AN: oh, I don't like this… Poor Kiara. I really don't enjoy hurting characters without a reason. It has to stop. Kovu's got to do something, and I'm counting on him to make the right decisions. This has all gone way too far!
TMNTTLK lover – I am very sorry for Kiara as well. She didn't deserve this at all, and I actually like her as a character. She's a tough one, though. Perhaps the cobra failed in his assassination attempt? As for Kion… well, don't completely dismiss him just yet, either.
T3ddyBearL0ve – oh, tension is what I'm aiming at. Poor Kion, who would have thought… How the mighty have fallen. I hope Kovu gets to ask him a few questions before he goes ballistic on his brother-in-law.
Arika Koski – Kion is… hm, in trouble, definitely. You be the judge if he's evil or not. I'll try to keep the gore level reasonable, so I don't think we'll reach an R rating.
Jzak98 – Kion will definitely not let himself get killed easily. Who knows, maybe there's a chance for him, yet?
Willian – another good insight. Remember that Scar told the siblings that he's aware of that, and that he's remorseful. Of course, they didn't believe him, but Scar convinced Vitani by allowing her to make her peace with Zira, and Kovu by warning him about the tragic events which were about to happen at Pride Rock. As for the mysterious lion… well, he's just that- mysterious. So keep on guessing, and maybe everything will unravel in an instant ;) I've heard of several projects associated with the Lion Guard. Makes me think which are actually going to happen/be good.
Pierre Cloutier – thank you. All fascinating insights, but you'll have to wait just a bit longer to find out if any of them are true.
Hvedrungsson – oh we haven't even gotten to the first circle yet ;) Very good questions. Answers are coming soon.
ExGeneration35 – ah yes, poor Kion… I mean, poor Kiara! Surely Kion will get his comeuppance, sooner or later.
Chapter 12 – The Skull
Could fire express emotion? Could a flame exhibit sadness? It was hard to tell. The thin fiery slits of Scar's eyes seemed like entrances into a pool of sorrow that day. Their glow was dimmed, their usual heat reduced to a lukewarm smoldering. When he spoke, the walls of the volcano echoed a low, heavy rumble which reflected a biting pain he shared with his stepson.
-Is she… still alive? – whispered the old spirit, as if afraid that raising his voice too much would produce a more horrible answer.
Kovu did not look his way. His eyes were obscured by his torn mane, and he had them fixed at his claws with which he dug furrows in the volcanic rock underneath his paws.
-Barely – the lion hissed back through clenched fangs.
Scar attempted to console him, assuming a delicate, fatherly tone.
-I cannot begin to express how much it pains me…
-WHERE IS HE?! – Kovu cut him off abruptly, filling the crater with the sound of his furious snarl. Scar saw reflections of fire in the king's emerald eyes. Kovu's scar burned red-hot, expressing his fury, and his words gushed with bloodlust. – I've left Kiara's side only because your messengers told me that you could finally lead me to Kion. So tell me! Where is that traitor hiding?!
It seemed that, for some reason, Scar was hesitant. As if revealing Kion's whereabouts, which was basically a death sentence for the Nightprider, was something he did not want to do. Did Scar still believe that there was a way to save his grandnephew? That may have been the appearance he presented, but Kovu's rage urged him to follow through with his promise. With a sigh, remorseful that it had to be this way, the spirit began.
-Go to the gorge. You'll find all the answers there, as well as your enemy. I hope you are ready for it… Make sure not to go alone, Kovu. Take your sister and her Guard with you. Kion will not allow himself to go silently, or alone. You must beware. It is possible that you will need the aid of the Roar…
-I will do what I must – Kovu threw him his curt response, already on his way out of the crater. – I am the king.
With every step, he inhaled wrath and breathed out death. All the feelings his vicious mother had once instilled in him, the unimaginable hate he once felt for Simba, he had now reignited and targeted toward the lost lion's son. Kion had taken his cubs away from him, and nearly deprived him of his beloved mate. He would not simply have to die. He would suffer. And even if half the Pridelands stood on the traitor's side, Kovu would make them suffer along with him.
The gorge, the place of death, opened up its broken bowels before him. Here, Mufasa had died in the stampede generations ago. Here was the resting place of Kovu's mother and brother. And also here, he would shed the blood of Simba's son, or he would not rest ever again. He knew that Kion was cornered, and in his heart he dearly thanked Scar for having informed him about that.
The winds wailed drearily within the scorched, defunct canyon. There was nothing left of the raging river which had claimed Zira's life, only odd logs from the dam under the weight of which Nuka was crushed to death lied scattered about. Kovu went on confidently, undisturbed by visions of the past, urged by the target he had set up for himself.
The lion walked on, and the wind continued to wail.
Kovu…
What sounded almost like a whisper reached his ears, making him hesitate for a moment. Yet he dismissed the thought, judging it was only a figment of his imagination. The king attempted to focus, but the howling of the wind seemed to intensify.
Kovu! Turn around! Don't go any further!
He froze as a shiver ran down his spine. He recognized the trembling voice in the wind, and that made him utter a name with shaking lips- a name he had not mentioned in a long time.
-Nuka…?
Frantically he turned his head, looking for an answer. But there was only the wind.
The lion stood there, his heart racing, his temples constricted. In frustration he let out a growl, judging that he was already starting to lose his mind out of desperation. He needed to focus on what he was here for again. Focus on the hate. Allow fury to lead his steps confidently, without hesitation.
Once again he began to walk, heedless of whispers in the wind. He had had enough of ghosts. What he sought now was a being of flesh and blood- blood that needed to be spilled.
He found him there, in the gorge, as expected and exactly how Scar said it would be, yet in a pose that Kovu would never have predicted even in his wildest dreams. He had seen cruelty before, and a lot of it, but he was not capable of imagining that such vileness was possible. Especially in someone once as noble as Kion.
The Nightprider lay passively on his back, as if relaxing, reclining on a flat rocky surface in the middle of the gorge, with a wall of stone on both sides. He was pretending not to notice Kovu, who stood before him in an air of total disgust. The king noticed his foe clutching an object of unusual whiteness, the shape of which caused his knees to shake. Kovu also recognized to whom the item had belonged.
It was a skull, and a lion's skull at that. Looking into its empty eye sockets in dreary melancholy, Kion slowly traced its sharp edges with his paw, caressing it.
-They say I have the same jawline as him – whispered the Nightprider, as if to himself. – It's a shame that he met his end like this…
Kovu shuddered as dread outgrew his wrath.
A gruesome story is told in the Pridelands. It says that, years ago, during his reign, Scar kept his brother's skull in the den at Pride Rock, and played with it often, reveling in his defeat of Mufasa. Many regard this as merely a legend, too horrible to actually be true. Yet now, standing before Kion, Kovu saw the lion as he held in his paw the severed head of Simba, his own deceased father.
The mystery had been solved. And although it happened in the most terrifying way, there was no more need for evidence.
-Murderer! – Kovu's vicious growl echoed among the walls of the gorge, making Kion stiffen.
The Nightprider fixed his eyes at the other lion, astonished by the amount of anger and hostility which he exhibited. Kovu was standing in a militant position, ready to attack, what caused Kion to frown and show how furious he himself was. Setting Simba's skull on top of the rock he was lying on, he stood up, facing his opponent.
-I honestly have no idea what you're talking about – Kion addressed Kovu in a tone of rebuke. – Are you really so stupid as to think that I killed my own father?! Listen to yourself! My father died here, alone, away from his family, and instead of allowing me to finally mourn him, you…
-SILENCE! – another furious roar filled the canyon. Kion glared at the one from whom it came with pure disdain, waiting for the sound to die down. Then, he took a long, heavy breath.
-Be careful, Kovu. I may be patient, but I will not allow you to offend me in my own kingdom.
-This is not your kingdom! – snarled the dark lion. – You're nothing but a traitor, and you will pay for all the death you've brought to this land!
-You idiot! My father died of natural causes…
-Just like your mother? And my cubs?!
Kovu looked at him with crazed, furious eyes, a tear appearing in the corner of one of them. He was shaking with anguish, and Kion understood that he would not listen to his words.
-Very well – spoke the Nightprider, turning his back on him. - If this is really what you want… But know one thing, Kovu. It's not me who's the traitor.
Now, Kion's scarred eyes were filled with just as much wrath and hate as Kovu's.
-It's you.
He lifted his head up and roared, yet his was a summoning call.
Scar was right about this coward – Kovu thought. – He would not face me alone.
It was no surprise for Kovu to see Imara, the treasonous guardian, finally emerging from her hiding spot among the rocks of the gorge. Yet the sight of those whom the lioness led, who had decided to also ally themselves to the fallen prince, came as much of a shock. It was as if the old, dark stories came to life, and were unraveling right before the king's eyes. For behind Imara's back, there walked hyenas- a handful, then a bunch, and then a whole slew, slobbering and angry beasts, led on by an adult female, their matriarch.
With disgust, Kovu remembered fighting these beasts when he and his siblings were young. Now, when he saw their army standing behind Kion's back, looking in his enemy's scarred eye, he felt the blood boil in his veins.
Then, he heard a voice from behind. It appeared that his own allies kept their promise, as well.
-Imara! – a venomous scream of rage reached everyone's ears from the top of the gorge. Turning, Kovu saw his sister along with her Lion Guard, all four lionesses fuming with anger.
The two armies stood facing one another, eyeing the other side of the conflict with expressions of hate painted on their faces. It was a calm before the storm, and it seemed that one false word would trigger an avalanche.
First, the unrepentant Imara walked over to Kion, standing by his side, raising her eyes at her former leader.
-Vitani. This doesn't have to end in bloodshed. Neither Kion nor I are your enemies.
Yet the fierce lioness' answer was cold and merciless.
-You've already made your choice. By joining him, you've betrayed this Lion Guard and the Pridelands.
The fallen guardian wanted to retort, but fell silent in embarrassment, in the corner of her eye seeing that the mark of the Guard on her shoulder was no longer there. Her former companions grinned.
-Some army you've round up for yourself – Vitani continued to mock, addressing Kion this time. – Were no Pridelanders eager to risk their skin for a traitor? Is that why you had to ask these Outlander mongrels for help? You don't stand a chance, even with the hyenas. I don't think I have to remind you that I possess the power of the Roar of the Elders on my side- the power you yourself gave me.
Kion's expression now became significantly more furious.
-You wouldn't… - he hissed.
In the midst of the tension between the two groups, forth came the hyena matriarch. Still, unlike the lions, she spoke with no resentment, but rather in a conciliatory manner. An odd thing for a member of her species.
-Vitani, Kovu. I know that you are angry with Kion and Imara, but there really is no reason to fight. Remember that you are still kin. You were Outlanders too, once, and you were able to overcome your differences. We think that you can still work things out…
Her calm, balanced words seemed completely out of place in this situation. To Kovu, that was only a sign that the hyena had been duped by the former leader of the Lion Guard, who was once her friend. He was happy to see that his sister thought the same.
-Shut up, Jasiri! – Vitani silenced the matriarch, enraged by her senseless monologue. – You've no idea what your supposed allies are guilty of!
The hyena, offended, wanted to retort, yet Kion stopped her from doing so. Stepping forward, gazing at Kovu grimly, he decided to deliver his own explanation.
-I'm afraid Vitani is right, Jasiri. There are things that… have been kept secret for a very long time. Lion secrets, of which hyenas usually know nothing. But allow me to ask you- have you ever found out why your pack had to relocate from the Elephant Graveyard, which used to be your home all those years ago?
The hyena arched a brow, astounded.
-We… we were attacked. My mother was killed, and the pups were dispersed to different locations.
Kion nodded. His voice was mysterious, filled with guile.
-Ah yes, your mother, Shenzi. And did anyone ever tell you who was responsible for her death? Maybe I can give you a hint. Years ago, Shenzi's clan turned on their one-time benefactor, Scar, who was the usurper king of the Pridelands at the time. Scar was killed, but Zira, his faithful follower, survived. Zira was a vengeful, vicious lioness, and she trained her lionesses, as well as her own children, for only one purpose- revenge.
Now Kovu was beginning to understand Kion's tactic. And although he resented his deviousness, there was nothing he could do to contradict him. With Kion's every word, the wrath of Jasiri's clan rose, until the whole pack formed a raging, violent rabble.
But Kion was not done yet.
-Kovu, do you remember your first battle? The night your mother led you to the Elephant Graveyard to exact her bloody vengeance, and to whet your claws before she would send you out to kill my father?
He then turned back to the hyenas.
-Janja – Kion addressed an enormous male, Jasiri's mate and second in command. – Your father's name was Banzai, wasn't it? Look up, and see your father's killer!
The lion stretched out his paw, and pointed toward Vitani. The hyena and the lioness shared a stare of death.
-How do you know about this?! – Vitani snarled.
-Oh, I know a lot of things. This is my kingdom – he put his paw on top of Simba's skull again. Then, he addressed the hyenas – Vitani had also killed Ed, who I believe was your father, Cheezi. Zira's pride slew a lot of hyenas that night, many of whom were your parents. This is why you were left alone as pups. This is why you had to leave your home, and were dispersed in the Outlands. And as for you, Jasiri…
He was about to reveal the truth to her, but the hyena matriarch already could sense what it was.
-Yes, you guessed it. It was Kovu who killed Shenzi, in retaliation for his stepfather's death. And just like his sister, he made Zira very, very proud. So you see Jasiri, nothing has changed since then. Kovu and Vitani are impostors, and the Pridelands need to be freed from their unlawful rule.
With that, the final string had broken. There could be no peace among the two groups now. The last thing Kovu saw after Kion stopped speaking, was the devious spark in his scarred eye.
Then, the hyenas attacked.
A slobbering, furious mob surrounded Kovu, snapping at him from all sides, cutting him off before he could reach Kion. Imara was among them, attempting to knock her opponent to the ground and expose him to the hyenas' teeth, forcing Kovu to defend himself.
Immediately, however, a battle cry was heard from the top of the gorge.
-Till the Pirdelands end – roared Vitani.
-Lion Guard defend! – answered her three companions, following their leader down the slope.
The guardians clashed with the hyena pack, creating massive damage and throwing Jasiri's clan into a state of panic. The lionesses cut through the smaller animals and overpowered their former companion, making Imara cease in her pursuit to target Kovu. Free from the overwhelming assault, the dark lion now followed his main target.
Kion did not run. He simply stood there, waiting for his opponent to face him. It was obvious that he was saving his strength.
The two collided without wasting words, as enough had been said already. In their rage, they created a whirlwind of brown, golden, and red fur- a tapestry which was to soon be soiled with blood. Claws and fangs ripped through skin, tore out tufts of hair. Their abilities were almost equal, Kovu being the stronger one, yet with the experience of having fought the king before, the younger Kion exhibited a superiority in skill and velocity.
The gorge became filled to its brim with the sound of battle, yet neither of the sides tipped the scales to their advantage. Vitani's lionesses were greatly outnumbered by the hyenas fighting with Imara by their side, whereas Kovu and Kion wrestled ruthlessly, locked in an embrace of death.
Two scarred eyes looked at each other, each filled with wrath and deadly fire. The Pridelands have never seen the battle of two kings before. In their viciousness, Kion and Kovu tumbled for a long time, expanding each other's collection of scars. Still, due to the thick manes protecting their necks, neither of them succeeded in delivering a killer blow.
On the other side of the battlefield, the fight became extremely chaotic. Finally, fearing that the Lion Guard might pick out the hyenas one by one, Imara called upon Jasiri and ordered her clan to regroup. Thus, a few arduous moments later, the remaining members of the pack stood in line, with the treacherous guardian at their head, ready to execute a devastating, united assault.
The rest of the lionesses stood by Vitani, readying themselves. Yet their leader turned to them with a different command.
-Stand back.
Imara knew what was about to happen. And this caused her to grind her fangs.
-Stop, Vitani! How dare you attack one of your own like this? – yelled the outraged female.
Yet the fierce lioness was far from heeding her request.
-You fool – Vitani hissed. - Did you forget whose daughter I am?
For the first time, the strongest lioness in the kingdom hesitated, taking an insecure step back. But there was nowhere to run anymore. Not from the power of the Roar.
Vitani raised her head without hesitation, causing Jasiri's clan to whimper in panic. But their yelps were immediately outshouted by the roaring of the leader of the Lion Guard, joined with the one of the ancient kings.
The hyenas stumbled, one by blown away by the unimaginable strength of the Roar. Knocked back by the hurricane wind, they flew like rag dolls, finishing their flight by colliding with the walls of the gorge. The sound of shattered bones echoed around, accompanied by dreadful screams. The clan's matriarch held on the longest, but finally she too succumbed to the overwhelming force, joining the others in death. That was the end of the hyenas from Jasiri's pack.
But one animal still stood unmoved, her claws scraping against the stone floor, her muscles bulging out from under her skin. The one Vitani once chose as her strongest.
The sound of the Roar died down, and Imara alone remained before Vitani. She panted with exhaustion, yet her face was twisted with defiant wrath. It was amazing, simply unimaginable that anyone could have withstood the crushing might of the Ancients like that. The Lion Guard, and even their leader, stood petrified in front of Imara.
The sound of the Roar, and the annihilation of the hyenas, caused the dueling Kion and Kovu to pause. Lying on top of one another in a tight bundle, they too were amazed at the guardian traitor's strength. Kovu had thought that his sister would be able to help him win the fight without a problem… but it seemed things were more complicated than that.
It was only Kion's voice which made him snap out of his state of bewilderment.
-You've won nothing – hissed the Nightprider, after which Kovu became paralyzed with pain.
A sound of shattered bone was heard when Kion swung his paw as hard as he could, breaking his enemy's tibia. Kovu roared in agony, attracting the attention of his sister, who called his name in dread.
Imara, seeing the opportunity, ran past Vitani and was about to attack the incapacitated king. Yet Kion stopped her from doing that.
-No. We must get out of here.
Freezing for a while, casting a glare of disdain toward the Pridelanders, Imara nodded. Then, following Kion in complete obedience, she ran as fast as her tired paws could carry her, heading toward the exit from the gorge.
-NO! – the noise of Kovu's roaring, pained voice followed them. – Stop, you murderous coward! You're dead! Do you hear me? YOU'RE DEAD, KION!
Vitani tried to help him, though he was furious also with her for not having sent her guardians to pursue to treasonous couple. From an excess of pain and anger, Kovu slowly drifted into unconsciousness.
AN: Fun fact. The skull with which Scar plays in the movie is not only a reference to Hamlet, but also a lion skull. Which most likely belonged to Mufasa.
Damn, Kion got out of this one alive. Too bad the same cannot be said for Jasiri and her clan… What do you think? Did Kion really kill Simba? And what did Nuka's warning to Kovu mean?