CHAPTER 32:  OUR LITTLE SECRET

	Since the birth of Simba, Taka had been made one plan after 
another to get rid of his young rival to the throne.  Each in turn was 
discarded for one reason or another.  Then finally he had a plan that 
just might work, one that relied on his hyena allies.  Surely fate had 
guided him to them!  And if fate guided him to the hyenas, fate must 
also decree that he would be King of Pride Rock.  King at last!
	Taka slowly paced up the rocky slopes of Pride Rock.  Silently he 
practiced his elegy for young Simba.  "A gentle, beautiful soul crafted 
from the deep love of his parents, whom the sun and moon smiled upon, 
and the stars called their friend!"  He shook his head.  "A beautiful 
soul crafted from the beautiful love of his parents, now borne to the 
heavens untimely.  The other day, he came to me and said, `Uncle Scar, 
why don't you have a child of your own?'  And I took him close-thank the 
gods I did-and told him that I did have a son.  Or at least in my heart 
I did."  Again, he shook his head.  "He said, `Uncle Scar, it's so sad 
that you don't have a child of your own!'  And I took him close....'"  
He stopped and a tear rolled down his cheek.  "Oh yeah, that should 
wring tears from their hearts.  I wish I'd thought about biting my 
tongue before!  Sheer poetry of grief!"
	He stood on the promontory.  "It is with great sadness that I look 
into the sky tonight.  For the heavens will shine a little brighter with 
his star, but my heart will be darker from this emptiness inside that 
only Simba's sunshine could fill."  He looked down at the imaginary 
audience of lionesses, then placing a paw across his brow in great pain, 
he stared blankly at the distant horizon.  "Oh gods, how low my heart 
sank when I found his little body...."  He smirked.  "Speak of the 
devil, there's the little furball now...."
	Taka realized what he'd just said.  "Oh my gods!  IT CANNOT BE!"
	"Cannot be what, Scar?"
	"Oh, Sarafina!"  He chuckled, holding his paw over his heart.  "I 
thought I saw a cloud-white eagle.  That would have been an omen."
	"I didn't know you were into shamanism."
	"There's a lot about me you don't know."
	With that, Taka turned and slinked off of the promontory.  "Of all 
the idiotic, contemptible, STUPID FOOLS!  I should NEVER have sent Keth 
on a job like that!  Even Shenzi tried to warn me, but no, Keth begged 
me, pleaded with me!  `Oh, let me, let me!'  I'll throw him in the 
thermal pool--that ought to warm his heart!"  
	Taka glanced out across the savanna again and sneered.  There was 
Zazu, escorting His Highness the Furball.  The lion's eyes honed on Zazu 
like twin rapiers.  He would have a little fun with Lord Stuck-up when 
the time came.  Oh, yes...
	Taka resumed his nervous pacing, seething inside.  All Keth had to 
do was take his boys in quietly, overwhelm Mufasa and Simba, and sneak 
out.  A simple plan.  He had gone over it with them several times, and 
Keth had always said, "Simple!  No problem!  All we gotta do is run 
circles around Mustafa-"
	"MuFAsa," Taka would say, patiently.
	"Whatever.  Meanwhile, me and two other of my boys'll take care of 
the cub."
	"And then?"
	Keth would look at him blankly.  Every darned time!  So Taka would 
explain it again.  "The river, you fool!  You don't want to be caught 
eating a lion cub.  You throw him in the river for the crocodiles.  
After you take care of Mufasa.  My gods, what part of that is so hard to 
remember??"
	"Yeah, okay, fine, don't tie your tail in a knot."
	Taka sat on a small patch of grass that had established itself in 
a pocket of the rock.  With one of his claws he was idly making marks in 
the dirt.  "Next time I see you, Keth, I'll demonstrate each of the 
steps on you.  Circles, snatching, ripping you from top to bottom, and 
yes, CROCODILES!"
	Taka had been sure that by high sun, he would be ready to ascend 
the throne.  Now the only thing he would ascend was the stony sloped 
path that led to his favorite resting spot, high above the ground.  Taka 
sighed again and looked back across the rolling plains.  The imbeciles 
had been spotted as soon as they crossed into the Pride Lands by that 
triple cursed Zazu.  Gods, his eyes missed nothing!  Mufasa had sent the 
bird back to escort his beloved hairball home while he dealt with the 
intruders.
	Taka gnashed his teeth.  At least he wouldn't have to discipline 
the hyenas himself--his brother was taking care of that.  "Another day, 
another plan," he sighed.
	"But what if they betrayed me??"  The thought almost made his 
blood freeze.  Mufasa was a large lion--a very large lion.  Chances were 
good to excellent that he would end up with several more scars at least.  
Then would come banishment--or death.  And death would almost be a mercy 
because he had no hunting skills.  The best he could hope for would be a 
scavenging existance among the hyenas.
	"If he attacks me, should I run at once, or try to fight first?"  
It was a dismal choice, and there was no certainty that the lionesses 
would accept him if he DID beat Simba in combat.  They might rise up 
against him as a group....  Angry and frustrated, he swatted an 
offending bone out of his path and stalked across the rock ledge.
	"Hey, Uncle Scar!  Guess what?"
	Taka froze, then resignedly looked around.  "I despise guessing 
games," he muttered.
	Simba missed this and trotted up, grinning from ear to ear.  "I'm 
gonna be King of Pride Rock!"
	"Oh, goody," Taka growled.  "I can hardly wait."
	"My dad just showed me the whole kingdom," the cub said, trotting 
to the edge of the cliff and looking out over the immense expanse of 
grassland.  "And I'm gonna rule it all," he said proudly, chuckling at 
his good fortune.
	While he was bragging, Taka's eyes gleamed like diamonds, hard and 
cold.  He began to fantasize.  The cub stood on the brink of the cliff, 
his paws placed delicately on the rough edge of rock....  Taka could 
creep over silently, draw back a forepaw and swat the cub with all his 
might.  Then he could watch as Simba sailed outward, a scream trailing 
from his throat as he tumbled down, down, down....
	He shook his head.  Too risky.  Too many questions would be asked, 
and there would be no answers.  Instead, he dredged up a weak smile as 
Simba glanced at him.  "Yes, well, forgive me for not leaping for joy."  
Taka shrugged apologetically.  "Bad back, you know."  He turned away and 
flopped to the ground rather ungracefully, ignoring the brat for the 
time being.
	At least until he heard footsteps behind him.  Taka gritted his 
teeth as Simba flopped across his neck, nuzzing his ear.  "Hey, Uncle 
Scar?  When I'm king, what'll that make you?"
	"A monkey's uncle."
	Simba giggled delightedly and rolled away.  "You're so weird!"  he 
laughed.  Uncle Scar never ordered Simba around, or tried to make him 
wash behind his ears, or anything.  In fact, he pretty much left Simba 
to do as he wished.
	Taka rose and shook himself, then walked lazily over to the other 
side of the ledge.  "So," he said over his shoulder.  "Your father 
showed you the whole kingdom, did he?"
	"Everything!"
	Taka wondered at this.  "He didn't show you what's beyond that 
rise on the Northen border?"
	Simba's face crumpled, his ears flattening dejectedly.  "Well, no.  
He said I can't go there."  The cub looked decidedly put out.
	A new hope gladdened Taka, and he had to fight to hold a stern 
expression.  "And he's absolutely right!" he ad-libbed.  "It's FAR too 
dangerous; only the bravest lions go there."  He let the bait dangle 
invitingly, looking away at the horizon.
	Simba bit hard.  "Well I'M brave!  What's out there?"
	"Oh, I'm sorry, Simba, I just CAN'T tell you."  He looked the 
other way, avoiding Simba's hurt gaze.
	"Why not?"
	Taka looked at him paternally.  "Simba, Simba, I'm only looking 
out for the well being of my favorite nephew."  He raised a paw and 
caressed the cub's head lovingly, feeling the shape of the skull 
underneath.  One tight clench of his paw....
	Simba wriggled delightedly under his uncle's touch.  "Yeah, right.  
I'm your ONLY nephew."
	Taka smiled. "All the more reason for me to be protective!"  His 
smile faded and he shook his head again, looking stern.  "An elephant 
graveyard is no place for a young prince."  He slapped a paw to his 
mouth as if to stop himself.  "Oooops!"
	Simba was not just excited, he was ecstatic.  "An elephant WHAT?!  
Whoaaa!"  A look of total mischief fell over his face and he looked 
eagerly towards the dark area across the grassland.
	Taka moaned.  "Oh dear, I've said too much!  Well, I suppose you'd 
have found out sooner or later, you being SOOOO clever and all."  His 
grin twisted as he drew Simba to him.  "Oh just do me one favor," he 
added softly.  "Promise me you'll never visit that DREADful place."
	Simba was silent for a moment, then smiled innocently.  "No 
problem."
	The grin on Taka's face was genuine. Taka could read his eyes like 
a book; the little snotnose was certain to visit the graveyard at the 
first opportunity!  
	"There's a good lad.  You run along now and have fun."  He brushed 
Simba away and watched him trot off.  "And remember..."
	Simba stopped and looked at him curiously.
	"...it's out little secret."
	The cub grinned and sped off.  Taka watched him go, the smile on 
his face curdling into something else entirely.  He rose and stretched, 
claws extending to their full length, looking dark and smooth, then 
relaxed, watching as they sank back partway and stopped, the tips still 
showing, gleaming razor sharp in the afternoon light.  Nodding, he shook 
himself briskly and set off down the side of the rocks.
	He had a little visit to make.


CHAPTER 33:  THE OTHER LION

	Mufasa paced slowly along the edge of the Pride Lands, sniffing 
warily at the air.  The sky had begun to darken from blue to crimson 
orange in the west, and the moon was wakening to its full glory.  But 
Mufasa paid scant notice to the beautiful sight, his mind fixed on the 
sinister tumble of rock and bone that lay some distance away.
	The graveyard had a certain fascinating quality to it, and he felt 
the same lure that young Simba did to plumb its mysteries.  It was a 
hotbed of smoke and mists which arose from the ground in huge shadowy 
gasps that choked off breath and made eyes water.  He wondered why the 
elephants would find such a dismal place to go meet Aiheu.
	Besides, there were also the hyenas to consider....
	His hackles rose at the thought of them.  He had followed Zazu's 
directions and intercepted a group of the miserable creatures a little 
ways inside his territory.  At the sight of his approach, they had 
hesitated momentarily, as if considering, but the enraged bellow that 
had broken from his throat decided them, scattering them in panic and 
sending them fleeing back to their own homeland.  Mufasa had let them 
go, allowing them to warn the others that The King was on guard.
	He had plenty of ground to cover before he could go home.  So 
after leaving a few signs of his passing, he tore himself away from the 
realm of the dead and padded off silently.
	He had not gone far when a strange scent made him freeze in his 
tracks.  He looked down and in the dim light saw what looked like lion 
tracks.  He sniffed carefully.
	A strange lion!
	Another male had dared intrude on the Pride Lands!  The tracks led 
out of the savanna and towards the graveyard.  His cubs had been in 
danger--his home had been violated!  Growling with rage, Mufasa turned 
and lumbered rapidly over the ground, eyes never leaving the trail in 
front of him.  He reached the invisible boundary of the Clan, balked for 
a minute, then plunged ahead.  Hyenas were one thing; lions another.  
Such an act dared not go unpunished.
	He wended his way among the bones and ash, flicking his paws 
disgustedly as he stepped through a puddle of vile muck too wide to 
leap.  Gods, what a miserable hellhole!
	"Sire!  Sire!"
	Mufasa skidded to a halt as Zazu shot past and nearly submerged 
himself in the stinking morass that the lion had just traversed.  The 
hornbill sighed in relief as Mufasa looked on, astounded.  "What in the 
world are--"
	"Sire!  You have to hurry!  Simba's in trouble!"
	Mufasa's jaw snapped shut and he stared at Zazu.  "What?"
	"Quickly!  Follow me!  Oh, this is awful!"  Zazu rose, dripping, 
and flapped away towards a twisted rock formation several lengths away.  
Mufasa padded after him, noting that the pawprints of the lion led that 
way also.  And mixed in with them were--
	His eyes widened in alarm as he saw the twin sets of tiny 
pawprints, clearly leonine, scattered among the bigger ones.  
	"No!"
	His ears pricked up as he heard a distant shriek of terror.  
"Nala!"  Galvanized, he leapt ahead, following the trail of prints 
around a corner, through a narrow stone gap, and finally into a cave.  
He blinked as he saw Simba and Nala, huddled under an old ribcage 
festooned with dried skin.  The object of their fears were the three 
hyenas that now stood with their backs to Mufasa as they closed slowly 
on the cubs.  One he recognized as Roh'mach Shenzi, and a silent snarl 
spread his lips apart in a deadly grimace.
	Ahead, Simba growled roughly, the small sound echoing in the 
confined area.
	"What?  That was it?"  Shenzi giggled and bent close.  "You can do 
better than that.  Come on, big boy."  She bared her teeth and bent 
towards the terrified cubs, preparing to rip out his throat, when the 
room was filled with a fierce roar.  Something powerful struck the side 
of her head, sending her and her brothers sprawling.  Looking up, she 
saw Mufasa, cuffing her brothers aside effortlessly, his roar drilling 
through her head and paralyzing her with fear.  Another swipe of 
Mufasa's paw landed her brothers beside her, and his huge head loomed 
over her, eyes glowing with a killing rage.
	"Oh please don't hurt us!!"
	"Uncle, Uncle," Banzai cried in desperation.
	Simba and Nala stood transfixed, limbs shaking in the fatigue of 
terror as the king berated the hyenas and sent them bolting in blind 
panic.  Simba writhed in shame as he recalled his own puny roar.  He 
ambled forward slowly, looking up at Mufasa with great reluctance.  
"Dad, I--"
	He shrank away as Mufasa glanced at him, eyes blazing furiously.  
"You deliberately disobeyed me!"
	"Dad, I--"
	"Let's go home."  He turned to go, glancing around.  "I want to 
leave before we run into the other...."
	The king fell silent as he stared back at the way they had come.  
The ground was marked by the prints of the two cubs, his own, and the 
tracks of the three terrified hyenas.  But where the deep pawprints of 
the intruding lion had been, there was now only smoothly packed earth, 
marked only by time and the winds.


CHAPTER 34:  THE ELEPHANT GRAVEYARD

	Taka shook his head slowly and rubbed his temple with a forepaw, 
trying to massage away the headache that had formed there.  "I'm 
surrounded by idiots."
	He looked down his nose at Fabana's brood feasting on the zebra 
haunch he had tossed to them.  How did they stand it in this hellhole?  
There they lay, stuffing themselves happily, wonderfully oblivious to 
how much more their lives could be, if only....
	He shifted and angrily swatted a stone away, listening to the 
sharp CRACK as it ricocheted off the granite columns around him.  If 
only....  His whole existence seemed to be made of if's.  IF he had been 
picked to be king instead of Muffy...IF Sarabi had not spurned his 
affections...IF that hairball had not been born....  His anger rose to 
the surface and he glared hotly at Shenzi.  "Pfahh.  Some Roh'mach!  Two 
defenseless cubs!  And you let them get away."
	"Defenseless?!"  Banzai  indicated his torn rump.  "I'd hate to 
see them when they're ready for a fight!"
	"He's right."  Shenzi returned Taka's glare.  "It wasn't exactly 
like they was alone, Scar."
	"Yeah!  What were we supposed to do?!"  Banzai chewed and 
swallowed a huge chunk of flesh, belching horribly.  "Kill Mufasa?"  The 
three hyenas laughed.
	Taka's eyes flared as his mind began working, coming to life with 
terrifying speed.  A huge grin spread across his face as he leered over 
the stone ledge at the hyenas, who grew suddenly silent at his gaze.
	"Precisely."
	Taka stood and stretched, luxuriating in the feeling.  He bounded 
from his perch to land quietly in front of Shenzi.  Banzai and Ed 
scrambled away madly, and Shenzi could only stare, spellbound, at the 
apparition before her.  Taka met her gaze, his eyes burning with an 
inner light, matching the phosphorescent green hue of the methane pits 
around them, each fueled by its own inner decay.  Steam hissed from a 
nearby thermal vent in a white exclamation of heat, and she bit her 
tongue to keep from shrieking.
	Taka saw the fear on her face and drew close.  "Calm, my dear," he 
purred.  "You have nothing to fear from me.  Through me your people will 
find salvation."
	Shenzi's trembling stilled, her eyes widening.  Had not Roh'kash 
herself said, "I will send you a sign.  From thine enemy will come 
deliverance; your greatest fear shall be your greatest hope."  Shenzi 
had despaired of ever seeing the sign in her lifetime.  Now she fell 
before Taka, her eyes misting.  "Roh'kash ne nabu!  Praise God!"
	Taka bent and kissed her forehead.  "Rise, Shenzi.  Rise before 
your new king.  For I swear to you: by the sunset tomorrow, I will 
release you from this torment."
	"How?"
	"It will not be easy.  I will need your help."
	"Of course!"  But the Roh'mach's ears perked up at that.  "Messiah 
or no, he still needs us," she realized.  The thought turned in her mind 
slowly, a dark and tantalizing morsel that made her grin.  Perhaps this 
was another sign from Roh'kash Herself.  The Mother of All would not 
lead her children out of despair only to lick the paws of a lion, even 
such a one as Taka.  Oh, no.  Something greater beckoned, and Shenzi saw 
a vision of herself at the tip of Pride Rock, much as Gur'mekh had 
before her.  She could feel the wind caress her as she looked out over 
the green savanna, pups playing at her heels, with all the kingdom 
bowing before her in homage.  She smiled, genuinely this time, and 
nodded to Taka.
	"Whatever assistance you need, you have but to ask."
	The lion grinned again, and turned to look at the assembled host 
of hyenas who had silently gathered behind him.  He scanned their ranks, 
only half noticing, his thoughts centered on the spire of Rock that lay 
across the plain.
	"It appears the great Mufasa is willing to risk life and limb to 
save his son, even to the extent of coming into the graveyard alone.  
Did you note this, Banzai?"
	"Yeah, boss."
	"Did you note it most carefully?  Did you really?"  Taka peered at 
him intrested, a dangerous gleam in his eyes.  "And what conclusion did 
you draw?"
	Banzai swallowed.  "Uhh, he wasn't worried about himself?  Just 
Simba?"
	"Brilliant!  I shall make you a warlord in my new army."  Taka 
laughed, a strangely empty sound.  The lion looked around at the 
desolation, the age old kingdom of bone and stone that the hyenas had 
existed in for years, and spat.  He lifted his head and stared again at 
the finger of rock where his brother lay sleeping without a care in the 
world.  Taka's claws extended slowly and raked across the stone at the 
thought of Mufasa snuggled close to Sarabi, sharing her warmth, or even 
greater comforts....
	He gritted his teeth and willed the vision away.  It went easily 
enough; it had tormented him many times over the past few months, and it 
waited with infinite paitence, knowing it would have its chance again.
	Taka looked up at the crescent moon overhead.  "The time has come 
to break free from the mud and climb to the heights.  The curse that has 
harmed me all my days must and shall be dispelled.  I am through RE-
acting.  It is time to ACT.  And you, my brother, had best be prepared."

Bookmark/Search this post with:

delicious | digg | reddit | newsvine | furl | google | yahoo | technorati