Enzi's Destiny

Enzi let his tears fall. He pushed his nose into his father Chumvi's fur. But, his father did not move. In the distance, Enzi could hear the thin crying of his little siblings, Kovu and Vitani. He walked over to the other body lying beside his father. It was his mother, Tama. 

"Mom, Dad?" he asked. 

His parents didn't answer. They were dead. Enzi himself had a huge bump on his head which was paining like crazy. He got under his father's huge paw and cried, reliving the devastating moments when his family split apart. 

Zira, the supposed queen of the Pridelands, had arrived and had demamnded that Kovu and Vitani be given to her as she was looking for a heir for King Scar. Chumvi and Tama refused and it was just a few red moments before his parents fell down, blood streaming from their bodies. Enzi had tried to protect his two younger siblings, but Zira had swatted him aside like he was a bothersome fly. Enzi had hit a rock and had lost consciousness. Zira had taken his brother and sister away. Thinking he was dead, Kovu and Vitani had begun to cry.

"I'll get them back, I promise." he told his parents.

Enzi began to walk in the direction Zira had taken his siblings. He soon reached the mountains and he collapsed out of exhaustion. Before he lost all sense, he heard muffled voices and smelled strange lions.

He came around in a totally different place. He was lying in a den and there were strange lionesses around. There was a light lioness cub beside him. She was looking at the den enterance as if she was expecting someone. She gave a tiny jump when Enzi started talking.

"Where am I?" he asked.

"In the Mountain Pride." she replied. "Me and my father found you unconscious outside our borders. He brought you in."

"Who are you?" Enzi asked.

"I'm Adanna." she said. "Future queen of the Mountain Pride. My father is Malka, the King of the Mountain Pride. Who are you?"

"I'm Enzi." he said. 

"Nice to meet you." Adanna said. "Now, we should probably go outside and meet my father."

Enzi nodded and got up. He shook his brown fur and then followed Adanna outside. Outside, Enzi was met with a new world. It was cool and quiet, with snowy mountains surrounding them on three sides. There was an atmosphere of peacefulness in the air. A few cubs were playing in the fallen leaves. Enzi almost immediatley forgot his siblings as he breathed in the cool mountain air. But, then he remembered Kovu and Vitani and his face became sullen again.

Adanna noticed this. She went over to him and looked him in the eyes. Green stared into red-brown as she talked to him.

"Enzi, what's wrong?" she asked.

"Nothing." he said quickly. "Nothing, at, all. Its best I tell you and your father."

"Okay." she nodded.

At that moment, a lion with a black ame and ear tufts came up. Adanna ran to him, curling her tail lovingly around his legs.

"Hi Daddy." she said.

The lion laughed.

"What have we here?" he asked, looking at Enzi.

Enzi nervously shifted on his paws.

"This is Enzi." Adanna said.

"Hello Enzi." Adanna's father's eyes grew soft. "I'm Malka."

"Nice to meet you, sir." Enzi remembered just in time that Malka was the king.

"You might want to tell us what brought you here." Malka said.

Enzi took a deep breath and narrated the events that had taken place the day before. Adanna gasped when he got to the part when Zira killed his parents. A tear rolled down his cheek as he remembered the bodies of his parents. Adanna pressed her body to his. The gesture took him by surprise but he finished the story. Malka's eyes were full of pain and grief.

"Your parents were my good friends." he said. "They will be honoured by the entire pride forever."

Enzi put his head down. 

"What do I do now?" he asked.

"Well, you could stay and train with us." Malka said.

"Thank you, it will be an honour." Enzi respectfully bowed his head.

"Time to call a Pride meeting." Malka said.

"Why?"

"Its for a Welcoming Ceremony." Adanna said.

"What's that?" Enzi asked.

"Oh, its an ancient ritual that the pride undertakes whenever a new lion joins the Pride." Adanna explained.

"What do I have to do?" Enzi asked.

"Oh, you just have to answer the questions put to you by my father, then bow your head. When he puts his head on yours, you lick his shoulder." Adanna said.

"That's all?" Enzi asked.

"That's all." Adanna nodded.

Malka had jumped upon a huge rock and roared.

"Let all lions living in the Mountain Pride gather beneath the Rockpile for a Pride Meeting."

Lionesses began to appear from all around. They all sat in a semi-circle around the Rockpile. Malka flicked his tail towards Enzi. Adanna pushed him forward. As Enzi walked up to Malka, he felt the stares of all the lionesses on him. But surprisingly, they didn't make him feel scared, but more confident. He looked up to Malka.

"Today, we will welcome a new member into our pride." Malka said.

He looked down at Enzi.

"Enzi, do you promise to train your hardest to find your siblings?" Malka asked.

The question took Enzi by surprise. He looked up at Malka.

"I do." he said.

"Then, we all welcome you to the Mountain Pride, Enzi." he said.

Enzi bowed his head and Malka put his head on his. Enzi respectfully licked his shoulder and jumped down. The entire pride began calling his name.

"Enzi! Enzi!"

Enzi stood up straight and held his head high.

"Now, we will choose Enzi's mentor." Malka said. "I have chosen to mentor him myself."

The pride erupted in talks. Malka flicked his tail to silence them all.

"But if you mentor Enzi, who will be Adanna's mentor?" an old looking lioness said.

"You will, Ishara." Malka said. "You were my mentor, and you taught me well. I trust you will pass all you knw to my daughter now."

"I will." Ishara said.

Malka nodded. 

"This meeting is now over." he announced.

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"Okay, Enzi. Just focus on your moves and you'll be able to pull me down." Malka said.

Enzi was lying on the ground, panting. He shook his head and stood up, ignoring the throbbing pain in his hind leg. He crouched down, his eyes flicking from one place to another, not giving Malka any time to think. He suddenly jumped up and caught Malka's mane. Malka tried to shake him off, but Enzi held on. Enzi then flipped over and was on Malka's back, pinning the big lion down.

"Like this?" he asked his mentor.

"Yep." Malka said. "Now just get off my back."

Malka tried to sound stern but his voice was full of laughter. Enzi got off and Malka got up. He shook himself and then looked at the brown cub.

"You've done well." he said. "Now go have some fun. But be back by sunset; I'm teaching you to hunt in the middle of the night."

Enzi nodded and then sped out of the training clearing as fast as his legs could carry him. He ran towards the den and looked inside. He scanned the entire area.

"Where is she?" he muttered.

Suddenly, something attacked him. He fought back as fiercely as he could. Then, he found himself on the ground, a brown lioness holding him down.

"Surprise." she said.

"Get off Adanna!" he pushed her off.

She reluctantly got off. She beckoned him with her tail. He ran to her.

"Let's go check out the water-hole." she said.

He nodded and ran after her. Soon, they reached the water-hole and had a great time together. As the sun began to set, they went back and Malka took Enzi hunting. Enzi soon settled into his new life at the Mountain Pride.

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Years passed and Enzi and Adanna grew up. They became more closer as they grew. Soon, Enzi began to feel something stronger for Adanna than friendship. But he knew he had to concentrate on his training. 

"Good job." Malka said as Enzi released his grip on him.

Enzi's eyes gleamed. It made him feel better when the king gave praise.

"Just one more thing before you go." Malka said.

Enzi turned around.

"Yeah?" he asked.

"I just wanted to let you know, you are bethrothed to Adanna." Malka said.

"What?" Enzi asked.

"You are going to be the king after my death." Malka said.

"What? No. I can't do it." Enzi stammered.

"Why not?" Malka asked.

"I'm going to be away for a very long time." Enzi tried to explain, but Malka shut him off with a flick of his tail.

"You can come back." Malka said. "I don't have a son, and you're the only lion I trust to be my successor. With you by her side, Adanna will truly become a legend in the history of the Mountain Pride."

Enzi shook his head.

"But........" he started to say but Malka shut him off again.

"I trust you, Enzi." Malka said. "I have been training you all these years. I know what you're capable of."

Enzi opened his mouth to argue but then shut it. He nodded.

"I won't let you down." he

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