Remembering Old Times

It had been years since the last time Malka had stepped into Pridelander territory. Back then, he had been merely a lost cub, found alone by the great King Mufasa and his son Simba. Malka had loved playing with the other cubs, for it had been a time of plenty, with many new lives born into the Pridelands. Now an adult and on his own, Malka had finally found his way back to the semi-familiar terrain, but his heart dropped when he saw what it had become.

The savannah grass was drying beneath the the African sun that showed no remorse, and the ground was parched and cracked. The lands felt different, as if there was a shadow hanging over the entire place, and it made the rogue regret his decision to journey there. He had not ventured far into the territory, and was being as cautious as could be, using various shrubs and trees as cover as he tread carefully through the valley.

Every lion who lived near the Pridelands knew that Scar was a ruthless king, capable of doing just about anything to those who crossed his path. Malka had never met the brute, and he certainly had no desire to now. He had been told that hyenas plagued the kingdom like flies on a carcass, but that day, he had not spotted one yet. It was late afternoon, and evening would soon fall upon the lands, leaving Malka to wonder why he continued onward when he knew he'd be safer turning around.

Would he recognize his old friends if he saw them now? Or better yet, would they still know Malka? So many years had been since his last visit, and though he had come a handful of times before hitting his awkward teenaged years to play with Simba and his friends, so much had happened since. He felt depressed being there now, thinking of Simba's demise. He wondered if his betrothed was still alive, or the other cubs... Tama, Kula, Tojo; he still remembered each of them as if it had been days rather than years since their last meeting.

Nala padded through the grassy plains, frowning as what was once a large expanse of green was becoming more and more yellow. She had escaped Pride Rock for some time by herself, which was risky with all the hyenas and Scar lingering about. But Nala had taken care to note that the king was staying near the rock today, maybe actually spending some time with his knew litter, making it a bit safer for her to wander off and scout the area. Pride Rock had become more and more suffocating for the lioness. Yes, it was still home -- the only home she’d ever known. But so much had changed, that it seemed only like an illusion of home now. Her family and friends were still here, those who had survived or not been chased out already, but they were all changed in some way since Scar’s rise to power. Hungrier, especially. There was simply so much tension between the lionesses, Scar, the hyenas, and now the new cubs. It made it hard to breath sometimes.

As the creamy lionesses trotted over the plains, she couldn’t help but long for the days of lush pasture, large herds, and full streams. Of getting into trouble for adventure’s sake. Of being care-free and full-bellied.

And Simba.

While many of her friends still remained, whether in the Pridelands or elsewhere now, it was the late prince who continued to linger in her mind. Nala missed her best friend dearly, even after years of accepting his death -- but some part of her simply couldn’t move on, no matter how much she tried. She slowed to a saunter, releasing a sad sigh, eyeing the landscape around her with a frown. She couldn’t linger on such thoughts, it only made her mood worse. The lands weren’t helping, as she had been hoping to find some signs of a better source of food or water along the edge of the Pridelander’s territory, but was coming up woefully short. What would they do? If this kept on too much longer, her pride would be decimated from starvation -- and Scar seemed to care little about it.

The lioness was torn from her thoughts when she heard a rustling amongst some dry shrubs, followed by a scent that was vaguely familiar. Muscles tensed, Nala moved close to the ground, stalking through the grasses to inspect the newcomer. She caught sight of him in no time, a golden lion with a large, messy, dark mane. He could definitely be a threat. But he could also be help... But what was he doing here? Most didn’t dare wander even close to the Pridelands anymore.

Finding little threat in his body language, she decided to approach cautiously rather than attack. Should she have to fight him, it would be a hard battle. Talking it through might be a better option, as she didn’t have others to back her up. And she didn’t want to scare off potential help, if that was what he was. Finally she moved into his line of sight, standing up tall. “What are you doing here?” She asked in a firm tone. “Don’t you know the dangers of the Pridelands of late?” Nala studied him, walking a bit closer, tail flicking. Her mossy eyes narrowed as she inspected him, then widened as she noted the familiar dark tufts around his ears. It couldn't be. ”...Malka?”

Suddenly, the orange lion realized that he was no longer alone. Normally, when Malka was caught trespassing on foreign soil, he was promptly chased away. This time, he was chastised for daring to tread through such a dangerous territory. It was her pale green eyes that Malka recognized immediately. If a lifetime had passed, he would have remembered Nala's beautiful eyes, and his expression lit up when she uttered his name.

"Nala," he purred, more excited by his find than his features hinted. Even if he was chased out now, his journey into unfriendly territory was already worth the risks he had taken. "You remember." It was the first time someone had recognized him since he had left his pride. Nala was the first one since he had chosen to become a rogue who had spoken his name without prompting. He hadn't realized just how lonely he had become out there on his own.

"I know it must seem crazy, coming here and all, but I just had to see it for myself." As he spoke, his gaze drifted away from the lioness to the kingdom she called home. He had only been there a few times, many years ago, but it still made him sad to see how far the Pridelands had fallen from their former glory. "I wanted to see what was left. Who was left."

The sadness of the situation was difficult to ignore, but Malka smiled in spite of it. At least one of his old friends had survived, he was pleased to see. Nala had grown up to be a beautiful lioness, her coat immaculate and eyes shining in contrast with the dull landscape that surrounded the pair. If Simba was still there, no doubt she would already be his mate, but what future could the lioness hope for now, during such desolate times? Surely Malka hadn't been the first lion to notice how attractive she was now, and the thought of the tyrant king pursuing Nala disturbed the young rogue.

[[uuh just making logical assumptions about Tojo. If I’m wrong I’ll edit.]]

Nala shook her head in amazement. She had known it had to be him, because she’d never seen another lion with tufts quite like Malka’s. “Of course I remember, Malka!” Nala replied, tone much lighter now as she bounded up to him, nuzzling his neck briefly in an affectionate greeting.”What’s it been? A year, more? It’s so good to see you again!” She moved back to study him again, noting how he grew from a playful cub into a handsome lion. His mane was thick with streaks of black, and unsurprisingly rather wild. His golden-orange coat stood out amongst the yellowing grass, almost like the morning sun over the dry savannah. It was a pleasant change, and a welcome familiarity. He had visited the Pridelands as a cub several times, and she remembered how all of the cubs at the time had taken full advantage of a visitor, even though Simba hadn’t been sure about him at the start. She remembered that, had Malka’s mother never found him, Mufasa would’ve taken him in as his own. The thought tugged at her heart, causing a small frown to appear as she remembered the former king.

The lioness followed his gaze out over her home, nodding sadly. “It’s pretty bad, isn’t it?” Her tone fell soft. “It’s only been getting worse since Mufasa and Simba...” Nala trailed off, knowing if she continued the thought her voice would break. As strong as she was, such a wound had never fully healed. She shook her head.”Most everyone is still here. Tojo left though, after he got too old for Scar’s tastes. I don’t know where he went, hopefully somewhere better off than here. And then we’ve gotten some new additions, a couple of lionesses and more cubs.”

Shaking off the subject, Nala looked back to him. “But what about you? Where have you been all this time?” The lioness tilted her head, a mischievous grin on her face. “You didn’t get lost again, did you?” She teased, nudging him in the shoulder with her paw.

The notion that Nala would not forget about him made Malka beam. He looked away briefly, just to be certain her king was not watching from afar. While the vagabond was a brave enough lion, even he had no desire to face the devil king, Scar. Nala's affectionate greeting was met with a nuzzle of his own. It had been weeks since he had felt another leonine touch, and deep down, he wished the lioness had not stepped away so quickly. "It's been ages. I'm glad you're the first one I found here."

He could only nod half-heartedly when Nala pointed out how bad it had become in her homelands, since the loss of Mufasa and his son. It was no surprise to learn that Tojo had been banished, but Malka took comfort to know that none of the others had been lost. How wonderful it would be to find Tojo, now that he was without a pride! At least then, Malka wouldn't have to stay solo for the rest of his existence. "It's hard to believe any lionesses would want to join, let alone have cubs here." The young lion had seen many kingdoms, lots of different territories on his own, but the Pridelands felt different than all the others. The dying landscape seemed haunted, and Malka felt uncomfortable there. Malka's pride had been in a less desperate situation, and he had not hesitated to leave them.

Nala easily recalled the circumstances of his first visit, and Malka ducked his head in mock embarrassment, impressed by her memory. "No, I'm not lost this time. I left my own pride a few months ago. I can't get lost now because there is no place I should be." He forced a proud smile, though the rogue lifestyle he had chosen was not charmed, nor was it easy. "Mostly I just wander, wherever the wind takes me. It's nice, I guess. I can go anywhere I please." Well, the last statement was only partially true: the rogue could only wander to places that he wasn't promptly chased away from.

Nala noted the way the lion’s eyes searched behind her and she shook her head, knowing his thoughts. “Don’t worry, Scar’s sticking around Pride Rock today -- else I wouldn’t be out here in the first place.” As he nuzzled in return, the lioness smiled. “I’m glad too,” she said softly, before quickly adding, “Though they’re only a few in the pride you should stay away from now, you probably would’ve been safe regardless.” It was hard not to notice how well the years had treated him, but she tried to push the thought off. When Malka commented on the new lionesses, Nala nodded. “I’ve yet to figure that out either. More so, some still seem to like Scar...” She frowned at the thought, staring back at Pride Rock. “I know he’s king, as he should be under the circumstances but, he’s not doing anyone any good. Especially my mother...” Her last comment came under her breath, aided by a scowl aimed at the ground. She still couldn't believe Sarafina had conceived one of Scar's cubs. The lioness noted how tense the landscape seemed to make Malka, and she couldn’t blame him. The dying lands seemed to mournfully reflect the death of their king and prince, and Nala would be lying if she claimed she didn’t have nightmares about the shadows.

When Malka ducked his head, Nala laughed as his wild mane fell in front of his eyes. She brushed it away with her paw, shaking her head in amusement. “How do you manage with all that mane?” As he explained he wasn’t lost, she sat down, head tilted slightly, noting his smile was forced. It wasn’t hard to tell he wasn’t completely happy with his rogue lifestyle, as freeing as he claimed it to be. “Why did you leave though? Did something happen?” She knew his pride was a bit better off than the Pridelander’s, but she hadn’t heard of any trouble between them, and had thought he would stay with his pride for longer than he apparently did. “I don’t see the draw of being a rogue. Wouldn't you miss your family? Your friends?”

His expression fell when Nala began to speak about Scar. Even under the circumstances, it was sheer lunacy for Malka to imagine anyone would tolerate his tyranny. Not all of the Pridelanders despised their king though, she had informed him, and he could only shake his head in disbelief. "Your mother? What did he do to her?" The lion could vaguely remember Nala's mother, if only because she resembled her so closely. The light cream color pelt was identical for Nala and Sarafina, and the soft green eyes.

Malka had to make an effort not to stare now. Nala had been a pretty cub, but now that she was matured, she was stunning. He remembered that she was meant to be Simba's queen when they were adults, but her destiny had been altered forever when Simba was lost. His eyes crossed as he attempted to look up at his mess of a mane when Nala took notice of its current state, and he laughed. "It came out of nowhere. One day, I woke up, and pow! Crazy mane."

When the lioness asked why he had left his natal pride, Malka cleared his throat. "The king would have cast me out if I stayed. I was getting older, and there was no future for me there." How could anyone prefer the life of a pride lion if this was their home? Malka had always liked the Pridelands, but the kingdom he remembered was not the one he saw that day. "Being a rogue has its advantages, really. I can travel through neutral territories freely, and no one can tell me otherwise. I don't have any creepy, power-loving king watching me. The only one who cared about me there is my mother, but she's fine. She's living her life, and I'm living mine." He gave a slight shrug, dismissing the information as if it wasn't as sad as it sounded.

Nala had to bite her tongue and glare at the ground to make sure she replied properly, not letting her annoyance get the better of her. Finally she returned her mossy gaze back to Malka, her tone a forced calm.”She has a cub.” She stated simply. The notion had severely bothered the lioness when Sarafina first told her. She just couldn’t believe it. Scar was ruining their kingdom, destroying the lands and starving them with his letting the hyenas run amok, and Sarafina had let him give her a cub? It just didn’t make any sense to Nala, and even now made her upset. The lioness hadn’t managed to guess that before, when the two were much younger and much less jaded, Sarafina did in fact feel something for the then-prince; and her mother had yet to explain such past relations to her. But while Nala knew it wasn’t her place to judge the happening, it still left a bitter taste in her mouth. Her mother, her entire pride, deserved so much more than a selfish, paranoid, absent king.

The lioness pushed to her paws and paced a few steps to calm down again. This wasn’t a subject she needed to get worked up over, especially not when she was seeing a close friend again in the first time in quite some time. She shook her head, finally casting him another smile, “Sorry. How have you been, anyway? How have you been utilizing your life as a rogue?”

As he explained why he left in the first place, Nala slowly nodded. She couldn’t help but let out a snicker at the mention of a “creepy, power-loving king” watching. He had her there. Still, it sounded sad to Nala. Not that her current situation was much better, but at least she was still surrounded by lionesses who cared for her, even if there were a few who didn’t. “What do you think you’re going to do with your future then? Anything planned, or just roaming for now?” She asked, unable to keep the concern out of her voice. While Malka was most certainly a full-grown lion now, fully capable of handing himself, she couldn’t help but remember the cub who lost his way, who’s bravery, while true, wasn’t always consistent. And getting lost nowadays, with the state of the lands, could arguably be worse than before, when at least he had others looking out for him.

Malka failed to control the disgusted look that flashed upon his features when Nala admitted that her own mother had birthed one of Scar's offspring. Her own half-brother was a part of the devil king, and Malka shook his head in utter disbelief. "That's awful," he responded honestly, unable to hold his tongue. But it was obvious the topic upset the pale lioness, as well it should, and Malka bridged the gap between the two to offer a comforting nuzzle. "Hey, it's okay."

After bragging about his newfound sense of independence, it was only natural that Nala ask what he had been doing in his time, but Malka laughed. Maybe it wasn't as exciting as he let on, unless one enjoyed being chased around... Which he did not. "I've seen a lot of the neighboring prides, but I mostly stick to the neutral territories, where it's safe for rogues to hunt and drink without worry." Thank the spirits that the neutral territories existed, or his life as a vagabond would be nearly impossible.

He fell silent for a long, linger moment when Nala inquired what he intended to do with his future. It was not something he had given much thought, even as a youngster, Malka had always been the impulsive type. As a cub, it had gotten him into many random adventures, as well as countless dangerous siutations. Now that his mane had grown in full, he still failed to contemplate what consequences his actions would someday bring. His smile slowly disappeared. "Honestly, I've never really thought about that. I guess I'll just roam. Maybe someday, I'll find others who want to travel with me."

What sort of future would either of them have, if they continued on the same paths? Though entirely different, their outlooks seemed bleak, and Malka exhaled a soft little sigh, now that he was forced to think about it.

Nala was honestly grateful that Malka seemed to feel the same way on the issue, a confirmation that the disgust she felt at the situation was not unfounded. She leaned into his nuzzle, closing her eyes for a moment.”Thanks,” she said softly. It did help, a bit. “It just seems like more and more these days there’s so much to be upset about. I miss when we were cubs and... Mufasa was king.” Her hesitation to say his name caused another frown, another proof of Scar’s negative influence. It was forbidden to say the late-king’s name around Pride Rock, something steadily instilled in her as a cub. Whenever anyone slipped up, the gaze they got from Scar was chilling, and their rations cut. And if he was in an even worse mood, he would slash at them outright.

Malka’s laugh drew a smile from the lioness as he explained his ventures in neutral lands. “I’m glad, wouldn't want you getting lost or in anymore trouble again,” Nala said with a grin, only half joking. Her grin faded with his as he mulled over the question of his future. It sounded like a bleak outlook, wandering around for the rest of his time, on the off chance of finding someone to share his travels. Nala herself was very pride-oriented, even if her current situation was far from perfect, so the idea caused her to frown. “You’ll find someone, I’m sure. I mean, you’re a strong, handsome lion. Who wouldn’t want to travel with you?” She said with a smirk and raised eyebrow, nudging his shoulder again, before letting herself fall serious once more. “I’d invite you to stay with us, but you know Scar,” she gestured with her head towards Pride Rock, before returning her gaze to the rogue sadly.

“But we have missed you. The Pridelands just don’t seem like the best place for anyone right now,” she shook her head with a sigh. Perking up a bit to keep the conversation from being to heavy, she offered a smile. “But you’ll find your place someday, we all will. It just takes some of us longer than others.”

Seeing his old friend so depressed was physically painful for Malka, who was rather sensitive, though he would never admit it aloud. Poor Nala. He could only guess what horrible things she had seen and experienced since the loss of the great Mufasa, and her best friend Simba. He sat closer to her now, nuzzling her again. It was obvious her life had turned out to be very difficult, a far cry from the life of a future queen she had deserved. "Yeah. It seems like things have changed a lot, and not for the better."

He laughed at the thought of staying in the Pridelands. He had just left his natal pride and no intentions of joining a new one any time soon. But Malka wasn't so sure that he would eventually find a traveling companion. It was flattering to hear Nala's compliments, and if a lion could blush, Malka probably would have. Then, he thought of something. "Well..." He began slowly, as if he was hesitating. Malka knew that Nala was a pride lioness, and she had ties that had kept her in the ailing kingdom this long, but he couldn't help the idea that had crept into his young, reckless mind. "What about you? I mean, why do you think your place is here, if it's so bad?"

"Think of what Scar might do if you stay." When Malka allowed his mind to wander to that dark thought, a low growl rumbled in his through. The thought of lovely Nala giving birth to a litter of demon spawn, like her mother had done, nearly made Malka crazy with anger. "You'll be safer if you leave. Maybe." The life of a rogue was undoubtedly dangerous, but then, so was staying around with a head-strong tyrant with a penchant for procreation.

On instinct Nala wanted to tell the lion not to sit so close, fearing Scar’s jealous wrath at any lion who so much as looked at one of “his” lionesses. But, as she had made sure, Scar was far from the edges of this Valley -- he probably didn’t even know about the Valley of Peace. So Nala instead leaned into his physical presence, finding it a welcome change from Pride Rock. Malka’s comfort was far more welcomed than she had thought it would be, but she closed her eyes and nodded at his words. “It can only get a bit worse from here, and then... then things can only get better.” She said softly, hoping her words were true.

As he began his suggestion slowly, Nala was able to guess where his thoughts led and turned to look up at him with a regretful smile. She let him finish speaking before she began, though after a short pause. The lioness noticed the way his muscles suddenly tensed, a sign of the anger he must’ve felt at Scar, especially with the growl which accompanied the king’s name. Nala brushed her head beneath his chin to try and calm him down, not wanting him to worry. “Things may be bad, but my place is with my pride. It always has been. For better or worse -- just for right now, it’s for worse. But I can’t run away from my problems, Malka. I have a responsibility here, to make sure everyone eats and Scar doesn’t start killing anyone out of spite.” She said, somewhat as a joke, but knew it was a very true possibility. Nala regarded him seriously, “I know full well what he could do, what he already has done to others. Believe me, the idea of letting him so much as touch me...” she shuddered with disgust, but shook it off, regaining her composure. “I’m taking as many precautions as possible to avoid such a fate, and you can be certain if he tries anything I will not stand for it.” She growled, but it turned into a sigh as she looked back towards Pride Rock. “Still, I can’t abandon my family.” Green eyes flickered over to his own, a small smirk quirking over her muzzle, “No matter how tempting the alternative is.”

Then her voice dropped into hardly a whisper, as if worried the wind itself would carry her voice back to the paranoid king. “I have to find some way to stop this all though, Malka. I know several of the others are not happy, but enough are loyal to Scar so trying to run him off ourselves seems impossible, right now. Especially since I know he has others working for him, somewhere, that will no doubt pick us off just as easily. But I’ve been looking for a way to turn this all around, and gauging the other lioness’s opinion of a rally against him, under the only somewhat false pretense of looking for more food and water -- which will be just as needed soon.” The lioness shook her head with defeated a sigh, “But it’s too early. Such a riot would only end in blood shed right now. I must stay to find a way to fix this, since my mother already seems brainwashed and Sarabi has been so focused on just keeping us all safe and fed.”

Nala paused again, pressing her maw shut and glancing over her shoulder, as if worried someone had already overheard her plans. She had yet to voice them to anyone, and knew if such knowledge got back to Scar, she would be run off or killed in a matter of seconds. She returned her gaze to Malka sadly, nuzzling his cheek, “As much as I’d like to, I can’t leave. Not just yet. Neither Mufasa nor Simba would have been happy with me running away when things got tough, I think. I need to stay, for them.” Nala finished, though it hurt her to admit it. A part of her so desperately wanted to just run off with Malka -- life might be difficult, but it would be fine with both of them there, and their food sources would be better with the ability to roam. She wouldn’t have to worry about Scar, and would get to feel as care free and happy as she had when she was a cub again. Her heart swelled at the thought. But she wasn’t a cub anymore. Nala was too duty-bound to let her own desire get in the way of what she thought best for the pride. She remembered how strong and brave Mufasa was, and how Simba strove to be just like his father -- if she ran away now, Nala felt their memories would be tarnished.