The Lion King: Rise of the White Pride
Chapter 19: Loss in the Rain
Rewrited!
Shaka didn't blink for a while. Either because of the increasing pressure on his arms or the mysterious shadowed creatures that suddenly appeared. While he couldn't make out most of them, he was very sure that most of them were hyenas. Hyenas weren't a problem to him, really, but he did know that a clan of those could overwhelm him quite easily. He nearly became one clan's dinner when it was his turn to hunt. It was back then when he was with Ujuzi and was one of their days on Pride Lands. Luckily Ujuzi came to his rescue and together, they managed to escape, and Shaka learned a new lesson from it. While these shadowed hyenas were less than fifteen, they got Hasira and some Shaka couldn't identify. It could be one of the peach furred creatures he saw while Hasira took him to the ravine, but he wasn't sure. The dark clouds didn't make it any easier for him to see.
The shadows didn't move, as if they were waiting for either him or Hasira to make a move and Hasira didn't seem to notice them as he kept tightening his pin. Whatever the reason, the shadowed creatures' target wasn't Kovu or Uzuri, but him, Shaka. Shaka's sight returned to Hasira's anger-filled angry eyes. Just now, Shaka felt that he couldn't bring Hasira back to his senses and loosened his muscles inadvertently, letting Hasira tighten his pin easier. Just when he thought all hope was lost, a streak of dark brown rammed hard into Hasira and knocked him off Shaka.
Shaka stood up, a little hazy. His savior grabbed him by his shoulders and snapped him out, "Hey!" It was Kovu and he didn't look happy. "Snap out of it!" he yelled again, knocking Shaka's sense back into him again. "Go!"
Shaka didn't argue and started running after Kovu farther from the hill. Shaka glanced back, only to find Hasira hot on their trail. Not too far behind Hasira was the shadowed creatures, running down the hill and started chasing them. Shaka turned his sight to front to find Uzuri and Haraka waiting for them before a land bridge that looms over the Zuberi River that streamed fast down there. There wasn't any fence that borders the bridge and the thin air so it was as dangerous as the Elephant Graveyard to cubs. Plus, it was narrow, only as wide as Kubwa times two.
Haraka flinched when she saw Kovu and Shaka running in full speed. "Come on! Move it!" she said to Uzuri as the lions ran past them. The girls followed closely behind.
While running on the bridge, "Everyone here?" Kovu absented, eyes still warily looked ahead.
Shaka peered behind. "Looks like it."
"Then hit it!" he commanded before going in full speed.
It wasn't for Haraka, though, this speed were her everyday speed. If they were to do her full speed, then it would be twice as fast as theirs. They increased the distance between them and their pursuers, but not for long. When they were about to enter Waliopotea, both Shaka and Kovu crashed into someone. Thick fiery red mane with tunnel shaped bangs and a pair of sharp red eyes, something inside him reminded Shaka of both Kiburi and Kiara. It was none other than Simba, who surprisingly appeared from thin air.
While Shaka and Kovu bounced off, Simba didn't flinch. Shaka guessed that the rumors he heard overnight in Pride Rock that Simba was an 'old king that is tough and hard like Pride Rock' weren't wrong. Didn't meant to show off, but every old lion in the Mountain Pride were exactly like Simba now. Old but tough. He wondered how Simba was able to keep his physique that tough even though he was older than most of the pride. He thought something like that was exclusive in the Mountain Pride. Seemed like he was wrong and that his view of the world was narrow.
No time to explain, Kovu just threw a "Move!" at Simba's face whereas the word also hit Kabisa, Vitani, Kimbia, and Kubwa who appeared shortly after.
"What happened?" Kubwa asked the speeding Kovu but was ignored.
Vitani raised her voice at the still coming Shaka and that where she realized that they were being pursued. "Fight!" she said, but Shaka just gave her the same word Kovu did.
"Not here!" he added as he passed by. Seeing no other choice and didn't actually know what's going on, the newly arrived team decided to follow. Vitani hesitated along with Kabisa, but Kabisa knew better than to leave her alone, especially with that number of enemies that could easily kill Vitani, so he just grabbed her and forced her to run along. Vitani didn't complain, but she grunted when he grabbed her. "Come on!" Shaka's voice was heard from the distance.
Kovu didn't get the time to think as he hardly could see in the shadows of both the trees and the clouds. Every direction looked the same and every time he moved his eyes even a bit, the view blurred and he lost direction, so he ignored what he was seeing and kept running in his top speed. Neither Shaka nor Haraka knew the forest, not to mention Uzuri who, seemed to be, imprisoned in that ravine for a long time.
Simba and the team didn't get the time to think either and just blindly following Kovu's lead. It was funny in Simba's mind. As the earliest time he remembered with Kovu, he was just a cub who could do nothing against his mother, Zira. Several years later, he became a young adult and fell in love with Kiara, and when Simba had time, he tried to talk to him, teaching him what it is to be different from their family. That time, Simba felt like he was the ruler of Kovu's attention, before Zira came in and ambushed him that is. This time, it was the complete opposite as his attention was ruled by Kovu.
The five could've told Kovu about Kabisa but didn't try to as they were more focused in navigating through the forest and keep on Kovu's tail.
One night without food? Fine. Not a problem to Kasi, at all. She starved a day long several times after she raced with Haraka, often too tired to find the way back home. One point, she even got lost as far as Hakuna Matata, where both she and Haraka nearly ate a colony of meerkat in the jungle. Fortunately meerkats named Max and Mirs, who, when they started talking to them, the subject suddenly changed to Timon and Pumbaa and the stories of the past when Timon left home to the point where he and Pumbaa helped Simba defeat Scar. Mirs, who Max said is Timon's mother, offered to get them some food while they rest.
After some goodbyes and thanks for the historical stories, both Kasi and Haraka were grounded. Kovu even threatened to split them apart, which scared the hell out of them. Fortunately Kiara came in giggling at them, telling them that Kovu was just kidding, and he was. He said that it was one of the punishment readied for them.
Well, what happened is in the past and Kasi chose to not remember the dark days where she and Haraka were grounded. When she did though, she always remembers the stories Max and Mirs told them. The more she remember the stories, the more he respected Timon and Pumbaa and of course her grandfather and grandmother, Simba and Nala, some of the heroes of Pride Lands.
Okay, back to present, Kasi was still looking for a way to find the others or to follow the mysterious white lion she encountered. She still remembers what Iolite said about he 'fell for her'? Kasi didn't quite sure she know what that meant but she guessed it must be something like Kubwa and Kimbia. What's that, she was too oblivious to know.
She didn't want to go in there again. She got out, accidentally when she chased that white lion, and certainly didn't want to go back in after all that chase, which was tiring. If she remembered correctly-and she didn't, she didn't know where the river would take her. It was too dangerous to chase that white lion all by herself, she learned that when Shaka, to her, nearly got himself killed when he threw a tantrum in a herd of zebra.
Two things learned: one, don't fight/hunt on your own, and two, do NOT underestimate Shaka's pride. Yeah, white lions couldn't be only in the White Pride, right? There must be some living beside the mountain, or so did Kasi thought.
Enough. No time to be selfish. Kasi rested a while, and when her strength returned mostly, she launched into the forest, trying to go in the straightest line she could or keep moving. With her speed that rivals the cheetahs, the forest couldn't last long in her eyes. Like before, she didn't have many difficulties going through the forest, as if the forest itself made a way for her to go on.
Or she just get used to make quick turns. She had many sort of tricks up her sleeve to maintain high speed. The first times she raced with Haraka, she always lost. But sometime after, she focused on observing rather than winning. Observation results in Kasi knowing Haraka's ways, or cheetahs' ways to maintain their speed. Kasi tried the same thing, but was unsuccessful. She knew lions and cheetahs were different so she experimented on her own, secretly of course. As a result, she used her own techniques to beat Haraka. Neither kept the WINNER crown for a long time, though.
"I gotta tell you something," Iolite's voice suddenly appeared, shocking Kasi and stopped her right in her tracks.
Kasi looked her surrounding, clear. "What is it?"
"Probably nothing, but I've got a bad feeling," she said.
Kasi went silent for a few moments, letting the breezing wind play on her fur. "Let's just hope nothing bad happens," she said before resumed running.
"Tch. Whatever."
Her speed didn't last as long as she thought as she accidentally rammed into someone. Whoever she crashed into, they weren't skinny. She felt like she bumped into Kiburi's body.
And she wasn't wrong. The one she crashed into was threw into a clearing. Obviously the clearing she and the team passed, but didn't feel like the same.
They stood up, it was Kiburi, her twin brother. "Kasi!" he shouted as he tackles her into the ground. "Bad sister. I nearly got a heart attack when Vitani told me you've gone missing." His words heard like he was pissing his head off, but the voice he used was vibrating like he was about to cry. "Thank the Great Kings you're okay," he said before hugging her, tightly.
Kasi couldn't help but smile, though the hug was getting too tight. "Kiburi . . . can't . . . breathe . . ."
"Oh," said Kiburi as he let her go. "Sorry."
Not long after that, sound of steps was heard from the forest. "Yo!" came out Mrefu and Kuruka along with Nala, Tojo, and Kula.
"Hey gu-" Kasi stopped when she saw the first two creatures. Somewhat, her eyes sparkle with wonder. "HAH! Are you a serval?" she pointed a paw at Mrefu, who was as surprised as everyone else when Kasi snapped like that.
"Uhm, yeah?"
Kasi traveled her paw toward Kuruka. "And you're a caracal?"
"Wha-. Eh? Yeah?" Kuruka replied.
Just then, Kasi realized her own tenacity. "Oh. Sorry," she said with an awkward grin.
Kiburi slapped himself awake after that outburst. "What was that?"
"It's just. Rafiki told me about our cousin species, caracal and serval. He said he met them numerous times when he traveled," she explained. "He described them and I'm excited to meet them! But since 'that', dad told me to not wander too far from Pride Rock . . ."
Come to think about it, they all, except Kabisa's and Shaka's trio, didn't know much about Rafiki before he live in Pride Lands. Some said he traveled to many places, meeting many kinds of species, making friends, and even acted like a doctor as he was these days. Some said he was a spirit that took form of a baboon to better communicate with the living hence the rumors that he actually could speak to the spirits. And that the transformation was incomplete so he was a little crazy.
Shaka mentioned about Rafiki being an 'interesting old baboon' where there were 'times of his days' spent to 'talk' with 'those above' and 'around us' while we can't even 'see them' except when 'they purposely show themselves' to us.
None of those words rang a bell in Kiburi or Kasi's mind. They knew Rafiki was crazy and stuff, but he could be saner than any of them while situation didn't went as it should be. Maybe he had split personality like Kasi, or simply alter ego? No one knows. What they know was that Rafiki could handle anything.
The dark clouds nearly blocked the entire airfield, making the forest darker, nearly pitch black in shadows, with some patches of light broke through the leaves and clue the trees' positions. Overall saying, the atmosphere felt like it was pushing them dark clouds nearly blocked the entire airfield, making the forest more darker, nearly pitch black in shadows, with some patches of light broke through the leaves and clue the trees' positions. Overall saying, the atmosphere felt like it was pushing them down.
Kiburi, the most sensitive to these kinds of things, quickly brought up the main topic. "Are you done observing?"
Kasi circled again. "Uh, yes?"
Nala nudged Kasi. "Then let's get back," she said, leaving the rest in dust.
Jump and slide down. Turn left and right. Stop right before a tree and move around it. Those were what they were doing since like an hour, which in truth was only a minute, but every second felt like a minute. Their stamina decreased more rapidly than usual. Whether because of their creepy surrounding, or their own negative thinking.
Kasi was busy looking forward at Kuruka and Mrefu that she, missed by an inch, passed by a brown flash. In a split-second Kasi saw a dark brown mane and a scar across his left eye. Yep, definitely Kovu. But why was he like running for his life? Kovu didn't have to answer that as their pursuers were just meters in difference. Simba and some other ones passed her following Kovu but Kasi didn't react immediately.
Kasi yelped and nearly slipped of her ground but Nala grabbed her by her shoulders and threw her at Kovu's direction. "Come on, go!" and Nala pushed Kasi forward to snap her out. Nala simply shouted at the remainder of her group to follow Kovu and they did without resistance. Actually, they were as confused as hell.
Now Kasi was really starting to pass out. Her vision was blurry, her paws hurts, and her head didn't seem to cooperate with her will. Before she knew, two hyenas tackle her down and tried to shred her with their teeth. Kasi desperately tried to hold them off with both of her front paws. Slowly, but surely, the hyenas were getting their muzzle closer to Kasi's neck.
Simba and Nala didn't agree. They rounded up and tackle the hyenas off to a tree hard, hard enough to make them let hurtful barks. That was when Kasi realized that they were already back at the clearing which was getting unrecognizable due to the blurring sight. The water stayed still, undisturbed, even by the uncountable steps of the pursuers. Another hyena jumped from the forest trying to take off Simba's head but Nala bit its leg and threw it aside, not without it leaving a scratch on her cheek. The previous two hyenas were starting to get up and attack. When they do, though, Kasi shouted at his grandparents to duck and let her swipe pushed the hyenas back.
Another second wasted, and they continued running to Pride Lands. Kasi looked back to see the remainder of the pursuers came into light, which were another group of hyenas. Before she went into the forest and her sight dimmed, she saw a patch of white coming out from the forest behind her across the opening. She was very sure it wasn't hyena or such. Maybe another white lion? No. Don't easily jump into conclusions.
Shaka was just get out from the forest and find himself at the same spot he was several days ago when he first came to Pride Lands. Just to his right where the ground lowers and the Zuberi River flow towards Pride Rock. He wished it was the same thing as the first, but situation didn't let him.
The first sight was pretty, with the blue sky decorated with clouds occasionally block the sunlight, which illuminated the whole landscape, giving enough energy for the plants to photosynthesis and eventually gave energy to their eaters. Yeah it was great sight. The most distinctive things in it were the flowing Zuberi River and some animals took drink along its bends, and the majestic Pride Rock pierced the sky in two.
This time was completely the other way around. The sun disappeared behind the dark clouds that filled the sky and the animals went off somewhere. Pride Lands were empty and silent, broken only by the flow of the river. The clouds were so dark that it almost like a thunderstorm coming. But although they already covered the sky, there was no raindrops, well, dropped.
Kovu, Haraka, and Uzuri were already out before him. But they did stop when Shaka do. "What are you doing?" he asked tiredly as he tried to get as much air as possible. His stamina was decreasing rapidly due to his just recovered injuries. The rest: Mrefu, Kuruka, Kiburi, Vitani, Kabisa, Tojo, Kula, Kubwa, and Kimbia came out shortly after, catching their breath. Save for Haraka, Uzuri, Kimbia, and Shaka. Speed was their cup of tea after all.
"So this is Pride Lands," Mrefu remarked, seeing the land for the first time. "It looks beautiful," then he glanced upwards. "Even in the shadows," he added.
Shaka wanted to tell him how beautiful it would look like when the sun came out an Vitani wanted really hard to snap at Kovu for confusing her, but something crossed them and they all had their jaws hanged.
Simba was there, flying out from the forest elegantly *David shot a bullet right in front of my face*, not really. There were two hyenas on him. One were biting his left front leg while the other had their face under Simba's paw. Shaka didn't know how they were able to make Simba fly, but however it was, they manage to warn them to keep some distance before the main force came in.
Everyone went down the hill before turning their fight stance to the forest. Subsequent to Nala's entry, three dozen hyena spread out on her back. While Kasi went to help Simba, Kiburi and Vitani went to Nala's back and secured her to turn back and joined the fight. Shaka couldn't decide what to do. Join the fight, or stay back to protect Kovu alongside Haraka. He didn't know what Uzuri would do as she wasn't showing any sign of either to fight or to stay out.
Haraka, who seemingly read Shaka's mind, called out to him while Kovu started to move around. "Shaka, go help them! I'll take Kovu to Pride Rock and call reinforcement," and for a second she peered at Uzuri. "If you're not going to do anything, then help me call reinforcement!" she raised her voice with a frowned face which was worsened by her tear lines, maybe thinking that Uzuri was drowned in her own mind.
And Haraka's voice seemed to make Uzuri decide. "I'll stay," she said before she sprinted as fast as a cheetah, flashed past Shaka. "Come on!" Shaka could only smile when he felt nostalgia at his best friend by his side again. He ran beside Uzuri and went to help Nala, Kiburi, and Vitani. Following their signal Kasi, Kimbia, and Kubwa picked up their pace and charged.
Kovu was about to join in when Haraka smacked where his worst wound was, making him flinch and roared in agony. "Shut your mouth and get going!" Haraka shouted at him, raising her voice once again. Her tone felt full of stress and for sure she didn't want to waste anymore time. She didn't care if she'll get trouble for shouting at the king, but she couldn't take it anymore. She could use a nice and silent sleep, which, she realized that it wouldn't happen anytime soon. Herself wanted to help, but the safety of the king comes first.
Shaka was leading the attack when Vitani was too outnumbered and surprisingly Kabisa came to the rescue in no time. No time at all as in 'a blink of an eye'. Mrefu and Kuruka were not bad at all themselves. Though smaller, their team attack was too tight to broke and proven to be overpowering the three hyenas they were set upon. One jumps and strike before backing off and let the other did the same and repeat. If the enemies started to spread out, both run to the sides and strike to box the enemies in such speed that the next thing they know is their friend stick as glue beside each other. Funny thing was that the three hyenas were so cocky and confident some seconds ago. 'Don't judge a book by its cover' in effect.
The pace of the battle was unknown. The hyenas they were fighting were no ordinary hyenas. According to Simba, Rafiki, and some experience of Shaka himself, hyenas aren't too bright. But this pack, they were targeting Nala and Simba, who were the eldest ones in scene. Two or three fought Kiburi, Kasi, and everyone else but Nala alone faced four of them. Sure Nala fought on par with Vitani when the Outsiders attacked years ago. But now, either she had become stronger or weaker, nobody but Simba knows. She looked like she was pressing on them though, with those dangerous claws and fierce blue-green eyes locked to her enemies.
Shaka smiled and ducked right before Uzuri's swipe went above his ears and landed hard on a hyena's muzzle. Shaka's head was hit a little, but it felt like being hit with a rock. The tactics they (Shaka, Uzuri, and Hasira) developed together back then didn't seem to work as good as before. Shaka guessed two reasons. The first was their growth. The tactics should be adjusted as time passes, but they just had met again after a long time apart so adjustment was off. Second was that, obviously, Hasira wasn't there. Both Shaka and Uzuri knew that, but since they were reunited, they just feel to do just that. A glimpse of sadness crossed their mind when they remember what Hasira did.
Simba was entirely fit to beat out two hyenas. Especially the likes of Banzai, Shenzi, and Ed. Now where did that trio go? No matter, it didn't change a thing. A pack of hyenas could overwhelm a lion easily, but only two of them were pressing their luck too far. They knew Simba and Nala were the oldest, which was why they attacked them first. The two ex-rulers weren't easy targets at all. Simba slammed the hyena's head on his right paw down to the ground before bit the others neck and threw it off his foreleg. Nala already beaten a hyena, but the remaining three managed to push her back, far back enough to make it easier for Simba to claw two off and let Nala bit the last.
One and half a dozen hyena down in what seemed like fifteen to twenty minutes. That long and no rain whilst the flashes of lightning started to travel between the clouds. There was something that changed the battle to the worse: some new beings appeared from the forest, peering down to the battlefield gracefully. White lions.
One, two, three, . . . There were five of them including Hasira on the front, who, didn't look angry nor sad, or whatever he shown earlier. He looked calm as calm as the other four beside him; three lionesses and a lion. Two of the lionesses were adults while the one on the left of the formation was around the same age as Kiburi and co.. They all have varying color of blue eyes except for Hasira's red. None of them had brighter color than Shaka though, and the lion there, had white mane with light shade of gray and without distinctive features like Shaka's blue lines or Hasira's red lines.
Once Shaka realized the appearance of those five he glanced quickly at Simba for orders. Simba caught the glance and put up even more serious face. "Everybody fall back! Follow my lead!" he commanded just like when he was the king several years ago.
Mrefu and Kuruka drove off the hyenas that were fighting Kabisa and Vitani when they seem to enjoy each other too much. They all fell back while Uzuri and Shaka hold off the remaining hyenas and bought enough time to dart off on their own. Simba didn't head to the Pride Rock, he headed to Mufasa's Gorge, a place closer to Pride Rock and more suitable to fight. Simba took a quick look at his back and noticed that the white lions were gone.
Mufasa's Gorge or the Wildebeest Valley was a dry canyon where many painful events happen. The most memorable of those events was when the king before Scar, his brother Mufasa, died in a stampede. Then Kovu's brother Nuka died when he tried to kill Simba. Not long after that, Zira disappeared in the river originated from a dam far from Pride Rock. That portion of the gorge was dry again because the dam naturally reconstructed itself and the searing heat helps a lot with the drying.
But of course, Simba chose the nearest part of the gorge to Pride Rock, near Mufasa's death location where there was a path that connects the gorge's bottom to higher grounds, so that reinforcements would come faster. Would they come to the gorge? Absolutely. Timon, Pumbaa, and Zazu's sight catch just about everything that happens in the Pride Lands, especially things this noisy. Still, the memories of Mufasa's death still haunted Simba though it didn't affect him as worse as like he was before becoming the king.
Simba jumped off the ledge and scale down the wall of the gorge quickly, he wasn't a cub anymore as when Mufasa was still alive. What he predicted was true: it wasn't dry season yet, but the gorge's hot temperature made several cracks and fractures on the bottom and that what they need to stall the attackers. Simba didn't know if they would overheat before reinforcements come, but he couldn't come to Pride Rock. He couldn't endanger the cubs and old lions in the pride. He was sure that everyone except the new additions, who were Shaka, Uzuri, Kabisa, Mrefu, and Kuruka, thinks alike.
The others lined down the wall without breaking the line. Looked like they somehow made some distance. With Shaka and Uzuri, who jump off the edge while delivering a blow to a persistent hyena, being the last ones to come down.
Simba counted, not risking leaving anyone behind. "Everyone's good?" he asked, but his sight were on Uzuri and Shaka. They did take most part in the battle and stayed behind to buy time, after all.
Kiburi raised a paw while catching his breath, as with everyone else. "Perfect condition," he said.
Their break didn't last long. The hyenas, now twenty of them along with five wild dogs that they didn't see before, arrived at the edge and started scaling down. They might be superior in number, but sometimes, quality beats quantity. Our heroes were already preparing their attack as their enemies reached the ground, getting advantage in the situation. They split into several teams and attack from different directions, overwhelming the first hyenas that came down, about seven of them. The rest of them, alerted by the attack, slowed their descend and spread out to the right and left.
"They're trying to box us in!" Nala alarmed.
Kiburi took notice before Simba and commanded in place of him. "Regroup and rush to the slopes!"
They stopped attacking and did what he said, ran to the ramp that led to the upper ground, fending off the attackers on three sides while at it and trapped some to falling into the cracks and fractures. With the hyenas' number was down to twelve while the wild dogs still intact. This was where trouble came in. The white lions appeared behind the wild dogs and attacked straight to the Pride Landers.
Kuruka took a quick glance over his shoulder. "Coming!" he shouted, alerting the group about the white lions' presence.
Shaka and Uzuri took the warning quick, and turned their back, darting past the hyenas and straight to their fellow white lions with their sharp eyes filled with determination. Kiburi and Kasi saw the two launching back and followed them, completely ignoring the snapping hyenas and barking wild dogs.
Shaka and Uzuri tackled Hasira and both lions beside him together and sent him back rolling off while the other two bounced off farther, nearly falling into a crack. The other lions that were beside him tried to brake as soon as they realize the sudden attack, which, distracted them long enough for Kiburi and Kasi to strike them aside.
"Hasira, snap it out!" they both shouted in the same time with Shaka, once again, hoping that it would snap Hasira out from his unusual self.
Hasira didn't budge. Instead, he swung both of his forelegs outward, throwing Shaka and Uzuri back off.
"Give it up, impostor! Uzuri, don't believe him!" he said angrily while pointing at Shaka.
Uzuri was taken aback and turned her sight to Shaka. Shaka didn't return her look. "Hasira, please. Stop," he said, voice trembling, as if he was in verge of crying. "Why did you hide Uzuri from me?" Hasira reduced his anger as he heard Shaka's words. "We're best friends, right? The three of us?" Uzuri looked at Hasira.
"Shut up! A mere impostor has no right to be my friend!" Hasira snapped, regaining his anger.
Uzuri glanced once more at Shaka, seeing him shedding a single tear before he closed his eyes, lowering his head. Uzuri returned her sight to Hasira and then back at Shaka. She couldn't believe it, the friendship that been forged by years were gone. If there was a single second of hesitation from Hasira, she would see it, but she saw none. The battle went noisy behind and she refocused her mind at the rising white lions they took off earlier.
"Shaka," she called.
Shaka took a deep breath as his head rose. Then, he opened his serious sharp eyes. All doubts that were all over him were gone and that what Shaka should be: doubtless. "Yeah," he answered simply. Uzuri could only smile ear to ear. The two took their battle stance and lunged.
Kiburi didn't know what he was doing. Leaving off their group and challenging the feared white lions. He was sure Kasi felt the same; they were twins after all, so they rarely felt differently in a situation. That being said, the situation was pretty much in chaos for him. In front of him and Kasi by his side were two white lions. While Kiburi faced the younger lioness he saw earlier, Kasi faced the lion that looked as aggressive as Hasira back there. Beyond those two were Simba and the others. Obstructed by the white lions and the hyenas, they couldn't see what was going on. But one thing for sure, the group stopped moving and returned in teamed defensive formation. Kiburi didn't know why, but he guessed that our guys were tiring out.
Back to the problem. Two enemies, each faced different opponent. There were two choices; one, attack as a team; or two, fight individually. Though looked different, both enemies were as strong as each of them. While Kiburi was confident about his and Kasi's teamwork, the enemies could had better teamwork than them and overwhelm them. They were from the White Pride after all, or were they?
Kiburi peered at Kasi who did the same and both nodded before running to their respective opponents. Kiburi took caution and tried to do the farthest strike he could and the lioness easily back off and tackled Kiburi to the ground. It needed a second their eyes were locked on before both pushed against each other and the lioness backed off.
In that exact second Kiburi could felt hesitance and doubt inside her, the same thing he felt when he met Shaka, though hers were much fainter, meaning she had less doubt than Shaka. He felt some 'faith', but it was disappearing. The thing that dominated the feeling was the fact that she was cheerful and serious at the same time. When Kiburi looked once more at her, he actually noticed that it was true. Her expression, though looked serious, she was happy at the same time even though this battle could result in her death. Kiburi never had seen something like that. She almost had the impression of carefree individual. Maybe he could convince her to stop. Had to be optimistic.
He took a lot of courage into a word. "Kiburi," he said, introducing himself.
The lioness flinched but did the same, "Furaha," she said before turning the lighter expression and her eyes to Kiburi's.
She was extremely beautiful that way. Shining electric blue on the left and teal on the right. Her bangs covered half of her eyes. Blue line ran from each side of her nose that traveled under her eyes and curled outwards on the edge of the eyes. A dual version of Kubwa's. What was penetrating Kiburi was that she looked straight into his eyes while smiling sweetly, innocently.
Oh, looked like Kiburi just had blushed bright red under his fur. Furaha struggled to held her laugh but let some silent 'ha ha' out. She giggled before saying, "Shall we continue? Cute lion," with lighter expression and she quickly took two steps closer to Kiburi tried to claw his neck open.
Blood splattered from Kiburi, who nearly managed to avoid fatal blow to his neck. Kiburi let a short 'ugh' as two gashes on his neck beneath his mane starting to spill blood out. Though not deep enough, the gashes were long and Kiburi could feel his neck's every move hurts. He thought Kubwa and her mother was the worst lionesses he ever met, but now they had a competitor. Iolite didn't count, as Kiburi already get used to her and her antics.
Furaha grinned as she saw Kiburi flinching at his neck wound. "Don't tell me the king's son will die just because of scratches like that," she said playfully.
Furaha pounced but Kiburi rolled to the gorge's wall as he caught one of Furaha's paws and threw both of them rolling till they hit the wall in shades. Furaha hit the wall, but Kiburi knew that was nothing, at least to someone as the White Pride's caliber. He quickly let her go and get some distance. Her expression didn't change, still cheerful. Kiburi knew that they both changed after they knew each other's name. Before, there was only tension around them, but as soon as they introduced themselves, they were more relaxed.
He took another chance. "Why are you smiling? We're fighting for our lives here," he asked.
"Well, I'm not," she answered shortly.
Kiburi, taken aback, asked again. "What? You chased us from the ravine to here, distances apart!"
Her smile faded a bit. "The only reason I'm here is to rescue big sis Uzuri, but . . .," she glanced at Uzuri and Shaka, who were struggling against three enemies. "Seems like I was fooled by big bro Hasira. She wasn't taken, she left on her own will. Now I don't know what to do," she finally admitted, lowering her stance. "I'm stupid, am I not? Easily fooled by someone into killing others. I nearly snapped that old lioness over there while in the forest, you know. Thinking she is one of the kidnappers, as Hasira told me."
Kiburi though for a while, realizing the truth of her purpose here. Suddenly something snaps in him. "Then come with me, become a member of the Pride Lander!" Kiburi said.
"I can? But . . ." she turned to the lion that was locked in tight deadlock by Kasi and Hasira and company. Kiburi followed her gaze, and he though he knew what she was thinking. "Can they too? We . . ."
"Doesn't matter!" Kiburi exclaimed, cutting in. "You guys do this because someone orders you, right? Neither of you know what you're doing, right?"
"That's . . ." she closed her eyes.
"It's fine! All of you can move in. Don't let whoever orders you control you! Your life is yours, not anyone else!" he snapped, pouring everything he could to convince her. "You don't have to do this," when Furaha opened her eyes, Kiburi was right in front of her, close to her muzzle.
Furaha looked down, digesting Kiburi's words. She looked up, tears building on her eyes. "I . . ."
But a painful roar cut her off and caught their attention.
How could Shaka be so careless? Sure he knew Hasira back then, but right now wasn't. His moves were unpredictable like before when he was out of his mind. This calmer mode added a boost to his strategies. Shaka was overwhelmed by the three surrounding enemies while seemed like they avoided attacking Uzuri, only counterattack when she attacks them. Hasira's penetrating eyes and intimidating scar helped to decrease Shaka's attacks' effectivity as whenever he attacks, Hasira glares at him, making Shaka hesitate and get a strike from other enemies.
Nala shouted from the distance. "Shaka! Retreat!" it echoed in the gorge, reaching Shaka and the others fast.
Shaka stopped attacking and began blocking as he heard Nala's command. Uzuri did the same till they were pushed back-to-back. Kasi's opponent stopped to see who shouted. Shaka peered at Kiburi, telling him to move as somehow the lioness he was fighting didn't seem to want to fight.
Shaka decided to try to talk to Hasira again. "Hasira, do you not want to join me?"
Now after that, for a few seconds, Hasira's face angered as he spat his venomful words. "If you won't back down," he traveled his sight to Simba's group, Simba himself, actually, and Shaka somehow felt that. "I'll just kill the one that made you became this weak!" he jumped off over Shaka and Uzuri before running straight towards Simba.
"No!" Shaka exclaimed, but the other two white lionesses blocked him.
"You're not going anywhere," one of them said. But when they swiped at Shaka, both young lions parried the attacks with their forelegs and tossed the lionesses aside, using precise hit points to lift them.
One of them managed to recover and scored four scratches on Shaka's side as he and Uzuri jet off to stop Hasira. Kiburi noticed the wound and followed suit after calling him out. But before he got too far, he looked back over his shoulder to Furaha. "If you decide to become a Pride Lander, just come to me," then he continued on, leaving Furaha with her own mind.
Shaka darted past the hyenas and wild dogs, but not without sustaining several wounds in the process. Luckily Uzuri got his back and swipe off any who dare to attack while receiving minor damages herself. When they outrun the crowd, their group was already scaling up the ramp with Hasira right behind them. They ran faster with Kiburi and Kasi catching up.
Kiburi had just noticed that Kasi was there beside him. "What happened to your opponent?"
"Please don't ask. It's a struggle just to keep Iolite in," she replied and there when Kiburi noticed that she got beat up pretty bad. He felt bad, as himself was in good shape.
"What happened to yours?" Kasi asked back.
"Let's just say I got a date," he said quickly before running faster past Kasi, preventing her to see him blush as he answered. Kasi was left on her own, but grinned widely as soon as she get it, remembering Kiburi's opponent was a girl.
The four was up in the higher ground but immediately got thrown by the white lions - minus Furaha, who was nowhere to be seen - that suddenly leaped off the ramp and smacked them aside. After throwing the four overboard, they continued jetting past Hasira who slowed down to let the three jump into the middle of Simba's group and split them in pieces. Just perfect for the hyenas and the wild dogs to hunt them separately.
While the hyenas, the wild dogs, and the three white lions spread out to fight different opponents, Hasira had his angry eyes locked to Simba, who was still recovering from the smack from the white lions. When he got up, Hasira was setting his fighting stance with Pride Rock in the back ground yet still far away.
Shaka tried to get up and help Simba but out of nowhere hyenas and wild dogs came and pin him down, about five of them, while some he couldn't count were surrounding Uzuri, Kiburi, and Kasi. Neither of them could move as when they attempted to, the nearest hyena snapped but didn't attack and backed to the formation so they were trapped. The ones that were pinning Shaka did the same. Whenever he was about to struggle free, they snapped but refocused on pinning him down. He didn't know what they were planning. As Hasira started to attack Simba, a thunder flashed and the loud sound tore the air.
Shaka could only watch them fight as occasional water drops from the sky. Hasira clawed Simba it his head, knocking Simba back but he pounced to Hasira as soon as he touched the ground. Simba bit Hasira's neck. An ineffective move, but since Hasira's mane was still thin, his bite bore quite deep onto his neck but Hasira managed to prevent Simba's fangs from clinging onto him and swiped at him, missed barely an inch and took some of Simba's mane. Simba took advantage of the opening and did an uppercut that sent Hasira flying back but he landed on four.
The battle was intense and felt like hours as every move they did looked in slow motion in everyone's eyes. Neither of them was planning to block or something and keep attacking without any defensive action made. Shaka knew that Simba was hesitating in fighting Hasira. The truth was, Hasira's moves were too sloppy and wide, giving Simba many chances to strike back in ease, but he didn't, and kept receiving scars and hits. His attacks were weakened as well, not in actual power as they should be. Could it be that Simba didn't want to kill Shaka's friend? He didn't even use his claws. But Simba didn't even know who Hasira was as Shaka only told Haraka and Kovu about him and that white lion was the one that kidnapped his son-in-law. The fact that Simba wasn't giving his all worried Shaka as Hasira didn't seem to notice that.
Shaka's mind didn't follow the flow of the battle, he was searching for a way to get this pile of enemies on him off without getting himself mangled when he do. His focus returned to Simba and Hasira as Hasira tore off a piece of Simba's foreleg with his bite, disabling Simba. Blood rushed out and poured under Simba. All beside Shaka was too distracted by the surrounding enemies that none of them actually know what happened to Simba; Simba didn't make any sound.
Simba's face deteriorated to a painful one. Obviously enduring the intense pain on his leg.
"Shaka!" Hasira called as another thunder roared in the dark sky. "I'll release you from him!" he shouted again, sounded crazier than he ever was, ever.
Shaka didn't blink, as Hasira's paw struck into Simba's body. Blood splattered from his side at the point where Hasira's claw entered. Simba's expression was gone, his life was quickly disappearing.
Shaka must do something. But he didn't move.
He had to do something! But he couldn't move.
Simba!
Shaka's true rage revealed itself, in the dark surrounding, where battle surrounded him, his angry blue eyes glared sharply to Hasira, who though not actually had his eye glared, suddenly turned to Shaka in surprise. Shaka's anger build up.
How dare he . . . how dare he hurt Simba . . . how dare he . . . !
Shaka let go a roar that shattered the sky and splat ears while standing up in such force that the five hyenas and wild dogs that was pinning him were thrown into the sky and to the sides. The other combatants stopped fighting, the thunder kept crashing and Simba's blood flowed out.
The pinners attacked as soon as they regained their footing. Four of them, all from different directions, attacked in the same time but in a split second Shaka swiped his arms around him claws unsheathed and each of the attackers' head leapt off their necks. The second wave came in, all six of them. Shaka backflipped before the hyena behind him get him and he had his jaws on its neck and crushes it. Crushed bones and a final whimper marked its end. The other was too shocked at it that they didn't realize Shaka jumped between a hyena and a wild dog forelegs widened to the side and he smashed both of his claws forward, taking the hyena's and the wild dog's entire side off, even their ribs were broken and blood gushes out quickly as they fell to the ground. The third wave, the rest of them, braved themselves to attack but were stopped instantly by Shaka's murderous penetrating glare.
Back then, Kiburi couldn't believe what he felt. Shaka felt like he fell into oblivion as the intense murder aura flames around him, making them all shivered and the enemies weakened, but none of them move a muscle.
Shaka took quick steps to the nearest hyena, slammed his paw on its head, crushing its skull on the ground before he bit its neck and smashed the body onto two wild dogs beside it. The last hyena was about to make his way out when Shaka split its spine in his jaws.
Shaka didn't waste anymore time. Ten seconds wasted to kill ten bastards. Not worth it. Shaka used his full speed, the speed that surpassed Haraka and Kasi toward Hasira.
Hasira smiled instead. "Good, now you'll come back and sur-"
Hasira didn't get to finish as Shaka clawed his left cheek off, leaving five fresh claw marks and a shock to him. Shaka continued by backhanded Hasira that he knocked back a few meters.
Hasira tried to have his sight on Shaka but when he do, Shaka gave the most killing murder aura that made Hasira shudder. "HOW DARE YOU HURT SIMBA!" he yelled in anger before he did a straight upward slash, claws out, and made four severe tears from Hasira's torso to chin.
"Gah . . ." Hasira lost consciousness as his blood spurt out from his wounds.
Shaka stayed still after that, letting the previous three white lions brought Hasira away and the remaining hyenas and wild dogs continued to fight the Pride Landers while some escaped.
Shaka snapped out. "Simba!" he snapped, running to Simba's place.
Simba was . . . weak. A part of his leg tore off and his body was filled with scars and claw and bite marks. Shaka couldn't bear to see Simba like this.
"Simba . . ." he called, tears building in his eyes.
Simba slowly opened his eyes weakly. "Hey there, . . . Shaka," he replied but coughed out blood shortly after. Shaka gasped and tried to help but Simba didn't let him. "Don't. It's too late."
"I'll call Rafiki," Shaka said full of worry and haste. "He can . . . !"
Simba smirked. "Even the great monkey can't heal this kind of thing," he looked at his side and leg, mangled side and leg. "My time's near . . ." his voice was starting to disappear.
"Why didn't you get serious at Hasira?!"
"So that lion's name is Hasira, it's true. He's your friend . . . isn't he?" Simba said while grinning, showing his blood stained teeth, confirming Shaka's theory.
"No, don't! Simba! I'm sorry. I'm so sorry!" Shaka yelled, catching everyone's attention.
Kiburi was the first one to arrive followed by Kasi. They both gasped in horror at the critical wounds on their grandfather's body. "No!" Kiburi slide on the grass to Simba's side. "Don't leave us."
"Heh. You'll be o . . . kay . . ." Simba coughed blood once more.
Kiburi couldn't hold it anymore. He cried, letting his tears away flowed on his cheeks as he tried to nuzzle his near-death grandfather. "But . . . you promised. That . . . we'll visit Kopa and great-grandpa Mufasa . . . together," he struggled between his tears.
Simba just smiled lightly. "Take Kasi instead, she'll need it. And with you all," he peered weakly to the Pride Landers surrounding him, who was holding their tears. Vitani didn't face Simba, but she couldn't hide her tears.
Time and space felt distorted, seeing Simba like this. His life was fading away and none of them could do anything. The grass were still, the wind stopped whirling, the river calmed down, the thunder stopped appearing, the sky started to grief.
"Simba!" Nala's voice screamed from behind the weeping circle. She gasped, couldn't say nothing.
Simba tried to face Nala, but he was too weak, fortunately Kiburi helped. "Nala . . ."
"Don't you dare give up on me! Come on! Don't . . . die," eventually she started crying too, tears running down her cheeks. "What am I without you?" she asked, not wanting Simba to leave.
"Nah, you'll be okay . . ."
Nala ignored him and snapped. "No, you don't understand! I can't live on without you! They're coming home too!" she said depressingly.
Simba heard that. "Well, it's unfortunate that I won't meet them again.." he chuckled, but stopped when his side stung. "Tell them I'm sorry."
"But," Nala said, tears lining down.
"Kiongoza . . . They'll be fine. They're the toughest throughout the land," he said lightly, even in that state but then strained. "Kiburi, Kasi, Shaka, . . . all of you," he said, life nearly disappeared completely. "Protect . . . the Pride . . . Lands . . . . . . ." were his final words as his eyes closed and his head fell.
Everyone gasped. They cried hard, as hard as the rain that started to fall, pouring down the savannah, as if the sky was giving its own farewell gift to Simba. Shaka took the honor to lead the roar of the death of Simba. He roared. His roar was full of sadness, regret, anger, madness, broken, betrayed, all mixed up. The second time he roared, the rest followed him. The third time, they joined their roars together to make an echoing heart-breaking roar. Even Kabisa, Mrefu, Kuruka, and Uzuri, shed tears over Simba's passing.
The tradition of the Mountain Pride, or the more famous by the name of the White Pride, regarding a death of a pride member was: one roar, for a member; two roars, for a fall of a dearest one of the pride; and three, for the death of a hero, someone that brought great joy to the pride, savior. Three roars were rare, even in a century, and when it happens, great sadness struck the pride.
Simba was dead. There wasn't one that speaks. They were all stunned by a huge loss.
Shaka looked up. As someone that could see weird things, he saw it. Simba's spirit, raising from his body and flew to the clouds. There, a huge lion and a lioness by his side embraced Simba. Shaka knew them too well: Mufasa and Sarabi. Kiburi also saw the scene where Simba ascended to the sky in a pillar of light, unseen to anyone else. Simba look at them both and smiled warmly before disappearing along with Mufasa, Sarabi, and the light.
"Simba!" shouted someone at a distance, accompanied by steps of a large group.
None looked at the new group but it was clear who they were. Kovu, Haraka, and half of the pride came running to them, but Kovu was taken aback at the sight upon him: Simba's body. He approached Simba, but he was already dead.
"Kovu . . .," Vitani called, wiping her tears off. "Simba has-"
Before Vitani could continue. Kovu turned angry and snapped at Shaka, startling him. "You! You did this!" he shouted in anger.
"Dad, he didn't . . . "Kiburi tried to reason, but was too depressed to even call Kovu 'father'.
"If it wasn't for you, those cursed white lions and hyenas wouldn't come here! Look what you've done!" he glanced to Simba's body. "You KILLED Simba!" another thunder sparked off, struck Shaka deep in his heart.
It's true. I'm the one responsible for Simba's death. I shouldn't came here at the first place, said Shaka in his heart and ran off to nowhere. Uzuri was surprised at him and decided to follow him, not wanting to give anymore burden to the pride and the king. Kiburi tried to stop him, but his heart was too weak to move.
The rain was getting harder. Kabisa braved himself to talk to the king. "King Kovu. I'm Kabisa from the forest of Utulivu," he tried acting as formas as possible.
"Huh?" Kovu said nonchalantly, losing all of his strength.
"I and two of my friends asked for your permission to join the Pride Landers," he bowed, followed by Mrefu and Kuruka.
Kovu turned his back on them. "Do whatever you want," he said before walking back to the Pride Rock along with everyone else. Kubwa and Nala, the largest lions in the current group were given the honor to carry Simba's body to be buried.
It's a relief that it isn't too late to change the plot a bit, though. I suppose I have to blame TLG's appearance for this. Hope it doesn't confuse you, readers, too much.