Anga flew up and she soon used her incredible eyesight to see the predators except for Dakarai, Akata, and Abrafo already clearing the mountain pass.
"Kion! They've already cleared the mountain pass!" Anga called out.
'I think I know where Akata and Abrafo will be, Ullu mentioned somewhere far away.' Kopa thought to himself as he started to go off to where he knew was the farthest.
"Then we need to hurry," Kion told his friends. "Come on."
And so, the Lion Guard dashed off to go and confront the predators.
Mama Bintorung popped her head out of a tree and smirked once she saw the young group of animals. "Here comes the Lion Guard and they look tired." she then told Makucha, Ora, and Chuluun.
"So we'll beat them now, before the Night Pride gets here." Makucha grinned at the others before they ran in after the Lion Guard.
"That's gotta be Mama Binturong's plan. Attack us when we're tired." Kion said as they made their way to the predators.
"And before the Night Pride starts their patrol," Fuli replied. "But that doesn't explain why Dakarai isn't with them or why Akata and Abrafo are sitting alone somewhere far away."
The animals soon kept on running.
"I'm bored," Akata groaned. "Is Dakarai back yet?"
"No." Abrafo rolled his eyes as he gnawed on a tree branch to pass the time.
Meanwhile, Dakarai came to visit the Outlands.
"So, things aren't looking good for the former Lion Prince of the Pridelands?" Zira remarked.
"Yes, his anger's starting to take over and he might even do something drastic that'll make him wanna run away again." Dakarai told the evil lioness.
"Hmm... Very interesting." Zira smirked.
"And how are things going on your part?" Dakarai smirked back. "Have there been any fires in the Pridelands?"
"Yes, Nuka and Vitani have helped me out there," Zira replied. "Princess Kiara was very close to death."
"She was supposed to survive?" Dakarai asked.
"That's part of the plan," Zira informed. "Simba will have no choice but to welcome Kovu and we'll continue on from there."
"Perfect." Dakarai smirked.
"Indeed," Zira nodded. "Now be sure to tell me when your plan is successful."
"Oh, you know I will once Kopa is free for you to take to get back at Simba for what he did to Scar." Dakarai nodded loyally.
"I wish there were more useful lions like you," Zira smirked. "Nuka could really use a lesson or two from someone like you."
"Oh, trust me, I know," Dakarai smirked back. "Anyway, I better get back so then the plan maybe successful."
"Then go." Zira told him.
Dakarai bowed his head and soon walked off.
"This just keeps getting better and better." Zira smirked at herself.
Vitani sighed in the distance.
"Are you alright, my dear?" Zira asked. "We're so close to victory."
"...Yeah, Mother, I know," Vitani said softly as she tried to make up how she really felt on the inside. "I guess I just can't wait for it to happen."
"Oh, trust me, Vitani; if this goes according to plan everything shall work out perfectly." Zira smirked.
"Yes, Mother." Vitani said softly.
Zira chuckled as she walked off.
Vitani stared at the ground before looking up at the sky. "Kopa, I miss you so much," she whispered softly. "I wish that there was something I could do about all of this."
Meanwhile, back at The Tree of Life, The Lion Guard did whatever they could to fight back against the predators, but it proved to be hard since they were exhausted.
Behste yawned before Ora suddenly came in and bit him, making him fall on the ground. "Ow! Kion, I'm down!" he then cried out.
"Try that on me. I dare ya." Bunga smirked at Ora before farting in the Komodo Dragon's face.
Ora coughed as that was a bit of an unpleasant experience.
"Beshte, are you okay?" Ono asked the hippo in concern.
"I'm hurt, but I'll be fine." Behste frowned.
Anga soon flew in the air as she saw someone coming. "Kion, here comes the Night Pride. At least most of the Night Pride." she then reported.
"Kopa must have went to handle Akata and Abrafo." Fuli said.
"On his own, that isn't a good idea." Ono said.
"Surak, Baliyo, attack Ora from the sides at once," Kion told two members of the Night Pride before looking up at Anga. "Anga, can you take care of Mama Binturong?"
"Yep!" Anga replied confidently.
"Nirmala, with me and Fuli!" Kion then commanded.
The two soon charged right at Makucha and Chuluun before Nirmala headbutted the two predators away. Bunga charged at Ora only for the Komodo Dragon to fling him away. Ora smirked until Surak and Baliyo ran right at him and charged against him.
This was all seen by Rani from afar and she had a proud smirk. "So Kion can lead." she then remarked to herself.
"Anga Lenga!" Anga called out as she soon flew over and grabbed Mama Binturong by her tail, taking her far away from her tree.
"Let me go!" Mama Binturong screamed before she saw them going over the cliffs as Anga kept on flying. "I mean, don't let me go!"
"It's over, get out." Kion glared at Makucha and Chuluun.
"For now." Makucha glared back before taking off with Chuluun.
Ora soon followed behind the two wildcats.
"Not bad." Rani smiled as she decided to join her family and new friends.
Nirmala took a look at Behste's wounded leg and smiled at the hippo. "The venom is already wearing off. You'll be fine soon." she then said to him.
"Thanks, Nirmala." Behste smiled back.
"Good job, everyone." Kion then nodded.
"Looks like I missed all the action, but you handled it fine without me," Rani said as she caught up. "I guess Fuli was right. You are a great leader, Kion."
"Yeah, but I had forgotten it," Kion replied. "Guess it took a little reflection."
"So if your back to your old self does this mean you're ready to use the Roar again?" Bunga asked Kion.
"I'm not sure about the Roar. Guess I need to reflect on that too." Kion replied.
"We better go see if Kopa's handled Akata and Abrafo and hasn't let his anger take over." Rani said.
"I hope he hasn't." Kion replied.
"We can only hope." Rani nodded.
Meanwhile...
Kopa glared as he went to sneak up on Akata and Abrafo and soon pounced and tackled them from behind as he growled darkly.
"Looks like we have company." Akata smirked.
"And he doesn't seem too happy to see us." Abrafo smirked back.
"You two made a big mistake coming here alone." Kopa growled at the two evil lions.
"All right then," Akata smirked. "You wanna play? Let's play!"
Kopa let out as strong of a roar as he could as he came to fight the two adult lions.
'Time to put Dakarai's plan to be put into motion.' Abrafo thought to himself.
"You guys are gonna wish you never crossed me," Kopa glared. "I don't care if I'm a cub and you guys are grown up. I am sick and tired of you two and especially Dakarai! I never did anything to him!"
"Just like you couldn't do a thing to stop us from killing the king and queen of the Tree of Life" Akata smirked back.
"Yeah, and we enjoyed every second we killed them." Abrafo added
Kopa snarled at the mention of that past event.
"Aww... It looks like we struck a nerve..." Akata grinned. "You couldn't save the two lions who took you in as their son."
"How sad and pathetic!" Abrafo added. "It's like you don't fit in anywhere!"
"Shut up!" Kopa snarled as his claws started to sheathe out.
"Or else what?" Akata smirked. "Are you going to make us pay for what we did?"
"Yes!" Kopa snapped.
"And how do you expect to do that?" Abrafo asked.
Kopa narrowed his eyes and he soon lunged out at Akata and Abrafo, scratching them and even biting them as he was beyond angry with them and their annoying behavior around him.
'The plan is working perfectly.' Abrafo thought to himself with a smirk.
The two evil lions fought off Kopa as best as they could.
'Time to make the plan successful as I make the sacrifice.' Abrafo thought to himself.
Kopa continued to fight. Abrafo and Akata did what they could to help put up a good enough fight to make it convincing, even cutting Kopa at a few times. Akata soon found himself running away like a coward.
"I guess it's just you and me, Abrafo." Kopa glared then.
"Yes, I suppose it is, two lions enter and one will leave alive." Abrafo replied sinisterly.
Kopa glared as he kept his claws sheathed out. Abrafo smirked as he had his claws sheathed out before the two of them fought and where there would be a winner, but unfortunately, Kopa would not be happy with the result of the fight. Akata hid away and peeked his head out once in a while. Kopa panted heavily, looking very angry, but also a little exhausted and set himself down a little once he finished the job. Anga and Ono were seen flying over as the others were coming over by foot.
'Time for the plan to come along perfectly.' Akata thought to himself.
"Hopefully this doesn't mess up." Ono said to himself.
"There's Kopa and looks like Abrafo's with him, but I don't see Akata," Anga said before her incredible eyesight showed her something that was surprising. "Whoa. I never knew he would go that far."
"Kopa, we're here." Kion called out.
Kion and the others soon saw what Anga saw.
"Kion... Guys..." Kopa said softly.
"...Did you just...?" Kion's eyes widened.
"He's just playing dead," Kopa rolled his eyes. "He's just doing this to make me look bad. I just know it."
The Lion Guard gathered around Akata, though it didn't look like playing dead, it looked pretty serious.
"He isn't breathing." Nirmala said softly.
"But then that must mean that Kopa really did-" Bunga started.
"No... No... He's acting..." Kopa said, though panic began to overcome him. "Th-That's all."
"He actually went through with it!" Abrafo gasped at himself before he then ran off. "That's my time to go."
Everyone soon looked at Kopa as he began to feel scared and worried.
'No, I couldn't have killed him, but if I did then how can I stay here?' Kopa thought to himself.
"Kopa...?" Kion called.
"I-I should go..." Kopa said before he backed up and soon went to run away. "I don't belong here!"
"But then where are you gonna go?" Bunga asked Kopa.
"I don't know, but I know that I don't belong here." Kopa said softly.
"Kopa..." Kion said softly.
"Just leave me alone, it'll be better this way." Kopa said as he began to run away, feeling worse than he did before he left Pride Rock forever.
"Kopa, wait." Rani frowned.
Kopa soon began to start to run away before feeling Surak's paw on his tail.
"Yaugh!" Kopa yelped as that nearly tripped him.
"Kopa, come back here," Surak told the younger lion. "Why do you think you need to run away?"
"I did a really bad thing, Surak," Kopa said, a bit tearfully. "I'm just a monster."
"No, you're not." Surak told him.
"I killed a lion!" Kopa replied.
"Yes, but you didn't mean to kill Akata." Surak told him.
"I still killed him!" Kopa cried. "I should be exiled! And I couldn't save Baliyo and Rani's parents and they loved me like their own cub!"
"Kopa, you couldn't help that when that happened and we know you didn't mean to kill Akata," Surak told him. "It's not as bad as you think it is. I promise you."
"Surak is right." Nirmala smiled.
"Yeah, Kopa, you're the most kind-hearted lion we know who is also the fastest lion and strongest lion next to Surak." Baliyo added.
Kopa looked like he was ready to cry. "But I-"
"We know Akata was killed, nothing can change that, but we're not mad at you," Rani promised. "You've always been a really great big brother to me, especially with dealing with Baliyo whenever he was a pain in the tail."
"Yeah!" Baliyo added before his eyes widened and he then glared. "Hey!"
"You know I love you, right?" Rani smirked.
"Hmph..." Baliyo narrowed his eyes in annoyance.
"Whether you're from the Pridelands or you're in the Night Pride with us, nothing will change about the ones who care about you and love you, especially from the start, regardless of what happened." Surak promised.
Kopa smiled, happy to have heard that and where this meant Dakarai's plan had failed. Kion was soon heard yawning.
"Tired, right?" Kopa guessed.
"Unfortunately one plan was more successful than another," Kion replied sleepily. "I think I'll reflect on the Roar by tomorrow."
"That's probably a good idea," Kopa said. "Sorry you guys had to work like this and you're exhausted."
"It's okay." Kion assured his big brother tiredly.
Soon enough, the Lion Guard soon went to sleep. Kopa soon went to a corner to be alone for a little while.
"Is he still down?" Baliyo asked.
"He just wants a moment alone right now," Surak reassured. "He'll turn around later."
"I just hope he remembers what we said." Rani smiled.
"I'm sure he will." Nirmala smiled back.
"Yeah, you're right, Nirmala." Rani smiled back.
Kopa went to a far corner and curled up into a ball as he stared out into the sky and sighed at himself. Everyone else decided to get settled while letting Kopa be alone for the time being as he had a rough night, especially with Abrafo and he didn't know where Akata and Dakarai were right now.
"Kopa." Mufasa's voice spoke up from up in the clouds until his face suddenly showed up right before The Lion Prince.
"Grandfather Mufasa..." Kopa whispered.
"So glad you still remember your natural roots." Mufasa greeted his estranged grandson.
"Of course I do," Kopa replied. "I have a lot on my mind right now."
"Want to talk about?" Mufasa asked his estranged grandson.
"Maybe." Kopa said softly.
"Go ahead," Mufasa smiled. "I'm listening."
Kopa took a deep breath in and slowly breathed out before he told his grandfather everything, especially the important parts since Mufusa obviously didn't see what happened at Pride Rock or was told about it.
"...I see," Mufasa remarked. "You've had quite a long and troublesome journey away from Pride Rock before meeting The Night Pride."
"Yeah, and now today I accidentally killed a lion," Kopa sighed. "I didn't mean to, it's just my anger got the best of me."
"Yes, but it was an accident," Mufasa replied. "I imagine it's hard to deal with, especially since it was a killing."
"Yeah, it's really rough," Kopa sighed. "I just don't think I can get over something like that."
"There's no changing the past all you can do is look forward and always remember who you are." Mufasa told him.
"You're right, Grandfather." Kopa said.
"Rafiki once said that the past can hurt, but if you put it behind you, it won't be as bad," Mufasa replied. "I can also tell that you didn't mean to kill Akata and you are not like Tiran the Tyrant Lion."
"I'm not?" Kopa asked.
"Certainly not," Mufasa shook his head. "You are far better than that old lion's tale. You almost remind me of myself from when I was a cub and you have a great heart and a bright future ahead of you."
Kopa smiled before frowning. "Is my future back in the Pridelands or is it here?" he then asked. "After all, I am part of the Night Pride just as much as the Pridelands."
"I think that's up for you to decide." Mufasa replied.
"But I don't know what to do," Kopa frowned. "Do I go back to the Pridelands or stay with the Night Pride?"
"You might not know the answer now, but you will know when the time comes and either choice you decide, I will support you all the way and I'm sure that your family will." Mufasa promised.
"Yeah, you're right, families always support each other," Kopa smiled. "I feel better now; I guess I just needed to talk to you."
"I've been told I give pretty good advice," Mufasa smiled back. "It's so good to talk to you and I talk with Kion all the time."
"That sounds great," Kopa replied. "I guess I'll know later... I just hope it goes well in the end."
"I'm sure it will." Mufasa smiled.
Kopa smiled back as Mufasa returned to the Kings of the Past in the afterlife
The others looked at Kopa and soon walked off.
"Is he gonna go back to the Pridelands?" Rani asked.
"We don't know right now, Rani," Surak replied. "But the best we can do is be supportive of what will happen next for our dear old friend."
"If he goes back, I'm really gonna miss him here." Baliyo frowned.
"We will just have to wait and see what his decision will be." Nirmala said.
Baliyo frowned, but he followed the others away. Kopa stayed alone for a while until he came back to the Night Pride. He was still unsure, but he decided to go home with them for right now since he felt no use in visiting the Pridelands again, at least until the Lion Guard was ready to go back home.