Rani looked a bit emotional and very sad.
"It's okay, Rani," Kopa soothed the lioness cub. "It's going to be okay."
Rani and Baliyo began to miss their parents and stayed close to Kopa for comfort. Kopa frowned softly as he comforted the two younger cubs the best that he could while the adult lions of the Night Pride did what they could to keep up their strength. Soon, Dakarai, Akata, and Abrafo lost as they backed out and went off after failing to get rid of Janna. Janna narrowed her eyes firmly and soon sent the lion invaders away.
"You can come out now." Nirmala told Kopa and the younger cubs.
"Thank the Lion in the Moon." Kopa sighed in relief before he came out of hiding.
Rani and Baliyo began to come out of hiding next.
"We better get you back home," Nirmala told the cubs. "As well as some lunch."
"We are pretty hungry." Kopa said softly.
Rani and Baliyo looked like they wanted to get to their parents as they didn't know if they were still alive.
"Let's go home." Surak told his niece and nephew.
The younger cubs felt concerned before going back home and didn't see their parents.
"Don't say anything yet," Nirmala told Kopa. "It might be rough."
"I understand." Kopa nodded.
Kopa and Surak were seen carrying Rani and Baliyo all the way back home. Kopa glanced back at where they just were before he kept going back to his new home with his new family and where the news about Sãhasí and Ãnanda's deaths would be spread out. Kopa frowned as he felt guilty for letting Sãhasí and Ãnanda die like that as he felt like it was his fault, though the others in the pride reassured him that it wasn't.
"Kopa, it's thanks to you that Rani and Baliyo are still alive." Janna smiled.
"Yeah..." Kopa said softly. "I'm glad about that."
"You should be proud of yourself," Janna nodded. "You did very good."
"Yeah, you were able to hold your own against a full-grown lion." Surak told Kopa.
"Guess I've gotten stronger," Kopa replied. "At least I tried."
"You did amazing," Nirmala smiled. "And no one can take that away from you."
"Thanks, Nirmala." Kopa smiled back softly.
"You're very welcome, Kopa." Nirmala smiled back.
"K-K-K-Kopa..." Rani spoke with a small smile.
"What did you say?" Kopa asked the female lion cub with a gasp.
"K-K... Kopa!" Rani repeated with a smile.
"Sh-She said my name," Kopa smiled before beaming. "She said my name!"
Rani smiled back.
"Kopa?" Surak called as he came to the cub. "Is there a problem?"
"Not at all!" Kopa beamed. "Rani just said my name!"
"Really?" Surak asked.
"Really," Kopa smiled before looking down at Rani. "Go on, say my name, Rani."
"Kopa." Rani smiled back.
"Aww..." Surak smiled at that. "She's learning some first words. It won't be long until Baliyo does the same."
"This is so exciting!" Kopa beamed. "I feel like a big brother again."
"I can understand why." Surak smiled.
Kopa smiled back, though he still felt a little sad about what happened.
"It'll be okay," Surak soothed him. "No one blames you."
"I know," Kopa sighed. "If only I was stronger or faster I could have saved them."
"Don't blame yourself or beat yourself up," Surak advised. "I'm sure you'll get stronger and faster someday, but we're not mad."
"I really appreciate that and you guys welcoming me into your pride." Kopa replied softly.
"We were more than happy to welcome you into our pride." Surak smiled.
Kopa smiled back as he had a new life, but he thought maybe that change was for the better, especially since Zira often stalked him to get rid of him since Simba was the one who got rid of Scar. At least, that was how she viewed it during the whole battle for Pride Rock and all. The young lion cub would at times have fun whenever he could with Muuguzi and Adi even if they were full-grown servels and at times would play with Surak. Of course, he would train with his big brother of the Night Pride after asking to train with him and where this training helped increase Kopa's strength and speed as years passed.
Surak was soon running through the plains of the jungle as he ran as fast as he could before looking back. Kopa was soon running right behind him to test his speed as he had gotten older, so he was much faster than he was as a cub, though it looked like he was still slower than Surak.
"Try to keep up!" Surak smirked playfully. "I could probably run circles around you all day!"
"You kidding? I'm barely getting started." Kopa smirked back playfully before doing his best to go faster as he started to speed up.
Surak laughed as he kept on running with Kopa. Kopa grunted a bit as he smirked while catching up beside Surak as they ran together.
"It looks like Kopa's getting much faster and stronger," Nirmala told Janna. "He's even becoming as strong as Surak. I even saw him able move a fallen tree so then a family of foxes could get out of a hole."
"He certainly has a generous soul and is a great addition to the Night Pride," Janna smiled. "I think he's starting to feel like he belongs here too and is more at home, especially in looking after Rani and Baliyo as their new big brother figure."
"He is even a great playmate for them." Nirmala smiled back.
Janna smiled warmly with a nod.
Eventually, Surak and Kopa both made it to the end of the jungle together. "I won!" They both then called out as they tied before sharing a laugh at that.
"Looks like you two had fun." Rani smiled.
"Hey, Rani," Kopa replied. "Yeah, just a race to show how much faster I've gotten."
"He's no cheetah, but he's pretty speedy." Surak chuckled.
"So was it a tie this time?" Baliyo asked.
"Sure looked like it." Rani smiled.
"Yeah, it was a tie." Kopa nodded.
"Well, at least it's a change of place, even though I was definitely gonna win like I always do." Surak smirked.
"Sure, Grandpa!" Kopa smirked back. "Maybe a few months ago!"
"Ooh." Rani and Baliyo smirked.
"Ha ha, very funny." Surak smirked back.
"Yeah, I tend to be very funny most of the time." Kopa retorted.
Surak then playfully growled before lunging out at Kopa and wrestled him to the ground. And where most times Surak would win, but surprisingly Kopa won as he pinned Surak down.
"Pinned ya." Kopa smirked at Surak.
"Well, you have grown a bit since you first got here," Surak chuckled. "Nice work in pinning me."
"Ya just can't teach an old lion new tricks." Kopa then teased.
"Yeah, yeah. Get off." Surak smirked as Kopa got off him.
"Kopa 1, Surak... Too times to count." Baliyo said.
"That sounds about right." Rani agreed.
"Meh, I'll catch up," Kopa shrugged as he got off Surak. "Maybe someday you could try it out too, Baliyo."
"Maybe." Baliyo smiled.
Kopa was happy with his life in the Night Pride and the Tree of Life, but one night, his life was going to be conflicted by a group of animals from The Pridelands.
Kopa made sure that Rani and Bailyo were safe before he lay down as he felt something that sometimes bothered him once in a while, but he usually managed to get over it within time as he got ready to take a break and maybe get a little rest as he thought of something that happened before the unfortunate deaths of Sãhasí and Ãnanda which really made him feel like he really belonged.
"Are you adjusting well, my dear?" Ãnanda smiled softly as she came to the former Prideland cub.
"I guess so..." Kopa said softly as he looked distant from her as something bothered him.
"Then what's wrong?" Ãnanda asked softly.
"I like it here... Though I miss my family a lot..." Kopa sighed a bit as he stared out in the very far away distance of Pride Rock. "I love it here and all, but I'm not sure if I could fit in."
"Oh, Kopa, we love you all like family, especially the cubs," Ãnanda coaxed. "You're like their big brother."
"Even though I don't look like them..." Kopa said emotionally as he felt like he wouldn't fit in with the Night Pride for long, but the future would prove that wrong. "What is a family anyway?"
Ãnanda frowned softly and decided to lie down with him as they looked out around the jungle as the other animals were with their own herds as they grazed all over the place.
"Is it someone who looks like us?~" Kopa began to sing softly. "Is it someone who acts like us? Is it someone who sleeps beside us In a den?, Is it someone who speaks like us? Has a tail or a mane like us? Or is it someone that we like the best?~"
"I think family, family is more than being friends, When you're family, family the loving never ends~" Ãnanda sang back with a smile.
"I just can't believe I had to leave my own family." Kopa said softly.
"We'll be your family, but no one can replace the ones in your heart," Ãnanda comforted. "Though families are different, One thing stays the same, At the heart of every family is love~," she then sang to Kopa as he started to feel a little bit better, though tears came to his eyes as he formed a small smile. "And a family, a family is something strong and fine, You will always be part of your family~"
Kopa soon began to nuzzle Ãnanda as he felt better. Ãnanda nuzzled back, acting as his new mother as she already had maternal experience, especially with Janna's guidance.
"And I will always be, A very, very big part of our... Family~" Kopa soon sang back as he nuzzled with her, shutting his eyes as a happy tear rolled down his cheek.
Kopa smiled in his sleep about his dream about how he was loved and accepted as part of the Night Pride. Eventually, he was going to be given a new name for his own protection and comfort within The Night Pride since he was no longer a member of The Pridelands' family and gave him a new name based on his fur color being different than their own that would suit him more.
Soon enough, it was time for the Night Pride patrol consisting of Surak, Nirmala, Baliyo, Rani, and Kopa as well as their white owl associate Ullu as she was their informant of whatever danger she would see.
"See anything yet, Ullu?" Kopa asked the white owl.
"Not yet," Ullu replied. "I might have to fly out further ahead."
"Okay, be careful." Kopa said.
"I will." Ullu nodded before flying out further ahead.
Kopa looked back at Rani and Baliyo with a small smile. "It's gonna be okay."
"I just hope it's not invaders." Rani sighed a bit.
"If there are invaders, we'll take care of 'em." Surak reassured bravely.
"That's right," Kopa nodded. "But if it's some animals that need a place to stay or healing we'll gladly welcome them in."
"You'd know all about that." Surak smirked playfully.
Kopa rolled his eyes, but smirked back.
"It's clear for now, but we should keep going." Ullu suggested to the pride as she flew over.
The Night Pride nodded before they soon continued on. They passed by the full moon as they continued to follow after the female owl.
"Almost there!" Ullu hooted as she guided them.
"Night Pride, together!" Rani called out as they dashed after the flying owl.
As they followed the flying owl they saw a rock slide.
"This wasn't here before." Ullu said with a gasp.
"Thank you, Ullu; we'll take it from here." Kopa told the white owl.
"Happy to help, Orum." Ullu replied as she then flew off.
"All right, let's do this." Kopa (or Orum as he was called now as he was a member of The Night Pride family now due to his fur resembling the color of the sun) told the others.
"Get me out of here!" A voice cried out from the rock slide.
"Wait, there's someone in there." Rani told the golden-colored lion.
"Stop moving!" A female voice told the other voice from the other side of the rock slide.
"Come on!" A male voice called out from the other side of the rock slide.
"And I think whoever is on the other side knows," Orum said. "But I don't recognize their voices," he then added before he soon faced the older lion. "Surak?" he then asked.
"They're strangers for certain, and if they caused the rockslide of the pass then they must be powerful." Surak suggested.
"Powerful could mean dangerous," Rani remarked. "Nirmala, what do you think?" she then asked the older lioness.
"They could be. I suggest we take it slow," Nirmala answered. "You know, try talking to them. Perhaps they come in peace."
Unfortunately, one of the strangers from the other side seemed grunt out and growl out of frustration.
"Doesn't sound like peace to me." Baliyo said as he made his way up the rock slide.
"Wait, Baliyo! We don't know if they meant to cause this rock slide or if it was an accident." Orum told the younger lion.
"Trust me, I know what I'm doing!" Baliyo told him as he kept going. "I'm just gonna take a look."
Orum sighed and rolled his earth-green eyes. "That boy sometimes."
Baliyo soon looked out from atop of the rock slide and looked down to see a golden lion with a crimson red tuft on his head with a group of different other animals including an egret, a hippo, a cheetah, a different other bird from an owl, and a young baboon.
"Let's keep going, and once we clear these rocks, nothing will stop us from getting to the Tree of Life." The lion cub told the other animals that surrounded him.
"Nothing will stop them?" Baliyo repeated in concern before looking back down at his family. "That really doesn't sound like peace. They're strangers and they sound mean, but I'll stop them." he then alerted.
"Baliyo, no!" Orum told him, seeing Baliyo going to handle the group of animals. "Wait!"
"Now what?" Surak complained.
"Rani, what are you saying?" Nirmala soon asked.
"He didn't leave us with much of a choice." Rani groaned before going after her brother.
"She's right," Orum added. "With strength and respect..."
"Night Pride protect!" The others concluded as they ran up the rock slide together.
The cheetah grunted as she moved a rock out of the way.
"Lada'i!" Baliyo called out as he then tackled the golden-furred lion cub.
"What? Look out, no." The female cheetah gasped at the lion cub.
"Fuli, I see more lions." The female bird warned the cheetah as the Night Pride came to attack.
"What's going on here?" The cheetah wondered before gasping as Kopa came right for her.
"You better not be working for Dakarai!" Orum snarled as he helped his new family attack the invaders.
"What? I don't know who that is." Fuli told him.
"So then why are you here and was this rock slide on purpose or by accident?" Orum asked.
"One of my friends is stuck for your information!" Fuli glared.
"A likely story." Orum rolled his eyes as he didn't believe that at first.
"Get away from me!" Fuli glared. "We don't want any trouble!"
Orum snarled as he looked like he was about to pounce at her.
"Anga and Beshte, help me hold off the lions," Fuli then said as she got ready to fight back. "Makini and Ono, keep working to get Bunga free."
"On it." The female bird nodded as she flew up.
"Okay." The female baboon nodded as she went to work on getting Bunga free.
"You got it, Fuli." The hippo nodded as he started to go up the rock slide.
"Affirmative." The male bird told her as he joined the female baboon.
"Twende Boko!" The hippo called out as he charged at Nirmala and Surak.
Orum soon lunged out at Fuli and began to wrestle her down to the ground.
"Jogina!" Surak called out before he and Nirmala jumped out of the way as Behste charged and ended up hitting the rocks instead.
"Anga lenga!" Anga soon called out as she went flying toward the Night Pride lions.
"Nirmala, duck." Surak warned.
Nirmala then ducked down as Anga flew right over her head. "Thanks." she then smiled at the help.
"Hey, I don't know what we did to you, but this has gotta be a misunderstanding." Fuli complained as she fought against Orum.
"You call that rock slide a misunderstanding?" Orum glared while fighting Fuli.
"Like I told you it was an accident." Fuli told him as she fought him.
They soon saw Baliyo and another young male lion rolling past them as they were fighting.
"And your lion friend attacking my little brother is an accident too?" Orum then glared.
"Yeah!" Rani added.
"Makini and Ono, get me outta here. I gotta help fight." The honey badger inside the rock slide cried out.
"We're trying, but you need to stop squirming, you're making more rocks fall." The young baboon named Makini told the honey badger.
"Fine, then at least let me get a good view," The honey badger said before swatting away Ono as he cleared some rocks. "That's better," he then gasped before gasping. "Whoa, would you look at that? It's like we're fighting a Lion Guard made of lions!"
Rani was now seen fighting Fuli and where now Orum looked over to Baliyo and helped him with Kion.
"You fight good, but I fight even more good." Baliyo smirked as he made Kion fall onto the rock slide.
Orum rolled his eyes at Baliyo's smart remark, but smirked a bit darkly down to Kion before looking soft as the younger cub looked a little familiar to him.
"I don't know who you are, but we've come too far to let you stop us now." Kion glared at Orum and Baliyo as some clouds moved through the sky.
"What is that?" Baliyo gasped once he saw the moving clouds.
Kion then let out a deep roar which sent both Baliyo and Orum flying up against the rock slide instantly.
"Surak, did you se that?" Nirmala asked him.
"Indeed. I've heard stories of a lion with a powerful roar, but not since I was a cub," Surak nodded before looking at the female cub. "Rani, how do you want to proceed?"
Rani growled a bit and soon lunged forward across the rock slide.
"Kion, you're outta control." Fuli warned her lion friend.
Kion soon calmed himself down long enough to realize what he did. "Fuli? Yes, I guess I was." he then said once he remembered where he was before yelping as he suddenly got struck and pinned down by a certain lioness cub.
"Lion, who are you?" Rani demanded sharply as she looked down at him.
"What? Who are you?" Kion grunted a bit as he looked up at her.
"I am Rani, the leader of the Night Pride with Orum." Rani glared down at him.
"I'm guessing Orum was that lion with all the scars on his body." Fuli said.
"Yeah, and he's my big brother, so if you mess with me, you can just talk to him if you dare." Rani sneered.
"Okay. Okay." Fuli said.
"The Night Pride?" Kion asked.
"Yes we protect everyone at the Tree of Life from those who might cause harm, like you and your roar." Rani told him sharply.
"I'm sorry, we're really not a threat," Kion tried to explain. "I can explain everything."
"You may say that you and your friends mean no harm, but your actions speak louder than words." Rani glowered.
Kion understood why Rani was acting the way she was especially with how he used The Roar on Baliyo and Orum, sending them flying.
"We're not here to harm anyone." Fuli promised the brown-furred lioness.
Rani kept her glare, but she soon got off of Kion.
"Thanks, Rani. My name is Kion," Kion soon said before he got straight to the point. "My friends and I have been on a very long journey. We need to get to the Tree of Life to get help. I need help."
"It's true." Bunga said as he tried to get out of his rock prison.
"I'm sure you do, but your Roar sent my brothers flying and I could only imagine the damage you could do to everyone living at the Tree of Life." Rani huffed.
"But I'm sorry." Kion frowned.
"You and your friends will never be welcome at the Tree of Life," Rani glared. "Leave now and never return."
Nirmala and Surak soon joined Rani's sides before they left.
"Night Pride together!" Rani then announced as she took off with the older two.
Rani, Surak, and Nirmala began to up the rock slide before going down the other side, entering their home so they would check on Orum and Baliyo.
"Ugh... I'm not badly hurt, but now I got a headache." Orum groaned as he rubbed his head.
"You don't look too bad either." Rani nodded in relief and agreement.
"That lion looked like Orum only with a different colored short mane," Baliyo said. "And only with one scar."
"Hmm..." Orum paused thoughtfully.
"We better get back so you can heal up." Nirmala suggested to the boys.
"We're fine." Orum and Baliyo reassured her.
And so, they got out of the snow and went to go back to their home for the night.
"Hey, did you see me fly?" Bailyo smiled at Orum.
"Of course I did, I was there with you." Orum smirked.
"Oh, right," Bailyo replied. "I knew that."
"Anyway, we better go talk tell Janna." Orum said.
"You do that," Rani replied. "It might be for the best."
"Do you wanna come?" Orum offered.
"...Maybe I should," Rani said. "Especially since we don't know who those strangers were."
"Right." Orum nodded.
"Stay out of trouble, little brother." Rani told Bailyo.
"I'm not your little brother, I'm just younger." Baliyo defended.
Rani rolled her eyes before following Kopa to go and see Janna who would be in the den which would be under the Tree of Life as the entrance was outside of the big tree.