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The Quiet Before the Storm part 14

Eight years passed without incident. Two years ago had seen the death of King Hodari of the RockLands and the ascension of King Johari to the throne. He was young, but two years had proved him to be a better ruler than his father had ever been. He'd had to struggle with Unga for the throne, but in the end he had won, and the banishment of Masilahi had been lifted.

The day was drawing to a close. Overhead the sky was darkening and the birds were retreating to their nests. Masilahi and Ahadi were sunning out on Pride Rock, and the rest of the Pride were scattered over Pride Rock and the cave.

Suddenly, a roar sounded from the base of Pride Rock. "Help! Somebody help!"

Ahadi was on his paws in an instant. Safi! He raced to his mother's aid, only to stop in horror when he saw the body she and another lioness were carrying. King Mohatu lay limp across their backs, thick red blood clotting his mane above his ear.

As the pride rushed to carry their king up to Pride Rock, Safi explained tearfully, "We found him like that by the gorge. We think he was trying to climb down to check something out on his patrol and slipped. Oh Spirit's above, help him, please!" The old Queen sounded terrified of losing her mate.

The lionesses crowded worriedly around the wounded King. Kupitisha, the former rogue, laid a gentle paw on Mohatu's head, carefully parting the mane to see his wound. She blanched at what she saw, then shook her head sadly. "It's a miracle he survived long enough for you to bring him here," she rasped. "There is nothing to be done."

Ahadi felt the words slice through him like claws. Only moments before, he had been relaxing in the sun. Now his father was dying. He stumbled. This was unreal, a dream. It had to be. How could life change so fast?

Masilahi pressed herself firmly against his side, meeting his panicked gaze with a steady, sympathetic glance. She's already been here, he thought dully. Her mother died all those years ago, and she was there.

With Masilahi beside him, he padded slowly up to his father's side, Nyeusi coming up on the King's other side. Mohatu was drawing small, shaky breaths, but otherwise he was unmoving. He seemed smaller somehow, his expression vulnerable in his sleep. It was painful to see the great king lying as defeated as a recent kill.

One by one, the pride came up to the great king to pay their respects and say their last goodbyes. Ahadi finally left Masilahi's side to approach the king. He leaned down by Mohatu's head and whispered in his ear, "You were not my birth father, but you took me in from the wild. You raised me and you loved me like a son, even when I turned away from you." Tears sprang to his eyes unbidden. "I never should have doubted you. Thank you for being my father, and I... I'm sorry. I should have been a better son."

He retreated back to Masilahi's side, still walking as if in his sleep. Nothing was real.

The king breathed his last a few minutes later. The change had been so subtle as to be unnoticeable. Sleep slipped naturally into death.

The pride bowed their heads as one, paying a last tribute to the great king. When they raised them again, all eyes turned to the two princes. Uncertain whispers rippled through the crowd. Ahadi could practically hear them asking, Who will fight to be king? The eldest heir or the true heir?

He took a few steps toward his brother, which only inspired more whispers. Nyeusi's expression held no suspicion, only grief. Was that simply that trust of a brother, or the naievity of a child who didn't even think to look for danger? After all, Nyeusi was only sixteen. Hardly old enough to rule a kingdom. Would he be ready for the task ahead of him? Would the arrogance Ahadi had once worried about, the arrogance Nyeusi still displayed, make him a poor ruler? Poorer than Ahadi might be, if given the chance?

Ahadi looked his brother right in the eyes. Then he slowly lowered himself into a bow, his head dipped down to the ground. "Long live the King," he proclaimed solemnly.

Murmurs of relief rose from the watching lionesses. As Ahadi lifted his head, he caught sight of Masilahi's proud expression. He rejoined her without a word. There was nothing that needed to be said. Nyeusi was his little brother, and he would support him no matter what.

Nyeusi got to his paws, Shari appearing silently at his side, meek and quiet as ever. Wordlessly, the two walked out of the cave and into the dying light of the sun. They came to stand at the edge of Pride Rock, where first Nyeusi, then Shari roared out to the kingdom beyond. They were now King Nyeusi and Queen Shari of the PrideLands.

SCENEBREAK

A few months passed. Nyeusi's reign had begun shakily, with some of the herds rebelling and food going scarce. Luckily, Safi had managed to pacify them before her own death four months after her mate's, but now King Nyeusi and Queen Shari ruled on their own.

One of the loudest groups of rebels had been the local hyena pack. They had claimed that Mohatu's laws had discriminated against them, and they wanted more rights. After some of their protests got violent, Nyeusi declared that all hyenas were forever banished from the PrideLands.

This declaration worried Masilahi. The pack who lived there had been a large one, and there had been elders and young pups with them. Nyeusi wouldn't listen to Ahadi when he had protested. "Brother, they clearly don't respect our laws," he'd reasoned with a grin, "so we're better off without them."

But life had gotten better in some ways as well. Nothing made that clearer on that gentle, early morning than the golden cub nestled between Masilahi's paws.

The pride had gathered around to give the Prince and Princess their congratulations. Ahadi sat beside Masilahi, beaming more happily than she'd ever seen him. Her own heart was lighter than ever before, and she gave her son a fond luck between the ears, reassuring herself once again that this was really happening.

King Nyeusi stepped up to greet his nephew. Masilahi tensed nervously. It wouldn't be unheard of for a nephew of the king to be seen as competition for his own cubs, especially if that nephew was born before the King had any heirs. But Nyeusi showed no jealousy or anger, only pride and excitement. "Congratulations, brother!" He leaned down close, his eyes wide with wonder. "He's a cute little guy. He's got your pelt, Ahadi."

Ahadi nodded proudly. "And Uru's tail." The cub shifted slightly as they spoke, curling more securely into Masilahi's paws.

Nyeusi drew back up to his full height. He asked brightly, "What's his name?"

Masilahi smiled fondly at the dark golden cub. "Manufaa," she said warmly. "This is our little Manufaa."

------------------------------

Sorry for the wait on this, this is one of the files that got deleted by my iPad. I really didn't feel like drawing it all again, especially Nyeusi roaring, which was a huge pain last time and a huge pain this time. And it still looks awful. But whatever. Shari looks better than last time I drew her, and since I had to redesign Manufaa since the other one was deleted, I like this design better.

So Masilahi and Ahadi have a son before Mufasa or Taka/Scar! And yet Manufaa never appears in the movies. Why? Wait to find out. I will warn you, the story's only going downhill from here. Pack some tissues.

Description
Prologue: [link]
Previous: [link]
Next: [link]

The Quiet Before the Storm part 14

Eight years passed without incident. Two years ago had seen the death of King Hodari of the RockLands and the ascension of King Johari to the throne. He was young, but two years had proved him to be a better ruler than his father had ever been. He'd had to struggle with Unga for the throne, but in the end he had won, and the banishment of Masilahi had been lifted.

The day was drawing to a close. Overhead the sky was darkening and the birds were retreating to their nests. Masilahi and Ahadi were sunning out on Pride Rock, and the rest of the Pride were scattered over Pride Rock and the cave.

Suddenly, a roar sounded from the base of Pride Rock. "Help! Somebody help!"

Ahadi was on his paws in an instant. Safi! He raced to his mother's aid, only to stop in horror when he saw the body she and another lioness were carrying. King Mohatu lay limp across their backs, thick red blood clotting his mane above his ear.

As the pride rushed to carry their king up to Pride Rock, Safi explained tearfully, "We found him like that by the gorge. We think he was trying to climb down to check something out on his patrol and slipped. Oh Spirit's above, help him, please!" The old Queen sounded terrified of losing her mate.

The lionesses crowded worriedly around the wounded King. Kupitisha, the former rogue, laid a gentle paw on Mohatu's head, carefully parting the mane to see his wound. She blanched at what she saw, then shook her head sadly. "It's a miracle he survived long enough for you to bring him here," she rasped. "There is nothing to be done."

Ahadi felt the words slice through him like claws. Only moments before, he had been relaxing in the sun. Now his father was dying. He stumbled. This was unreal, a dream. It had to be. How could life change so fast?

Masilahi pressed herself firmly against his side, meeting his panicked gaze with a steady, sympathetic glance. She's already been here, he thought dully. Her mother died all those years ago, and she was there.

With Masilahi beside him, he padded slowly up to his father's side, Nyeusi coming up on the King's other side. Mohatu was drawing small, shaky breaths, but otherwise he was unmoving. He seemed smaller somehow, his expression vulnerable in his sleep. It was painful to see the great king lying as defeated as a recent kill.

One by one, the pride came up to the great king to pay their respects and say their last goodbyes. Ahadi finally left Masilahi's side to approach the king. He leaned down by Mohatu's head and whispered in his ear, "You were not my birth father, but you took me in from the wild. You raised me and you loved me like a son, even when I turned away from you." Tears sprang to his eyes unbidden. "I never should have doubted you. Thank you for being my father, and I... I'm sorry. I should have been a better son."

He retreated back to Masilahi's side, still walking as if in his sleep. Nothing was real.

The king breathed his last a few minutes later. The change had been so subtle as to be unnoticeable. Sleep slipped naturally into death.

The pride bowed their heads as one, paying a last tribute to the great king. When they raised them again, all eyes turned to the two princes. Uncertain whispers rippled through the crowd. Ahadi could practically hear them asking, Who will fight to be king? The eldest heir or the true heir?

He took a few steps toward his brother, which only inspired more whispers. Nyeusi's expression held no suspicion, only grief. Was that simply that trust of a brother, or the naievity of a child who didn't even think to look for danger? After all, Nyeusi was only sixteen. Hardly old enough to rule a kingdom. Would he be ready for the task ahead of him? Would the arrogance Ahadi had once worried about, the arrogance Nyeusi still displayed, make him a poor ruler? Poorer than Ahadi might be, if given the chance?

Ahadi looked his brother right in the eyes. Then he slowly lowered himself into a bow, his head dipped down to the ground. "Long live the King," he proclaimed solemnly.

Murmurs of relief rose from the watching lionesses. As Ahadi lifted his head, he caught sight of Masilahi's proud expression. He rejoined her without a word. There was nothing that needed to be said. Nyeusi was his little brother, and he would support him no matter what.

Nyeusi got to his paws, Shari appearing silently at his side, meek and quiet as ever. Wordlessly, the two walked out of the cave and into the dying light of the sun. They came to stand at the edge of Pride Rock, where first Nyeusi, then Shari roared out to the kingdom beyond. They were now King Nyeusi and Queen Shari of the PrideLands.

SCENEBREAK

A few months passed. Nyeusi's reign had begun shakily, with some of the herds rebelling and food going scarce. Luckily, Safi had managed to pacify them before her own death four months after her mate's, but now King Nyeusi and Queen Shari ruled on their own.

One of the loudest groups of rebels had been the local hyena pack. They had claimed that Mohatu's laws had discriminated against them, and they wanted more rights. After some of their protests got violent, Nyeusi declared that all hyenas were forever banished from the PrideLands.

This declaration worried Masilahi. The pack who lived there had been a large one, and there had been elders and young pups with them. Nyeusi wouldn't listen to Ahadi when he had protested. "Brother, they clearly don't respect our laws," he'd reasoned with a grin, "so we're better off without them."

But life had gotten better in some ways as well. Nothing made that clearer on that gentle, early morning than the golden cub nestled between Masilahi's paws.

The pride had gathered around to give the Prince and Princess their congratulations. Ahadi sat beside Masilahi, beaming more happily than she'd ever seen him. Her own heart was lighter than ever before, and she gave her son a fond luck between the ears, reassuring herself once again that this was really happening.

King Nyeusi stepped up to greet his nephew. Masilahi tensed nervously. It wouldn't be unheard of for a nephew of the king to be seen as competition for his own cubs, especially if that nephew was born before the King had any heirs. But Nyeusi showed no jealousy or anger, only pride and excitement. "Congratulations, brother!" He leaned down close, his eyes wide with wonder. "He's a cute little guy. He's got your pelt, Ahadi."

Ahadi nodded proudly. "And Uru's tail." The cub shifted slightly as they spoke, curling more securely into Masilahi's paws.

Nyeusi drew back up to his full height. He asked brightly, "What's his name?"

Masilahi smiled fondly at the dark golden cub. "Manufaa," she said warmly. "This is our little Manufaa."

------------------------------

Sorry for the wait on this, this is one of the files that got deleted by my iPad. I really didn't feel like drawing it all again, especially Nyeusi roaring, which was a huge pain last time and a huge pain this time. And it still looks awful. But whatever. Shari looks better than last time I drew her, and since I had to redesign Manufaa since the other one was deleted, I like this design better.

So Masilahi and Ahadi have a son before Mufasa or Taka/Scar! And yet Manufaa never appears in the movies. Why? Wait to find out. I will warn you, the story's only going downhill from here. Pack some tissues.