Brothers Before Blood (Lion King Mufasa Fanfiction)

Chapter 9: Vanished

    Mufasa lowered down a few tail-lengths from Taka. He bared his teeth in a snarl as he faced his brother. He started to stalk around with his tail slightly dragging. His muscles rippled as he prowled forward. He gingerly placed one paw down before he crossed his other front paw in front of it. His hind legs followed while his head lowered into his shoulders, body tensed, ready to spring.
   
    Taka stood rigid as he watched his brother's fluid movements. The way that he positioned himself and the way that he moved over the grass. He hardly made a sound as he set down each paw gingerly, managing to keep his body still and weight from swinging around. His eyes were fixed straight at him with his teeth bared.

    "Come on, Taka," chided Ahadi impatiently. "It doesn't help unless you're actually in a battle crouch."

    Taka shook his head to clear it and took heed of his father's words. He lowered down with his scrawny shoulders almost touching each other. He managed a tiny growl before he pinned his ears against his head and tried to look as fierce as he possibly could.

    Mufasa laughed as he leaped high into the air. Taka managed to scoot out of the way just in time, panting in the aftermath. He gasped in surprise before Mufasa spun around and thrust his hind leg against Taka's chest. Taka gasped in surprise as the air was knocked from him. He collapsed in a moment before Mufasa leaped back onto his shoulders and pinned him down.

    Amusement shone on Mufasa's face. "Come on, Taka. You need to at least try to fight back," complained Mufasa as he released his brother with a huff of contempt.
   
    Taka sat up and shook the dust from his fur. He snorted heavily before Ahadi drew forward. He bared his teeth. "Can't you fight like Mufasa?"

    "I'm not as big as him," argued Taka in a shrill tone.

    Ahadi narrowed her eyes and sighed heavily. "You can use your size to your advantage, Taka. You need to look fierce! Bare your teeth. Ripple your fur. Do something besides just stand there, waiting for an attack."

    "Sire!"

    Ahadi lifted his head in surprise when he heard the sound of a squawk. His head swiveled around before Zuzu came into view. She landed on the ground, breathing heavy.

    "What, Zuzu," asked Ahadi harshly.

    "It's the watering hole. You must come and see," she announced as she took flight without waiting for her leader to follow.

    Ahadi bunched his muscles before he pelted forward. Mufasa and Taka followed right behind quickly. They scurried after him as he led his way to the watering hole. As soon as they arrived, Ahadi growled as the animals started to split so that Ahadi could make his way through.

    Mufasa puffed out his chest and waltzed forward slowly, his paws trying to be as quiet as Ahadi. Taka rolled his eyes as he followed, almost shrunken to the ground. His eyes bore forward into his brother's fur while he looked at all of the different animals around them. Each of them appeared to glare at him as he passed and he forced himself not to duck under their scrutinizing gaze.

    Ahadi came to the edge of the watering hole. He lowered his head and surveyed the water. He glanced back at a boulder that usually marked where the water's edge was. Now, the water was tail lengths away from the border inward. The watering hole had shrunk to about a quarter of its normal size.

    "It's dried up," murmured Ahadi thoughtfully as he lifted his head with his eyes still narrowed. He turned to face the animals, that were murmuring worriedly about their situation.

    "The watering hole is drying up," pipped up an aardvark as he took a scurrying step forward. His long nose twitched in worry.

    "But, this is the only water in the Pride Lands," whimpered an African Wild Dog. Her eyes turned soft as she looked down to two pups playing at her paws. "How are we going to survive?!"

    More shouts rose up in terror. The animals started to cluster together with their own kinds and exchange fearful whispers with each other.
   
    "Enough," roared Ahadi.

    Silence fell over the animals. They turned their attention to the king, all murmuring vanquished in a moment.

    "I'm sure that the water will return. It's been dry lately, so the rain should return soon. There's no reason to worry," he reassured. "To preserve this water, it shall be used only for drinking. No bathing or hunting, understand?"

    There were a few nods and hard glanced. Ahadi straightened his head and sighed heavily. "Mufasa, Taka, let's go."

    Mufasa scurried forward and leaped a bit at is father's mane. "What about the water? Will it really return," he fretted with round eyes.

    Ahadi nuzzled Mufasa affectionately as he walked. "This has happened before. The rain will return. There's nothing to worry about, alright?"

    "Alright," murmured Mufasa darkly.

    Ahadi picked up the pace while Taka bounded after him, still bitter from the earlier fight.   
    Mufasa turned his head to the sky, despite the burnin sun that bore down on him. Please, Great Kings. Help the water return.