The Lion King: The Rightful King

Plans

Dawn has arrived as the sun slowly rised from the horizon and the light touched the peak of Pride Rock. Pride Rock faces the second day of loss. The day wasn't as bright and cheery like the previous days and everybody knew it, with one exception.

Nala stepped out of their den and walked near the edge of Pride Rock to get a glimpse of her home. It was unusual to her that she had woken up first. Usually it was her mate Simba that beats her to it. The thought made her frown, she knew that today won't be great, and probably to the following days. It would take her time to adjust to her new reality, but even then if she had already moved on, her life won't be the same. Nevertheless she had to face it, there was no other choice. It was early in the morning and she's already filled with rage. But soon after she calmed down.

Nala then decided to calm his thoughts. She took a deep breath, inhaling the fresh air from the morning breeze. It calmed her down. She was anticipating for Zazu to arrive and have the morning report as usual but she realizes that he was absent for a few days. She then decided to go to the waterhole to get a drink.

She got down from Pride Rock and headed to the waterhole. The waterhole was clear, nothing but the water and herself. The landscape reflecting off the water, the calm wind accompanied by the savannah's ambience, all of it were serene.

As Nala drank the water, Makosa came up and had a drink for himself as well. Nala quickly perked up her head as Makosa drank. She found it disgusting to drink so close to another animal, and what's even worse is that the other animal is the one she hated the most.

"Good morning." Makosa started after drinking.

"What's so good about today's morning?" Nala replied dryly.

There was a short brief of silence.

"Calming weather today, don't you think?" Makosa asked.

"If you're just here to make me like you forget about it." Nala presumed.

"I wasn't really aiming for that. I just wanna talk."

Nala remained silent.

"The Pridelands is the largest territory among the other prides, correct?" Makosa asked.

"Yes."

"Wouldn't you want to expand your territory?"

"No. The land beyond our borders belong to our neighboring prides. Besides, our home already provides everything we need."

"You have the numbers to take the other prides head on and your territory covers almost the entire savannah. My question is why do you limit too much of your power?"

"It isn't about power, it's about the peace we gained and boundaries of other prides. We don't make their rules."

"Unless we take them over." Makosa added.

"What are you up to?"

Nala was suspicious of his intentions.

"Trust me. The expansion is for the better."

"How is genocide for the better?!"

"Woah, we're not gonna kill anyone. We're just taking their land." Makosa digressed.

"So your point is you want to start an act of war to our neighboring prides? I don't see the point of it being any better."

"Your so called "peace" is nothing when one of them becomes a traitor. I have lived through it, you think you're doing the right decision to make peace with the other prides, but they'll soon bite you in the back!"

"My family died through their mistakes of making peace with other prides. Ruling them is just making sure that they respect and fear you."

"You're insane!"

"Just like I said, it's for the better."

Makosa sounded serious when he said all of that, a hint of determination was heard, it is as if nothing can stop him from achieving his goal. Nala couldn't say anything. It was clear to her that Makosa taking their land was only the beginning. She knew that his intentions were terrible and far worse than anything that Scar had made.

She walked away to escape him. It worried her that Makosa's intentions could risk their lives entirely as some of their neighboring prides consider murder when it comes to conflict.

Meanwhile, back at Rafiki's tree, the sun had recently risen and the light shined on Simba's face. He twitched his eyes, forcing him to wake up. He took a look at his surroundings, Rafiki's boabab tree stood infront of him as the usual. Timon and Pumbaa are apparently still under. He notices that Kovu had disappeared and Rafiki was nowhere to be seen as well. Simba tried to stand up but failed to do so.

"I guess I'll be sitting here all day." He thought.

Moments later he heard distant footsteps. It was Kovu coming back from his hunt with a spare zebra leg clenched in his jaws.

"Oh hey, good morning." Kovu greeted with a slight muffled tone and offered the leg to Simba.

"Thank you." Simba thanked and smiled warmly.

"I thought of bringing you something to eat."

Kovu lied down right next to Simba and took a deep sigh.

"So we're just gonna play the waiting game right?" Kovu asked.

"Apparently so. It won't take long though, only one or two weeks and I'll be up and running again." Simba answered.

"I told you I should've fought him."

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have let my emotions get the better of me."

"It's alright, you did what you could. Since now you got a second chance you can probably take him head on." Kovu positively replied.

"I'd probably need a third one." He jokingly said.

"You probably won't." Kovu laughed.

There was brief silence between them for a moment.

"So once you step down, what'll you do once I'm king?" Kovu asked.

"Well, I'll be around when you need me. But I'd probably spend my time looking after your kids."

"Right, you'd like that wouldn't you."

"Yeah, telling them stories, giving them company, and teaching them a few things, you know like any grandfather would do."

"When you say it you sound like you're stealing them from us." Kovu joked.

Simba chuckled. "Well, beware we might completely take them from you." Simba joked as well and Kovu laughed.

The day was still young and even if they aren't in the best mood they conversed as if it was another normal day. Even if Simba had his injuries seeing Kovu laugh was something he always enjoyed. Kovu was in return giving Simba have the positive moods through their conversations and also from their own laughter. If Simba is happy so is Kovu, similar to a loving son supporting his father.

END OF CHAPTER