pride | the lion king

Ch. 3

Years had passed since the death of the queen, and life moved on. Mohatu, although he had never recovered from his grief, learned to move forward and raised his daughter with kindness and compassion.

"Uru!"

The young lioness looked up to see her father standing before her, an expectant eyebrow raised. Uru smiled sweetly, standing to face him. "Good afternoon, Daddy."

Mohatu sighed. "What am I going to do with you?"

Uru's smile widened. "Let me out on my own for once?" She suggested seriously.

"You know I cannot do that," Mohatu cried with another long sigh. "Now come, dear. We must go see King Moyo and Prince Ahadi at the border. We are already late."

Uru rolled her eyes and followed after him, waving to animals and fellow pride members as they went.

The Pride Lands were going through a time of great peace. Despite the deadly drought that seemed to plague the entire region, thanks to her father's careful negotiations with the other herds and neighboring prides, the Pride Lands was able to remain green and full of life. Many outside herds had taken refuge there, and the prides' bellies were full. There seemed to be a balance— although Uru was stunned as to how it was possible with all the mouths to feed.

"Here we are," her father said, breaking the young princess from her thoughts. She looked up to see King Moyo and Prince Ahadi, the identical neighboring royals, standing between two large trees that marked part of the border. Immediately, Ahadi's bright green eyes met Uru's ruby red ones and he smiled.

"Afternoon, Mohatu - and the lovely Princess Uru," King Moyo greeted, bowing gracefully. Well, as gracefully as a lion his stature could.

"And to you too King Moyo and Prince Ahadi," Mohatu returned.

"So, what brings us together this fine afternoon, father?" Ahadi asked curiously.

"We just wanted to discuss a few things with you both," Mohatu explained, looking between them.

"What?" Uru questioned, eyebrows furrowing together at the change in her father's tone. "I thought this was a meeting to discuss political matters."

"It is," Mohatu said, "just..."

"We have noticed how close the two of you have become over the years. Perhaps not always the best of friends, but a good team indeed," Moyo explained, "and we have decided that you will wed."

"WHAT?!" Ahadi and Uru yelled in unison.

"I can't marry her, she's so much younger than me!" Ahadi said, gesturing to Uru with his paw.

"Yeah, that'll be too weird!" Uru adds. "Besides, Ahadi hates cricket choirs!"

"All they do is buzz in your ears! And you're one to talk! You've never taken down your own kill!"

"At least I can swim. Have your seen your flailing arms in the waterhole?"

"Well sorry to burst your bubbles but you two are going to have to!" Moyo interrupted, his tone firm, and caused a tense silence as the two glared at one another.

Mohatu is the one to break it. He sighed defeatedly. "You two will be ruling both the Desert Lands and the Pride Lands. It will be a lot of work," he said carefully.

Her anger boiling over, Uru ignored him and gave her allies a short bow. "Have a good afternoon King Moyo and Prince Ahadi," she said sharply before turning to begin the long journey back to Pride Rock, leaving my father behind.

She had barely made in ten paces before her father caught up to her. "Uru! That was rude! I haven't raised you as such!"

"Well forgive my reaction to being sold as a political piece," she grumbled.