Sins of the Past
Part 8 Divergence and Steadfast
Vitani grew extremely worried. What if Kovu had truly succumb to Kiara's charms? The whole reason Zira had waited so long to attack the Pride Lands was so that the Outsiders would have a lion of equal strength to Simba. That way it would at the very least be plausible to overtake them and win back Pride Rock. That was also why they sought to take out Simba individually before attacking the entire pride. Then the Outsiders would have the advantage of a strong lion and the Pride Lands wouldn't. But as Vitani grew more and more flustered by these possibilities another thought also dominated her mind: her heat was coming soon. If not today, then tomorrow it would start. She still had three more potential dates with Simba. Today in the morning and evening. And tomorrow morning. Tomorrow afternoon Zira would plan the ambush…
Simba left Vitani after their evening encounter. He could tell she was coming into heat very soon. The possibility of having sex with Ava while she was in heat was very enthralling, but she could get pregnant. Ava still refused to come and meet his pride. But he could not burden her, a rogue lioness, with cubs without a pride to help her raise them. Simba knew Nala wouldn't like it, but he knew he could convince her to come around to the idea. Countless Great Kings of the past had had mistresses. Most had been secretive but always someone knew, usually the Queen. If Simba was at the very least open about it how could Nala refuse Ava entrance into the pride? She wasn't heartless, she would do what was right, regardless of how she felt. For that was the duty of the Queen…
Vitani followed Simba back to Pride Rock. It was dark, but still she lingered far behind him. She saw her brother outside the main den, in his usual sleeping spot. All the lionesses had gone into the den for the night. Simba appeared to take Kovu aside. This was his chance! If he rushed Simba he could knock him off the overhang, he wouldn't survive the fall. If Simba died now, Vitani wouldn't have to face him, attack the very lion she had come to love… But Kovu did… nothing. He followed Simba into the den. Fear and rage overcame Vitani. How dare her brother betray them?!
Vitani ran back to Zira. Zira was outraged. Her worst fears had been realized. They would have no choice but to attack Simba the next day while he was out on patrol. Vitani was conflicted, her mind swirling once more. But she focused on the task ahead of her: she had to stand with her pride, regardless of her personal feelings for the King. Treason was not an option…
The next morning Vitani was in heat. She could not avoid it any longer…
"Please Mother!" Vitani begged Zira. "I'm in heat! I shouldn't go this morning…"
"Nonsense!" Zira growled. "What if Kovu was planning to do it today?! You want to screw this up? Not be there for your brother?!"
"No..." Vitani said reluctantly.
"Then go!"
Vitani went to her meeting place and waited for Simba. He was there early, before the sun rose. He immediately realized Ava was in heat…
"Ava, I should go… We can't… with you in heat you might…" Simba started.
"No," Vitani whispered to Simba. "I want to. Being with you is my only salvation in this world. I don't mind if I…"
"But I do," Simba insisted. "You cannot be out here alone with cubs! Please… Either I must leave or you must come back with me…"
Vitani could not let Simba leave. She had to give Kovu this one last chance…
"If I become pregnant, I promise I will come back to you…" she told Simba, looking into his loving amber eyes. She wished more than anything it was true, that she could leave everything behind and just follow him home. "I love you. I know you love me too. This is the truth of love… Sharing in our most vulnerable times, our deepest desires, risking something unexpected. None of it matters because our love will guide us to do the right thing… Won't it?"
Simba looked down into Ava's big blue eyes. Love will guide us. It had lead him to come back to the Pride Lands on Nala's behalf. It had lead him to protect his daughter from harm. Of course love could always be trusted…
"Yes," Simba told her. "Love can always be trusted to lead us down the right path…"
Kovu had never come. Simba had stayed with Vitani much longer than normal, having sex with her three times before insisting on leaving.
"Don't go," Vitani begged him. "Stay here with me…"
"I can't Ava," Simba replied. "I've stayed too long already. The sun has fully risen. I need to get back to the pride. Come with me…"
"I can't…"
"Then I must go. I'll be back this evening…"
"I might not be here this evening…" Vitani cried.
Simba knew Ava's heat filled desires were fueling her need to have him stay with her. She would be back if she wanted more…
"Good bye Ava…" Simba said, walking back towards Pride Rock.
Vitani felt helpless. She had done all she could do on her own, and it was still not enough. She was going to lose the one she loved and she would have a hand in it…
"Stupid male!" Vitani growled as she ran back to the Outlands to find the rest of her pride.
Simba had taken Kovu out on patrol with him. He had never done that before. This would be perfect. He was heading towards the Pride Lands boarder, where the fire had been set during Kiara's first hunt. Zira, Vitani, and the rest of the Outsiders waited for them to get closer, so that they would be as far away from Pride Rock as possible, so that no one would hear them… The Outsiders then encircled Simba. Vitani stood behind her mother. Simba didn't initially see her because he was focused on Zira. Zira ordered them to attack, but the brainwashed Kovu refused. If anything he tried to help Simba. Vitani kicked him away, knocking him unconscious as Kovu's head landed against a rock.
Simba knew he was far outmatched by the pride of lionesses. He ran and stumbled down the side of a canyon. Vitani led the charge to follow him as her mother commanded. Simba looked back and saw her: his Ava with blue eyes…
"Vitani!" one of the Outsiders called her. She was Zira's daughter…
Simba scrambled up the large dam of old tree logs. A scruffy young lion, Nuka, followed him, but Simba kicked him away, escaping as several of the logs fell on his pursuer…
Kovu came down the canyon side to join his pride and help them uncover Nuka. But Zira pushed him aside. He was too deeply buried, they could not uncover him.
"Nuka…" Vitani said sadly. Her unfortunate older brother. The cub most eager to please his mother, but never able to, was gone. A sinking feeling overcame Vitani: this was all her fault…
But then suddenly Zira turned to Kovu striking him across the eye, accusing him of Nuka's death, of betraying the Outsiders, of treason. Kovu insisted his innocence and ran off denouncing Scar's legacy. Vitani and the others turned to follow him, but Zira stopped them. With Simba's injuries from the fall down the canyon, the Outsiders would have an advantage. They needed to plan their attack and do so quickly…
Kovu had tried to do the right thing. He had tried to help Simba. But it wasn't enough. He had been exposed as a double agent to Zira. Explaining things to his mother was pointless. She could not see past the purpose she had worked towards for so long. But Kiara believed him. She always would. For she loved him and he loved her. He could not lie to her. But Simba couldn't ignore the betrayal he had just encountered: being lead blindly into a trap. He banished Kovu from the Pride Lands. Kiara ran into the den sobbing, her father unable to be reasoned with. Now was the time for Simba to come clean to his pride about Vitani…
"Nala," Simba said, while the other lionesses were around, watching to make sure Kiara didn't leave the den. "There is something I must tell you… For the past several days a rogue lioness with deep blue eyes has been on the Pride Lands. I believed her, I fell for her lies. She tricked me. I thought I was in love with her. I… slept with her. It was wrong and I am sorry. This young lioness turned out to be Zira's daughter… Vitani…"
Nala and the other lionesses were in shock. Rage filled Nala. How dare they try to take away my husband from me?!
"This is not your fault Simba," Nala assured her mate. "The Outsiders will pay for what they have done. We'll make sure of that…"
Zazu informed the pride that the Outsiders were on the boarders, marching onto the Pride Lands. Simba was worried, he went to go see his daughter in the den, but she was gone. Kiara had slipped through a tiny hole in the back of the den, one Simba hadn't noticed before. He couldn't worry about her anymore. He needed to protect his pride from the impending threat. He would deal with his defiant daughter later…
The Outsiders were told to pick a target and take it down. But Zira gave Vitani a special assignment: go for Simba's daughter, Kiara. She was the only heir to Simba's pride. And now that Vitani had learned Nala had had such trouble conceiving, there would likely not be any more. Targeting Kiara would be a much easier assignment than attacking Simba. Though Vitani had attacked him earlier that day, she had only done so halfheartedly. None of her claws or bites had broken the skin. She could not bring herself to harm the lion she had come to love. But his daughter was just another lioness, a worthless one at that, who couldn't even provide for herself.
Vitani still felt guilty for Nuka's death. But Kovu's outright betrayal, made her rage. He left them… for some worthless lioness! Kiara had poisoned him. As if what the pride had provided Kovu with wasn't good enough for him…
"This is all your fault!" Vitani snapped at Doa. "You should have been better! You should have sought him out, instead of him always coming to find you… You're pregnant with his cubs damn it! You still weren't enough for him… You're pathetic…"
"I wouldn't speak so loudly if I were you," Doa sneered. "You failed too, Vitani. Perhaps you will be cursed the same as I? To bear cubs whose fate is to die for this cause? We are all pathetic and Zira knows it. She's sending us to our graves tonight. Her revenge for Scar will end tonight, just like all her other plans: in ruins. None of her cubs were worthy heirs to Scar. Zira herself should have been named his heir. She is the only one that is just like him: mad and careless…"
Vitani roared in rage at Doa, but Zira smacked her.
"No time for squabbling Vitani!" Zira growled. Storm clouds had gathered, the first rains of the wet season had started. "It's time to go…"