Chapter 11.. exciting.. u.u; no one's reviewing anymore so why bother writing!.. feh.. why not.. just for the chance of a review.. and for the sake of art... Onto the story!
Life at Pride Rock seemed to slow as the ceremonies to honor King Simba, Queen Nala, and Queen Kiara took place. The lioness' mournful cries echoed through the seemingly empty, graying land. Large storm clouds slowly formed on the horizon, lifting the moods of the pride slightly, knowing there would soon be rain to end the dusty, desert-like dry season, almost like a gift from the old rulers.
Vitani took the spot as temporary queen, until Kovu found another lioness suitable. She lounged sluggishly at the tip of Pride Rock, letting her forearms dangle over the edge as she looked down to the land with a deep sigh and stood up slowly. Turning her back on the view, she came face to face with her brother, her nose almost touching his and she jumped, not realizing he was so near her. "Kovu!" She shook her head and walked around him, her head hung low.
Kovu gazed at his sister and sighed, sitting down as she walked by him, looking down at the Pridelands then he growled angrily, catching Vitani's attention and she returned to Kovu, "What's wrong?" She asked, looking up at him in concern.
"Those damn rouges.. I know they killed Kiara. I know it!" He squinted his eyes, looking to the border. "And Gunab!.. my own son, was with them! The lions he was with.. that pride.. they are the ones who killed her!" He growled and shook his head. Vitani sighed deeply and comforted her brother and laid beside him, silently, listening to what he had to say. "Vitani.. What should I do..? If Gunab goes back there ... and something happens to him.." He growled, half vicious, half concerned, "I'd kill myself.. I'd want to drop dead. He can never go back there.. Gunab can never leave the Pridelands!" He growled and sighed, looking down to Vitani.
"Are you sure that's a good idea, Kovu?" Vitani asked, as if no one had been killed, but only so she could get Kovu's attention. It worked and the king's eyes stared at Vitani in curiosity. "If Gunab is with the rouges and befriends them, it could be an inside attack.. you could avenge Kiara ... we could." She was now sitting up, looking in her brother's eyes, trying to get through to him.
Kovu thought for a moment, his eyes sliding to the dark ground under them until he finally spoke, "That could work, but it could backfire." Vitani cocked her head then understood. Kovu nodded and continued, now looking out to the borders, "They could be trying to do the exact same thing you just said. If they befriend Gunab, they could easily gain access to the Pridelands.. and now that we are so out of order ... we'd be an easy target."
Vitani hissed up at Kovu and growled lightly, annoyed at his softness, "Kovu! Have you forgotten everything our mother taught us! You were trained to be a mighty warrior.. you're powerful and smart! Think! She didn't teach you that for no reason." Disgust sounded through her voice because of her annoyance and she turned away, walking to the cave.
The King growled and leapt over his sister, blocking her path to the cave, roaring angrily at her, "How dare you mock me! Zira is dead. She was evil, and that's all she taught us!" His scarred face glared at Vitani. The dark brown lioness turned her nose up at Kovu and she shook her head.
"But she's still your blood. She's in mine, yours, and even Gunab's! ..and the rouges! Their king is our own brother!" She roared back at Kovu and his eyes widened and he snapped back on Vitani.
"How the hell do you know this! The only brother we ever had was Nuka!"
"You were too young to remember! It was the day Scar chose you as his successor. His name was-is-Obassi. He was exiled because he stood up to Scar and Zira, trying to defy them because of you!" She growled and didn't even notice the lionesses beginning to circle her and Kovu in curiosity of the argument. "We all knew that Obassi would make a stronger king than you, and now look! The older brother you never knew already has the upper hand and could come in here and slaughter us at any time!"
Gasps and murmurs ran through the observing lionesses, though Kovu and Vitani's gazes never escaped each other. Kovu growled and glared at Vitani, "What do you want me to do about it! If we do anything we'll be slaughtered! Our defenses are too low, now that Kiara isn't here to help!" His words were spat out like poison and silence covered them, the only thing heard now was the echoing of Kovu's voice, "We can't do anything, Vitani! We're already goners! It's hopeless, so why don't we just give up!"
A growl rumbled in Vitani's throat and raged into a loud roar as she raised a paw to Kovu and struck his face, exactly as Zira had done, and he received two more slashes that Xed over the old one on his left eye. "KOVU! Don't ever talk like that or I will kill you!" She snarled and turned swiftly, walking past the crowded lionesses, back to the cave and took her place in the center of the cave to rest.
Kovu stared in nothingness, dumbfounded by the strike, but slowly he regained his senses and looked at the lionesses who's faces showed pure horror. A young lioness by the name of Falai stepped forward to Kovu, her voice was shaking, out of fear of what Kovu could do to her, "Kovu.. are we really gone? Is our life in the Pridelands over?"
After the young lioness spoke, the chocolate brown prince walked slowly from the cave, his eyes locked on his father. Kovu opened his mouth to answer Falai but he spotted Gunab and froze. "What is going on.." Gunab looked up at Kovu, still in a half-sleep daze. The lionesses broke up slowly, talking in low whispers amongst themselves.
When the lionesses had finally left, Kovu shook out of his trance and rubbed the blood off his eye and looked at Gunab, sternly, "Gunab, you cannot leave the Pridelands, ever again." He looked down at Gunab, hating to restrict his son's adventuring.
Gunab blinked awake and stared up at Kovu, "But.. but why?" He thought for a moment and lowered his head, "It's because of what happened, isn't it?" He looked down in shame, feeling responsible for the deaths again.
Kovu nodded and sighed at Kovu, "It's for your own protection. The pride you were with.. those rouges ... with the Obassi leader.. he is the one who killed Kiara. I know it."
The cub's eyes widened and he took a step back, shaking his head, "No! Obassi would never kill her! No! He's so nice.. they all are! It had to be something else!" Gunab growled in frustration, trusting the Liba Pride with all his heart.
With a growl, Kovu looked his son in the eyes, "They are Outsiders, Gunab. A rival pride. We cannot accept them. Their heads are wanted now. You can never leave Pride Rock without an escort." He said firmly and growled in warning.
Gunab still shook his head and turned away, "No! Why can't you get along! Obassi is more of a lion than you'll ever be!" Gunab yelled before darting down the path, deep into the tall, dry grass of the Pridelands, leaving Kovu with Gunab's words singing through his mind.
.-.-.-.-.-.
"Hey... Where'd that little prince go?" Dekala looked behind a termite mound, trying to find Gunab out of boredom. She jumped up to the top of the termite mound and sunk her claws deep in it, trying to keep her balance but failed and rolled back down to the dusty red ground at Boniko's feet.
Boniko blinked at Dekala and cocked an eyebrow at her, "Gunab left this morning, we were still sleeping." He chuckled and shook his head at Dekala and helped her back up, "Now have you seen your sister anywhere?"
"Umaimai? No, I haven't seen her anywhere this morning. No one was in the den when I woke up." Dekala lifted herself off the ground and scratched behind her ear with a hind leg. "These termites are killing me!" She yelled and went into a scratching fit, her dark green and black fur fluffing in places.
Out of no where, Boteshu popped up hissed at Dekala loudly, his black body hunched up, the fur on his back stiff. Dekala yelled and jumped straight up, landing on the termite mound and staring at Boteshu, "Don't do that to me you little freak!"
The white lion burst out laughing and pulled Boteshu back, "That was very good!"
Boteshu grinned and bowed, "Thanks. I'm gonna get Qua later. He won't even see it coming."
"Oh yea?" Qua sent his older brother a toothy grin. Boteshu gave him a "how-did-you-get-here?" stare and groaned. Qua smirked and looked up to Dekala and blinked oddly, "'Kala.. how'd you get up there?"
"Your crazy brother was practicing on how to give us heart attacks." She sent Boteshu a glare and slid down from the termite mound and rolled on her back, rubbing against the ground. "I'm telling you kids, the reason you don't have a termite problem is because they're all- AHH! ITCHY!- attracted to me!"
"Ouch." Boteshu and Qua said in unison, wincing.
Later on in the day, Obassi and Ibzimai spent time at their small waterhole, spending some father-daughter time together. Obassi showed Ibzimai the best spots to hunt and he began teaching her how to pounce. Ibzimai learned quickly how to keep her steps as quiet as she could, but she still couldn't catch her dad. "Keep trying." He said and hid again. They kept up the hunting lessons until dusk. When they walked back home, they were greeted by the site of a familiar chocolate prince unconscious on the ground, beaten and battered with scratches all over him.
Obassi looked over Gunab's little body, then at the other lions circled around Gunab and he nodded, "Keep him here." And he turned away to rest in the den, leaving his pride members to look over Gunab for the time being.
LONG TIME SINCE A REVIEW! I started this chapter in December or January.. and it's the middle of April now! That's a long time for writers block. X.x; anyways, reviews would be appriciated. Bye! C'ya next chaptah.