Run Away

The two lions watched as their father slowly left this world. As his body hit the ground, Taka felt a sudden jolt as if his seeing his father's body had snapped him back into reality. It was all Mtukufu's fault.

"You killed him!" Taka roared with anger. He wanted to throw his brother off the cliff, but he knew that wouldn't bring his father back.

"He was on his way out anyway. I just hastened the process."

"How could you? He was all we had left" Taka stammered. He was no longer angry, but filled with sadness.

"Correction. He was all you had left. I still have this whole kingdom!"

Mtukufu was angry. How could Taka not see it. His father was not all peaches and cream. Adahari might have been a great king, but he was a terrible father and a demeaning husband.

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

Adahari fell in love with a beautiful lioness named Uru. Uru's father, Djimon, was king of the Pride Lands. Since she did not want to be Queen, Djimon handed the crown over to his son-in-law. When Adahari became king, he became a terrible person and a possessive husband. He never let her leave Pride Rock. She was never allowed to talk to the other female lions without her husband present. Uru thought he was just trying to keep her safe, since many animals wanted the royal family dead. However, he began cheating as well. Every night for two years, she slept alone. He had always said he was out on patrol, but she grew suspicious. She finally resorted to asking Kito, the royal advisor, to spy on him. Every night for one week, Kito observed Adahari, and came back with the same report everyday. The king had committed adultery.

Uru warned Adahari, that she would tell her father, but he wouldn't listen. Then, Mtukufu was born. For a while things were back to normal. Adahari stopped his infidelity and was a great father. One night, Uru and Adahari got into a fight. Adahari had spotted Uru hugging a male lion. Uru explained that she was thanking him. A few buffalos started messing around with her. They were hitting and shoving Uru. She would have fallen into a lake if not for a male lion that caught her before she fell. They ran away before anything could happen. When Uru knew they were safe, she thanked him with a hug.

Adahari would not believe her. How could she touch another lion? What were her real intentions? Subconsciously, Adahari smacked her, leaving blood oozing out of her right cheek. Uru had no time to react before he gave her another. He kept on going until her face was covered in blood.

"Please! If not for me than for the children. Don't do this!" Uru pleaded with her husband. Those were the last words Uru would ever speak before Adahari ended her life.

He struck her one last time before her body gave out. Uru collapsed. There was no turning back. Adahari had just killed his wife. He hadn't known this last blow would be the end. He had to cover up her death somehow. What he hadn't realized, was that his son was watching the whole time.

"Father!"

"Mtukufu, go back to your den"

"You killed Mother! Why?"

"She had done something unforgivable, I needed to teach her a lesson"

"You didn't have to kill her Father"

"Its ok Son, I'll take care of everything"

With that, Adahari made an excuse saying that she walked into a nest of snakes and they bit her face for trespassing. Shortly after, her father passed away from stress over his daughter's death. Taka was only two years old when his mother died. He never knew exactly what happened. Taka never knew the treachery of his father's actions.

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

"You don't understand, Taka"

"What are you talking about?"

"Father killed Mother"

"Nonsense, Father was a righteous lion"

"We never told you, you were too young"

"Too young for what? What happened? What are you hiding" Taka kept asking questions when he realized his brother was silent,

"Tuk! This is not the time to be zoning out. What's wro-" Taka said before Mtukufu cut him off.

"Taka, run away now!" Mtukufu's loud voice lowered into a whisper.

"What do you mean run away?" Taka replied in bewilderment. They were never going to get anywhere if Mtukufu kept spouting nonsense.

"Someone saw us, run Taka"