The Lion King: Rise of the White Pride

Chapter 12: Captured

Shaka stood on a platform of rock in the middle of a storm on a snowy mountain. It was quiet - save for the storm - and didn't emanate any life force as he usually felt when someone's around. He jumped down to the soft snow and lost grip. He quickly extended his claws and stabilized.

He walked around hoping to find someone which he found none. Suddenly, a lion came out of thin air. The lion was different from the lion he saw two visions ago. His coat was dark bronze with lighter on his muzzle, paws, and underbelly. Red mane he had with darker shades on the tip. His eye rim was unusual though, with the top being dark and the low being red

Shaka tried to move, but the lion moved to Shaka's back and disappeared. He glanced back over his shoulder, still nothing. But halfway he returned his sight forward, he saw someone. He closed in but he kept losing sight of them. When he felt he was close enough, he squinted his eyes to find a cub, a female cub sat alone in the middle of the storm facing away.

He was about to ask when she suddenly turned her head toward him. She was a white lioness coated in white and broken by ash grey on her muzzle and tail tuft. Her eyes were cyan sparkling between the raging snowflakes. Her ears were rimmed black. There was a long scar that ran along the right side of her neck.

Shaka gasped as he choked a name, "Uzuri!" his eyes widened and all of his nerves went tense.

He said that name over and over and louder each time when the whole world darkened and the female cub smiled sweetly as she slowly faded into the darkness.

Shaka's eyes sprang open and he stood up. "Uzuri!" he shouted the name out loud.

He gasped when he realized that he was in the dark. He was in some kind of room or cave with dark crimson colored rock as floor, wall, and ceiling. It was large that it could fit at least six lions in it with plenty of room left to move.

He tried to stood but a shot of pain from his right side and shoulder prevented him to do so and sent him back down but strangely weren't as painful as they were when he got them. He looked to them to find them covered in leaves with bright red cream under it that suppressed most of the pain – but it still stung. Shaka wondered who put it there and the more confusing: who took him here? The room was too dark, he couldn't see a thing.

"Took you long enough," a voice echoed in the room.

Shaka forced his head to look at the source. It was a lion in the shadows. He stood in an entrance or some sort. There was some light behind him but that didn't make seeing him easier.

"You kept muttering her name," he spoke. "Must've missed her, huh?" he asked.

"Who . . .?"

Shaka had trouble seeing the lion. Fortunately, sunlight shone into the room. Shaka turned back to see a huge hole in the wall that he didn't see earlier. As the light hit the lion, Shaka took another look.

He was white. His mane was white with three red lines on both sides. A large scar bent from his right eyebrow vertically across his right eye.

Shaka didn't recognize him at first glance, but as soon as he saw the red lines, he came to realization. "H-Ha-Hasi . . .," he choked a name. "Hasira," tears ran down his face as he saw his old friend in front of him, his heart melted. "I thought you were . . .," he was silenced by his tears. It kept coming although he tried to wipe them away.

Hasira smiled. "Hi," he raised a paw.

Shaka tried to get up to embrace his friend but once again immobilized by the severe pain. "You're alive?" he choked his words. "Uzuri too?"

Hasira's smile faded as the name reached his ears and he looked away. "Just stay still," he peered at Shaka. "Or your wound would open again," he continued.

It's like his entire life spent in despair and sadness that he got a severe shock, his voice were completely emotionless. No actual tone or emotion whatsoever was put in them. Shaka could only wonder what had happened.

"You might want to talk to those friends of yours," Hasira said before sealing the way with a large boulder.

Sunlight shone on more parts of the room and Shaka saw a body laid limp on the other side of the room. Spotted yellow . . . a cheetah . . . Haraka!? His heart pounded hard and hastily closed in to the cheetah, enduring the pain. It was the cheetress and she's just sleeping, he sighed in relief. Subsequent to his approaching, the cheetress' eyes opened and she looked up. She groaned as she tried to stand despite her still recovering wounds just like Shaka. She only made it halfway before collapsing back.

She looked at Shaka. "Shaka?" he nodded. "Where are we?" she stood up with his help.

Shaka walked slowly to the window. "Hmm . . .," he thought. He looked down, then up. "Wall . . . of a ravine . . .,"

Haraka gasped and her heart skipped a beat when she glanced downward to find endless darkness. "How did you . . .?" suddenly, sunlight flashed at them. Haraka now could see what Shaka meant. A ravine made from crimson rock bent kilos long, meters wide, and miles down. "This is . . ." she said staggered. She turned to him.

He shook his head. "No idea," he glanced at his right before his eyes widened.

A lion lay motionless on his right. Brownish-auburn coated with cream patches and brown mane, bulky build visible on his broad shoulder and chest: Kovu. The King of The Pride Lands, Kovu, is here in a side of a ravine with a white lion and a cheetress in the same place, unconscious.

Meanwhile, in a large shadow of three towering rock towers, were a gathering.

"You didn't kill him," said a brown slender lioness, unsatisfied and menacing.

Hasira stood unfazed. "I already said I can't," he said to the lioness circling him.

"But he was one of them . . ."

"I was, too."

"He abandoned you . . ."

"Because I told him to."

"He left you alone . . ."

"I don't even want to . . . !"

"Because HE thought YOU are a burden!" she snapped at him.

Unable to answer, Hasira went in complete silence while looking at his paws, processing the last sentence she threw at him. Two pairs of black eyes in the dark followed the dark brown lioness as they went into the daylight, leaving Hasira working with his mind.

"Giza," one of them said, with a curl on her head. The dark brown lioness, Giza, answered with a grunt. "You didn't make him any use."

"Patience, girls," Giza said nonchalantly. "Soon he'll be in my influence."

The other peach lioness looked back at Hasira, who were gone. "He wouldn't tolerate any failure, you know?" she said to Giza.

"That's where you got that nasty tear on your hind leg, Juu?" Giza taunted, Juu didn't answer. "It's a good thing the same thing didn't happen to you, Chini," she turned to the other lioness, who did the same as Juu. "You'll see. He'll see," she said before walked away, leaving both peach lioness in the bright light of the rising sun.

Haraka was scanning the room when she found the entrance of the room closed with a large boulder. She tried to push it to no avail. Shaka'd just stood when she asked him to move it. He already predicted that he wasn't in the condition to do so.

He stood in front of the boulder and grabbed it firmly before pushing it. "Any luck?" Haraka said behind him.

As soon as she finished talking, Shaka fell on his back as soon as he lost grip on the boulder. "No good," he said.

"Well then, let's focus on healing first, like he said," she said as he lay down.

Shaka watched the cheetah slowly drifted to sleep. "Yeah," he said while curling up on the floor.

Kimbia was laying on a rock somewhere around the Pride Rock as the sun started to disappear behind the horizon. He wondered where the king would be as he left and didn't come back. Neither he nor Kubwa knew where Kiburi and Kasi went as both were gone when they woke up. When he glanced at the savannah he saw a form moved slowly in the tall grasses. He swatted Kubwa's head that was sleeping beside him. She rubbed her eyes to knock herself awake. When she did, she peered at Kimbia. She followed his gaze and they ran toward the unknown.

They passed Kiara and Simba who were talking with some huntresses and they sure saw them before following. Kimbia was in the front as usual while Kubwa was preparing to tackle when necessary.

It turns out that it was Kiburi and Kasi carrying three cubs, exhausted and wounded. The rest of the pride came in time when both Kiburi and Kasi collapsed. The lionesses that weren't hunting that day carried them onto the base of the Pride Rock. Simba, Nala, and Kiara rushed down the stone steps full of worry.

Kiara approached the nearly passed out Kiburi and nuzzled him. "Kiburi, what happened?" she said. She turned to her daughter. "What is it?" the two were barely opening their eyes when Rafiki came to tend their injuries.

Kiburi tried to talk. "White . . . lion . . . ambush . . . graaah!" he roared at the wounds on his neck that was tearing open and bleed more blood. He tried to speak more, but his voice was gone.

Kiara turned her sight away from the horror of Kiburi's blood that was already pooling under him. Nala embraced her and told her it's going to be okay. Rafiki hushed everyone else to get back and let him do what he could. Laini and Anahofia embraced their respective cubs who were crying at their terrifying encounter.

"Great Kings! What happened!?" shouted a distraught Kubwa as she approached them.

Chumvi stood in front of her and prevented her from going any further.

"Dad!"

Kubwa tried to break free but then, Tama embraced her. "Calm down, dear. Let's just hope they'll be okay," she said at her crying daughter.

Kimbia himself was about to move when both Tojo and Kula hugged him from behind, in which he closed his eyes to calm down. Some lions watched from afar while some others tried to get a better look.

Rafiki's mind wasn't completely fine that time. He had just sent seven curious cats to expand their knowledge but in the end, three of them were missing, and worse, attacked by another white lion. He was very down about it. He couldn't even look at Simba's nor Kiara's eyes. But, Rafiki was a great old mandrill. He knew what he must do in cases like this. He immediately shoved those minds away and focused on everything he could do.

Kiburi himself had a hard time keeping himself awake and enduring the stinging medicine Rafiki applied to his wounds but knew better than to struggle. Kiara told him how many times Rafiki tended many injuries and wounds across the land, and of course the varying healing stuff that he brought necessarily.

It took about an hour to patch Kiburi up. Rafiki didn't directly come home as he wanted to discuss the problem.

Simba attempted to ask Kiburi more questions but a voice made it before him. "I'll take that honor," Kasi hastily stood up. Tojo and Kula stood beside her to support her.

Kasi told the pride what happened. All the way from their leave at early morning and the bright daylight when they were attacked. Every one of the pride members listened carefully, not wanting to miss any details.

She went all out while sometimes stopped to catch a breath. ". . . and then when I regained my consciousness and saw the lion tearing up Kiburi's neck before an echo of a roar from the Forest of the Lost stopped him. Two peach lionesses appeared and talked a bit before they took Shaka, Haraka, and father into the forest," she ended the explanation.

Nala and Kiara who were still skeptical about Shaka's history greatly doubted her story. Simba defended Kasi by telling them what he really was and stories they haven't heard yet – excluding the visions, obviously an unpleasant part to tell about. Kiara believed his father, but Nala still need some details.

Her ears went up. "Let me hear what your attacker looks like again," she said.

Kiburi sighed and got a glare from Nala. "He was a white lion like Shaka, but his mane was white as his dominant coat," he said. The others were already heard this one and started to disperse. Kasi gasped when she realized something. "And . . .," he caught the pride's attention. "Instead of a pair blue line on his mane like Shaka, he had three pairs of red on his'" she closed in to describe it. "His eyes are blood red. And I only saw hate in it."

Kasi laid back down and curled up as soon as she finished speaking. "I couldn't protect father or Haraka. Even Shaka couldn't defeat him," she sobbed. "I didn't even do a thing when they took them! I'm starting to think things would be better with Iolite . . ."

"NO!" yelled the entire pride, cutting her off.

Nala simply nodded. "Well then, we should hurry. If he's a white lion like Shaka, he should be easy to spot at night," she peered at the setting sun. "Shaka's mane shines bright like the sun," she said half-jokingly, trying to lighten the mood.

A few laughed before Kiburi found his voice and pointed something out, "His mane wasn't as metallic, reflective, and soft as Shaka's. So yes it's white but it doesn't 'shine'."

"Then the more time we shouldn't waste," Nala continued. "As you all heard, a close friend to us, Haraka the Cheetress, and our newest member, Shaka, had been attacked and missing," she said. "I shall remind you how nice her parents were to help Kiburi and Kasi to train and how nice he brought four free zebras for us," she glanced at the hunting party of that day. "We are one," she repeated Simba's phrase. "We shall help them and judge this intruder!" she added, the pride cheered and fired up as the sky blacked out. "Be prepared!" she closed her speech and the lionesses dispersed to prepare.

"Vitani, Kasi, and two others will go with me to track the two. Ones who willing to go please come to me. Six lions will be patrolling the border and clearing the border marks," she explained the plan. "The rest guard the den and the cubs," she said. "Am I clear?"

"Crystal clear!" the lions said in unison.

"Good," she walked away.

Kasi joined Nala's team as soon as her back felt less sore from the white lion's surprise attack along with Tojo and Kula who was feeling down.

"What is it?" Kasi asked the couple.

"We were supposed to be on his side, but we didn't," Kula said with her head down.

"And he's kidnapped because of it," Tojo added.

Kasi went behind the two and slapped both at their shoulders. "Who cares?" she said, the couple's saddened. "Everyone make mistakes. All you have to do is trying your best to fix it," she said lightly. "Sounds easy enough?"

"Heh," Tojo wrapped his arm on Kula's neck and drew her closer. "Thanks for the pep talk," he snickered.

Kasi trotted away. "Besides," she glanced over her shoulder. "It's not like any of us can defeat the likes of Shaka," she pouted, drawing the couple's annoyance.

Kimbia decided to join Nala's team too and left Kubwa behind. Kasi already noted the two's relationship since a long time ago. He wondered if those two fell to each other. He decided to investigate as he moved swiftly in the cover of darkness.

A few minutes before the team took off, Kasi saw Kimbia walked behind Pride Rock. As Kasi knew, there should be no one there at this time, he stalked him. She walked silently between the rocks and the tall grasses that were on the side of the Pride Rock. He stopped when he saw a lioness figure standing alone on a cliff. Kasi noticed that it was Kubwa. Kimbia stepped in beside her and talked.

Fortunately Kasi was downwind. "You're going?" Kubwa said.

"Yeah," he raised his head at the sky. "I might not come back," he continued.

Kubwa was surprised. "What?!"

Kimbia silenced her. "Shhhht," Kubwa regained her composure. "We would face a white lion or two there," he trailed off.

Wow. Kasi never heard Kimbia speak that much. Guess part of him is only for her she thought. But, two lions. He never had believed Shaka, hadn't he?

But something caught her guard off. Kubwa nuzzled Kimbia under his chin and purred. Kimbia returned them to her and they crept closer, enjoying the ending daybreak together. Kasi smiled at how close they were and must admit he was surprised, not realizing his jaw hanging. When Kimbia licked Kubwa on her muzzle, though, Kasi jumped in surprise and hit a branch that caught the couple's attention.

Damn branch! Kasi quickly snuck into a large bush and held his breath. Kimbia and Kubwa were nearing him before Nala shouted to gather. Kimbia ran off so did Kasi snuck off and went to the steps from the other side.

After a minute or so, the team gathered. "Let's go!" Nala gave command and they ran off to the Waliopotea Forest.

Kiburi lay down in the den sweating and exhausted with Kiara at his side, watching over him. Rafiki told Kiara to apply the medicine once every four hours or if he started to feel pain. Rafiki gave his salutation and headed home.

"Queen Kiara," a lioness called.

Kiara turned to her. "Yes?" she wiped her tears off her eyes. "Anahofia, right? What is it?"

"I, Laini, Kubwa, others will be going to patrol," she said. "Would you like to join us?"

"I think I'll stay. You go," Anahofia nodded and walked off to the grassland.

Kiburi was straining in his dream. Kiara could only embrace him and told him that everything's going to be okay. She looked outside. "I hope those three are safe."

In the savannah, Kasi was thinking about what happened back there: Kimbia and Kubwa were a couple? That was unpredictable. She always thought Kimbia was too silent to have a mate but the event earlier prove her wrong, big time. She was falling behind in thought before Kimbia slowed his pace to her's speed. Kasi raised her head and jumped back when he saw Kimbia beside her, glaring.

"You saw us, didn't you?" he threw Kasi a killing stare.

Kasi was glad Aunt Vitani taught her some emotion control skills to hide her nervousness . "You and who?" she lied and managed to keep her voice stable.

"I see . . .," Kimbia returned his sight to the team and sped up.

Kasi caught up with them when they arrive at the entrance of the Waliopotea Forest. They spent no time waiting and went into the forest

And there goes the twelfth chapter and the rescue mission. Review if you like. Thanks for reading!