Brothers Before Blood (Lion King Mufasa Fanfiction)

Chapter 22: Sneaking Around

Mufasa felt the wind rush through his fur as he charged forward. His dug his claws into the ground to stop himself from falling over on the wet ground that slightly squelched under his paws. He breathed heavily through his mouth until he felt it start to burn. He plastered his ears against his head and willed himself to find Taka before Taka completed whatever he was doing.

"Taka," Mufasa roared.

Mufasa finally skidded to a halt at the border of the Outlands. He opened his mouth to taste the air. Taka's scent swamped into his mouth as well as hyenas and other creatures that he had never come into contact before. He shook out his pelt as he crept forward with his ears shoved forward.

"Taka," he called again, his voice echoing through the entire area around him.

He lowered into a crouch and continued to creep forward. His paws immediately met dusty ground and the smoke that rose up from smoldering ash almost choked him. He tensed his jaw to keep from coughing while his eyes slightly streamed. Taka's scent was instantly lost and he began to wander.

"Didn't I tell you that it would be easy?"

Mufasa froze when he heard his brother's voice. He struggled to swallow as he pricked his ears. He followed the sound of snickering and stopped at the entrance of a cave. He ducked behind a rock and stole a few glances before he pressed himself fully against the boulder to disguise himself.

"Hunting for prey during a thunderstorm wasn't what I had in mind," a female hyena snapped with her eyes slightly narrowed.

Taka let out a low growl. "I told you, Shenzi, it's a start .There's plenty more prey for you if you listen to me. Do you want to stay here for the rest of your life in the shadows, do you? Living in ash?"

Shenzi drew back as another male hyena took her place. "What other idea do you have," he questioned as he licked his slightly drooling lips. "I'm hungry out of my mind over here!"

"I'll be able to get some more prey available to you. There's just something I need in return," purred Taka silkily.

The last hyena, giggled loudly before the other male hyena growled at him. "And what you that be," Shenzi asked slowly.

Taka straightened and ran his tongue along his teeth. He leaned in to whisper to them and Mufasa couldn't catch what he said. Mufasa struggled not to growl as he drew backwards and narrowed his eyes ever so slightly. He forced himself to stay as still as possible, even when he felt termites crawling up his tail. He gritted his teeth firmly together with his eyes closed with each breath seeming to take everything out of him.

    After a few moments, Taka leaned back. Mufasa heard the hyenas laugh nervously and shuffle around him with their tail brushing against the ground. "Are you sure," the male hyena asked.

    "I'm more sure about this, Bonzi, than I have been about anything else in my life," Taka announced proudly. He leaped onto a slightly larger boulder and let out a proud roar. It wasn't nearly as powerful as Mufasa's, but it was a roar nonetheless. "Do you understand?"

    "We understand," Shenzi announced. Just then, Ed started to giggle once more and slightly roll on the ground. Shenzi rolled her eyes. "We mostly understand."

    "Then it is settled. Don't mess this up," Taka ordered as he turned to walk out of the den.

    With a burst of speed, Mufasa pelted from the cave. He ducked along the side of the cave and willed his amber colored pelt to just disappear. He pressed backwards until he felt something poke his eye. He swallowed a hiss before he turned and crept father and father into the ribcage that belonged, at one time, to an elephant. He disappeared in before he heard the sounds of pawsteps from his brother and the hyenas. He held his breath and willed them not to check for any scents.

    Taka wandered back toward the Pride Lands while the hyenas traveled deeper into the Outlands, speaking in hushed tones. The one that they called Ed started to giggle, but was quickly quieted by a growl from Shenzi. He crept closer to Bonzi as the three littermates disappeared.

    Mufasa pulled himself from the bones and shook termites from his fur. "Gross!" He stuck out his tongue before he recalled why he had actually come.

    Ahadi! I have to find Dad.

    With that be bounded out of the Outlands. He padded back toward Pride Rock when suddenly, everything went black.