The Tale of Two Kings

Written By: TRON0602

Illustrations and Beta-Read By: SteelLark

Personal Critics: Brasta Septim & Nala-Nay

Disclaimer: I do not own the Lion King or any of its characters. If I did I would not even bother writing this story.

The characters I do own are as follows (For now):

Kali

This is a story based around the original Lion King but with an extra treat.

ENJOY!

Prologue

The stars were shining brightly in the night sky as the day had ended. Hours prior, the new queen of Pride Rock had gone into labor and was assisted by the Royal Family's trusted shaman, Rafiki. The entire time, Mufasa had been anxious about the possibility that either his mate or his new cub would be lost during the birth. His fears of loss were alleviated when Rafiki came out and reassured him that the queen and cubs were both fine. His heart overflowed with joy and relief as he heard Rafiki say his wife and cubs were fine, but had not noticed that Rafiki said cubs not cub. But as Rafiki left to return to his tree, Mufasa's joy about fatherhood was overwhelmed by new fears and concerns.

"Can I really be a good father?"

Mufasa began pacing around just outside of the cave, he could hear the soothing sound of Sarabi's deep breaths in sleep just inside of the cave but he couldn't sleep. His mind was buzzing nervously. He was finally a father and he had no idea what to do. He was pacing back in forth in his mind as his emotions battled with one another. He was excited because he was now a father, nervous cause he did not know if he could be a good one and at the same time scared that he would be neglectful since he had been made King only a few months prior. He heard a laugh behind him and he froze. He knew that voice so well but he couldn't believe he had just heard it. He turned slowly and there padding straight towards him was his mother. Her brown fur glistened with a faint translucent silver light but her eyes were still the same glistening blue.

"You always loved to worry, didn't you?" She told him with a laugh.

"Mom? But how… you're dead." Mufasa gasped at the sight. He was both happy and confused. Here standing before him was his mother, the former queen Uru, who had only recently passed a month ago.

He had mourned her loss deeply and had hoped she would be there to see her grandchildren enter this world. His joy was then matched by his confusion because even though he was glad she was here he could not help but wonder: how could she be here since as he had stated, she was dead.

"Do you not remember what your father told you about the Great Kings?" Uru said with a stern look on her face.

Mufasa did indeed remember what his father; Ahadi had said to him about how the kings of the past watched over and guided the kings of the present. But one thing bothered him. "Mom, I do remember what dad said, but I always thought he meant that he would always be watching me because he said 'Kings', not 'Queens'." He answered with a confused tone.

Uru merely snorted. "That figures that he would say it was only the Kings who guide you but he forgot that behind every King is a great Queen. I will have to remember to beat that into him when I get back." She paused and then saw her son's troubled face. "What troubles you my son?"

"I'm scared, mother. I do not know if I can be everything that you and dad were. I want to be a great King and a good father but I do not know if I can. What should I do?" He replied with tears coming down his muzzle as he admitted his fear.

Uru merely smiled warmly and told him. "Mufasa, do not be afraid. I have no doubt in my heart that you will be a great king and an even greater father. Your own father had these same doubts when he was in your position and you saw how he turned out. So do not fret. You will do fine." She saw him look at her with wide eyes and began to smile before she changed her voice to seriousness.

"However, there is a threat."

"What threat? Can you tell me what the threat is?" Mufasa asked with concern lacing his voice.

"All I can tell you, my son, is that it comes from within and that it comes from one you trust." Uru replied with a heavy tone.

Mufasa sighed and his worry began to show on his face again. Uru saw this and said with a smile. "But that is why I have come. To give you a blessing, a star, that can possibly outshine the darkness that threatens this family."

Mufasa raised his eyebrow at her and merely asked. "What blessing mother?"

She merely turned, walked towards the sleeping Sarabi, bent down and nuzzled that which lay in her paws. At the same moment, the moonlight fell into the den and glowed brightly around what Uru was nuzzling until it disappeared.

She backed away and Mufasa asked her. "What did you just do?"

She took one last look at her son and said. "You will know soon enough." Then, she began to fade away. Mufasa saw this and tried to keep her with him but it was too late as she completely faded into the night. Her last words echoing through his mind as he reluctantly walked back to his sleeping mate and lied down beside her and fell into a difficult sleep.

(10 days have passed)

The sun had just begun to rise over the Pridelands and the King Mufasa smiled at the thought of this. The way the sun was rising ever so slowly and yet anxiously, it made him wonder if the world itself was waiting for what was soon to come. For today was indeed a special day. He was to present the next heir to the throne to the subjects of his kingdom and the pride. As he thought of this he could make out the large shadows of the herds approaching Pride Rock for the event. He smiled that such a large gathering had come for he had not seen such a large gathering since he had been made King. This however, made him think of his brother Scar who he noticed was absent. He was angry at this because his brother should have been here to see the presentation of the heirs to the throne. Yet he was also sympathetic for his brother because he knew Scar had not come because he felt betrayed.

While their father, the former King Ahadi was still alive, Scar had always shown a desire to be king, but felt he would never be able to because father had always loved Mufasa best. To alleviate any strain between his brother and him, Mufasa promised Scar he could be King after he died. This made Scar happy, but this would quickly turn to betrayal because a few months later, after Ahadi's death and Mufasa's coronation; Sarabi, Mufasa's mate and new queen announced she was pregnant with Mufasa's cub. This overjoyed Mufasa because now he had an heir that would make him proud, while completely forgetting his promise to his brother.

But despite knowing this, Mufasa pushed it out of his mind for he would have no negative thoughts for the time being. He turned his thoughts and his gaze back to the cave where his mate Sarabi lay. Resting in her paws was not one, but two adorable newborn cubs.

This was the first big shock to the two parents for they had been told by Rafiki that Sarabi was expecting only one. The next big shock however, was that the cubs were male twins. The fact changed from pure joy to worry; they now had not only two sons to give their love to, but two potential heirs to the throne. This begged the question: who will be King when Mufasa's time was done? This question always concerned Mufasa because he did not want to make the same mistake his father had made with him and Scar. Mufasa's thoughts drifted back to his cubs as he envisioned each in his mind, one cub, the first twin born had a golden-brown pelt like Mufasa's but deep, curious amber-brown eyes like his mother. His name was to be Simba, though a slight joke since it meant lion, it also meant courageous warrior which was exactly what Mufasa saw in his eyes; courage. The second cub was the most amazing; he had been born with a shining silver pelt that no doubt had come from his grandmother, Johari. Uru's statement about a blessing remained a mystery to Mufasa, until now. The cub's fur came from his mate's mother Johari who had been a powerful and wise lioness and had been best friends with Mufasa's mother before her passing. He saw the cub's fur as a sign that this cub would act like or reflect Johari's own spirit as he grew. But what most amazed the parents was when the cub first opened his eyes, which was this morning, the day of his presentation. The cub's eyes were pure white, and shined as if they were stars instead of eyes. It was a beautiful sight and at first they wondered if the cub was blind. But when Mufasa saw how the cub looked at him with such fierceness and fire in his eyes, he not only knew that his second son was not blind but was the star his mother had spoken of, he also knew the name he should be given. He was named Kali (fierce) to reflect the fierceness in the cub's eyes.

But with remembering his cubs and the initial qualities he saw in their eyes he began to fret again on who he would choose to be king. By the time he had finished his thought the herds and pride had all gathered around Pride Rock and waited for the presentation to begin. He saw his friend Rafiki walk up to him and embraced in a tight hug. When they broke apart they smiled and went to gather the cub who would be presented to the kingdom as the next heir. But just when Rafiki asked for the cub, he made a decision that no king before had made, he told Rafiki that he and Sarabi would present the cubs together because they wanted to show that they loved the two equally and that both had equal rights to the throne. Rafiki understood this and carried on with the ritual; he smeared the ceremonial liquid across both cubs' foreheads and stepped aside to watch the presentation. Nodding at this he picked up Simba in his mouth while Sarabi did the same with Kali. Carrying both cubs in their mouths' they walked towards the edge for all those gathered to see. He and Sarabi held their heads up high and raised their cubs. Upon seeing them all those who had gathered bowed in respect. The pride roared as they welcomed the new future kings of the pride.

But still the question remains: Who will be the king? By stating that both cubs were to be presented together, he had secretly decided that he would observe both cubs as they grew up and if he was still unsure, he would pull them aside when they were 5 months old and ask them: Did they want to be King?

What do you think will happen next? What will Mufasa's decision be? What will the cubs say?

I accept all forms of criticism and will even take suggestions at other stories that you believe

P.S. Like a good friend of mine does, I will leave something at the end of my chapters for you to figure out. Mine will be Swahili messages for you to decipher.

Swahili: Inafanya nini mfalme?

Ukali au ujasiri?