(A/N: This chapter took a lot of exploratory rewriting to get to where it is now. I've also been busy with my Etsy and commission artist ventures (which pay my bills), so I don't have as much mental energy to put towards something that's basically extracurricular. Anyway, Halloween is next week, which celebrates 1 year of posting this story! Yay!)
One by one, Vitani's pridesisters visited Nuka and Batzail and gushed over the pride's first new son. They loved how little Taka's soft, brown, speckled pelt shone with a healthy gleam. How strongly he wobbled around. How bright his green eyes were when they finally opened. Within time, he began to pounce on —or rather bounce at—anything and everything that caught his eye.
They squealed over each milestone and it made Vitani's heart swell in her chest.
Batzail lied that Taka was still nameless. She casually waved off suggestions she ought to consider, like Akoni, Nassor, or Moja.
"A cub's name is important. It's how the spirits know you. How anybody knows you. Those spirits, they keep your eyes on your goals. Guide you."
It was an old superstition. Vitani had heard the lioness say it before. Back then, Zira had hit the lioness upside the head for speaking such nonsense.
Vitani frowned to herself. Nuka and Batzail had only announced Taka's name to Kovu, Suki, and Vitani…. And she had warned them to keep it from anybody else. For now.
Wonder how Mother will react…? She's definitely warmed up to the idea of Nuka having a son. But naming him after Scar himself without prior permission…?
She feared it was a step over the line, and there was already tension in the air. She wasn't sure if anyone else sensed it, or cared, but Vitani didn't like it.
She couldn't put her toe on what tangibly bothered her, either.
One hot, sullen afternoon, Vitani went on patrol with Kovu. Suki had also come along, but she walked far behind the brother and sister.
Kovu didn't radiate with energy; his face was long, exhausted. Eyes dull. He stalked around like an old, used up lion at the end of a long reign. Many young rogues of their age would be overwhelmingly excited about leading a strong, promising pride. And Kovu only did the bare minimum.
Vitani asked her brother when they'd finished the patrol, "There's going to be a hunt later. You coming?"
Suki caught up with them and took a position next to Kovu. Shyly, she smiled up at him. "I'd love to hunt with you."
Kovu barely glanced at Suki and looked away. "I won't make it."
Vitani snorted. "Oh?"
"Sorry," Kovu muttered stiffly.
"Never thought there'd be a time when you would be the type to show up at the end of the hunt and not participate."
"Well, sorry."
Vitani rolled her eyes and muttered under her breath. "Jeeze… More for us then."
Without a word, Kovu turned from his sister and queen. Suki said a good-bye to her mate, but got no reply. There was a frustrated desperation in the queen's eyes as Kovu walked away.
No part of Vitani wanted to comfort Suki. But she did pity her. She shook her head and turned away as well, uncaring if Suki followed her or not.
"Umm… Vitani. Vitani?"
Paw raised mid-step, Vitani looked over her shoulder. "Yeah?"
Suki's ears flattened and her mouth curved down. It was the look of a lioness afraid of anything more than her shadow. She avoided actually looking at Vitani's face. The last blackened eye she'd gotten from Zira had finally healed, Vitani noticed.
"Can… Do you have time to talk?"
Vitani raised a brow. "About…?"
Suki hesitated and in a voice barely above a whisper she said, "Kovu."
Spending any time talking with Suki had never been something that she'd done. She guessed it had taken most of Suki's courage to speak up. Vitani blinked, then shrugged and nodded.
Suki led the way and Vitani walked beside her. The two lionesses stopped under a shady tree to keep cool. Before they lay down, Suki had to untuck her tail from between her legs, which had a slight tremor. Inwardly, Vitani cringed.
No… is it really Suki's fault? Probably scared of me… Vitani crossed one forepaw over the other, smiling at Suki despite her slight repulsion.
"What do you want to talk about?"
"Oh…" Suki murmured, tilting her head to the side, looking down at the dirt. "It's just…" Tears welled up in Suki's eyes. "I'm not… And Kovu..." Her chin began to quiver. Looking sidelong, she attempted to keep her demeanor.
Vitani waited for Suki to recover herself. When it seemed like Suki's emotions had definitely betrayed her, she realized she'd have to lead the poor girl through whatever it was she wanted to blubber about. Sure, Suki was a weakling, but Vitani didn't find enjoyment in seeing tears run down Suki's face, and she was her queen, after all.
Way to go, Kovu. Thanks for caring so much about Suki.
She sighed through her nose. Vitani smiled, trying to look as concerned and as trust-worthy as possible.
"Did Kovu upset you?"
Suki nodded.
"Are you upset because of something he did?"
More nodding.
"Is it because he didn't want to go to the hunt later?"
"Yes… But…" The trembling in Suki's limbs came back. After a moment, Suki looked down at her paws in shame and shook her head. "It's… It's so much more than that." Her voice was thin, frazzled, but her chin lifted a fraction. "It's…"
Suki's naturally sweet face darkened and puckered.
And it all flooded out.
"H-he's never touched me… like, you know… I don't know why—I've tried. I've tried so many times, Vitani, and it's like I disgust him." Beneath her words, a spur of anger stuck the air. "I don't know why. I don't know why. He doesn't talk to me. He won't tell me! Your mother! Sh-she—your mother yells at me and says I'm no good and that it's my entire fault and she doesn't even let me explain. She just beats me!" Suki stopped, panting tearfully and shuddering now with anger.
Mother tends to do that. Vitani stared, stunned. Suki had obviously lied about mating with Kovu—perhaps to protect him. It was mildly admirable. No wonder Mother blamed Suki.
Slowly, Suki looked up again, her teary eyes wide. She looked afraid, but also… relieved? "What's wrong with me?" Suki sniffled and bit out between her teeth in the harshest tone Vitani had ever heard her speak in. "I can't give him a son if he won't—you know…"
Vitani gritted her teeth. Injustice had been done against Suki, but for no reason other than the circumstances that had brought her to be Kovu's submissive mate—by Zira's choice. Did Suki realize she did not have the power of a proper queen? Wherever she was, she tried to make herself as small and non-threatening as possible. Suki didn't lounge or sit, she crouched. In the open she still tried to hide. Even if she'd been born in Simba's pride, Suki would've been the most submissive of the bunch—as hostages they'd shown more boldness than Suki. She had to know what was wrong with her; if she didn't, she'd have to learn on her own. It wouldn't do her any good for Vitani to yell and spell out exactly why she was so pathetic.
But maybe that was beside the point.
Vitani wasn't sure if she completely believed in love; Suki certainly did. But one didn't need love to have cubs. Nuka had a son. Kovu had nothing to show for it, and being the Chosen One wasn't enough anymore. Why wouldn'ther brother want cubs, too? He was used to doing their mother's bidding, and this was what was now required of the King.
Suki's confession wiggled something terrifying loose in the back of Vitani's mind. Her senses felt sharper. Maybe there was something to the tension she felt surrounding little Taka's position in the pride.
"Has my brother said anything threatening about Taka?"
"W-what?" Suki looked on the verge of crying again. "I don't understand…"
The image of Scar planning the murders of Mufasa and Simba floated into Vitani's mind. "Would Kovu ever hurt Taka?" Vitani waited stiffly. Was Suki going to lie to protect Kovu? "Does he speak badly of Taka?"
Repeated again, the question startled the young queen. A guarded look came over her face. She narrowed her eyes and said nothing for a moment before her expression became thoughtful.
"You've gotta tell me if you think he—"
"No! He doesn't say much about Taka… He hasn't even seen Taka yet. I don't really talk about Taka to him, either." Suki bit her lip. "But…"
Vitani perked her ears. "What?"
Suki looked away. The tip of her tail twitched. "He asked me once if you were seeing anyone."
Vitani kept her expression blank while an unexpected shiver and a feeling of foreboding crept up the back of her neck into her head. Did Kovu think she would betray him?
Suki squinted and lowered her ears as if bracing for a beating. "You aren't… right?"
"No," Vitani said firmly. Finding a mate was the furthest thing from her mind. She looked to the side, moving her ears, thinking. This is something I can't ignore. This just proves Kovu's losing his confidence.
"…Do you think Kovu would hurt a cub…?"
Would he? Vitani would be whole-heartedly stupid if she believed him incapable. "Maybe."
Suki looked sickened.
Vitani stood up. She loomed over Suki. "I need you to help me keep my nephew safe. Anything odd Kovu says, report it to me. Understood?"
Suki's ears folded back. She nodded.
Truthfully, if Vitani were in her queen's position, she wouldn't think twice if her mate needed to remove such a minor threat to the throne. Taka wasn't of Suki's blood, and Nuka was a pain. She hoped she wasn't overestimating Suki's soft heart and frustration with Kovu. For good measure, she added, "I'll keep you as safe as I can from Mother. Alright?"
Doubt flickered in Suki's eyes, but she agreed. Whether Suki believed her or not, Vitani would keep her promise. She had grown less and less afraid of her mother since coming to the Pride Lands.
"And I'll try to talk to Kovu about his duty as king." Vitani didn't make Suki any promises, but the young queen was too distraught for comfort.
A flash of relief. "Thank you."
Over and over in her mind she replayed Kovu and Nuka's fight, the one that had occurred while Batzail had been pregnant.
"…It might be dangerous."
"And what does that mean?"
"It means what it means."
How had she brushed that off so easily? The edgy feeling in the pit of her stomach told her the infant, on his own, was in no danger. At least until he grew stronger; even then he wouldn't have the same training. Unfortunately, Batzail and Nuka were having too good a time of things. Possibilities shone in their eyes. She could try knocking some humbleness into Nuka and Batzail soon.
And if that doesn't work…?
What could she do? Tell the family to leave? They loved the Pride Lands, probably more than anybody else.
It's little Taka I have to think about most, not Kovu, not Suki, not Nuka or Batzail. Taka.
Vitani smiled at Suki, who timidly smiled back at her new ally. Both sadly and with some confidence, Vitani felt like she'd confirmed her fears. She couldn't shape the facts into anything else, and she knew that if she did nothing, Taka would be in trouble.
It was not a good thing that Taka was the new favorite.
Kiara and Ramik walked to Tinni's. Her home was inside a grove of trees—a little hut pieced together with tangled branches. Ramik went inside to see if she was there, but Tinni was nowhere to be found.
"Huh… she's normally here this time of day, meditating or whatever…" Ramik muttered. He shrugged and rolled his shoulders with a surly expression.
Kiara sat down and lowered her ears slightly. Ramik still wasn't really speaking to her and the loss of communication had made that morning awkward. She'd asked Ramik to come with her to visit Tinni, saying she wanted to be introduced properly to someone she really was meeting for the first time. Tinni's medicine had helped her get through the initial shock of losing her family after all. She needed the shaman's help once more.
Please show up soon, Tinni! Kiara anxiously played with the dirt at her paws.
It had been several days since Tojo had talked to her, and he had been hardly subtle about pushing her forward. She'd risen early and had practiced what she would say to Ramik regarding his brothers… how she would say it... She knew how much her taking Tojo's side would hurt Ramik, and it made her heart heavy and stuffed up. Kiara hoped whatever Tinni had to say would be enough to convince Ramik that his father was right to turn the brothers out of the pride. Glancing out of the corner of her eye, she wasn't sure what it was going to take to make Ramik change his mind and heart.
Thump… thump… thump…
Kiara swiveled her ears and both lions turned around. A young bull elephant was approaching. Maybe he was looking for medicine, or wanted Tinni to take care of a dying family member. The elephant came up within a few lengths of Tinni's hut before coming to a halt.
"What do you want?" came a voice from the elephant, though it hadn't appeared to speak.
"Kiara wanted to visit you, Tinni," Ramik replied.
"Ah." A small mandrill poked her head up from behind the elephant's much bigger skull. The elephant lazily fanned its ears as Tinni tapped its head. The apparent signal brought the elephant's trunk up to her. The elephant gently wrapped its prehensile nose around her waist and placed her on the ground like he'd plucked a tiny leaf from a tree branch. "King said to watch for you. Said you should hear the future."
"He said that, huh?" Ramik muttered.
With a grin that was missing more than a few teeth, Tinni smiled up at the elephant. "That will be all, Boto. Be good."
Tinni was a mandrill like Rafiki, but was half his size. Her mouth had a sunken look to it. She waved to the elephant as he lumbered away before she, slowly with a pained gait, motioned the lions to follow her into the hut.
Ramik gave Kiara a suspicious look, but she smiled back and jutted her chin at Tinni.
"After you."
[P.S. If you love my previous TLK "books" and wish to buy me some time to work more quickly on this story, you can find a Ko-fi donation link located on the profile of my Shembre DeviantArt account. And of course, reviews are always great! :) The next chapter update will probably be as slow as this one unfortunately. :( I do try to update once a month... What do you guys think of Suki and Vitani kind of teaming up, and what do you think Tinni has to say to Ramik and Kiara?]