[1st POV]
(1 week after the battle)
The humans were of immense help to me this time around. The infections and the diseases seemed to be exactly what was wrong with my body. After they cleaned my wounds and gave me the shot, I felt better immediately the next few days.
They really boosted my recovery speed. Had it not been for them, who knew, it could have been a month before I fully recovered. With the imminent next battle, I might've been cooked.
I truly appreciated them for what they did. Perhaps I had treated them too harshly before.
Now, a week after the battle, I was almost completely healed. I would say I was maybe 90% fully recovered.
It's about time I looked into my next course of action.
"Grim," I called out after dismounting from a satisfied female.
Post-nut clarity was the best time to plan; don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Sometimes the truth is not comfortable, but it is still the truth.
"My Lord?" Grim came forward immediately.
"Take a walk with me," I said and began crossing the pile of bodies that sprawled on the open savannah.
Grim followed me with his awkward hopping while I moved a bit further away from the pride. I did not want to disturb their beauty sleep. They needed to conserve as much strength as possible for what was going to happen next.
It was why I didn't even train them. I just let them give in to their instincts and laze around all day every day.
"I have a mission for you," I said and sat down. Both of us were a bit distant away from the rest of the pride.
"You can ask me for anything," was his crisp reply.
I showed a smile. Grim has always been with me from day one. It could not be put into words how much I appreciated his companionship.
"The hyenas never scattered again after the battle. They remained as a group near the Priderocks and are eating their own to fill their hunger. The last two days, you reported that there were no holes in their formation that we could take advantage of. So it's safe to assume that they are being led once more, they are now controlled by Scar," I said, recounting the reports he and the other vultures have given me.
Grim nodded, "That seems to be the truth."
"That makes them more dangerous than ever, even if they were reduced to less than half of what they were," I said. A wielded knife was more dangerous than a sword.
"But Scar, in all his arrogance, still seems to think that he is the only one with brains around here," I said and grinned, "And that he is the only one willing to play dirty."
This time, Grim laughed. Our thoughts went in the same direction. The way I bullied the Mbali brothers to assure a swift victory and how I used every little dirty trick possible on them.
"Scar controlled the hyenas through fear and reward," I said, recalling parts of the animated movie and what I had seen firsthand.
"But who do you think they fear more, me or him?" I asked while turning to him, "And what is a better reward for the living than life?"
Grim tilted his head, not really understanding what I was getting at. What seemed like child's play to me was not so easy to get for the animals.
"So here's what I want you to do...." I said and gave the task I had in my mind.
Knowing Scar and understanding his thought process, he was probably trying to take advantage of the only weakness we had. I was not blind, I was in the battle when it happened. I saw how our formation crumbled when one hyena got a hold of Tala.
The whole pride was so close to each other that it could prove to be a glaring weakness. I realized that immediately when it happened.
And the controlled force of his army would be better for targeting a single lion. Although not stronger, they are much more lethal indeed. His plan would be to take us out one by one, aiming to destroy our formation and take advantage of the bond we have.
But here's where Scar would get it wrong. That bond and that love were not a weakness. There's a saying.
A house divided can't stand.
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I gave Grim his mission and explained to him in detail what I was trying to do. He did not understand it at first but after a bit of patience, he saw the importance of his role and how vital it would be for the next battle.
I wanted to crush Scar in every sense of the word. Not just in physical combat but also in terms of armies and tactics.
I did not return to the pride after that. They could continue resting but I had other things in mind. After watching Grim fly away and into the Pridelands, I turned and headed deeper into the forest.
It was not really a forest. The region had become even drier since we came here. There had only been light morning rains and nothing else. The trees were there, the grasses were also there, but they were the color of mean yellow. There was barely any lush green to be found.
The last time we ate was four days ago. And since we barely had any activity, no one was really full. But I kept it in mind to search for any possible prey while I was wandering through the region.
I did not go too far away from the pride. After walking for a few kilometres, I turned at a right angle and circled back to the pride again, drawing a circle with my path.
The slow walk did much to my recovering body. I was feeling every muscle on me, assessing their condition while also stretching them. I encountered a few animals as well, some warthogs that were digging the ground, a few antelopes that ran immediately before I saw them but I still smelled them.
I would not approach the enemies with the naivety I did previously. Although I suffered no consequences, the last battle taught me much. I thought about such things while walking, simulating things in my mind and comparing how different it might be now that Scar had full control of the hyenas.
But as I was on a peaceful walk, I began sensing presence around me. It was subtle at first, like a small paranoia that wouldn't disappear from my head.
But when the wind eventually blew just right, I caught the scent of others.
I paused.
I growled.
I knew that scent.
"Rafiki," I called out and turned my head.
And from atop a tree that was a good distance away from me, a face popped out. It was a colourful face that could not be mistaken even at such a distance and with my bad eyesight.
"Noticed me again!!" he said like he lost a game only he was playing.
He jumped down from the tree and ran towards me. I slowly turned my body to face him. While I was contemplating what kind of impression I would make, the old monkey had already reached me.
"Long time no see my king," Rafiki said when he reached me. He gave me an exaggerated bow while he said that.
On the other hand, I was left confused. I even forgot what kind of tone I was planning to use with him.
"King?" I repeated dumbly.
"Oh, didn't I tell you before?" he said and blinked, now he was confused.
"What? You didn't tell me anything. You cheered after I took down the giraffe and just left and disappeared for almost a week," I said.
Rafiki laughed when I accused him. It was not like a laugh in the middle of a conversation but a full-blown laughter you would expect after saying the funniest joke of the century.
"My apologies, your subject has some eccentric behaviour that you must excuse," he said, this time he added a humble smile.
I looked the monkey up and down and noticed that he had his iconic staff with him this time. My eyes lingered on that for a few seconds before I turned back to his eyes.
But when I saw his face again, his humble smile had disappeared into something even softer. He was looking at me with a slight smile, reminiscent of a grandfather's love.
"So cautious and on guard. It seems you never have someone you can trust," he said suddenly.
I blinked, processing his words before I scoffed, "Well, it's clear you are not all knowing because I have people I trust with me."
"Yeah? I'm glad things are changing for you," he said with a nod. "And even if you are lying, it's the truth now, for I have decided to come after you with all my worth."
"I was skeptical at first, thinking that you are a flaw in the perfect plan of fate. But you have proven me wrong. I have observed you for far longer than you realized, and the talk we had a few days ago finally affirmed my belief," he said.
"Fated or not, I believe in my heart that you are just as capable if not more, to restore the Pridelands and lead it into a better future," he said and knelt in front of me, "The lion who jumps for every step fate takes," he said, this one in a lowered tone that only he could hear.
I just stood there, my posture instinctively fixing when I had someone kneeling in front of me.
"I think this is something that should be discussed first before you disappear so suddenly," I said, still. It was weird to have someone submit to me like that, whatever I had so far I had earned. So this felt odd, and whether in a good way or a bad way I still cannot decide.
"Again, forgive this old monkey. I was too excited to be of use that I even forgot to pledge myself first. But if you will, accept these as a show of apology," he said and then whistled with his finger in his mouth.
And right then, the presence which I felt before began moving in waves. My instincts were true because they had surrounded me completely. They appeared from the trees, four or five on each.
They jumped down from the trees just like Rafiki did and they began gathering behind the old monkey. I watched it all with eyes that did not know how to react.
By the end, more than 50 mandrills had gathered behind him.
"These are my family, and together we want to help you in every way possible in taking the Pridelands from the clutches of Scar," he said.
His family? Damn.
I guess Rafiki was an alpha male during his prime and had all the females to himself.
I didn't know why but that earned respect from me.
"My king, do we have your permission to serve you?" he asked and all of them bent a knee for me.
At that point, I couldn't help a grin from splitting my face.
I turned towards the sky and released a roar. It was loud, tearing and authoritative. It echoed through the region and reached until the very end.
That was a yes.
Poor Scar, he has absolutely no idea what's coming for him.
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Author : Next week, I think we would be able to finish the war.