Jason Chandler, thanks and I agree. Poor Kopa.
Here's chapter twenty-one.
It was late afternoon when sisters, Sienna and Thelma returned from the midday hunt. The sisters were going over the awesome stunts their queen and sister/sister-in-law used to take down the water buffalo. The conversation creased when said catch went by them on the back of King Malka.
The pale gold, black maned lion had been spending time assisting Simba while his mother and younger brother helped him back in his own kingdom.
Thelma moved her brown eyes from the large, handsome pale golden lion to the pale beige lioness besides her with a smirk. "You like Malka, don't you?"
Sienna blushed before lowering her head. "I do. But he'll never go for me."
Thelma smiled lightly before giving her sister a resurring nuzzle. "I understand. I have a crush on Prince Tojo. But he only has eyes for Kula."
Sienna frowned but her attention was soon on something small barrelling towards them up ahead. Thelma noticed it too before a five year old dark brown she-cub ran into the light golden lioness' foreleg.
Thelma reached one of her colourless paws out to catch the cub before she fell backwards. "Easy there Sherise. Where's the fire?"
Sherise was breathing heavily as she tried to answer. But as she went to tell the king's sisters what happened and what she heard fresh tears began to fall and she couldn't help but sob. Concern swelled in the older lionesses' beings.
Sienna bend down and ran her tongue over her cousin's head. "Calm down and tell us what happened."
Sherise sniffed up some tears, her heart still racing. "Zira...killed Kopa...and is coming for...me...and...Kovu..."
Sienna and Thelma gasped before the pale beige lioness grabbed the shaken cub and ran for priderock with her sister following.
...
Inside the den behind priderock, that Simba was led to by Cecilia those years ago was the king and queen along with a handful of others.
"Zira will not get away with this!" Simba growled.
Elara looked at her cubs that was sleeping in the back before turning her purple eyes towards the golden lion. "What do you suggest? Exile? That's not going to keep Zira from sneaking in and getting Kovu and Sherise."
Sarabi looked from the dark tawny lioness to her son with sorrow filled horror eyes. "Elara's right. I have spent enough time with Zira to know that she won't give up easily."
Simba sighed deeply before nodding towards his mother. "Then what do you suggest?"
As Sarabi was telling everyone the plan, they weren't aware of a pair of brown eyes listening.
...
Night has come and Zira led her followers to priderock. But before they reached the kopje their path was blocked by none other than Tama.
Zira snarled. "What's the meaning of this!"
Tama rolled her brown eyes. "Before you get your tail in a knot. Listen. Somehow your sister overheard you and seen you kill Kopa."
Zira growled. Mostly at herself. She forgot that Sherise was with the prince. But it doesn't matter because she is about to for fill her father's ghostly wish. "Doesn't matter. Is that all?"
Tama narrowed her eyes. "No! They're moving the cubs as we speak!"
Zira felt her blood began to boil before she let out a terrifying roar.
BTBW
Into the night Thelma ran with a confused and scared Kovu in her creamy jaws. She was running towards the Mountain kingdom where Kovu will be safe from Zira. But the twenty four year old light golden lioness wasn't expecting to be followed.
Out of the darkness of the night something pounced on the running lioness. Causing Thelma to drop Kovu before crashing to the ground herself. A familiar laugh made Thelma growl before before turning over and swiped at her attacker.
When the weight moved Thelma got up and ran to grab Kovu but she was knocked down once again.
"I believe that you have something that belongs to the true king of the Pridelands."
As the moon shined down, Thelma's brown eyes widened as out of shadows stalked a crazed looking Zira. Her claws were out and dug into the ground as she apporched the down lioness. What made the pale tan lioness all the more frightening was the notch in her right ear that was leaking fresh, hot blood. Before Thelma could register that she was the one that gave that wound her cousin pounced and attacked without mercy. Birds scattered at the dying roar that echoed through the Pridelands.
...
Eleanor knew that delivering her granddaughter to the Eastern kingdom was dangerous but she was more experience in this area. After all, she ran off with her own daughter. The sound of growling knocked the old lioness out of her thoughts and made her run faster. She took a quick look back and only seen a pair of brown eyes glowing in the darkness. She had to get rid of her persuader but wasn't sure how. Until the path she used to come here came in mind. She quickly ran towards the valley as fast as her aged paws would allow her.
Eleanor could hear her chaser gaining as the narrowed edge came into view. She saw the hole and with great effort she leapt over the the hole and kept running not looking back.
Eleanor continued to run in the direction of the Pridelands' other allied pride. When she crossed a creek she sighed in relief right before she was blind sighted. The force of the attack knocked Sherise from her jaws. When Eleanor's sight cleared the first thing she saw was a familiar pair of hazel eyes staring down at her as the moon and stars shined brightly above.
"Agro," the tawny-beige lioness gasped as fear filled her eyes.
The brownish-tan lion sneered as he bared his teeth. "My beloved wife. How wonderful of you to return after you up and ran! Embrassing me in front of the queen!"
Agro's spit flew from his muzzle and landed on Eleanor's face. Eleanor knew she had to get away especially before...
Agro looked up as his ears perked at the sound of a cub wailing. He moved his hazel eyes from his mate to the crying lump of dark fur some distance away. He growled as he let his claws out.
Eleanor gasped as she tried to stand. "Agro! Have mercy!"
Agro snapped his eyes towards the injured lioness. "Why should I!"
Eleanor knew it was risky but it was what she had to do. "Sherise's our granddaughter..."
Something snapped inside of the brownish-tan lion. A grin formed before he turned his full attention on Eleanor. "It seems that there is a change of plans. Unfortunately, those plans don't include you."
Eleanor was afraid but she rather her then Sherise. She closed her eyes and awaited her death. Argo grinned before raising his paw high before swinging it down and across Eleanor's throat. Satisfied with the sight of the lifeless body before him, he turned and roughly grabbed the crying cub before running off into the savannah.