A Twist in the Plot

[Goanna]

"Father, Nala ran to her cave. She is weak and injured. I attacked her, without hyena help. Kovu... was not able to do so. He may need more training, and I am ready. I would love to be your heir, at least till Kovu can be it well."

Scar looked at his blood daughter directly in the eyes. He noticed the blood on her claws, heard the yelps and shrieks coming from the great rock's cave. Had she...? He looked over at Kovu. It was true, so far he hadn't been a major part of the action, but...

Scar shook his head. There was a rebellion, and he had to stop it.
"Vitani, you have done..." he paused, a strange touch of sentimentality in his voice, "as I would expect you to, and for that, I thank you. Now, quick, tell me, where is the traitor? Lead me to her, and we'll stop this foolishness once and for all."

[cheezeegriff]

(I hereby take posession of Simba's body, as I am permitted to do. He will dance to my tune from now on:))

“I don’t mind. He forced me and Simba to be “best friends.”

It was as if a cold wind had sucked the life from him. Nala, his wife for so many years, didn't want anything to do with him. He knew that this Nala was a different Nala - everyone was different. Scar was in charge, for the love of the fathers! - but he hadn't expected her to be this distant.
Cautiously, while everyone was preoccupied, he backed away into the long grass. It was just too insane... it was like he was on another planet.
What, on earth, had he done to deserve being sent to this hole?

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Kovu stiffened at the sound of Vitani mentioning his name, and what followed made his blood boil. Nevertheless he said nothing: he wouldn't attack her in front of Scar, but at least now, he knew she was after his crown: the crown he was born for. He could do something about her later.
As it was he walked up to the nearest traitorous hyena - the closest to him that had listened to Nala and tried to attack Scar - took the squealing animal's throat in his jaws and crushed it with one bite.
"Let that be a lesson to the rest of you traitorous dogs,"
he hissed.
"Scar is king! And if you want him... you'll have ot go through me."

[Dakota]

Sarabi slowly kept pulling herself away in the long grass, the hyenas were too busy causing a ruckus to notice what she was doing.
Stopping suddenly she sank down onto the ground, bringing her paws up to cover her head, she heard the noise of stamping on the ground at fast speed, Sarabi lay there waiting panting hard. It didn't take them long to realise I was missing, this is it .

Still waiting, she realised there was no dust or dirt covering her, or ranting being screamed at her. Taking one paw away, followed by the other, she was astonished to find that they had all run to pride rock, something was amiss there, something much more important that rounding up an old loiness to have some fun with.

Pushing herself back off the hot ground, she cautiously moved forward, away from where the others were gathered. Sarabi kept herself low, so her body didn't come above the grass level, her head hanging with eyes downcast. All sorts of things were mulling around in her head, usually she didn't let her thoughts run free, as all she was used to was obeying orders.

With her mind elsewhere, the lioness wasn't paying attention to her surroundings, as long as she couldn't hear the baying of hyenas, she felt safe. All at once she bumped into something warm yet hard, her head and shoulders bouncing off its body throwing her back on the ground. She just knew it had to be Kovu or Scar, getting ready for the onslaught, Sarabi pulled herself into a ball, trying to shelter her body as best as she could from the attack she knew was coming, the one she had basically got used to for as long as she could remember.
Laying there the lioness kept her eyes closed, she didn't want to see who it was, she just lay there, her breath being pushed out slowly through her muzzle.

[Deleted]

Nala perked her ears up sensing danger, she knew Vitani would have run straight to Scar telling him what had happened between them, also her fight with the hyenas.

Quietly she made her way to the back of thecave, looking over her shoulder as she went.Swiftly she escaped the cave using a short cut she thought only herself knew of.

Making her way down over rocks and through small bushes, she finally moved away from pride rock and out onto the savannah. Looking behind her one more time, she thought she had heard something behind her. Speeding up her paws moved faster taking her away from danger.

[cheezeegriff]

Simba was looking over his shoulder, checking to see if he was being followed - when he collided with something and tripped, tumbling over once before righting himself. Quickly he turned with a growl, thinking it must be one of the hyenas, but then saw a lioness curled up on the grass.
She looked terrified.
For a moment he paused, checking his surroundings, making sure he wasn't being followed, then sunk down on his belly to hide in the long grass.
"Hey,"
he whispered to the lioness, crawling closer, trying to see the her face though it was turned away from him. His own heart was thudding in his chest, hoping to the stars above that he had found someone sane. For the whole world had gone mad. Absolutely, stark-raving mad - but here it seemed was someone who could possibly need him. If he could help her, then maybe, it would show him there was some sanity left, and the world still worked the way it was meant to.
So he stepped closer.
"Hey... I won't hurt you,"
he said, then licked his lips.
"My name's Simba... are you alright? What's happened?"
He reached down, staring closer at her face, and familiarity struck him. He knew this face well, only the expression was wrong. The dignity was gone, and as the hope of finding something that made sense died in his mind. Reeling, panicking, shaking his head at what must be true - that he had lost his mind entirely - Simba took a shuddering breath and managed to whisper,
"M... mother??"

[Dakota]

Still laying there, she heard a deep growl directed at her, squeezing her eyes shut tighter Sarabi didn't know what to do. The sound and scent wasn't either Scars or kovus, it was somebody new, but the scent stirred things in her making her tremble. Then she heard his voice and her trembling intensified, she couldn't take a breath, her throat was clogged. "Mufasa... is that you, have you come down to take me back with you at last, free me from this hell that I'm living in ?"

"Hey... I won't hurt you, my name's Simba... are you alright? What's happened?"

Sarabi opened her muzzle at last and gasped in some fresh air, she was starting to make herself dizzy. Slowly she raised one eye focusing on the lion laying before her, then with what she saw shock made her other eye fly open, and then she tried to push herself backwards. She was still on her side and she couldn't dig her claws into the dry dusty soil, all it was doing was sending small dust cloud over them. Panic made her keep trying when she heard this lion calling her 'mother'.
"No....No.... you aren't Simba, you were killed when you were a cub...Scar told us so.. you were killed in a stampede.... you're dead... my baby is dead."

[cheezeegriff]

"No....No.... you aren't Simba, you were killed when you were a cub...Scar told us so.. you were killed in a stampede.... you're dead... my baby is dead."

Simba backed away. For a moment the thought that this might all be a trick flickered through his mind, but no: mother wouldn't be in on it, and Scar... Scar wouldn't be alive
"I'm dead, aren't I?"
he said, as if agreeing with mother.
"But if I'm dead then you are too... and we're in this together. I'm not sure who I am... I'm not sure who you are..."
he swallowed, choking up,
"But I think I need someone right now, and I think you need me too. Let's get out of here, together."
He put his nose under her chin, trying to raise her head.
"Please?"

[Dakota]

Sarabi lay there on the ground just staring at the lion who was calling her mother, had she finally lost her mind after all that Scar had put her through. She stopped trying to push her self away from him and stared instead. Is this what her baby would have looked like had he lived and grown into this...this... kind and caring lion standing before her.

"But if I'm dead then you are too... and we're in this together. I'm not sure who I am... I'm not sure who you are...But I think I need someone right now, and I think you need me too. Let's get out of here, together."

Sarabi made a snap decision, she was just as good as dead if she stayed here when Kovu and Scar caught up with her, let alone what Nala had planned as well, she would take a chance on this strange one, what more could happen to her.

Finally pushing herself upright, she shook the dust off her.With her whiskers twitching Sarabi carefully looked around above the tall grass, no sign of anyone for now, they had better head off quickly, it wouldn't take long for the hyenas to be sent to sniff them out.

"I don't know where to go where Scar can't find us... do..you ?"

[cheezeegriff]

"I don't know where to go where Scar can't find us... do..you ?"

"I know a place nearby where we can hide. It's a maze, but they won't find us down there. The outlanders used to hide there for that reason. Come on!"
With that he turned and ran, not too fast so the old lion could keep up, but setting the pace so it was unlikely anyone else would catch up with them.

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"Shenzi!"
Kovu called, seeing that the hyena was with her mate. He didn't really want to disturb them but thought it was important he said what he had to say, short as it might be.

[mahewarac]

"as I would expect you to, and for that, I thank you. Now, quick, tell me, where is the traitor? Lead me to her, and we'll stop this foolishness once and for all."

Vitani sighed. It was a start.

"As you wish, your highness." She led him to where she left Nala, but to her surprise, Nala was gone.

"No....no!" Where did she go? She was right there! Looking around, she saw faint footprints in the mud. She is not getting away. Picking up her feet, she raced to where the path was leading.

..........................................................................

"Shenzi?"

She turned to see the Spoiled Brat standing.

"Yes?" She said.

[Deleted]

Nala decided to turn back to pride rock, but first she needed an distraction, her ears perked up as she grinned slyly at a lone antelope, with a ear-splitting snarl she had pounced on it and brought it powerfully to the ground, successfully Nala started to return to Pride rock the antelope tight in her grip.

When she arrived she spotted Scar in the cave with Vitani. Padding in she dropped the meat at Scar’s feet, “there you are your majesty a full antelope just for you.” She said smiling gently at him, stretching Nala padded to the peak and sat down watching the horizon, sighing she wished she hadn’t said those things abut Simba to Vitani. Looking over the horizon she thought she saw movement, shaking it off her she resumed scanning the plains.
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Banzai turned and saw Kovu calling Shenzi, “I’ll see you later.” He murmured to her as he shuffled away. Rolling his eyes he padded to a shady tree away from Shenzi and as she called him “the spoiled brat.” He smirked at the thought of it. Yawning he stretched and lay down, closing his eyes he drifted off into a light sleep to wait for her to return.

[Dakota]

"I know a place nearby where we can hide. It's a maze, but they won't find us down there. The outlanders used to hide there for that reason. Come on!"

Sarabi watched as the lion started to move away at a leisurely pace. She stood there not moving for a moment, just looking behind her towards where she knew pride rock was. Should she go with this stranger, he seemed to be kind and for some reason she felt as thought she knew him already. Decision made with her heart and not her head, she turned and stayed on the same track as he was taking.

Feeling the dry grasses push against her face and shoulders, and the golden coloured soil spread over over paws as they walked, the older lioness for the first time since she could remember, felt a small sense of freedom. She was doing something against Scar and Kovu, and they didn't even know and they weren't there to cower her down.

Raising her head up slightly she watched the lion in front of her, he held himself.. regally, even though he was in somewhat a confused state, maybe they could work something out, help each other and if he left maybe he would take her with him, away from this living hell.

[cheezeegriff]

Kovu looked Shenzi up and down. It was clear she still hated him, but nevertheless he wouldn't begrudge her this.
"You did very well with the hyenas today,"
he said, then turned to Scar. Quietly, so Shenzi couldn't hear, he said,
"You think she deserves a reward?"

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"Why don't you tell me about yourself?"
Simba said, to the lioness who resembled his mother, as they walked along. He took passages in the small gullys and dips in the plains, where they were less likely to be seen, and stayed away from flocks of vultures that he might startle into revealing them.
"What happened here? Scar can't be the true king... the land is too broken."
Of course, he thought he knew what she would say, but wanted to hear it anyway.

[Dakota]

"Why don't you tell me about yourself?"

The older lioness head came up fast when he spoke to her.." You want to know about me..? I...I .. my name is Sarabi."
As she said her name, Sarabi felt sad, she used to be strong and happy and free...now, she just wasn't sure about anything anymore.

"My mate was a handsome strong lion called Mufasa, he was king of all these pridelands and I was his much loved queen, then he was killed in a stampede, but before he was taken away from me, we shared in the joy of having a son... my beloved son, we called him Simba."

Sarabi stopped talking and breathed in and out slowly to calm her emotions down, she had travelled down this path many times reliving all these memories, some days it was all she had. Casting her eyes up towards the heavens, she smiled as if her beloved were watching and giving her strength. Gingerly stepping over some stones and around a rotten dried out log, she came back behind the lion and carried on speaking, now she had her composure back.

" After Mufasa died, the crown was Simbas, but there was an accident and he was killed while out playing one day and by the time I got to him, all I could do was hold him in my arms as he took his last breath. I... lost them both, the only ones I have ever loved, they were both snatched from me, and I didn't know what I had done to deserve the loss and pain."
Blinking rapidly to keep back her tears, Sarabi shook her head from side to side and took another breath.
" It seemed as soon as Simba died, Scar stepped in straight away and claimed the crown and all the lands, but he also bought with him the hyenas. He seemed to form an alliance with them, and they were also a law unto themselves. They killed and maimed for whatever reason and Scar just encouraged them or turned a blind eye. The lands gradually became more and more barren, but Scar didn't want to know. Anyone that spoke out became a slave to his pettyness and torture, and the only one who prospered was himself and Kovu... Kovu his heir apparent, who is just as bad as Scar if not worse."

Sarabi fell silent and just blindly followed the lion along, would he be her saviour or something else.

[Deleted]

This roleplay has now been stopped and will be moved to The Graveyard..

Thanks to those who had characters involved., please read your PM's
Safila