The Prodigal Son

[Mheetu]

March 31st | Open to all of Scar's older children


It had been months since Mheetu had last stepped foot inside Agrabah and he wished that his return was under happier circumstances. As soon as he heard the birds whispering rumours about an attack on the palace and the death of his father, he had turned around and travelled as fast as he could manage back across the unforgiving sands of the desert. He hoped that maybe it was just baseless rumours. After all, he heard many rumours on his journeys and who knew what was true and what was false? Maybe he would step into the palace grounds and find his father and mothers waiting to happily greet him and welcome him home, his siblings too. At least, that was what he wished he would find but the closer he came to the palace, the more apprehension he felt.

The feel of cool marble under his paws was a welcome relief from the hot sands he'd been walking on the last few days. The army had grown since he had left, he noted, although that hardly surprised him. Father had been certain that others would see the righteousness of their cause and would flock to their banner and Mheetu hadn't been one to argue with that although he had his doubts about exactly how "righteous" they really were.

His paws took him the familiar route deeper into the palace, this was where the pride usually congregated. If he didn't see his family then he was sure one of the other lions could point him towards where he could. He'd be able to get his answers then, he hoped.

[Kula]

How things had changed in just a few short months. Her hated rival had been laid dead by her own paws, her eye torn asunder. She'd become a demon -- or at the very least the familiar of a demon. The nuances were lost on Kula without the guidance of Perthmail.

Her father had died.

Her siblings had been born. The Pridelands were open to her family again.

Kula wasn't entirely sure what she was meant to feel. In the present moment she felt... Content. The cubs were growing well as the gems in the center of the pride; well-cared for and ruling over them as benevolent little king and queens. Her family was safe. Grief had failed to break them though it weighed heavily on their hearts.

As for Kula? For the moment she was well fed and warm; napping on her side in an expanse of sun-warmed marble beside the burbling fountain.

[Mheetu]

Mheetu had spotted the blaze of orange fur as he passed by the door to the gardens. There was his sister, resting in the warm sunlight, her back to him so no doubt she had no idea he was even there and was probably asleep.

“Kula!” he called out before bounding towards his half-sister. A warm, affectionate purr rumbled in his throat as he brushed his head against her own in greeting and hopefully mollify her for her disturbed rest. He’d missed his siblings dearly since he’d left Agrabah. He wondered if Nuka, Vitani, or Kovu were also somewhere nearby, he’d have to greet them too. No doubt the younger two had grown drastically since he had last seen them.

“It’s so good to see you again, sister.” It was only then that he noticed the horrible scarring across her face and couldn’t help but gawk in horror at her. It was as if someone had attempted to claw Kula’s eye right out of its socket and he wondered that if she opened her eyes would there indeed be an empty space where once there was green.

Clearly, much had happened since he had last seen her and it took all his willpower not to immediately question her as to what had happened to her. War was war, occasionally there would be injuries and even deaths. That was an unavoidable fact, as unfortunate as it may be, and it only made his gut twist more in fear of what else he may have missed in his absence.

[Kula]

First a single twitch of an ear as Kula recognized her name even in sleep, followed by a sleepy jerk of the head. Eyes still sealed with sleep the lioness let out a questioning 'mrrp', the tip of her tongue visible as her head lifted slightly. Sleepy kitten began to boot herself up, spine rolling as her limbs stretched. The green-and-blue mismatched eyes of hers slit open as a head bumped hers, bursting through the bubble of her awakening haze.

That voice...

"Mheetu?!" Kula blinked the sleep from her eyes quickly as consciousness settled back in, ears swiveling up in total interest. Cream and black filled her vision -- yes, it was her sweet older brother! A smile lit Kula's face as she rolled to her feet, butting her head against Mheetu's with a purr. "You're home!! Welcome back!"

[Mheetu]

He couldn't help the grin that spread across his muzzle at her enthusiastic reaction to his return, she had always been one of his closest companions since cubhood as their shared blood had caused them to bond quite easily. "I bet you were thinking you got rid of me." he joked, knowing she probably had hoped for no such thing at all. His sister could be ruthless indeed but never towards him or any of their siblings, in that she was nothing but loving.

"Where is everyone? Mama? Auntie Zira?" he swiveled his head to cast around just in case he had missed them but it seemed to only be himself and Kula in this secluded piece of garden. For now it was just them and Mheetu thought that was probably for the better because if there was anyone he trusted to be utterly and brutally honest about the questions he had, it would be Kula. 

"I heard..." he trailed off, his mouth suddenly dry at the prospect of saying what he feared aloud. Until now it had only been a terrible rumour that he had heard but once he asked then it would no longer be so. His father would really be dead. His strong and seemingly immortal father would really be gone forever "I heard some things when I was on my way back. Please, Kula, I need to know. Is Baba...is he...?"

Is he really dead?

[Nkunda]

"Mheetu?!"

Nkunda had frozen stiff just as he entered the room at the cry of jubilation Kula gave. His ears swiveled forward while his crimson hues took in the sight of Mheetu in the distance and all feelings of self-worth seemed to fall into a puddle at his very feet. He had been dealing with the grief as best as he could, pushing on and being strong for his family but it was hard. All of this was hard and now that Mheetu was back it felt like a heavy sudden kick to the gut. Mheetu was the strong one out of them, he was the one Scar was always commenting on and praising while he was put on the back burner.

He would be lying if he said he wasn't jealous.

But jealousy would get him nowhere now, Scar was dead but his mothers were still around. His siblings, especially the two newest additions. He needed to get his act together and quick. He lifted his head, groomed a paw over his curly mane and then proceeded forward keeping him stride as regal as possible. He wouldn't sculk around like a child anymore.

"Baba's gone, Mheetu." He stopped short a few paces, his usual scowling face wasn't there. Instead, a look of understanding and grief pulled at his features. "He's gone."

[Mheetu]

The sound of footsteps caused Mheetu to turn his head from Kula to see who had intruded on their conversation only to see Nuka approaching them. A wide smile broke on his face but before he had the chance to happily greet his half-brother, Nuka spoke and the smile died instantly on hearing his words:

"Baba's gone, Mheetu. He's gone."

Despite knowing that this might be the case, that didn't dull the suckerpunch of pain that Mheetu felt when his worst fear was confirmed. To him, their father seemed like he would never die...he always had a plan, a vision, to hear that mortality had caught up with him seemed almost impossible. Of course, Scar wasn't immortal and never was. One day, Mheetu had known, he would die but he had never imagined it would be so soon or so suddenly.

And he wasn't even there to say goodbye.

"I should have come back sooner." he managed, his words feeling choked and he could feel his eyes burning with unshed tears "Kula...Nuka...I'm so sorry. I...Our mothers, are they? How are they? Vitani? Kovu?"

[Kula]

Kula's entire body had sagged a bit at Mheetu's question, inevitable though it was. Her gaze and tail both lowered to brush the ground in response and though the answer could have been clear... She couldn't bring herself to say it aloud. Not yet. She was glad, then, when Nkunda voiced the truth instead.

Stepping forward again Kula bumped her head beneath Mheetu's chin, her weight coming to rest against him in an approximation of a consoling embrace as she slid herself to press her fur to his.

"Vitani is acting tough, but I haven't seen Kovu in... Days. Mom found out she was pregnant," Kula's voice was quiet -- it wasn't like she needed to speak loudly with just the three of them -- and gentler than most any person would ever hear. "Right before Baba... Right before that battle. Mother helped her not lose the cubs." Eyes shining with her own sheen of grief Kula tilted her head back with a wavering smile. The new kids on the block may have been siblings to them all, but she knew it might be a bit different for Mheetu. He and the litter were full siblings. "We have two new sisters and a brother."

[Nkunda]

The shine of tears in Mheetu's eyes was enough to make Nuka's stomach turn. The taste of bile in his throat raised and his one paw came to clamp the back of his brother's head roughly. His forehead collided against the other's gently and he shut his crimson hues tightly. The lost could be felt by all of them, Nuka did not cry when he was told Scar had tight but here and now as the weight finally sagged on him he could feel himself choking on his own air. His lungs felt polluted with the knowledge that their father was gone.

He gave a small nod at the information that Kula shared with Mheetu. Only to pull away to sit and lean his weight right back into him. Comfort his siblings as much as he could despite words feeling as though they were not enough. "You have to meet them," He started jaw a gap in his fumble for careful words. "Our newest siblings, they're little but strong..." He averted his gaze. "Baba would be proud."