Here's chapter twenty five and please review.
I'd like to thank the following reviewers: BlackLouie, ShadowPhoenix, balto90, Random Pumpkin, Fluffy Hug, Aggregate Dragon, CSIMentalistTLK lover, A Guest, gary2000, AMBER, Blair93, Asaf and LionFlower,
Without thinking, Kopa sprinted into the Pridelands.
''You have officially gone mad.'' Kopa thought to himself but he continued. He needed to find Kiara before Vitani did. He knew that she would make her moves in a couple days and his worst fear that this was the day.
Suddenly he saw a couple males ahead of him, making his way towards him and he recognized Kovu, Haru and Tanabi from the group.
''Kopa?'' Kovu demanded with a growl. ''What are you doing here?''
''No time for that.'' Kopa panted. ''Where's Kiara?''
''Why should we tell you?'' Haru demanded narrowing his eyes. ''After what you did to her she's better off without you!''
''Just tell me where she is!'' Kopa begged. ''I have to get to her before it's too late.''
''Too late for what?'' Tanabi asked.
''Too late to save her!'' Kopa growled, knowing that he wouldn't get an answer from them he charged off.
''Kopa!'' Kovu called after him. ''Wait for me!'' But Kopa didn't stop.
''I'm going after him.'' Kovu said. ''I have to make sure Kiara's alright. You two go back to Priderock and tell Simba.''
''That might-'' Haru began but Kopa cut him off.
''There's no time to argue!'' Kovu roared.
''Do you actually believe him?'' Tanabi asked.
Haru and Kovu exchanged a glance.
''Yes, I believe him.'' Haru said his voice going soft. ''No matter what, he's still our best friend. I still remember our times when we were cubs. No matter what happens, I know that both Kovu and I won't give up on him.''
''Exactly,'' Kovu said. '' Now go!'' He took off in the direction that Kopa had gone and Haru and Tanabi charged towards Priderock.
As Haru and Tanabi reached Priderock they found Simba talking with Amri, Chumvi, Moraan, Alex and Tojo.
"Haru?'' Amri said the minute he saw his son. ''What's wrong?''
''I think,'' Haru panted. ''That-that…Kiara's in danger.''
''What?'' Simba asked. ''What do you mean?''
''Kopa came running into the Pridelands.'' Tanabi said and Simba looked surprised at the mention of his son.
''He wanted to know where Kiara was and when we asked why he said that he had to save her before it's too late.'' Tanabi said.
''Kovu already went after them.'' Haru said just as Shari, Shinda and Tama reached the scene with Danyssa and Jasiri, all of them had heard everything.
''It must have something to do with Vitani." Simba growled. "Vitani probably had some kind of plan to kill Kiara and Kopa must have come in to help Kiara."
"Then we have to find them before it's too late!" Chumvi growled.
Simba turned to Alex and Tojo. "Stay at Priderock and help form search parties to look for Kiara. The rest of us will follow Haru and Tanabi to where Kovu and Kopa went."
Simba turned to Haru and Tanabi. "Lead us." Haru and Tanabi bounded down Priderock with Simba, Chumvi, Amri and Moraan following them.
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Kopa caught onto Vitani's scent and with it the familiar scent of his twin sister. As he charged closer, his heart nearly dropped as he caught the scent of blood.
"Please don't let it be too late." Kopa pleaded. He crashed through lining of trees at the border to find Kiara struggling to get up; clearly injured with blood trickling down her while Vitani was moving in for another blow. Vitani looked up and looked surprised when she saw Kopa.
"Kopa?" Vitani asked. "What are you doing here? Did Nuka send you here?"
Kiara managed to lift her head and she saw her brother. It was over. Kopa would kill her. He was on Vitani's side.
''Kopa,'' Kiara croaked. ''Just kill me and get it over with. I can at least be with our mother.''
Kopa looked into her sapphire blue eyes and remembered what she had told him all those years ago.
''We'll always be best friends right?''
''Yeah,''
''And we'll always stay that way right?''
''Right.''
Nala's voice echoed through his head. ''You must remember that in the end, your sister will always be the one there for you when you need it. Don't ever forget that.''
Kopa's throat tightened on the verge of tears as he remembered his cub hood and his mother.
''So are you going to help me finish her off?'' Vitani asked in an annoyed tone, clearly about to lose her patience.
''No!'' Kopa growled. ''I'm going to stop you!'' Without a warning, he lunged at Vitani and took her down. She tried fighting back but Kopa was too big and powerful.
''Are you out of your mind?!'' Vitani roared at him. ''This is what we all have been waiting for!''
''She's my sister.'' Kopa hissed. ''I won't let you hurt her.''
''Traitor!'' Vitani snarled. ''You betrayed us! Don't you want to take Simba down.''
''I want to take Simba down.'' Kopa said. ''But I won't let Kiara get hurt.''
Vitani roared but she couldn't get up. ''And you're going to kill me?''
Kopa glared at her. If he killed her it would all be over. Nuka and the others would have lost the element of surprise. But he couldn't bring himself to kill her. He still somewhat saw her as his sister.
''Kiara!'' Kovu crashed through the bushes and his eyes went wide at the sight. He looked from Kopa holding Vitani down and Kiara injured on the ground and quickly realized what had happened.
''You!'' Kovu growled, advancing on Vitani with anger pouring from his eyes.
''I won't kill you Vitani.'' Kopa growled. ''But I know who will.''
Vitani's eyes got wide with fear as she saw Kovu approaching her.
''Kovu please…I didn't…I don't…'' Vitani tried to say but Kovu cut her off.
''Simba is going to kill you anyways.'' Kovu said. ''No difference if I do it now.'' Without another warning, he struck Vitani's throat killing her instantly.
Kiara and Kopa both looked at Vitani's dead body in shock, loss of words.
''Kiara?'' Kovu turned back to her. ''Are you okay? I'll carry you back to Priderock.''
Kiara turned to Kopa. ''Why did you save me?''
Kopa gave her a soft smile. ''Because you're my sister. And we'll always be best friends right?''
Kiara smiled at him, seeing her real brother and she felt tears of joy burning behind her eyes. ''Right.''
Kovu grinned and gave Kopa a friendly bump. ''Glad to see that you came to your senses.''
''About time.'' Kopa muttered.
''Kiara!'' Came voices. ''Kovu!'' The others crashed through the bushes.
''Kiara!'' Simba rushed up to Kiara and embraced her. ''I thought I lost you!''
''I'm alright Daddy.'' Kiara said. ''Don't worry.''
''What happened to her?'' Haru asked, motioning to Vitani's dead body.
''I finished her off.'' Kovu muttered as Chumvi checked to make sure that he was okay.
''Kopa?'' Simba turned to his son. Kopa looked at him, unsure what to say. ''What are you doing here?'' Simba asked.
''I…I…I came back to stop Vitani from killing Kiara.'' Kopa said.
''Why?'' Amri asked, taking a good look at Kopa. Despite his amber red eyes from Simba, he could clearly seeing Nala shining in him.
"Because I couldn't let Mom's sacrifice be in vain." Kopa said.
Simba smiled. "Come back to Priderock with us son. We can talk there."
Kopa flinched when Simba called him son. No matter what he had done, and betrayed them, he realized that Simba still loved him.
Just like any father would.
He saw Kiara giving him a pleading look and he nodded. "Alright, I'll come back for a visit. I'm not saying that I'll stay but let's see."
After getting rid of Vitani's body and helping Kiara walk, the whole group reached Priderock.
"Kiara!" Sarabi, Sarafina, Shinda and Shani rushed up to Kiara.
Tojo noticed Kopa first and he smiled at his nephew and godson. Finally, Nala's son was back. He turned to Runju and Sarafina who were looking at their grandson in shock.
"Don't try talking to him yet." Tojo murmured. "We don't know if he's forgiven you yet and I don't want anything that triggers him."
"Kopa!" Shani embraced her godson and Kopa returned her affection.
"I missed you," Shani said, nuzzling him. There were tears of joy in her eyes. The last time she had seen him was when he had lied to her and left the den all those years ago. If only she hadn't let him go…
"I missed you too Auntie." Kopa admitted as Shinda and the rest of his parent's friends embraced him. Tama, Shari and the others all looked at Kopa with happiness shining from their eyes.
"Kiara," Alex said after embracing Kopa. "Let's get you back into the den. We already called for Rafiki."
Kiara nodded and limped into the den and Kopa stayed out admiring how nice Priderock looked.
"Kopa?" Came a soft voice. It was Danyssa and Jasiri.
"Hey," Kopa greeted.
"I'm glad you came back." Danyssa said, giving him a nuzzle that he returned.
Jasiri hung back and she and Kopa exchanged a look. She remembered how he had been one of her best friends when she had been a young cub, before Kopa had started his training. She had liked nothing more than being able to play with Kopa and it had taken their mothers a lot of patience and arguing to get them to take a break. After he had started training, he had grown distant and changed dramatically. She had hated it but she knew that even Nala and Kiara couldn't change him.
" 'Siri?" Kopa asked, nudging her. "Are you okay?"
Jasiri smiled as she remembered the nickname that he had made up for her all those years ago. He still remembered.
"I'm fine." Jasiri said. "Can we talk later?"
"Sure," Kopa smiled and after nodding Jasiri walked away to check up on Kiara and Kovu.
Kopa walked into the royal den where Kiara was with Sarabi. Sarabi smiled when saw her grandson. She had never gotten a chance to bond with Kopa. He had disappeared only a day after she realized who he truly was.
She knew that Kiara wanted to be with her brother and after giving her another nuzzle, she walked out of the den leaving them alone.
"Why did you come back?" Kiara asked.
"I told you," Kopa said. "To make sure that you were alright."
"But you said that you didn't need me. I thought I wasn't important to you anymore." Kiara said, studying his face keenly.
Kopa sighed. "No matter what, I still miss Mom. And I couldn't let her sacrifice be in vain. You grew up into everything she wanted you to be and she would have been proud if she was here. But she would hate me. I grew up into her worst nightmare. So if you had died, our mother's sacrifice would have been for nothing. And I couldn't let that happen."
"Did you come back because of me or Mom?" Kiara asked.
"Both," Kopa said.
"How about our father?" Kiara asked.
"I'm not sure," Kopa sighed. "I don't know who I am anymore. All I know is that I'm Nala's son."
"You didn't even give him a chance Kopa." Kiara said. "He loves you. He really missed you when you left. And he let you back into the Pridelands without any hesitation no matter what you did."
"Yeah I know," Kopa sighed. "No matter how life was in the Outlands, I thought I was surrounded by my family but I was just lying to myself. Deep down, I felt like an orphan. I wanted nothing more than my family but I didn't know who that was anymore."
"Kopa," Kiara said, "We are your family."
"I know." Kopa said. "I just acted like that wasn't true all these years because of Simba."
"So will you accept him as your father?" Kiara asked.
"I don't know. I need time to sort this out." Kopa said and Kiara nodded.
"What about the others?" Kiara asked. "The rebel Pride I mean."
"I want to take this slowly Kiara." Kopa said. "I'm not even sure if I can accept Simba."
A minute later, Simba walked in and smiled when he saw both of them in the den.
"How're you feeling?" Simba asked.
"I'm fine and Rafiki said that I'll be okay enough to start hunting again in about a week or so." Kiara said.
"Kiara…" Simba said. "I'm not so sure about that…"
"Daddy, I'll be fine. Stop worrying." Kiara said.
"I still feel-" Simba began but Kopa cut him off.
" It's okay." Kopa said. "I'll accompany her for the next couple days."
A smile went up Simba's face as he heard Kopa calling him 'Dad'. Perhaps everything would finally be at peace now.
"Kopa," Simba said. "Let's go outside and talk. Kiara needs rest anyways."
Kopa nodded and followed him down Priderock. The sun was setting and everyone was heading back into the den. Many of them looked at the long lost Prince with happiness and relief shining on their faces.
"Kopa," Simba began. "I know you're angry and confused. Living life without your family is hard. If you still want to go back to the Outlands and join Nuka's Pride, you can go. But if you want to stay here, you're more than welcome. I've missed you and no matter what you see me as, I still see you as my son."
"I can't go back to Nuka's Pride." Kopa said. "They're going to kill me for treason. But I'm not sure if I want to stay here either."
"I know its hard living without a family." Simba said. "The time that I spent in the Jungle, I tried forgetting the truth. Forgetting who I truly was. I convinced myself that Timon and Pumbaa were my family and that the Pridelands didn't need me. But I was only lying to myself."
Kopa stared at him, realizing that Simba had been through the exact same thing as he had. He had also lost a parent and run away. He had tried to forget the truth. He had also tried to forget who he truly was. He had also tried to accept a family who wasn't really his family. They had both been through the same tragedy.
"That's why it was so hard for him to come back. He came back for the sake of someone that he loved. Us. I came back for the sake of someone I loved. Kiara." Kopa realized.
Another thing that they had in common. They had both come back for the sake of someone that they loved.
"I'll stay for a couple days. And I'll think about it more until I make my decision." Kopa stammered out, a bit shaken from his realizations.
Simba smiled. "Take as long as you need.''
Kopa nodded and the two of them headed back to Priderock.
Thought this was a good place to end it. Any guesses on what's gonna happen next? How do you think Zira and the others will react? Do you think Kopa will stay? Or will he leave? How do you think Nala and the other spirits above feel? Stay tuned for some more exciting chapters.