Chapter Six: Zira's Lullaby
Asante sniffed. Tears have matted her cheek fur. She looked back at Nala and Simba. Asante with all her will power, removed her self from her best friend...Her mate's side, and allowed the king and queen to be closer to their son. For they were his family, and she didn't want to be selfish.
Nala was saddened and angered, she has just lost her only son. She would never be able to hear his voice again, never play with him again. Oh, she longed to be awake when he passed. Nala felt terrible for not being awake, when he did. Her saddened state, along with Simba's clouded their minds of what he and Asante taught them. That all are one, The death of Kopa did not suit well, with the king and queen.
Nala and Simba, despite their mourning, could finally tell that Asante and Kopa had strong feelings for each other, and they both wondered what would be...If Kopa would still be alive. In truth, they would slowly accept this mateship, just to have their son again. Asante was confused, and being depressed on the death of her only friend, and her first mate. She wondered why did that lioness attack Kopa in the first place. Asante wanted to ask, but ultimately felt it was the wrong time.
Meanwhile outside of the tree, in the darkness, was lurking Zira. She entered the Pride Lands with ease, seeing as the king and queen were to busy mourning over the death of their first born cub. She could faintly hear the sobbing of Nala, and the very sound had Zira smile.
No one knows how Zira basically lost her mind. Yes, there was a misfortune that happened to her, but Scar, in truth, had it much worse. Zira always was a lioness who never let things go, and it wasn't her fault, she was just raised by her mother wrong. She was clearly taught the wrong things, as a cub.
Zira got up on all fours, and walked away from The Tree of Life, sighing in dark content. She was headed toward The Out Lands. On the way back to her home, she continued to replay the sounds of Nala's crying, even that mangy hyena's screams of emotional pain. She at first thought it strange, that it brought comfort to her. But she did. She did enjoy the sound of misery, coming from those who she thought has wronged her.
Hours have passed, and the clouds have vanished, the darkest parts of the king and queen's soul shed some light, and they rested in Pride Rock, slowly learning how to cope with their loss. Rafiki had Kopa's body lie somewhere in the Pride Lands, Asante knew of this, and wasn't really sure about it. But it was part of his belief, that allowed the King and Queen to let this happen.
Asante shivered, as the winds blew. Feeling cold and alone. Not really sure on how to live on with out her best friend. Her best friend who eventually became her mate. Death was indeed, a part of life. It happens, eventually. For anyone, and everything.
Months have passed, and Kiara has gotten older. She was able to leave Pride Rock on her own, and has been able to talk for some time. She was very much like her father, wanting to go out and explore. Simba on the other paw was over protective of his daughter, wanting to stay in the Pride Lands, at all times. Since Kopa's death, no one really spoke of him, or even tried to recall memories of him.
The only one to really do so, was Asante. And this ignoring the past. Ignoring that Kopa existed, was starting to make her very angry, often keeping in the anger. Asante eventually confronted the king and queen. Asante walked toward Pride Rock, and called out to Simba and Nala. They were talking to Kiara, so the hyena decided to go to them instead. Simba was saying something about the Outlands, and to never go there.
"Really? How come?" Asked Kiara, her head tilted.
Nala frowned, and sighed softly, she was about to speak when Zazu flew in.
"The're nothing but back-stabbing, murderous outsiders." Said Zazu.
Kiara wondered why they were, and asked her parents why. A few seconds of past, and Asante growled, walking to Kiara.
"Kiara. They took someone from us...Someone very important. If your parents don't tell you, once you're older, then I will." Asante said firmly, half glaring, half frowning at the king and queen.
Kiara purred, and nuzzled up to her father, nodding soon after towards Asante's direction.
"And keep on the path I've marked for you!" Simba told his daughter, as she bounded off to play.
As soon as Kiara was out of ear shot, Asante turned to the king and queen.
"How could you keep the memory of Kopa, from Kiara?! Kopa's her brother!"
Nala sighed, and then turned her gaze at the hyena.
"It was wrong...I know...Just the pain of losing a son...Is something you can't understand now, Asante." Nala said.
"And speaking of keeping things from others, you never did tell me who that lioness was. And why she..." Asante began but stopped, closing her eyes, fighting back tears.
"Zira...was a part of our pride, but the pride was divided during Scar's reign." Nala replied.
"Because all this, ultimately...A Pride was divided, and neither side seems to let go of what happened?" Asante tilted her head, after asking.
"I thought as king and queen, you both would of tried to fix this...Before there is any more blood shed..." Asante concluded, and turned around, preparing to leave the Pride Lands, to never return.
Simba walked away, saying nothing, a lot to think about. Nala stayed, watching Asante leave, and the queen whimpered. "Asante!" She called out, wanting her friend to come back, and not leave. Yes, Nala felt that Asante has become a great friend indeed. Nala and Simba still had a lot to learn, and being rulers, isn't as easy as others may think.
Nala and Simba were good ruler's, but the divide of this pride, and the death of their son, was holding them back. Thus one of the reasons behind Simba lost to Kesho in the first place. The Circle of Life was in trouble, from a misunderstanding in the past. A misunderstanding and a failure to talk things out, that ultimately left a pride divided...Can the Circle of Life return to it's natural balance, or will all that the Past Kings of Pride Rock, fought for, come undone?