Regal Help

[CheetahCub]

Ok, the first of my stories to feature my character Lanai. I shall write more as inspiration hits. First off, just a one shot, and hopefully it's not too long even for that. I'm afraid it just pushes it with the length.

Regal Help

Lanai quietly crept forward; just a few more inches and she would have her goal. The cheetah cub's bright blue eyes focused on and didn't leave the small bird now flapping down to land on a nearby low hanging branch large enough to support it.

Just a few more inches...

Lanai had no intention of harming the small bird, it would serve no purpose and would be senseless killing, even the small cub understood from what her mother had told her. Even if she just startled it off, if she reached it before it noticed and flew off it would still mean she had achieved her goal of being stealthy and a huntress.

Cheetahs may have been known for their speed, but Lanai had also been told often enough of how important getting close enough to not let your prey have too much of a running advantage on you was.

The young cub took a few more steps closer and then, with frustration saw the bird turn its head and flap off. She sighed, she hadn't even made any noise! At least...none she was aware off.

"Zazu, please. Now I told you, business does not have to follow us every moment of the day" the deep yet gentle voice sounded out from near the watering hole just a ways from where Lanai crouched. It wasn't a voice the young cheetah recognized off hand, but was one she somehow felt she should.

She stood and quickly turned to climb a nearby tree and maybe get a peek at what this was before they could necessarily spot her. Her climb was not so quick, but she did eventually make it and walked out along the branch to get a better look.

A lion, light in both his fur color and the reddish tint of his mane, stepped out, a small blue bird following. King Mufasa of Pride Rock, as the young cub was starting to recoqnize.

"Yes Sire" the hornbill with the king, Zazu, glanced down resignedly as he landed, seeming to try and follow the king's orders and not speak of business, "but it's just the hippos insisted that I get this stra-". Zazu cut himself off yet again at Mufasa's look.

Having gained his desired peace, if for only a few more moments, Mufasa bent to take a drink from the watering hole, and Lanai only barely held in her gasp. The Lion King was...was drinking plain water like any plain lion. Like any plain cat even!

The young cheetah had totally been inclined to believe the rumor circulating some of the younger circles of King Mufasa having a magical store of water always within him, possibly given from some higher power like those kings that were apparently in the sky, thus keeping the king from ordinary mundane tasks such as having to drink.

Oh sure, she was well aware his lioness hunted, but...that had to just be for them; surely the Lion King was also guarded from such troubles as hunger as well.

Lanai continued to gaze forward. She knew she was breaking some protocol, and if her mother found out she would remind her that spying on royalty was wrong, especially with as good as King Mufasa had been in his allowances to the other hunters of the plains, but the cub's curiosity got the better of her. 

Rumor shock aside, she was like any other child intrigued and just stunned by the sight of royalty they might see now and then but never got to observe in day to day stuff. She just continued to watch, smile of wonder coming to her face.

Then Lanai caught sight of something horrid. The bird she had been tracking was now flapping his way over towards both King Mufasa and Zazu. Oh no! He was gonna tell!

Despite her not having done anything wrong or out of the norm of a wild cat cub, the thought of this revered and noble lion king of theirs being told that she had been a nuisance just hit Lanai as the worst thing ever! She'd yet to speak to him ever, but still, to just know that anytime he did gaze her way she would be already labeled a trouble maker, or nuisance at the very least!

And that bird helper of his was there! That was sure to fix matters against her!

Quickly, Lanai leapt up and forward, as if to overtake the bird, until realization hit her that she was a bit too high up for a smooth landing. Instead, the young cheetah found herself falling down towards the ground.

Turn, land on your feet, or try the thought came to her and the cub tried to right herself, but this was actually the least of her worries. She successfully turned, yet in her fright her claws were extended and this was less than ideal as she came to a landing straight on the back of a buffalo who had apparently grazed along to be right below the tree.

With a bellow, the creature reared up, shaking to try and free the clawing cat. Lanai tumbled along the ground and then quickly leapt to her feet as the great bull turned to her.

"Sorry, sorry, sorry..." she backed up, "It was an accident!".

The snort the buffalo gave didn't seem too convinced. "You just happen to drop down upon me?!" he questioned sarcastically, and already Lanai saw one foot pawing the ground. "I've dealt with cubs like you before, think you can practice on anything!".

"No...honest...". Lanai quickly backed up more and, as the buffalo moved forward, began running, hearing as the bull gained speed and gave chase. She had more speed on her side, but only for a little while and actually it wasn't that effective with so many obstacles to avoid as she ran.

"Mom!" she called for the only help she could think off, and tried to recall exactly how far out she had wandered this day. Oh! Why had she wandered even as far as she had?!

"Please Sir! I didn't mean...!", but as she turned to try and speak to the buffalo, she saw from his eyes that he was not in a listening mood.

"Reginalt!" a name, possibly the bull's, was snapped out as Zazu appeared suddenly flying over the scene. "King Mufasa requests a halt! Now you shall be given ample time to...". The hornbill was sent sprawling as the buffalo tilted his head and jabbed the major domo aside.

Lanai took little notice of any of this, just continued on towards the first safe haven she could possibly find of a tree with a hollowed out hole in it. It was possibly big enough to conceal her. She continued on towards it.

With thundering steps the bull moved around to cut her off from this path. Lanai skidded to a halt, wondering  how on earth the giant animal had moved so nimbly in the first place, or had she been that uncoordinated in her flee?

Hunkering down, shaking, she couldn't even attempt a roar, just watched the bull paw the ground again.

Then, something darted between the space of the two and a roar sounded out, not so much a threatening type of noise as the instructive, silence rendering, noise that demanded a cease of activity.

Lifting her head, Lanai noted with further wonder that it was King Mufasa who stood there between them now,  facing the buffalo.

"Reginalt, now what is all this about?".

"My liege!" the first enraged and now stunned bull found enough presence of mind amidst the whirl these emotions had caused to incline his head, slightly bending one knee.

"I was grazing when I was suddenly a brutally attacked by this young cub!" Reginat stated.

"That's a lie and..." Lanai had begun, but cut herself off as she realized she was interrupting. So she had no choice but to allow the buffalo to go on.

"I understand hunting practice, Sire" Reginalt nodded once more, "but I have many times been inconvenienced by young cubs hunting of me; something you must admit serves no purpose, since I can not be injured, and is instead an insight of fear without even the allowance of a possibility of it ending in death, much as I would never see myself wishing that. It is Sport Hunting, contrary to the laws you have sent down for this kin...".

"Yes, yes" Mufasa nodded, cutting the bull off from his lecture he could see the end of anyway.

Zazu frowned, "The king does not need to be reminded of his own laws!" he said calmly but with a glare towards the buffalo.

Lanai hunkered further down, all this trouble only trying to avoid what was now happening. She was being labeled a nuisance! A breaker of the king's laws even!

Mufasa turned his gaze upon the young cheetah cub, and Lanai felt she wanted to sink through a hole in the ground. She noticed her mother's presence behind her, and had no idea when she had arrived, only knew that as the female spotted the lion king near her cub she was silent in figuring out exactly what would warrant such. Great, now she could say it in front of everyone, Lanai thought sarcastically.

"Well young one?" the king was asking of her.

Slowly, Lanai stood. "I...I..." she glanced everywhere but at the massive lion before her, then, realizing that such wouldn't do, when facing the king, she forced herself to look up and at Mufasa.

What she saw was not stern, or condemning, just open and perhaps a bit curious. "I...I wasn't hunting him" she said.

The buffalo snorted, "A likely...", as Mufasa turned to him, he hushed up.

Mufasa turned back to the cheetah cub, "I am not doubting your story, young...say, I can't keep calling you that" the lion king smiled a bit, "what is your name?". he glanced from her to her mother for an answer from either.

"Lanai, Your Majesty" the adult female nodded.

"Lanai" Mufasa repeated, turning back to face the cub, "Well, Lanai, I don't doubt your words, as I said, but even just arriving at this scene as I have, I note the scratches along Reginalt's hide" he pointed out.

Lanai swallowed, "Yes Sir...uh, Your Majesty. I...I did fall on him; and my claws were out, because I was...well, falling and...scared".

"A likely scenario" Mufasa nodded, not sarcastically but actually admitting to the likelihood of the cub's explanation.

"And...um, well when I landed on him...it was bad".

Was Lanai imagining things, or did the king sort of chuckle. "Well, Reginalt, there you see?" the king turned to the buffalo after this explanation was given. The bull just grumbled a bit, but finally nodded.

"I suppose, I was mistaken then, Sire, terribly sorry" he nodded to both the king as well as the two cheetahs before moving off. 

With a sigh, Lanai's mother rushed up to nuzzle her. The adult cheetah then faced the lion king, "Thank you, Your Majesty, I am sorry for the disturbance even if it appears it was only an accident".

"Think nothing of it" Mufasa nodded with a smile, then glanced down to Lanai.

The cub took a chance and spoke ahead of the king, "Thanks...you know, for saving me from being squished".

Mufasa chuckled, "It is a king's duty to watch out for his citizens, Young Lanai. No harm done, yet I would be careful of disturbing some of the Prideland's more...temperamental residents until you have grown a bit more".

Then the great Lion King Mufasa gave her a warm smile that she had only seen before on the face of her mother's own brother who would stop by on his travels at times. Such familiarity, to a simple cheetah cub, from the king, brought a slight flush to her cheeks.

The adults dispensed with farewells and then both Mufasa and Zazu began to head off. As they did, Lanai thought of something else.

"King Mufasa, Sir" she rushed out a bit. 

The king paused and turned, "Yes, Lanai?".

She frowned a bit, "I, um, I just wanted to not forget to tell you everything. I...I noticed the bird fly over to you before. I...was hunting him, Sir, but...".

Mufasa all out laughed now, cutting her off. "Yes, I was given that formal complaint as well, just before the chaos with the buffalo" he told the cub with another smile, "but fear not, one cheetah cub learning hunting skills  shall not be logged as anything negative".

Lanai gave another hesitant smile, "Thanks...I mean, Thank you, Sire" she bowed.

Mufasa gave her another warm smile, and nod back, before turning to his major domo who was perched on his shoulder, looking eager to get on and impatient with his king's mingling.

"Make a note of it, Zazu, we shall not hold anything today against Young Lanai. Understood".

"Understood, Sire" Zazu barely held in his sigh at all this slight rubbish. He then flapped up and off towards Pride Rock. With another chuckle, Mufasa followed.

Lanai watched them go with a smile, "We really are blessed, aren't we mom? Living here? And having...King Mufasa among us".

With a laugh, her mother nuzzled her, "Yes, dear, we are".

[cleargreenwater]

Very nice, Lanai's a sweetie and this does a great job conjuring the open, warm places of the first part of the film. I was wondering when she'd eventually fall off the branch

[Azdgari]

This was very cute! I enjoyed reading it. Lanai is very naive and very lovable, and Mufasa seems like his normal, gentle-giant self. It's nice to see the dynamic between the Lion King and his subjects. The way it came full circle with Zazu was a clever touch. Nice job! I would just work a bit on grammar, especially in the way of punctuating quotes.

[quote]"Here's a quote" said Mufasa.[/quote]

should actually have a comma at the end of the quote. It would look like:

[quote]"Why you're indubitably correct," said Zazu. [/quote]


Likewise, punctuation like periods and exclamation points go inside the quote, not outside.

[quote]"Gosh, this story should win a pulitzer".[/quote]

should be

[quote]"Gosh, this story should win a pulitzer."[/quote]



Just a few thoughts. ^^