Brothers Before Blood (Lion King Mufasa Fanfiction)

Chapter 2: Listen

    Mufasa followed his father down the rockface of Pride Rock slowly while his father moved swiftly in front of him. Taka struggled even more behind him. His paws barely managed to catch himself before he stumbled into his brother. Mufasa growled at him hotly before Taka drew back instantly, breathing heavily in shock. Mufasa rolled his eyes before he managed to climb to the bottom with his brother still struggling behind him.

    Ahadi waited for a moment before he glanced behind him. "Taka, keep up!"

    Taka scurried for him, his fur slightly ruffled in the effort that it took to climb down the rocks. "S-Sorry," he puffed out exhaustedly.

    Ahadi didn't answer as he started forward. Mufasa bounded by his father's side with pure admiration in his eyes. Taka struggled still to keep up with his father and brother. He opened his mouth to request that they slow down, but clearly thought better of it as his head slightly lowered.
   
    "The territory is marked out with numerous paths that you need to learn how to navigate. There are other places on this territory where you will be tested by other creatures who don't respect lions as the rulers of the Pride Lands," Ahadi pointed out sternly.

    "Who would go up against us," questioned Mufasa.

    Taka strode along his father's other side and twitched his ears. "Aren't there other animals that we should share leadership with?"

    "Lions are the rightful rulers. We bow to no other creature," spat Ahadi.

    Taka drew backwards before Ahadi instantly walked in front of him as he looked around to Mufasa. "You will learn to rise above all of them and they will respect you. You just need to earn it."

    "I promise you that I will, father," reassured Mufasa excitedly as he leaped for his father's shoulder playfully. Ahadi laughed as he collected his son around the underbelly with his foreleg. He lapped at Mufasa's cheek affectionately.

    "Sire!"

    Ahadi lifted his head as a hornbill flew overhead. She fluttered to a stop before he settled in front of Ahadi. She bowed in respect with her wings spread beside her.

    "Zuzu, it's great to see you," purred Ahadi as he touched forward and touched his nose to her beak.

    Zuzu hopped from side to side excitedly. "It's a pleasure to see you as well, my king. I was just talking to Diry about how long it would be until I saw these two young ones out with you! What are their names again," she asked as she leaped between Mufasa and Taka.

    "This is Mufasa and Taka," answered Ahadi. There was more a note of pride when he looked to Mufasa verses when he spoke about Taka. "Mufasa will be the future king of the Pride Lands."

    Zuzu's eyes glowed as she tiptoed over to Mufasa. Mufasa glanced up at his father in surprise before he looked down to her. "I see you are going to be a strong and noble leader. I'm never wrong about that. Ask your father. I knew that he was going to be a noble. I had to convince the king before him, of course."

    "What," asked Mufasa in shock.

    Zuzu looked up to Ahadi, who shuffled his paws bashfully. "Sire, you can't tell me that you've never told your sons the story! My stars! Well, let me just say that your grandmother and grandfather weren't sure how they felt about him paling around with their daughter at first. It took a lot of convincing from me and Uru, but eventually he was instated," Zuzu replied.

    Mufasa jumped on his paws as he pushed his head against his father's foreleg. "Is that true?"

    "I'm afraid it is." He glanced back to Zuzu. "Thanks for that, Zuzu."

    She dipped her head. "My pleasure. I should probably be getting back. I promised I'd help Diry look after the young as long as you didn't have anything for me to do."

    "No, you're fine, Zuzu. Say hello to Diry for me," Ahadi told her.

    Zuzu let out a small chirp before she took off with a fluttering of her wings. They slightly pulsed against Mufasa's ears before she took off toward the sky excitedly. Mufasa watched her go with a small smile. "She's awesome."

    "She's talkative. You'll get used to her. As the majordomo, she's in charge of seeing everything around here," answered Ahadi as he stopped near a vast pool of water that gleamed in front of them.

    Taka barged past his brother with his eyes glowing. "Is that the watering hole?"

    "The one and only," replied Ahadi as his sons raced forward. "Don't run and stay away from the edge! Plenty of animals would love to pounce on cubs like you."

    Mufasa put what his father had said behind him before he darted forward. He zigzagged through a few long legs of giraffes and in front of a few African Wild Dogs. Taka struggled to keep up with his brother until Mufasa stopped at the edge of the water. He leaned forward and lapped at the cool water. It traveled down his throat and he couldn't help but purr in divinity.

    He stared at the edge of the water before a dark shadow appeared under him. He twitched his tail tip in surprise before a dark shadow surged upward and sprayed Mufasa with a few speckles of water before he darted backwards. Giant teeth came toward him and he yowled as he darted backwards, but not before he managed to reach forward and grasp Taka's scruff between his teeth and thrust him aside before he stepped in between the two of them.

    The hippo lumbered forward with it's eyes narrowed in rage. "What do you think you're doing, cowering over my territory," snarled the hippo.

    A roar met the hippo's snarl. Mufasa turned as Ahadi pelted forward. His claws extended as he slammed himself into the hippo's side and was able to force the hippo back into the water. A splash rose up while the hippo roared at Ahadi. Ahadi lifted a paw and thrust it against the hippo's face.

    "If you ever snarl at my sons again, I won't be as considerate about this," Ahadi snarled.

    The hippo drew back into the water wit it's ears slightly flapping. Ahadi watched him go before he turned to his sons. "I told you to stay away from the edge of the water! I have authority here, you don't," he snarled.

    Taka flinched backwards while Mufasa continued to stand strong. "Dad, we're sorry," apologized Mufasa without humility.

    "Let's go home," sighed Ahadi as he nudged Mufasa's shoulder firmly. His paws skirted forward while he fell into Taka to help him along. "And next time you two had best listen to me. I'm only telling you what to do to help you. I don't want anything to happen to you."

    Taka looked at Mufasa smugly while Mufasa dipped his head to his father. "I'm sorry. I won't do anything like that again."

    "You had better not," flashed Ahadi. He let out a low sigh as he lowered his head and nudged Mufasa's shoulder. "Let's go home."

    Mufasa padded forward while Taka scrambled after him. He narrowed his eyes at Mufasa as he passed. "You weren't supposed to get us into trouble our first time out with father!"

    "It wasn't my fault," argued Mufasa hotly.

    Taka opened his mouth to argue when Ahadi stepped between them. He slightly growled at Taka before he strode forward quickly. That left Taka in the dust with his eyes boring into his brother's and father's pelts with hatred clear in his gaze. He muttered something inaudible under his breath before he dragged himself forward, following in his brother's and father's shadows.