Taka's Story

Chapter One

Taka had no idea where his father went. Queen Uru enjoyed bathing him at the very same time that this happens.

Once, Taka asked his father could he go with him but Ahadi told him that he was too small. And he was, but Mufasa was hardly a week older than he was now when he went. But Taka didn't dare argue with his father.

That wasn't all that Taka had noticed. Ahadi paid no attention to him at all, almost as if was never born. When the lionesses would return from their hunts, except for Uru, he'd give Mufasa the first share of the meats. Uru, on the other hand, would give Taka the scraps that her friends would bring back for her.

Taka never even bothered to ask why this was, and took no notion to.

The two brothers hadn't gone far at all when Taka started to get that same nervous feeling in his chest. "Uh, Taka. We should probably head back now."

Mufasa turned and shot a mean glare at his brother.

"You kidding?" Mufasa laughed. "We're only exploring."

"Yeah, but mom and dad will be worried." Taka argued. "We shouldn't be out on our own."

"We'll return before they even know we left." Mufasa insisted, pouncing on a stick.

Taka didn't find any use arguing with his older brother and began stalking a passing chameleon. He lowered his head down to his paws and mimicked the reptile's movements, unnoticed. But before he could even pounce on the helpless morsel, he received a heavy blow to the side that almost knocked the prince completely off balance.

Taka's paws felt weak as he struggled to get up from the heavy impact, to no avail.

"Ughhhhh..." Taka moaned. He'd expected it to be his brother Mufasa, but instead a larger creature with pointed ears, a long neck with thick gray mane and yellow eyes stared down at him.

The cub moved out of the way of the thick saliva that dripped from the creature's open mouth.

The animal let out a wicked laugh at that, shoving Taka away with one heavy paw and running it's tongue over it's large teeth hungrily.

Mufasa jumped in front of his brother, baring his teeth defensively as the beast loomed over them.

"What do you think you're doing on our turf?" The strange beast asked, stalking around the two frightened cubs. "Unless you want to become lunch."

"Your turf?" Mufasa asked, puffing out his chest with indignation. "My dad is the king and he told me these lands belonged to him."

"Except my turf, so I suggest you leave." The animal replied.

"Leave? You mean you aren't gonna eat us?" Taka asked, walking up to the creature questioningly.

"Uh, no? What do I look like?" The creature burst into laughter before adding, "I don't eat cubs. Lions don't even look appetizing."

She wrapped an outstretched fore paw around the two cubs, pulling them closer to her and she lowered her head so that she was down to their level.

Mufasa tried to break free from her strong grasp, but could not.

"What's y'all names?" The beast asked.

"Taka, and this is my brother Mufasa. Who are you, if you don't mind us asking?" Taka asked annoyedly.

"And what are you?" Mufasa added.

"I'm a hyena." The hyena replied. "My name's Shenzi."

After looking at Shenzi a second time, he could see that she was only on the brink of adolescence, and not even twice as big as he was.

"Well, look Shenzi, we should get going." Mufasa said, as if reading Taka's thoughts.

"Yeah, you should. I wouldn't want my brothers to see you." Shenzi urged the two away with her snout, and the two of them took off towards the big pointed rock.

It wasn't long at all when the two could see the outline of a lion standing on the peak. Taka's tail drooped. Now he wished that he never listened to his brother.

Ahadi made his way down the stones swiftly, and landed right in front of the brothers. "Taka, I am very disappointed in what you've done."

Taka sat with his head lowered to his paws.

"Go to the cave and think about what you've done," Ahadi said sternly.

Taka shrunk innocently below Ahadi's wrath. He never seen his father so angry with him before, and this was his first time causing trouble. Ahadi never seemed to get angry for all of Mufasa's wrong doings, though.

Then Ahadi added, addressing Mufasa with a softer tone, "as for you, Mufasa, come with me. There is a new part of the border that I would like to show you."

Taka stayed where he was. He turned his head and watched Ahadi and Mufasa pad away, laughing and talking as if Mufasa had done nothing wrong.

Taka couldn't understand it. Ahadi must have thought it was all of his fault when it had been his brother who persuaded him to leave the cave. But it was too late to tell him that now. Ahadi was already disappearing over the hills with Mufasa by his side.

He could feel a bitterness in his chest as he heaved himself up the stone steps and into the cave. The lionesses were already awakening, some were chitchatting while others were preparing to leave for the hunting patrol.

Uru was still asleep, but lifted her head as Taka padded up to her with tears in his eyes.

"What's the matter love?" Uru asked, reflecting the sadness on her son's face.

"Well, it-it's just, dad never wants to spend time with me anymore." Taka huffed frustratedly, struggling to hold back the tears. "He treats me differently from Mufasa.."

Uru had a look of understanding on her face. She rose to her paws and positioned herself so that she was facing the troubled Taka.

"I don't think he likes me very much." Taka almost choked the words out, and could feel his chest sink.

"Taka.." Uru began, tilting Taka's head up with her paw so that he met her gaze. She could see the tears building up in her son's eyes, and it broke her heart to see him so upset.

Taka sniffled as she moved him closer to her fore leg with her forepaw. He buried his face into his mother's arm, and she drew a tongue over his crown, flattening his tuft backward a bit before continuing.

"You must understand that your father cares for you."

She embraced him with one paw and nuzzled him lovingly before dismissing him to go play.