Lion King - Lost Heir

Injuries

Askari

I hear screams in the distance.

I freeze, then run toward the screams and high pitched cackles of hyenas.

As I near the mayhem, I see all the hyenas swarming around a lioness, she's older than me, and less agile, so the hyenas are teasing her, ready to pounce forward and take out chunks of her flesh at any given moment.

I pounce roaring into the centre of the swarm, and throw hyenas left and right, off the lioness. After a closer look, I see that the lioness is Queen Nala, struggling to keep the blood thirsty beasts off her sides

I roar in desperation, and Kovu and the lionesses come running towards me and Nala. I finally take the chance to breathe out, as the hyenas retreat whimpering back to the outlands once again.

I stare at them running, only days ago I would gave been running with them, back to my 'home'.

For a split second I don't realise Mpenzi standing beside me, surveying my wounds.

"Mpenzi?"

She grins at me.

"I can't believe you just did that Skari."

I smile sadly at the nickname she gave me, then turn around to limp back. Somehow I managed to come out injured ten times as badly as Nala.

As I arrive at Pride Rock, I collapse in a heap, my flanks heaving with the effort.

Mpenzi sits down beside me, studying my injuries.

"What's the diagnosis doc?" I joke.

She smiles, " this may hurt ok?"

"What's 'this'."

She doesn't say anything, just leans down, taking a closer look. Then the unexpected happpens: she starts licking my wounds with her rough, sandpapery tongue. I sigh, relaxing at her touch.

"If you're wondering why I'm cleaning your wounds," she begins. "I want to be a med lion."

"Really?" I raise my eyebrows at her.

"Sshh. Let me concentrate."

I laugh at her, but lie down still again.

She moves slowly up my sides, thoughroughly  cleaning every bite and scratch. When she reaches my neck, I can sense she becomes tense.

"Hey Mpenzi, chill, I'm not going to leap out and bite you."

"I know I know." She blushes bright red. She licks my neck and head tenderly, leaving my muzzle till last: one of the hyena' s claws ripped through the left side of my nose, leaving me with an ugly scar dripping with deep red blood.

Mpenzi sighs, stepping back to admire her handiwork.

" Can you do your nose?" she asks, sighing.

I roll my eyes, but lick my nose myself,the blood tasting of iron on my tongue.