This chapter took me two days to write, So if the chapter seems rushed let me know.
I do not own the Lion King
Enjoy ch. 11!
The sun rose slowly over the horizon as Talib began to stir. He opened his eyes slowly, adjusting to the light. He quickly realized there was no one beside him. He jumped to his feet.
"Kohana?" He asked into the oasis, his voice being carried by the wind.
No reply. Talib frowned. Where could she be? "Must've went hunting or something." He said to himself as he stretched his body and yawned lazily.
He lapped at the water in the pool. He admired the beauty of the waterfall that continuously emptied into the azure pool below.
"Talib." A voice called from the other side of the water. "Come here."
"Who are you?" Talib asked. He knew that wasn't Kohana speaking to him. When he didn't get an answer he walked around the watering hole. He came face to face with a lioness.
"I'm our grandmother Nala." The lioness responded. She beamed at her grandson. She had never spoken to him and she wondered of he even knew who she was. (a/n: they always talk to the kings of the past in the movies, so I decided to change that. The past queen will now convey the message. .)
"Grandmother." Talib said slowly. "Why are you here? I only thought the past kings could talk to the living."
"I want to have some fun too." Nala joked. She looked sadly at Talib. "Talib, you must return home."
"Why? So they can fuss at me more for being friends with Kohana?" Talib retorted. He turned hisback toward Nala. The lioness sighed.
"Look, your family needs you. Kohana isn't who you think she is." Nala said sternly. "Kohana and her family are going to attack Pride Rock. They want vengeance for Takara's death."
"No.You're wrong."
"Why do you think such a large number of cheetahs banded together?"
Talib gasped. I was so caught up in being back with Kohana that I failed to realize anything! I'm so stupid! Talib mentaly kicked himself. Wait, if what my grandmother is saying is true, where's Thorn? He turned back around to face his grandmother.
"You're wondering where your friend is aren't you?" Nala asked.
Talib nodded. "Kohana said he went back to Pride Rock. "
"He didn't." Nala replied sadly.
"Then where did he go?" Talib began to worry.
Nala placed a paw on Talib's forehead. "Close your eyes, and I will show you." Talib did as he was told and soon he saw Kohana and Thorn atop the dune overlooking the oasis. Their mouths were moving, but he couldn't hear them.He saw Kohana pounce on Thorn. He saw Thorn struggle against the lioness then fall limply to the ground after she bit his throat. He saw Kohana licking her fangs.
Nala removed her paw from Talib's forehead and stepped back from him. Talib opened his eyes and was greeted by the oasis again.
Talib felt like vomiting, but stopped himself. "Kohana…." Talib looked to the ground and swiped angrily at a pebble at his feet sending it into the water. "You were right Grandfather. She really has changed." Tears stung Talib's eyes.
"You know what you must do." Nala said. "Go protect your family. I know not who will win the battle, but you must try. Put your hatred for your father aside."
"Yes. I will." Talib responded. He looked into his grandmother's eyes. "For my family."
"Fight bravely, Talib, and remember, no matter how much it looks like your enemy is winning, never give up." Nala turned away and disappeared.
I must get back to Pride Rock before Kohana and the cheetahs. Talib took off running. He had to get back.
The cheetahs had been travelling for some time now, and they were nearing Pride Rock. They were edgy with the anticipation of the upcoming battle.
"Tokala!" Kohana called as she came to the front of the army of cheetahs. The red orange cheetah looked at Kohana, smiling evilly.
"Is the black lion dead?"
Kohana nodded. "Yes, and Talib was still at the oasis when I left. He doesn't suspect a thing."
"Good." Tokala replied before resuming her course toward Pride Rock.
Talib had been running nonstop ever since he had left the oasis. The sweltering heat was taking a toll on his tired body, but he refused to give up.
I hope I get to Pride Rock before anything goes horribly wrong. Talib forced himself to run faster.
"I see it!" A cheetah yelled from the middle of the group. "Pride Rock!"
Some of the cheetahs began to pick up speed. Tokala turned around angrily.
"Halt!" The cheetahs stopped. "Before we approach, I want Kohana to go ahead and scout for any patrolling lionesses. The Pridelanders shouldn't be wary of any danger, but I don't want to take any chances."
"I'll be back shortly." Kohana took off in the direction of Pride Rock.
It seems that there aren't any lionesses. Kohana had been scouting the area for half an hour and hadn't seen any of the Pridelanders.
Stopping to get one last look at the area, Kohana couldn't stop her wondering mind from asking questions. What will we do after we attack the Pridelanders and kill King Kovu? Will we force the living lions out and take over?
Kohana shrugged as if she was answering herself. She headed back Tokala.
"I didn't see any lionesses, but that doesn't mean we should let our guard down." Kohana said to Tokala.
Tokala nodded. "You're right." She turned to her 'army'. "Our time has come. Let's avenge Takara." The cheetahs ran swiftly toward their destination.
Acacia was out hunting alone when she spotted a large group of animals moving toward her. Great. It looks like a herd had returned. Acacia took a closer look. That's not a herd! I must tell King Kovu! Acacia darted off toward Pride Rock.
"King Kovu!" Acacia called, panting.
"He's talking with Kiara in the cave." A lioness told Acacia. "They seem to be more secretive than ever." Acacia ignored the lioness's comment about Kiara and Kovu being secretive.
"Thanks." Acacia replied quickly before scaling Pride Rock and running into the cave.
"Kovu!" Acacia yelled. Kovu and Kiara stopped talking and turned to her.
"What's so important that you interrupt my conversation with my mate?" Kovu asked angrily.
"Sorry, my king. The cheetahs are coming here!" Acacia wasted no time in getting her message to Kovu.
"Nonsense." Kovu replied.
"Kovu, let's listen to what she has to say." Kiara said, she looked at Acacia. "Okay, go on."
"There's a large group of them heading this way. At least fifty. I think they want to fight. They might be avenging the death of that female cheetah you killed."
Kovu frowned. "Acacia assemble lionesses. Kiara go with her. Meet me at the base of Pride Rock."
"Alright." The two lionesses left.
"Looks like we were spotted." Tokala said as she noticed that Kovu was standing in front of his pride at the base of Pride Rock.
"Tokala." Kovu said her name as though it tasted bad upon his tongue.
Tokala smiled happily. "Kovu, looks like you're outnumbered." It was true. There definitely were more cheetahs than lions, but the lions were bigger and more capable of killing a cheetah.
Tokala wasted no time. "Attack!" The cheetahs stormed upon the Pridelanders.
Tokala sat back and watched. She wanted to see Kovu squirm before he met his death. Three of them went after Kovu. They nipped at his heels and tried to claw him. He fought fiercely against them, killing one of them instantly.
Kohana joined in and went for Acacia. Both lionesses bared their fangs.
"Where's your son to protect you now?" Kohana asked, a sneer curling her lips.
"What did you do to him?" Acacia roared in anger.
"The same thing I am going to do to you." Kohana responded before jumping onto Acacia.
Acacia was quicker than Kohana and easily dodged her attacks. Kohana kept up her attacks, hoping that the lioness would tire. To her surprise, Acacia never seemed to tire. Each jumped and tried to claw and bite each other, but neither one managed to get a hold of the other .
"This is for Thorn!" Acacia yelled as she extended her claws and her paw connected squarely in her face. Kohana fell to the ground. Blood ran from her muzzle where Acacia's claws had scraped her face.
"I could kill you, but Thorn, even though you killed him, would not will it this way." Acacia stood threateningly over Kohana. Kohana drew in a deep breath and closed her eyes as she fell unconscious. Acacia ran off to help a lioness that was being attacked by three cheetahs.
"Hello, Kiara." Tokai said.
"Why are you doing this?" Kiara asked, scared for her life. "I don't want to fight you."
"Oh?" Tokai mocked.
Kiara's fright was reflecting in her eyes. Tokai laughed. He was enjoying toying with the Queen, and her obvious fear was making it even more enjoyable.
"Time to say goodbye, Queen." Tokai sprung into action, jumping on Kiara's back. His teeth sunk into her delicate ear. She roared in pain and knocked him off.
"I don't want to fight!" Kiara yelled, as Tokai lunged for her again.
She dodged him and he stumbled. He hadn't been ready for her to evade his attack. She pounced on him before he could regain his balance. She sunk her claws into his sides, and he bucked beneath her sending her collapsing to the ground.
He pounced for her, but was knocked out of his target's path by a brown blur. Tokai was sent to the ground. "Kohana said you were still at the oasis."
"Well, I'm not now." Talib said, as he turned to Kiara.
"Mother!" Talib exclaimed as he nuzzled her battered face.
"Son…" Kiara smiled happily at her son. "Look out!" Kiara cried as Tokai came through the air.
Talib was taken by surprise when he felt the sudden weight upon his back. Talib quickly knocked his attacker off and pinned Tokai beneath his body before the cheetah had time to get away.
"No one comes into my homeland and gets away with attacking my mother. " Talib glared at the cheetah. "I could kill you, but I am not that way."
"I understand." Tokai said, remorse reflecting in his eyes.
"Now, when I let you up, are you going to attack again?" Talib asked demandingly.
"No." Tokai said.
Two deafening roars split through the air surrounding the battle. All fighting ceased as they looked for the source of the roars. About fifteen dead cheetahs lay sprawled upon the battlefield. It was a horrible mess. There were no casualties on the Pridelanders side, however.
Tokala and Kovu began to circle each other. Tokala snarled and Kovu bared his fangs.
"You killed Takara now I will kill you!" Tokala said, still circling Kovu.
"I had no choice. She attacked me!" Kovu growled.
Tokala didn't respond. She lunged for Kovu. Kovu easily dodged her attack.
"You can't keep this up." Tokala spat.
"There's no sense in this fighting, Tokala." Kovu tried to reason with her, but she wouldn't listen. "I only killed Takara because she attacked me and would've killed me!" Tokala pounced again, claws extended.
Kovu spun around and knocked Tokala to the ground pinning her there, and his green eyes bore into her blue eyes. "I can let you go, or I can kill you." Kovu said gravely.
"Go ahead. Kill me. You know you want to." Tokala began to laugh maniacally.
"No. If you promise to leave the Pridelands and never return, I'll spare your life."
Kovu let Tokala to her feet. Talib got on the other side of her. She wasn't going to be able to do anything. Tokala looked around her. Her friends, most of which were injured, looked at her silently. She saw Kohana lying on her side not too far away. Her anger began to rise again. She took notice of the few cheetahs that had lost their lives. Her anger began to rise again.
"No!" Tokala yelled as he swiped Talib's shoulder with her paw leaving three large gashes down his side.
Talib roared in pain and jumped away from Tokala. Kovu growled at Tokala.
"You kill my daughter and expect me to go on living?" Tokala asked, almost laughing. "I've got nothing to live for!"
"You're not alone, Tokala. You've still got Tokai." Kovu tried to calm the hysterical cheetah, but to no avail.
"Shut up!" Tokala yelled. Kovu got ready to pounce the lioness.
A white figure attacked Kovu. "Leave Tokala alone!" Kohana roared. Momentarily stunned, Kovu couldn't reply. Tokala looked on proudly. The other cheetahs began to laugh. The Prideland lionesses were stunned silent, especially Acacia who thought she had killed Kohana.
"Kohana! Stop!" Talib yelled as he pulled the lioness off his father. "There's no need for this. I understand that you're angry, but it's in the past now. It's time to move on."
"I will never move on!" Kohana growled. She took a step toward Talib.
"Two families. Each one destroyed. And you want me to put that in the past?" A tear slid down Kohana's muzzle. Tokala hadn't realized how much the fighting would affect Kohana. "Die!" Kohana charged at Talib, but stopped when she saw a lioness standing in front of her.
"Kohana!" The lioness cried out.
"Who are you?" Kohana asked. She had never seen the lioness before.
The lioness was crimson red. Her right forepaw was as white as Kohana's pelt. "I'm Shyla. I'm your sister Kohana."
"What? My sister is dead. She was killed by a buffalo the day they attacked our sleeping pride."
Everyone else fell silent. No one made a sound as the two lionesses began to talk. Even the cheetahs fell silent. All traces of fighting left the animal's minds.
"I am your sister." Shyla repeated.
"If you're my sister, then who was our mother?" Kohana asked.
Shyla sighed. "Our mother was Kenya. She was a white lioness with crimson red ears and paws."
"Shyla!" Kohana exclaimed. She nuzzled her sister.
"Kohana there's no need for continuing this battle." Shyla said.
Kohana nodded. "You're right."
"That's it?" Tokala asked. "I bring you this far, and you don't want to finish the job?"
"Tokala, killing the king will not bring Takara back." Kohana said.
"I know that. How do you expect me to go on without my daughter?" Tokala asked. "Takara is dead because of him!" She looked at Kovu.
"Would Takara want you to kill him?" Kohana asked.
Tokala shrugged. "What do you expect me to do with my life? My daughter is dead!"
"You could go find another mate, and have more children." Talib suggested. "Like my father said, you still have Tokai."
"One son." Tokala said. "What kind of family is that?"
"At least it is one." Tokai said, nuzzling his mother.
" Besides, you've got a family right here." Kohana said motioning toward the other cheetahs.
"You've got us." A male cheetah said.
Tokala stood silently looking at the others. "I've had a family all this time and failed to realize that." A tear slid down Tokala's face. "Takara….I'm so sorry." She turned to the Pridelanders. "Is there anything I can do to repay for my horrible actions?"
"You could start by changing your ways and starting life anew." Kovu said.
"I guess you're right." Tokala said.
Kohana stood beside her sister. Talib was standing beside his mother.
"I can't allow such a large number of cheetahs to stay here with our food diminishing." Kovu said grimly. "You'll have to leave, but you're welcome to return when the Pridelands return the way they were."
"I understand." Tokala said. "Come one, let's all go home." Tokala said to her 'new found' family.
"Kohana, if you want to stay with your sister. I understand." Tokala said, she hugged Kohana .
"Thanks, Tokala. For everything." Kohana whispered into Tokala's ear. "I might even stop by and see you sometime."
"I'd like that." Tokala said. The cheetahs left Pride Rock. None knew where their new leader would take them, but they had learned a very important lesson.
The sun had begun to set. The Pridelanders jumped when a sudden boom shook the ground.
"Looks like the skies are rejoicing with us." Kiara said to Kovu as she nuzzled him.
"Looks like it." Kovu said. "Perhaps in a few months the Pridelands will look like they did before."
"I hope they do." Talib said.
The rain began to fall. "Kohana, if you and Shyla would like to stay here for a while, you may." Kovu said.
Kohana smiled. "I'm sorry for the trouble I've caused."
"Acacia, Talib, I need to talk to you." Kohana said slowly.
Acacia approached slowly. Talib sat down in front of Kohana. "I'm sorry for killing Thorn. Tokala really corrupted my mind, and I am truly sorry."
"My son would be proud of you Kohana. You learned your lesson, and I hope you never repeat what you've done."
"Thank you Acacia." Kohana bowed. "I'm truly in debt to you."
Acacia smiled weakly. "I can never really forgive you for taking my only son away from me, but I can accept your apology." She followed the other lions toward the cave.
"Kohana, I can never forgive you either. You took my childhood friend away." Talib said, trying to hide the sadness.
"I know." Kohana said.
Kovu approached them followed by Shyla. "Come on you two. Wouldn't want you to catch a cold, now would we?"
Talib laughed. "Coming."
"Shyla, how did you manage to find me?" Kohana asked as she walked beside her sister.
"I'll tell you when we get into the cave. Besides, the king said he wanted to hear all about it, too. I'm pretty sure if he does then the whole pride would like to hear it." Shyla answered as lightning lit up the darkened sky.
"Who wouldn't want to hear the story of how two sisters reunite after years of separation?" Kohan laughed.
"You got that right." Talib said, laughing with Kohana. It felt good to laugh. So much had gone on in the course of one day, and the laughter seemed to enliven the dreary day.
I just can't believe father would allow another stranger into our pride, even if it is for a short time. Is there something he knows about Shyla that he's hiding? Talib's mind kept asking questions. He figured the questions would get answered once they all got inside the cave and settled down to hear Shyla's story. He began to wonder how Shyla had even found Kohana, and how they had been separated in the first place.
Next Chapter: Shyla tells her story of how she found Kohana and Talib's questions are answerd.