wow, I have more time to write than I thought. Anywho, this chapter is a little...blah. lol!
Disclaimer: I do not own the lion king.
The sun had only been up for a few hours when Talib spotted his father lying alone in the shade.
"Father!" Talib yelled. Kovu looked up from his resting-place.
"Yes?" Kovu asked.
"Where were you this morning?" Talib asked huskily. Thorn had finally caught up with his friend and now stood silently.
"I went to the watering hole." Kovu replied. Talib still wasn't satisfied with his father's answer.
Kovu stood and looked his son in the eyes. "Why do you care?" His green eyes narrowed. "Don't answer that. Where were you two?"
Thorn said nothing. Talib growled. "You were out in the desert weren't you?"
"No, but I know, now, where you two were." Kovu said smugly. "Now, if you don't mind, I am going to go back to Pride Rock to check on the lionesses. I suggest you two return as well."
"If you killed Takara, I will never forgive you." Kovu said nothing to his son. He turned and left Talib and Thorn alone.
"Well?" Thorn asked. He knew Talib wouldn't give up that easily. He would find a way to know if his father had indeed killed Takara.
"We'll go back to Pride Rock. Only long enough to return to the desert and see if we can find Kohana." Talib swiped his paw angrily at the ground. If only I hadn't met Kohana that day.
The two headed back to Pride Rock. Kiara ran to her son and nuzzled him when he had returned.
"Don't ever leave like that again!" She said panicky. "You had me so worried."
"I was fine mother." Talib replied as he licked her muzzle.
Kiara sighed. Her son was an adult now. Pretty soon she and Kovu would have to step down, and he would become the next ruler. She would always worry about him.
"I'd better go find my mom and let her know I am okay." Thorn said. He wanted to let Talib spend sometime alone with his mother.
"Did father go out into the desert before dawn this morning?"
"I don't know. I was asleep in the cave." Kiara replied. Many questions began to flood her mind. Why was her son asking if Kovu had been in the desert? Did Kovu go out into the desert?
"Okay, do you know where he is?" Talib asked.
"I was getting ready to join him and the other lionesses." Kiara said. "You coming?"
Talib nodded and followed his mother. Many of the pride lionesses gave him disapproving looks. Talib's actions were far from anything expected from a future king; many lionesses feared the time he would become their king.
Talib ignored the cold stares from the lionesses and wasn't surprised that most of them ignored him. He stopped when he heard a couple of lionesses whispering. They failed to notice, and kept whispering.
"Did you hear what King Kovu did last night?" A golden lioness asked a light brown lioness.
"No." The light brown lioness responded.
"It's been going around that he chased a cheetah into the desert and killed her. Such a pity. I think she was one of the ones he exiled from the Pridelands when Talib was a cub."
It was her! It was Takara! Talib wanted to scream at the lionesses, but he didn't want to cause a scene. He already knew that half the lionesses hated him.
"Talib," Kovu began. "The answer to what you asked me earlier is yes."
Talib already knew. "I know."
Kovu looked away. He was unsure of what to say next. "So you know that…"
"You killed Takara." Talib finished. Kovu could sense his son's anger.
"I did it to protect the pride. She could've been spying on us. The cheetahs could've been planning to attack." Kovu defended himself.
"Well, they might decide to now! You killed one of their own!" Kiara was fed up. "They're sure to attack now!" Kiara's comment caused a few lionesses to gasp in surprise. Talib smiled. At least his mother was sort of on his side.
"I agree." Acacia said as she appeared with Thorn by her side. "You've probably angered them now."
Kovu backed away from his enraged mate. She had always agreed with what he did.
"Have I not been a good king?" Kovu asked. He looked at questioning faces for answers.
"Of course you have, my love. You've just been a little overprotective of the pride." Kiara licked Kovu's muzzle. He returned the kiss and smiled at her.
"You always know how to cheer me up." Kovu said.
"I'm going back to find Kohana." Talib said bluntly.
"You will not!" Kiara objected. "What if those cheetahs do plan to attack now that one of their own was killed by Kovu?"
"They will not attack me. I'm their friend." Talib said defensively.
"I am going also." Thorn said.
Acacia didn't object to her son's decisions like she had before. "Thorn, it's no use in telling you not to go. You've never listened before."
A tear slid down Thorn's muzzle. He felt horrible for making his mother downhearted. She had always done her best to stop him and yet he always let her down. "I'm sorry for disobeying you before mother, but those cheetahs and Kohana are my friends."
Kiara knew her son was the same way. Now an adult, he was capable of making his own decisions. "Talib, if you really want to go back, then I guess there's no stopping you."
"Son.." Kovu began but when he saw Talib's glaring golden eyes he stopped.
"Father, from this point on I will never speak to you again." Talib said coldly. He could see the hurt in his father's green eyes. He didn't care; his father had killed one of his friends.
"I'll return safely, mother. I will only return once I have found Kohana." Talib hugged Kiara. "I promise."
"I promise I'll return too, mother. " Thorn said as he kissed his mother.
"I know you will, Thorn." Acacia replied proudly.
Kiara, on the other hand, couldn't help but worry. Talib, I just hope Kohana hasn't changed from the innocent cub she was to something worse. I'm not so sure if you could change her mind if she has changed.
The sun began to set, and the two mother's watched through teary eyes as the silhouettes of their sons got farther and farther away until they could see them no more.
ok, I know I said that this would only have about ten chapters, but I got a whole new idea for it last night and it could be longer if I go with the idea. Anywho, until the next chapter, review!