First Day OF The Rest Of Your Life [One Shot for contest]

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Well now the contest has ended, I like to post my entries here so that 1) people who don't care about the contest can read them and 2) helpful criticism is welcomed.
Now I must admit, I rushed the latter part of this story to get it in on time (and it was still a day late to be fair) so if it seems like things suddenly fast forward, don't worry, you aren't on drugs, I just had to try and wrap it up pretty quick. Like Eminem, only not.

The first day of the rest of your life



It was far too coincidental, Scar wanted to be king and now Zazu was supposed to believe that Simba was dead as well as Mufasa? When the sadness and shock had passed, the suspicion that something was not quite right had started to creep up on Zazu. Although Zazu was small and pretty weak, he still stood to protect those he cared about, he had even ventured into the elephant graveyard to find Simba and Nala. But he was agile, he could fly and remain hidden, which is something lions and the other animals were not able to do.

Swooping onto Pride Rock, blue as the sky. He perched with his talons firmly placed into a rock just above the king's den and listened. King Scar was talking to one of his “loyal subjects”, three hyenas. The ones Zazu had encountered before, he was sure of it. He would never forget the menacing hiss in their tone of voice, or the look of evil as they gnawed their razor sharp teeth, the memories were enough to make Zazu's feathers stand on end. But he had to be brave.

“He's dead Scar. Dead as a doornail.” The female hyena said. “Ain't that right, fellas?”

“Yeah we took care of him, bud – I mean, king Scar.” The male said. Followed by only the sound of maniacal laughing from the third hyena.

“Good. I don't need to tell you what would have happened had you have failed me again.” Scar told them.
“As your king, my first order of business for you, gather the rest of the hyenas, your king will be addressing his subjects later this evening.” Scar turned on them and began leaving the den.
“Go! The glorious future I told you awaited you, begins now!” Scar said, breaking out into a laugh.

“Long live the king!” Said the two hyenas, the third nodding in agreement seconds later.

“This is going too well, Shenzi. What if he finds out? We'll be the doornails!” the male hyena said to the other, when Scar was out of ear shot.

“Don't worry about it, Banzai. There's no way that little squirt is still alive, he's probably already dead out in the desert somewhere.” The female said. Zazu thought it sounded like she was just reassuring herself rather than her friend, if they were even friends at all. The way they talked to each other was as if they would turn on each other in an instant.

“Come on, we gotta go gather the others.” Shenzi said

“Oh man, he's been king five minutes and he's already bossing us around.” Banzai said, stretching as he got up. The two of them left the den.

“ED!” They shouted back into the den. And the third joined them, giggling as he left.




Zazu knew it now for sure. Simba wasn't dead. He knew Mufasa definitely was but nobody had ever seen proof of Simba being dead, now Zazu knew the truth. Simba was out there somewhere and possibly alive. Should he tell anyone? Would they believe him?What if Scar caught wind of this? The hyenas? They'd kill him for sure if they found out he knew. No. There was too much at stake, Zazu decided that he will leave Pride Rock tomorrow, alone. He will fly high and low and search for the true missing king.

In the meantime though, he had to go to king Scar's speech later that evening. How sickening it was, watching Scar take to the throne, knowing what he now knew made the entire thing that much more difficult for Zazu to watch. The hyenas creeping into Pride Rock from all angles. And those three who Zazu was beginning to lose fear for, why would he fear them when they were so cowardly that they couldn't tell the truth to Scar?

There was nothing quite like the feeling of flying through the skies of the Pridelands, Zazu loved it, the escapism, being able to hear nothing but the wind he was cutting through. Perfect thinking time.
And what a beautiful day for it too, blue open skies. It only took a minute for Zazu to decide where to start, down in the gorge. The last place Simba was known to be. Zazu remembered seeing him down there that day during the stampede. Though the rest of the event was a blur, he must have hit his head on a rock or something because he awoke to find Mufasa laying lifeless in the same place.

Going along the valley, Zazu eventually came to a cliff edge, below were lots of sharp thorns. If Simba had ran along here and fallen into them, it wouldn't have killed him. Scar had definitely lied to everyone. Yet there was still now way of knowing where Simba was right now, Zazu looked ahead but only an endless sea of golden rocky surface could be seen. Simba was out there somewhere but where?

But before he had time to think about his next move, he was suddenly pinned down to the ground by Scar's paw.

“Ah! Scar... You know, don't you?” Said Zazu, wheezing his words out.

“Oh Zazu, don't be silly, of course I do. They had no proof.” Scar said, looking down at Zazu. Tightening his grip.
“Still, we can't have you running around knowing this. People will think you are crazy. Shame, I thought you could have been my majordomo.”

“You let the hyenas lie to you?” Zazu could at least attack with his words.

“They will get what is coming to them. And so will you. You really must start behaving Zazu, I don't want to have to keep on doing this...”

When Zazu awoke he was in the king's den in Pride Rock, trapped in a cage made of bones fastened together.
“That's where you will stay from now on. Don't worry, I will keep you alive. In the mean time we can sing some songs to pass the time away.” Scar said, he was wearing a sarcastic smile now.

“You can't keep this up Scar, they will find out.” Zazu barked back.

“Not as long as I don't let you out of my sight, they won't. Oh do lighten up a bit, Zazu.” Scar said, flopping down on his back in the throne.

Maybe the truth will come out one day but not on this day, not on Scar's first day as king. The first day of the rest of their lives.