Emmanuel_Capricorn
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TLK : Chapter 4
🕑 Added 2025-04-23 16:09:57 +0000 UTC[1st POV]
I opened my eyes, my consciousness was ripped out from the dreamscape by the malicious vibration that filled the air.
I knew exactly what it was, so I slipped out of Sarabi's warm hold and ran out of the den. I climbed up the stony passage of the pride rocks and gazed out at the rising sun.
The chill of the morning air sent goosebumps through my skin, causing my fur to puff out to protect my body heat. My ears darted in every direction, waiting expectantly for another one to come.
And it came, in all the glory that I was expecting.
*ROAR!!!*
Mufasa, the Lion King's roar could be heard throughout the Pride Lands. It began as a low, guttural rumble like the earth itself was clearing its throat. Then it climbed until it became this mighty, malicious roar that tore through the stillness of the morning air.
My sharp ears listened to the roar carefully. The rumble of vibration told me much. With just his roar, I could almost hear Mufasa's size, age, health, and power.
The roar rolled across the Pride Lands, echoing from stone to tree as the mountains caught it and hurled it back. The wind carried it to the farthest corners of the kingdom.
Birds took flight, and the grass bowed. Prey animals froze in reverence and fear, and predators paused and held their breath at the roar of the apex.
I never understood its significance as a human, but as a lion cub, I knew what the roar meant. It was like a command, a decree written in thunder.
A warning to all outsiders and challengers.
A reminder for everyone who was the one true king,
In my heart, it was simply the coolest shit I've ever heard. I just couldn't wait to become an adult and fight to be King as well.
Perhaps it was in my blood but my desire was almost too much. It was unbearable.
*ROAR!!*
The distant roar continued until the sun fully rose on the horizon. It was a routine for Mufasa to patrol his territory in the morning and in the evening.
More than once, I tried to imitate Mufasa and release a roar of my own. But my vocal cords were still too young, so what came out were only pitiful growls that sounded like they came from an angry cat instead of a lion.
*growl!!*
"Stop doing that Leo, you might hurt your throat." Sarafina said while coming up from behind me. She was one of the most dominant females in the pride alongside my mother, Sarabi.
She gave me a rough lick on my head and teased me with her tail while she walked past me. She was one of the early birds in the pride and liked going to the watering hole to drink and refresh after she woke up.
As I was contemplating joining her at the watering hole, her daughter pounced at me from behind. A small jaw clamped down on my scruff, and needle-like claws pricked my skin.
Nala.
I released an annoyed growl and shook my body to try to get her off my back. But with each second, she anchored herself better and better on me.
I heard she followed her mother in their hunt for buffalo, this must be something she learned from there. I was bigger than her, so she was fighting me like how those lions fight buffalo, by jumping on the bigger prey's back and trying to bring them down.
It seemed to be working until I decided to change strategy. I stood up on my hind legs and then fell on my back.
My body crushed Nala against the rock and since we were at an angle, we tumbled down the rocky path. I used my superior coordination and bigger mass to control our position and made her bear most of the damage from our fall.
In the end, I slammed Nala on the ground and pinned her down.
My jaw immediately went for her neck and I bit down, not too hard but enough to make the statement that I won. Her body tensed, claws popped out on instinct as she was in a position that spelt certain death.
And then her body relaxed in defeat.
"You win Leo,"
I released my jaw and then loomed over her. I huffed to show my annoyance, "Sneak attack is so not cool Nala,"
"What? You are the one who said all is fair in fight and hunting," Nala replied while looking up at me with her big eyes, curious and eager to learn as all cubs should be.
"We are not fighting or hunting, we are not capable yet. What we do is just play," I said to her, "We could've gotten hurt, what if I made a mistake and we fell over the edge? If you are going to sneak up on me again, better do it on an open field next time,"
She stayed silent for a while before accepting my reason, "I'm sorry, and you're right. We both would've died if that was the case,"
I narrowed my eyes this time, "You will die, but I will live with some broken bones,"
"Falling from such height? How?"
"Easy, I will use you to cushion my fall," I answered with a smirk.
"Please get off me before I claw you in the face."
"Try," I said and put my paws on her face while leaning my head back as far as I could.
Her paws tried to reach for my face, but her claws missed me by barely an inch. I was bigger than her and had longer limbs, she was completely powerless to do anything.
In the end, she gave up with a sigh, "Okay, you prove your point. Please get off me before the others think we are mating,"
"Ew," I was quick to get off her.
She repositioned herself and stretched her aching muscles from the fall. "Well that was effective, too effective that it's insulting,"
As it should be. Perhaps hormones would change me, but currently, I do not want to even imagine doing a lioness. That shit was just nasty as hell.
"Oh, I nearly forgot why I came to you in the first place," Nala said as her ears stood up in realisation, "Jua and Zuri wanted to invite you to something,"
"Something?" I asked.
"Yeah, I don't know what it is either. They promised it would be full of adventure so I already agreed to it," she said in that carefree tone that only children can have.
"But why do they invite me?" I asked with a weirded-out face. Jua and Zuri were one of the weaker cubs in the pride and I had been...bullying them, to be honest. Especially when it came to feeding.
Nala just shrugged, "They just said they needed your help. They said meat will be there in case you need more convincing,"
I hummed thoughtfully while staring at the horizon, "Okay, I'm in,"
It was not like I had anything better to do anyway. It could be fun. Although I was not complaining about my monotonous life, some adventure would not hurt once in a while.
Nala snorted at my statement. It was the kind of snort that sounded mocking.
I narrowed my eyes, "Is there anything funny?
"Yes. Why do you act so thoughtful? We all know you are in the moment meat was mentioned," she said.
"Are you calling me greedy?" I asked.
"No. I'm calling you fat,"
I blinked and then I pounced at her, "I'll show you fat!!"
I was not fat, it's called bulking. There was a clear difference, one was the product of laziness and the other was part of the journey to a noble goal.
She dodged me and then ran away. I chased after her.
But let's just say with all my size, speed was not really my forte. I couldn't catch her no matter how much I tried.
Guess you couldn't be good at everything.
"See? You're so slow because you are fat,"
I chased her again, not because I was offended or anything. I was simply training myself. Yes, it was just a part of my training to become the greatest lion king.
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