AN: Welcome!
I had some free time lately and I thought of writing a new fanfic. But then I wondered- who can I write about? Is there a character that I like about whom no one ever writes (or hardly ever).
And then I thought- of course! I'll write something about Vitani. Why? Well, because in the Lion King canon, she kind of came out of nowhere. She's kind of a fill-in character in the second movie, but her attitude has gained her a certain amout of fans. So where exactly is Vitani from? Was she born in the Pridelands or the Outlands? How did her life look under Zira? And what happened to her after the events of Simba's Pride?
Well, I'll try to answer some of these questions and uncover some of the secrets of the Pridelands as best I can. I hope you will enjoy it.
Reviews are welcome. Let me know what you think about my version of the Forgotten Lioness' life.
Learn how to smile
Chapter 1 – The Undesirable
When Sarabi entered the den, the stone floor was covered in blood.
The sight did not frighten her, however. For that was not the blood from a wound. No, it was the blood of life. The blood of birth.
Her heart moved as she remembered when she herself gave birth to her son Simba- in that same place, all those years ago... And even though he had died, and many, many horrbile things have also happened since that time, new life in the pride was always a good thing... Right?
Somehow, she tried to make herself believe that. Even when she saw the mother cringing in the corner, her body shaking from time to time with spasms of sobbing.
The old lioness sighed. She had to at lest try to cheer her up- it was her duty as former queen, and the avowed protectress of the pride against... Well, against him.
She went pass the large stain of blood and came up to the crying lioness. Trying to make her voice as gentle as she could, she spoke:
-Congratulations, my dear. You have now become a mother.
It took Sarabi's friend some time to even be able to turn her head and direct her red eyes at her... Eyes filled with the deepest possible sorrow. The old female understood that her words did not have the intended effect at all.
But she also saw something else in the young mother's face. Was she... hurt? Yes, it seemed as if she had fresh bruises and cuts!
-Oh my...! - Sarabi gasped. - My dear, what heppened? Who did this to you...?
With a lot of effort, her friend overcame her sobbing and stood up, pulling her nose and wiping her tears away, trying to show how strong she was. But the pain of childbirth was still too much for her, so she had to lie down again immediately. She wouldn't look Sarabi in the face, embarrased by the miserable state she was in.
-My mate, our beloved king did this to me... - she uttered disdainfully. - He expected a boy cub, and all he got from me was this...
The lioness pointed toward a corner of the cave with her head. To her great shock, Sarabi noticed that her friend's cub was not right there by her side, but left on the cold floor, alone.
The older female quickly ran up to the tiny blind ball of tan fur. It was alive, but nobody even bothered to clean it.
-Oh dear...! How could you leave your newborn daughter like that!
Outraged by everything she was whitnessing, she picked up the cub and carried it over to its mother, putting her between her paws. The young lioness wouldn't even look at her.
-Take it away! – she hissed. - It's Scar's daughter, I never wanted her... I never wanted any of this.
She started crying again. Dumbfounded and not really knowing what to do, Sarabi took the cub herself and started licking its fur.
-Darling, please... – said the old female with sadness. - I know you are in pain, but this cub is also your daughter. She's a part of you, and she deserved your love. Despite everything that happened, the cub is always innocent.
The young mother gazed at her with tears in her eyes.
-A part of me... - she wondered. And then a flash of anger appeared in her eyes. - Yes. A part of me I would like to forget. Something that will remind me of my misery until the day I die.
The growl she released was one of pain and fury. Sarabi remembered that when Scar chose, or rather forced her young friend to become his mate, she wanted to kill him. The old queen was barely able to persuade her to relent, explaining what horrible consequences any unwise action might have with the hyenas' presence at Pride Rock.
-Take her – the mother insisted furiously. - You take care of her. I don't want her. I don't have the strength... Take her or I'll throw her to the hyenas, just to make Scar mad!
Sarabi shook. That was too much, even for her.
-Have you gone mad yourself? - she gasped, lifting her voice a bit more than intended.
The young lioness chuckled desperately. A big tear flowed down her cheek.
-Are you going to hit me as well? Just like my mate did?
It was all too horrible. Sarabi was speachless. Looking down at the tiny cub lying between her paws, a sight that reminded her of her own motherhood, she could not believe how another mother could hate her child this much. But, then again, Simba was the fruit of her and Mufasa's love. Whereas this poor cub... was the child of rape.
Not even willing to pretend that she understood her friend's pain, Sarabi rose from the ground.
-You need time - she said. - I will leave you alone and tell the others not to disturb you. You have to calm down first- you've been through too much suffering. But you will have to take care of this cub. I will not let it die, never. Me and the other lionesses can look after her, but you're the only one of us who has milk to feed her with.
Totally resigned, the young lioness put her head back on the floor and turned away.
-Whatever... - she huffed, exhausted. - Just leave me in peace and let me sleep...
Sarabi wanted to go away, but then she remembered something.
-Darling... - she whispered. - You haven't told me how you wanted to name your daughter.
-I never wanted a daughter - the answer came from a motionless heap of fur. - Go ask her father.
-But... did Scar already tell you how he wanted to call the cub? Please, dear. Just tell me this one thing and I promise I'll leave you alone.
Two blood-shot eyes of the young mother gazed at her, shiny from the tears that filled them.
-Shetani.
Sarabi gasped.
-Shetani? Demon? Is that really the name Scar chose for his da…?
-No. – the mother cut her off. – That's how I call her. He named her Vitani. Now please, take her out of my sight!
AN: So you thought that all days at Pride Rock were happy and sunny? Think again.
Right now Scar is king, and I think that it's not completely impossible to say that he was Vitani's father. In this story, he is. Poor Vitani...
Do you think that's unlikely? Keep reading and you'll discover the truth eventually, as well as the answer to more of Pride Rock's dark secrets...
