By the time Taka awoke, he noticed that half of the pride was missing. He opened his mouth to taste the air before he rose to his paws. He tensed his shoulders when he looked around and saw his brother laying where Sarabi had been laying earlier. The lioness had left on an early morning hunting excursion.
He rose to his paws and shook out his growing mane. He felt raw rage as he headed toward the entrance of the den. He looked around desperately before he headed down Pride Rock. He instantly stopped when he saw the flickering of brightly colored skin.
He bared his teeth as he forced himself forward. The snake instantly stiffened and tried to slither away. However, Taka was faster. He thrust out a paw and clamped it down on the snake's body. The snake's body twisted as it let out a harsh hiss, it's fangs bared.
"Don't even try," Taka whispered dangerously.
The snake continued to struggle under Taka," Let me go," she snake spat with it's mouth struggling to open.
"Then answer me one things, why didn't you kill Mufasa after I told you to," he questioned with a quick glance around to make sure that no one was around to witness it.
"That baboon talked to me. That wasn't what I really wanted. I want a full light and if I would've bit him, then he wouldn't have a long life. I'd be killed on the spot," the snake gasped, it's tongue flicking out of his mouth with each word.
Taka rolled his eyes. He felt his claws extend subconsciously. "Yeah, I completely understand that." He felt his mouth water before he rushed forward. His teeth sunk into the snake's body while his claws pinned down his body so that he couldn't fight against it.
The snake hissed and lashed at it's tail. Taka only sunk his teeth in further, savoring the succulent taste that flooded his mouth. He managed to sink them in all the way until his teeth grinned against his own teeth. He shook his head heavily and was able to tear at the flesh. The snake let out one more hiss before his body went completely limp. It's mouth opened partially as a stream of blood flowed from his open mouth. He eventually released the snake and it fell at Taka's paws. He licked his lips clean of the salty liquid before he reached down and picked up the snake once more. He proudly carried it up to Pride Rock while struggling not to trample on it.
"Taka, what is that," gasped Saourown from where she sat beside Lilvina. A growl rolled in her throat while Lilvina glared at Taka furiously.
Taka beamed as he set the mass of skin and muscle down on the ground. "It's prey," he answered with a hopeful grin. "It's something to fill our stomachs."
Lilvina looked at the prey questioningly. She drew back and shook her head. "Catching snakes is a bad omen. They don't just one up to you and brining them down is more dangerous than they're worth."
Taka scowled. He lowered his head and started to nose the snake around. "Fine, then I'll eat it," he announced. He was just about to take a bit when he heard a roar.
"No!"
Taka suddenly stumbled back as Abaku surged forward. His ears shoved forward as he started to walk around the snake questioningly. He then stretched out a paw and rested it against the snake's skin. He darted back and straightened, shaking his head gravely. "This is a bad omen, Taka."
"Omen? I just wanted to eat it," Taka complained. The growling in his stomach reminded him just how hungry he really was.
Abaku scoffed in shock. He reluctantly leaned down and picked up the snake gingerly. His teeth touched it, but he pulled his lips back so that he was touching it as least as possible. He threw it over the edge of Pride Rock and shuddered. He whirled around to face Taka. "We don't eat snakes! It's a sign from above of trouble to come."
"Whatever," Taka spat with a furious lash of his tail. He picked his way back down from Pride Rock. No way I'm staying around those ungenerous creatures! No way! I'll find someone who actually appreciates what I do and that I'm trying to help!
He forced his way through the territory. He caught sight of numerous lionesses prowling around in search for prey. He caused sight of Sarabi with her muscles tensed, ready to spring. Taka caught himself staring and instantly ripped his gaze away from him, mentally scolding himself for staring at her for so long.
Taka didn't realize that he was walking toward the Outlands until he was almost on top of the border. He sniffed the air before he lifted a paw and rested it across the border. He continued forward with his eyes slightly narrowed. He heard snickering and the nervous chattering that could only come from hyenas.
He padded across the border and tried to creep toward Geyra and Mundo's den. I wonder how old Shenzi, Bonzi, and Ed are doing. I'd really like to see them again, especially because it was partly my fault.
He continued forward with his gaze settled forward. His ears twitched heavily as well as his nose as he detected the scents. He was almost to the cave when something slammed into him. He fell flat on his side with the wind knocked out of him. He gagged a bit as he tried to right himself. He glanced up in time to find Shenzi with a paw to his throat. Her teeth were bared and Taka struggled underneath her when Bonzi and Ed flanked around him.
"Shenzi, it's me. It's Taka," Taka gasped.
Shenzi growled deeper. "I know who you are. You think that I could forget the day that my father died," she seethed intently. He claws sunk into his throat and Taka struggled for breath.
Bonzi padded forward and slightly nudged Shenzi aside. "Hear him out. He couldn't hurt an ant if it walked right up to him," he sniggered.
Shenzi reluctantly leaped off of him and growled. She stood by Ed as Taka rose to his paws. "That wasn't my fault, what happened to your father! It was Ahadi and Mufasa."
"The king and prince," echoed Bonzi with a shake of his head. "We're supposed to believe you?"
"Even if we believe that you didn't tell them about us, we can't just go after a lion, a king," pointed out Shenzi as she looked at Ed. "Right, Ed?"
Ed shook his head vigorously, his tongue slightly hanging from his mouth. Taka looked away from him as he let out a growl. "It's them that you want to attack for the death of your father."
The hyenas clustered together with their tails flicking and flanks shaking out periodically. "We couldn't attack a lion even if we wanted to," rasped Shenzi with a bit more fear in her gaze. "Besides, we're starving over here. It won't be long before we end up like our mother."
"Geyra! She's-"
"Yeah, she's dead," reported Bonzi with no emotion in his voice. "The famine and drought did this to us."
"It killed one of my best friends," Taka blurted as he took a step toward them cautiously. "She died from starvation from the Hunger Sickness. There was nothing that our healer could do. But, if we took care of Ahadi and Mufasa, then there would be more food to go around and the border would be unprotected. You would be able to move into the Pride Lands whenever you please."
Shenzi shook her head. "If he would die on his own, then we would be in. We don't work with lions anymore," she grumbled as she clustered closer to her brothers. She pressed her nose to Ed's cheek while Bonzi stood beside his littermates.
"Alright, I'll go," Taka announced as he cast one more glance at them. But, I'll be back and one day you'll thank me for what I will do.