Lion King - Lost Heir

Dark Past

Askari

Leaning down, I lap up another mouthful of water. Waiting.

After receiving a note telling me to be at the waterhole this morning, I can feel my heart pounding.

Who wants me here? What are they?

I don't have the chance to think longer.

"Oh hello little Askari." The voice is followed by a high-pitched laugh that makes me shudder.

"What do you want, I can't stay long," I hiss.

"Oh but little one, we have plenty of time," the speaker is well hidden in the grass, though I recognise it to be a hyena, and a female.

"Well well well, we know a little about your past boy. This pride's rightful ruler you will find is not, that Kovu."

The last word is hissed in disgust.

"It is you," the hyena doesn't give me time to say anything, so I stay quiet and listen.

"Even Simba and Nala do not know of Mufasa and Sarabi's first daughter, Ini. It just turns out you were her youngest son. Oh, and yes I forgot, you had an older brother. Quite sadly, he was mauled by hunter's dogs. So much so, he passed that day."

"What was his name?"

But the voice does not answer, instead, I hear paw steps in the grass, and the speaker is gone.

I'm tempted to go back straight away, but I know no-one would believe a tale spun by a hyena, those vile beasts.

Instead, I will wait till tomorrow to tell Mpenzi, yet today I will tell Rafiki, maybe I can get some sense out of him at least.

A few minutes later

"I just, I don't know what's true any more and..."

Rafiki gestures for me to continue.

"I think the hyena speaks truth. I grew up with that possy, I know that the matriarch wouldn't lie to me, of all lions."

Rafiki nods.

"I tink you are correct-e. Well, according to Mufasa."

He smiles sadly, yet as I exit his tree he shouts out.

"You must wait for this Swala to become of age. When she is a year old..."

I hear his mischievous laugh, and no more is said.