Chapter 6: Making Plans
Well here I am with chapter 6, and I got to say that it was pretty crazy getting to this chapter. After I uploaded the last chapter there were anonymous reviews calling me a "mental retard" and they kept coming back after I deleted them. If the people who made those nasty reviews are reading this chapter right now, I'm telling you that there's no point in keeping on giving me nasty reviews like that, I'm just going to keep deleting them and no one is going to stop me from continuing my fanfics! So, you are cowards for giving me nasty reviews while hiding as an anonymous reviewer and go buy a life! I'm not writing this story for you, I'm writing it as a story that I can call MY own and for other people to read and enjoy! This is the last thing I'm ever going to say to people who give me nasty reviews and call me names. As for the anonymous reviewers and non-anonymous reviewers who have been giving me NICE reviews, I want to say thank you very, very much for all your support and having my back through those nasty reviews and I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as you did the last one. Let's have some fun!
Taka walked out of the cave and took in a breath of fresh air. Taka liked the feel of the gentle breeze blowing through what little mane he had. Taka walked to the tip of Pride Rock and laid down, letting his front paws hang over the ledge.
"Feels nice." Taka said to himself.
"Taka." a voice said from behind Taka.
Taka looked behind him and saw his aunt coming towards him.
"Aunt Vitani?" Taka questioned.
"I'm sorry about last night. I know it was a special day, but it was also a bad one." Vitani said.
"Because of Grandmother Zira?" Taka asked.
"No, it was… something else." Vitani said.
"What was it?" Taka asked even though he knew what 'it' was.
"Old ghosts, I'll tell you about it someday" Vitani said.
"Okay." Taka said.
Vitani took her nephew in her paw, nuzzled him, and licked his cheek before walking off. Taka turned back to the sunrise and watched it for a few more minutes. Taka turned around when he heard everyone else come out of the cave. Taka saw his grandfather walk up to Pride Rock's top, his grandmother and a few other lionesses leaving for the morning hunt, his father walking down Pride Rock's steps to do his daily patrol of the border, and his mother with his siblings. Taka ran up to his mother and siblings.
"Morning everybody." Taka said to them.
Kiara made herself eye-level with her son.
"I saw Vitani come and talk to you earlier." Kiara said.
"Yeah, she apologized for last night." Taka said.
"I wonder what got at her. Must be about her mother. Yesterday was not just Unification Day, it was the day she died. Zira may have been cruel and did many terrible things, but she still was Vitani's mother." Kiara said.
"Yeah." Taka simply said in a quiet voice.
Taka than remembered about last night, and his grandparents talking about someone named Kopa. Taka was about to tell his mother about it, but decided to keep his mouth shut. Taka, his mother, and siblings walked down Pride Rock's step, and met Bluu, Grey, and Griffin at the bottom. When they saw them Bluu, Grey, and Griffin walked up to their friends.
"Hey, what's happening everybody?" Grey asked in his usual happy tone.
"The whole gang is together, so it's good." Mufasa said.
"Not everyone, Wema and Tunu are probably waiting for us at the watering hole." Bluu said.
"Your right they are. Mom can we go to the watering hole?" Taka asked.
"Just be back by the time the morning hunt gets back." Kiara said.
"Sounds good, come on everyone." Talia said.
Everyone lined up single file.
"Follow the future king and queen." Bluu said as she and Taka led the line.
Tojo came up to Kiara as she watched the cub walk towards the watering hole.
"I still can't believe Taka and Bluu are completely fine with marrying each other when they get older. You should have seen Simba when he found out that he was going to marry Nala. He ranted to me that it was so unfair that he couldn't choose who he was going to marry." Tojo said.
"He was really that upset about it?" Kiara asked the older lion.
"Well he had no choice in the matter, and he was kept in the dark until Zazu blabbed about it suddenly one day. What did you expect?" Tojo asked.
"Good point." Kiara agreed.
"At least Simba warmed up to the idea when he met her again as an adult. It brought you into the picture." Tojo said.
"Thank you for that Tojo, well I'm going to go find my dad and ask him if he wants any help with his kingly duties today." Kiara said as she walked off to find Simba.
"And Simba still kept his promise about getting rid of the betrothal tradition. That son of yours is only betrothed to my daughter because they both agreed to a betrothal. Young love plus love at first sight I tell ya'." Tojo continued on
Simba walked around the savanna with Zazu flying above him. Zazu usually had nothing to report now-a-days, but today he had reports.
"This dry season's drought is starting to take its effect sire. The cheetahs and leopards are starting to claw at each other, but none of the other animals in Pride lands are fighting over watering areas, yet." Zazu had reported.
"Let's go sort this out than." Simba said melancholy, but Zazu didn't notice.
The lion and hornbill arrived at the territory that the leopards and cheetahs where fighting over, and sure enough a fight was close to starting.
"I told you, BACK OFF!" the cheetah leader shouted to the leopards.
"Now that's something we can agree on, wanting each other to make like a banana and split." the leopard leader said.
"I'll split your skin open!" the cheetah leader said, getting ready to pounce.
Simba seeing the fight about to start quickly jumped in and gave a commanding roar.
"King Simba!?" the leopard and cheetah leaders said, lowering down in submission and fear at the higher cat between them.
"Fighting each other isn't going to solve anything and the both of you know it." Simba said.
"But they started it." the leopard leader said, pointing at the cheetahs.
"I don't care who started it, I only care that you two end it. There's plenty of other areas to drink from. I know times are hard with the dry season, but we can wait until the wet season comes, right?" Simba asked.
"Yes, we can." the cheetah leader said.
"Now you two and your fellow cheetahs and leopards will share this river without any more fights, and I want this to be the last time I have to deal with you two fighting in this dry season and future dry seasons." Simba demanded.
"Yes, your majesty." the leopard leader said.
Seeing that he got the job done, Simba walked back to Zazu.
"Any other problems in the Pride Lands today?" Simba asked.
"None sire." Zazu said.
"Good." Simba sighed melancholy.
Simba began to walk back to Pride Rock. As Simba and Zazu came close to the main watering whole they heard voices.
"Come on Taka, your almost there." a voice said.
Simba and Zazu looked and saw Taka covered in leaves climbing a tree with the beehive in it.
"Why is Prince Taka, climbing that tree?" Zazu asked.
"I see why, its Bahai." Simba said.
Bahai was an African Bear that usually had Taka help him with his honey cravings. Simba and Zazu watched as Taka continued to climb the tree.
"You're almost their Taka, you got it." Bahai said.
The leaves wrapped around Taka's body protected him from the bee stings as he clawed at the beehive. Bahai was gruff on the outside, but on the inside, he was as sweet as…
"HONEY!" Bahai yelled as the beehive fell.
"There's your honey for your honey craving Bahai." Taka said as he climbed down from the tree.
Bahai didn't give Taka a 'thank you', he was too focused on the honey inside the beehive.
"What, no thank you?" Taka asked.
"And they call us hyenas food obsessed." Tunu said.
Simba and Zazu watched the small group with amusement.
"Remember the day when you had fun like that with your friends sire?" Zazu asked.
"Yeah, like that one time when you had me and Nala find you some bitter berries and you got sick after eating some." Simba said.
Zazu's face dropped at the mention of the not too fond memory.
"Thank you sire, I had almost forgotten about that." Zazu said.
"No problem." Simba said. "Should we go say hi to them?" Simba asked.
"Why not." Zazu said.
Simba and Zazu began to make their way towards the children.
"How are my favorite grandchildren and their friends?" Simba asked as he reached his grandchildren and they're friends.
Taka deeply breathed through his nose as he saw his grandfather walking towards them. This Kopa that his grandfather and grandmother were talking about last night was somebody who he was not supposed to know about. Knowing about this Kopa when he wasn't supposed to made Simba more intimidating to Taka than he already was.
"We're doing fine grandpa." Talia said.
"Bahai having Taka getting him honey again?" Zazu asked.
"Oh, you noticed." Taka said.
"There something you need help with grandpa?" Mufasa asked.
"No, I just thought that I'd come see if you and your friends were doing okay. I'll leave all of you to it." Simba said.
"See you later grandpa." Talia said.
Later that night the pride was talking with each other as they waited for the end of the day hunt. Taka was with his parents and siblings.
"Really what is it with Bahai and the honey?" Kiara asked, laughing at her son's story.
"He makes you get it and doesn't say thank you, he doesn't even act concerned with your safety, he just worries about the honey." Kovu stated.
"Isn't it obvious? That one time that Taka fell out of the tree while getting his honey, Bahai was more focused on saving the beehive from falling that saving Taka from falling." Mufasa said.
"Well it was a good thing Vitani was there to save you when you fell." Kiara pointed out.
"I can just tell that Bahai would eat himself if he was made of honey." Taka said.
Everyone pictured Bahai being made of honey and eating himself, they all laughed at the image.
"I don't think the outcome would be a good one." Kovu said.
"You thank?" Talia asked.
"I wonder if Bahai has ever gotten his own honey. Maybe I should act sick one day and you can spy on him from me Talia." Taka said.
"Sounds like a great idea." Talia said.
"A good king and prince doesn't pretend to be sick or ask his sister to spy on their friends." Sarabi shouted from a few feet away.
"Darn it!" Taka shouted.
"Your grandmother has the ears of a hawk for her old age." Kovu whispered to Kiara.
"I heard that." Sarabi said.
Everyone laughed at Kovu getting caught by his grandmother-in-law for calling her old. Sarabi walked over and gave Kovu a quick bonk on his head. It wasn't hard, but it was hard enough to hurt, and teach Kovu a lesson.
"How's that for old?" she asked.
"Ouch!" was Kovu's only reply.
Vitani came up to the family of five.
"I thought you were tougher than that Kovu." Vitani said.
"Try saying that when a… a lioness who has been around for a long time hits you on the head." Kovu said.
Vitani took a quick glance at Taka.
"We can make your son tougher than you." Vitani said.
"How?" Kiara asked.
"By doing the worst thing imaginable to a cub." Vitani said.
"And what's that?" Talia asked.
Vitani quickly grabbed Taka, cradled him in one of her front legs, and tickled his belly with a paw.
"NO, AUNT VITANI PLEASE DON'T!" Taka begged as he laughed.
"Should we save him?" Kovu asked Kiara.
"No, let Vitani, have her fun with him." Kiara said.
Vitani stopped and nuzzled her nephew. Kiara smiled at the scene of her son and sister-in-law. Vitani always looked and acted tough, stern and no nonsense, but under all that she one of the sweetest, kindest lionesses that someone could ever meet. She was compassionate, had a lot of spirit, and she had a lot of confidence. Kiara wondered how a lioness like Vitani had no mate.
There were a few single lions in the pride, and some have even tried to get in to a relationship with Vitani, but she always pushed them away.
"How come Vitani has no mate yet?" Kiara asked Kovu, in a whisper.
"She had a relationship once, when she was still a cub." Kovu whispered back.
"Really, with who?" Kiara asked.
"I don't really know. I didn't hear much about it, you know because with my mother's plans, and always keeping me away from others other than Vitani, and my brother." Kovu said.
"Oh." was Kiara's only replay.
"I don't even think I remember his name. It was something like Koba, Koda, or Kopa, I think?" Kovu said, trying to remember the name of the cub Vitani was once in love with.
"How about you try asking her?" Kiara asked.
"It's best not to ask her." Kovu said.
"Why?" Kiara asked.
"She becomes angry when you ask her about it. Let's just leave her alone, she's in a happy mood, and I'd like to keep her that way." Kovu said.
Kiara really wanted to ask Vitani about the lion she was in love with, but like Kovu, she wanted Vitani to be in a good mood so she kept her mouth shut.
"The hunting party is back!" Kula shouted from the tip of Pride Rock.
"Of course, Kula looks out for the hunting party." a lioness said.
The pride walked down the step-like stones of Pride Rock, to the hunting party. The party was dragging two zebras, and one antelope. Smoke tore off a zebra leg and gave it to Taka. Taka thanked her and laid down with his brother and sister to share it with. As the pride began to eat at the carcasses, they noticed one member of the pride wasn't with them.
"Where's Simba?" Tojo asked.
Everyone looked up to the top of Pride Rock, knowing that Simba would be up there. Everyone knew that Simba knew that the hunting party was back, and they knew that he didn't come down to join them because he was depressed. Anyone who knew Simba well enough could tell he had a case of depression, and who could blame him. Simba lost his father when he was a just a cub, about a year old, and he lost his first son to a lioness who had a personal vendetta against him, but what hurt most was the fact that it was all caused by the actions of the uncle who was supposed to love him, but wanted him dead instead.
"Oh, come on, not again." Kiara complained.
"What is it Kiara?" Kovu asked.
"My dad has done this before. Sometimes when the hunting party gets back he goes up there and doesn't eat." Kiara said.
"Why?" kovu asked.
"Mom says he has a case of depression, and I can only guess why." Kiara said, thanking of her grandfather.
"Looks like your mother is up to something." Kovu said.
Kiara looked and saw Nala climbing up the stone-like steps of Pride Rock.
"I hope my dad's okay." Kiara said.
Nala got to the top of Pride Rock and saw Simba looking at the stars. Nala walked up to Simba and sat next to him. Simba looked to Nala with no emotion on his face.
"Simba." Nala simply said.
Simba sighed and looked to Nala.
"Nala, I've been thinking." Simba said.
"Thinking about what?" Nala asked.
"I've been thinking that your right, I should tell Kiara and Kion about Kopa." Simba said.
Nala smiled at her mate and nuzzled him.
"I'm proud of your decision Simba." Nala said.
"But I want to do something first." Simba said.
"What?" Nala asked.
"I want to take Kiara and Kion to the jungle oasis where I lived with Timon and Pumbaa, spend a few days there and then tell them." Simba said.
"A little family vacation?" Nala asked.
"Yes. You, me, Kiara, Kion, Kovu, Vitani, Mheetu, my mother, your mother, Taka, Mufasa, and Talia." Simba listed.
"Wow! I never realized how big our family was until you listed it just now." Nala laughed.
"And when we get to the oasis, there is going to be plenty of fun to go around for the twelve of us." Simba said.
Nala was truly proud of Simba deciding to tell Kiara and Kion about their brother after all these years. She just hoped things would work out well when the truth was let out.
Well there you have it, Simba thinks about what Nala said and decides that she's right about telling Kiara and Kion about Kopa, and he decides to tell them while they go on a little family get away. Even a king needs a holiday break away from the throne, because it's not easy being king. Bahai's name, I created from the Swahili words "Bado hai" which means "still alive," and he's named that because in case you didn't know African Bears like him are extinct. I threw him in the story for a small laugh with Taka getting him honey and to honor the African Bear species. I don't plan on using him anywhere else in this story, but maybe I'll use him in other stories I write in the future. Also yeah, Kovu knows about Kopa, but barley because he was so young back than and Zira always kept him close to her during that time. All Kovu knows about Kopa is that Vitani was in love with him at one point and doesn't know that he was royalty. This chapter wasn't the strongest or the most interesting I'd say, but this chapter is what finally puts everything into place, so stay tuned for chapter seven, which I'll upload the day after tomorrow. So read one of my other fanfics if you haven't yet and as always good day/night as well as happy holidays if you're reading this during the holidays and may the big guy in Heaven bless every single one of you people. See you all Saturday.