literature

Fall to Hatred part 1

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Literature Text

    Zira opened her eyes, drifting out of her dreams and into the waking world. The little tan cub was lying in the cave, curled up next to her sister, Vunja. She smiled, her whole body tensed with excitement. Today was the day! Her father, Nyeusi, had promised to show her around the territory.
    Zira jumped to her paws, hitting Vunja by accident. "Ow!" The little gray cub cried out, glaring at her sister with narrow eyes. "Watch it!"
    Zira laughed. "Sorry sis." She could see the rest of the pride stirring around them. Kuuma was snoring next to her sisters. Nyeusi and Shari were lying side by side a few paces away. Uru was sleeping alone; Ahadi must have already gone to check the borders. Taka and Mufasa were curled up side by side, not far from their mother. The rest of the pride was huddled together in one large mass of lions.
    Zira bounded across the cave, taking care not to step on anybody. She skidded to a halt in front of her father. "Daddy, wake up!" She mewed excitedly. The king shifted slightly, letting out a soft growl. Zira padded over to his head and placed her front paws on his nose, staring into his closed eyes. "Wake up, Daddy! You promised to take me on a tour of the territory! C'mon!" 
    Nyeusi's eyelids fluttered open, and the king lifted his head, looking down at his daughter with sleepy eyes. "Good morning Zira." He split his jaws open in a huge yawn, his long pink tongue unrolling to rest between his fangs. "Are you ready to go?"
    Zira nodded, her paws shuffling with excitement. "Of course!"
    Nyeusi smiled. "Then let's go." He got his paws and began walking out of the cave. Zira followed him, forcing herself not to take off running.
    Nyeusi led Zira through the tall grass surrounding Pride Rock and towards the river. "That river is the edge of our territory. The land beyond there is mainy inhabbited by hyenas." The king told his daughter. "The hyenas were driven out of the Pride Lands some years ago by your grandfather, Mohatu." A sad look came into his eyes when he mentioned his father.
    The king led Zira to a long, winding dip in the ground. Looking down into it made the cub's head spin. Nyeusi told her, "This is the gourge. One it was a great river, geeting deeper as the water ate into the ground. But on year came a terrible drought. The hot sun made the water dry up. It never returned."
    Zira frowned. "Why didn't the water come back?"
    Nyeusi smiled and answered, "The water came from a lake many miles away. The lake had dried up in the heat of the sun."
    The little princess asked, "What happened to the animals that lived near the river? Did they die?"
    Nyeusi opened his jaws to answer, but was interrupted by a distant snarl. He paused. The snarl came again, followed by several other snarls, the sound building.
    The king turned to Zira and told her, "Follow me, and keep quiet." He started off towards the snarls. Ducking her head, the cub followed her father.
    The snarls got louder as they got closer. It sounder like thunder to Zira's young ears. They finally reached the source of it; a group of scraggly hyenas were fighting over a dead wildebeast. Zira shrank back in fear. They were so huge!
    Nyeusi whispered, "Zira, we've got to go and report this to the lio-" Before he could finish, one of the hyenas lifted his head, sniffing the air. He turned and saw the king. "There's a llion there!" he yelped to the rest of the pack. They quickly followed their packmate's gaze to see Nyeusi. Their hackles began to raise ominously, growls rumbling in their throats.
    Nyeusi quickly stood up, blocking his daughter from the hyena's view. "What are you doing on my territory?" He asked coldly. "You were banished years ago."
    One hyena stepped forward. "You're not our king. We don't have to answer to you." He stared straight into the kings eyes, calm and bold.
    Nyeusi glared at the hyena. "Your father agreed not to cross our borders, Jasiri. As the leader of your pack, you have inherited that promise." His pale brown eyes narrowed threateningly. "Cross my borders again and you will suffer the consequences."
    Jasiri's packmates whimpered in the face of the King's anger. Jasiri himself simply stared into Nyeusi's eyes without a trace of fear. "So be it." The hyena said softly. He lifted his tail, which seemed to be a signal of some kind, for the rest of his pack sprang at the king, as did Jasiri himself. Nyeusi fought furiously, but there were too many of them. 
    Zira cried out in fear, "Daddy!" She abandoned her hiding place and raced towards her father.
    Nyeusi looked at his daughter for a moment. "No! Go get help!" Zira hesitated. "Go now!" Nyeusi roared as he bowled over a hyena with his paw. 
    Zira turned and ran like the wind. She heard Jasiri call out behind her, "Let her go, we gain nothing in killing a cub." After that, the sounds of the battle faded behind her. She kept running, fear lending her energy.
    She suddenly saw a group of lionesses in front of her. A hunting party! A lioness named Imari was at the head. She looked down at Zira curiously as the cub slid to a halt in front of her. "What's wrong Zira?" She asked.
    Between pants, Zira told her what had happened. "He needs help!" She cried, mentally begging the lioness to hurry.
    Imara's eyes were tinted with fear. "Let's go!" She grabbed Zira by the scruff of her neck and took off, the other lionesses following her. The followed Zira's scent all the way back to the scene of the battle.
    Zira let out a cry of grief. The hyenas stood over a motionless Nyeusi. Jasiri looked up when the lionesses appeared. "This battle is over. We got what we came for." Before the lionesses could react, the hyenas took off, leaving Nyeusi lying on the ground.
    Zira wriggles free of Imara's grasp and hurried to her father's side. "Daddy, wake up! C'mon Daddy, we have to go home!" She rubbed against his cold cheek. "Don't leave me." She whispered.
    Imara cane to stand next to the grieving princess. "I'm so sorry Zira, but he's gone. The King is dead."
Poor Zira! She and Simba are more alike then they think.
© 2010 - 2024 Jayie-The-Hufflepuff
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Damn, that was quick and shattering.