Lion King - Lost Heir

The Hairless Monkeys

Nala

A few weeks later

Kovu's mane flies around his head like a halo, his green eyes trained on the gathered crowd of the ever-growing pride.

"After the birth of Kuua, Kuishi and Swala, I announce that due to pressure on the medical lionesses, we do not intend for any cubs to be born this year. It is recomended that any males in the pridelands at this time move temporarily to the jungle."

All eyes swivell to Askari. I can see he means no harm, after saving me from the hyenas, I have a newfound respect for this mysterious male in desperate need for a pride, after being raised so cruely be hyenas in the outlands.

Kovu continues, "Any males fathering cubs this year will be exiled."

The room goes so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

"And females will be required to raise their cub or cubs outside the pridelands, they may only return when the cubs are fully grown, preferably one year of age." (Around twenty human years)

A few minutes later

As I rest at the opening of the cave, I see Askari and Mpenzi sitting in a small patch of shade. That's a very very very bad idea, what does this Askari want? To be exiled to the outlands and go right back to square one?

I look closer, maybe I'm just imagining things I think.

But no, there they are, at the peak of mating season, sitting with their tails entwined and their flanks pressed against each other.

I don't think they notice me, so I creep closer to watch.

I smile to myself as I get closer and closer, till I notice something else standing on the horizon. Another lion maybe, no it's too tall to be a lion. I settle on monkey : hairless monkey.

Abandoning my plan, I walk closer to the monkey instead. It is a pale peachy colour, with a brown tuft of hair atop its head ; it stands comfortably on its hind legs, and its hind paws are encased in some kind of foreign material.

I walk up to the creature, ready to tell it to move on, that this is no place for some rogue monkey.As I get closer the monkey  raises a small silver box, pointing it in my direction ; he presses down on the top and a click emits from the box, followed by a brigh flash of light.

I growl, and walk slowly, hackles raised, towards the monkey. It seems totally unafraid and confident. How disrespectful of a Queen!

Stepping back slightly, the monkey lifts a weird stick made of wood and a weird silver material like the other box was made of. I politely tell it to leave now, yet it doesn't flinch. I get ready to pounce, when I feel two paws on my side, pushing me to my left and knocking me over onto my side, out of the way of the monkey.

I hear an ear-spliitting bang before I stand up, to find the monkey fleeing.

Weird....

I turn to look at my hero, to see my gran-daughter Swala licking dust off her colourless paws and cleaning her muzzle.

She notices me looking and smiles. She's two months old now, and even more beautiful than when I last saw her. I

I smile back, "Well, thanks for......" That stumps me. What did she save me from? A noisy bang? A wooden stick?

"What was that for!?" I turn on her, anger building inside me.

She backs away, "I Just had a bad feeling about that......thing....."

"Swala! What have I told you about 'Just feeling something' and going in thinking you're going to the rescue!?"

She shrinks back inside herself, yet she does not cry, she stares right back into my eyes defiantly, unscathed by my remarks.

"If you want to talk about magic and spirits and fairyland, go to Rafiki!"

With that I stalk back to pride rock, leaving Swala alone in the open grasslands.