Chapter 23
Kopa could not possibly know what could be more humilating. Being beaten by a girl, or being beaten by a girl while others sat on by watching, and laughing. Both were in their own little way he supposed. One was just perhaps more worst than the other. He figured his days of being beaten by a girl, were long since over. With Vitani so far away.
He could not have been more wrong.
In fact Ishara was quite content to prove him wrong in every way that she could possibly think of.
Any other day, he wouldn't suggest wrestling with a female. Not that he did not think they were strong, just that males were stronger. When he made that suggestion to Ishara. He came to find himself lying on his back. Pinned like the first night they met. And immediately regretting his words from the look she'd given him.
From then on out, he was trying to prove that he could beat her.
Alas to no avail. In the very least, not quite yet. The Pride Lander Prince was anything if not one to give up so easily.
Others had taken to watching the pair. Many of those of which being the younger of those that had come to join the Rasheda's from the Maua's.
The combination of the two prides hadn't hit it off all too well in the beginning.
There was just too much memories and stories that been passed down by those who had known the conflicts between the two prides and what had started it. Forgiving past discrepancies was not as easy as one would be lead to believe.
There been no arguing. But they say a look can say a thousand words without one opening their mouth to say it. Then there had been the tension. To which had been so thick. Kopa could have sworn one could cut it with the slice of a single claw. Be as it may, the tension did not last.
They had the cubs to thank for that.
The old one, Javas, had not been lying when he claimed not many adults had survived the attack upon their pride by the two legged monsters and their yellow beasts. There did turn out to be a large bunch of cubs. More than the Rasheda's had seen in a number of generations.
It been that alone that had melted the Rasheda's hearts.
Many who feared they never seen young ones so little again. The youngest was a few months old. Having been only a few days old at the time their pride's home had come under attack. Sadly the boys mother did not survive.
There was however some good to come of it. Tufa who first laid eyes on the young cub. Her heart went out and she immediately took the boy under her wing or paws as it were.
That goes to say she was not the only one. A number of the lionesses in the pride took in cubs that were without mothers. Even if those cubs had older siblings. The lionesses knew it was best to have someone who knew how to raise cubs look out for them, and the older siblings to boot.
What's more...Jaali had found a mate.
It had been discussed between Javas and Leta long before Jaali had come into the know. The one who told him?
Well that ought to be an obvious answer to guess.
Nuru.
The serval had overheard the two talking and had reported to the King when she thought it was some juisy gossip she thought he would reward her with. The King often found the way to keep the serval pleased was give her a mole or two as a snack whenever she reported on something important to him.
Not that Nuru was lazy at her job.
The small feline just figured she could get something out of it.
The King had not taken lightly to the news. His mother had long since promised that she would never push anyone on him. If that time ever came. There were no lionesses close to his age in the pride up until recently. Aside from his sisters of course.
The older lionesses among the Rasheda's were as aunts to him and he could never see them as anything other than that. And none had any complaints. Many knew they were beyond the years of cub bearing. And so would be of no use as a mate as they would not be able to give their King a well needed heir.
Currently it had been discussed that Jaali's sisters would take the throne should something happen or he have no heir in general. That idea was throne out when neither Tufa or Yamile showed any interest in being Queens and voiced their negative opinions on it. Perhaps the one thing the two sisters could ever agree upon, and that was they saw how stressful being King was for their brother.
That they did not wish that upon themselves.
Kopa had been the next reasonable choice.
He was the only other male lion around. Yet again up until recently.
He was Rasheda blood. But he was not royal Rasheda blood.
Leta would point out at this point in time that should not matter. As long as there was a male who had Rasheda blood to rule, and continue their pride with. Sadly the lack of males to females who could breed was the troublesome thing.
That however fixed itself. With the joining of the two prides. They had greater numbers of males and females now. Many within mating age. So their prides would not dwindle anymore than they already had.
And yet while Leta was comfortable with Kopa being an heir. That part of her deep down wanted to know what it would be like to be a grandmother.
Tufa adopting fixed part of that longing. But the ache for one of her own blood was still there. She was hoping with the young males present there could be a chance for that with her daughters.
Tufa seemed to enjoy any male attention. Seeing as it was the first she'd ever recieved any.
Yamile however was another story. Rolling her eyes at any attention one of the young males would give her. Tending to get up whenever they were around and move herself to sit with the lionesses.
Then there was her son. And it just so happened the previous King of the Maua's had a daughter who was eligible. Whom had survived the attack. And was willing to go a step further in combing their prides through a mating for alliance.
Something Jaali wasn't all that certain about. He felt uncomfortable with mating a female that he did not know. Much less he did not love. His mother was quick to remind him that he was King and often there came times when his duty came before his heart and the needs of the pride before the needs of his own.
Jaali of course was not pleased to hear that lecture. It was one of course that he heard on occasion in the past. It however did not mean that he accepted such actions.
Kopa could only watch in the end as his Uncle had given in to the request. "For the good of the pride." Jaali told everyone or was he just trying to convince himself of that. Kopa could never be certain. His uncle was easy to read at times and then he was as stoic as a rock.
His uncle reminded him of his father at times. Not just the playfulness of them both that the two shared. It was for the simple fact that both lions had become King's of their own respective pride's far too early into their young lives. That the weight of it all just weighed down upon them.
They worked to keep their families from seeing it. Nonetheless their loved ones could pick up on it. Kopa for how young he had been when he lived with his parents and the Pride Landers. Picked up on it. Going as far as to have expressed those concerns to his mother at one point. Her answer had been a smile and telling him that he should not worry about such things and that his father would be fine that she would see to that.
His uncle was just the same.
Only his uncle did not have a mate to put a smile on his face like his father did with his mother or cubs for that matter. Of course he had his other family members which kept him going. He seemed to have gone a bit downhill he was told upon the news of his cousin and close friends deaths.
Kopa not knowing how he had been before his arrival could only go on the word of the rest of the pride.
The comparison was still there plain as day nonetheless.
As he was saying, the decision had been made in the end. And Jaali had taken the former Maua king's only remaining daughter or offspring in general as his mate and Queen. Further cementing the alliance and joining of the prides to once again be one.
His new aunts name was Mhina.
A timid lioness to say the least.
There was no better way to describe her. Mhina was not outgoing. Quiet a majority of the time unless someone were to address her first. She appeared to like cubs more than she did adults no matter who they were from either pride. Something that Leta hoped was a good thing so that they could get a heir finally out of her son and she hoped it was still within her life time.
Leta did not care whether the heir was male or female.
She just wanted a grandcub.
Something that Kopa did not think...scratch that...he knew was never going to be the case. How did he know this?
Jelani.
When Jaali had taken Mhina for his Queen. Kopa who been drilled for months upon months from the guardian to be the future King of the Rasheda's as he pointed out from time to time. Next to this whole needing to train for what was coming for them in the future.
Now however Kopa could not understand why Jelani had been telling him he would lead the Rasheda's one day. If Jaali now had a mate to give him his very own full blooded heir.
Jelani of course had an answer for him when Kopa had gone to him with that very question.
"Sterile?"
The guardian sat upon a log. His dark eyes boring into Kopa. As per usual the guardian's eyes and face were void of any emotion. That was not to say the guardian did not show emotion now and again that Kopa could occasionally catch.
It was he never showed emotion when Kopa expected an emotion to surface. Like him getting angry at the guardian for revealing to him that his uncle's new mate was sterile. "What do you mean she is sterile?"
"It means she cannot have cubs..."
"I know what it means!" Snapped Kopa. The corner of his right eye twitching ever so slightly in irritation. He did not mind Jelani. Well now at the very least. Having gotten used to the guardian and enjoying that he had his company. Company being the word rather than friendship for Kopa did not know if guardian's could make friends with the living much less their own charges.
"I mean WHY is she sterile?" Kopa paused. A thought coming to the forefront of his mind. His eyes narrowed into slits. And in a accusing tone asked or rather should he say. Demanded. "Did you do it?" He growled. "Did you cause for her to be sterile? So that I may still become the next King here!?" His voice began to rise with each word passing through his mouth.
Still the guardian remained stoic.
This only worked to make the Prince madder.
Opening his mouth to berate the guardian. Jelani held up a hand to cut him off and silence him. Leaning forward upon the log he sat upon. The hairless guardian looked at him with a critical look. "It was not I who made her sterile."
"Then who!?"
"Not who...but what."
"What?" Kopa scowled. The guardian was making no sense.
Jelani shook his head. The young prince had come along very much so. But he was still young he saw. And could let his emotions fuel his temper. Where that might seem useful in a fight when it comes to strength. It would be his downfall if it affected the way he thought to carry out one. Much to learn he still had.
"Nature, Kopa." He watched confusion come over the young lions face. "Sometime's nature make one the way they are. And in this case, nature made Mhina sterile."
Kopa grunted. Letting that sink in. He could not call Jelani a liar. Having been told many times over that things tended to happen and there was nothing that no one could do about it. Something that frustrated him time and time again.
"Why would the Maua's give her to my Uncle to be his Queen if she was sterile...youch!" Kopa yowled. His paws grabbing his head where Jelani had struck him over the head with the harder end of his staff. "What the hell was that for?" The prince glared at him.
"For someone who can be smart, you can also be very dense." Jelani shook his head at his young charge.
Again there went the corner of his eye twitching.
"Stop, and think for a moment Kopa." Jelani leaned forward more upon the log. Still his face was close to the prince's. "This is Mhina's first mate...and that would mean?"
"...That they did not know." Kopa breathed a heavy sigh. It was not hard to tell he wanted someone to blame for his. He felt bad for his uncle and for his great aunt.
Leta was really hoping for her first batch of grandcubs that were born from her own offspring. She did love the boy that Tufa took in. Called him sweet and was happy to have a cub call her grandma.
Seeing as the cub had never really known a mother other than those taking care of him. He had opened up immediately to calling Tufa his mother and considering the family his as it meant he had a family now. Even if they were not blood related.
And his uncle...he would never understand the feeling of having his own cubs...
The thought angered Kopa.
His uncle did not deserve this.
"Why do bad things always happen to the good?" He did not realize he had asked that aloud until he felt a hand rest upon his shoulder.
Looking up at Jelani he saw some bit of emotion in the guardian's eyes. Understanding.
"Thing's only seem that the bad always happens to those that are good. But equal things happen to everyone no matter good or bad. It is the fact that the good are more innocent that it seems more unfair than it does to those who perhaps might deserve it more than those who did nothing to anyone." Jelani's hand gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze.
"These are things you just need to accept..."
Things he had to accept.
The words bothered him. No matter how true he knew those words to be.
They were just annoying. There was so much that he just wanted to change. Kopa would give up all and every rights to any throne just to see his uncle happy and Leta. She was too kind of a lioness to experience so much loss in her life like she had. First her sister, then her mate, and then her niece...and now she would not get grandcubs out of her son.
The only hope now was Tufa and Yamile.
However as he already pointed out. Yamile might as well be a lost cause for that. Nuru had joked with him once that she did not even think Yamile was into males. What started off as a joke at first. Kopa was beginning to think just perhaps there may be some truth behind it.
It was however hard to prove as Yamile he had no doubt even if he asked would not say a word about it.
It did not appear to be dawning on the pride yet that their Queen was sterile. Believing the time for cubs would be when it would be. That nature would decide. Unbeknownst to them. Nature had already decided.
Kopa did not think that even if there was no heir from their union that the alliance would fail. The prides needed each other at this moment in time if they wished to strengthen themselves.
The prince's attention was drawn from his long thoughts by the voice above him. And it dawned on him that Ishara still had him pinned to the ground. With their friends around them snickering at his latest defeat.
"Space out there for a moment Kopa? I know I'm cute and all, but no need to space out while beneath me." The smirk that came over Ishara's face. Her words made the skin beneath his fur warm just a bit.
Muttering under his breath. Kopa put a paw to her chest. Heaving her with one good shove to push her up off of him. Rolling onto his paws. Kopa grumbled. "Nothing about you could ever make me space out." He growled when she laughed at him.
"Do you enjoy making a mockery of me?" Kopa accused his friend. Did she annoy him? to every extent. That said, it did not mean that she had not become his friend. Having lost three good friends already. Kopa thought he could not afford to not have friends now. So whether she annoyed him or not. Ishara was still his friend.
A laugh came first then her answer. "Oh Kopa. You make a mockery of yourself." The other girls present joined in with Ishara's snickering.
One of the young Maua males, Bello, a male who was a couple months younger than Kopa himself. Shook his head. His blonde mane falling into his face. "Why do you even keep trying?" He looked between Ishara who had gone to sit among the girls. All whom were congratualting her on once again beating Kopa.
Rubbing his head, messing his own mane up a tad bit. Kopa briefly touched where his missing ear was. His mane by this time covered the area that no one could see the stump that was where his ear once been. Hating that Zira had taken that ear off. It was better than his life and the Maua's were not the least bit bothered by his scars.
They had all heard his story.
Them all knowing pains of their own losses.
They saw Kopa as a survivor. Wounds and all.
Kopa had to think of his answer. Why did he keep trying? Most would have likely given up by then. There were moments were Kopa felt like throwing in the towel.
Lifting his gaze to peer across at Ishara. Deep down Kopa knew what his answer was. It got him to spend more time with her. He could feel the skin beneath his fur warming up at the thought.
Shaking his head. Banishing the thoughts from his mind. Kopa gave a grunt. "Maybe I like a challenge."
"You admitting I am a challenge?" Ishara turned her head in the boy's direction.
"One I will overcome!" Kopa was quick to come back with.
Laughter was all that came to that. "Right, we shall see." Getting to her paws. Ishara took her leave with the other young lionesses.
Kopa keeping his eyes on Ishara till she was no longer in sight.
A pair of eyes who been watching the fight from the shadows. Narrowed. Kamal did not like the way Kopa had been looking at his sister moments ago. Stepping into the light. The older male approached the Pride Lander Prince. "I would advise you keep your eyes to yourself."
Biting back a groan. Kopa turned his attention to the new arrival. "Or what?" He challenged. "You'll bite my other ear off?" He stood his ground in front of Kamal. The older lion was not that much of a pain in his ass. Enough that it made him annoyed now and again. Kopa however knew Kamal was just protective of his little sister.
Over protective would perhaps be a better word for it.
But protective all the same. Kopa knew the fault of that was because of what had happened to them just months before.
So Kopa just took whatever annoying thing Kamal had to say when it came to what he felt like he was doing by protecting his sister. "Seeing as unless I was blind. I cannot exactly keep my eyes to myself." He gave a tiny smirk. Earning a growl from Kamal.
From beside the older male. A gray female came along and stomped on Kamal's paw. Causing the male to yelp and glare at the female who only stared back at him. Not effected by the glare in the very least. Imena. To everyone's knowledge she was to be Kamal's mate.
And luckily, she was a female that did not take Kamal's tough man shit in the very least. "Relax there big guy." She nudged his shoulder. Smirking. With a paw, she motioned to Kopa. "Ishara has beaten him each and every time they have wrestled." She flashed a smile at Kopa who rolled his eyes. Then looked back at Kamal with a strict look.
Her paw jabbing his chest enough to make hum grunt from the impact. "I think that's proof enough that Ishara can handle herself..."
"But..."
Golden eyes narrowed. "No buts." Another jab. Another grunt. "Ishara is a big girl now."
"Not big enough yet." Kamal grumbled. Indicating that Ishara was still an adolescent.
A roll of her eyes. Imena shook her head at him. "Just get back to your patrol." Kamal had been in the middle of his patrol when he had stumbled upon the group. Had stopped to watch. He enjoyed seeing his sister beat Kopa. Who he thought was too cocky at times. His sister was enough to knock him down a peg.
Still that meant nothing. He still did not like the way Kopa looked at his sister.
To him, she was still too young.
As if sensing his thoughts. Imena gave him a harder look. "March mister." She spoke with a stern tone of voice.
Giving her a hard look of his own. Kamal turned and made his way off into the jungle. Muttering under his breath as he went.
"Boy." Kopa snorted a bit with amusement. "You got him whipped."
"More like I understand him better than you do." Imena turned to him. "He knows Ishara can handle her own it's just..."
Raising his paw. Kopa cut her off and nodded his head in understanding. Getting to his paws he stretched out his paw. It ached a bit from where Ishara had pinned him and had kept him pinned for as long as she had when he had spaced out. "Speaking of patrols. I should get to my own. Lest I wish for Uncle Jaali to remove my tail."
With new males in the pride. Patrolling the territory was not much easier than it had previous been. Jaali was using the males that were old enough to patrol to take different shifts and area's of the territory. This made covering more ground easier and made it so that patrols for each would be shorter.
Jaali took that as a good way to spend more time with his new Queen. He did not have to patrol as much when there were more males in the pride now. While he had not been for the union at first.
The King had taken a liking to his timid quiet Queen. He was perhaps the only one that managed to get her to laugh. Which was something he liked.
It made the knowledge of knowing the truth behind Mhina being sterile hurt all that much more for Kopa. Newly mated, the two were in no rush. So the fact that Mhina had not conceived yet. Did not bother them. Kopa however knew enough that Mhina could eventually become upset when time passed and no cubs were evident of their union.
And Kopa did not think Jaali would take his mate being upset too well.
He wished nature would stop being such a bitch and at least let them have one cub. In a way he was tempted to demand that Jelani give him something that could help.
The man could do...magic. That was what he called it when Kopa had asked. He had powers. He was a guardian. Surely said guardian had to have something that would help.
Kopa truly did not care if he became King.
He thought he could fulfill his destiny and help save the pride from whatever threat was looming in the future without having to be King.
Figuring if he bugged the Guardian enough. Jelani would eventually relent.
Sighing. The young prince reached his section of the borders. Which was the river that separated them from the Gorilla's. The Maua's weren't sure what to make of the Rasheda's alliance with the Gorilla's. Kopa's own friends were not even sure what to make of Kopa's friendship among the large apes.
Where they were from, they had crossed other troops of the species.
And none of them had ever gotten along.
The Maua's would admit they had hunted some of the gorilla's in their own home when there had been nothing else to hunt.
It had been advised that they keep that knowledge to themselves.
Not that the Maua's tried to see or much less cross the river to speak with said beings.
So Kopa took that part of the patrol. Plus on occasion he could see some of his other friends from across the river. Occasionally when he had the time he would cross the river and head over to see them. Chika always welcomed him. While her son only grunted his greeting and would go back to what he was previously doing.
A majority of the time he hung out with his friends, like Bayo and Adena. Adena had been so small before that she could ride easily on his back. Now he was fairly certain she would crush him if he even attempted to pick her up on his back.
Making his way along the river. Kopa sighed lifting his eyes to the sky. Often patrols gave him time to think. He both liked this and hated it. As sometimes his mind would drift to other things.
His family for example.
While fairly certain his mother would have smacked him or one of his living relatives would if they knew how much guilt he still held from that night. Kopa could not just rid himself of it completely. Having a feeling he would live with it for the rest of his life.
There were moments when he thought of leaving the jungle. To cross the desert. See if he could find his home. Hoping deep down inside him, in his very soul, that he was wrong about his family and pride. That they would still be alive. Even some of them at least. He never discussed this with Jelani of course, nor anyone else. Knowing the Guardian could be around listening.
He was pretty certain the guardian could not read his mind.
Or so he hoped.
Having never appeared to have anything to say when Kopa in any chance of annoyance would mentally bash him.
So he figured it was safe to say he could not read minds.
However as much as the thought crossed his mind. Kopa was afraid to do it. Afraid that he was right. That they all were dead and that going home would be in vain. That this was his new home. His safe home...well safe for the time being.
Jelani was never forthcoming about the events that would take place in the future. Always telling him that he would know and see when the time came. Going on and on as always about how knowing too much of the future was never for the best. That it was best that Kopa focus on the present and not the future. Which was hard to do knowing you were being trained for something FOR the future.
But yes the thought crossed his mind.
Continuing his way down the river, he made his way toward where a small bit of it led into the jungle that the lionesses had dug up and made. It was a wading pool for the cubs. The river was too dangerous to risk playing in. So they came up with a solution to that. The small inlet ran to a small pond that was formed from digging as well.
From where he was he could hear the laughter of the cubs.
The sound of it put a smile on his face. Seeing as this was where his patrol route ended. Kopa took the detour to where the laughter was coming from. Stepping through the bushes to find the cubs splashing in the water and running about. Almost hard to believe they had seen so much tragedy. One would think it would have scarred them for life.
However the cubs were proving they could bounce back.
Certainly the older ones who could remember their parents often still cried to this day about it. Taking the comfort from their adoptive parents. They were still not letting life keep them down.
Kopa admired that. Wishing he could be more like that.
"Uncle Kopa!"
A familiar squeal of a voice made him grin. Turning Kopa looked at the reddish cub that was running toward him. In a way the cub almost reminded him of how his father had described his great uncle Scar. Only the tuft on the cubs head wasn't black. Rather it was brown. And the cub had bright blue eyes.
"Hey kid!" Sitting back on his haunches, Kopa scooped the cub up and held him above his head. "How you doing?"
Jomo, the cub, giggled kicking all four legs as Kopa held him in the air. "Having fun!" He grinned from ear to ear.
"Oh are you now?" Kopa watched Jomo nod his head fast enough the cub looked dizzy for a second.
Chuckling. Kopa set the cub back down on his paws when Jomo showed he was no dizzy any longer. "Where's your mother?"
Turning, Jomo pointed to where Tufa was laying beneath a tree resting. One of the other lionesses currently keeping watch over the cubs to make sure nothing happened to them while they played. Said lioness nodded to Kopa in greeting which he returned.
Making his way over to them. Kopa leaned down over Tufa and smirked. "I think you she could use a mud bath. Don't you cubs think?"
The cubs were all grinning then giggled when Tufa not opening her eyes mumbled. "Dirty my fur and you'll be beaten so much I will make you the size of a cub again."
"Temper, temper Auntie." Shaking his head. Kopa went to pat her head which she batted away from her.
Eyes opening. Tufa looked up at the lion standing over her. "Got nothing better to do than to bother me from my nap?"
"Motherhood really that tiring?" Grinning Kopa stepped back when Tufa began to push herself up from where she laid.
"Why? Wondering and asking for when you become a father?" Tufa teased back looking at Kopa.
The young lion snorted. "Why would I want to tie myself for to a family?"
Tufa rolled her eyes. "Oh I don't know. Maybe the way you look at Ishara." She smirked at the look he gave her for that one.
"Why is everyone liking to tease me about that?"
Shaking her head. Tufa gave him a look. "Well if you would not make it so obvious. Then we wouldn't have too."
Kopa answered with a grunt. If he had to be honest. Kopa really did not know what he felt for Ishara. He liked her a bit. But right now he could not really decide. Seeing the look on his face and perhaps having an understanding to what was going through his mind.
Tufa laid her paw on his. Giving his a gentle pat. "It's okay not to be certain of your feelings right now Kopa. You are still young." She sighed shaking her head. "Unlike me."
Kopa gave her a questionable look. "Oh yes. I just see the gray appearing in your fur." He snorted at the look she gave him.
"Fine. Maybe I am young. But you know what I meant."
"Yes, yes." Kopa shook his head at her. He looked down as Jomo came over and sat between his mother's front legs. Looking up at Tufa like she was the best thing in his world. Which she might just be by taking him in like she had. Despite having no previous experience with cubs. Tufa was turning out to be a good mother for Jomo.
"He loves you at least." He pointed out.
Smiling, looking down at her son. Tufa bent down to lick the boys face making him giggle and lick her chin back. "Yes." She answered softly. Jomo grinned at his mother then looked at Kopa.
"Why you here Uncle Kopa?" The cub innocently asked.
"Just finishing my patrols when I felt the need to check up on you all." Kopa answered. Laying his paw atop of Jomo's head. He figured he wasn't the only one to check on them. Which wasn't hard to know. The pride was protective of the cubs. Which they had the right to be.
Cubs were previous things, he was told.
The future of a pride.
He had heard that too many times. Both from the Rasheda's and the Pride Landers. His grandmother Sarabi would say it on occasion in the past.
The lioness laying near by chuckled. "Ah, we ladies can take care of ourselves. No need to worry about us." Kopa looked at her with a grin as the old lioness got up onto her paws and called for the cubs to get up out of the pool.
"Awwww!" The cubs each whined.
Chuckling, Kopa stepped toward the edge of the pool. "You heard her cubs. Time to head home. The hunting party could have caught something by now. That and it's getting late" Kopa raised his head. One could only briefly see the sun through the canopy of trees above to tell that the sun was beginning to set and would no doubt be dark in an hour or two. Not being able to see the sun completely in the denseness of the jungle. He could not be certain.
The cubs continued to pout. Then one by one, they climbed up out of the water. Taking the time to shake off the water from their furs. Tufa and the older lioness watching them and waited until they were dry enough and then had them start marching on back to the rest of the pride.
The older lioness taking the lead, Tufa walking in the middle of the group. With Kopa taking up the rear. Keeping them all within his eye sight. He grinned when Jomo waved at him from where the cub was currently riding atop his mothers back.
They made it back just in time. The hunting party was only just returning. Carrying with them a large Okapi. The cubs cheered seeing it running to greet them while the lionesses laid the carcass down. Like always the cubs were allowed to get their share first. Then the rest of the pride started to divide the kill among themselves.
Picking up his own share, as well as another. He carried it to the den where Leta was laying with Javas. The lions age was beginning to get to him. Kopa laid down their shares.
His Aunt giving him a smile. "Thank you, Kopa." She gave his cheek a lick.
"How are you two feeling?" Kopa asked setting his own share down. Tearing pieces off, taking his time in eating.
"Just old bones." Javas chuckled as he pulled his share to him.
Leta gave a snort. "We're feeling fine. The weather lately has been stifling."
"It's the jungle. It's always hot here." Kopa snickered when she gave him a playful shove.
Finishing his meal, Kopa cleaned his face off. Perhaps the one thing he missed about being a cub. As much as he might have complained. It was good to have his mother around to clean him up. It made him sound a bit lazy or perhaps it made him sound like he missed his mother.
He turned when he heard his Aunt Mhina's laughter outside the den as well as his Uncle's voice. From beside him he heard Leta sigh. He knew what she was currently thinking about. From the look on Javas face he was thinking the same thing.
Reaching out, Kopa laid a paw on his aunts head. The lioness looking at him with a small smile. "Thanks Kopa, but do not worry about me."
"What if I want too?"
Leta let out a laugh and patted his cheek. "So sweet of you."
Kopa licked the top of her head. "You are surrounded by family Aunt Leta."
Smiling, Leta patted his cheek. "Oh I know my dear boy. I know."
Kissing the top of the lionesses head. He left the two to rest. Stepping out from behind the vines that hid the den from view. Kopa paused to watch the pride as they were lounging about after finishing their nightly meal. Resting from full stomachs. Even the cubs. Who were in the adults paws getting their baths.
Seeing such a large pride again, reminded him of home a bit.
Not by much though. He was fairly certain the Rasheda pride now excelled the numbers that the Pride Landers had. Not larger than they had been before, which the Pride landers had beat him in those previous numbers.
Looking around at them all. His eyes briefly when to Ishara who was resting under a tree. Watching her for a moment, then turned and rest to join Amun were the black leopard lay in his usual spot. Which happened to be beneath Nuru's tree. Nestled among the roots.
Lifting his head upon hearing Kopa approach. Amun nodded his head to him. "How was your day?"
"Boring." Kopa sighed. Laying himself down along side his friend.
"Really? And here I would have thought having your ass handed to you again by Ishara would have made for an interesting day." Amun's voice dripped with sarcasm as he smirked at the look of annoyance that came over his young friends face.
"Does everyone know about that?" Kopa bit back a groan at the leopards nod. Laying his head down, Kopa laid his paw over his head. "Girls gossip too much."
"I would agree. But they get some juicy gossip at times." Amun chuckled laying his own head back down on the ground. Enjoying the coolness of the grass and leaves. Despite how humid the jungle could be at times. There were always ways to find to cool down from the day. That didn't involve a dip in the river.
Kopa resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Of course the lionesses would have been twittering around it again. He could not tell what twittered more. Birds or young lionesses that had someone they wanted to tell people. And say it too whomever would listen to them. "Aunt Leta says it goes away with age...not sure if I can believe that...I remember how much the lionesses back home liked to talk, talk, talk."
"You boys aren't any better."
The two turned their heads enough to peer upwards. Where Nuru was perched among the branches above them. Looking down at them with amusement dancing in her eyes. "Here you two are twittering about." She dodged the fruit core that Kopa found and tossed at her. Sticking her tongue out at him as she did so.
Teasing from above. "Can't handle the truth?"
"One of these days, one of us is going to eat you." Amun grunted lowering his head once more. His eyes however still peering upwards keeping the energetic serval within eye shot. There was no telling what she'd do if you turned your back on her once you got her going.
"You all love me to much to do that." Nuru giggled from above.
"Plus she would only keep talking all the way down and probably still in the stomach." Kopa laughed at the look that got him from his small friend. "Don't worry Nuru. You're not half as annoying as Zazu was." Of course Zazu wasn't that annoying. But he thought the Hornbill had once talked more than Nuru ever did.
There were moment's that he wondered if the majordomo ever had an off switch.
Then again he wondered the same with Nuru...though he would say she wasn't as bad. To avoid what she might do to him in his sleep. He finally got over the whole, sleeping with one eye open. Something he had done since he left the Pride Lands. Like he was expecting Zira to somehow find him and hurt him again. Possibly kill him this time around.
It only been a few weeks before the arrival of the Maua's that Kopa had managed to relax enough to sleep without some troubles. Months since the nightmare. Which he was happy for. Sleeping with one eye open was never truly as terrible as the nightmares had been.
He thanked those above for that.
Though sometimes he wondered if he should thank them. Sometimes he wanted to shout and accuse them of everything that had happened. And then what Jelani had said to him about how bad things happened to both good and bad people but only seemed like it affected the good a lot more, came to mind. And made him just thank his parents above.
Thinking they at least were watching out for him.
That had been what had made him start sleeping more soundly.
Now when he dreamed, he dreamed of the good times. It made him sad yes. But better than the nightmares.
But back to sleeping with one eye open. He really did not want to have to start doing that again. Just to avoid the serval taking her vengeance out on him. Bald spots would not be attractive. Much less the teasing he would get from his friends would probably be enough to make him dig a hole and remain there until the hair grew back.
Nuru snorted. "You're only saying that to save your hide."
Kopa flashed her an innocent grin. "I got no idea what you mean by that." His grin widening when she waved her paw at him while rolling her eyes.
The serval getting herself comfortable in a nook of the tree which was her bed. Filled with leaves and grass that she had brought up there to make it more comfortable. A technique she copied from the gorilla's and the nests she saw them build.
Kopa on the other hand had teased her about how majordomo's were normally birds or that in which he knew them to be. So having a nest in a tree made her look more the part. That had been when he had really learned how far she could take to get her revenge if she felt that you went too far with your jokes.
Turning his head. Kopa looked over the pride. His eyes mainly watching the cubs who were getting their last minutes of play in for the day. He watched a muddy Jomo prance around his mother. While Tufa always got angry with others in the past if they got some dirt on her much less sticky mud.
With Jomo, Tufa seemed like a different person. She had more...patience as it were. Even if Jomo got her dirty. Tufa never raised her voice to him. When asked, she said she saw no reason to raise her voice to a cub over something like cleanness. When Yamile pointed out she did the same with the adults Tufa would tell them that adults should know better. Cubs were too innocent for that.
So she would let her son have his fun. She would bathe him and then clean herself up until her fur was once again so clean that Kopa thought it would end up sparkling. Which he was pretty certain that his aunt would not mind in the slightest.
"K-Ko-Kop-Kop-a"
The familiar sound of a stuttering voice reached his good ear.
Turning his head with a soft look and grin on his face. Kopa laid eyes on a pale beige cub, who had white splotches on her face and neck. "Hello Lila." He greeted her kindly.
Lila gave him a timid smile. The cub had a permanent stutter to her. Well one they hoped would not stay long into her adulthood. It made her a bit of a loner among the cubs already. She had taken a liking to Kopa some time after he had heard the other cubs poking fun at her for her stutter and had stood up for her.
"Come to sleep?" Kopa asked. Watching the cub nod her head.
Lila was adopted surprisingly by Ishara. Who was also the girls cousin. The cub was the daughter of one of Ishara's aunts that had perished. But Kopa found since the first night he let her sleep with him. Lila kept coming back. Said she felt safe with him.
Kopa knowing what it was like to feel that when he was young, of course Lila was much younger than he was, he could still understand how she felt. Kopa had tried to seek more company from one more than another at that time. Which Lila was using him for. He was fairly certain she would grow out of that.
But for now, he was glad to be the one she felt safe with.
So like every night since she had started to join him for sleep. He opened his paws to her. Much like his mother and father used to do with him. He watched her smile less timidly then jump into the safety and comfort of his arms. Which enclosed around her. Kopa pulling her to tuck her against his still growing mane.
Again something his father used to do with him when he was around Lila's age.
Like always she snuggled against it. Curing herself up. Purring as Kopa would lay his head down over her. Covering her, save for her head that was poking out from beneath him. The sound of her light breathing as she drifted off to sleep calmed him. It never took Lila long to fall asleep when she was comfortable he found.
From across the glade. Ishara was watching the two. Watching as Kopa was drifting off to sleep himself listening to the breathing of the cub he was holding. She had taken to watching the two ever since Lila had started sleeping with Kopa at night.
Ishara was a bit jealous, it had been her who had kept Lila company after the girl had witnessed her mothers death. She been a week old but her eyes had been open to witness the horrors. They suspected that was where the girls stutter came from.
Not that they could be completely certain with that. There simply was no way to tell. Javas said in all his years he just seen these things happen and they sometimes grew out of it and sometimes others did not.
So yes she was a little jealous. The girl was a sweet one. Reminded her of her aunt whom was the girls mother. She supposed she shouldn't feel jealous. Kopa did make Lila feel safe and welcomed since he had stood up for her. But she missed the girl sleeping in her own arms and whispering cooing words to her to comfort her.
Kopa had actually approached her on it wondering if it was okay for Lila to sleep by him. Wondering how she felt about it, seeing as she had taken to caring for the cub with some help of the other lionesses. Ishara had reassured him she was fine with it. But really deep down...
Then again watching the two...put a smile on her face. She saw Kopa, a cocky lion in her regard, turn soft and caring when it came to the small being in his arms. It made him appear new in her eyes. Made her heart flutter a bit. Made her blush beneath her fur.
"You know if you want to come over here and lay with them, you can."
Ishara looked up surprised at Nuru who was watching her from her nest in her tree. "Wh-what?"
"You developing a stutter now too?" Nuru asked her eyebrow up. Then she rolled her eyes and motioned with her paw. "Seeing as you are helping raise your cousin. I think Kopa would not mind if you wanted to sleep nearby her...you only had to ask."
The young lioness felt like glaring at the serval for her obvious statement. One she might have embarrassingly overlooked when it came to her small bit of jealousy over the situation. It made her blush with embarrassment and frustration.
Nuru snickered and turned to curl up in her nook. Ignoring the looks Ishara was sending her way.
Breathing deep. The young lioness looked back at Lila and Kopa. Wondering if she dared to go over. It seemed like forever when really it was only twenty seconds at best. That Ishara got up onto her paws and began making her way over to the two. Her eyes briefly going to Amun who was sleeping not that far away. The snores that were coming from him, made her wonder how either Kopa or Lila could sleep?
Turning her attention back to the two at hand. Ishara sighed and moved to lay along side the young prince. Keeping some space between them so that she did not end up brushing against him. Just laying her head down on her legs when she felt something touch her arm. And she released in her sleep Lila had reached over to rest her paw on her arm.
Smiling Ishara settled herself for the night. Watching the two for some time till she eventually drifted off joining the two in sleep.
"Be careful."
The words range in his ear. Which still hurt from where his aunt had flicked his ear when she told him for the twenth time to be careful. The younger lions had wanted to catch a glimpse of what the old Rasheda home looked like. What they were told their pride had originally come from.
Kopa had to admit. Even he was curious of it.
After all the tales he heard.
He been warned that the area had been destroyed.
That however did not stop the young lion's and lionesses from wanting to go and see and explore more than just the Rasheda territory. And rather than sneak off, they had spoken with the "adults" about it. They had been against it in the beginning.
Until Jaali saw the advantage of it. Claiming that just because they had a territory they should not be retrained to it. Not like he had growing up. It wasn't like there was much to have in territory wise. Many predators came and went from the new Rasheda land often having a few words with Jaali. The young King was no where as strict and demanding as his father had been when he lived and was King.
That said, it did not make Leta any less comfortable with the idea and gave them strict words about being careful.
Kopa had taken the lead on this one. This mostly had to do with the fact that he could briefly remembered the way the Gorilla's had taken to bring him to the Rasheda's along side Nuru.
Well that was until they had to take detours when they realized how many parts were indeed destroyed. This was the first time that Kopa was getting a good look at the devastation that the man creatures were doing to the jungle. Hearing the stories was one thing. It was another to see it with his own eyes.
"Beasts. The lot of them." Ishara stepped up along side him. The group was sitting on what was a small hill. Well what looked like a small hill. It was a series of rocks that had once been on the ground that those man things had pushed together with their yellow beasts.
From where they sat, they could see how far and wide the destruction went. Kopa could faintly make out the desert from where they were.
Kopa looked at Ishara with pity. Realizing exactly what they had gone through now. It had surprised him days before when he had woke to have her sleeping along side him and Lila. Whom had crawled out of her arms during the night. Then nestled herself between both Ishara and Kopa. Using the heat from both their bodies to warm and their presence to comfort her while she slept.
Since then, Ishara had joined them at night. Kopa had no complaints seeing as he liked little Lila, she was just too innocent not to like, and she was happy for Ishara joining them. So yes he made no complaints about it.
Kamal of course had a few things to say about it. Then as always Imena to the rescue. Ishara claimed Imena was the best thing to have happened to her brother. Claiming he needed someone who wasn't just family to him, to keep him in line when it was needed. Her brother wasn't bad in the very least. Only just very stubborn.
"This is what they did to your home?" Kopa looked at his friends.
Bomani grunted looking at the wasteland was he would put it. "We never really stuck around to see. But seeing this. We can only guess that this is what our old home looks like now." Anger appeared on his face. His green eyes narrowing. Over the months his mane had grown some more, but still was not to the size of Kopa's or his older friends were.
Sighing, Kopa looked at Ishara whose ears were drooping. He laid his paw on hers, then stepped back turning he made his way away from the scene now behind him. "Where are you going?" A young lioness called Asha questioned him.
"We're out here to explore aren't we?" Kopa called back over his shoulder at them. "We can't explore the old pride home. But there are plenty of spaces out there and no man creatures to bother us right now."
The others all shared looks among themselves. This had been a good idea in the beginning. Until they had stumbled upon what they had just laid eyes on.
It was Amar that ventured forward after Kopa first. "Might as well. Not like we thought we get the chance to explore beyond the pride territory." It had been suggested that they cross the river and see the gorilla's part of the combined territory. The Maua's however had still been against it.
That annoyed Kopa a bit. The gorilla's here he thought never did anything to them. And Chika had helped save his life. So he owed his life to her. She of course always waved his words off claiming he owed her mother. But he felt like he did, that it was the honorable thing to feel like he owed her for her help.
The group made their way through what remained of that section of jungle. As they went they ventured close to the desert border. Having been born and raised in the far deeper jungle all their lives. Those that had come from the Maua's had never seen the desert before. This was their first time of hearing of such a place.
Kopa of course remembered it clearly that he never wanted to step foot in one again. Not unless he absolutely had too. But if his friends wanted to see it. He bit back his complaint and just followed them in the direction he briefly could remember the desert would be in.
"Are you all right?" Kopa turned to look at Ishara who was walking along side him. Her eyes baring into him. Sometimes he felt like she could bare into his very soul. Which freaked him out a bit if he had to be honest about it.
The prince shrugged his shoulders. "Can't really say. Last time I saw the desert I was...well Nuru would put it, that I seemed half dead." Which was honestly what it had felt like. "Really if it had not been for Nuru stumbling upon me and stubbornly refusing to leave without helping me. I'd probably be dead." Yet another he owed his life too.
One Nuru said he repaid by allowing her to stay with him in the jungle and actually have some form of a home.
"Is it really that vast?" Ishara asked, the other girls in the group listening. Having grown up in deep dense jungle. They had never seen much open space. Even the Rasheda's current home was open and less dense than where they had come from. Not that they complained. It had been their home, and the only home they had ever known.
Until now.
"Vast enough that it never seems to have any end to it. Of course that could be because if you did not know where you were going. You'd probably end up going in circles which would make it feel like it went on forever." It was the only way he could truly describe it. After all that was what it had felt like the first few days he had been out there alone until Nuru had shown up.
It brought back memories as they closed in on where the desert would be. Of course he always had them. They could haunt him at any given time. It was just being close to where he had been close to death that bothered him.
Having not thought once that he would be coming back in this direction ever.
The girls squealed as they rushed on ahead of the adults. "Don't get too far ahead!" Kamal shouted.
They had greater number yeah that probably someone that would come up on them. Did not make them any less tense when the girls had run on ahead of them. It only took a few seconds for them to disappear from view. The bushes of the area concealing them from view.
They could however still hear their laughter ringing up ahead.
Bello looked sideways at Kopa. Noticing the lion was becoming tenser as they went. "Everything all right there Kopa?"
The other males present turned their heads to look at Kopa when the question was asked. Grunting, refusing to answer at first. Kopa eventually sighed. "Just this is the way I came in when I arrived at the jungle."
Bomani whistled and looked around. "Want to leave?"
Thinking it over. Kopa shook his head. "No need. Can't hide from the past." No matter how painful it was. It was just getting closer to the jungle's edge. Kopa was feeling that urge to just race off across the desert. To see if he could manage to find the land of which he was born in or get lost in the desert.
"I just have this...urge to go and find the Pride Lands...see how they are going...see what really happened...who could have possibly survived that night." Kopa hung his head a bit as he walked. His mane shadowing his eyes.
It was Kamal who surprisingly answered him. Calmly and less sarcastically for once. "Take it from someone who had lost their home just as you had. While you may think it to be a good idea to just run off and see what you might find there." Kamal looked at the younger lion walking a step behind him.
"What you might find...might not be what you want to see or hope and wish to see. So save yourself the heartache and just scrap that idea." He sounded a bit harsh by the end.
However Kopa could see what he was pointing at. He could just be getting his hopes up that what he feared happened that night was there waiting for him just to return. Maybe his father was alive and looking for him? Maybe his grandmother? He did not think his Father was the forgetful kind and would simply forget about him and would search for him if he was living.
That was another reason that discouraged him from going back. Surely his father if he was alive would have sent Zazu this way right?
So many what if's were running through his mind.
That he hadn't realized they had reached the very edge where the jungle met the barren lands of the desert. That was till a splash of sunlight hit him square in the face. More sunlight than he was used too from all the months of living among the trees of the jungle.
Clamping his eyes shut, and then opening them into splits bit by bit as he allowed his eyes to adjust. Kopa could briefly make out the others doing the same. The heat was more noticeable out here. Then again that was just the heat from the sun shinning down on open land. Not the humidity of the jungle.
"Man...it's so dry..." A gasp sounded from Amar who when he got his vision back and could properly see what laid before them. Gazed out at the dry barren lands.
The ground was dry and cracking for miles from lack of rain. In the distance, one could faintly make out the sand dunes. Kopa remembered them faintly.
The girls wanted to venture out to them. Wanting to feel what sand felt like. Well sand that wasn't wet. One could occasionally feel it on the side of a river bank but it was always wet.
They wanted to venture and see more of this open space.
To Kopa or anyone else it would appear like a barren wasteland. One that someone should not waste their time with bothering to explore.
To those who have never seen open space as much as they did now. It was hard to see them containing their curisoity and excitement. Well the boys were holding it back more than the girls were. That wasn't to say that Kopa could see them looking around at the new sight before them with curiosity.
"Can we?" Ishara jumped in front of him for a moment. Grinning ear to ear.
More than he thought she could ever grin before. He almost wanted to poke fun at her and say if she smiled any wider, she would crack her face. This time he kept his comments to himself.
Ishara seemed to have excitement bubbling inside her and Kopa did not want to extinguish that by making her angry. That and she would probably be less prone to tackling him. He did not feel like getting too much sand in his pelt. It felt like forever to get the last grains out the last time around.
"Pleeeeeaaaasssseee!"
By this time the other girls, minus Imena, who was shaking her head at their antics. Was grinning at him as if he was the decision maker in this. Which in a way perhaps he was. Seeing as the other males present were looking at him as well for a pending answer. All but Kamal who rolled his eyes and turned his head the other way.
Grunting, and lowering his head. Kopa touched his his missing ear was. A habit he supposed by then. Quiet for a minute, Kopa then nodded. "Fine..." The girls cheered cutting him off till he cleared his throat loudly to get their attentions. "However we cannot go too far. We have to stay within distance of the jungle so we can see the tree tops and use them to lead us back." He looked at each of them present.
"Clear?"
The others nodded their heads. "Clear." They agreed.
Kopa sighed and raised his head to make his way around the others. When the last thing he expected to happen, since he did not anger Ishara. Found himself on the ground. Having been tackled by the lioness. Shock was evident on his face. But it appeared she wasn't trying to pin him this time around.
Rather she was hugging him. And had her arms wrapped securely around his neck as she was beaming with the joy that he agreed to let them explore this new place. His shock soon turned to him grumbling as it felt like she was trying to choke the life out of him.
"Some help...here?" He managed to gasp.
Taking some pity of him. Imena stepped forward nudging Ishara with her paw. "Let the boy up Ish before you end up choking the life out of him."
Kopa only gasped more loudly when she released him from her grip. Which made her giving him a small glare and smack his shoulder. "I did not hold you that tight."
"Right..." Kopa rolled his eyes. Climbing back up onto his paws. He brushed himself off.
By this time the others had already started venturing out into the desert. Keeping close together so that none of them got lost. Ishara by his side, Kopa began venturing out into the desert for the second time in his life. It felt different now. He supposed it was because he was larger now and could see more around him than he previously could. That and he could better defend himself.
From the corner of his eyes. Kopa could make out that Ishara was looking around in every direction. Occasionally looking back to make sure the jungle tree line was still in sight. Which made him happy that she listened to that bit of advice.
"How you liking it so far?" He asked.
Ishara looked at him. "It's so...different..." She looked around and then up at the sun. "So hot...was the sun always this warm?"
"It may not appear that way in the jungle I know." Nodding his head, Kopa glanced up at the sun. "But everywhere else yeah...even where I was from. The days could get rather hot. Especially so during the dry season. Where we would get very little to even no rain for months sometimes."
That worked to make Ishara looked disturbed at that prospect. "What about water?"
"We would have to work to not over consume it. Which was hard with others aside the pride in the lands. Though during the dry seasons most the herds left to follow where the rains went. So it was more we had to be careful in what he hunted or what we could hunt." Pausing Kopa looked around them and motioned with his paw.
"However out here...it's far worst...Nuru had me eating lizards just to survive." He smirked at the face she made at that bit of knowledge. "They're not so bad once you get used to them."
"Well I hope I never get the reason to where I have to eat them just to survive." Ishara gagged a little at the thought of it.
It was rather cute, he had to admit, the face she made.
The young prince almost tripped over his own paws at that thought when it popped into his mind. Luckily he managed to keep his composure and Ishara never noticed any difference in him. He inwardly grumbled.
Witchcraft.
That was it.
It had to be witchcraft she cast that made her intrude his thoughts too much.
He had no other excuse. He did not want to think of liking a female. Well...not now at least. He had too much on his plate already. His training most of all and waiting to see what it was he had to do for the Rasheda's. Sure Jelani said he would be King. But sometimes Kopa had to wonder if he would even make it and Jelani only told him as much to make him think he had a future so it made him train harder.
He growled at that thought.
He'd been avoiding his training the last couple of days. Believing that he deserved some sort of break. Not that he did not see the guardian out of the corner of his eyes now and again. Though always appeared to vanish when Kopa would turn to look in that direction.
"You okay there?"
It was then that Kopa came to realize that he had growled out loud. Which of course had caught the attention of the lioness who was walking gradually along side him. Watching him with those turquoise eyes of hers.
He got lost in them for a moment, then he grunted "Yeah...just thinking of something."
"Want to talk about it?" She leaned a bit toward him.
"Not at this present time." Kopa shook his head. Side stepping a bit from her. She snorted at him and then picked up her pace so that she was getting ahead of him now.
"Come on slowpoke we're falling behind." By this time Kopa noticed how far ahead the others were and cursing he took off running across the sands to catch up with them. Always looking back to make sure they never ventured too far.
It was...refreshing.
Was that the word he should use to describe the day?
How did one describe playing around under the blazing sun that others would have otherwise scattered to try and take cover from?
Perhaps it was the thrill of having more space to run around it after months of living in the closed in jungle. Whatever it was. The day was fun overall.
The others had spent a majority of the time to explore and see what other creatures they may find out in the barren lands that they did not see in the jungle. When they had walked among the sand dunes, some of the girls attempted to dig into the sands which only seemed to make them slip down to the bottom. The sand was loose and shifted beneath their paws.
At some point a few of them had laid down to just enjoy the warmth of the sand and the feel of the sun shining down on them.
Kopa found himself with a small bump on his head. A smack from Ishara had caused it. Having caught a lizard he had dared her relentlessly to eat it. Finally to get him off her case about it. She took the lizard and decided to give it a try.
And immediately regretted it as did Kopa as she had spat it on the ground. Scrapped off her tongue. Then gave him the most evil of looks he had ever seen directed at him. Well from a friend at least. The look was followed by a smack to the head. And a round of laughter from their other friends. Which added to the headache he had from the hit.
It subsided yes. But Kopa was now thinking twice of what could happen if he dared Ishara to do something she ultimately did not want to do.
Having paid the price for that one.
The others had all laughed at him when he had gotten hit. Perhaps to avoid laughing at Ishara and getting the same treatment that he had from her.
Which he thought was smart in their case. Not so much for him. He really had to learn to keep his mouth shut.
The sun was still in the sky. But low enough that Kopa thought that they ought to start heading back. While they still had the light of day to show them where to go. Luckily the entire day they were out there, despite all their exploring they still managed to stay within sight of the jungle. So when Kopa gave the okay to head on back.
In a group they began making their way back to the cover of the jungle. Ishara going on to Kopa about how she had stories to tell Lila when they got back. The girl would like them no doubt. But Kopa agreed the girl was still too young to be brought to the desert. He knew first hand the desert was no place for a cub. Not unless they were born into such a place and grew up with it. Not some jungle cub.
The others were all laughing and joking around him by the time they had reached the shade of the trees. Which felt great. While he did not mind the day in the sun. Some shade at the end of a long day was good he thought. Kopa figured they could find something to hunt and fill their stomachs then find a safe place to lay.
Like it had taken them to just get to this part of the jungle. It had taken them a day and a half with the pace that they had set. And perhaps would take another day and a half to get home if they did not detour. Kopa would say it be better to head off at the break of dawn. He rather not travel the jungle at night. Even in their group.
The boys agreed to find a safe place to roost for the night if the lionesses got their meal. Which the girls quickly agreed too only because. "Who knows what you might fail at catching" They teased then made their way off into the jungle to find what they could that would still be remaining in these parts of the jungle.
They had settled on a hollow tree for cover.
The girls would sleep cuddled inside together for warmth while the boys would lay outside for protection to them.
The lionesses had managed to find a stray chimp in which they caught and brought down and took back to the others. It was enough to fill all their stomachs and enough that they could last a day without having to hunt again so soon while they made their way back to the pride.
Kopa was just finishing his portion. When a scent reached his nose. A scent that made his hackles stand on end. And a low growl escape his throat. The others stopping what they were doing when they heard it and looked at their friend. Caught off guard by the distorted look on his face.
"Kopa..." Ishara stepped toward him first. Freezing when he growled again.
Kamal by this time narrowed his eyes. "Hey don't growl at my sister..." He didn't get much else out when Kopa had jumped around him and had started bolting in a direction to the south of them in the jungle. But still along the desert borders it appeared.
"Kopa!" They all shouted. Without a moments thought taking off after him. Wanting to know what had gotten him so riled up. At first they feared the man creatures. But they remembered those scents and sounds that they remembered from when the creatures had attacked them.
No the only scents they could pick up were lion...and the scents were not their own.
They quickened their pace wondering why this would get Kopa so riled up. Did he think them a threat?
No, Ishara had a feeling perhaps it went deeper than that. So picking up the pace, she ran on after Kopa. Finding him hunkered down behind some thick bushes on some rocks that overlooked a ravine below.
"Kopa...Kopa what is it?" Ishara whispered only to have him reach over to cover her mouth to indicate for her to be quiet. Nodding, she looked back at the others as they finally managed to catch and giving them the look that told them likewise. All of them hunkered down and peered into the area where they could see the figure of a gray lion with a large black mane getting a drink from the water at the bottom.
There was another scent lingering in the air. Female from the likes of it. But they could see no sign of the female.
The others glanced at Kopa who was watching the lion below with hatred burning in his eyes. "Kopa...do you know this lion?"
The prince was quiet for what seemed like forever. Then a growl came from his throat. "His name is Nuka." Kopa was certain it was him. He looked bigger and more filled out than he remembered. But his colouring...his scent...it was him. He was certain of that.
"Who's Nuka?" They looked confused.
"The son of the bitch who killed my mother." The others tensed all seeing the anger that was building more and more in Kopa. Who looked ready to spring at any given moment.
Ishara reached out and laid her paw on his arm. "Kopa settle down...we don't know why he's here..."
"Does it really matter?" Kopa narrowed his eyes. He remembered how Zira had mocked him that night. He could clearly hear her voice now as the memories he rather surpress came flashing forward. Of how his old friends had used him to get him away from the safety of his mother and where his father had hidden them.
Had gotten him out in the open where he had lost his way and had gotten corned...and had gotten his mother and family killed.
Clamping his eyes shut to try and hold back the tears that were threatening to fall. Stinging his eyes behind his closed eyelids. Of all the things to bring back the pain and memories of that night. It had to be a sighting of his old friend. The one who betrayed him. In the beginning he hadn't wanted to blame his friends.
In the end, Kopa wanted to blame anyone who had anything to do with Zira that night...that is save for Hawa who had tried to help them.
"Come on bro...leave him. No need to bloody your own paws." Bomani slipped over to his other side and nudged him. Looking at Ishara who agreed they had to get Kopa out of their. Before their friend did something that he might end up regretting. While they were sure that Kopa would deny regret what he was thinking on no doubt doing. Ishara thought somewhere down the road, he might.
The two managed to push him back a bit with the others going to help. When Kopa sprung over them. Through the bushes and over the rocks quietly. His stealth training and just living in the jungle these last months helped his nimbleness when he moved. Making his way up to the rocks that were directly above Nuka.
Glaring down upon the lion he had once called a friend. Watching him for a minute. Nuka did not even seem to catch onto his scent. Fool, he thought.
For his own dramatic effect and to release some of his anger. Kopa released a roar. The sound echoed within the ravine. Startling the birds from the trees. Causing the lion below to tense and whip around and head going up to stare wide eyed at who was looming above him.
But more of surprise than recognization. Kopa could clearly see this lion before him did not recognize him at all. Not that he could blame him. The last they saw each other, Kopa had his tuft coming in, had both ears and no scars on his face. So of course he would not recongize the cub he pretended to be friends with.
While Kopa...he could see plain as day his old friend in the lion before him. "You are trespassing." He spoke harshly. His voice was deep. Much deeper than it had been the last they saw one another.
He watched confusion come over Nuka's face. His voice too was deeper than he remembered but he could still hear his friend in that voice. "I did not know any lions claimed here. There is no scent markings."
Which was true, this part of the jungle did not belong to the lions anymore. Not that it really mattered in Kopa's mind at the moment. "This entire jungle belongs to us." He bore down at the lion before. Narrowing his eyes.
"Us?" Nuka looked around. Then turned his attention back to the lion looming above him. "I only see one of you." He wanted to get this lion away before Zawadi came back. She had only just went off to hunt. Nuka had brought them to the cover of the trees shortly after he had found her and had chased off the hyenas she had the unfortunate chance of running into.
Well more like after she had spent several hours lecturing him. Reprimanding him for disappearing for so long. In truth Nuka had lost count of how long he had been gone for. It wasn't like it was easy to keep track of the days and weeks when you were more focused on your survival. He had lost the trail he had originally made that would have led him back to the Outlands.
He was only just going to decide on a new route to take when he had caught the scent of Zawadi. Which had surprised him at first. Then it was mixed with the scent of hyenas. The scent of blood in the air had wafted his way. And he did not waste time in getting to her side.
And while she seemed happy to see him and grateful for the help...which she also lectured believing she could have done it herself if she had the time. She was always irritatable. Having waited months for his return. Only to see no sign of him.
Knowing better, Nuka had said nothing, only sat there while she let out he anger and frustration at him. He knew his friend well enough that she needed it in order to speak any sense to her. So when she was finally done. Nuka explained on his part what had happened. It didn't please her at first but then she ultimately just sighed and accepted his reasons.
Not that it did not save him from a smack to the head. And if he had to be honest, he would be disappointed if she didn't. It made it clear that she really was there in front of him. That she was real.
Soon after he took her to get some cover out of the sun. To rest and relax. And for the two of them to catch up. They had been in the area for four days now. Nuka could see how bruised and battered Zawadi's paws had become during her journey through the heated desert. It was further than she had ever walked or ran in her entire life. Nuka's paws had been the same before he had gotten used to it.
Nuka learned what was going on back home. And he grunted at Zawadi's idea to his mother on how to expand the pride. He did not like the idea because it meant promising death in the future if not anything else or so that was how he saw it. That said, he thought it was better than the original plan his mother had suggested.
She's becoming as mad as Father had once been. When he was still alive.
True. Nuka could barely remember Scar. But he rememebred enough. And he knew the stories. Being out here, Nuka could see things perhaps a bit more clearly than he previously could. There were moments out here, that he worried about inheriting the same madness that came from both his lines of parentage.
They had plans to go and find Kovu, and Vitani. With Nuka more worried about his little sister than he was his half brother. Zawadi agreed she would go hunt first, so that they would be filled up for the journey in the case that they did not managed to find even a small morsel of food out there while they searched. Goodness knows how long that was going to take.
Now he was hoping to get this lion who shows up out of nowhere to leave him alone. Before Zawadi got back. While he himself would like to avoid a fight. Zawadi would take the challenge in a heartbeat.
Looking at the lion. Nuka thought he felt like he knew him from somewhere. While he was trying to wrap his mind around that. The lion above smirked down at him and motioned to the bushes above them as more started to step out of them into view. Lionesses and lions alike.
Far more than he thought he stood a chance again. Perhaps the one lion yes. But Nuka did not feel like fighting a group of them. And he did not want Zawadi fighting either. He really did not have much of a reason other than he did not feel like the fight was necessary. If this was really their territory, there was no means for them to stay here.
Ishara from where she stood looked over at Kopa. The anger she was radiating from him was more than she thought the lion could possess. In a way it scared her. She'd sene him angry before whenever he got too flustered. This wasn't one of those times. This was a side of her that neither of them had ever seen on the young prince.
"Kop..." Ishara went to speak when Kopa raised his way giving her a look to silence her.
Kopa did not want Nuka to know it was him. Not yet at the very least. Turning his head he peered downwards. "We caught the scent of two. Where is the other one of you hiding?" His eyes darted around looking for the other source of the scent he smelled. It was lion and female. That much he could tell.
It was however not Vitani's scent. He would recognize that scent anywhere.
Some part of him in the back of his mind, thought he recognized the scent. However the source it would belong too. Was long dead. And would have no reason to be present at this course of time. So it had no part to belong to whom first came to mind.
"My friend is just currently hunting...when she gets back...we'll leave." Nuka was tense. His claws were unsheathed and digging into the ground. While he did not want to fight. He also did not want to appear weak in front of these strangers. He worked too hard the last couple of months not to be weak no longer.
Kopa narrowed his eyes. "Do you know the penalty for hunting on another lions territory?" Of course again this was no longer Rasheda territory. Nuka on the other hand, did not know that.
Ishara gave him a look. The other lionesses were hunkered back wondering what was going to happen. His male friends on the other hand were all waiting and watching to see what Kopa was going to do. Grins on their faces. Like this was the sort of action any young lion looked forward to acting out. Protecting their pride from strange lions.
Certainly again their pride was far away from where they currently were. The males could say they had the females present that they were protecting from this stranger.
"In fact I do." Nuka could not resist his smirk. He was being abit cocky. But there was truth to his words. He knew the penalty for hunting in the Pride Lands and the lands associated with them.
The penalty if they were caught all the times they had crossed to hunt desperate for a fulfilling meal. Luckily each time they managed to get out in time. Sometimes with a catch and other times empty handed.
Watching the lions face. The stranger looked like he wasn't expecting such an answer. Kopa narrowed his eyes. How could he possibly know something like that unless that smirk was to meant that he knew what it was like for his family to take over another ones territory in order to hunt for it or maybe he had been run out of another territory while he was out here.
Why the hell was he out here?
"What business does a lion like you have out here?" Kopa began making his way down the rocks. Stopping midway.
"My friend and I stumbled upon this place for some rest...we have been travelling a long time...our ah...pride has a new coming of age ritual. Where adolescents are sent off one their own to learn to survive then return to the pride." Nuka explained.
It would not seem unusual for a pride to send their males away. But their females was another thing unless they did something. But the way Nuka explained it. His pride expected him back.
Kopa had to wonder how much of a pride was left. Was it all of Zira's followers? Was some of the other Pride landers forced to follow the new ruler. This new scent that lingered around. Did one of the lionesses that followed Zira have a new cub? If so he did not think that cub would be so old yet to be out here...but what did he know. He been away for too long.
Zira managed to hide her real intentions for so long. It would not surprise him if she had secret followers too. That could expand the pride lands with their own numbers.
The thought angered him. And a growl ripped from his throat. His father had done everything to free the Pride Landers from Scars madness and here his crazy ass mate had taken over and ruined everything.
Nuka was taken back by this males sudden anger. Was it something he said? Nuka did not think he had said anything and he hadn't made any move to show he was a threat other than show that he wasn't going to be submissive either. "Look...let me go get my friend...and we'll leave...I swear." Nuka could catch Zawadi's scent returning.
He wasn't sure if she was even aware if they were alone no longer.
Another growl made him look back and realize that while he was distracted the strange male had gotten right in front of him. Far too silently. Like a ghost almost. His scars, angered filled eyes and snarl made him look all that more intimidating now that they were face to face.
"Do you not recongize me?" Kopa started to advance slowly. By this time he was not thinking logically. He had his families dead bodies flashing before his eyes. Of course he had only seen his mothers and his baby brothers. That factor did not matter. He could picture what the rest of them had looked like when Zira took them down.
Furrowing his brow. Nuka held his ground. Refusing to back away no matter how much this male advanced more toward him. Confusion came over him. What did this strange mean by not recongizing him? He had never been to this region in his life. And while yes, he had bypassed many a rogue during his travels these past couple months. This ones face did not ring a bell.
"I think I would recognize a lion missing an ear and scars on his face." He said it so calmly and yet it recieved a snarl in response. Which only confused him more. Was he sensitive about those things? "I'm sorry...I did not mean to offend you." Nuka jumped back when a set of jaws snapped at him barely missing him by a few inches.
"What the hell is your problem!?" Nuka shouted at him. In complete surprise. Here he was being civil and this lion was acting like he had caused some great crime against him to recieve such anger. Above him he could make out the gasps of the lionesses present when their friend had snapped at him.
"I find it funny that I can tell who you are. But you cannot do the same. Perhaps your mind chose to forget." Kopa began to circle Nuka. Who was turning in response to him so that Kopa could never take him from behind. Not that he needed too. He had enough strength to attack him head on. But first he wanted answers from Nuka. He wanted to know what was going on back home. Back in the Pride Lands.
Wanted to know who was dead and who was alive.
Wanted to know how Nuka felt to betray someone who considered him a close and dearest friend. Kopa had known how Nuka and Kovu would have felt when it came to lion tradition how males would leave the pride. The young prince had pleaded with his father not to let that happen. He only had so many friends. Kopa did not want to loose any.
Hadn't wanted his friends to have to leave the only home they had ever known.
What a fool he had been not to see their true intention.
In the end it was not them who had to flee their home. To survive like his parents would have wanted him too. After all they had given their lives for him. That's what everyone kept telling him. And how their sacrifice should not be in vain.
Nuka may be here standing before him. Far from the Pride Lands. But he could return. Where Kopa could not.
Nuka was beginning to feel his frustration rising. "I have no clue what you are talking about. I have never met you before!"
"Liar!" Kopa roared leaping at him and slamming his paws down into the ground where Nuka had been standing if he not leap back when the stranger came at him.
Nuka could feel his heart racing. Pounding in his ears. Confusion clogging his mind. What the hell was with this lion. Was he..."Maybe you are confusing me with someone else..." The lion seemed absolutely mad. Reminding him of his own parents.
And Kopa was mad. Mad with rage. Rage he been holding in for months. That was bubbling beneath the surface with no real reason to reach for the surface. That was until Nuka was standing right in front of him. Then all that concealed rage was coming forth. And he could not control it. He wanted too...well some part of him did.
Ishara watching from above was looking on with shock on her face. This was a side of Kopa that she did not know existed in the lion. Where was that cocky smile that she liked. The one she liked to smack off his face while at the same time have it flash at her as they play argued with one another.
Despite how much Kopa could frustrate her. That was all their arguing ever was. Play fighting. Seeing as it never got too out of hand.
This...this scared her a bit...perhaps more than a bit...There was just something wrong with this picture...a lion as sweet as Kopa could be, yes he could be annoying...REALLY annoying...but that was beside the point. The sweet lion that cuddled her cousin every night...that lion was not standing down there right now.
Rather one who felt such pain and was all rushing back to him, that he had no idea how to handle it all. That fear became sympathy.
Her friends around her were low to the ground with worry written across their faces. The boys however were started to look concerned but also cheering Kopa on a bit. Which earned them sharp looks from her and Imena.
Below them, Kopa had begun his circling again. With Nuka matching him pace for pace. Never giving Kopa the chance to get behind him. Smelling the air, Nuka could tell Zawadi was getting closer. A feeling of relief and just wanting to get out of there before she did to get her and run was crossing his mind.
Kopa was too occupied that he did not notice the other scent baring down on them. And at rapid pace too.
"I. Am. Not. Lying." Nuka stressed out. "How could I be? How could I know you, if I have never been to these parts?"
A reasonable question. Kopa agreed inwardly but kept that to himself. Be as it may, Kopa knew otherwise. Even if Nuka was too clueless to see what was right in front of him. His mistake.
He felt like killing him here and now. Let Zira live with the knowledge of not knowing whether one of her offspring was dead or not. Not that he thought she'd care much. Nuka was clueless to follow a mother like her. Even he could see she never cared for him or at least that was how he felt.
His own mother always reassured him that while she and Zira never saw eye to eye. She was certain the lioness loved her cubs. In her own...twisted...kind of way.
It was those thoughts that made him want to make her feel his pain. Loosing Scar had been one thing he supposed. Loosing someone who was blood and of your own body was perhaps worst. Or so that was what he thought.
He wanted too...she had to feel his pain...
But no...
No...
No matter the pain that was coursing through him. The anger that was bubbling beneath his skin in his very soul.
Kopa could not fathom the idea of being a murderer.
That common sense deep in the back of his mind. Poked through enough to remind him of that. He was not a killer. Kopa did not have it in him to kill someone out of revenge and in cold blood.
In spite of that, Kopa paused his line of thought. He could not bring himself to kill someone in cold blood. Not even someone like Nuka. No matter how much he wanted to see if Zira felt enough love to mourn the death of her son. Kopa saw no reason not to...well not to mess Nuka up a bit.
Make him drag himself back to his mother bloodied and battered. Perhaps with a reminder that she failed to get all of the line of Mufasa.
With those thoughts in mind. Kopa bunched his anger up inside him. Squaring his shoulders, he planted his paws firmly apart while he eyed his opponent who quickly matched his stance once it dawned on Nuka that this lion had no intention of letting him get out of him scot-free. "I don't want to fight you..."
"You do not get a say in this." Kopa snarled. He needed to get this out of his system. He knew that now. And the best way to get it out was take it out on the lion in front of him.
This is for you...mother...father...brother...sisters...He mentally recited all of whom he was doing this thought of them ruled his anger on. Eyes narrowing and a echoing snarl, Kopa made a few steps then took a run at the lion who was bracing himself for impact. Unaware that the lion about to attack him was the very friend he had been mourning all these months, who wanted nothing more than to vent his sorrow and anger out on him.
Knowing there was no point in running now. Nuka closed his eyes. Preparing himself for impact. He would let this lion get the first few attacks in while he figured out what his weak sides were. Anger was never a good fuel driver for a fight he thought. It blinded people. Their rage did.
The impact never came.
In its place was a roar of equal amount of rage. That did not belong to him nor his male opponent. Rather belonging to the brown lioness that came jumping out of the bushes when Kopa was within arm reach of Nuka. Her body colliding with the males and sending the two of them toppling to the ground.
One on top of the other.
Those above gave shouts of surprise at her sudden appear. Having forgotten for a few short minutes that there was another out there. That this Nuka guy had a friend out there lurking in the jungle. Who appeared to have figured out her friend was in trouble and had come running.
Which was exactly what Zawadi had done. Having just finished her hunt. The young lioness had been in the process of dragging her kill back to where she had left Nuka. Hunting in this...jungle...that was what Nuka called it. He heard the birds calling it that, so that was what he had figured it out to me.
It was unlike any place she had ever hunted before.
Open plains, and barren waste lands.
Those were the places she was used too. So it took her a bit longer to find pray large enough to fill both her and Nuka for some time. And it took her a bit longer also to get used to trying to run through this place to catch said prey. It wasn't like she ever had to worry about so many damn trees when it came to hunting in the past. Not that she had much experience with too many hunts. Rather more with scavenging.
Which in a way was quite embarrassing for a lion, or so that was her opinion on the matter.
That however was aside the point. She'd been on her way back to Nuka. Following her own trail back to him. Her prey in her jaws which she was dragging. It was part way back to where they had camped out the last couple of days. Which had really been more of Nuka's suggestion rather than her own.
That had been when the scents of lions reached her senses. There were too many scents to tell how many of them there were. More than there was of her and Nuka for certain. And that was all she needed to know. More importantly they were coming from where she could smell Nuka.
Without a second thought. It made her drop her catch and take off in that sole direction. Wanting to be there if things got out of hand. Certainly, Nuka appeared to now be able to hold his own more than he could in the past. She liked her friend, she really did. Cared for him perhaps more than she cared to admit.
He was only one lion and these...well the numbers obviously greater.
The closer she got to them. She began to make out some shouting. Other than that she was still too far to make out what else might be said between them. There was one thing she could make out. The anger in the voice of the one who appeared to be yelling at Nuka.
This spurred her on.
A break in the trees gave her a look at who it was that was talking to Nuka. And whom was just about to attack him. While Nuka seemed to be the fool standing still.
Not giving it much thought. Zawadi had let out the roar to announce her arrival. And with one leap she crossed the distance between her and the unknown male. Knocking them both away from Nuka who gasped and called out her name. "Zawadi!"
She wasn't lying. Her paws were already swinging.
This male dared to attack her friend. Dared to attack someone of the few people she cared about and actually cared about her. Oh yes. Zawadi was seeing red.
What's more, this male was fighting her paw for paw. Keeping her swings from hitting and refusing to let her claws mark his skin. His own paws were swiping at him which was being deflected as well.
Finally Kopa was getting frustrated. Angered that he did not notice that Nuka's mysterious friend had been so close by enough to deter his attack. What's more this lioness knew how to fight. And for some strange reason the way she fought reminded him of someone.
It dawned on him rather quickly.
Zira.
This lioness had to have been trained by Zira.
He growled. He did not know who this lioness was. He couldn't get a good look at her. She was swinging too hard and too fast for him to stop and look at her. It was when he caught a glimpse of brown fur that he found himself distracted. That shade of brown. It was like his mothers.
This caused for a distraction. Long enough for the lioness to swipe him across the face. Luckily enough her claws hadn't made contact. Just the pad of her paw. Not that it made it hurt any less. Snapping him out of shock. Long enough to give a roaring snarl. Using all four of his paws to lift her up and off him and throw her a distance away.
He heard two shouts and realized he must have thrown her into Nuka. The sound of two bodies hitting the ground was heard shortly after the shouts confirming that.
Then the sound of a pair of paws scrambling to their feet.
From the sound of the panting. It was the lioness.
Kopa, still not having a look at her yet. Slowly got back up onto his own paws. Wondering why he had been distracted by that colour of fur. He groaned rubbing the side of his head where the lioness's paw had made contact with his snout. No claw marks luckily. Still a throbbing pain from how hard she knew how to hit.
Was he becoming delusional? That in his anger and memories a brief image of his mother came to mind and distracted him? There was no other reasonable explanation. There was no other brown lioness with her colours around...even in the Rasheda's he been told she was the last...spirit's above he really was loosing it.
He let his anger block his senses and his memories to cloud him.
He could hear Ishara, and then see her trying to make her way down the rocks to him. A look of worry on her face. He felt a stab of guilt knowing it was him who put it there.
That distraction and that knock to his face seemed to clear his mind. The anger that was there before was subsiding. Allowing him to see and think more clearly. He faced Ishara the moment she got in front of him and was looking him over with her eyes. "I'm fine Ishara..." He grunted.
"Not for much longer you won't be. No one attacks my friends and lives to tell about it." The new voice behind him growled. Kopa could faintly remember what Nuka had called her. Zawadi. Strange name. He knew no one by that name. So she had to be new to Zira's pride. How, he still did not know. And didn't really know if he wanted the answer to that.
It was no longer his concern...wasn't it?
"Zawadi...calm down..." Nuka whispered. He still did not know what had angered this lion. Did he have temperament issues? Was he truly just mad in the head? Whatever the reason he appeared to be calming down. Perhaps long enough for them to get answers and straighten out this entire mess.
Nuka really liked to get out of here too. Just wanting to grab Zawadi and run before this lion's anger rose again. Which Zawadi seemed to be wanting to do. She was riled up and wanted a good fight. Zawadi had no qualms with killing. Not like he did. And he worried if that fight caught the attention of anymore of these lions pride. Or if his friends above would join the fight now that Zawadi made her little threat.
Her one green eye glared at him, though he had a feeling her blind eye was too. He nudged her head with his head.
"Your friend should not have been trespassing." From above Amar growled. Kopa grunted and raised his paw. Not wanting to involve his friends in this. They were already seeing it all. This was his fight not theirs he thought. And was happy they had not bothered to intervene yet. He did have a feeling though he was going to get a headache from Ishara over this and later his aunt and uncle if they found out.
Wouldn't matter what his excuse was if he explained it. They would think he was being too reckless.
And maybe he was.
Hell, he was surprised Jelani hadn't showed up yet. No doubt the Guardian would have a thing or two to say to him about what he had done. Not that he was looking forward to it. He rather face his aunt Leta than the Guardian. Who might blame him for misusing his training. Not that Kopa thought he was.
But who knows what that hairless ape would think?
"Just drop it Amar." Kopa grunted. It was an excuse he used to put Nuka on the spot anyways. Obviously there were no scents of lions in the area until now. Even Kopa could not depict the smell of rogues. No doubt keeping clear of the danger area's.
These two however did not get that memo or were just that desperate for food that the jungle could provide that they might lack out in the desert.
He heard the female growl behind him. Boy did this one have a temper. Then again so did he moments ago. He did have a good reason for it though, if he had to defend himself in that regard...well he did just try and again her friend...so maybe she had her reason to her temper just the same.
Something deep in his mind however told him, she was naturally this hot tempered.
"Afraid you'll be beat by a little girl?" The female taunted him from behind.
Zawadi digging her claws into the soft ground. Was wondering what was taking this lion so long to attack some more. That fiery rage could not possible gone out that quickly? And here she was edging for a fight. Ignoring Nuka beside her. He was a fool to have just stood there waiting for this lion to attack him when he could and should have met his attack with one of his own.
Kopa gave a small snort. A look from Ishara made him hold his tongue on what would have been his usual retort about there could be no way a girl could ever beat someone like him. "Fear has nothing to do with it."
"Then what?" Zawadi snarled. "You think you can get away with attacking us without reason?" She glared up at Amar who was still perched on the rocks above with the others. "Your excuse of territory is a weak one. I scouted this entire area for days. There is no pride around this part. The birds say there is one further in a few days walk nothing more. Which I am guessing that is where you lot come from." Zawadi narrowed her eyes.
Looking back and forth between each individual present. Including the one who was still keeping his back to her. "So I can only guess you're all trouble makers looking for some excuse to attack someone." Pausing to reflect what she just said. Zawadi fought the urge to groan.
Great now she was starting to sound like her mother.
Becoming suspicious when she saw eyes turn to look at the lion she had tackled away from Nuka. The lion himself she took notice had tensed again. Not from anger this time she noted. But a different reason all together. So the question of why he attacked laid on him, that was what she got from all this.
"Well..." Zawadi growled. "You going to give me an answer."
"He looks like someone I know...or knew..." Was the gruff response that came back.
Zawadi narrowed her eyes. Beside her Nuka nudged her. "Zawadi...let's just leave..." Nuka saw no point in sticking around. The lion was calm now. Calmer than he had been before. He figured this was the right now for them to sneak away. Lest the lion get riled up again.
Ignoring Nuka. Zawadi took steps towards the unnamed male. "Did you ever think to catch his name?"
"No..." Not that he really had too, Kopa thought bitterly. He knew exactly who Nuka was. However he was debating whether or not he wanted them to know whom HE was. Sure he questioned Nuka in his rage to see if he could recognize him or not as the friend he had betrayed.
"So you're nothing but a coward who attacks without reason."
Kopa felt the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. This little lioness was beginning to wrack on his nerves. There was no fault to her words...well perhaps the coward part was...she just did not know the truth. Nor did he think he wanted them too. He could faintly hear Nuka saying that they should leave.
Which he was thinking was for the best. He had his anger controlled at the moment. For how much longer. Kopa couldn't think up an answer for that. Having desired some sort of revenge for some time now. That when it was right in front of him. His rage he had concealed for so long had burst forward that he did not think of anything else but unleashing it onto Nuka.
He would have preferred it to be Zira. Nuka was just second best at that moment. Seeing as Zira was so far away and Nuka was right here.
A moment he did not think he would get. And a moment he wasn't going to let slip past him.
Now that his head was clear. Kopa saw where getting revenge was not going to get him anywhere. It wasn't going to bring back his parents. And his mother would no doubt consider Zira's cubs innocent in the whole thing.
To Kopa, he loved his mother dearly, but considered her blind when he knew she would say exactly that. They could have participated in her murder, and she would still just say they were innocent lives being forced to do what they did.
Kopa wasn't like his mother. He would hold them all accountable for her death.
That said, again, revenge was never going to bring them back.
And so..."Listen to him girly. Better to get out of here."
He heard her hiss behind him. Having obvious touched a soft spot.
"No." Zawadi stood her grounds stubbornly. "I think you owe my friend an apology." Again she wanted to smack herself for sounding like her mother. She could hear Vitani snickering at her now.
A gruff laugh was her answer, followed by. "Never going to happen little girl." He may have overreacted the way he had in his sudden rage. It did not mean he was going to apologize.
"Then you are nothing but a coward for attacking a lion you do not know, who is no threat, not on your territory and for some stupid reason as looking like somebody you know." Zawadi by this time was egging him off. Obvious it been awhile since she had a good fight. Well aside from those hyenas. It was a lion she was eager to fight. Having never fought another lion. Aside from of course those of her pride.
She did not count them.
That may sound insult. It was no doubt the truth.
Strong as they may be. Neither Kovu or Nuka had ever gotten a win out of her. This lion had managed to kick her off during an attack. From how he managed to smack away her attacks while doing so proved he must be a good challenge. One she wanted to test further. Right now it wasn't about Nuka and what this lion did to attack.
Yes, she was using that to egg him on. But hey...she needed something to get him riled up.
"Come on boy...what did that other lion ever do to you..." A smirk crossed her face. Catching him tensing again. That atta boy. "Did he step on your tail?" She made a voice like one would speaking to a toddler and watched his fur stand on end.
Beside her, Nuka was hissing for her to drop it and just get out of the area and go find his siblings.
He could see now it was less about defending him and more about her ego and wanting to prove her strength.
Not that he would mind. Normally he liked watching Zawadi hand someones ass to them. Normally that person was Kovu. There was just something about watching her that pleased him whenever she showed how strong she was. He probably knew the reason, he just wasn't willing to admit it...not yet at the very least.
Now was not the time however he thought for her to do it. Something inside him told him that this lion...he couldn't shake it off. There was just something about him. He couldn't shake it off yet at the same time he could not think of why he did not want Zawadi to hurt this lion.
His mind went to when he was asked about if he recognized him.
The entire time, Nuka was trying to think. He was taking in the lions fur, his eyes and mane.
There was something about it all that screamed at him...but what sirens that went off in his head. Knew it was impossible...
"...Come on kitty." Zawadi smirked. During Nuka zoning out, she had gotten a few steps in front of him and in the other lions direction. "...What did this lion do to you?" It was clear she was getting to him.
The lioness in front of the male was glaring at her from over his shoulder and whispering to him not to listen and let her words get to him.
"Welllllllll?"
That did it. The lion whipped away his eyes glazing with a hidden fire as his previous anger was poking through again. "He betrayed my family and got them killed!" Kopa snapped. He hated this lioness. Why couldn't they just leave? Why did she have to be some mad idiot to try and pressure his reasons and memories back in full force.
It wasn't often he wanted to hit a female. Wrestling was one thing. Another was strikign Zira like he desperately wanted too for some time. But he never really stood for striking a lioness. Not unless they attacked him first. This lioness was getting so much on his nerves he might just overlook his morals and strike first.
Amber eyes met green and gray.
Blind in one eye, but still it seemed to shimmer with mischief with the eagerness for a fight.
It was however not the fact that she was partially blind that took him back.
It was her fur.
Brown.
A colour brown that he had not seen on a lion since his mother. What's more that wasn't the only colour of her fur. The white...of course there were plenty of lionesses out there with white on their fur and had to have brown fur.
All save the fact...there was only one lioness out there...that ever had significant white legs that went to her elbows on the front of their legs and no place else other than their muzzle and underbelly.
Only one that Kopa had known at all in his short life...
The breath caught in his throat. His heart had stopped in his chest that he thought he would die any minute of shock.
It could not be.
His eyes were playing tricks on him.
She was dead. He saw her disappear beneath the waters himself.
The little life that he himself had failed to protect when she had been placed in his care.
He could still remember her little cries as the water had swept her away. Taking her innocent life away in such an unfair way. Such innocence ended too soon.
No...No it could...not...
Kopa's body began to shake. So much Ishara near him could make it out and looked at her friend with new concern. His eyes were wide and his pupils looked almost dilated. Giving him the appearance of utter shock. Which confused her? What was causing this?
Her eyes went back and forth between her friend and this stranger.
Why was she causing this reaction in Kopa?
The lion himself was too lost in thought. That he couldn't find himself focusing on anything else or anyone else around him. No. All there was...was this young lioness standing before him. Looking like his baby sister the last time he saw her alive, and looking to be the age she should be if she had lived.
A bit on the short side yes.
But all the same...
His eyes directed back to her face. More importantly the scars that marred it.
They too were familiar.
Eshe did not come away from that night unscathed. Having received injuries from Zira who had gotten her little face. Just short of Hawa arriving.
Wounds if he remembered correctly. Were identical to this lioness's.
Right down to the scar across her eye that no doubt was the cause of her blindness.
His heart pounded in his chest. Faster and faster. Kopa thought at any moment it would burst out from the force that was pumping behind his breast.
His mind drifted to the thoughts he had before. When he first discovered the second scent that had lingered in the air along side Nuka's. He had dismissed it at first. Thinking his mind had only been playing tricks on him. That scent could not have possibly belonged to Eshe.
Eshe was dead...just like the rest of them...
He witnessed it...
Didn't he?
Surely he had...but what if he hadn't...there had been a fork in that river...what if she had gone down the way he hadn't suspected...no, he had...but Eshe was so young and so little. With no knowledge of how to swim. Kopa always thought and figured she had drowned.
How could he not? The way the waters raged that night. Even he barely managed to stay clung to the sides of that ravine.
So what if he had been wrong?
That Eshe had somehow survived that night and had been found by...
A new wave of anger flushed through him. His eyes snapped toward Nuka who was taken back by this. What could possibly have angered the lion this time? He asked himself. Nuka grunted. This lion truly had to be mad. Remembering the gray lion of his mother and how easily she could be angered without any really known reason other than her own.
"You..." Kopa snarled and took step forwards. "You..." His lips pulled back over his teeth baring them for all to see.
Even to his friends his looked truly crazed.
Nuka pushed Zawadi behind him this time. Ignoring her protests. He wasn't sure what it was that angered this lion but it happened after he laid eyes on Zawadi. Which both confused him and made him protective of her. "What is your problem now? We have done nothing..."
Kopa wasn't listening in the very least. It went in one ear and out the other. All he saw was the enemy. The one who had a part in the killing of his family. They had taken his sister and he had a feeling they were raising her with no knowledge of who she was. After all Nuka had called her by another name.
Zawadi.
The name made him growl.
This girl had no idea she was friends with the son of who murdered her very mother. No idea this said lion in front of her was her brother. Who now had every intention of taking her away from Nuka and in the protection of his care.
Blinded by his rage and desperation to get a part of his family back. Kopa ran at Nuka. This time with Zawadi behind him, there was no one to intercept his attack. He came so fast and so sudden. That Nuka was caught off guard and he was sent to the ground.
"Nuka!" Zawadi darted forward but Kopa had seen her coming and shoved her back with his paw as he kept slamming his paws and snapping his jaws at Nuka attempting to get him around the neck.
"How dare you take her!" He snarled between hits. Almost getting his jaws around Nuka's neck only to have Nuka's paw push against his own keeping him at bay.
"I have no idea what you are talking about!" This lion was confusing him more and more. Whatever the lion he confused him with had done, by betraying and killing his family, Nuka gave sympathy for. He however was not going to let this stranger kill him just because he was letting his grief blind him.
He seen it with his mother. And he knew how deep that could go. So he pitied this lion. His wounds must have come from the fight that took his family from him.
Nuka leaned his head back when jaws snapped at him that they almost got his snout. Zawadi made another attempt to get the lion off him when he shoved her again this time a bit harder so it knocked her to the ground. This earned a snarl from Nuka and with his strength he flipped his opponent.
Now he was on top.
Working to keep this strangers paws away from his throat and face. "Calm down!" Nuka urged him. Grunting.
There was no calming down. Not this time. Kopa needed to get to his sister. Needed to get this lion away from her and she away from him. "Stay away from Eshe!"
Nuka again was taken back. "Eshe?" He grunted in pain then. As when he was distracted. Kopa had gotten a paw of his free and had cuffed Nuka and caught his ear with his claw tearing it a bit.
Giving a roar of pain. Nuka stumbled back off Kopa who was scrambling to his paws. Only to be caught by Kamal and Amar this time. Catching Kopa off guard that his friends were holding him back rather than helping him. "Let go!" Kopa thrashed against them. Their holds tightening as they worked to pin him to the ground. Grunting through the effort.
Ishara seeing that Kopa this time looked like he actually was out to kill Nuka. Had called her brother and cousin down from the rocks above. Luckily they both came without much hesitation to grab hold of their friend. Whom they were beginning to become concerned for. He wasn't acting like himself.
They could not understand what this new bout of anger was for.
Who was this Eshe that Kopa kept shouting about as they held him down and snarling for Nuka to get away from her and that he would tear his throat out for turning her.
Perhaps if they had known, Kopa had shared the story of his families fates, but had never told them his sibling's names. Perhaps if he had. They would be helping him rather than keeping him back. Confused of why he was acting so...rabid?
It was the only word to really explain how he appeared to them.
Ishara who quickly got in front of Kopa trying to block his view of Nuka and Zawadi started speaking softly to him. "Come on...calm down...please." She almost pleaded with him. Wanting to know what was wrong with him now. It was concerning her more and more. Perhaps they should have chased off the other two right after Kopa had calmed down the first time.
Ishara noticed a third shift in his emotions. The anger and rage was gone again. Almost like the blink of an eye. Instead desperate and despair appeared in its place. This was unlike her friend. She never seen him go through so many emotions. From looking like a mad lion, consumed by so much rage he was no longer sensible.
To look like someone who wanted nothing more than to have back what he had lost.
Kopa by this time was lost.
Lost in his memories of that night.
Tears were running down his face.
He wasn't trying to attack Nuka now. He was trying to reach his sister. Much like he had tried that night. It was like he was in the water again and she was being swept away from him. Her little cries being drowned out by the raging waters. "Eshe...Eshe..." He would say over and over as he struggled against the two that were holding him down.
Imena coming down and joining Ishara by her side. Faced the two strangers with a stern look. Obviously blaming their appearance for their friends strange behaviour. Having experience loss like watching her own family die.
Imena had the suspicion of this behaviour of Kopa's being a worst case scenario of all that built up emotion and rage that he never been allowed to release showing itself in the wrong form.
Making him appear like some mad rabid beast.
Something that Kopa was far from.
The young lioness had a feeling once he was settled Kopa would feel quite ashamed of himself for letting himself get this way.
"I would advise that you leave...now." Imena gave Nuka a sharp look. She could see the girl was being reluctant again to leave. Imena growled and let her hackles rise. "LEAVE!"
Nuka did not need to be told a second time. Wanting to get out of there before that mad beast of a lion managed to get to them again. Still confused as to why he was calling that name out while looking at Zawadi with such desperation. A look completely different from the looks he had before. What was he? Split personality or something?
"GO!" The lioness continued to shout at them.
Turning Nuka began to nudge to almost shove Zawadi in the direction that led to the desert. Like he suspected, she started to demand that they fight the threat coming at them. That and she wanted to know the answer to that Eshe name. This was not the first time she heard that name and seemingly in her direction.
Relentless, Nuka kept pushing her. Till Zawadi got the message that he wasn't going to let them stay in the area much longer. Giving him a glare, she took off running ahead of him as he ordered her too. With him taking up the rear. Neither of them looking back at the scene behind them. Working to put as much distance as they could.
"NO!" Kopa thrashed against his friends.
Watching his sister get away from him for a second time. Kopa fought against their hold. "ESHE!" With what strength he had. Kopa threw them off. Jumping over Imena and Ishara. He took off after the fleeing pair.
Paws pounding against the ground. He duck and wove around trees standing and fallen alike. Reaching the jungle's edge. He passed it and came to a stop on the barren ground beneath him. He had been so preoccupied with his emotions. That he hadn't realized that the sun had completely fallen and night had taken over.
And no pawprints deep enough on the ground...Kopa had lost track and sight of the pair. Who had managed to get too far ahead of him before he could fight his way free of his friends. Whom he could hear calling out for him behind him.
Heart pounding in his chest again.
Kopa was beginning to wonder if what he had seen in front of him had been true or a faction of his imagination. He couldn't tell anymore. His emotions were so all over the place he did not know what was what at the moment.
All he knew was...if that truly was his sister...she really did not know her true name...and once again...she had gotten away from him...and back into the enemies clutches.
"No..." he breathed. Hanging his head. Kopa stood there wobbling on his legs. All of this was getting to him. "Eshe..." he clenched his eyes shut.
Still hearing his friends calling out for him from the jungle. Kopa did not want to face them at the moment. So with as fast as his paws could take him. He took off in another direction. Back into the jungle heading for a spot where he could be alone to contemplate all that had happened on his own.
It took over a few minutes until his friends voices drowned out behind him. No doubt they would search for him for a while.
Kopa felt a bit guilty leaving them behind.
However for the time being. He was desperate to be alone to clear his head.
He ran until he could run no more. When he could go no further, he collapsed to the ground. Tears were cascading down his face. Making no point to wipe them away. Kopa let them fall freely. His breathing was ragged and his heart felt sunken into his chest.
Had it been real? Or had it been his imagination?
Had that been Eshe?
Or was it another lioness that he just mistakenly thought was her?
No...her markings were just too unique for it to be someone else. So it had to be his imagination or face the fact that it had been her.
His little sister.
His precious little sister.
So many questions ran through his mind. Too many for him to concentrate on just one. All except that there was no possible way for him to get answer to whether all of this had really happened or he let his suddenly emotions...that just decided to come forth after all these months of being concealed with his emotions when they decided to come all this way out to this part of the jungle.
Then it struck him. He did have a way to get anwers.
The real question was...would he answer them?
Grunting and getting to his paws. Kopa glared into the darkness of the jungle. Which was eerily quiet. "JELANI!" Kopa's voice echoed into the silence.
"JELANI! SHOW YOURSELF YOU HAIRLESS APE!" Kopa turned in all directions. Looking for any sign of the Guardian. Who had not shown up once the entire time the fight had gone on. If he had, perhaps he might have been able to whack some common sense into the young lion with that staff of his. And kept him from looking like a rapid snarling uncontrollable beast.
"JELANI!"
"No need to shout young Prince." A calm voice sounded to his side.
Turning Kopa looked upon the short figure who was sitting upon a stump of a fallen tree. Watching him with calm collective eyes. It was not the emotion Kopa first suspected from him. But at the moment it really did not matter. What mattered was getting the answers from the Guardian.
Turning to face him fully. Kopa eyed him with suspicion. "That lioness...was she..."
"Yes." The words were barely out of Kopa's mouth when Jelani decided to answer. "Yes, she is Eshe...well in form...but not in personality" The guardian sport so casually and calm. Like he was having a everyday conversation. Not telling his young charge information that would turn his entire current knowledge of the present upside down.
Jelani raised a hand to silence Kopa when he went to open his mouth. "Do not get angry."
Fur bristling. Kopa shouted, "What do you mean not get angry!? You told me my entire family was dead!"
The Guardian nodded. "Yes I did." Still he spoke so calmly and casually that Kopa thought the man had lost his mind. How could he be so calm about lying to him? About keeping something like his sister living with Zira and them, those who betrayed their own family and killed them, from him?
The Guardian grunted from the shocked look his charge was giving him. Unbeknownst to the young prince. He had been watching on the sides. He had been debating on whether to intervene. Having known that Nuka and Zawadi were in the vicinity. Jelani had tried to think to keep the two groups from coming across one another.
That was until a certain lioness had intervened.
Well she claimed that she had nothing to do with it. But the wind had been blowing the opposite direction then changed and blew Nuka's scent in Kopa's direction. Queen Zuri however feigned innocence for the whole thing.
The Guardian was not going to guilt her over it. As the reaction and the events that had taken place. Were perhaps not what she had been expecting. She had retreated to follow and watch over the fairing pair. No doubt wanting to put space between herself and her son. Upset that he had acted such a way, but more upset with herself undermining how her sons reaction would be.
Jelani had warned her that Kopa was not ready for such a thing. His emotions and pain were still too bottled up and he did not truly know how to control them. Only now was he thinking he should have allowed the boy to have some way to vent. If he had, perhaps Kopa could have handled the situation much better.
That was beside the point now. Too late to think on what could have been done to prevent Kopa's roller coaster of unstable emotions he had refused to let himself feel or vent for the last months he been with the Rasheda's.
He debated lying to the boy or...use his powers to erase his memories and the memories of the others. To make them remember nothing of this day and interaction between each other.
Then another idea came to him...one he thought would test the boy truly...to see if he was up for the task placed before him.
And one way to do that, was to come clean.
"Yes, Kopa." Jelani nodded. "I had not been forthcoming with the truth." He admitted. Watching the emotions flash across his charge's face. "I did however, do it for the right reasons."
"And what right reasons could there be for lying to me! Letting me believe that my entire family was dead...when one of them was alive!" Kopa felt new tears stinging his eyes. Then slid down his face drenching his fur as they streaked it. "You made me believe her death was my fault!"
Jelani closed his eyes and sighed. Still calm but Kopa thought he could see some guilt in the guardian's face. He could not be for certain. It was often too hard to read the man. "Your destiny." He answered looking upon his charge. "It was your destiny that made it...necessary to lie to you. If you knew the truth...would you have stayed here?"
"No! I would have gone to get her!"
"Exactly." Jelani leaned forward. "Something we could not allow."
Growling, Kopa stomped his paw upon the ground. "That should not have been up to you! I deserved to know that my sister was alive! To know she was not dead! Not like the others..." Kopa stopped when he watched a change in the Guardian's expression when his last sentence was spoken.
He could feel his heart sinking into his chest. His breathing catching in his throat. He watched Jelani sit straighter on the stump he was sitting on. The look on his face confirming the thoughts that were now coursing through Kopa's mind. No...no...it couldn't be...no...
"They're alive..." He breathed. Disbelief coursing through him. "THEY'RE ALIVE!?"
Jelani watched the young prince and grunted and nodded he stood and walked toward a small pond that was nearby. Kopa shouted for him to come back and answer him when Jelani motioned for him to follow him. At first the prince looked to be thinking if he should. This man had lied to him for nearly the last year and a half.
And he expected him to just calmly follow him after confirming his fears and suspicions...and secretly his hopes.
With a frustrated grunt. Kopa got to his paws and followed along behind the guardian. Sitting down on his haunches when they reached the pond. "Are you going to answer me?" he demanded.
Watching Jelani just standing there. Staff in hand. "No." Jelani answered him. Continuing when Kopa narrowed his eyes and vent to retort. "I am instead going to show you." Lifting his staff he held it over the water.
Kopa's eyes following it. The bottom of the staff tapped the water. Creating ripples which carried for a few seconds then the image of the water of the trees above began to disappear. Replaced with a familiar sight that Kopa recognized straight away. The royal den back at Pride Rock.
The very den he had shared with his parents, from the day he was born.
Before he could get lost in his memories. The image shifted to who was laying in the cave. His heart stopped in his chest. There laying before his eyes in the reflection of the water. Was his father. Alive and well. Sleeping in the den he once shared with his mate and son. Now sharing it with another...one that made Kopa shed more tears.
The young lioness laid along side his fathers side. With her head resting upon his back.
Her colour of fur did not deter him from knowing who she was. The little sister whom which he had named. "Kiara..." He choked when his throat tightened.
His father...and his little sisters...they were alive..."Are..."
"Yes." Jelani answered suspecting what Kopa's question would be. "They and the entire pride live..." He turned to Kopa. Allowing the image to remain so that Kopa could look upon those of which he thought was long lost a moment longer. Then turned the image to what Kopa recognized to be the Outlands.
Kopa furrowed his brow in confusion. Looking to Jelani for more answers. "When your father beat back Zira...he could not bring himself to kill them." He nodded his head at the young lions angry look. "Yes I know your emotions young prince. But Zira's death is not yet to come...it will...one day...but it will not be at the paws of your family." He shook his head. Refusing to say more on that subject.
Not giving a damn if it angered the prince. There was just too much about the future that no one should truly be aware of.
"He banished them to the Outlands...and no, before you ask...he does not know that his second daughter lives." He shook his head and crouched beside the prince eyeing the water as it changed to where Nuka and Zawadi were traveling through the desert. "She was found by the sister of the lioness that had saved you." He looked at Kopa who was eyeing the image reflecting from the water.
"Kumai thought to use her as revenge against your Father. Zira lied to her. Making her believe that Nala was the one who killed Hawa. In her grief she took your sister when she found her on the bank of the river." He watched Kopa unsheathe his claws and dig them into the mud beneath him.
"Her plans changed however when she became attached to her...considering...Eshe...now Zawadi her own daughter." Jelani shook his head at Kopa's grunt of anger. "She had thought of returning her to the Pride Lands..."
"Why didn't she!?" Kopa snapped turning to the guardian. "My father could protect her there! She doesn't deserve to be raised under Zira's command!"
"No, she does not." Jelani balanced himself on the balls of his feet crouching there on the ground. "But remember Kopa, what I told you about how life is not always fair..."
"Screw that life is not fair crap!" Kopa snapped at him. "She deserves to know the truth! That lioness turned her as power hungry for a fight as she is."
"Indeed." Jelani nodded his head. Looking too calm about the situation. More than Kopa would have liked. "She is Zira's greatest fighter...Next to Vitani...the two girls are the best of friends." He snorted at the look the young lion gave him. He raised his hand to keep Kopa again from saying a word.
Pulling his staff back. The images fading from the water. Jelani used the staff to pull himself back up onto his feet. Looking at the lion who was now level with him in a way. "You may not understand...or even care Kopa. But the way things have turned out. Are for the far best than it could have been before. You...your family...you all are where you currently need to be...each of your destinies have already been written..."
"Screw your destiny talk." Growled Kopa. Looking back at the water where he had last seen the images of his family. His father and two sisters. Alive and well...
Well not completely well...his one sister was in the clutches of the enemy. Something that he had to fix. They couldn't have gotten too far. He was certain he could follow their scents. He would not let her continue to suffer under Zira.
Ignoring the guardian. Kopa turned and began making his way back the way he came with the determination to set things right. He found himself hit instead over the head by a staff and a certain guardian standing in front of him. "Get the hell out of my way! You have stood between me and my family for too long!"
"For good reason."
"To hell with your good reasons" Kopa spat the word out like it was venom on his tongue. "I am correcting the wrong you and your destiny did to my family!" he stormed around the guardian who remained standing where he was. But not all deterred from yet stopping the young lion.
"And what about your family here?" Jelani kept his back to Kopa. But could hear the young lions paws slowing on the ground till they came to a stop. "What of what waits them here? Where your destiny is supposed to change theirs for the better? What of your friends, the ones you have just made...what of Ishara and Lila...your aunts and uncle...all that has happened in the past...and all that is happening now. All ties together." Jelani turned to face him as he continued.
"Will you doom your family here...for a family there...that has their own destinies to carry out? Ones that will shape who they are? Will you deny them that? All while forsaking those here?"
Claws digging into the ground. Kopa stared into the darkness ahead of him with a glare. "You are manipulating me..."
"Perhaps." Jelani shrugged his shoulders. "But I speak the truth. If the truth is manipulating. Than so be it." The guardian narrowed his eyes. "I do what I have done for the survival of many. Some lives may have been lost among the way...but the overall the outcome that is to come...will in layman's terms...be the better for all." He walked toward the young lion who kept his back to him.
Tensing as he listened to the steps of the two legged creature behind him. Letting his haunting words sink in. "They...they are strong. They will know to survive..."
"And if they do not?" Jelani eyed the prince. "Will you let them take that chance? Will you let them fall? Can you live with the knowledge that you may be the one who can help them when the time comes? Even if they survived without you. It could leave them with no place to go. Could create turmoil. The alliance that was made could fall apart as people begin to think for themselves and those they care more for. To think of them and not the unity of the pride." Jelani slammed the bottom of his staff against the ground.
"The future is never set in stone Prince Kopa." Jelani's voice was sharp. "But are you willing to take a chance? Are you willing to let those here die? When you may have your chance to save them and give them a better future in unity in the future. A unity far more than two prides coming together now.
Would you take the chance of going home...telling your father that his other daughter still lives and under his enemies control...the fight that would ensue to bring her home to him could cause more deaths than could be prevented in the future! What makes you believe she would take you seriously? The Outlands and her adoptive mother is all she knows. Now is not the time for her to figure it out...that time will come...and when it comes...it is vital she does it for herself." Jelani continued his way toward the lion until he was again standing in front of him.
Staring him down with a look that made Kopa shrink back a look. All of this was sinking into him. He believed it yet at the same time he did not want too. He wanted to ignore it all and screw destiny and go back home to where he belonged. With his father and his sisters. He would like his mother and brother there too but he could settle for just having some of those of which he thought dead back.
"You will see them again."
Kopa's head snapped up to look eye to eye with the guardian. His eyes showing hope and confusion. "I will..."
"Yes...some day." Jelani leaned on his staff watching his charge. "Not now...now is not the right time. Things have been set in motion now for some time. To change them now could be drastic. Think I am manipulating you all you want Prince Kopa. Yes the future is never set in stone. But there are times that one has to think is the chance really worth it?"
Reaching out, he laid his hand on his young charges head. "A day will come...that you will see each other again...that you ALL will be a family again. You and your sisters have destinies to bring all that was divided together. Your sisters do not know this and never will. That is for the best. For now. Stay and fulfill your destiny. And all will set itself right in the end." Retracting his hand. Jelani wrapped both of his around his staff leaning upon it watching the young lion.
Whose emotion's were dancing in his eyes. Conflicted of what to do. Kopa wanted so much to run on home...but what if Jelani was right? What if going back now screwed things up? He growled. A little angry that the guardian was doing this to him. If he had told him months ago he could have returned and things could have been right...
But was it truly too late right now? To do something without causing further and more worst repercussions happening?
Kopa shook. He wanted to ignore the guardian's words. "I...I don't know..."
Jelani's eyes softened. He could see how this was tearing his charge apart. And while he was supposed to be unsympathetic to all his plights and think of the whole in general. He had come to take a liking to this young lion. He had a good heart. Much like members of his ancestors that Jelani had known in the past.
It made him see that Kopa was the right choice for the destiny laid out before him and that of his family.
"If you will not take my words seriously perhaps you shall take the words of another." Jelani straightened himself.
Kopa looked at the small guardian confused. Wondering who he was meaning too. Who could be that could talk him into giving up his destiny? Great now someone else to manipulate him.
He watched the guardian lift their head to look on behind him. Kopa refusing to turn around to see who it was. He already had too much to think about. Too much guilt running through him. If he went home, he could be abandoning those he came to care about here. And if he stayed here...he was left with the guilt in knowing his father back home lived with the thought that he was dead...and his sister was under Zira's control...
No, he refused to look at whoever could be that could lecture him on destiny. Kopa felt like he wanted to die. Why was all this thrust on him? Why could it not be someone else? What did he do to deserve this?
He clenched his eyes shut...he wished that his...
"Kopa?"
Eyes snapped open. Widening so wide that his eyes stung. The voice he heard was a voice he thought he would never hear again outside his dreams. The voice of he very one he wanted to speak to. To seek comfort from. Answers from as she always seemed to know the right thing to say and tell him.
Turning around, Kopa paused at the sight of which stood behind him. The sight of someone he thought he would never lay eyes upon again. A sight that made his heart sore and clench with undeniable guilt.
Whose smile was comforting to him just looking upon it. Eyes with love that shown when they looked at him. One who looked different than the last moments he looked upon her. Reminding him of how she always remembered her to be before that night...it could not be...but it was...she stood there with the light of the moon flicking through the trees showing that while not completely solid. She was there...she was really there...
"Mother?"
Yeah, yeah.
I know. I am MEAN to leave it there. But hey I love cliffhangers. What can I say.
Sorry for the long wait again. Some things are going on in RL right now that concern some things I just rather not talk about on here. Just say that its been really distracting and concerning.
But I hope you enjoyed this chapter.
Read and review.
