Chapter Forty-One: The Fruit That Shook the Mountain

Midday light poured across the Pride Lands, casting a golden hue on the tall grass and weathered stone. The breeze was soft and fragrant, carrying the scent of wildflowers and distant rain. Beneath the shade of Pride Rock, Jitu lay stretched across the cool ground, his massive, frost-touched frame still and steady. His icy blue eyes were half-lidded, his breath deep and calm. His mane rippled softly in the breeze, like snow shaken loose from a silent peak. He was, as always, the picture of unmoving calm.Until Kiara and Kovu showed up. They came padding down the path together, trying—and failing—to look innocent. Behind them, Vitani and her Guard followed at a distance, barely containing their laughter. “Hey, Jitu,” Kiara called out, her voice light and cheerful. “We, uh… brought you something new today.” Jitu’s icy gaze shifted, slow and unreadable. Kovu nudged a small, strange yellow fruit forward with a grin. “Found this on the cliffs to the east. Super rare. Sweet. Real good for the immune system.” “Very nutritious,” Vitani chimed in, grinning like she was holding back a thunderclap.Jitu studied the fruit in silence. It smelled sharp—sour, with a hint of something floral and deceptive. Still, he leaned in and took a slow, cautious bite. The reaction was immediate. His eyes went wide. “HRRK—!” A deep, involuntary gag rattled out of him as he shook his massive head with wild force. His tongue lolled out, his lips curled back, and his giant paws scraped at the ground as if trying to claw the taste off his soul. “HRRK! G-GHAA—!” The great, stoic Jitu—healer of the mist, guardian of the forest, the silent glacier—was choking on a fruit. From the ridge, Simba burst into laughter. Nala doubled over beside him, and Kiara had to lean against Kovu, both of them gasping for breath between fits of uncontrollable giggles. Kovu cackled, falling to the ground. “He can take down beasts, but not a sour berry!” Vitani was crying with laughter. “He looked like he got slapped by mud!” Jitu sputtered, his body twitching with every attempt to rid himself of the lingering flavor. His dignified silence had unraveled into a full-blown gagging mess. The taste clung like betrayal. “MMGGH…” Kiara wiped her eyes, still laughing. “Okay—okay, I’m sorry! We didn’t know it would be that bad!” Jitu’s icy gaze snapped to them, sharp and almost offended. For a breathless second, they all froze—until the edge of fury softened in his eyes, his posture resettled, and he slowly, silently lay back down. Dignity reclaimed… mostly. “Beaten by fruit,” Vitani whispered in awe, collapsing again into laughter. From the shadows of a nearby tree, Rafiki leaned on his staff and let loose a wheezing cackle. “Oh-ho-ho-ho! The mighty mountain brought low by a little citrus sting!” Jitu closed his eyes, his breathing even once more. The calm returned. The stillness resumed. But a faint grumble escaped his chest—barely audible. Enough. Simba stepped forward, chuckling warmly. “Don’t worry, son. We’ll find you something sweeter next time.” Jitu didn’t reply. He stared off into the horizon, silent and composed. But for those who knew him well, the flick of his tail and the tiniest twitch of his brow betrayed it all.He was not amused.And the sour fruit would not be forgotten.