and jaws opening slightly. 

He shoved his brother back, and his brother complied with a snarl. “What was that for?” Taka lashed out, rubbing his cheek. He quickly heard Sarafina’s scream and she cowered back, shaking. 

“Go!” Shouted Mufasa desperately, pushing his brother to the right, and the younger lion began to run, Mufasa following swiftly behind. Sarabi was soon close by, avoiding the cloven hooves of the zebra’s, who were beginning to get in a frenzy. Taka looked back, seeing the dog lunge at one of the zebra, who whinnied in fear. Sarafina nimbly avoided the crush of one of the hooves, but she was getting farther apart from the group. Mufasa saw this also, but he was out of breath and had to keep up with Sarabi. 
Taka was the one to go back, the chaos around him forcing him to trip once or twice as he came up to Sarafina, who was coughing from the amount of dust in the air. “Fina!” He stamped his paw on the ground, and he ran with her as they avoided the madness around them. 

“Wait!” Sarabi’s shout echoed over them, and Taka saw how the land ended. A jagged cliff lay before him. He stopped in his tracks, panting. They were at least out of the herd, though. With a jolt, he saw two paws clinging to the edge of the cliff. Sarabi was behind, but Taka lunged forward. He hesitated, gazing at these two paws, and then he came to the very edge, his struggling brother, eye’s closed in fear. 
For a moment the dark cub was silent, staring at his brother. And then he slammed his paws against his. 

“Got a good grip?” He panted, tugging hard. 

“Not really,” Mufasa admittedly modestly, and then dug his claws deeper into the rock surface. Pebbles were rolling down the side of the wall. 

Taka’s paws started slipping. “Umm..” He was afraid to tell his brother the truth, and he bit his lip. How hard was it for someone like Mufasa? He should be climbing up and brushing it off like it was nothing! Yet nonetheless, here was his prideful brother, struggling and scared, dangling on the edge of a cliff. 

Mufasa had apparently already sensed this though, and he groaned. “Your smaller paws are slipping, huh?” He grumbled, still trying to scramble up. 

“No.” Spat back Taka, voice cold but then he felt his brother lurch downwards, and his grip tightened back, desperation coming into the cub’s green eyes. 

“Taka, this is it.” Mufasa mumbled with a sorrow the younger lion had never heard in his brother’s voice before. He let out a defeated sigh. It took Taka a few moments to understand the meaning of his brother’s words. He swallowed, a lump in his stomach. 

“Are you giving up this easily?!” He snapped at his brother, wanting to yell at him some more, but the gravity of the situation was weighing down on his shoulders. His brother had always been the bold one, the one with the sense, was his stress really driving him to this? He scowled as he recalled the hyena’s words to him about his brother. A coward..a weakling..was it all true? Taka dug his claws in between his brother’s toes carefully, still groaning as he felt himself begin the lunge forward from the weight of his brother. 

“Maybe!” Mufasa shot back. Both of the siblings were at loss to words. The golden lion sighed in defeat. “Taka..you’ll be King now.” He said ruefully, ears flattened and his head bowed. Watery tears began to form at the golden lions eyes. Taka was stunned. 

“Long live the King.” Mufasa mumbled, and he closed his eyes. Their grip was beginning to loosen. Suddenly, Taka felt something clamp over his tail. He turned, looking over his shoulder. Sarafina’s teeth were clamped over his tail, tugging hard as she took a step back, voice muffled as she spoke to Sarabi, who was also tugging on the end of Taka’s tail. It hurt, and he would usually scold whoever bite his tail, but this was urgent. 

“No need for dramatics, you two!” Sarabi said through a mouthful of fur, dismissing the painful moment the brothers had just shared. 

Taka flashed them a grateful smirk as he felt himself pulled upward, and he gripped his Mufasa’s paws as they both tumbled onto the grass. 

“Are you alright?” Sarafina asked, letting go of Taka’s tail and rushing over, sniffing them both of the dirt that covered their coats. She looked away with admiration. “That was really brave.” 

“I’m okay.” Taka answered modestly, leaning over his shoulder to lick his fur of the dirt and dust. He glanced over at his brother, but remained silent. He grinned at the thanks he was given, the darker cub’s chest swelling.

“Ouch.” Mufasa mumbled, coming up to his paws and wincing from a pulsing pain in his back leg. Taka looked over, one eyebrow raised. 

“Need to see the monkey?” He asked, and Mufasa shook his head. 

“It’s okay.” The golden cub replied, giving his brother a grateful smile, his breath still coming in swift gasps. Visibly shaken, his brother took a pace back and cocked his head to one side, not sure what to say. Then Mufasa pulled his brother into a wordless, tight embrace. His paws tugged at his brother’s shoulder and the darker cub couldn’t help but grin somewhat smugly. 

“Thank you.” Mufasa murmured, voice trembling. He looked back up, regaining his kingly posture, and his eyes gleamed. “For not letting me go.” 

“Well, might want to get Muffy here back to his lessons huh?” Sarabi said, grinning and butting Mufasa gently with her shoulder as she padded to him. Mufasa sighed, but gave her a warm smile. 

“Guess one adventure for Mufasa is enough for now.” Taka said with a cheeky grin, standing up and beginning to follow the two young lioness back in the direction of Pride Rock. He shoved his older brother playfully. “Come on, big bro.”