Simba sniffed the ground, picking up the distinct and unpleasant smell of honey badger, but nothing in the way of paw prints or scrapings of fur to show for the creature's presence. He chuffed and shook his dark red mane before staring at the visage of trees stretching out before him with a weary eye. This was the edge of the pride-lands and, from here on out, he was no longer king. At one time that may have comforted him but it had been so long since the lion had felt that naked, that vulnerable. Yet still he pushed on, his hefty paws leaving indents in the fading Serengeti mud.
Bunga needed him, after all.
He would have sent Kion and the rest of the lion guard in to figure out where that cursed, smelly creature had gotten off too but something about the whole event had made Simba cautious. Such an odd place for Bunga to vanish into, amongst the thick trees and strange smells of this vast oasis and, past that, the human dwellings, uncharted and dangerous. Better to leave Kion and his crew behind, Simba had thought with a steely gaze outwards from pride rock, and investigate this mystery himself. He knew this area better after all.
He walked on for what felt like hours, finding no trace of Bunga and eventually discovering that even the scent trail itself grew cold. And if even Bunga's smell couldn't be found....well that was bad news. Simba sat back for a moment and peered around, the thick churning of a river entered his ears, he could smells bugs and mice and frogs, see ahead for miles of green shrubbery, but nothing of Bunga. He sighed, and deciding that this was a fruitless effort for one lion, made to turn back for home. Dejected.
``ssssssay now'' came a voice from above that made Simba pause ``what have we here?''
The lion turned around and saw nothing, that honey trickle voice drifting down on him from above, hidden behind the thick leaves of the forest ceiling. ``A lion?'' it fell again like gentle rain ``A lion king no lessss, although, not a king here I sssupose.''
Even before the creature made it's presence physically known Simba had figured out where it came from. A snake of course, and a massive one at that, it's scaled body stretching up and up as it lowered itself down to peer at its curious quarry. This wasn't a snake that the lion king recognised, for indeed it rather looked like it had eaten all the snakes he had known in his time here, the long body thick set and sturdy.
``Snake'' Simba commanded in his most regal tone.
``Kaa issss the name''
``Very well, Kaa'' he continued this time in a much more respectful tone, deciding that perhaps buttering the snake up could help him ``I am searching for one of my subjects, a friend of my son's. Tell me, have you seen or smelled a honey badger in these woods?''
The snake stopped, sizzled it's long tongue out and then chuckled in a such a way that made Simba's blood run cold, his claws digging into the dirt as it descended lower.
``Perhapsssss'' the words came out slowly, meticulously dramatic ``there is many little creaturesss here that I have had the...privilege of encountering. A honey badger you ssssay, allow me to think.''
A silence fell and while Simba awaited a response the tail of the snake came down behind him, so silently and slowly that the lion king didn't even sense it, even as it began to curl around his hind leg....
``I believe sssoooo'' Kaa responded finally, Simba's furious focusing on him intently, aware of what this snake was doing. The manner in which it toyed him with knowledge of Bunga's fate. But not aware of the fact that he was next in its sights, of the way it was curling around him up past his legs and around his rump now. Encasing it in soft, hefty scales.
The snake chuckled. ``I asssure you king, you picked a very good member of that lion guard, or whatever it wasss called. It wasss hard to hear over the gurgling of my tummy you sssee.''
Growling suddenly Simba made to pounce but the coils tightened, causing him to fall back down to the ground hitting his muzzle on the tough muck below him. He looked back fiercely and saw, with widening eyes, the thick coiling body of the snake shifting around his back half. Up to his tummy now, advancing fast.
``A tough one for sssure'' Continued the voice as Simba wriggled, struggled, growled ``He made many boasts and threatssss, but in the end he digessted just asss every other creature doesss. Just like you will, Sssssimba''
Shifting again the coils pulled the entire heft of that fully grown lion up and towards the chuckling snake's head, into the branches of that wide tree branch Kaa was hooked around. Simba watching as the grown receded further and further away and cursing himself for being so foolish.
``You won't get away with this'' he panted ``you can't just eat whoever you like, there's rules of the jungle, Snake!''
``Rulessss? How quaint, eyesss up front please'' The snake commanded and his eyes began to glow, spiral out in a kaleidoscope of colour ``both eyesss if you will.''
The lion refused, closing his tightly, not giving into the hypnosis of the snake. He could still get out of here if he just wriggled and squirmed enough, of course the fall would be rough but not enough to break anything substantial. Enough to get him into a position where he could fight back.
``Both eyes'' The snake said furiously, losing his grip a little as the lion fought furiously ``Oh bother. Very well, if you refuse to play along...''
Simba looked back at Kaa just in time to see the snake's jaws open. But rather than immediately enveloping his head which Simba, claws bared, was prepared for, the snake stood there for a moment. Jaws agape, letting Simba stare into the massive pink abyss of the maw before....
Urapppppp!!
The belch came up hot and heavy, striking itself alight in the pit of Kaa's empty stomach and shifting up as a hefty bulge on his middle. Even though Bunga had long since been reduced to miniscule particles beneath the heavy coils of the that snake's body his gas, that stink of his, remained. And now all of it was coming back up to finally exit out the way it had came.
Burapppp!!
A second one followed immediately after the first and encased Simba's head in its greenish cloud, smelling of both the honey badger and other small creatures Kaa had eaten recently. Voles, mice, a wildcat, but mostly Bunga. The musky and soured smell of Bunga so thick and beefy settling around Simba. The lion growing dazed at the onslaught of hot, smelly air. Almost fainting, growing limper in Kaa's coils.
When it was over the snake sighed. ``Ahhhhh'' He smacked his lips and looked at the almost fainted lion ``Ssssimba, your fate isss sssealed....''
And before the lion could regain himself, say something smart or come up with another plan to escape, the jaws opened again and slurped over his furry head. Encasing him in slick, thick snake flesh. Tight and hot he began to struggle but it was weaker now than before, that heavy belch having sapped all of his air and energy, making him easy prey for such a large and powerful reptile.
The lion's flavour was exquisite, equal parts mature and soft, the tenderness of a lion club with the aged beauty of an adult lion. That typical beefy kick of feline crossed with the animals Simba had spent his time around and mingled with, warthogs and meerkats. Kaa's eyes blinking in delight, his tongue flicking out to spread across that matted down chest and taste it some more, drinking its glorious flavour. It was different than the honey badger had been, less earthy and strong, and of course Simba smelt better. Clean and sweet, the aroma dropping down on the tongue in tandem with that wonderful, royal taste.
Simba's shoulders crossed the threshold and his forepaws curled up, heavy with snake drool and pawing as much as they could in that tight embrace. The snake's stomach was hot and slimy, the waves of twisting, coiling muscle pushing in on Simba to drag him deeper. Weakly the lion pulled at his body some more, but less enthusiastically now as his heavy, drool matted fur weighed him down. The smell of digestion thickly settling into his dripping muzzle.
Lapping happily at that plump, royal belly the snake hissed in delight. ``sssuch a delicousss meal'' He thought, eyes flicking down to look at the bulging imprints on his coiling body. Paws, the bulge of a muzzle and useless claws pushing out, but finding no leverage in the heavy scales of the Kaa's body. That belch had been a stroke of sudden genius, both loosing up that reptilian digestive system and weakening his prey enough to make ingestion, and eventually digestion, easier. Kaa's tongue flicking out again as he gulped past the belly and smelled the honey dripped scent of fear.
The legs locked into place, muffled cries pouring out of the Simba bulge and falling on deaf ears. By now Simba could feel those acids working on him, weighing him down further and slathering over the top level of his luxurious furry coat. Staining it a dark green and soaking into the skin below. Despite being an adult lion he was tender, royal and soft and fat from a lifetime of bugs and zebra. There was no escape for him now, one last gulp pulling his plump rear in and sealing his fat snake food forever. Simba would join soon Bunga who surrounded him even now as a thick layer of snake fat, the twisting coils pulling the last of him inside in their deep, twisting embrace.
Kaa took some time slurping over those feet, that tongue of his sliding and slapping around the soft pawpads, their salty flavour giving a nice send off to the wonderful meal that had been this lion king. But soon they too joined the lion who, rather than the royal monarch of pride rock, was now merely a massive bulging imprint on Kaa's sapphire body. Paws, belly, muzzle, ears, all could be traced if one knew where to look for it and already the giant mass of belly was gurgling and churning over the weakly wriggling creature. Turning him into fat beneath those scales.
Kaa sighed and shifted in the branch, letting that bulge hang low and roar its victorious song out to the forest. A honey badger was one thing but an entire lion was something else entirely and the snake was determined to gloat over and enjoy this for as long as it lasted. Thinking that if Simba had tasted this good then surely Bagheera would be just as, if not more, juicy and substantial a dinner.
He rested, and while he rested the lion continued his now silent journey through that body. The bulge shifting, churning, smoothing as it went. The great Simba now merely a great snack soon to be joined by whoever chased after him next. Nala perhaps, or Kion, it mattered little to either of them now. They were just future meals for Kaa and distant, vague memories for Simba as he slipped away and was digested into nothing.
``Long live the king'' Kaa chuckled finally, and burped once again.
