Heir to The Throne
Into the Shining Blue
I awoke in the dead of night. Immediately I could sense the uneasiness in the air. It was too dark. I could hardly see. But, through the film of night I could discern tiny points of light, gleaming, malevolent, and quickly approaching. Kopa shifted beside me and I could sense his agitation. Something was not right. I rose onto silent paws. Kopa did the same.
The snarl came from somewhere close by. I felt the hot breath on my back before I could prevent it. Pain. Confusion. Then the rush of Kopa's body as he bodily thrust what felt like a small boulder with teeth off of my neck. It whined as it fell against the cave wall. The entire Anthill shook ominously at the thud. I heard the sound of scrabbling paws, and Kopa's furious roar, as, yipping, three hyenas made their escape.
I shook myself, trying to regain my cool, even as I felt the twinge in my neck from the bite of sharp hyena teeth. "Thank you." I muttered to Kopa, who had moved back to my side. I could feel him trembling beside me, perhaps from adrenaline or fury.
"What was that?" He asked.
"My hyenas." I drawled, downplaying the sudden rise of unbridled anger I felt roaring through me. "I wish they would find a better way to express their grievances."
Kopa chuckled darkly.
"Meera?" I heard Nuka ask groggily. Of course he had to wake up after the danger had passed…I could just barely see him in the complete darkness, open faced and groggy. "What's going on?"
"Stay here, Nuka, and keep Kovu close. Kopa and I have to go and have a chat with the army…Vitani, with me." I said to him, and then Vitani. I could feel the heat of Vitani's body, still smelling of sleep, as she rose to stand beside Kopa and I.
"Be careful." Kovu whispered.
"Of course," Vitani replied softly.
The three of us exited the Anthill, far more aware of our surroundings with the light of the moon to illuminate them.
I noted the retreating forms of hyenas as they ran out to the slumbering army and disappeared amongst the other soldiers.
"They've been restless for days now." Vitani whispered, her head low as she surveyed the open plain. "We should have known something like this would happen." The sleeping forms of elephants and hyenas adorned the landscape that was monotone in the moonlight. If I did not have the hyena spit on my neck it would be hard to say anything was amiss.
"I don't expect my subjects to rebel." I growled back. Glancing at Kopa, who in the moonlight glowed like a ghostly beacon I noticed the hard expression on his face.
"Hyenas must be kept in line. They should never be trusted…" He muttered.
I frowned, wondering how to handle the situation. "We'll find out who came into the Anthill and deal with them. Make an example."
"They're hungry and restless." Vitani said, "They might be dangerous."
"They will be dangerous." Kopa said firmly.
I scoffed. "Hardly. In any case, I can't allow them into the Pridelands to hunt, they'd wreak havoc. We have to keep order…you stay here." I said to Vitani. She nodded, looking a little nervous. Kopa and I made to leave.
"Meera." She murmured and I paused to listen.
"Be careful," She said, nearly precisely the way Kovu had just moments before.
I rolled my eyes. "Cowards, the entire lot of you. Look after the Anthill. We'll be back before you can say 'hyena'."
She smirked. "Hyena."
At that word, I stepped out of the shadow of the Anthill with Kopa followed close behind and we silently made our way toward the army.
The sleeping army did not stir as we approached. I heard the low snores of elephants; the curious silence of the hyenas was conspicuously noticeable. They lay amongst the elephants, and as we stepped forward, I noted the sudden appearance of many pairs of eerie green eyes.
"We are being watched." Kopa said, keeping his head high as we walked amongst the hyenas who rose their heads to stare. The snores of the elephants ceased. I was certain that they were accomplices in the hyenas' plan.
"Let them." I snarled back, glaring at my soldiers. The elephants were opening their eyes as well, and I saw no friendliness in their dark eyes.
"Good evening." I said to them and was greeted by silence. Kopa stood beside me and out of the corner of my eye I could see his deep frown. I was not surprised that he was unhappy considering the hostile glares we were receiving from nearly every animal in the army.
"I see some of you came to visit us tonight. Why didn't you stay to chat? I would have been glad to listen." I stared at them, and they stared back, mouths closed resolutely. I was unsure if it was fear or respect that held their tongues.
"Won't anyone speak up?" Again, there was silence. "Anyone?"
Underlings respond to displays of power, I chose a hyena at random and extended my claws. Before even Kopa could react, I had the hyena shrieking, struggling to free himself from the tines of my claws. The other hyenas were suddenly on their paws, gibbering incomprehensibly, Kopa had moved in front of me and was growling viciously.
"If no one is willing to explain why there were three hyenas in our den tonight there will definitely be one less hyena in your pack tonight," I said, shaking the hyena I had struck, to which he whined pathetically. He was a mangy thing, even as hyenas went, and I saw the fear in his eyes.
The hyenas were slavering and snarling now. I could see their hostility had turned to rage. The elephants tossed their tusks and I was suddenly aware that Kopa and I were standing amongst a true army of powerful animals that greatly outnumbered us.
But, by then I could not step back or back down. I shook the hyena again, roughly. "Answer me!"
The sound of snarling, gibbering hyenas intensified, until their cacophony rose above our heads in the cool night. I could see Kopa unsheathe his claws, and even I felt a little like we were drowning in a loud, vicious storm.
Inadvertently I took a step back, clutching my hostage a little tighter. I saw the glint too late. They sensed my weakness. All hell broke loose.
Two hyenas burst from the ranks rushing towards me. I watched spit fall from their jaws as they snarled. I tossed the squirming hyena in my claws to the side and pulled my lips back to reveal deadly teeth. I met the two hyenas dead on and knocked both away furiously, before I was accosted by two more. As if set fire by the moon, Kopa's bright body knocked the hyenas back, allowing me to slash the hyena I had held in the face, and send him skittering away like a rat. Then the hyenas stormed forward collectively, swamping Kopa, and then myself.
I was overwhelmed. The stink of hyenas was cloying, a hot mixture of blood, death and decay. They rushed about me on all sides, howling and shrieking until my ears felt as if they would explode. I was pushed helplessly to the ground, unable to resist them, squirming and vicious. Somehow, distantly, I could hear the screams of a vulture from up above. It was dark and painful.
Summoning my strength, I scrambled up, using my claws to slash aside any attackers. I was already bloody; perhaps some of it was my own. Gasping, I broke through the hordes to see the sky and little else. There were what seemed to be hundreds of hyenas even though I knew it were only thirty.
My head span, darkness falling like a dark cloud across my vision, stars erupting as something strong struck me against the ear. I felt hyena jaws snap around my throat, just before I threw the animal, squealing, off me. I was clubbed in the head with a large paw before I grabbed it out of the air and brought it down hard with a satisfying crunch and snap. There were screams.
"Meera!" I saw Kopa, scrambling through the hyenas towards me. He was covered in blood and completely surrounded. He was pulled under before I could even step towards him. With a burgeoning roar, I broke through the wall of hyenas, scanning as quickly as I could for Kopa. I was jumped on either side by two more hyenas. The first against my side, the second my back, I rolled the latter off but felt the first draw blood. I extricated myself just barely, narrowly missing a second attempt by the hyena to snap at me. But I already felt the wound at my side beginning to burn, and it would hinder me if the fight continued.
As I fought, my mind suddenly filled with images of Kovu, Nuka and Vitani. My whole body felt cold even as I knocked a hyena to the ground and shook another off my back. No matter how many I felled, they seemed to regroup instantly. And their numbers would overwhelm us if we did not regain control.
I heard Kopa's roar before I saw him, and he was suddenly beside me.
"We have to get out of here now. The elephants are tearing down the anthill!" He was limping, but still managed to club a hyena to the ground. The animal did not rise.
"Where's Vitani?" I snarled, rising onto my hindlegs to swipe with both paws at a large female hyena with scars across her entire face.
"I don't know." He growled, throwing more animals aside.
I missed the scarred hyena; she had crouched and dodged my attack. I knew her. Gita. She had helped me ally the younger hyenas back in the Deadlands. She shot me a glare before knocking a hyena out of my way.
"You disappoint me, Meera." She snarled, the other hyenas avoided her snapping jaws as she stepped in front of me. "I thought you would lead us to greatness." She knocked two hyenas aside, and they bounced onto their hind legs, whining. She gave them a disapproving look.
There were more hyenas joining Gita. They fought viciously against their own kind and in minutes, most of the hyenas were fighting against each other.
I moved with some difficulty away from the fray, and Kopa followed. Two hyenas that attempted to follow scattered quickly at Kopa's full-maned roar.
He crumpled afterwards; I could see he was badly hurt and tired.
"Get up." I said to him, moving my body beneath his shoulder to support him even though my own was beginning to feel like bloody agony.
"They're completely out of control." He said laboriously, righting himself and then shaking his mane. I saw his blood on the ground and on me.
"At least it's against each other now." I said, moving quickly towards the Anthill. There was hardly any of it left. My stomach clenched, thinking of Nuka, Kovu and Vitani. The elephants had made short work of it. I could see chunks of anthill littering the ground, and hundreds of ants and termites swarmed across the ground.
"Kijani!" I yelled, running up to the first elephant I saw. He turned his monstrous face to me, his eyes burning.
"Lioness, I see you take interest in our plight only now." He replied, while easily destroying a wall of the anthill with his tusk.
"Your plight? I am the only hope for your plight!" I screamed back at him. "You touch that Anthill one more time and I will personally stick your own tusks through your eyes!"
The elephant dared to snort at this. My anger was suddenly far too much for me to contain. "STOP! Kijani, stop this! You will never take the Pridelands without me! You will be stopped before you can even reach Pride Rock! Get that through your thick skull or I will do it for you!"
I nearly launched myself at Kijani's head before Kopa stopped me quickly, his stare incredulous. Kijani's was furious. "Stop. Now." I said, battling to regain my composure. I spoke again, forcing calm although my mind was racing, my heart was beating faster than it ever had before and I was terrified that something had happened to my siblings.
"Think of what you are doing. By destroying me, you destroy yourself. How will you take the Pridelands without me? Without Kopa? We are the rightful heirs. Do you really think the elephant herds of the Pridelands would accept outcast and strangers?" I laughed cruelly. "You?" I laughed again. It was the hardest thing in the world.
But the effect of his doubt was instantaneous; it slowed his movements noticeably, and warped his expression. I saw I had him.
"Listen to me, Kijani. Who lead you this far? Who is the only one who can lead you further?" I inflicted him with the fury of my stare. Nuka. Vitani. Kovu.
The elephant appeared to deliberate. The time it took him to decide was agony. With each moment, another piece of the Anthill fell to an elephant tusk, my cubhood home so easily destroyed. There were chunks of earth lying at my paws, over which black ants scrambled frantically. Please let them be alright. Where are they?
Kopa nudged me and I glanced at him. He nodded at Kijani who had adopted an expression of resolve and had turned to the other elephants. He lifted his trunk and trumpeted loudly. Almost immediately, the elephants ceased their destruction.
My heart leapt and felt nearly overwhelmed with relief. Kijani nodded and moved away, the other elephants acted in unison and they withdrew with a surreal calm.
"Kijani!" I called after the elephant. He looked back at me with cold eyes.
"Where are my siblings?" I asked him, staring unflinchingly back into those harsh eyes.
"They ran. More rat than lion." He said and I growled. He did not look fearful. Instead, he fixed me with a slightly disgusted gaze before turning back. I nearly exploded with suppressed rage. How dare he…?
"They're alright, Meera." Kopa said, interrupting me before I did something stupid.
Yes. They're alright. I was filled belatedly with a sense of relief. I glanced at Kopa as we stood amongst the ruins of the Anthill. His face was drawn, bloody, tired, and slightly ill looking. His eyes drifted slowly to find mine. I was a little scared by what I saw within them. I did not know what to say.
He sighed. "Let's find your siblings."
I looked back at the Outlands. Broken and empty. The sun was rising slowly, putting light to the devastation. Already there were flies buzzing over the bodies of still hyenas. Where the Anthill had been, cutting an eternal silhouette against the shining blue, there was nothing but dirt. My first kingdom.
Ahead there was Kopa, his coat turned gold in the light. Beyond him: the Pridelands.
I could have cried.
Kovu had run towards them, tumbling between Kopa's legs before holding onto me so tightly I felt his claws draw blood. Vitani, curiously undignified, collapsed against my chest. She was trembling and weak. I could see the blood and dirt matted in her fur. Nuka looked better and more composed than our siblings. I felt a chill when he looked at me. His eyes were cold. He did not rush to greet me, and walked towards us slowly. I hadn't noticed, so focused was I on Nuka's expression and what it could mean, the fourth lion approaching us. I knew her. Her face had haunted my nightmares.
Kopa gasped. "Malika!"
I blinked. She had grown into a petite lioness, not made for fighting, but it didn't matter as she was raised to be a Queen anyway. She had large, dark eyes and her ears were thickly rimmed with black fur, as all lions had, but on Malika it was distinctive. She limped when she walked but it didn't seem to faze her. Her eyes were fixed on Kopa, and only him. It made the fur along my neck prickle.
"Malika." I said, perhaps to test the name on my tongue, perhaps to draw her gaze away from Kopa. Perhaps to draw his gaze away from her. She glanced at me, and flinched.
"Meera, is that you?" She asked, blinking.
I nodded, not wishing to waste words on her. I hoped I was not baring my teeth without realising it.
She smiled weakly and glanced back at Kopa, her eyes at first curious and reserved now clouded with concern. "You look terrible. Come in. Rest. We'll catch up later." She said firmly.
Kopa was swaying on his paws. He stalked wearily by and collapsed with a sigh in the grass. I followed behind him and lay beside him, curling my body so that it blocked everyone else out. Before resting my head and closing my eyes, I glanced over my shoulder. Vitani had settled near me with Kovu, she was still trembling but she smiled at me. Kovu was sleeping again. Nuka was sitting with his back against us, staring at something out in the grass. My eyes continued, until they set upon Malika whose black ears were twitching just above the grass, her fur shimmering in the morning air. I knew now that my snarl was showing.
"Meera, there is someone here to see you." I awoke to dark eyes blinking near my face. I growled irritably and got slowly to my feet. It was late afternoon, when I had fallen asleep the world had been golden with morning, now it was burnt with the blood of the dying sun. Kopa was still asleep but Vitani, Kovu and Nuka were no longer in the places I had left them.
"Who is it?" I asked Malika, I stretched and yawned, exposing tooth and claw in a display of power I hoped Malika did not miss. She did not seem perturbed, and affixed me with a rather cool look.
"A hyena. Is he a friend of yours?" She asked, eyes narrowed. Pridelanders did not associate with hyenas.
I ignored her question. "Where is Nuka or Vitani? I don't want to leave Kopa alone while he's injured and tired."
"I'll watch him." Malika volunteered, rather quickly.
I could barely contain a snort. "You?" I smiled.
She frowned. "Nuka is with the hyena. Vitani and Kovu went to the watering hole. Kanai went with them. He brought us back some food, well, there's not much left. I'm the only one who can watch him."
I did not want to appear threatened. But I did not want to leave her alone with him, even if he was asleep. I arranged my face into a menacing smile, as fearsome as any my mother had once had. "Fine. I'll be back. When Vitani comes back tell her to get food, we will all need to eat. I'm sure Kanai can assist her. He was always a good hunter as a cub."
There was a pregnant silence. I could feel the strain in the air. Then she spoke.
"I should kill you." Malika said as I began to walk into the grass, to the hyena.
I turned, claws exposed. I could tear her apart in my sleep. "I would love to see you try."
She did not return my smile.
I found Gita and Nuka beneath a shady tree. Gita nodded at me as I approached. Nuka graced me with another cool expression.
"Meera, you look surprisingly well considering." Gita said, her eyes taking in the scratches and wounds I sported across my chest, neck and face. I flicked an ear, irritably, and even that twinged a bit.
"If it doesn't kill you…" I said, sitting down across from her. "You don't look too bad either. Thank you for your loyalty last night."
Gita inclined her head. "Last night was a result of hunger, impatience and lack of insight. Without you, we will surely fail to take the Pridelands. My brothers and sisters know this now. However, there are still things we must discuss. The elephants wish to meet with you."
"Yes, I will take control of the army again. Last night must never happen again." I agreed.
Gita nodded. "May I have your permission to leave?"
I nodded. Then something occurred to me. "Wait, why did they send you? Where is Caro?"
Gita's expression did not change. "The hyenas were hungry, and the bird had been injured in the battle."
"I see. Well, if you can take something back to them lest they eat each other. Don't be seen." I replied. Gita disappeared into the grass.
I glanced at Nuka. He was frowning.
"Are you upset with me?" I asked him.
"Not really, I have learned, with time, that I cannot expect you to change." He said.
"Perhaps I have changed. I am experiencing regret. That is new." I sighed.
"How so?"
"I'm wishing I never brought the army. I'm wishing they hadn't rebelled, and that my body didn't hurt so much, and that Kopa wasn't hurt, and that our Anthill wasn't destroyed, and that we have nowhere to live, and especially that we ever had to survive by ourselves to begin with."
Nuka's expression softened slightly. "It's not so bad. Maybe we need to try new things."
"Let's sort out the old problems first. Come with me to meet the elephants." I needed someone to be there with me.
"And leave Malika alone with Kopa? Maybe you have changed." Nuka said, slyly.
I glared at him. "Not enough to resist ripping her limb from limb if she even thinks to touch him."
Nuka smirked. "Even though you've hit rock bottom, you're still scary."
I growled at him. We began walking to the Outlands. I began hoping for the best.
When Kopa finally stirred from what felt like an eternal sleep it was dark, the stars were out and the moon hung overhead like a huge white eye. He could hear someone moving about in the bushes. He yawned, and stood, shaking his mane out and stretching his limbs. His entire body felt sore. He could feel the muscles along his shoulders were taut and aching. When he put too much weight on his left foreleg it pained so much he had to sit down.
He could not see Meera or any of her siblings. He did not have long to wonder where everyone was when Malika appeared from out of the grass. She froze when she saw he was awake, and her eyes narrowed sharply.
"You're awake? Did you sleep well?" She asked, polite.
"Yes." He replied, and was unsure what to say further.
"When Rafiki visits to tend to my wound he can have a look at yours as well. It must have been a bad fight." She said, as she took in his blood matted fur.
"It was."
"But it's worth it to you, I'm sure." She said softly.
"Malika. I-" Kopa began to say before they both heard the sound of voices approaching. Vitani, Kovu and Kanai came through the grass, and Kopa had to look twice to recognize Kanai, who was larger than when he last saw him.
"Kopa! You sleep like a log!" Kovu said cheerfully, bouncing up to him playfully.
"You look terrible." Vitani said pityingly.
"Don't tell him that!" Kanai said jokingly. "Rather say you look less than good! It's more positive that way."
"Thanks," Kopa said wryly.
"So Malika how does it feel seeing your betrothed again? Missed him, did you?" Kanai said cheerfully.
An awkward silence fell over the group, where Kopa refused to even glance in Malika's general direction. Vitani glanced between each face, her expression blank. He guessed Malika had not told Kanai about what had happened, or else…he was certainly looking for trouble.
"What?" Kanai asked. "What haven't I been told?" He asked mock-indignantly.
Malika recovered the quickest. "Did you bring us back anything to eat, Kanai? I'm sure everyone is starving."
"Of course, Mally, I live to serve. Bossy one, she is." Kanai said to Vitani who smirked.
"I see pride life has been good to you, Kanai. You're far more good natured than the rest of us Outlanders." Vitani smiled at him.
If Meera were here, she would probably agree, Kopa thought. Kanai had recovered from his scars, but it seemed she was still nursing hers.
"If you want to see good natured, you should meet Zuberi, he's a laugh a minute." Kanai said, and gestured for Malika and the rest to follow him to his kill.
"I know you're being sarcastic." Malika said, laughing. "Zuberi and laughter are not usually associated with one another."
"How dare you say such things about our good friend, Zuberi? He's a ray of sunshine!" Kanai replied, grinning.
"How is he?" Vitani asked. "He was a good friend when we were cubs."
"He might drop in one of these days. He's always coming and going and then you can see for yourself." Kanai said, without a hint of mystery.
Malika smiled at Vitani. Kopa was surprised at how comfortable she seemed. But he noted that as soon as Kanai and Vitani were talking and chatting amongst themselves again, her eyes became decidedly melancholy. He felt incredibly guilty.
He followed them, feeling his stomach growling, and was grateful for the food Kanai had brought them.
He wondered again where Meera was.
"Hurry up, Kopa! There'll be none left for you!" Kovu called.
He hurried.
Nuka and I were surrounded by ten massive bull elephants. They seemed in better spirits than before. I had allowed them all to graze at the edge of the Pridelands, a luxury I didn't usually let them utilize.
Kijani was a central figure in the discussion, and Gita's sister, Yaya, represented the hyenas.
"Good evening, Kijani, elephants, Yaya." I walked in head held high, and with my best display of confidence and power. I kept my claws sheathed; I didn't want them to even suspect I felt threatened. Nuka was at my side, trailing slightly to show deference. He nodded respectfully at the elephants and at Yaya.
"Good evening, Meera." Yaya said.
"Lioness." Kijani acknowledged.
"Well, this is far more formal than last night." Nuka said sarcastically.
"I prefer it, don't you?" I asked the gathered animals. They all nodded. "Well, let's get to the heart of it then. You have no patience any longer and wish to invade the Pridelands. I have no real reason to stop you, except I believe the time is not ripe yet-"
"How much riper do you want it to be? The King in the Pridelands is old and weak. This is the best time to strike. I sense cowardice from you, Lioness." Kijani interrupted.
"Surely no more cowardly than you, Kijani? You won't make a move without me." I replied. "I will decide when we take the Pridelands, just as I decided to assemble you, train you and bring you here. Do not forget who holds the power."
Kijani stared at me levelly. "As long as you don't either."
"May I speak, Meera?" Yaya asked. She had a wide, hyena-like smile on her face. Their kind were never far from laughter or smiles.
I nodded.
"Perhaps we should come to an agreement. There is not very much food or water out here to sustain the army for longer. Not until the next moon. I think you must make your move before then, or else you will not have an army. The hyenas are restless, I fear that Gita and I will not be able to keep them obedient any longer." Yaya said.
Nuka glanced at me.
"I agree." Kijani said. "If we do not invade the Pridelands with your lead by the next moon then we will disband, and if we just happen to wander in the direction of Pride Rock you will not be able to stand our might."
I felt a little ill at the thought. It surprised me but I was beginning to dislike the idea of taking Pride Rock by force. I knew it would hurt Kopa far too much.
It would be ever worse if somebody else took it and both Kopa and I were left with nothing.
I swallowed. I could do little else but agree to their demands now and then make another plan later. I looked at Nuka, whose face was carefully expressionless, and then looked at the army.
"Yes. We will invade before the next moon. We will have victory. We will have paradise." I said the words and felt my heart twist in agony. As the elephants trumpeted and the hyenas howled with giddy laughter, I pictured Kopa's face twisting in anguish and hatred.
"Don't worry." Nuka said firmly, and he began guiding me back to the Pridelands. I could feel the pain of my wounds and my exhaustion more acutely now, and felt my legs swaying and my paws landing uncertainly on the dusty ground. "Careful." Nuka warned, bolstering me with his own body.
I saw Kopa's face in my mind. He would hate me.
I could not live with myself if he hated me.
No one really looked less hungry after their paltry meal of two hares caught by Kanai and Vitani. Kopa could still feel his stomach growling, he craved zebra more than he could say. But his exhaustion was stronger than his hunger.
He lay down again alongside Vitani, Malika, Kanai and Kovu. The lions chatted amiably and Vitani told Malika and Kanai about life since the Deadlands. Kanai was very curious about Meera who had been his best friend when they were cubs. He was unsurprised that she had created an all powerful army to take Pride Rock by force. Malika looked a little disgusted by Meera's power lust. Kovu was playing with Kopa's tail.
"Are you having fun?" Kopa asked Kovu after the cub pounced on the tuft of fur at the end of his tail once again. Kovu smiled sheepishly.
"You don't mind, do ya, Kopa?" Kovu asked, bowing low on his front paws to growl playfully at the older lion.
Kopa would've risen to play tag or some other cubbish game with Kovu if it wasn't for his injured leg. He smiled at the cub. "I don't mind."
Kovu grinned, and Kopa noted that he was nearly a lion grown. Well, more or less. But, he was definitely not a cub anymore. Even if he still acted a bit like one.
"I wish I could play with that cub I met in the Pridelands." Kovu said. "That was a lot of fun. Her name was Kiara. She's your sister, right?"
"She is." Kopa acknowledged. He wondered where Kiara was and what she was doing. He wondered if she had grown at all, and if she was keeping their mother and father happy. He hated to think that he had left that job for her, and had made it so much harder by bringing so much grief to their family.
"What was it like growing up at Pride Rock?" Kovu asked, staring up at Kopa.
"It was warm, happy, and filled with laughter and love." Kopa replied softly.
Kovu sighed. "I hope we get to live there. There's nowhere else I would rather be."
Kopa said nothing but there was nothing he agreed with more.
I found everyone awake and restless when Nuka and I returned from the Outlands. Kopa was limping around impatiently on his injured leg, and he hardly glanced at me. Vitani was missing and Malika looked mildly distraught.
She looked at me in concern.
"What's going on?" I demanded of Kopa. He finally stopped fretting to look at me with worried eyes.
"Kovu has gone missing." He said heavily.
I nearly laughed. "So? He's probably playing in the grass somewhere, hiding from you. He's always running about." I glanced at Nuka to see if he agreed. He was looking nervous now as well.
"We've been searching for a while now." Malika supplied.
Kopa nodded. "No, I think he's really gone, Meera. We were talking about Pride Rock earlier on before everyone fell asleep. Kovu was sleeping between my paws. I woke up later, and he was gone. I looked for him but he was gone. He told me he wished he was at Pride Rock. He's probably run off to find Kiara." Kopa looked a little crazy from lack of sleep and pain. We were all unsettled after the night before. I was sure Kovu was playing nearby somewhere.
"Kopa." I said soothingly, moving to rub my head against his neck. "He's probably fine. You look really tired, we should all rest."
"Meera, listen to me. He's gone." Kopa said. "I'm sorry. I was talking to him about it."
"Don't apologize to me. I should apologize to you for everything I've put you through. Fine, you stay here with Nuka…and Malika, I'll go and look for him." I told him.
"Meera, this has to end." He told me, before I left.
I frowned at him. "We'll talk about it when Kovu and I return."
He shook his head. I stalked into the grass.
I wasn't quite sure why but my heart erupted into agony. The day I saw his eyes filling with hatred seemed to be drawing closer.
I could not let it end.
Morning dawned. Meera, Vitani and Kanai had not returned and Kopa was still pacing. His entire body was in agony. His leg felt worse than ever.
Malika had fallen asleep on her paws, and Nuka was twitching slightly as he lay restlessly nearby. He had not slept either.
Kopa heard the grass rustling and looked up to see Vitani approaching with Kanai. Her face was drawn, and Kanai looked troubled.
"Meera went to get the army. She's going into the Pridelands. She thinks Kovu went to Pride Rock." Vitani said breathlessly as she drew near.
Kopa felt his entire body grow cold. "Why would she do that?"
"She doesn't want to go alone. If anything happens the army can protect her. She told me she would bring Kovu back by the time evening falls."
"Is she mad?" Nuka asked, jumping to his paws. "Is the King going to be receptive to diplomacy when there's an army of hyenas and elephants outside his cave?"
"It's better than if she had to go by herself, he would kill her on sight, if he hasn't already gotten to Kovu." Vitani replied.
"That's my father you're talking about." Kopa growled.
"It's not like he hasn't tried to kill Kovu once already." Vitani retorted. "I think Meera did the right thing. The army will prevent anyone from coming after us if she is spotted. She can get Kovu and go without any confrontation."
Kopa growled angrily and began to pace again. "I'm going into the Pridelands." He said.
"No. You're injured." Malika said suddenly. She was awake now, and looking very alert. Vitani's eyes narrowed.
"I have to go. I have a bad feeling about all of this." Kopa said. "I don't know what my father or Meera is going to do."
"I'll go with you." Kanai volunteered.
"No."
Everybody turned to look at Nuka. The scrawny lion's teeth were gritted and his eyes were blazing. Vitani was shocked to note that he looked a little like Meera.
"I'll go. This is my family. My responsibility. I should have been watching Kovu, and I should have been watching Meera." Nuka spat out angrily. He did not wait for any of them to reply before streaking off into the bushes, in the direction of Pride Rock.
Vitani let out a low, mournful cry. "He's going to get himself killed."
Kopa looked grim. "I think we all will."
a/n: Cliffhanger! I've tried to stop posting these annoying author's notes, but I think in this case it's necessary. I'm sorry for the long wait between this chapter and the last. I was writing my final exams, and was incredibly busy with my hectic life. But now, I have a little bit of time before the craziness begins again and I sincerely hope I can finish this fanfic, at least before the end of February. I just want to thank everyone who is still reading, and I'm sorry for the delay. Reviews are much appreciated, especially now that I am attempting to finish this fic in record breaking time (at least for me :D) I need the brain juice! Finally, I would like to wish everyone a belated Happy New Year! 2012 has finally caught up with me! And I am very excited for Heir to the Throne to do the same!