Chapter 14
Leo made his way to the area where the pridelanders and outlanders were fighting. It was a wide open desert space, a land in between the outlands and pridelands. Leo had to cross the makeshift dam, the one that killed Nuka, in order to get over there.
After getting pass the dam, he came up to the battle. With the pouring rain, the very faint light, and all the lions being female (except for Simba, whom Leo recognized thanks to the mane), it was hard to see who was on what side.
The only way that Leo could see who were the pridelanders, and who were the outlanders, was that the outlanders were streaked in muck and swamp-water. Unfortunately, they were also winning the fight; living out in the outlands had taught them to fight without rules, and that was exactly what they were doing.
Zira was standing on a large rock, yelling out orders to her soldiers. Simba, on the other hand, was in the heat of the battle. Not bothering to help Simba, Leo decided to go after Zira, and attack her from behind. So, he snuck and crawled through the battle, eventually getting behind the rock where Zira was.
He was about to pounce onto Zira and attack her, but that was when he got attacked from the side by Vitani. Vitani rammed into him, knocking Leo to the ground and pinning him.
"You took my brother from me, and now I'll take your life!" Vitani snarled.
"You're going to find out soon enough, but I killed Braun, your father, as well."
Vitani's eyes went wide with shock, and Leo took that opportunity to get out from under her and face her.
"You killed Braun?" Vitani asked, her tone both shocked and angered. "And he was my father?!"
"It was either me or him!" Leo replied. "He wanted to die, and he made me promise to protect you!"
"You killed my father, my brother, and now you're trying to protect me?! Some promise keeper you are! But here, let me relive you of that promise!"
"Wait, Vitani!"
But Vitani didn't respond, and she charged forward to claw and swat at Leo! Leo quickly dodged and went on the defensive, trying his hardest to avoid Vitani's fierce attacks! Occasionally, he was forced to go on the offensive, but he made sure that his attacks didn't really hurt Vitani.
In order to do that, he would occasionally shove or push her away, only for her to come back swinging! At one point, she even hit him in the nose, causing him to start bleeding! At that point, Leo started becoming angry!
"Okay, you want to fight, I'll give you a fight." Leo growled, wiping the blood away from his nose.
Vitani charged and began attacking, to which Leo ducked and tackled her mid-section, sending both of them sprawling! Leo then began clawing at her, and managed to get in a few good hits! Fortunately, the hits weren't enough to make Vitani bleed, but they still got in some good damage on her! Then, during the fight, Leo's makeshift bandage slipped, causing his shoulder to start bleeding again! However, Leo was trying his best to power through the loss of blood, and he still continued fighting Vitani!
But his vision soon began blurring, and his movements started becoming sloppier, so Leo decided to retreat from Vitani! He started running into the heat of the battle, dodging lionesses that were slashing and clawing at each other! Then, he saw Simba who was being overpowered by several members of the Outlanders, and Zira moving in for the kill! Simba knocked back the Outlanders, but Zira slashed a solid hit on him, causing him to fall somewhat! However, he recovered, and he and Zira stared each other down.
Everyone stopped fighting, and began watching the final battle, as Zira and Simba began circling, preparing for the fight to end all fights between Pridelanders and Outlanders! The lightning flashed, the rain poured harder than ever before, and both Simba and Zira raised their claws into the air, readying to charge in and attack each other!
Then, the lighting flashed again, and suddenly, Kiara and Kovu jumped out of nowhere, landing in the center of the circle! The two were staring at their respected parents, both giving death glares!
"Kiara?" Simba asked, his tone confused.
"Kovu!" Zira roared, her tone angered.
A shocked look came over Leo's face along with Vitani, who was standing beside Leo. The two looked at each other, before looking back at what had just happened!
"Stand aside." said Simba, his tone now annoyed.
"Daddy, this has to stop." Kiara replied.
"You're even weaker than I thought!" Zira spoke, her voice filled with hatred. "Get out of the way!"
"No." Kovu replied. "You'll never hurt Kiara or Simba; not while I'm here."
"Stay out of this." Simba continued.
"A wise king once told me 'we are one'." Kiara spoke, her tone soft. "I didn't understand him then, but now I do."
"But… they…" Simba was about to start, but Kiara interrupted.
"Them? Us?" Kiara asked. "Look at them; they are us. What differences do you see?"
Simba looked up, and looked at both the Pridelanders and Outlanders; the rain had washed the swamp water off of the outlanders, so now they looked normal again. And, they looked like the Pridelanders. They weren't any different; they were lions, just trying to survive, just trying to come back from a mistake that they had made so long ago. They were wanting, begging to be forgiving, despite everything that had ever happened…
And then, Simba knew it then and there; it was his own fault. He had spurred on the fighting, he had let his paranoia get the better of him, and now… now, this is what it led to.
"Kiara…" Simba spoke, his tone apologetic. "Kiara… I'm… I'm sorry…"
A soft smile appeared on Kiara's face, as the rain stopped coming down. Simba looked up to the sky; the sun was breaking through the clouds. In the light, things were different; they weren't enemies. The only enemy, here and now, was themselves. But, that enemy could be defeated…
Simba came forward and rubbed affectionately against his daughter, while Nala came over and did the same. Kovu watched this, a small smile on his face, as Kiara came over and embraced him as well.
Unfortunately, Zira wasn't sharing the sentiment.
"Vitani, attack!" Zira roared.
"No, mother." Vitani replied, her tone calm. "Kiara's right… no more."
Vitani then walked over to Kiara's side, and stood beside her. A few seconds past, and Leo did the same, coming over and standing beside Vitani.
"We've already lost two lions to this whole mess." Leo spoke. "No more fighting."
The outlanders looked at each other, confused looks on their own faces.
"If you will not fight, then you will die as well." Zira snarled.
But, the outlanders had enough of the fighting as well, and they began going over to join the pridelanders.
"What?!" Zira sputtered, shocked that her own kind were turning on her. "Where are you going?! Get back here?!"
"Let it go, Zira." said Simba. "It's time to put the past behind us!"
"I'll never let it go!" Zira roared.
"Will you give it a rest?" Leo asked. "Haven't you had enough violence? You've lost your son to this feud, and you've lost Braun as well! Your hatred and anger will be the death of you!"
"This is for them, and Scar!" Zira roared, charging towards Simba.
"NO!" Leo yelled, jumping at Zira.
Both Zira and Leo crashed into the each other, and they ended up rolling to the edge of the cliff, both falling off of it!
"Leo!" Kiara and Kovu both yelled.
"Hang on, son!" said Simba, jumping down the cliff. "I'm coming!"
Both Leo and Zira crashed onto a part of the cliff face, and while Leo landed on the ledge, Zira was left hanging. Much to the surprise of everyone, both pridelanders and outlanders, the dam was starting to break! The makeshift dam broke, and the river began flowing freely once again! It was now a raging torrent, as the waters had been held back for so long!
Leo looked over the ledge and saw Zira hanging, and he extending his hands to her.
"Zira, give me your paw, quick!" Leo spoke, his tone worried.
But Zira wasn't going to surrender, and she took a swipe at him, causing her to slip some more!
"Zira, please, don't do this." Leo pleaded. "You can be forgiven; let go of your hatred, and let me help you."
Zira continued slipping, barely holding on with her claws! Her claws then let go of the cliff face, but Leo managed to grab her paw just in time! Grabbing onto a rock with the arm that was bleeding from the shoulder, Leo let out a roar of pain as he held on!
With her free paw, Zira unsheathed her claws, and wound back to slice Leo in the face! In that moment, Leo saw the attack and-
It was either him or her.
With a pained expression, Leo let go, and Zira let out a roar as she plummeted into the river! Leo watched in horror as Zira was swallowed by the current, and then came up for air, only for a log to smash her in the face! She then went under, and never resurfaced…
The river stopped raging, but there was no sign of her; Zira was dead.
Leo gritted his teeth in pain, both physically and emotionally; his arm hurt, and he was unable to save Zira.
"Leo…" Simba spoke, his tone soft.
Leo turned, and saw Simba come down to the ledge.
"Pa… I tried." said Leo, his tone saddened. "But, she wouldn't stop hating. I'm sorry…"
"You did what you could, my son." said Simba, now sounding apologetic. "I'm sorry, Leo. I'm so, so sorry, for the way I treated you. Ever since you came here, I haven't been the father that you needed me to be. I've treated you like an enemy, despite the many things you have done for this pride. But you are one of us, and you will always be one of us; I'm proud to call you my son. If you never forgive me for all the things I did to you, I understand. I deserve your hatred…"
Leo sighed, was quiet for a few seconds, and then replied, "I'm tired of hate, and I don't want to continue living like we're enemies. Simba, king of the Pride Lands, you are my father, and I am your son. I forgive you, for everything…"
Simba then came forward and rested his head against Leo's shoulder, to which Leo put his arms around his father's neck and hugged him. All his life, he wanted this; to bury his face in his lion father's mane, and to be called his son. And now, it was happening… Leo was being accepted.
Simba then moved back, and Leo let go, but he ended up stumbling a little bit. Fortunately, Simba caught him, and Leo balanced on him.
"I feel dizzy…" Leo spoke, sounding tired.
"Ride on me and rest." Simba replied. "You've earned it, Leo."
Leo obeyed, climbed onto his father's back, and held on as they began climbing back up the cliff. When they would get to the top, the others would be there to greet them. Nala, Kiara, Kovu, Timon Pumbaa, Vitani, the Pridelanders, the Outlanders…
They were together… they were one.
Author's Notes: Okay, so the 'Simba's Pride' arc of the story is almost done; the last chapter for the arc is next. Don't worry, 'Legend of Leo' isn't ending going anywhere, as there will be more chapters after the next one.
R&R,
Heroboy005
