The Lion King Chronicles: Nala's Tears {Editing}

Chapter 28

The world around me was dark and bleak. Not even the sun shone. I glanced behind me and saw Priderock outlined against the gray sky. For a moment, I was overrun with confusion. What was I doing away from Priderock?

My paws seemed to follow an invisible trail and I couldn't leave it. Something pulled me further and further away from Priderock. When I glanced behind me, I saw something that caused a silent scream to rise in my chest. A pile of bodies lay bloodied at the foot of Priderock.

Scar stood atop Priderock, his snake eyes fixed on me, unwavering. Upon closer inspection, I realized that the bodies were everyone that I loved. Sarafina, my dear mother, Mheetu, my kid brother, Tama and Kula, my closest friends, even Malka...the friend I loved but didn't trust.

The sky overhead darkened even more and became nearly black. All I could see was the moon, shining bright as ever. But then something came over the moon, a reddish gleam. I watched in horror as the moon became crimson like blood. From nowhere, water started to rise up to my knees.

I tried walking back to my family, but the water thickened and I couldn't move. It was no longer water but rather blood... My lungs hurt from my screams and I struggled to get back to Priderock. If I didn't, I would drown in the sea of blood.

Out of nowhere a bright light radiated from behind me. Squinting my eyes, I looked towards the light. Standing on a tall boulder above the sea of blood, silhouetted in the blinding light, was a lion. His mane was ruddy which contrasted with his golden pelt. And his eyes...the softest shade of amber.

"Mufasa?" I whispered.

Suddenly, I heard a scream. Spinning around, I saw a little cub struggling to stay afloat in the blood sea. Her eyes were blue like mine and she had a delicate frame. She was so beautiful... I tried to hurry to her side, but the light behind me grew dimmer.

"Simba..." Voices started to chorus above the wind.

My head snapped back to the silhouetted lion. "Simba?"

The cub's screams behind me grew weaker, and to my dismay, I saw that she was slipping away. I tried to reach for her, but I was planted to the spot. Her screams ripped my heart and I wanted it to end. I wanted it all to end.

I'm so tired...so tired...

~

"Nala!"

My eyes snapped open as I jerked awake. Where was I? Then I remembered. Scar made me prisoner and accused me of attempting to kill Nuka.

Standing over me was Tama. Her red eyes were wide with fear as she looked down upon me. "Nala, wake up! It's Mheetu!"

In a heartbeat, I was on my paws and facing my friend. She was alive and well, causing me to breath a sigh of relief. "What's happened Tama?"

"He...just come." Tama glanced towards the mouth of the small cave. "Kula's distracting the hyenas."

Sensing her urgency, I followed her out of the cave to find that the hyenas have abandoned their posts. If it was possible, the Pridelands looked darker, more forbidding. Tama raced away from Priderock and I charged after her. With my pregnant belly, I struggled to keep up.

"What's happened Tama?" I demanded my friend.

She didn't answer me. Over the horizon, she stopped. What I saw made my heart collapse. Scar stood over a motionless body. A smallish body with pale cream fur.

Mheetu.

"No!" I screamed, charging past Tama towards my brother. Scar stared at me in shock as I shoved him out of the way to bend over Mheetu.

"How'd you get out?" Scar demanded, but I ignored him.

Mheetu's body was covered in blood and I couldn't tell where it was coming from. Deep gashes along his flanks and chest oozed with more and more blood. It spilled out onto the dead grass at my paws, turning them crimson.

And his eyes...his pale green eyes stared up lifelessly at the bleak gray sky. He's already drawn his last breath...

The sorrow brought me to my knees. Somehow, I found the strength to lift my head to Tama. "Go get Sarafina," I ordered, my voice wavering.

I turned my gaze back to the lifeless body of Mheetu. My vision became blinded by tears and my heart felt heavy as stone. Could I rip out my heart and leave it here at Mheetu's side? Could I abandon my heart and become numb to the pain? I made a promise the day he was born that I would protect him...I've failed.

Suddenly, my sorrow became overwhelmed with rage. I felt blinded by the dark wave of emotion I felt guiding my claws. Before I realized what I was doing, I'd already clawed Scar across his face. A surge of satisfaction came over me, small, at the sight of the blood dripping down his face. I wanted more than a scratch. I wanted Scar dead.

Sarafina and Tama returned and my mother fell at Mheetu's side. Scar raised a paw but Tama got in the way. Her face was contorted with such rage, almost enough to match my own. "Don't you dare touch her, Scar!" Tama spat.

Scar paused, but only to let the hyenas surround us. "Take Nala back to her prison. Bring Tama with her. Don't let them out of your sight."

The hyenas dragged me away from Mheetu, away from my grieving mother. My screams echoed out to the Pridelands, and I'm sure the the Freelanders could hear my screams. I found myself crying out to Jahi. Look what you've let happen! You could've saved him!

I was supposed to save him.