Circle of Jealousy (Short Story)

[Pocahontas]

The Kingdom had rejoiced as the dry season came to an end, and the rains returned once more. At the same time, the two Princes were growing and maturing.

As Mufasa grew, sporting a pair of bangs and growing considerably, Ahadi told him he could no longer play with his friends as he had before. He was going to be King, and a King would have to be given the code and lists of laws that the Kingdom deserved. After all, no Kingdom could be supported by an uneducated King.

Ahadi knew that the hard way from his younger days of his youth in his own Pride. Though he never brought this subject up with his sons, it left him bitter and angry. Unlike Uru, who shared her sorrows and unfortunate, the King kept it locked up inside. Uru knew with sorrow and anger at herself she should have made Ahadi give both of them a chance, but that seemed impossible now.

So Mufasa stayed at home, sitting in the empty throne room or the peak of Pride Rock, having to hear the does and don’t of a King. Needless to say he was bored to tears. He received lectures on history, the importance of balance, yet he sorely missed the days when his mother was home more often and would actually play with the two boys. Now, of course she had better things to do. Days turned into weeks, weeks turned into months.

The worst part about it was having to see his brother and the others run all over the Pride Lands, playing and hunting without a care in the world. He spent most of his time of his lessons when he could watching them with sad, jealous eyes. They didn’t even seem to mind him being gone, sure they chatted with him during the evenings but that was it. One morning he was watching them, from the balcony of Pride Rock as they play spared, and he saw how well they got along. Taka even let Sarafina win over him. They were laughing cheekily, and soon the other younger cubs joined in. His father was going on about the First King and his daughters, and Mufasa’s ears weren’t picking up any of it.

“Mufasa!” His father’s voice broke his attention. He glanced back up at his father, surprised, and he was glaring at him, annoyed. “Pay attention!” Ahadi said, and Mufasa nodded, sighing as he rested by his father’s paws. “Where was I? Yes, so he was faced with the consequences of letting his enemies trick him..” The stories were dull and about balance, nothing about bravery or battles. By the end of this lecture, he was exhausted.

He came to try and sneak away from these hour-long teachings at one point, to no avail. He had woken up early this morning, nudged Sarabi and his brother awake, including Sarafina. “Shush, we are going out.” He had told them firmly, his eye’s set on the grasslands that lay before them.

“Where?” Asked Taka, who had seemed less better in these days.

“Quiet!” Mufasa said, picking up a paw to cuff his brother but then stopped, surprised at his sudden temper. His paws feverishly itched to go outside, to do anything with his friends, to be a part of their games. “Sorry.” He grumbled, trying not to feel drowsy as he nudged them towards the exit. Sarabi gave the others a bemused look, and they all shrugged.

As soon as they were all outside, Mufasa hissed his plan to the others. “We'll play somewhere dad won’t come looking for me, say, the gorge.” He flashed them a grin, but his confidence did not reflect on his friends faces.

“Muffy, you have lessons to go to.” Taka said, waving his claw dismissively and frowning, whiskers twitching in confusion as Sarafina nodded beside him. Sarabi coughed, fur ruffled with the feeling of awkwardness shrouding them. “If you really want to sneak off, plan it out.” He smirked, as if knowing that well.

“We've all sorta gotten used to you not being around, Muffy. You know, Kingship and all that.” She blinked her orange eyes apologetically, and then twitched her tail. She placed a paw on his chest. “Your dad said he’ll give you some free time if you do good, right? Isn’t being King more important than playing?” Mufasa stared at her, stunned.

“No!” He shot back, rebuked and he tried not to flex his claws. “What, you guys haven’t missed me or anything?!” He growled, growing furious.

“Sure we’ve missed you,” Offered Sarafina with a soft smile, shrugging. But Taka was looking away, eye’s calm and not saying anything. “But this isn’t right..” She said, but her voice trailed away.

“FINE!” Mufasa growled, storming off into the grasslands, knowing they would follow. And they did. After a short chat with Taka first, of course. Taka’s comment about planning out it first had struck him though. He paused a bit, thinking. The zebra herd was near the gorge..but still. Dad wouldn’t be too mad at me, he thought with guilt as he kicked a stone, growing nervous. He’s forgiving!

***

“What’s his problem?” Sarabi asked, rolling her eyes at his outburst, still quite shocked and somewhat annoyed at the Crown Princes attitude.

“Dunno.” Taka shrugged, and he nudged Sarafina with a wicked grin. “Daddy’s bored him to death!” He laughed, and Sarafina smiled at the jest. Immature big brother, Taka thought, smirking at the thought. Sarabi looked amused, but she gazed back to the golden cub, who was still marching away, tail in the air. The lioness held a look of concern in her eyes, and she turned to the other growing cubs, in a soft whisper.

"Maybe we should follow him, to make sure nothing goes wrong." She suggested in a low voice, ear's flattened against her head and the others agreed, despite Taka's hesitance at first. Sarabi smirked at him but he followed Sarafina nonetheless, and they set off after him.

"Dad will sure be mad." Commented Taka as they descended the stone steps of Pride Rock, glancing back to the cave opening. "He's been real strict about these lessons. Says they're real important." It was Taka's turn to roll his emerald eyes at his father antics. He much preferred his mother's way of teachings, her captivating tales of her youth and of the Pride Lands history always kept his attention. Now she was gone, to negotiate alliances with a neighboring noble family. She was also set to met Sarabi's family soon too, they lived close to the Coast, and had a lush land they lived in. The others had to admit it was brave of Sarabi to come to the Pride Lands as a cub without any family.

"I don't think your father has the best mindset when it comes to teaching," Sarafina said quietly, but this bit her tongue as if she had insulted someone. She looked away from Taka and Sarabi, head bowed.

"Hey, I think so too." Offered Taka, sounding eager to discuss his father. "Mom tells me he was raised in a strict Pride and whatnot." He explained, proud he knew more about his father's history.

"Okay, smarty-pants." Sarabi interjected cheekily, though she meant no harm, Taka still let out a low growl. "There's your brother." She said pointedly, raising a paw to where Mufasa was, closing in on the gorge. She lifted herself up from her crouch and began to briskly trot forward to the young lion, as the others cautiously followed. Sarabi began to speak to him, but he broke her off, looking over his shoulder with a smug grin.

"Knew you guys would come." He said with certainty in his voice, and he puffed out his chest in the proud manner he had. "Okay," He said, uncoiling his plan, a wide grin on the Golden cub's face. The group of three listened, eye's wide and doubtful. "We are going to climb down the gorge." He flicked his tail at the tall rock wall below him, which went on until reaching the dry ground. "And then when we get down there, we can play all day without anyone looking for us down there!" He said promptly, excitement in his face. Sarafina gave Sarabi a abstained look, trying not to blurt about to the Prince about his idea's.

"Muffy, this is just idiotic. Even for you." Taka said blandly, mouth formed into a hard line as he stared at his brother.

Your just jealous, Mufasa thought but held back this harsh words. "Oh, so you guys have a better idea?" He retorted, grimacing. In actuality, he was open to suggestions.

"For one, how about go around the gorge and down the slope?" Suggested Sarabi intellectually, an obvious reply Mufasa had been expecting.

"Can't, too many zebra down there." Mufasa replied, resting himself on his haunches and sighing, laying his head on his large paws. “Don’t want you guys to get hurt..” He mumbled.

"Can't we just walk past them? You are the Crown Prince you know." Sarafina said softly, ear's laid back as Sarabi nodded in agreement and approval.

"Fine." Sighed Mufasa and he stood up, stretching his legs as Sarabi took the lead, trotting in the front with a smile on her face as they came into the zebra herd. Rows of hooves and stripped legs lay in front of them. Mufasa flattened his ears and swallowed, crouching beside his brother as they walked slowly on the outskirts of the herd.

“Guys,” He whispered, looking around and realizing with a jolt a smell unlike the others surrounding him. He saw the owner of the scent, a Cape Dog on the edge of the herd, and he knew it had spotted them. He felt his paws lock in place as it’s head lifted up, ears pricked and jaws opening slightly.

He shoved his brother back, and his brother complied with a snarl. “What was that for?” Taka lashed out, rubbing his cheek. He quickly heard Sarafina’s scream and she cowered back, shaking.

“Go!” Shouted Mufasa desperately, pushing his brother to the right, and the younger lion began to run, Mufasa following swiftly behind. Sarabi was soon close by, avoiding the cloven hooves of the zebra’s, who were beginning to get in a frenzy. Taka looked back, seeing the dog lunge at one of the zebra, who whinnied in fear. Sarafina nimbly avoided the crush of one of the hooves, but she was getting farther apart from the group. Mufasa saw this also, but he was out of breath and had to keep up with Sarabi.
Taka was the one to go back, the chaos around him forcing him to trip once or twice as he came up to Sarafina, who was coughing from the amount of dust in the air. “Fina!” He stamped his paw on the ground, and he ran with her as they avoided the madness around them.

“Wait!” Sarabi’s shout echoed over them, and Taka saw how the land ended. A jagged cliff lay before him. He stopped in his tracks, panting. They were at least out of the herd, though. With a jolt, he saw two paws clinging to the edge of the cliff. Sarabi was behind, but Taka lunged forward. He hesitated, gazing at these two paws, and then he came to the very edge, his struggling brother, eye’s closed in fear.
For a moment the dark cub was silent, staring at his brother. And then he slammed his paws against his.

“Got a good grip?” He panted, tugging hard.

“Not really,” Mufasa admittedly modestly, and then dug his claws deeper into the rock surface. Pebbles were rolling down the side of the wall.

Taka’s paws started slipping. “Umm..” He was afraid to tell his brother the truth, and he bit his lip. How hard was it for someone like Mufasa? He should be climbing up and brushing it off like it was nothing! Yet nonetheless, here was his prideful brother, struggling and scared, dangling on the edge of a cliff.

Mufasa had apparently already sensed this though, and he groaned. “Your smaller paws are slipping, huh?” He grumbled, still trying to scramble up.

“No.” Spat back Taka, voice cold but then he felt his brother lurch downwards, and his grip tightened back, desperation coming into the cub’s green eyes.

“Taka, this is it.” Mufasa mumbled with a sorrow the younger lion had never heard in his brother’s voice before. He let out a defeated sigh. It took Taka a few moments to understand the meaning of his brother’s words. He swallowed, a lump in his stomach.

“Are you giving up this easily?!” He snapped at his brother, wanting to yell at him some more, but the gravity of the situation was weighing down on his shoulders. His brother had always been the bold one, the one with the sense, was his stress really driving him to this? He scowled as he recalled the hyena’s words to him about his brother. A coward..a weakling..was it all true? Taka dug his claws in between his brother’s toes carefully, still groaning as he felt himself begin the lunge forward from the weight of his brother.

“Maybe!” Mufasa shot back. Both of the siblings were at loss to words. The golden lion sighed in defeat. “Taka..you’ll be King now.” He said ruefully, ears flattened and his head bowed. Watery tears began to form at the golden lions eyes. Taka was stunned.

“Long live the King.” Mufasa mumbled, and he closed his eyes. Their grip was beginning to loosen. Suddenly, Taka felt something clamp over his tail. He turned, looking over his shoulder. Sarafina’s teeth were clamped over his tail, tugging hard as she took a step back, voice muffled as she spoke to Sarabi, who was also tugging on the end of Taka’s tail. It hurt, and he would usually scold whoever bite his tail, but this was urgent.

“No need for dramatics, you two!” Sarabi said through a mouthful of fur, dismissing the painful moment the brothers had just shared.

Taka flashed them a grateful smirk as he felt himself pulled upward, and he gripped his Mufasa’s paws as they both tumbled onto the grass.

“Are you alright?” Sarafina asked, letting go of Taka’s tail and rushing over, sniffing them both of the dirt that covered their coats. She looked away with admiration. “That was really brave.”

“I’m okay.” Taka answered modestly, leaning over his shoulder to lick his fur of the dirt and dust. He glanced over at his brother, but remained silent. He grinned at the thanks he was given, the darker cub’s chest swelling.

“Ouch.” Mufasa mumbled, coming up to his paws and wincing from a pulsing pain in his back leg. Taka looked over, one eyebrow raised.

“Need to see the monkey?” He asked, and Mufasa shook his head.

“It’s okay.” The golden cub replied, giving his brother a grateful smile, his breath still coming in swift gasps. Visibly shaken, his brother took a pace back and cocked his head to one side, not sure what to say. Then Mufasa pulled his brother into a wordless, tight embrace. His paws tugged at his brother’s shoulder and the darker cub couldn’t help but grin somewhat smugly.

“Thank you.” Mufasa murmured, voice trembling. He looked back up, regaining his kingly posture, and his eyes gleamed. “For not letting me go.”

“Well, might want to get Muffy here back to his lessons huh?” Sarabi said, grinning and butting Mufasa gently with her shoulder as she padded to him. Mufasa sighed, but gave her a warm smile.

“Guess one adventure for Mufasa is enough for now.” Taka said with a cheeky grin, standing up and beginning to follow the two young lioness back in the direction of Pride Rock. He shoved his older brother playfully. “Come on, big bro.”

-----

My first complete submission here! I've always loved the idea of Mufasa being jealous of his younger brother, as Rinjapine did in her stories, so here we are. I'd love some Feedback on this, also. ((This is also going to be posted on Animation Source.))

[Dark Huntress]

Wow! This is really amazing! ^^