Chapter 1
Heat.
Scorching dry heat unlike anything he had ever felt before blazed down upon his brownish-gold fur that felt like it was sizzling beneath the harsh rays of the sun. He never thought there could be something as hot as the heat he was feeling. The Pridelander Prince was no stranger to hot dry weather. He had plenty of it during the dry seasons back in the Pridelands that he experienced. But back home there was always a chance of finding shelter.
But out here…
Raising his head tiredly, Kopa gazed up into the clear blue sky that seemed to stretch on for miles in every direction.
Not but blue sky and sun.
Always sun.
What hope he had for cloud cover was clearly something of wishful thinking. For no matter how hard he prayed for cloud or even a bit of rain. It was never going to come he feared. The place he was traveling through was nothing but barren wasteland. Nothing but dust, dry land and sand wherever he looked.
He only knew of this place from the stories his parents told him.
The desert.
He had to redraw from the thoughts the memories of his parent's tales of how they had crossed the desert from the Jungles to return to the Pridelands. But the moment his mind went to his parents, feelings of despair began flooding back to him reminding him as to why he was out in the middle of nowhere to begin with.
Just how long had he been out there to begin with?
He didn't know.
A day or two or three?
He really didn't know.
Either way he did not care how long he been out there and lost for all he knew.
All that mattered was that he could never go back home no matter how much he wanted too. Because he had no real place to go back home too. The Pridelands may have been the place he was born in, but with his family dead…it really wasn't a home at all anymore. Tears would have filled his eyes at the thought of his family but he was beginning to think he either cried all the tears he could have already OR he was beginning to become so dehydrated that he could no longer produce any tears.
He couldn't remember the last time he had a drink of water or food for that matter. The prince clenched his eyes shit when he felt yet another rumbling coming from his stomach. He was hungry…no he was starving! The last time he ate he figured had to have been the lunch that Nala had brought them the afternoon before the attack.
Taking his eyes off the sky, Kopa placed his paw against his stomach. He knew he would have to find food and water sooner or later.
Sooner rather than later, he thought.
But he also knew he would have to find water first. He could go a while longer without food but water was another thing entirely. He thought back to the survival tactics his Mother taught him. He thought it was pretty stupid at the time, he didn't understand why she would want him to learn so many major survival skills. There really was no danger in the Pridelands…or so that's what he thought at the time.
However now he was thankful for his mother teaching him this.
But there was one big problem when it came to finding water and that was…where would he be able to find it?
Kopa didn't know these parts like he knew the Pridelands. It didn't matter what direction he went it he could wind up lost.
Not like I'm already lost to begin with.
Shaking his head, Kopa fought off what felt like another dizzy spell. He had quite a couple in the last two days from the sun bearing down on his head. But the exiled prince had a feeling it was more than the sun that was affecting him. The wounds on his face and his missing ear stung a good deal that Kopa was beginning to think they were getting infected.
Not to mention his paw.
Lowering his eyes, Kopa stared at his paw which appeared to be swollen. He found it hard to walk on but that didn't stop him from going onward.
Lifting his head up toward the sky once more Kopa tried to pinpoint the location of the sun and where it was exactly in the sky. He judged by it's midpoint in the sky it was only mid-day, meaning he knew it was only going to get hotter before night came again and it got far too cold. It was like a never ending battle of the elements.
A faint shadow flew on overhead making Kopa turn his gaze to the left of him. His eyes catching sight of a buzzard flying on past him. For a moment he felt himself gulp at the sight of the large bird lowering himself down to the ground to try and appear as invisible as possible. The last thing he needed was a buzzard on his back or worsts the buzzard bringing more when they discovered free food in the form of a lion cub.
But to his relief the bird didn't seem to spot him but just kept on flying. That was when Kopa was struck with a sudden idea. Climbing steadily to his paws, Kopa stared toward the buzzard that was beginning to disappear into the distance. He didn't know if it would work but it was worth a shot, he thought.
Taking a moment to collect himself, the exiled Prince began to run in the direction the bird was going. Hoping deep down that the buzzard would lead him to a place where he could find water and once he clenched his thirst he would figure out a way to get food into his system.
Picking up speed, Kopa began to run in order to keep up with the buzzard when he noticed it started getting away from him. The sun continued to beat down on him the further he ran but he didn't stop not even when he felt the paws of his foot start to ache and bleed from cutting it on the jagged rocks he stumbled across.
Kopa didn't know how long he been running, but he never stopped as he kept the buzzard within eyeshot. From time to time stumbling when the ache in his paw hurt so much he would loose his balance but managing to catch it before he would crash into the ground.
By the time he saw the buzzard begin to land the sun was already far into the west and lowering slowly as evening approached. Finally when the buzzard was out of sight, Kopa slowed himself to a brisk trot before slowing down to a comfortable walk. Well as comfortable as it could be with the ache in his paws.
Kopa squinted his eyes in the direction he saw the buzzard had landed in. For a moment he thought he was seeing things when his eyes caught what looked like a reflective surface. It wasn't big but it seemed there. His mouth suddenly felt dryer at the thought of what it could be but he was cautious. He had been tricked by mirages before. But unlike before, the closer he got, it didn't seem to disappear like all the others that had tricked him before.
For the first time in days, Kopa felt his hopes skyrocket as the very thing he been hoping to find in following the buzzard actualized in front of his very eyes.
"Wa…water…" his voice was coursed from how dry it was.
Quickening his pace, Kopa hurried on toward the source of the water. It was rather small but it was more then enough for him. Approaching the waters edge slowly, keeping his eyes out for any other animals that may have sought out the water hole. If that's what you could call it, he thought, it looked like a large puddle more than anything.
But other than a few buzzards that were picking at the remains of what looked like…well Kopa couldn't tell what it was anymore. It was all bones with very little meat. Not enough for him if he tried to steal a piece from the buzzards. There was no other creature around but them.
Taking this as a sign that it was safe, Kopa, with his stomach pressed against the ground carefully dragged his body to the waters edge. Reaching it, the prince first forced his head into the water before slowly dragging his entire body into it. The water wasn't cold for it been heated by the sun but it was cool enough to relief his body of how hot it had often after being in the sun for so long.
Opening his mouth, Kopa began gulping down mouthful's of water while his head was submerged. Finally when he needed air he stuck it out of the water his cheeks full of water that they puffed out. Carefully he began to swallow the rest until it was all down his throat.
Finally he just settled down lying sprawled out in the water in hopes of cooling his body down completely. But shortly Kopa sat himself up and began using his paw to try and clean the wounds on his head as best he could. The water was dirty but it was good enough to try and clean the dirt out of his wounds.
"Ouch!" Kopa cursed as he retracted his paw away from what remains of his now missing ear.
Grumbling, the exiled prince looked down at the water in hopes of catching his reflection but the water was simply too murky. "I must look lopsided…" he muttered reaching up to touch his missing ear again. He never heard of a lion with a missing ear before. Pulling his paw away from his head he turned it over to eye the damage done to the pads of it.
Upon closer inspection Kopa was relieved to find that the cuts weren't so deep. With a heavy sigh, the exiled prince dragged himself up out of the water as soon as he took notice that it started to get dark. The water was a relief from the sun but when night finally came ten fold it would only serve to make him colder then it already was when the sun went down.
Pulling himself up out of the water, Kopa shook his body to get the access water out of his fur. Groaning when his fur stood on end because of it.
Taking a look up at the sky where the colours now clashed in an array of red purplish dues, Kopa moved to lay his body down beside a half side rock. The sunsets and sunrises weren't as pretty were they were back in the Pridelands when his mother and father would wake him at times to experience one. He remembered his very first sunrise. He was only going on a month old when his mother had woken him up and then carried him to where his father was awaiting them.
It was probably one of the first times his father hadn't left early to go and start his patrols. But Kopa at that age really didn't understand much of why his father was hardly around during the mornings and afternoons. He just liked spending time with both his parents.
Parents…
The thought of his parents took away every last bit of his good mood from finally finding water vaporized to be replaced once more with sadness at the thought of the family he had just lost days prior.
It was always the night that made Kopa think of his family the most.
During the day it was just too hot and painful to think of anything else other than his own survival and when he would get his next meal or drink.
But during the night, it was another thing entirely.
Sure he had to worry about not freezing to death. But it was much easier to think of his family as he laid there in the cold. Wishing his parents was right there beside him. His siblings too. He wouldn't be so cold then he thought. He would be warm with them by his side as well as safe.
His mother would be licking his wounds and giving him comforting words while his father would be joking and trying to get him to laugh. He, Kopa, would be smiling and laughing as he played with his brother and sisters trying to teach them to walk like he had been doing before they were all taken from him.
His once dry eyes began to sting with the ever familiar feel of tears.
Laying his head down on the ground, Kopa laid one arm over his muzzle and eyes. A small whimper in his throat. No matter how hard he tried he could not get the images out of his dead.
His mothers and Musa's dead bodies.
Seeing the waters rise and smash against the dam where he feared Eshe had taken her last breath.
His Father and pride being taken down by Zira.
And Kiara…
He whimpered at the thought of Kiara. He didn't know what became of his sister. He figured she was just as dead as the rest of them were.
Closing his eyes, tears slipped from beneath his closed eyelids.
All of them dead all because he couldn't obey his mother.
All the lectures she had given him in the past about what would happen if he didn't listen to her were there mocking him.
When the first bit of chill of the night ran through his body, the exiled prince opened his eyes and lifted them up to the heavens. Eyeing the stars and remembering the tales his Father told him about how the Kings of the past were up there and were always looking down on them.
He wondered for a brief moment if the Queens were up there too. Was his mother up there looking down upon him?
Was she looking down upon him in shame for what he'd done?
Laying there staring at the stars he began to remember the talk he had with those two strange furless monkey's. If that's what you could call them. If they were, they were the strangest looking monkey's he'd had ever seen.
"….You have a destiny that you must fulfill…."
"….Your fate does not lie here in the Pridelands. But the lands of your mother…"
"…You have a destiny that awaits you. Far away from the Pridelands…"
His mind reflected the things they told him about. Things of destiny and fate. Things he thought were utterly ridiculous. There was no such thing as fate. His mother told him that, she told him he made his own choices and those choices would reflect upon him when he made them.
But they were right about one thing, he thought bitterly.
That night he did cast aside his title as Prince of the Pridelands.
He was not a prince no longer.
He was a rogue.
And rogues didn't have Prince's or Kings.
That's what his Father told him in his old lessons. That's what he was now. A simple rogue. Because he no longer had a home, so he would wander from place to place like rogues did. It was the only option he could think of…where else would he be able to go?
The land of your mothers…
The land of his mothers.
The jungles.
The Rasheda's.
The was the only place he possibly knew where his mother had come from. He would have been born there if his parents hadn't returned to the Pridelands. And some part of him wished his parents hadn't, for if they hadn't then they would still be alive and be living somewhere peacefully away from all the hate that was Zira.
But then again he wouldn't have met his grandmother Sarabi…
Or his friends…
His friends…no they weren't his friends…they never were…they were only spies for Zira. They had lured him away from his mother and siblings. From the cave that was keeping them safe. It was all his fault for believing them and leading his family into danger. His fault his family was dead.
No! Kopa growled as his claws dug into the dirt beneath his paws.
No, it wasn't his fault. He thought.
It was Zira's…it was all Zira's fault.
She took his family from him, his pride and his crown.
But it wasn't just Zira's he thought angrily. Lifting his eyes back up to the clear night sky, he took in the stars as one by one they appeared some shining brighten than others.
It was theirs.
"This is all your fault! You knew what was going too happened but you didn't do anything!" He shouted up to the stars. He didn't really expect an answer and like he expected he got none. "Some help you are…" he muttered laying his head down on his paws.
His mind went to the strange creatures. Wasn't one of them supposed too guide him? He thought bitterly. Guess he had another idea all together. Maybe they were abandoning him he thought. Because he dared to defy their choice of destiny for him.
"I wouldn't say that Prince Kopa."
Kopa jumped when a voice sounded behind him. Jumping to his paws, the cub turned and growled his fur standing on end trying to appear like he was a threat to the someone who dared to sneak up on him. When he saw who it was, his growl grew louder.
"You!" Kopa snapped eyeing the smaller of the two furless creatures he had met. However this time around he was alone. He stood no more than a foot away from him.
Doing his best not to look away from the one in front of him, Kopa did a quick search with the corner of his eyes but it did appeared that this one had decided to come alone this time. Focusing his sole attention back on the furless creature he demanded. "What are you doing here?"
The figure watched him impassively. Not the least bit phased by the cub's growls and defensive stance against him. His staff in hand he leaned heavily against it. Speaking only when he was sure the young prince had calmed down enough. "I've told you Prince Kopa. The night of your mother's death…that I am here to guide you…"
"Guide me on my true path…blah, blah, blah!" Kopa mockingly repeated. He didn't forget a single thing that they had told him that night. It was hard to forget anything that had happened that night. "Yeah I know. But I already told you. You are wrong about my destiny!"
He watched as the figure shook his head and stepped toward him. Kopa growled warningly but the figure didn't let them bother him. Rather he knelt down once he was right in front of Kopa. His arm folded and resting on his bent knee. "I do not believe I am Prince Kopa. Although there are many paths to ones destiny and each choose their own in due time. There are some paths that are chosen for one and at times they need to be nudged in the right direction."
"Yeah well…I'm going to defy you anyways. I can't follow my 'destiny' if I stay far away from the Rasheda's now can I?" Kopa smirked smugly thinking he had the weird furless monkey there. If he stayed far away from the Rasheda's and the Jungles it meant it didn't have to follow this strange destiny this stranger was supposed to guide him on.
The figure only eyed the prince with an impassive stare. Not an ounce of emotion on his face or in his eyes as he listened to the prince rant. He did not speak for several moments to the point that Kopa felt his smugness rising at the thought that he really had the stranger at that. But in the end his smirk was wiped from his face when the furless creature shook his head. "You can defy it all you like Prince Kopa. But I know more than you may think I do. You can only run from your destiny for so long. But when the time comes and you learn to accept what I have told you. You need only call." The figure said no more as he climbed to his feet. Staff clutched in his hand he turned and began to walk away into the night leaving a clueless and confused Kopa in his wake.
His anger getting the better of him. Kopa shouted after him, "Why would I ever need your help with anything. You couldn't even save my family! Now their all dead because of you and this stupid fate!" Tears formed in his eyes but at this time he refused to let them fall.
He watched as the figure stopped and only turned enough to gaze back over his shoulder at him. For a moment Kopa could have sworn he saw a look on the figures face as if he were debating on telling him something. But in the end the figure only shook his head and grinned in his direction. "Fate works in mysterious ways Prince Kopa. When the time comes, I assure you…you will need me. And when you do, I shall be there…you need only call…" turning the figure began to continue on his way calling back one last time to the confused cub. "Call for me and I shall come…call on Jelani and he shall come."
Jelani? Kopa repeated in his head. "Well…you won't have to worry…because I…" Kopa found himself falling short of what he was going to say because he would have only been talking to himself now. For the figure, Jelani was no longer anywhere to be seen.
Turning on the spot, Kopa tried his best to see if he was anywhere near him but Kopa could no longer see anyone around him. Even the buzzards that were there before were no longer around. He wanted to call out to see whether or not he truly was alone. But he was almost afraid if he did something much larger and more dangerous then he would come along.
Out in the desert there really weren't many places for a cub like him to hide in. Well none that he'd seen so far.
Sitting back on his haunches, Kopa turned to look in the last place Jelani had been. Strange name he thought. But a name was a name. And now he had a name to put to a face. "I think I like furless monkey better." He snickered climbing to his paws he made his way back to the spot beside the rock. The rock around serve as good protection from any sandstorm if it were to come from the way the rock was facing.
He didn't fancy being in one.
He'd only seen them from afar so far. But that didn't mean he wasn't worried about getting caught in one if one headed his way.
It was better to be safe then sorry.
'Don't put your mother's sacrifice in vain!'
He sighed when he heard Hawa's voice in his head telling him once again to not put his mother's sacrifice in vain. Well not just his mother he thought, but also his fathers, and his grandmothers and his prides.
He was doing everything he could to stay alive…for them.
Even though some part of him desperately wanted to give up. To just lie down in the middle of the desert and let the heat get to him. He would die of thirst long before he would die of hunger. It would be painful he thought. But it would end his suffering. Why suffer when it could all be ended.
But he knew wouldn't. He always remembered how his Mother would tell him there was much to live for and that she wanted him to experience life to the fullest. But when that was said it was expected that Kopa would grow up along side his mother and father and the pride.
But now he had no one…
Shaking his head with a frustrated sigh, Kopa crossed his paws before laying his head down on them. There was no reason to wallow on things from the past he told himself.
There was nothing he could do to change it. The only thing he could do was keep on living for his parent's sakes.
Even if it was a meaningless life.
Cracking his eyes open, Kopa made sure to look around the place he chose to sleep for the night. Seeing that it was clear and safe, the exiled prince laid his head back down on his paws and closed his eyes. Curling his body into a heap to try and preserve what little warmth he could to survive the night.
But it wasn't the cold he feared.
It was what awaited him in his dreams when sleep took him that he truly feared.
"Poor thing…wonder if he's still alive…no wait he's breathing! Whew that's a good thing…but look at those wounds…who could do this to one so young…doesn't look like he's eaten in days…wonder where he's come from…one his age shouldn't be alone…Oh! Oh he's getting up! Hello young cub!"
Ear twitching at the new sounds that roused him from his slumber. Kopa groaned and raised his paw to cover his face from the blazing sun that was already shining down upon him. How long had he been asleep? He wondered. It hadn't really had a chance to sleep in much since he left the Pridelands. With little shelter and places to hide he became paranoid that some predator would come along and kill him in his sleep.
But judging by the shifting of what sounded like paws on the sand followed by a voice Kopa did not recognize. He figured he already been found by someone. For a moment he held his breathe to try and appear as though he was dead. Play dead he thought, then they leave. If they hadn't already eaten him it couldn't be a hyena; leopard or even a cheetah for that matter. The scent though that filled his nose was unlike anything he'd smelt before back in the Pridelands.
But still he figured playing dead would work and make whatever it was leave.
However moments later he felt a small paw jabbing into his ribcage followed by the voice again. "Nice try little cub but I already know you're alive." This time the voice however sounded much closer than it had been before. Like right in front of his face close.
Freaked out that this stranger was so close to him, Kopa's eyes snapped open only to find himself face to face with tawny coloured, black striped and spotted feline with big oval ears, he had never seen before. They stared back at him with sandy gold eyes that were wide and full of curiosity.
Letting out a cry of shock, Kopa pushed himself away from the strange feline he suddenly found himself with his back up against the rock he been sleeping next too during the night. Breathing heavily he stared at the strange spotted feline with equally wide eyes.
The stranger had quickly taken a few steps back when they noticed they had spooked him. An apologetic look appearing on their face. "I'm so sorry…I didn't mean to frighten you…" the spotted cat apologized with a large but sheepish smile on their face.
Back pressed up against the rock, Kopa finally managed to calm his racing heart and collect his wits about him in order to speak. When he managed to calm himself down from having awoken in such a way he found his voice. "Who…who are you? Don't you know it's dangerous to wake a sleeping lion?"
The strange feline sat back on their haunches and cocked their head to the side with a look of smugness on their face. The feline waved their paw at him like it was no big deal that he was a lion and could have easily done something to them. "I'm not so worried about a cub. If you were a grown lion that would make a big difference. But seeing as you're just a cub. I wasn't so worried about being attacked." Lowering their paw the feline stared at Kopa with their wide sandy golden eyes like they were trying to pierce right into him.
"As to answer your question…My name is Nuru. It's a pleasure to meet you…what's your name?"
Getting off her haunches, Nuru took a step toward Kopa her curiosity and wide smiles replaced with concern. But she stopped from getting any closer when Kopa suddenly growled at her. "Whoa there pussy cat. I mean you no harm."
"How…how can I be so sure of that?" Kopa pushed himself off the rock and squared his shoulders while standing with his paws firmly set apart. Exactly how his father had taught him when it came to his defence lessons.
He watched while Nuru sat back once again, her round oval ears twitching as she watched him carefully as if judging on how to answer him. Then she did something he wasn't expecting.
Suddenly, she threw herself down on the ground, rolling onto her back so that her paws were in the air her head twisted to show her neck at him in the best possible submissive pose she could think of. "This prove to you that I'm no threat there Pussy Cat? In this position you have the advantage over me."
Kopa wasn't sure what to say to this strange feline. Nuru she said her name was. He never saw an animal take such a submissive move. Other then the animals that bowed to his father. After a moments thought, Kopa relaxed his body and sat back watching the smile spread across Nuru's face as she rolled back onto her paws pushing herself up off the ground. "So cub, what's your name?"
"Kopa…my name is Kopa…" the words came out of his mouth before he could catch himself from saying anything. But he suddenly had a feeling that this Nuru character wouldn't hurt him. His instincts telling him that if she truly had wanted too she would have done so when he was asleep.
"Kopa?" the way she said his name, made him suddenly fear that she knew who he was. But when she just smiled and nodded her head at him and said "Mighty fine name there." He got the clue that she didn't. He watched as she climbed back to her paws and tried to approach him again and although he tensed he didn't growl this time.
"So Kopa…I now have some questions for you." Nuru stated.
"Like what?' Asked Kopa.
He fell silent when she stopped within a few inches of his face. Her eyes though quickly told him exactly what she was looking at. "What happened to you? I mean you're pretty banged up there cub. Something happen? Were you attacked? Where are your parents? I bet they're worried about you! A young cub your age shouldn't be out wandering about with the wounds you got!" Nuru's ramblings had Kopa staring at her like she had suddenly grown an extra head and a couple of more tails.
The exiled prince honestly could not remember the last time he had met someone who could ramble with as much energy as this strange feline in front of him. Only a few minutes and Kopa swore Nuru had more energy in her then anyone he had ever met. If he was correct he was sure this spotted feline had more energy then a cub.
Taking a moment to process the questions she had asked of him. Kopa began to explain. "Yes…you could say I was attack…my parents and I was attacked…I was the only one who got away…my mother and father are…they both died…" Kopa had to swallow the lump in his throat when he brought up his parents deaths. "I managed to get away…only now I'm lost…" he quickly added making sure not to bring up any important details on who he truly was and where he had come from.
He didn't quite trust this strange spotted cat and so he told her only half of the truth of what really happened. He really was attacked and so were his parents and they were both dead and he really was lost now.
He watched as Nuru's sandy golden eyes widened at the story he just told her. He could see an array of emotions come over her face but in the end she stared at him with a face full of sympathy. "I'm terribly sorry…I know what it's like to loose family…I lost a sister to hyenas once…I know it's not like loosing your parents at such a young age…but I am terribly sorry. They must have really loved you in order to have given their life for yours…I can only guess that's what happened…or else you wouldn't hold so much guilt."
"What…what do you mean…what guilt…how?" Kopa stumbled over his words staring at Nuru who seemed like a completely different person in front of him. Her cheerfulness replaced with actual concern for him. Someone she had only just met.
"It's in the way you look and the way you hold yourself. I can see it in your eyes and the way you speak about what happened…" Nuru answered, her eyes softening. Taking a moment she looked over the cubs scarred face and missing ear. Such a terrible thing to happen to one so young. But least he was alive. She seen cubs with lesser wounds than him die out in the desert. Even those accompanied by their parents.
Letting what she said sink in. Kopa suddenly squared his shoulders and puffed out his chest while setting his eyes into a glare. "What do you know…maybe they died some other way…parents don't always have to die for their young you know!" He shouted at her expecting her to rear back from him but she didn't.
Nuru just continued to sit there with a passive face. After several moments a large smile spread across it. "Calm down there dearie. I didn't mean to upset you. I simply saw you laying there when I came up for some water. Thought you were dead. Good thing you're not or the buzzards would have picked you apart." Nuru lifted her eyes to the sky with Kopa following her gaze to the pack of buzzards he finally took notice of that was circling them.
How long had they been there? He questioned himself.
"Uh…well thanks…but…as you can see…I'm pretty much alive…so thanks…you can go." Kopa fumbled his paws in front of him. Climbing to his paws ignoring the throbbing in his twisted one, which however he noticed the swelling had gone down, he made his way toward the water hole. Which he took notice of that it was much smaller than it had been the previous day.
He figured it would be gone soon enough so it would be best to drink as much of the water as he possibly could. Then carry on his way. The rumbling in his stomach told him that he also had to find himself some food. He was too small to big down anything large though he doubted he'd find something too big out in the desert but he would be able to bring down smaller prey if he could find something.
He may not be a great hunter. But he was a decent one.
He jumped when he heard Nuru come up beside him. "You sure you're okay darling?" she asked eyeing him carefully.
"Yeah…I'm just fine…" Kopa lapped at the water swallowing large gulps full in order to quench his thirst and settle his hunger until he found something. Noticing that she was still watching him he turned to face her fully. "What are you anyways…a small leopard?"
"I certainly am not!" Nuru looked at him as if he said something that offended her by calling her a leopard. But holding her head high and positioning her body to hold it in such a regal pose that made Kopa snicker just a bit she went on to correct him. "I am a Serval!" she said it as though it was the most obvious thing in the world.
Serval?
The name didn't ring a bell with Kopa. Perhaps servals didn't live around the Pridelands or he would have been sure he would have seen one before. Snickering, the exiled Prince sat back watching as Nuru puffed out her cheeks at him in a sign of irritation that he was laughing at her. "Sorry…it's just…I never seen a Serval before where I come from."
"And where are you from?" Nuru inquired letting go of the air in her cheeks she sat back positioning her front paws directly in front of her. She didn't know why she was so curious about this cub. But she was. He was a wounded young cub who had just lost his parents. Something told her this young cub needed a friend and someone to look out for him and that's exactly what she would do.
Something told her this was the very reason she had come to this watering hole to begin with. She was going to bypass it since she was in the midst of hunting some mice she been tracking for some time. But something had stopped her from going any further and almost like something had made her go to this place.
And staring upon this wounded lost cub, Nuru was suddenly pleased that she had. Something in her heart went out to this cub and she wanted to make sure he would be fine. Why, she did not know. She never had that feeling with another. Maybe it was the fact that she hadn't had any good contact with another cat species in a long time. But whatever it was…she figured it would work itself out. She was always the optimist one.
Not sure of how to answer Nuru's question, Kopa furrowed his brow staring at the water that rippled whenever he hit it with his paw but deciding it was still best not to tell this stranger the truth, he quickly said. "Well…from here and there…my parents were two rogues…we travelled all over the place…we were on our way to visit…to visit my mothers old pride…when we were attacked." He lied shuffling his paws. He wasn't sure why he mentioned his mother's relatives in his lie but it did seem like a fitting lie. He lifted his eyes to watch Nuru watching him with a critical expression.
Sitting there, Nuru had a quick feeling that he wasn't being entirely truthful to her. But she wasn't one to judge someone by something they didn't want them to know about. Nodding her head she smiled at him, "Well…then I'm guessing that's where you would be heading too…right?"
"Huh…heading where?" Kopa asked staring at Nuru confused for half a second till she asked again. "To see your mother's pride?" Oh! Oh right, he thought. That wasn't where he was going but he figured he better say it was to just go along with the lie that he told. Quickly nodding his head he answered. "Yeah…mom told me to run and go find them…said they would take care of me…but I got tired…and little sick…"
"Can't blame you cub. Those wounds did look awfully infected…" What Nuru didn't say was that she had cleaned his wounds herself when the cub was still asleep. When she first came upon him, the way he shook made her think he was sick with infection. Not that she blamed him, those wounds looked pretty nasty. Like she said before, she was surprised he was still alive.
Shuffling his paws nervously, Kopa looked toward the sky and saw it wasn't quite mid-day yet. He had to find something to eat soon and get on his way. He wasn't sure how long it would take him until he found another decent source of water. He just hoped he didn't die before then.
"Well…it was nice meeting you…Nuru. But I should be on my way…it's a long way to my mother's old pride…my uncle Jaali should be there…" continuing with the lie, Kopa climbed down to his paws. Thankful that the throb wasn't as bad as it had been before and the cuts on his paws seemed to have healed a bit given they hadn't been so deep.
Without another word, the exiled prince began to leave the watering hole and started off in a random direction. The buzzards above him started to follow him much to his displeasure. He knew now that they took full attention of him that he wouldn't be able to stop and rest for long not before they started to peck at him if he wasn't too careful about it.
He hadn't realized that he was being followed until he heard the paw steps right behind him. Twitching his one last remaining ear. Kopa carefully turned only to find himself looking once again into a set of sandy golden eyes. Suddenly angered he demanded. "Why are you following me!?"
Nuru had watched the cub start to walk away and she didn't know why but maybe it was her need for company that made her follow after the brownish-gold cub. A smile spread across her face. "Tell me cub, do you know these here parts or where you're going?" she asked eyeing his face smirking when she watched uncertainty cross his face.
"Well…urm…not…well…" Kopa stumbled over his words unsure of how to answer the Serval whose smirk only seemed to be getting wider at how tongue-tied he was becoming. "Mom said they lived in the Jungles…so that's exactly where I'm heading!" Nodding his head with a grin, Kopa turned and began to continue on the way he been heading off into.
Only to come to a sudden stop when he found Nuru jumping in front of him. Stumbling back he caught himself before he fell backwards. She was quick that's for sure.
"You do realize you're going the wrong way don't you?" Nuru asked with a wide smile spreading across her muzzle. Her nose wrinkling in delight.
Blinking Kopa stared at her before puffing out his cheeks and narrowed his eyes. "How can you possibly know that?"
"Because I been to the jungles and the only one for miles across this desert is in that direction" with her paw, Nuru pointed south bound.
Looking the way she was pointing, Kopa wasn't sure of what to say on the matter but in the end he just huffed and turned the way she was pointing. And with another huff started to stomp in that direction. "Fine…thank you for pointing out the correct way…I'm going now. I have a lot of ground to cover."
"Whoa there cub!" Kopa groaned when she heard him calling out to him again. He listened as she ran over and stopped when she was right beside him. "What makes you think I'm going to let you travel on your own?"
Kopa stared at her with wide eyes. "What do you mean? You can't come with me!"
Nuru smiled at the young cub, her ears flickering atop her head. "Well tough luck there kitty cat. You're far too young to be out here all on your own and you don't know these parts. I've lived out here for years I know what to do…I bet I can even help you hunt…it's hard with the desert and dry lands…I'm betting your hungry too." She giggled when she heard the rumbling in his stomach that was her answer to that statement.
"Well…yes…but…"
"Then it's settled!" Nuru smiled jumping on ahead of him she began to make her way south bound in the easiest route she knew to the jungles from where they were at. That and where she could get them both something filling to eat. "Come now slow poke, we need to get some food into your system. It's a long ways toward the Jungle and you're going to need the substance in order to keep your strength up."
Kopa stared on after the overly energetic Serval with confusion written across his face. What just happened here? He wondered. How did he get himself into this situation? Whatever happened to avoiding the jungles and the Rasheda's in order to avoid the destiny that that strange creature, Jelani told him about.
"Hurry up cub!"
With a huff and the stomp of his paws. Kopa began to follow after Nuru with a disgruntled look on his face at what he had just gotten himself into. All because of a lie.
His mother was right. The truth was the way to go. Lies only got you in trouble.
And trouble he was. For now he was heading in the very direction he told himself he wouldn't go.
Well…how bad could it be he thought. He always wanted to meet his Uncle Jaali from the stories he was told. And now he was going to get that chance. Even if it wasn't in the way he expected.
But now that he really thought about it. The Rasheda's were the only family he had left.
With a deep sigh, and a shake of his head, the exiled prince picked up his paws and started to run on after Nuru who was now already a good distance in front of him leading him onward.
Onward too…
The lands of his mother.
