The Graveyard
Maliki and Kim looked at each other. "Okay, here goes," Kim said, shaking his head. He jumped off the ledge after Shani, leaving Maliki behind. Maliki walked nearer to the edge and looked down. He gasped in terror. So high...He couldn't go down there, just couldn't. "Mali, come on! What are you waiting for?" Shani shouted. Of course, she didn't know. No-one knew except Kovu and Kiara. No-one else knew Maliki had a fear of heights. He was ashamed of it and that's why he always tried to show off and look like he feared nothing.
"Mali, if you're not coming down, we're leaving without you!" Kim yelled. Maliki looked down again. What a fall! Everything seemed to spin in his eyes and he felt sick. But he had to do it. He was the future king and kings have to be brave.
He stepped shivering on the little stones on the ledge, trying to find a safe spot to place his foot. Suddenly he slipped and rolled screaming down the hill.
"Mali, are you okay?!" Shani gasped and ran to him. "I, I g-guess s-so," Maliki said, voice trembling and his body shivering all over. "Are you sure? You're shaking," Shani noticed. Maliki blushed and quickly got up on his feet. "I'm okay. Stupid hill..." he muttered to himself. "If you're okay, then we can go explore this place!" Kim said, eyes shining of excitement. "Yeah, sure, great..." Maliki groaned. The three cubs ran to different directions, exploring the wonders of the forbidden graveyard.
"Look at this, guys! A real elephant SKULL!" Shani yelled in amazement. "Wow!" Kim gasped. "I wonder how old it is?" "Probably a million years," Shani suggested. "Pfft, it hasn't been here THAT long!" "Are you sure?" Shani said slowly, lowering her voice to sound more scarier. Kim gulped. Maybe she WAS right after all.
"Yikes!" they heard Maliki screaming suddenly. They ran to his direction.
"Whoah, man! You gotta check this out! Steam!" His head was in a hole on the ground and his voice echoed inside it. Shani and Kim looked in the whole. "I can't see anything," Shani said. "Are you sure there's steam in there?" Suddenly they heard a grumbling sound inside the hole. "What's happening?" Kim asked. "Look out, I think she's gonna blow!" Maliki shrieked and everyone pulled their heads off just in time to see a majestic steam statue rising to the sky. "Whoah! Cool!" Maliki laughed.
Shani watched the statue for a while, then got tired in it and found something else. She noticed a huge pile of bones. It was almost a mountain to a cub of her size. She wanted to know what the view was like from up there.
She started climbing up the pile, not noticing the bones were old and easy to break. She was almost on the top, when she heard a crack from below. She screamed and tried to grab the pile but they started to roll on the ground and she fell. The boys heard the crush and rushed to her. All they saw was a tremendous pile of elephant bones on top of her.
"Shani!" Kim gasped. He ran to the pile and started to dig her out. "Come on, we gotta help her!" he yelled at his brother but Maliki was in too much panic to do what was told. This was all Kim's fault, if he wouldn't have gone with Shani, no-one would've expected Maliki to go to the elephant graveyard. Everything would be fine without Kim now. Maliki felt himself choking up but refused to cry in front of his brother.
Kim was still desperately seeking for a sign that Shani was still alive. So far nothing, but he wouldn't give up, COULDN'T give up. Shani was his best friend and he wouldn't let her down. He was amazed Mali didn't seem to have any intention to help him, but if he had to do it alone, he would. Then he heard a cough.
"Shani?!" She was alive! Kim started digging even harder and finally he reached Shani's paw. It was moving, so they still had hope. Now Maliki woke up from his trance, ran to Kim, pushed him aside and started to dig, too. Finally they found Shani's head and pulled her out of the bone pile. She was coughing and had a hard time breathing but she was alive.
"K-Kim? Ma-Maliki?" she coughed. "We're here, you're safe now, don't worry," Kim smiled relieved.
"Yeah, I saved you," Maliki said proud.
"What?!" Kim's jaw dropped. "Y-YOU?!"
Maliki helped Shani up. "Yup, that's how I am, can't leave the weak ones without help," he continued, trying to sound like a good Samaritan. Shani smiled shyly at him. "Thanks a lot, Maliki. You're a real friend."
"B-but-but it wasn't him who saved you! I saved you, he didn't do anything!" Kim yelled angrily. Shani looked at him and then at Maliki. "Was it him?" Maliki laughed. "Oh, come on, do you REALLY think KIM was strong OR brave enough to save you? He doesn't have the strength to do it!" "But I DID!!!" Kim yelled, now he was totally mad at Maliki. "Shani, I saved you! You gotta believe me! Mali just sat there on his rump doing nothing! I know I'm not as strong as he is but I DID save you!" "So which one do you believe, Shani, the future king or the weak little baby?!" Maliki asked smiling. This was a chance to get back at Kim for causing him to fall from that cliff.
Shani looked at both of them at a time for a long time, finally she turned her head to Kim: "It's not nice to lie, Kim."
Kim's jaw hung wide open. "B-b-but, Shani, I wasn't lying!" "Kim, it's okay, it's okay that you're weaker than Mali, I can accept that." "BUT I'M NOT!!!"
"Maybe we should go home," Maliki grinned. "My baby bro needs his milk."
Shani wasn't pleased at Maliki's joke but she agreed they should go home. "Come on, Kim. Don't be mad, I'm not angry that you lied," she said. "I wasn't the one who lied..." Kim muttered to himself.
The whole time they were heading home, Kim was observing his brother. He hasn't changed, he thought. He was just pretending to be Kim's friend again to get Shani on his side, to steal the only friend Kim had. Gods, how much he hated him! The whole time Mali and Shani were thinking about their adventures, laughing and promising not to tell their parents, Kim's anger grew stronger. He had never felt this way. His mind was as black as night and he couldn't think anything else but how to get back to Maliki.
Meanwhile, Maliki had started to regret his behaviour. He had promised Kovu not to tease Kim anymore. And even more important, he had promised KIM he wouldn't tease him anymore. Shani believed every word he said, she truly believed it was Maliki who had saved her, not Kim. And now she seemed to think Mali as her hero. Maliki couldn't stand the way she talked about his braveness and selfishness. Maliki didn't have the guts to turn and face Kim. He knew he was angry. And he had a good reason. Maliki couldn't try and explain his deeds to himself anymore, it was a lie and he knew it. He just couldn't fool himself. But he COULD change, that was his promise to himself. He would start tomorrow by apologizing Kim and telling Shani he lied to her. Then everone could be happy again and he would have peace. His mind calmed down and he started to joke and laugh with Shani. Before they knew it they were all home.
"Where have you BEEN?!" Nala stood outside the cave, looking very worried. "Didn't you see how late it was?!" Maliki grinned uncomfortably. "Were sorry, grandma. We were, umm..." Kim stepped forward, speaking calmly. "We were playing at the easter fields, didn't you hear us?" Nala looked puzzled. "Hear you? No, I guess I didn't..." "We were there, playing hide and seek, " Kim continued, with such calmness on his face Shani and Maliki just had to adore it.
Nala looked relieved. "Well, next time remember to tell where you're going and for how long, do you hear me?" The cubs smiled. "Don't worry, we will."
They all ran into the cave and soon they were all asleep.
All except Kim.
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