Brothers Before Blood (Lion King Mufasa Fanfiction)

Chapter 4: Skill To Learn

    One Moon Later

    "Lower a little further, Mufasa. You underbelly needs to almost touch the ground, but not drag. Prey can hear a lot better than you," Ahadi murmured thoughtfully as he lifted a paw and pressed it gingerly to Mufasa's haunch.

    Mufasa's legs yowled in protest as he was forced even lower. He glanced down and found that his paws were shaking so much that the ground slightly vibrated. He managed to take in a deep swallow of air and relax as everything seemed to pass. He stretched out his neck while he spread his paws a little farther of shoulder length apart. He glanced upward at his father and was pleased to see his eyes gleaming in pride.

    "Excellent job, Mufasa," he praised. He turned over to his other son. Taka struggled to lower down even a quarter of the way that Mufasa lowered down. His underbelly didn't come close to touching the ground.

    Ahadi bounded over to Taka with his eyes narrowed. "Taka, what do you think that you're doing? You call that a hunting crouch?"

    Taka gulped as he glanced up at his father. His ears were pinned against his head. "I'm trying," he protested in a tiny squeak of a voice.

    "Then try harder! Any lion needs to know how to hunt and fight," ordered Ahadi as he bustled back over to Mufasa. He lowered down beside him and flicked his paw toward small movement in the distance. "Smell that?"

    Mufasa opened his mouth to allow the scents to waft through. His mouth began to water as he shut his jaw. "Prairie Dog?"

    "I want you to catch it," Ahadi explained in a breathless whisper.

    Fear sparked in Mufasa. He spun his head to look at his father before he looked back to the prairie dog. "O-Okay," he stammered.

    Mufasa sucked in a heavy breath as he lifted a slightly shaky paw. He rested it against the ground before he lifted his hind leg to match it. He kept his body pressed against each other and tried to follow up his movements quickly, so that there would be less need for mistake. He kept his ears pinned against his head and mouth slightly parted so that he could detect those scents. He sniffed heavily before he pulled his neck into his shoulders like his mother had taught him. He sucked in one more breath before he leaped.

    He overestimated his leap and came up short. The prairie dog let out a yelp of alarm and tried to dart forward. Mufasa let out a growl of frustration before he leaped forward. He sunk his teeth into the prairie dog when he managed to latch onto it. He lifted it and snapped it's neck easily. Blood slightly spurted into his mouth and he instantly spat out the prey on the ground. He swallowed the blood and felt sickness rise in him.

    "Great job!"

    Mufasa spun around as Ahadi pelted forward. He stopped beside his son and glanced down at the catch. "Look at that! My son is a natural born hunter," he praised as he nuzzled Mufasa's cheek affectionately.

    Mufasa shook his head discretely as he caught a glance over at Taka. He narrowed his eyes in hostility as he hunched over himself. Mufasa turned back to his father. "It wasn't too bad."

    "And modest too! Wait until you're grown enough to catch something like a zebra," Ahadi explained as he purred loudly as he picked up the prairie dog gingerly by it's scruff. It's eyes were open while a drop of blood ran from it's mouth. "This could be for your cub friend."

    "Cub friend," echoed Mufasa in surprise.

    Ahadi's whiskers twitched in surprise. "Sarabi of course."

    Mufasa instantly felt heat rise to his face at the mention of Sarabi. He pinned his ears against his head as he shook his head. "We're just friends."

    Ahadi let out a rumbling laugh that made Mufasa slightly lower down against the ground. He sighed heavily before he heard the sound of laughing and shrieking around him. His head spun around and followed his father.

    Ahadi let out a low growl. He stalked forward with his paws setting down gingerly against the ground. Mufasa followed while Taka brought up the rear. Mufasa and Taka pressed against each other eventually as they listened to the high pitched sounds of shrieking around them.

    The king suddenly pelted forward with his teeth bared in a snarl. Mufasa pelted forward in the air and slammed into a lithe creature with a striped pelt and large ears. The creature let out a shriek before it was tossed into another creature. They went tumbling into each other in a flurry of paws and fur.

    Fear showed on Mufasa's face as he lowered down by some reeds. Taka lowered down beside him, but his gaze seemed somber and transfixed on what was happening in front of them. A grin almost spread on his face and it caused a sickening feeling in Mufasa.
   
    "We should help Dad," announced Mufasa as he took a step forward.

    A growl rolled in Taka's throat as he stepped in front of his brother. He glared at his as their eyes met. "He can handle himself on his own! Don't you see?"

    Mufasa whimpered as he turned and saw Ahadi throw another creature onto the ground. It collapsed into a heap, breathing heavy with it's eyes rolling up in it's head. It tried to rise to it's paws, but Ahadi thrust his front paws against it's shoulders and haunches. The creature let out a weak cry as the sound of bones snapping drifted over to Mufasa's ears. He turned away in disgust.

    Ahadi snarled at the remaining creatures. They pressed against the creature that Ahadi had trampled. They whimpered up to him with terror in their eyes.

    "Get out of the Pride Lands and don't come back," snarled Ahadi as he reared on his hind legs once more and slammed them against the ground.

    The creatures turned and limped away as quickly as they could while trying to balance their severely injured friend between them. Mufasa caught on their eyes, but quickly looked away as his father returned with a look of triumph in his gaze.

    "What were those," inquired Mufasa keenly.

    Ahadi lifted his paw and licked it before he drew it over his ears in a quick grooming session. "Those are called hyenas. They take food that we've worked hard to hunt. They're not welcome on the Pride Lands' territory."

    "But why," questioned Taka defiantly. "Why can't hyenas have territory here? All other creatures are welcomed here."

    Ahadi turned to his son. He shoved his ears forward and Taka slightly stumbled backwards. "Because they take from other animals that work hard for their prey. They don't respect the circle of life."

    "Circle of life," echoed Mufasa.

    Surprise showed on Ahadi's face. He sat down with a sigh and dipped his head. "I suppose I haven't taught you two this before. I've been so busy with hunting that I didn't tell you the most important lesson of all."

    Mufasa listened intently as he pulled himself over to his father. Interest showed on his face. "What's the most important lesson?"

    "The circle of life. Everyone lives and everyone dies. When we die, we become the grass. Then, the antelope and zebras eat the grass and then we become them," explained Ahadi as he leaned forward and looked into his son's deep eyes. "We are all connected."

    Mufasa looked down. He rested a paw firmly against the ground as he sighed heavily. "What happens when you die?"

    "I'll tell you what," whispered Ahadi with a paw lifted almost over his muzzle. "I'm going to show you tonight, when the stars are high in the sky. Alright?"

    Excitement made Mufasa's paws tingle. He pressed against his father excitedly, Taka completely forgotten behind him. "Okay," he breathed.
   
    "It's time for you to learn about the great kings of the past."