* I'm sorry this took so long, but since this is the last chapter before the epilogue I wanted to make it perfect and it didn't help much that I writer's block, anyway sorry again for the wait and I hope you enjoy it.
Chapter 8
The next morning a little before dawn all lions from both prides made their last preparations for the war at hand before heading out to see what their destinies were going to bring on such a day that they all knew was going to be splattered with blood whether it was white lions' or the blood of Giza's lions.
"Are you ready for this child?" Zuri heard her father ask as he found her perfecting a few last minute fighting moves with some of the lionesses her age as the rest of the lions lined up according to ranking in the pride.
"As ready as one can be given the circumstances," was all the young princess could answer knowing no amount of training could prepare her for today. Her father nodded knowingly that the outcome of today wasn't the only thing on her mind and even though many of the lions around them had assumed Kosa a traitor, she wasn't the only one wishing he would surprisingly appear from the distance to fight as their ally. Her father soon led the rest of the lions out of their home protected by mountains, and as Zuri stood by her parents that were leading the white lions towards Giza's pride she couldn't help looking back over to her home where she had first met Kosa. As she turned to face whatever horrors today may bring for her and her pride, her only wish was that she could've seen Kosa one more time before today and took the time to reason with him as well as show him the emotions she harbored for him were stronger than he will ever know.
"Kosa, wake up! The war will start soon," Vitani ordered as she nudged her nephew with her paw a few times before she saw Kosa's eyes twitch a little as he returned to his reality with a start as he remembered his important mission. After startling Timon and Pumba awake with an ear-splitting roar they were ready to take off until Kosa stopped as he looked around the area they camped out on last night.
"Where's Rafiki?"
"I haven't seen him since this morning and knowing him he'll pop up when we least expect it, but right now the only thing we should be focusing on is the war and getting there before it's too late," Vitani urged Kosa who gave her a nod of his head before their team of two lions, a warthog, and a meerkat started their journey back towards their old pride as fast as their legs could take them as the shining sun beat down upon them.
"What's the status of our guests for this afternoon?" a tall muscular lion with red fur inquired as he watched an old lioness with light yellow fur come walking into the cave on top of pride rock that has been changed into Giza's own personal lion's den where only he was allowed to sleep since he made the rest of the lions in his pride sleep outside with no shelter and barely any food to eat.
Nala shivered at his reference to the lions he had declared war against a few days ago as guests, for she never knew a lion so wicked that he would invite an entire pride of lions on to their sacred ground only to be slaughtered -well other than Scar and now her very own grandson. "They are just over the horizon, we have all lionesses and lions on guard my lord," she reported almost having to spite out the 'my lord' as she glanced over to a cage barrier of rocks where she got a glimpse of a pair of green eyes that shadowed the sorrow and disappointment in her eyes. Although the eye contact was only for a moment Giza's all too keen jade eyes caught the exchange of emotions causing him to direct his attention towards the stone jail he had encased his father in during their fight after his public outburst against his father's authority.
"You hear that father? Soon the whole pride will know who the better ruler is when they have double the area to live and hunt, and I will have more lions under my army to conquer other prides to expand our pride to the lengths that will go down in history," Giza taunted with a smile so terrifying that Kovu had only ever seen it once before and that was on his mother's face, Zira.
"T-he…the o-only thing any…one will ever remember you as… is-is the king who brought…destruction and famine upon our pride," Kovu retorted weakly as even speaking in his old age and mal-nurtured state was a chore for the once mighty lion.
"It looks like we'll be in the same boat then father, after all you're the king who will forever be known for banishing the youngest cub of the royal family," Giza answered back with a cackle before ordering Nala back to her position in his army as he walked out with her to welcome his guests to their deaths and leave his father to wallow in the guilt of his last statement. Giza's words hit their intended target leaving the former king to clasp on the floor of his dungeon knowing all too well how much of this mess was his entire fault. He should've saw the lust for power in his oldest son, he should've held the one piece of Kiara he had left close to his heart rather than banishing it, he also should've listened to Vitani's words about Kosa being the key to the Prideland's future, and he should've never held his duty as a king above his duty as a father. So many regrets and mistakes flowed through his head as he heard a roar from Giza that he knew meant the start of war, which only caused him to sink lower in his pit of misery.
Outside Kovu's jail inside Pride Rock the two tribes met at the base of the mighty rock as the sun that was once shining began to be covered with darkening gray clouds that threaten to rain above them as if mother nature herself could see the devastating event that was about to unfold.
"I see since you are here you've decided to be killed Radi, and here I thought you were going to pick the smart option and surrender power to me," Giza observed as all the white lions instinctively dropped into a low crouch readying themselves to defend their king and the rest of their tribe of lions.
"We may not be the strongest out of the lion tribes, but we will always have our pride."
"That's too bad, your daughter would've made a lovely queen…but perhaps there still hope," Giza said while looking directly at the young lioness with a lick of his lips in anticipation of the prospect of the new prize other than power he may achieve after the war. The very thought of giving the only heir to their pride up not only greatly disturbed both Zuri and her parents but also the rest of the lions that stood beside them that made their thoughts known through roars of displeasure and disgust. "Fine then you all will die!" Giza released with a mighty roar that echoed through his kingdom that caused each side to pounce and wrestle down any opponent they came by with ruthless strength and deadly claws.
"Why can't you lions ever just live peacefully?" Timon complained with the knowledge of this being the third lion battle he had to participate in.
"Yeah Vitani I agree with Timon it just doesn't make sense."
"If you recollect boys, all those wars have started because of lions who didn't understand the balance of power of the circle of life. Each lion is given the amount of power that will keep the scales in balance but once one hungers for more…you get the picture," Vitani answered as they looked upon the chaos and blood spilling down below them. The scene hit Kosa the hardest as his friends watched him trembling with the spiral of unpleasant emotions building up within him, and who could blame him. He grew up in these two tribes and to see them ripping each other apart left the young adult lion torn between his duties to both. Both he loved dearly and both had cast him away.
Seeing the conflict in Kosa's eyes as he turned his head away from the blood and pain, his aunt placed a paw on his shoulder to comfort the younger lion, "Kosa we've come too close for you to turn your back on them, I know it must be confusing to you but the Great lions from the past are guiding you they will show you how to end this conflict without betraying those you love."
"Thank you," Kosa whispered before turning his gaze back to the war to see all the lions he ever cared about, loved, cherished: Nala, Zuri, Jani, Radi, and Hodari. He couldn't let them die not after all they had done for him; all those memories he shared with them is what fueled an ear splitting roar to rip out of him that caused each and every lion to stop dead in their tracks and redirect their attention towards the top of Pride Rocks to see their newly formed group of spectators.
"Kosa?!" Zuri found herself yell out in shock and excitement that may be the Great lions of the past really did answer prayers. The mention of the young lion's name caused the lions at the base of the rock to go further into shock as they stared a upon a powerful looking lion as his black mane that was soaked due to the rain slightly below in the angry wind of the storm over head.
"Kosa, my dear is that really you?" Nala questioned breaking the silence among the lions that were still too shock to do anything but remember how to breathe.
"And if so it looks like you didn't have enough bad luck to kill you, but then again you're just one more lion I will have pleasure of watching bleed out as I drag my nails through your neck," Giza snarled causing Kosa to redirect his attention to his older brother with shock registering on his face. It wasn't like his brother had changed very much since he last saw Giza, sure he was larger and had filled out with more muscle, but as the younger lion stared into his brother's eyes all he could see was evil and hatred. Two things Kosa never thought his brother from when he was a cub was capable of expressing.
"What is the meaning of this brother? Why have you declared war on the white lions, and why did you betray our father?" Kosa demanded as the confusion of his current events was threatening to erupt into a full size head ache for this wasn't his brother the brother who everyone had predicted to be a great ruler like the past kings that came before him.
A blast of laughter roared out of Giza's mouth as he looked upon his younger brother with pity for several moments before he could regain his composure. "Oh little Kosa you're still as innocent and gullible as ever."
"Explain brother."
"It's really quiet easy to get baby brother, do you remember the day father banished you? The day I told you to look upon the area where the sun didn't touch?" Giza explained with a wide grin as his brother simply nodded in remembrance of that horrible day when he lost both his grandfather and his family. "Well if father ever bother to spend time with you, you would've known that area was never part of our kingdom and has been the home of the hyenas ever since Mufsa's time."
"But that means-"
"I tricked you? Wow brother your finally getting smart."
"What was the purpose of getting me banished?" Kosa asked through greeted teeth as his brother's words sunk in. How could he had not seen this before, why would his father pick such a scary and dangerous place for a cub to play…man he really was as stupid as his brother described.
"I had no intention of sending you their to get banished, but I did hope the hyenas would've done their job and ripped you limb from limb," Giza said nonchalantly.
"Simba had to die that day all because you wanted me out of the way so you could do this?!" Kosa growled.
"Look you've gotten so smart I didn't even need to explain that to you. You were predicted to be the key to our future according to mother's last dyeing words and I couldn't let you stop me!" with that the talking was over as Giza leaped up onto the monumental rock to pounce on his little brother to finish off what he failed to do years ago knowing that as long as Kosa was still breathing he couldn't continue to rule his pride with an iron paw. As the two brothers were seen rustling around in a blur of fur as they wrestled for dominance, Vitani and Kosa's two cuphood friends quickly joined the rest of the lions at the base of the rock to observe the outcome of this battle between brothers that will decide peace or more blood shed.
The only way many of the lions down below could describe the fight they were witnessing was by relating it to the fight between Simba and Scar; however, this fight was different because unlike the fight between Scar and Simba both brothers were equally endowed with strength that allowed each below dealt to lead them no closer to a victor the only tipping scale was Giza's experience. He had spent most of his reign killing all those that threatened his power, while Kosa also equally trained in fighting had never had a challenge this big while wrestling with the white lions nor did he ever have a reason to kill another lion. The difference between brother was made clear as the crowd of lions watched Giza deal a powerful blow with his clawed paw that sent Kosa smashing into the rock walls of Pride Rock before pinning him to the ground.
"So this is the mighty key to our future well an insignificant predication deserves an insignificant death!" Giza roared out as he lifted one of his massive paws into the air only to bring it back down with his claws extended that dug into the bottom of Kosa's neck and dragged down towards his stomach sending pain filled roars echoing through the prideland.
"Why, why, why…" Zuri demanded in a whisper as she trembled in fury causing her mother to look over at her with worry eyes.
"Why what, Zuri?"
"Why must Kosa always be the one to bear the pain all by himself!" the lioness roared as she took off before her mother or father could react to stop her. As she ran through the sea of lions tears dampened her fur. She knew what she needed to do, she would not stand in the crowd again watching Kosa in pain.
"Br-brother please…s-stop this," Kosa heaved out as blood pooled around them from the cut that his brother inflected upon him.
"Save your breath dear brother you're only making this process just so much more painful for yourself," Giza snickered as he raised his paw up again to execute another excoriating blow before he decided to end his brother's life.
"Y-you don't need to do t-this…if-f you…give up now…you c-can st-still be forgiven," Kosa managed to make out as lightning from the storm caused the entire Pride Rock to be engulfed in a sea of flames.
"Forgiveness? I don't need anyone's forgiveness baby brother for anyone who does not follow me will follow you into the afterlife-" right before his claws were able to sink into his brother again he found himself head butted into a wall in front of him that not only knocked the wind out of him but left him stunned for several seconds. When he recovered he was confronted with raged filled eyes of Zuri who was in a low crouch readying herself for another attack.
"How dare you hurt him! If…if only you knew how much suffering he's been through," was all Zuri could muster through greeted teeth as she watched the powerful lion get up.
"Zuri…go…back!" Kosa gave a hoarse roar that neither lions standing before him paid attention to as their eyes locked into a glaring battle. The very situation left a wide smirk plastered to Giza's face that was completely void of anything but dark amusement as he let out a blood curling snicker right before he lunged his body at her. Before the young lioness could respond pain crash into her as she felt a strong paw bash into her causing her to lose balance. Zuri barely had time to recover before his next attack, which was only the start of the lions barge of attacks.
The lioness soon found herself with blood dripping from her nose as she struggled for air while watching Giza circle around her as if she was a feeble mouse that was found on a hunting trip. She couldn't help but gulp down a lump knowing quiet well how this was going to end, and like her prediction Giza took one final lunge at her that caused her to slip over the edge of Pride Rock that sent a roar of horror both coming from her mouth and the mouths of the lions below as they stared on in shock and terror unable to save her due to the flames that surrounded their battle field.
"Oh what a heroic little princess you are, but before I end your life answer me this. What did you hope to gain by trying to save my brother?" Giza asked as he used his claws to dig into the lionesses paws in order to prevent her from falling. The look on her face as she stared up into Giza's murderous green eyes answered everything to the king of the Pridelanders. "I see so your in love with my little brother…hmmm…what should I do with this information to make my brother's death all the more painful…perhaps I should spare you and make you my queen before killing him."
"You monster!" Zuri spat out in a low growl that instantly made Giza's look of amusement vanish.
"Actually I think killing you would be more painful."
"You're wasting your time Kosa doesn't even love me back!"
"Well one can never tell until they try!" Giza shouted as he let go of Zuri's body that was dangling above a pit of fire. Zuri closed her eyes as she felt tears run down her face with the feeling of her body falling through air, but it didn't last long when she heard a bone wrenching roar almost as soon as felt jaws grip the skin on her neck tight enough to stop her fall but not to break through her skin.
"Kosa," was all the lioness could utter as he used all his strength to pull her back onto the ledge. Kosa spent seconds looking upon her face as she breathed a sigh of relief wanting to do everything from yelling at her for rash actions to snuggling her with the joy he was able to save her in time, but he didn't have the time to act upon his urges as he turned his attention to his brother. Who stood a few inches away from them with a deep gash to his throat where his brother had bit him in order to throw him out-of-the-way to save Zuri.
As Giza watched his brother walking towards him in a low crouch to continue their fight he retreated back a few steps knowing quiet well how fatal the wound on his neck was he had to come up with something in order to defeat his brother. "Brother…like you…said we don't…need to do this…I'll let the white lions go."
"Why should I believe you brother? You're just like Scar except worse because unlike him you had the throne and the love of our father."
"Not really I was there on that day…mother died….not only did she say…you were the key…she also told Vitani… that when the time comes…she hopes I except my place…what use is love and the birth right…when you were going to steal it all away!"
"Can you hear yourself talk? I've been wondering around for love all my life and you would give it away for a simple title? You don't deserve to live Giza."
"What are you going to do little brother? Kill me?"
"No brother although you don't deserve it I'm giving you a second chance so leave this place and never come back," Kosa stated as he turned to tend to Zuri honestly believing his brother would take his mercy given his condition, but all that changed when he heard a roar as his brother leaped into the air to try to attack the younger lion. In a split second Kosa ducked low to the ground causing his brother to fall into the fiery pit. "Giza!" was all Kosa could yell as his teary eyes watched his brother's body engulfed in the raging fire.
"Kosa this wasn't your fault it was his hatred that killed him," Zuri said trying to comfort Kosa, who was still motionless as he stared towards the flames that had killed his brother.
"I know but that still doesn't change the fact that he was my brother."
Soon after that the rain pour became so heavy that it put out the fire enough for Kosa and Zuri to climb down the mighty rock to join the other lions where they stood meters away from the horrific event that had just played out. The crowd of lions embraced the two young heroes with tears of joy, love, and cheers as none of them could believe that they were finally free from the oppression of Giza and losing everything they ever treasured to him.
"Did you see Vitani, I did it," Kosa said as his grandmother gave him an affectionate snuggle.
"Kosa I think the only one who could beat me in how proud I am of you is your mother," Vitani answered as she gave the young lion who she had raised from a little cub an affectionate snuggle before directing his attention towards the baboon near the base of Pride Rock who beckoned for him.
As Kosa pad towards the baboon he couldn't help but wonder what was to come of him next as he saw all the lions from his old pride move into positions under Pride Rock that gave them a prefect view of the ledge that stuck out of the rock close to the top. "Rafiki what's next I hope it isn't fighting another lion to the death," the young lion joked only to receive laughter out of the old baboon instead of a hit on his head.
"Only time will tell Kosa, but for now it's time for you to take your rightful place in the circle of life," Rafiki answered with a warm face that told Kosa that he had made the old baboon proud as well. With a nod and a hug from an animal he had once thought annoying but now as he bravely ascended the rock like many kings before him he had a feeling that the baboon who had knocked some sense into him several days ago was going to be among his very few trusted friends. By the time he was on the edge of the ledge where his brother had just died he looked down to see that he had the attention of all the lions including the white lions that looked up towards him with equal expectation as his own tribe did. All their support somehow paled in comparence to him as he saw his mother and his grandfather in the clouds above him as he took a deep breath to release a powerful mighty roar that echoed throughout the Prideland not only as a declaration of him up holding his birth right to be king but also a promise that he will be a strong and loving king that will carry the torch of legacies before him.
* I have read a few requests from previous reviews that wanted to see a few things happen that I'll be putting in the epilogue, so if anyone else have a few suggestions let me know and I'll try to put them into the final chapter. Also after watching the bloopers to the first lion king movie I was wondering if it would be a good idea to add one to, so let me know if that's going over board or not. So please review.:)
