Sins of the Past

Part 2: Plotting and Training

The years of training for Kovu and Vitani slowly dragged by. Kovu became fit and strong in comparison to the lean lionesses of his pride. As an adolescent, just starting to have patches of mane growing in on his neck, he attended his first rogue kill. Zira and her lionesses had gravely wounded the rogue lion, so he wouldn't be able to harm Scar's precious heir. The rogue was older, a bit past his prime, but still very dangerous. He had a gaping wound on his neck and groin. He was panting from the all-out assault he had had with the lioness pride. He was still much bigger than Kovu. Kovu held back, awaiting his mother's instructions.

"Remember what I taught you…" Zira whispered in her son's ear as the lion growled at them and the rest of the pride. "Go for the weakened spots… the more blood he loses, the less he'll be able to fight…"

Kovu didn't want to do this. But this was his ultimate test. He had the entire pride around him should he make a mistake. Kovu knew refusing was not an option. Zira controlled his entire life. How much he ate. How much he slept. How much he trained. How much rest, if any he had. Every little part of his life was so strictly controlled that he knew nothing else. Zira had commanded him to kill. So despite every fiber of his being wanting to just run away, he stepped forward, teeth bared.

The rogue eyed his new challenger. He could no longer stand, but he turned to face his opponent, roaring and growling. It didn't take much for Kovu to outmaneuver the injured lion, forcing him on his back, clawing at his belly and neck. He felt his claw tear deep into the rogue's abdomen. Fresh, warm blood spurted onto Kovu's body, coving him. The last strength of the rogue was quickly fading. Kovu went over to the rogue's neck to suffocate him to death, but he stopped as the pain ridden eyes of the rogue stared up at him. There was pain, but also pity in his eyes. As if he was asking: why?

"Finish him off!" Zira commanded.

"He's already dead," Kovu replied plainly, still in shock.

"You can never be sure!" Zira snapped. "In the real fight, you have to give your all until the very last breath…"

"You are right mother… Perhaps I should practice more on the hyenas…"

"Those hyenas are far too easy to kill! You can all but take one down by yourself!"

Kovu nodded. His mother was always right.

"Too bad the testicles are destroyed," Zira groaned. "But everything else is in great shape. Dig in Kovu!"

"I think I ate too much of the crocodile yesterday Mother," Kovu replied. "I think it would be best for me to fast today…"

"Fine…" Zira growled. "I don't want you to be sick. That scaly meat is horrid. Tomorrow is your free day. Maybe you'll find something better to eat then…"

Zira ordered her troops to devour the corpse. Kovu walked back to the den in the termite mounds. This was the first killing of another lion that he had participated in. He hated it. He sat alone in the den, trying very hard not to think about it, not to cry. Vitani snuck back early from the feast and went to see her brother.

"Are you going to be okay Kovu?" she asked him.

Kovu nodded. The two of them had developed a silent understanding over the years. They knew what the other was thinking and feeling, a valuable trait to have where free speech could get you into trouble…

"It's not much to my taste either," Vitani stated. "Much rather kill crocodiles or hyenas. But Simba ruthlessly threw Scar to the hyenas. So even though we don't like it much, in the end it's worthy practice to rid the world of Simba…"

Kovu again nodded in agreement.

"I still have no idea how mother expects me to try and seduce him…." Vitani continued. "The very idea of screwing that killer is so revolting… I rather just pounce on him with you by my side…"

Kovu smiled a bit. "Ya," he chuckled. "But as Mother says lions can't think with their dicks inside a lioness. I'll be able to get in really close, rip his balls off while you claw at his stomach…"

"If he's going to violate me the least I can do is eviscerate him…" Vitani huffed. She sighed. "This year we'll be three years old… Soon I'll go into heat for the first time… Not looking forward to that. Oh well, you don't need to worry about that at least…"

"You took off awful early Vitani," Nuka snapped, coming into the den. "Did you even eat anything?"

Vitani swung around and smacked Nuka down. He wasn't expecting it so he fell without much resistance.

"I can take care of myself Nuka!" she snapped. "Besides, Kovu and I have been planning on going hunting on the Pride Lands tomorrow for our free day…"

"Mom won't like that!" Nuka growled.

"We've done it before," Kovu huffed. "You can come too. Help us catch some real food…"

"Really?! Oh great! This is going to be awesome!"

"Not if you blab," Vitani growled. "So keep your lips locked!"

Zira was very proud of her son Kovu. Though she would never tell him that directly. Seeing him fight that old male rogue had made her see her son in a new light. He was no longer a cub or an adolescent. He would soon be an adult with a full mane and a lust for…. Something more…

Kovu's twin Vitani would soon start her heat cycles. While she was still not fully grown, this would be her first step towards adulthood. Soon Kovu would start to notice the lionesses in his pride. His eyes may start to wonder to them: their thin frames, their perky tails, the slow swaying of their hips as they walked… Zira could not afford for him to lose concentration to his training. But denying his developing sexuality could end disastrously. He would need to fulfill his urges, but Zira would be that gatekeeper to them, as she was with everything else in his life. It was her cub's free day, so Zira took the time to go over the lionesses in her pride whiles they were away.

All of Zira's lionesses were thin, most had straggly coats. Grooming was not all that important, just remove the blood from your coat and that was all that was truly needed. Because they were not as well feed as a lioness of the Pride Lands, their coats were not glossy and soft. But it took more than just a pretty coat to make a lioness attractive. Many of the older lionesses were Zira's age. They wouldn't do. The younger lionesses had a wide range of ages. Ranging from newborn cubs all the way up to Zira and her counterparts. The lionesses younger than Kovu could be marked off. They wouldn't be ready, having not come into heat yet. Zira surveyed what was left. One lioness stood out: Doa. She was a greyish brown lioness with cute little freckles under her eyes. Her coat had a light sheen to it, and her face was more round, instead of angular. She was a few years older than Kovu, closer in age to Nuka. After giving the other lionesses in the pride a thorough look over, Zira conclude that Doa was probably the most attractive lioness of the Outsiders. She would be Kovu's mate…

"Oh my dear Doa," Zira said, approaching the young lioness. "My how you've grown…"

"Yes Zira?" Doa asked tentatively. "Do you need something?"

"Not directly, but indirectly, yes," Zira sneered. "Have you noticed my son Kovu? Our great savior who will one day dethrone our enemies and rule over our oppressors…?"

"Yes, he's becoming quite intimidating and fearsome," Doa readily agreed. "You have trained him to be the finest warrior this world has ever seen…"

"No, I meant, have you noticed how much he's grown? Changed… Become more… mature?"

"Oh yes, his mane is coming in nicely. By next year it will be nice and full. A prized young male for sure…"

"Good…" Zira chuckled. "He's becoming a lion indeed. Lions can be a tricky thing to deal with. All those hormones that half the time lead them astray… We can't have that happen now can we?"

"Um… no?" Doa said confused. "He's of much stronger mind than the rogues we kill…"

"And we need to keep him that way…" Zira continued. "Kovu will soon be having… urges. He will be needing someone to fulfill them…"

Doa's eyes widened. "Zira I'm fully committed to you and your plans. I've never…"

"I know," Zira sneered. "That makes it even better. Two young lions… finding a use for their… parts…"

"I don't think…."

"You don't think what?!" Zira snapped. "Is my son not good enough for you?!"

"No, oh no…" Doa scrambled. "I just…. I don't… I don't want to take away from his important work as his training and fighting and killing…"

"Doa," Zira said calmly. "This will be a part of his training. He will learn to subdue his needs, his desires, until they can be met… by you…"

"Are you sure?" Doa tentatively asked. "Maybe someone closer to his age would be better…"

"You are perfect…" Zira growled. "And if you refuse to be Kovu's first… Then you will be his first solo kill…"

"Yes of course Zira," Doa said frightfully. "You always know what's best…"

Kovu, Vitani, and Nuka had successfully snuck onto the Pride Lands. They were scoping out the herds, trying to find a good kill to go for. Suddenly the antelope near them bolted.

"Ugh I hate this!" a young lioness said in frustration.

"You'll get better Kiara," an older lioness assured her. "You just need to be quitter, that's all. That way you can get closer and won't need to run so far…"

"That's Kiara!" Kovu whispered to his siblings.

"That's probably her mother with her… Nala," Vitani whispered back.

"Great…" Nuka moaned. "We should get out of here before Simba gets alerted…"

Kovu stood motionless in the tall grass watching Kiara and her mother walk away. She had grown so much since he had first met her all those years ago. But her beautiful golden coat was unchanged. There were stirrings inside him that Kovu had never felt before. He wanted so much to follow her…

Vitani wacked Kovu over the head with her paw.

"Quit lusting after her!" she snapped. "Put your boner away and let's move!"

"Oww…" Kovu groaned. "Fine… Let's check out the zebra over there…"

Vitani took the lead, shaking her head. Nuka hung back with his brother.

"You got the hots for Simba's girl…" Nuka sneered. "Mother's going to love this…"

"Shut up Nuka," Kovu growled. "You are one to talk, you're practically useless around the lionesses when they're in heat…"

"Ya… I wonder how perfect you're going to be around them this year," Nuka sneered. "Rolling around with them as you train…"

Kovu had never given it much thought before. The lionesses were his counterparts. But he was one of only two males in his entire pride. Zira was always laughing at the stupid rogues that blindly followed their pride around. But seeing Kiara had made him understand why those rogues would do such a stupid thing. He could foresee this might become a problem. Especially since Zira's plan involved Kovu getting close to Kiara to win over her father's approval. How could he focus if just seeing her made him forget the whole world…?