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The Lion King - Darkest Before the Dawn IV

~~~~~~~~
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~~~~~~~~

Ever since that day, Taka found himself in the company of the lionesses more frequently than in that of his brother and father. He would play with Sarabi and Sarafina, and sometimes even Sarabi's older sisters Diku, Dwala and Naanda. He stayed among the huntresses instead of other males his age, and often accompanied his mother on hunts, content just to watch the pridesisters at work. When Mufasa would get called away for his 'Lessons', Taka would no longer complain. On some days, he would ask to accompany them, but was always turned down. This didn't seem to put dampness to his mood anymore, however, and he seemed just as happy to turn back to his other friends and continue whatever game they decided to play. He even learned how to hunt from his female friends!

Each cub seemed to grow, not only in physique, but in personality as well. Mufasa was turning out to be a fine young cub, very strong with a strong sense of justice and a hunger to become the best king he could. He was no longer a cub in mindset, knowing the duty his birth assigned him, but an intelligent young male. His young brother, Taka, was nowhere near as strong or ‘wise’ as his brother. Being with the lionesses was giving him a much slimmer look, seeing that he wasn’t a glutton for food like his brother and was actually managing to work it all off by extensive ‘hunting practice’. He was a very honest cub and perhaps a bit naïve as well. Young Taka still had the eyes of innocence, and was much shyer than his older brother. Sarabi and Sarafina seemed to adopt a more mature mindset about nearly everything, though Sarabi always seemed to have a more level head. She would always be the peacemaker, the compromiser, the one to silence her friends with her perception or maturity. Sarafina seemed to take on a more aloof approach to life. She, much like Taka, carried an air of innocence. However, she appeared to be much more down to earth about it.

It was around the time that Taka’s mane started to come in when the young lionesses were to be put through a trial hunt with their mothers, led by Queen Uru, herself. It was a vital part of the huntress’ training, almost as important as the Adulthood Ritual the lionesses had to go through when they came of age. This would assess their skills thus far and would be used to make predictions about who would turn into a fantastic huntress, and who was not cut out for the job. Those who ‘made the cut’ normally continued with their hunting practice. Those who ‘failed’ would often adopt other roles in the pride, some would watch cubs and some would simply go on hunts to accompany and help carry back the prey caught. The day before, young Taka padded up to Sarafina and Sarabi who were chatting away about their expectations, the prey they wanted to catch, and the chance to prove to the pride-and themselves-that they were going to be great huntresses one day.

“Hey, Taka!” Sarafina grinned, bouncing up to the dark furred lion. “Did you hear? Tomorrow is our Trial Hunt!”

“Your what?” Taka tilted his head.

“It’s when the younger lionesses like us get to go out and participate in hunts instead of just watching.” Sarabi explained.

“If we do well, the rest of the pride might begin to take us seriously!” Sarafina grinned. “It’s a huge deal.”

“Yeah.” Sarabi nodded. “Just try to keep it together, okay, Fina?
We don’t need you spooking the prey while we’re out there.”

Sarafina dropped to a hunter’s crouch and grinned. “Who says I’ll be spooking the prey, not you?”

Sarabi chuckled and mimicked her best friend’s position, tail and haunches high and ready to pounce. They circled each other in mock-challenge, each waiting for the other to strike. Just as Sarafina prepared to lunge onto the other lioness, Taka stepped in.

“So… Only lionesses can participate?” He asked.

“Yeah.” Sarabi stood up, coming only a bit taller than the young male now. “It’s for huntresses, Taka.”

“Oh.” Taka shrugged, loneliness beginning to creep into his tone. “Well then, I wish you guys good luck.”

“Cheer up, Taka!” Sarafina prodded him with her head. “Whether or not you take the test, you’re still one of the best male hunters we know! And we’ll tell you all about it when we get back.”

Taka smiled slightly. “Promise?”

“I promise.” Sarafina smiled back, blushing under her fur when she met his eyes.

“Okay, lovebirds!” Sarabi came in between them, nudging the other lioness away. “We have practicing to do, so unfortunately we’ll have to bid you a formal farewell, Taka.”

Taka blinked. “O-oh... Okay! Bye guys!”

“Bye Taka!” Sarafina called back as she got pushed away.

The young male sighed, turning his attention to his paws. He dug his claws into the earth and turned over some smaller pebbles and dry pieces of soil. He seemed to study the earth intently until a mouse skittered across his path. Instantly, Taka dropped his stance and began to stalk toward it, careful not to overturn any rocks or step on any twigs. He could feel himself getting closer, feeling the ground lightly stroke his belly fur. The mouse stopped to wash its face, drawing its little paws all over its muzzle, and Taka knew he could make the kill if he just got a little closer.

Just…

A little…

More…

Suddenly a large golden paw came down a few centimeters from Taka’s nose. The mouse skittered off in fear and Taka raised his eyes to meet the red-amber ones of his older brother, Mufasa.

“Muffy!” Taka grumbled. “You made my mouse run away! What was that for?”

“Taka, why do you keep acting like a lioness?” Mufasa asked.

“What do you mean?” Taka tilted his head.

“All the hunting… You barely spend any time with me or Dad. All you do is talk with Sarafina and Sarabi and go with Mom on hunts! You don’t even look like a male anymore!” Mufasa said. “The others are starting to talk-“

“That’s not true! I would come with you and Dad but you guys are never around!” The auburn cub growled indignantly. “And I do so look like a male, I’m getting my mane!” The younger cub’s voice squeaked at the end as he rose up to meet his brother's eyes.

“Listen, Taka! I’m trying to help you! I just-“

“Wait. You said the others are talking about me? You mean like... the other males from across the grassland? What do they say?” He cut his brother off, emerald eyes staring down amber.

“Well... They’ve been making fun of you. They keep saying things behind your back about you actually being a girl, or them wondering about whether you’re actually my 'brother' and not my sister.”

“And what do you say?”

Mufasa hesitated for a bit, and then: “Taka, they’re my friends. I can’t just-“

“You don’t say anything, do you?” Taka growled.

“That’s not the point! I don’t like hearing them call you names, and even if I did tell them off it wouldn’t stop them! Can’t you at least try to fit in with us?” The golden lion persisted. “Just a little bit?”

“I’m not good enough for you and your friends now, so why even try?!” And with that he stalked off, leaving Mufasa in the dust.

~~~~~~~~
So they’re all a bit older and the friction between Taka and Mufasa grows as Taka seems to become more and more isolated from his brother and father. In my opinion, I totally hate this chapter. Too much detail and I got way too lazy at the end.
Enjoy anyway though.

Description
The Lion King - Darkest Before the Dawn IV

~~~~~~~~
Next: jayartemiswolf.deviantart.com/…
Prev: fav.me/d5eaf60
First: jayartemiswolf.deviantart.com/…
~~~~~~~~

Ever since that day, Taka found himself in the company of the lionesses more frequently than in that of his brother and father. He would play with Sarabi and Sarafina, and sometimes even Sarabi's older sisters Diku, Dwala and Naanda. He stayed among the huntresses instead of other males his age, and often accompanied his mother on hunts, content just to watch the pridesisters at work. When Mufasa would get called away for his 'Lessons', Taka would no longer complain. On some days, he would ask to accompany them, but was always turned down. This didn't seem to put dampness to his mood anymore, however, and he seemed just as happy to turn back to his other friends and continue whatever game they decided to play. He even learned how to hunt from his female friends!

Each cub seemed to grow, not only in physique, but in personality as well. Mufasa was turning out to be a fine young cub, very strong with a strong sense of justice and a hunger to become the best king he could. He was no longer a cub in mindset, knowing the duty his birth assigned him, but an intelligent young male. His young brother, Taka, was nowhere near as strong or ‘wise’ as his brother. Being with the lionesses was giving him a much slimmer look, seeing that he wasn’t a glutton for food like his brother and was actually managing to work it all off by extensive ‘hunting practice’. He was a very honest cub and perhaps a bit naïve as well. Young Taka still had the eyes of innocence, and was much shyer than his older brother. Sarabi and Sarafina seemed to adopt a more mature mindset about nearly everything, though Sarabi always seemed to have a more level head. She would always be the peacemaker, the compromiser, the one to silence her friends with her perception or maturity. Sarafina seemed to take on a more aloof approach to life. She, much like Taka, carried an air of innocence. However, she appeared to be much more down to earth about it.

It was around the time that Taka’s mane started to come in when the young lionesses were to be put through a trial hunt with their mothers, led by Queen Uru, herself. It was a vital part of the huntress’ training, almost as important as the Adulthood Ritual the lionesses had to go through when they came of age. This would assess their skills thus far and would be used to make predictions about who would turn into a fantastic huntress, and who was not cut out for the job. Those who ‘made the cut’ normally continued with their hunting practice. Those who ‘failed’ would often adopt other roles in the pride, some would watch cubs and some would simply go on hunts to accompany and help carry back the prey caught. The day before, young Taka padded up to Sarafina and Sarabi who were chatting away about their expectations, the prey they wanted to catch, and the chance to prove to the pride-and themselves-that they were going to be great huntresses one day.

“Hey, Taka!” Sarafina grinned, bouncing up to the dark furred lion. “Did you hear? Tomorrow is our Trial Hunt!”

“Your what?” Taka tilted his head.

“It’s when the younger lionesses like us get to go out and participate in hunts instead of just watching.” Sarabi explained.

“If we do well, the rest of the pride might begin to take us seriously!” Sarafina grinned. “It’s a huge deal.”

“Yeah.” Sarabi nodded. “Just try to keep it together, okay, Fina?
We don’t need you spooking the prey while we’re out there.”

Sarafina dropped to a hunter’s crouch and grinned. “Who says I’ll be spooking the prey, not you?”

Sarabi chuckled and mimicked her best friend’s position, tail and haunches high and ready to pounce. They circled each other in mock-challenge, each waiting for the other to strike. Just as Sarafina prepared to lunge onto the other lioness, Taka stepped in.

“So… Only lionesses can participate?” He asked.

“Yeah.” Sarabi stood up, coming only a bit taller than the young male now. “It’s for huntresses, Taka.”

“Oh.” Taka shrugged, loneliness beginning to creep into his tone. “Well then, I wish you guys good luck.”

“Cheer up, Taka!” Sarafina prodded him with her head. “Whether or not you take the test, you’re still one of the best male hunters we know! And we’ll tell you all about it when we get back.”

Taka smiled slightly. “Promise?”

“I promise.” Sarafina smiled back, blushing under her fur when she met his eyes.

“Okay, lovebirds!” Sarabi came in between them, nudging the other lioness away. “We have practicing to do, so unfortunately we’ll have to bid you a formal farewell, Taka.”

Taka blinked. “O-oh... Okay! Bye guys!”

“Bye Taka!” Sarafina called back as she got pushed away.

The young male sighed, turning his attention to his paws. He dug his claws into the earth and turned over some smaller pebbles and dry pieces of soil. He seemed to study the earth intently until a mouse skittered across his path. Instantly, Taka dropped his stance and began to stalk toward it, careful not to overturn any rocks or step on any twigs. He could feel himself getting closer, feeling the ground lightly stroke his belly fur. The mouse stopped to wash its face, drawing its little paws all over its muzzle, and Taka knew he could make the kill if he just got a little closer.

Just…

A little…

More…

Suddenly a large golden paw came down a few centimeters from Taka’s nose. The mouse skittered off in fear and Taka raised his eyes to meet the red-amber ones of his older brother, Mufasa.

“Muffy!” Taka grumbled. “You made my mouse run away! What was that for?”

“Taka, why do you keep acting like a lioness?” Mufasa asked.

“What do you mean?” Taka tilted his head.

“All the hunting… You barely spend any time with me or Dad. All you do is talk with Sarafina and Sarabi and go with Mom on hunts! You don’t even look like a male anymore!” Mufasa said. “The others are starting to talk-“

“That’s not true! I would come with you and Dad but you guys are never around!” The auburn cub growled indignantly. “And I do so look like a male, I’m getting my mane!” The younger cub’s voice squeaked at the end as he rose up to meet his brother's eyes.

“Listen, Taka! I’m trying to help you! I just-“

“Wait. You said the others are talking about me? You mean like... the other males from across the grassland? What do they say?” He cut his brother off, emerald eyes staring down amber.

“Well... They’ve been making fun of you. They keep saying things behind your back about you actually being a girl, or them wondering about whether you’re actually my 'brother' and not my sister.”

“And what do you say?”

Mufasa hesitated for a bit, and then: “Taka, they’re my friends. I can’t just-“

“You don’t say anything, do you?” Taka growled.

“That’s not the point! I don’t like hearing them call you names, and even if I did tell them off it wouldn’t stop them! Can’t you at least try to fit in with us?” The golden lion persisted. “Just a little bit?”

“I’m not good enough for you and your friends now, so why even try?!” And with that he stalked off, leaving Mufasa in the dust.

~~~~~~~~
So they’re all a bit older and the friction between Taka and Mufasa grows as Taka seems to become more and more isolated from his brother and father. In my opinion, I totally hate this chapter. Too much detail and I got way too lazy at the end.
Enjoy anyway though.