Brothers Before Blood (Lion King Mufasa Fanfiction)

Chapter 8: Show You

Taka headed home with his tail dragging through the ground. He finally made his way to Pride Rock when dusk had almost settled on the rest of the territory. Hostility burned in his pelt as well as grief.

Mundo didn't deserve to die! There was no reason why Dad had to kill him. It's not fair!

He forced himself to climb Pride Rock where the rest of the pride was waiting for him. Uru bounded forward and pressed her muzzle against Taka's cheek. "Thank goodness," she breathed as she lapped at her son's dusty fur with relief shinning in her eyes.

Mufasa, Sarabi, and Authrua bounded over. They wound around Taka for a moment before Authrua leaped backwards, almost hissing in disgust. "You reek! Where have you been?"

    "A place better than here," responded Taka hotly.

    Uru swatted her paw against Taka's ear gingerly. "Don't speak like that," chided Uru urgently. "This is your home and it's much better than whatever is out there."

    I highly doubt that, grumbled Taka under his breath with his fur slightly fluffed up, despite his mother's attempt to flatten it.

    Mufasa crept forward slowly. "I smell your fear-scent," whispered Mufasa into Taka's ear. "What happened out there?"

    "Like you care," seethed Taka as he ripped himself away from Uru. He stalked to the edge of Pride Rock, despite his mother's cry.

    He sat down before he noticed someone walking behind him. He hissed and turned around sharply. He pinned his ears against his head and spun around. He bared his teeth, but soon relaxed when he realized tat it was not Aurthrua.

    "Calm down," she growled sternly as she padded forward with her ears pinned against her own head. "I'm just makin sure that you don't decide to jump or something."

    Taka turned away. "And why would you care?"

    "We're friends, aren't we? I mean, I know that there's not a lot of choices and everything, but it's better than nothing," she pointed out with a roll of her eyes. "Now, what really happened to you?"

    Taka shrugged, grumbling into his chest fur. "I just met animals struggling and I wanted to help them. I never meant for anyone to die, especially a hyena who didn't try and kill me when he had the chance."

    Authrua opened her mouth to answer, before she was cut off by a stern growl. The two spun around to find Ahadi stalking toward them. Authrua ducked back and bounced over to Pikra. She lowered her head and lapped at her daughter's fur thoughtfully while Taka seemed to shrink under his father's gaze.

    "Why would you invite hyenas into our territory," he snarled.

    Taka struggled not to shiver or shrink under his father's scrutinizing gaze. Instead, he gulped and shoved his chin forward. "They needed food. They're starving! I wanted to help," he protested.

    Ahadi lifted a paw. Taka immediately ducked with his paws thrust over his head. "It was a stupid and dangerous! I don't see your brother doing that."

    I'm not Mufasa! Stop suggesting that I am, Taka wailed in his mind. "I was just trying to help."

    "I don't care what you were trying to do. You could've endangered everyone in this pride and this territory! I never want to see anything like that happen again," seethed Ahadi. With that, he turned and stalked back over to the den with his fur bristling and anger still burning deep within his gaze.

    Taka let out a deep sigh with his shoulders tensed. He tried to catch Authrua's gaze, but she was already talking to her sister. The two she-cubs giggled before Jayris and Marfia started to gather them and urge them toward the den.

    "Tomorrow we'll teach you how to really hunt," rasped Marfia excitedly as she licked her chomps. "Lionesses are the best hunters in the Pride Lands and are expected to hunt for this Pride. Do you two think that you can handle that?"

    Sarabi looked fearful as she nodded while Authrua nodded vigorously. "We'll be the best hunters that you've ever seen, Marfia. Just watch us!"

    Mufasa clambered behind them and whispered something in Sarabi's ear. Sarabi reared on her hind legs and cuffed one of his ears before the two of them bounded forward.

    Bitterness rose in Taka. I can be of use too! Why isn't anyone asking me to help?!           
    He forced down a sigh as he padded after everyone. He crawled over to his nest and leaped into it. He settled down as far away from his family as possible. He rested his head on his paws and sighed heavily once more. I'll show you. I'll show you all!