[1st POV]
The journey took us 2 months.
Although it should've taken less, the pride was in no hurry like the last time we came here. With the young cubs among us, we had to adjust our speed to the slowest among us.
Food was a bit scarce while we travelled, since most of the lands were not as fertile as the Serengeti. But with the help of Grim and the dozen or so vultures that followed us, we were able to travel without starving.
When we reached the plateau, we entered through the dried-up river that worked as a tunnel. We climbed up slowly as I reminisced about the time I halted an army of hyenas in the cave.
...
"Wow,"
When we finally emerged from the cave/tunnel, the sight of the Pridelands took my breath away.
My pride, who were behind me, also couldn't help but gasp out loud when they took in the scene of paradise on earth.
I stood there silently.
For the first time in many years, I had nothing to say.
It was midday when we arrived. The sun was at its highest peak in the sky and everything was lit up perfectly, revealing the Pridelands in all its beauty.
The vast plains stretched endlessly before us, covered in a sea of green that swayed gently with the wind. The golden sunlight washed over the grasslands, making everything seem to glow.
We headed towards a small hill that gave a perfect view of the Pridelands. There, I stood along with my pride. All of us were mesmerised.
It was beautiful.
More beautiful than I remembered.
From my high point of view, I could see that the rivers had returned. I could see them winding through the plains like silver snakes, their waters sparkling beneath the sun. Small pools had formed around the riverbanks, surrounded by lush vegetation that had grown thick and wild during the years of abandonment.
Trees dotted the landscape.
Acacias stood proudly against the horizon, their flat canopies spreading wide beneath the blue sky. Other trees had grown in clusters around the water, creating patches of shade where animals could rest.
There were flowers too. Small ones and big ones. I could see them in their shining colour. Their decoration held a different kind of beauty when observed from afar and not up close.
The sight was truly significant. Especially when taking into account the wastelands we had crossed and the dry season we left behind.
After observing everything carefully, I finally realised why the land was more beautiful and lush than I remembered.
The land had been abandoned for seven years. It had grown abundant from the lack of lions, hyenas or any other types of animals, so to speak.
That was one thing that I noticed immediately.
The Pridelands was lacking life.
The greenery alone just didn't make sense if other animals were to live here. I was sure that it was not completely empty, but the sight of herds of animals and different kinds of prey was lacking in my vision.
Hopefully, this was just my misconception. It was my first impression after years, after all.
A thriving land was always good. But lions feed on prey, not leaves.
"Is this really the Pridelands?" one of the cubs asked.
His voice was almost a whisper.
I looked back to see that every member of my pride was looking ahead with shining eyes. It would appear that none of them had come to the grim realisation that I had come across.
I didn't bother to give voice to my burden, for it was the king's to carry alone.
"Everyone," I said with a smile, "This is my home."
We descended from the hill and entered deeper into the Pridelands. The moment we stepped on the grasslands, the cubs shot right past me and began running on the new land. I was at ease, knowing that there was no danger here.
"Slow down!" I called out with a chuckle. But my words had no real weight, so they ignored me while they rolled around among the grass.
All seven cubs were happy.
"Where to, my king?" Zuri asked with a fond smile on her face as she watched the scene.
I turned my head to the right. It was barely visible on the far horizon, but there it was. The old rocky mountain that I used to call home.
"To the Priderocks," I said.
Everyone turned to see the small mountain of rock in the distance, and everyone headed towards there immediately. The females brushed their bodies against mine as they began making their way towards the Priderocks.
I saw everyone going before me.
And then the smile on my face dropped. I turned to the vulture that landed beside me.
"Scout every inch of this land and report on the wildlife."
And the vultures took to the sky. It spread my order to the other vultures, and soon, they were all flying in different directions to scout the land. Their wingspans cast great shadows on the grassland as they flew.
I followed after my pride shortly after.
We enjoyed the sight of our new home while we made our way to the Priderocks. We stopped by the lake, since there was no urgency. The cubs immediately dived into the water.
I laughed. Lions should avoid water, but I guess my habits had passed on.
"Father!" I turned my head towards Mufasa, who was standing at the edge of the watering hole. He was staring at his reflection.
I went up to him.
"Is this where you used to play?"
"I played everywhere," I said.
He turned back to me, confused. The Serengeti was not as safe as the Pridelands. The cubs especially had limited areas where they could play and roam around.
Thinking back, we were extremely lucky that we could roam around to play in the Pridelands. The lack of dangerous scavengers and other lion prides or challengers had made things peaceful.
"You see that?" I gestured all around us.
Mufasa looked around as I continued, "Everything the light touches. Everyplace that you can see belongs to us. It is home and it is safe."
"Wow," he said, eyes gleaming in wonder.
After we rested at the watering hole, I noted the lack of animals again. I saw some fish swim away from the edge, and that gave me some hope.
We continued to stroll towards the Priderocks for a few hours before we eventually reached the towering landmark.
It was a spectacular kopje. The place where I grew up. Looking at the sight, it was no wonder that I claimed a kopje in the Serengeti as my home when I first ran away.
The present sight somehow overlapped with my past memory. I could vividly see my father standing at the very top of the Pridelands.
Or the day when I witnessed the world for the first time. I remembered it like it was a few moments ago.
The time when every animal had gathered on the foothills to pay respect to the newborn king. Although the prophecy never came to pass, the beginning was truly a sight to behold.
If there was one thing I desired now, it would be to command the same respect and authority that my father did among all animals. Not just lions, vultures or lions, but every creature that roamed his kingdom.
From the smallest rabbit to the biggest elephant.
I wonder how he did that.
I wanted to do the same.
We climbed up the Priderocks. Memories of our battle here came to mind just as the happy memories did.
When we finally reached the cave of the kopje that was to be used as a den, I saw a familiar face which I never thought I would see again.
"Welcome back, my king," he said, bowing down.
The old monkey lives.
"Rafiki," I said, smiling. "You are still alive."
"I can't just die off without having served the new king," he said. He looked at my cubs behind me, and the rest of my pride too.
"I don't know if I can be called a new king anymore," I said with a chuckle.
"Indeed, you have grown beyond what I could imagine," he nodded with respect. He couldn't stand upright and had to hold his staff to stand.
"But the Pridelands had remained without a king for years. Today is the moment when a new king finally fills the hole left behind by the great one, Mufasa," he said.
I suppose Scar didn't even count as a proper king anymore.
But that was what happened to a king without legacy. I had killed all his offspring back then. But more had died out of sheer starvation and fear under his rule.
A lion who was so cowardly that he couldn't even raise children in fear of being overthrown did not deserve the same title as I.
"I suppose your words are true," I said. "I have returned to claim what I have earned."
"Your majesty," he bowed once more.
The pride settled down in their new home. They remained in the cave, tired now after the gruelling journey. There was a way exhaustion hit you when you finally reached your destination.
On the other hand, I walked up the giant slab of stone that pointed out at an angle. I stood at the very peak, overlooking the Pridelands in all its current glory.
And looking at all the missing things.
My vulture flew down after a while to tell me the reports of their findings. And it was exactly as I feared.
There were barely any other animals in the Pridelands. Those that had fled from the Pridelands under Scar's rule had not returned. The land thrived, but the ecosystem remained broken.
I chuckled at that.
Of course it was. This wasn't the Disney story where the land healed after a few months and every animal suddenly returned or came back to life.
This was the real world.
Rafiki walked up to me. The vultures made way for me.
He sat down beside me on the edge of the stone hill.
"Even after all these years of effort, I fail to restore the land that once was," Rafiki said sadly. "I hope you can forgive my incompetence."
I could only imagine what he did to even have the few animals return. I suppose he went venturing out at his old age, maybe with his fellow baboons, and convinced the few animals that they could find to come to the Pridelands.
"Where have all the animals gone?" I asked.
"They fled to the south when Scar's endless greed poisoned the land," he said. I hummed thoughtfully.
Rafiki took a long look at my side profile.
My mane fluttered in the wind as I came to a decisive decision. I could already feel my body protesting at the mere idea.
I apologised to the body that had never failed me. It would appear that I needed to count on them for one last time.
I tugged at the old instincts buried in the ages. My heart thumped in my chest, like an old engine far past its prime but forced to function anyway. I guided them to beat once more with purpose and one last ambition.
"...Do you have a plan?" Rafiki asked.
I turned to him before giving him the slightest bow.
"I appreciate the work you have done. Your loyalty to my bloodline is something that shall not be surpassed," I said. "With it, my pride would not starve while I set out to do what must be done."
"What are you going to do, my lord?"
"I am leaving my pride here to travel south," I said.
I suppose it would be the same place where Simba had run away all those years ago.
"And I'm going to bring all the animals back."
..
..
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Author: I already scratched this plotline when I did the long timeskip and when I decided Leo would not inherit the Pridelands so soon, but it comes up again. I couldn't help myself by simply brushing the issue off.
Although we are all getting emotional and all with the recent chapters, let's not quite end it yet.
Let's do one last arc ya. For old times sake.