they’re not gonna!
RAYANA: (Annoyed) Calm
down. Sheesh. (The cub starts to whimper and Rayana lightens up) OK, look. Mom
and Dad wanted you to stay here, too. Got that? They want you to.
CHEASALA: (Sniffles) Why?
RAYANA: (Sighs) ‘Cause
it’s for your own good. They think traveling’s hard on a young cub. And it is.
It’s very dangerous out there. Even with your family. (Grumbles) Believe me, I
know. (Goes to normal talking again) Now you can stay here and live in one
place. One safe place. You’re lucky. I
would’ve loved to have this opportunity when I was your age.
CHEASALA: But I want them here!
RAYANA: Me too. But
they’re not gonna…Don’t worry. In a few suns, they’re coming back to visit.
CHEASALA: I wanna go with
them!
RAYANA: All right, well,
talk to them and see what they say. But, it is dangerous out there, Cheasala.
(Nuzzles) It’d be mighty sad if we lost ya. Anyway, you and I and your other
sissies are gonna be stuck here for a few suns until they come back. Within
that time, try t’ get used to it here. Who knows? Maybe you’ll like it and
change your mind.
CHEASALA: No way! (Huffs)
(A lioness enters the cave.)
LIONESS: (Nicely) Hello.
RAYANA: (Respectfully)
Hello, Queen Shyla. (Gets up and bows)
(Shyla chuckles and
shakes her head.)
SHYLA: No need for that.
Even my own lionesses don’t do that.
(Rayana blushes as she
lays back down by her sister, who sits up and looks up at Shyla, wonderingly.)
SHYLA: Why, hello, little
one. You’re finally awake. Have a good sleep?
(The cub nods, but says
nothing.)
SHYLA: (Trying to please)
Well I’m sure you’ll like it here. There’s plenty of everything. Food, water,
space, even fun. In fact… (Trails off as she turns around to look back at the
entrance of the cave and calls out) Kusa!
(A couple moments go by
before Kusa comes running in happily. But he stops and looks at Rayana and
Cheasala. He stands by his mom, mostly looking at the other cub his age.)
SHYLA: (To Kusa) How
‘bout you show Cheasala the Kingdom, Kusa?
KUSA: Ah, Mom! (Looks up
at Shyla pleadingly) Why? (Turns to Cheasala) It’s big, but mostly just rock so
there’s nowhere t’ go but here, the peak and the pathway…Unless…
SHYLA: (Sharply) Oh no,
Kusa. You’re not goin’ up there.
KUSA: Pleeeease?
SHYLA: (Firmly) Nope.
Your father will take you up there in a few suns. In the meantime, you can stay
in the cave, on the peak or path or…
(Kusa tilts his head.)
KUSA: Or?
SHYLA: (Sighs) It’s time
for you to be able to travel about the Pridelands.
KUSA: (Excited) Yay!
SHYLA: (Serious tone) When I say that I mean
around near Pride Rock. Where I or
your father or anyone in the pride can keep an eye on you. I’m not talking
about going out near the borders or Outlands or anything. So stay close. Got
that?
(Kusa nods mischievously
as Rayana and Cheasala are still quiet, watching. Rayana gets up then and
nudges her sister with her nose.)
RAYANA: (To Cheasala) So
why don’t you and Kusa go explore?
SHYLA: That’s a great
idea. They’ll both get to know their lands together.
KUSA: What? (Blinks)
‘Their’ lands?
SHYLA: (Nods and smiles)
Cheasala will be staying with us from now on.
(Cheasala meows suddenly
and jumps up, racing out of the cave, crying. Kusa, Shyla and Rayana watch her
go, surprised at this.)
RAYANA: (Still surprised)
I better go get her.
(Rayana sets off after
her sister hurriedly.
Cheasala still runs,
going down the main pathway passed unfamiliar lionesses. She glances at a weird
bird, but keeps going. There’s even a striped lion, but that just makes her run
faster. Into the Pridelands she goes, running in green, swaying grass. The
lionesses watch her go, not knowing if they should go after her, so they stay
where they are. Cheasala turns around and makes her way to the lands behind
Pride Rock in the east.
She comes to a rock near a large puddle.
-It’s the rock Kiara went on as a cub when Pumbaa and Timon scared her and she
fell in and Pumbaa jumped on her. She also passed it when she was older and
looking for Kovu.- Panting, the cub sits there, looking down at her reflection.
For some lucky reason, she had managed to escape in the long grass when she
turned, having Rayana keep heading north in confusion. But the cub just keeps
siting there and then sighs, a single tear trickling down her face.)
VOICE: (Caring but
mysterious) What’s wrong?
(Cheasala perks and her
left ear twitches as she looks around in the darkening evening. Suddenly a
great lion appears. He’s big with a red mane. The lion sits down by the cub,
who just stares up at him, her eyes wide and her jaw dropped.)
LION: (Nicely) Please
don’t be alarmed.
CHEASALA: (Regretting
that she had left the Kingdom, she stutters fearfully) W-wh-who are y-you?
LION: I used to live here
in this Kingdom, in these lands. It was great. My name is Simba.
CHEASALA: (Starting to
calm down) Are you the King?
SIMBA: Well I was the King at one time. But now I only come
around occasionally to check on things. You wouldn’t know it, but all the great
Kings and Queens of the past do this, checking on their Kingdom and home and
whatnot.
CHEASALA: Well I’m
Cheasala. I’m going to stay here for awhile I guess.
SIMBA: Yes, I know…Nala
was brought here when she was born so she always thought of this as her home.
(Sits down by the cub) I wonder what she would say if she was brought here at
your age.
CHEASALA: What? Who’s Nala?
SIMBA: My mate. She was
Queen here one time, too.
CHEASALA: How come you’re
not King anymore and she’s not Queen?
SIMBA: Because.
(The stars are getting bright and suddenly
Simba lays down on his back, looking up at them. Cautiously, Cheasala joins,
laying beside him and looking up.)
SIMBA: The stars are the
great Kings of the past. Queens, too.
CHESALA: What about
others who aren’t Kings and Queens? What happens to them?
SIMBA: (Chuckles) They,
too, go up there. But you’re going to find out one day.
CHEASALA: (Whimpers
slightly) I wish I could be with my family…
SIMBA: So, you’re gonna
stay here? You’re the betrothal to little Kusa.
CHEASALA: (Confused) Huh?
Betrothal? What’s that?
(Simba gets up, noticing
the mistake he makes.)
SIMBA: Nothing…Er, I
mean, you’ll find out.
CHEASALA: I don’t wanna
be here.
SIMBA: (Chuckles) You and
Kusa are going to have a blast if you stay here.
CHEASALA: How do you
know?
SIMBA: Well Nala and I
had a blast. I remember when we were cubs. The grasslands and getting rid of
Zazu and I remember the elephant graveyard…
CHEASALA: (Gets curious)
The elephant what?
SIMBA: (Regretfully) I
can’t believe I said that…It’s nothing, kid. I…well…I must go now. Bye
(Simba get up and walks
over to a nearby hill. He takes one last glance at the cub, his left front paw
curled, then he goes away.
Cheasala gets up and starts back to Pride
Rock in the dark. She glances wonderingly up at the sky as a shooting star goes
by. Then she thinks of how mysterious that lion was.
Simba suddenly is sitting
on another hill nearer to Cheasala, watching her go and he sighs.)
SIMBA: (To himself)
Hopefully she doesn’t get any ideas…Oh, what am I saying? (Memories flood his
mind and he remembers his idea he got from Scar of sneaking off and going to
the elephant graveyard) Don’t worry, little Cheasala. Don’t worry, little Kusa.
If you go to that bone-garden I will be there. I will be there ‘cause I know it
was my fault that you would even come across that place…
(The lion fades into the
wind.
Back at Pride Rock, it’s
still dark. Cheasala is romping through the long grass hurriedly, trying to get
back, but she hears commotion in much talk and growls from the lionesses in the
pride nearby. A couple are on the main pathway. Most of the others are running
around.)
CHEASALA: (To herself
gravely) Oh no. (Her ears lower)
(The cub makes it to the
pathway and starts up, just as she hears Shyla speak to the lionesses.)
SHYLA: (Loudly to the
lionesses in a worried tone) Has anyone seen her?
(The lionesses in
response to their answer, don’t answer, and keep running around until finally
all but a couple lionesses are left at the Kingdom, Shyla included. Kusa is
laying under his standing mother, closing his eyes, as if sleeping.)
CHEASALA: I’m right here.
(Walking up the pathway gravely)
SHYLA: (Relieved)
Cheasala!
(Shyla runs over to the
cub and nuzzles her. This takes Cheasala by surprise as she blinks and looks up
at the lioness, her head tilted. But then Rayana runs passed the nearby
Monagbor and jumps over to Kusa and stands by Shyla and her little sister. She
looks coldly down at Cheasala who scuttles under Shyla.)
SHYLA: (Reassuringly to
Rayana) Please, Rayana. She’s had a tough time. (Looks down at Cheasala, taking
a step back to leave her uncovered) But, Cheasala, don’t do that again.
(Cheasala nods guiltily.
Shyla looks to her mate.)
SHYLA: Monagbor, why
don’t you take these cubs in the cave. There’s dinner in there for ‘em. Then
they can go to bed.
RAYANA: But Shyla, my
sisters would like to know that she’s here and safe.
(Shyla nods and turns to
Onay as Monagbor leads the cubs in the cave.)
SHYLA: Onay, go get the
other lionesses and tell them Cheasala is here.
ONAY: (Taking to flight
hurriedly and nodding) Oh yes, of course.
(Shyla and Rayana sit on
a rock together, watching Onay fly out south in the Pridelands.)
SHYLA: (To Rayana) Please
don’t get too mad at your sister. Just see through her eyes.
(Rayana nods, but says
nothing.)
SHYLA: (Sadly recalling
and thinking as she says) I guess Pala is somewhat right. (Her tail swishes) To
wake up and see that your family has left you.
RAYANA: (Defensively)
They haven’t left her. I mean, they left her with my sisters and I. And you and
your pride. Plus, it was for her own good.
(Shyla nods and turns
around with Rayana and they slowly walk up the path into the cave.)
-= Fades =-
Scene Four
Elephant
Graveyard
-=Elephant Graveyard=-
~Time passed from last scene: One Week~
-= A place with many bones fades in and it’s
day =-
(Young voices are heard,
but their talkers aren’t seen yet.)
YOUNG FEMALE VOICE:
(Eager) I’m tellin’ you, it’s somewhere here.
YOUNGE MALE VOICE:
(Annoyed) Well ya better find it quick. (A yawn is heard)
(Then, on the other side
of a bone hill are two cubs. Kusa and Cheasala.)
KUSA: I’m gettin’ bored.
CHEASALA: Hey wait!
(They both start running up the bone hill.
When they get to the top they look around to see a whole bunch more bones and
giant skulls on the other side.)
KUSA AND CEAHSALA:
(Amazed) Whoa…
(They look at each other,
then down at the bones again. Then they both start running down until they get
to flat land and they run around.)
KUSA: This is so cool!
Let’s explore!
CHEASALA: Yeah!
(For awhile, they go
about excitedly, pawing at bones and jumping through skulls. Then they come to
another bone hill, which they climb up and see a giant skull, a spine behind
it.)
KUSA: It’s a slide!
CHEASALA: Cool!
KUSA: Let’s go down it!
(As they inch closer to
the skull, careful not to fall down the hill with many bones that stick out
like spikes, something pounces Kusa. It’s a hyena, but it’s shaggy and somewhat
like Scar’s hyenas, only this one is brown/red and spotted.)
CHEASALA: (Worried and
surprised) Kusa!
ONAY: (Worried and
surprised) Children!
(The bird comes flying down suddenly and
passes Cheasala who’s still on the hill’s top. Onay flies down to Kusa and the
hyena who are both rolling down the hill. They stop at the bottom, but are both
OK. Onay squawks and flaps her wings in the hyena’s face, giving Kusa just
enough time to run away.)
CHEASALA: (Desperate and
scared) Hey! W-wait up!
(Cheasala suddenly runs
through the skull and slides down the spine. Kusa keeps running while Onay
keeps distracting the annoyed hyena. As Cheasala lands on flat land, Kusa stops
for a second, waiting for her. Then, when she gets to him, they both start
running again until they come to another spine. As they gasp and look behind
them, Onay is swapped by the hyena. The hyena runs after the cubs now as the
bird tries to gather her wits.)
KUSA: (Quickly, in a
whisper) C’mon.
(The lion cubs start
sliding down the spine and come flying up at the end, into the foggy air. They
land on another hill of bones and run up it. The hyena is close behind, while
Onay flies above the cubs now. They run down the hill and onto flat land. It’s
only when they get to a steep cliff that goes high into the air do they stop.)
CHEASALA: Oh no.
KUSA: Where d’ we go?!
(Suddenly, as the hyena
almost jumps them, the ground beneath the cubs flies up from fire in the
ground. The cubs quickly jump while on the piece of small land and rock in the
air, onto the cliff’s edge. The rock falls down and breaks into many crumbling
pieces. Turning around and panting as Onay comes up to join them, Kusa smirks
and sticks his tongue out to blow a raspberry at the hyena. The hyena growls,
just standing there and looking up at them with blood-red, hungry eyes.)
KUSA: HA!
(The cubs laugh as they
run upon the cliff’s top.)
ONAY: (Relieved but
shaken up) Children, what were you doing here? You were way behind the Pridelands.
KUSA: So?
ONAY: (Getting a tad mad)
‘So?’ You could’ve died! (Sighs and shakes her head as she flies just a foot
above the trotting cubs) Your parents will be very unpleased with you, Kusa.
And your sisters will be quite burdened, too, Cheasala.
KUSA: (Pleadingly) Ah,
Onay…You wouldn’t tell ‘em, would ya?
(Before Onay replies, the
three of them stop and gasp, looking in front of them at a huge lion.)
CHEASALA: (Happily)
Simba!
SIMBA: Hello, little
ones.
CHEASALA: We’re here in this place you told
me about. (Proudly)
SIMBA: You shouldn’t have
come here. It’s very dangerous. (Looks up and sniffs the air, looking in the
distance) In fact, the hyena is gaining on you. It found a way. It’ll probably
pounce you all pretty soon.
(They all gasp.)
SIMBA: (Reassuringly)
Don’t worry. You’re near the borders of the elephant graveyard. Just hurry upon
this cliff and you’ll get to another skull. Go through it and you’re out. It’ll
still be dangerous, though, so hurry up and get home. (Pauses) While you go,
I’ll hold off the hyena.
CHEASALA: Thanks, Simba!
SIMBA: It’s the least I
can do. (Shamefully) I should’ve never brought this place up.
(The two cubs start
running as Onay keeps flying overhead, glancing behind at Simba. They make it
over the cliff and through the skull. They keep running, though, into the
Pridelands.)
-= Fades =-
Scene Five
Farewell, Pala
-=Pride Rock=-
~Time passed from last scene: Two Hours~
-= It’s evening
and they’re back at Pride Rock on the main pathway =-
SHYLA: Kusa! What were you thinking?! (Mad)
MONAGBOR: We told you not
to go too far! (Mad)
SHYLA: You were supposed
to stay in our sight, or in the sight of someone in the pride!
(The cubs’ heads are low,
same with their ears and tails.)
MONGABOR: (Turns to
Shyla) No wait, Shyla. (More gently) It’s our fault…We didn’t get Kusa assigned
to a lioness.
SHYLA: (Blinks) Assigned?
KUSA: What? Assigned?
Like…having a baby-sitter?! I’m not a
baby!
MONAGBOR: (Turns to Kusa with a dark look)
You’re in no position to protest.
(They are all at the main pathway of Pride
Rock. The cubs sit by Onay, while the King and Queen sit on a rock, looking down
at their son and Cheasala. Suddenly Rayana and Cheasala’s other sisters stand
on the rock with Shyla and Monagbor. They all give Cheasala dark looks.)
RAYANA: (Mad) Cheasala! How dare you break
the rulers’ rules!
CHEASALA: (Giggles)
RAYANA: (Getting madder)
It’s not funny!
SISTER #1: Why would you even think about doing that?!
CHEASALA: I’m sorry,
Hârdlayje.
HÂRDLAYJE: Mom and Dad are gonna be back
tomorrow, and what are they gonna say when they find out what you’ve done?
KUSA: Yeah, they’d get mad
at her since it was her idea.
CHEASALA: It was not!
KUSA: Was too!
CHEASALA: Well you wanted
to go and followed along!
(They are about to start
a whole argument when Monagbor roars. The cubs become quiet and so Kusa’s
parents continue to scold and lecture him while Cheasala’s sisters do the same.
Later, Onay takes Shyla
from the others and tells her what had happened and that they had seen Simba.
Shyla gasps and tells Aurora. Aurora suggests that it’s a spirit. Shyla
suggests that it’s Timba, but when she does, Onay says she’s certain it wasn’t.
From then on, they all keep their eyes peeled.)
-= Fades, along
with the voices =-
-= It’s early in
the morning the next day at Pride Rock =-
VOICE: (Excited) Mommy!
Daddy!
(Cheasala suddenly is
running into the grass to the west, just a few feet off the main pathway of
Pride Rock. She meets up with a pride. Her pride. Her mother and father have
led it to Pride Rock. The parents nuzzle their daughter, then are greeted by the
roaring of the royal pride. As the lionesses of the royal pride lay about
lazily on the pathway, Monagbor and Aurora walk slowly over to the other pride,
Kusa pouncing around excitedly in front of his father and the shaman.)
BAYNGO: Cheasala!
(Nuzzles her daughter and licks her many times) Oh how we’ve missed you!
ARIKO: We sure have
(Licks his daughter)
(The pride huddles around
the cub and nuzzles her. Then Rayana, Hârdlayje and the rest of the sisters of
Cheasala go over to their parents and pride and are nuzzled and licked, too.)
CHEASALA: (Backs up and
looks confused up at her parents) Why did you leave me here?
ARIKO: It was for your
own good. As well as this pride’s good.
CHEASALA: (Almost crying)
You didn’t even ask me!
(Ariko and Bayngo are about
to say more when Shyla leaps on a rock nearby.)
SHYLA: Well that’s why they’ve come here
now…to ask you.
(Cheasala blinks. Shyla
chuckles.)
SHYLA: Ever since Pala
left, I’ve taken her words to heart.
(Kusa suddenly looks at
his mom as his dad and Aurora arrive. He tilts his head.)
KUSA: (Panicked and
surprised) Pala left? Where?!
VOICE: I’ve decided to
travel back to my lands in the jungle, for I am a jungle cat.
(Pala suddenly leaps
beside Shyla on the rock. Shyla is somewhat surprised.)
SHYLA: I thought you
left.
PALA: Not yet…I thought
I’d say goodbye first.
(The rest of the royal
pride comes down with Onay to bid farewell to Pala.)
PALA: (Stands tall on the
rock, looking at the royal pride) I have loved it here. It’s like another home.
Alas, I must travel back to my original home.
KUSA: (In tears) Why?
PALA: (Gently to Kusa)
Because I have grown old, and I would like to end my days there before it’s too
late. (Looks up again to the whole pride) You’ve all been so great to me, and I
thank you. You are another family of mine. I will carry you all in my memories,
even to the last of my breath.
SHYLA: None of us will
ever forget you, Pala. And I will miss you. We all will.
PALA: (Nods gravely, then
says to all) Baynarr, from Timba’s and Larka’s pride is going to assist me back
to the jungle in the west.
(Suddenly an adolescent lion in his late teen
years shows up nearby with a hay colored mane, almost done growing. Baynarr.
Shyla shifts uncomfortably, but as Baynarr just waits for Pala, Pala roars
out.)
PALA: Goodbye!
(Pala nuzzles Shyla, then
Kusa, then bids another farewell to the rest of the pride and leaps from the
rock. She meets up with Baynarr and they suddenly take off in a run to the
west.)
KUSA: (Meows out sadly)
Don’t go!
Scene Six
Desperate
-=Pride Rock=-
~Time passed from last scene: One Second~
-= Pride Rock =-
(Shyla takes Kusa in her
mouth, lays down on the rock and sets her cub in her front paws to groom him
while he cries. After a few minutes, Shyla looks to Cheasala.)
SHYLA: If you’d like, you
can go on with your pride.
CHEASALA: (Gasps happily and turns to her
parents)
KUSA: (Suddenly yells
out) No! Why do you have to go? I mean, first Pala and then you, Cheasala?
You’re my friend!
(Kusa jumps from his
mother and runs up the main pathway. Shyla jumps down and starts to follow him
when Monagbor stops her.)
MONAGBOR: (Whispers to
Shyla) Let ‘im go. He’s had a rough time.
(Shyla nods.)
CHEASALA: (Plops down and
whimpers) Why can’t I go with you? (Asks her parents)
ARIKO: Like I said—
CHEASALA: (Interrupts) I
know what you said! But how will it help the pride?
(Cheasala suddenly takes
off, running up the pathway and then leaps on a rock ledge, close to the
southwestern side of Pride Rock’s cliff. Aurora suddenly jumps up beside her
and purrs.)
AURORA: (Reassuringly)
It’s all right.
CHEASALA: (Sniffles and
snaps out) No it’s not. (Get up and looks at Aurora.) If I go, then I can be
with my mom and dad and the rest of the pride. If I stay, then I will make Kusa
not as sad, and it will be good for me and this royal pride and I can stay here
with my sisters. But…I don’t know what to do. (Shakes head) There are so many
good reasons to go and stay and so many bad.
AURORA: (Hopefully) It
sounded like you named more good reasons for staying.
CHEASALA: You just want
me to stay! (Mad)
AURORA: Well of course I
do. You’re a nice cub and friend. It would be safer for you and better for this
pride. And yet, don’t let the influence of others—like
me [Chuckles]—make
your choice. Just follow your heart.
CHEASALA: [Whispers] But
I still don’t know what I should choose.
(Cheasala takes off
again, running on the ledge of the Kingdom until she’s at the back of it, high
up, but not on top yet. She lays down on the edge, crying quietly. Suddenly the
wind blows on her and a lion appears nearby on another ledge.)
CHEASALA: (Surprised)
Simba!
SIMBA: Hello, little one.
What’s wrong?
CHEASALA: (Jumps from her
ledge to his and nuzzles into his fur) I don’t know if I should go or stay.
SIMBA (Thinking) Hmm…
CHEASALA: And—
SIMBA: Believe it or not,
I know what you’re going to say. I mean, I have a pretty good guess ‘cause this
same thing happened to my friend, Nala, who’s now my mate.
CHEASALA: [Tilts her
head] She had this same problem?
SIMBA: Well, like I said, she was taken here
right when she was born, so it was pretty different. But still similar. What
I’m trying to say is she was in the same position of being princess and
marrying the prince.
CHEASALA: Huh?
SIMBA: Cheasala…She was
betrothed to me. And the reason why it’s good for the pride for you to stay
here is ‘cause you are betrothed to Kusa, and if everything goes to plan, then
you’ll bear the new heir to Pride Rock and keep the pride going. Especially
with the help of youthful lionesses that aren’t going to pass for awhile, like
your sisters.
(Cheasala gasps and
thinks.)
CHEASALA: But why does
this have to happen to me?
I don’t want my life planned!
SIMBA: (Nods) Yes. No one
does. (Grumbles) It would’ve been smarter for them to have gotten a betrothal
when the cub was born. (Normal voice) But I guess the reason why it is
happening to you is fate.
CHEASALA: What?
SIMBA: (Chuckles) You’ll
understand.
(Simba jumps away into the distance to
another ledge that seems impossible for any mortal lion to jump. He turns
around and winks at the cub as the wind starts to blow.)
SIMBA: Well, I must go. Oh, and by the way,
Nala and I actually fell in love one day. That
wasn’t planned out.
(Suddenly, as the wind
keeps blowing, a lioness is by Simba now. The wind blows even more and both
lions disappear as Cheasala closes her eyes because the wind is just too
strong. When she opens them again, Simba and Nala are both gone.)
-= Fades =-
Scene Seven
Runaway
-=Pridelands=-
~Time passed from
last scene: One Day~
-= The Pridelands
fade in and it’s a sunny day with Pride Rock in the distance =-
(The cubs are playing
together, laughing and rolling around in the green, swaying grass near a hill.)
KUSA: (Grateful and
excited) I still can’t believe you decided to stay. You’re a lifesaver.
CHEASALA: [Blushes]
(Pleased) Yeah well…For some reason I think I might like it here. I mean it was
fun ‘n all. Plus, my parents say it’s good for me. And my sisters are here,
too. Oh and…they says it’s good for your pride.
KUSA: It’s your pride,
too, now! [Pauses] But why is it good for my pride also?
(Cheasala giggles and
pounces Kusa and they both go rolling down the hill -example, like Nala and
Simba do in TLK down the hill at the borders of the Pridelands when they’re
cubs after the song "I Can’t Wait to be King" and Nala always says,
"Pinned ya!"- .)
-= As Kusa and
Cheasala both go rolling down the hill, both their cub forms fade and they’re
suddenly teenagers -example, like when Simba was walking on the log with Timon
and Pumbaa and his form kept changing from cub, to teen, to adult, only this
time Cheasala and Kusa are still just teens.- Kusa is still light brown but now
has a dark golden mane just barely beginning to grow, coming from the top of
his head, lining down his neck to the first part of his back. Cheasala is also
bigger than she was and quite slim. She’s all light and pale like Nala. =-
~Time passed from
being cubs: Seven Months~
(Kusa pins Cheasala when
they get to the bottom of the hill)
KUSA: Ha!
CHEASALA: (Defeated) OK,
OK.
(Kusa gets off Cheasala
and they giggle.)
VOICE: Kusa! C’mon! Stop
playing games. It’s time for your hunt. Yours, too, Cheasala.
KUSA: (Like a cub) Ah
man!
(The voice was Monagbor,
who is now standing in the distance on top of the hill.)
KUSA: (To Cheasala) See
ya.
(Kusa runs up the hill to
his dad and they both run off.)
VOICE: Cheasala, as
princess, and now a young lioness, you obviously have to learn how to hunt as
well.
(Shyla stands near on the
hill.)
CHEASALA: OK, OK.
(Gets up slowly and starts
up the hill to Shyla. They turn and start heading west in the Pridelands, as
Monagbor and Kusa had headed east in the Pridelands.)
-= Goes dark for
a split second and then Monagbor and Kusa are seen in a place in the grasslands
where it’s mostly yellow grass. =-
MONAGBOR: Now, the first
thing in hunting is learning to be quiet and hidden. [Crouches down in the
grass] Once you spot your prey, you crouch down. Stalk it and then when you get
close enough—that is if you were quiet enough—you pounce—!
KUSA: (Bored) I thought
only the lionesses hunt.
MONAGBOR: [Gets up and
looks at his son] They do, most of the time. But you should still know how to
yourself.
KUSA: [Yawns] Why?
MONAGBOR: [Loosing
patients] So that you will know how just in case.
KUSA: Why?
MONAGBOR: [Yells] Why
must you be like this, Kusa?! I’m just trying to help you so that one day you
will be a great King! [Shakes head] I don’t even know why you’re so negative
about hunting. I mean, most lions love
to learn how.
KUSA: (Quietly) I’m not
most lions.
MONAGBOR: Yeah, you’re
right! The only way you relate to any other lion is being lazy. Wait…no, you’re
the most lazy of ‘em all! All you wanna do is lay down all day.
KUSA: Tuh, all lions want
to. That’s mostly all we do anyway.
MONAGBOR: (More gently) Well, I suppose
you’re right. And yet you’re not.
KUSA: Huh?
MONAGBOR: (Getting angry
again) Now that you’re in your teen years and almost an adult, you should start
acting like one! Especially since you’re going to be King one day! But no, it’s
either play or sleep. Play or sleep. You’re not gonna be a cub for much longer,
Kusa. Your mom and I aren’t always gonna be around to protect you and feed you
and keep you warm.
KUSA: (Defensively) Now you’re saying like
I’m just a baby!
MONAGBOR: Because you are acting like a tiny cub!
KUSA: No
I’m not.
MONAGBOR: Well then prove that to me, your
mother and the whole pride by learning to hunt! [Tries to calm down, but then
yells out again] NOW EITHER LEARN HOW TO HUNT OR STARVE TO DEATH!
(Kusa is outraged at this
and surprised. Not knowing what to do, he turns to the west and suddenly starts
running. His father sits down where he was, watching his son run up a hill and
disappear. Monagbor doesn’t go after Kusa, still angry.)
-= Fades =-
~Time passed from
Monagbor’s scolding: Two Hours~
-= Shyla and Cheasala are
heading to Pride Rock when they spot Monagbor, still sitting in the same
place.=-
SHYLA: (Excited) Oh,
hunny, you’ve got to come see what Cheasala caught! On her first try!
CHEASALA: (Excited) A
whole zebra!
MONAGBOR: [Grunts as he stares at the ground
like a cub who just had a temper tantrum]
(Shyla nods toward Pride Rock, motioning for
Cheasala to go.)
SHYLA: (To Cheasala) Go
tell the pride about your hunt.
(Cheasala nods and runs
off, still excited. Shyla walks down the hill to her mate and nuzzles him.)
SHYLA: (Gently) What’s
wrong?
MONAGBOR: [Looks up at
his mate] (Shamefully) I…was kind of hard on our son.
SHYLA: [Perks] What’d you
do?
MONAGBOR: [Looks away] It
wasn’t what I did more than what I said.
SHYLA: [Places a paw
under Monagbor’s chin and pulls his face toward her] (More gently) Then what’d
you say?
MONAGBOR: I told Kusa
that he was one of the laziest lions ever.
SHYLA: [Chuckles] Well,
he is.
MONAGBOR: But more than
that I…told him to hunt or starve to death.
SHYLA: Hmm…Well, if he
doesn’t learn, that is an option for him. A bad one that we would never let
happen.
MONAGBOR: But…the way I
said it made it sound that we would let it happen.
SHYLA: [Gasps] But we
would never! [Pauses] You don’t think he thought…we would, do you?
MONAGBOR: [Nods] At least
me.
SHYLA: But you wouldn’t!
[Nuzzles Monagbor again]
MONAGBOR: I know I wouldn’t…but
he doesn’t know that.
SHYLA: So where is he
now?
MONAGBOR: I don’t know.
He just took off running.
SHYLA: He’s probably back at the Kingdom.
(They both get up and
start to walk to Pride Rock.)
-= Fades =-
Scene Eight
The Story of
Simba
-=Tree of Life=-
~Time passed from
last scene: Twenty Minutes~
-= A part of a
tree shows up with a painting of a sitting cub which is supposed to be Kusa,
and another cub near that one who’s laying down. The one laying down is
supposed to be Cheasala. It’s evening. =-
(Aurora chuckles as she
adds part of a main on Kusa and halfway outlines Cheasala with more juice to
show their adolescence.)
AURORA: (Thoughtfully)
Hmm…
(After she’s done adding
the other touches to the paintings, she suddenly jumps down from the tree and
makes her way to Pride Rock in the distance. When she gets there, everyone is
sad.)
AURORA: (To anyone) I
know you’re all sad, except I don’t know why. I don’t need to know ‘cause I
don’t want to be intruding or anything, yet I came to see if everything was all
right. And perhaps I could tell a story to everyone. In fact, now that I think
of it, Kusa nor Cheasala have ever heard the stories of Simba or Kovu and
Kiara, or not really any stories.
(Aurora hears a sniffle and sees Cheasala,
sitting in the main pathway. Aurora goes over and looks at her. Cheasala is
crying.)
AURORA: What’s wrong?
CHEASALA: He’s…gone.
(She gets up and runs up
the path and into the royal cave. Aurora tilts her head, then sees Monagbor at
the tip of the peak of Pride Rock, so the shaman runs up the paths and to the
tip of the peak.)
AURORA: What’s happening?
Why is everyone so sad?
MONAGBOR: Because my son
has runaway.
AURORA: (Gasps and is surprised) What? Why?
MONAGBOR: (Shakes head)
Because I was a jerk.
(As he tells Aurora what happened, their
voices start to fade, as the view moves to Shyla, who is walking into the
cave.)
SHYLA: Cheasala, may I
talk to you for a sec?
(Cheasala, who is being
comforted by Rayana and the rest of her sisters, nods gravely and gets up and
walks slowly to the Queen.)
-= Fades, but
then the view shows the top of Pride Rock as the sun starts to set and Shyla
and Cheasala are both at the top, sitting beside each other. =-
SHYLA: Cheasala…did you
really see a lion who claimed to be Simba?
(Cheasala nods.)
SHYLA: Well…no has told
you, or even Kusa.
(Cheasala looks up at
Shyla and blinks, confused.)
CHEASALA: Told us what?
SHYLA: The story of
Simba. Aurora will tell you.
(Suddenly Aurora comes up
from the back of the rock from the trail. She walks over as Shyla chuckles.)
SHYLA: Just when we need ya, Aurora.
AURORA: Need me? For
what? I was just coming up to check on both of ya.
SHYLA: Would you please
tell Cheasala the story of Simba and the generations of Pride Rock, starting
from the day Simba was born, to the day Cheasala came?
(Aurora blinks, thinks,
then nods and smiles, sitting between the other two lionesses, watching the
sunset.)
AURORA: Well, I will if
you can listen, Cheasala. For it is a long one.
CHEASALA: I will listen.
-= As Aurora
starts to tell Cheasala, the view and their voices fade =-
Scene Nine
Corga
-=Outlands=-
~Time passed from last scene: Half an Hour~
-= Kusa is seen
slumping down by a water hole and a tree in the west, Pride Rock far in the
distance. =-
KUSA: (Asks himself
gravely as he looks at his reflection in the water) What am I gonna do? (Closes
eyes)
VOICE: I’ll tell you what
you’re gonna do. (Annoyed)
(Kusa opens his eyes suddenly and gasps and
perks.)
VOICE: You’re gonna get away from my tree!
KUSA: (Surprised) Who
said that? (Looks around)
VOICE: Me!
KUSA: Who’s me? Or you?
(Suddenly a little brown
monkey hops from the tree and lands on Kusa. Kusa is taken back and blinks at
the creature on his shoulder, surprised it wasn’t afraid.)
KUSA: Who are you?
MONKEY: Muh name’s Corga.
And you’re too close to my tree!
(Kusa gets up, having
respect for this creature for it was brave enough to yell at him and jump upon
him. He starts walking away slowly, tail and ears low with shame.)
CORGA: (Blinks and is
surprised and says more gently) Hey, where ya goin’?
KUSA: I don’t know.
CORGA: Well…if ya want,
you and I can share the tree and water hole.
(Kusa smiles and looks up
at the monkey. He trots back over and sits down where he was. The monkey leaps
upon his head and starts picking at his mane, looking for bugs. Corga is
overjoyed when he finds one and eats the bug.)
CORGA: Yup, you and I
could be pretty good friends if ya want.
KUSA: (Happily) Sure…Why
are you so nice all of a sudden?
CORGA: (Happily) Ya got a
mane full of bugs! And not only that, but your mane’s still growing. I can hardly
wait till you’re full grown.
(Kusa smiles and lays
down, closing his eyes peacefully. Then opens them suddenly.)
KUSA: Wait, a mane full
of bugs?! (Pauses) Oh yeah, I forgot I ran through that termite mound.
-= Sudden black
out for a split second before the next scene =-
Scene Ten
Hippos
-=Outlands=-
~Time passed from
last scene: One Month~
-= Kusa is seen
by a huge water hole with many hippos in it, and Corga is on the lion’s back =-
CORGA: (Gives one long
whistle) So, ya gonna go hunt one or what?
KUSA: (Hesitantly)
I…guess…I mean forever I’ve just been eatin’ bugs with you. I’m dying for meat.
CORGA: (Mutters) You mean
the animal you kill will be.
(Kusa suddenly leaps in
the water and Corga screams out and latches onto a root sticking out of the
dirt wall just above the water. The monkey holds on as Kusa plummets into the
water. When the lion pops up out of the surface and starts screaming, Corga
sits on the branch and watches him, frowning.)
CORGA: (Getting nervous)
Uh, Kusa, I don’t think this is such a good idea. I mean, look at those
monsters.
(The hippos are splashing
around and grunting and even giving their own kind of growls and roars as they
crash into each other, fighting. Kusa says nothing and keeps swimming toward
them.)
COGRA: I really don’t
think you should do this!
(Kusa smirks and keeps
swimming until finally he gets to one. With much effort, the lion attaches his
claws to the hippo. The might animal cries out and throws Kusa far into another
part of the water hole. Quickly, though, the hippo starts after him, very
angered.)
CORGA: (Worried) Kusa,
look out!
KUSA: Ahh! (Starts
swimming away)
(Soon all the hippos are
after him, but they’re so much faster than him and they get to Kusa and gang up
on him.)
KUSA: (Desperately
yelling) I’m the King! I mean prince! Please don’t hurt me!
(Corga puts a hand to his
face and shakes his head with a disgusted sigh.)
KUSA: (Pleading more)
Please!
(The hippos think for a
second, then the one big one Kusa had clawed at, swam closest to him.)
HIPPO #1: What is your
name then?
KUSA: (Nervously) My name
is Kusa, and I am prince of Pride Rock. My father is King Monagbor and my
mother is Queen Shyla…Please don’t hurt me.
HIPPO #1: (Starts
laughing) Some brave prince you are! (Sarcastically)
HIPPO #2: (Sarcastically) And some smart one
as well, messing with hippos.
KUSA: (Desperately) I’m sorry! I was just so
hungry ‘cause I haven’t hunted forever and—
HIPPO #2: How come you
haven’t hunted?
HIPPO #3: How come you
chose us for your meal, eh?
HIPPO #4: Yeah. How come
you didn’t just eat that monkey?
CORGA: (In the distance)
Hey! (Insulted)
HIPPO #1: Well?
(Kusa stays there in the
water, trying to tread water, surrounded by all the giant hippos who give him
dark looks.)
KUSA: I…I…I don’t know
why I chose you for my meal. I mean, you were the closest to me, the only thing
I could actually find really. Every time I try to catch an animal, they always
run. And Corga’s my friend. And… (Looks down, ashamed) …I can’t hunt.
HIPPO #3: ‘Course not,
especially us hippos!
HIPPO #1: We’re not going
be easy with you, little one.
HIPPO #4: Let’s kill ‘im!
(The hippo who just spoke
starts to get closer, almost charging at the lion when the first hippo who
spoke stops him.)
HIPPO #1: No.
HIPPO #4: Ah please,
Russtet. (Pleadingly)
HIPPO #1: No.
HIPPO #4: Just let me
wrestle him a bit. Teach him a lesson.
RUSSTET: (More firmly)
No.
(The hippo named Russtet
pushes the other hippo away.)
RUSSTET: (To everyone) He
should be taught a lesson—
HIPPO #5: (Mutters) Yeah,
like how to hunt.
RUSSTET: —but alas he is
royal blood. And so we cannot harm him.
HIPPO #3: But he harmed
us first!
(Russtet looks at Kusa,
who is deeply relieved.)
RUSSTET: We will let you go…on one condition.
KUSA: (Smirks) On one
condition? You’ve gotta let me go now ‘cause I’m royal blood.
CORGA: (To himself) No,
buddy, don’t screw you chance at life up.
(Russtet is very angered
by this and roars out, scaring Kusa and causing the other hippos to back up. He
breathes deeply many times, then looks to Kusa again.)
RUSSTET: Don’t mess with
me youngin’, for I am Russtet, leader of the hippos in this water hole! (Starts
to calm down, but is still mad) Because you cannot prove that you are actually
the real Kusa, we could kill you if we wanted. But, I will let you go if you do
not mess up again by saying something like that again.
KUSA: (Gulps, says in a high pitched, scared
voice) W-what is the condition?
RUSSTET: Have your so called
"friend" fetch either the King or Queen of Pride Rock. The monkey
will bring them back over here and if they say you are their son, then we will
let you go.
KUSA: (Gasps) But I
can’t!
RUSSTET: You can’t, but he
can. (Nods to Corga who’s still on the branch)
KUSA: Please, anything
else!
RUSSTET: No! Listen, kid,
unless you’re really their son, this should be easy.
(All the hippos smirk,
except Russtet who keeps a serious look. Kusa nods and starts swimming passed
the literal opening of hippos and to the edge of the water hole where he puts
his claws to the dirt wall/cliff so that he doesn’t drown too soon and looks up
at the monkey.)
KUSA: Corga, please, you
have to do this for me or I’m dead…literally!
CORGA: Don’t worry! I’ll help ya out, buddy! (Jumps
from the branch up to the land) You can count on me! (Pauses) You’re Kingdom is
that big rock in the distance, right?
KUSA: Yes! Now go!
(Corga takes off, hopping
around the water hole and then goes far to the east, to Pride Rock.)
-= A split second
of blackness and then the view is at Pride Rock =-
(The monkey runs up the
main pathway, and most lionesses are dozing, so they don’t notice. When Corga
gets to the cave, he looks around and calls out.)
CORGA: King! Queen! Where
are you?
(Many lionesses in the
cave, even on the pathway wake up and look curiously and surprised at the
monkey.)
VOICE: (Loud, booming,
surprised and mad) Who are you?!
(Corga turns suddenly
around to see a great lion standing over him. It’s Monagbor. He looks mad, but
there are wrinkles under his eyes and there are signs of depression.)
CORGA: Are you the King.
MONAGBOR: I might be.
CORGA: (Pleadingly)
Please, it’s about your son!
(Everyone gasps. But then
Monagbor roars and raises a monster paw. Right when he’s about to slash the
monkey, a white lioness stops him. Shyla.)
SHYLA: (To Monagbor) What
are you doing? Who’s the monkey?
MONAGBOR: (Yanks paw away
and grumbles, then says) He says it’s about our son.
SHYLA: (Gasps) Then why
are you hitting him?!
MONAGBOR: He is clearly
mocking us!
SHYLA: (Shakes head) You
really need to learn more, Monagbor. No one in the right mind would risk their
life to come into our lands, passed our lionesses and into the Kingdom, just to
mock us.
(Her mate grumbles again
and sits down.)
SHYLA: (Gently to the
monkey) Tell us, what do you know about our son?
(So Corga quickly told
them where Kusa had been for the last month. Behind the monkey, was Cheasala,
who was listening carefully. When he told them where he was at now, they all
gasped.)
SHYLA: We must get to
him!
MONAGBOR: No hippo is
going to harm my son!
(Both King and Queen lead
their pride into the Pridelands, along with Onay who flies overhead. Really,
the one who’s leading is Corga. Cheasala is right behind the King and Queen.
They get to the water hole and stare, surprised at the hippos. They all gasp
again when they see Kusa, who is swimming around in a circle, trying not to
stay in one place again, for it was hard and he probably would’ve drown if he
had done that much longer.)
MONAGBOR: (Booming and
outraged, his voice mixed with a roar) HIPPOS!
(All the hippos look up
to Monagbor and Shyla and the others. They, too, are surprised at this. The
biggest hippo, Russtet, swims over to the edge of the water hole near Kusa, and
looks up at them.)
KUSA: Help!
SHYLA: Don’t worry,
hunny, we’re here now!
RUSSTET: So this cub
truly is your son.
(Shyla and Monagbor nod.)
MONAGBOR: Of course he
is!
HIPPO #3: He tried to
hunt us! (Laughs) He didn’t know how to hunt!
(Kusa was truly
embarrassed, but with those words he blushed, especially in front of all his
pride and…Cheasala.)
SHYLA: Give us our son!
RUSSTET: As you wish.
(Suddenly the hippo swims
under the water, and comes up from under Kusa, and so Kusa rides on his head
across the water hole to a place where there’s no cliff. He sets Kusa on land
and swims back out to his hippos. The pride, with Onay and Corga run over to
Kusa.)
SHYLA: (Overjoyed) My
baby!
(Shyla nuzzles him. Kusa
breathes deeply, panting. He doesn’t care if his mother does that. In fact, he
is so happy and relieved that he’s a live that he nuzzles her back. Everyone
nuzzles him.)
ONAY: Oh, Sire, I’m so
glad you’re alive! (Bows)
CORGA: Yeah but…(Stands
proudly)…Who’s the one who couldn’t have lived with out me, eh?
KUSA: (Smirks) You are,
Corga.
CORGA: Who’s the monkey?
(Elbows Kusa) C’mon. Who’s the mon? Huh? Huh?
(A couple lionesses laugh
a little. Then Monagbor steps up and licks his son.)
MONAGBOR: (Shamefully)
Kusa…I…am so sorry for what I had said. Will you forgive me?
KUSA: (Gets up) Yes.
Except, I really am lazy. (Chuckles at himself) The most laziest of you all. I do need to learn how to hunt.
RAYANA: And not hippos!
(A few more lionesses
laugh. The pride starts to move slowly back to Pride Rock, Kusa telling his
side of the story and what had happened to them.)
KUSA: (Turns to Corga
when they get to the pathway of Pride Rock) Corga, would you like to join us
and live here?
CORGA: (Flattered) Oh,
what? Me? An old, shaggy, skimpy, bug eating monkey like me?
AURORA: You know, Timon
and Pumbaa, two of the best friends of the great King Simba, ate bugs all the
time. In fact, they even taught him to eat bugs. (Chuckles)
CORGA: In that case, I’m
in! I don’t know who Simba is, but—
AURORA: Let’s have a
great story tonight then, about him. (Turns to Kusa) It’s time for you to learn
about the spirit you saw.
KUSA: (Confused and he
blinks) What?
-= Fades =-
Scene Eleven
Teachings of the
King
-=Pride Rock=-
~Time passed from
last scene: Three Hours~
-= Everyone is in
Pride Rock’s cave, listening to Aurora tell the story of the generations past,
starting from Simba’s birth. =-
(Cheasala and Kusa both
lay in the back of the cave, grooming each other. Cheasala had said nothing
ever since she met up with Kusa again. When the story was over, he was very
surprised.)
KUSA: (To Cheasala)
Freaky, ain’t it? That we talked to a spirit?
CHEASALA: It wasn’t scary
to me… (Turns away suddenly)
KUSA: What’s wrong?
CHEASALA: (Turns back, a
tear in her eye) Kusa I…didn’t know what had happened to you that day.
KUSA: (Licks Cheasala) I
ran off, that’s all.
CHEASALA: (Getting mad)
Yeah, I know you did! (Sniffles and quiets down some) I’ve missed you, Kusa. I
didn’t know if you were dead or alive or what. And then with those hippos…when
I heard that you were with hippos and tried to hunt them I…didn’t know what to
think.
KUSA: (Nuzzles Cheasala
and whispers) I’m sorry.
CHEASALA: (Thinks, then
says) You know…I why I am good for this pride’s own good.
KUSA: ‘Cause you’re you.
CHEASALA: (Flattered)
No…It’s that we were betrothed.
KUSA: (Surprised) What?!
CHEASALA: Don’t get mad…I
mean, I…was mad, too. But…then…I got to know you better and…(Trails off)
(They smile at each
other.)
KUSA: I know, I love you,
too.
(The two teens are
feeling something they have never felt before. Shyla and Monagbor smile at each
other, glancing at the cubs. Aurora chuckles to herself lightly. Corga would be
found at the intense of the cave, already asleep. Onay was perching on Rayana’s
shoulder, who was with her other sisters. Soon, they all fell asleep.)
-= Fades =-
~Time passed from
that night: Three Days~
-= It’s day and
they are in the Pridelands in the grasslands =-
CHEASALA: (Laughing)
You’re never gonna learn t’ hunt, Kusa!
KUSA: (Yells as he runs)
I’m tryin’!
(The herd of zebras runs of quickly. Kusa had
been chasing them. He trots over to Cheasala and sighs and sits down.)
VOICE: Kusa! It’s time
for your lessons!
(Kusa, panting, gets up
and goes over to his mother. They nuzzle and then he sets off to Pride Rock.
Once he gets at the peak, his father is there.)
KUSA: (Cheerfully) Hey,
Dad.
MONAGBOR: Hello, Kusa.
(Pauses and turns around to face him) It’s time to go up to the top.
KUSA: (Gasps excitedly)
Really?
(Monagbor nods and they
set off to the other side of Pride Rock, climbing a slanting ledge. They get to
the top and Monagbor and Kusa sit together, looking at the Pridelands.)
MONAGBOR: This would be a
lot easier if I was the one actually born here at Pride Rock. (Chuckles)
Anyway, your Kingdom is everything the light touches.
KUSA: I thought it was
the Pridelands.
MONAGBOR: Yes well…(Gets
confused) Don’t blame me! Your mother’s the one who told me to tell you that!
(Laughs) Anyway…(Calms down) Everything is connected in the Great Circle of
Life and we are one and blahdy blahdy blah blah.
KUSA: (Blinks and is very surprised at this
sudden act from his father) Dad…?
MONAGBOR: (Laughs again)
I was more of a kid than ever when I first met your mom! Even more than you!
But, it’s actually my lionality. Yet since hunting is so important in life, I
was trying to be a proper adult so you could look up to me and I could teach ya
and whatnot.
KUSA: (Tilts head and giggles) What does this
have to do with anything?
MONAGBOR: The reason why
I said "blahdy blahy blah blah." Really, what I’m saying is you don’t
have to be a stubborn old fool like I was being with a stick up the tail. (Kusa
giggles again) But there are many things in life that are important and that
you have to know and understand. Like how to hunt. How to be King. (Winks)
(The two talk for awhile
more.)\
-= Fades =-
Scene Twelve
Married
-=Pride Rock=-
~Time passed from last scene: Two Years~
-= It’s a
beautiful day all of a sudden that fades in quickly =-
(Many animals are making
their way to Pride Rock. Including the hippos. Even Baynarr and his family are
seen right below the Kingdom. They watch and wait.
Aurora walks slowly to Kusa and Cheasala, who
are now both young adults. She smiles, and then nuzzles them both.)
AURORA: (Whispers) It’s
time.
(Both Cheasala and Kusa
walk up to the very tip of Pride Rock and roar out loudly. The animals below
all start to growl, roar, cheer, cry, squawk, flap, stomp, screech and much
more. Then they all bow.)
KUSA: (Whispers to
Cheasala) This is not planned…Our love I mean.
(They lick each other
before they and their pride starts up roaring again, also Cheasala’s family in
the distance, roaring.)
-= View comes far from Pride Rock in the
west, then it all ends in a split second. =-
By Baby Fire Wolf
wolfcub_gemini@usa.com