Author: Daggermouth
Message from the Author: No more happy endings...

Lion King 4
Book Two – Reuniting the Pasts

Chapter: II – After the Storm.

As life returns to flourish in the Pridelands, the animals return to grazing the birds flock amongst the now blue sky which previous was an array of dark storm clouds. Beams of sunlight now illuminate Priderock; shadows of the monument are cast across the ground. After the events of the past days, everyone decides to go their separate ways. Small circles of wind carrying pink petals fly amongst the distant clouds, once again echo a message across the savannah. The sun starts to rise in the faraway distance turning the sky a faint rose purple. Through the night and into the morning light, the message floats across the wind in the form of pink petals and dust, bringing the news: The sought successor as the rightful heir to the throne has return. One prince who was lost long ago has cheated death itself and as the deadly warning given to Timon and Pumbaa prophesies: Now the equilibrium of this world will be broken.

Kiara and Sarafina were still in one of the many caves of the Pridelands when the news came to them. Still resting here because of the trap which was set and they fell in. A once warm fire now remains a ash heap on top of small cindered logs at the centre of the cave, Sarafina smiles as she awakes, looking healthier for the long relaxed sleep she took throughout the storm. After deciding she'll be just fine on her own. The storm stopped and calmed, the rain stopped falling and the thunder ceased to strike the Pridelands: Kiara also recovered from her ordeal in the pit trap and after hearing the news, the sought successor had returned? Kiara wondered just what was happening, rising up off the ground and stretching her legs, Kiara's fur was no longer covered in the wet mud of the pit trap, and this was because of a quick wash from her grandmother Sarafina just moments before. Kiara slowly heads out into the sunrise her golden fur shining in the sun, towards Priderock, oblivious to her true past. By the time Kiara reaches to vicinity of Priderock's splendour, Kopa was already gone, minding his own business in the Pridelands like he once did. So instead Kiara is met with her loving parents, who head inside the lion's den to speak with her in private. As Simba and Nala talk to their daughter she is in disbelief, Kiara was never told she had a brother, as was the pact made long ago, to cover up the past in hope that future generations not fall into plans of revenge and get hurt. But this pact was recently broken. And right now, Kiara was the only one in the Pridelands who didn't know who Kopa was. She was upset more than anything, Simba, Nala, Rafiki and many others in the Pridelands had decided to never to speak of Kopa, everyone feared that when Kiara was born she might fall into the same fate Kopa did that night in the fog. This explains everything Kiara was told by Rafiki in his treehouse days ago:
"Vitani has lived here before; the Pridelands were her home era's before you was even born Kiara; she was someday banished and exiled from her home out into the outlands along with all her family, forced from her home as only a cub. All because of her mother's terrible actions, it's understandable she was one of the earliest wanting to return home against Zira; the cub you saw in the sketch I made was the one she loved throughout her time here in the Pridelands." The cub in the sketch painted on Rafiki's tree wall was really her own brother. Kiara realises why Simba was so overprotective of her when she was younger, he places path through the Pridelands for her, always got Timon and Pumbaa to watch over her like hawks, all that protection was because Simba had already lost a son. All was becoming clear for the princess, and now the pact to protect future generations was broken, nothing was stopping Kiara from seeing her brother Kopa right here in the Pridelands. But just before Kiara rushes off to meet the brother she never met, the princess Kiara explains her concerns once more:
"This doesn't explain the fire which burned the Pridelands," Kiara winces in the lion's den. Everyone knows Kopa wouldn't do something like that to his own home, he wouldn't set the Pridelands ablaze, the same fire which almost killed Kiara herself and as Malka explained, he did not start the fire. Whoever really started that fire still remains a distant mystery.
Kiara bids her parents farewell and heads into the Pridelands to find her brother Kopa. As Simba and Nala remain in the lion's den of Priderock they too now speak in private.
"A deadly warning given to us all, followed by a fire in the Pridelands, a trap which was set to trap the lionesses, a pool of venom, and Kopa returning home...what does all this mean?" Simba looks up at his wife Nala who quickly comforts her king. So many unanswered questions for them. This may only be the beginning.

In the aftermath of the storm, Ni has slipped away during all the drama and only Nala had noticed his sudden disappearance. The fact that Nala and Ni met again could have been a stroke of fate. But now Ni's part in the Pridelands is complete. But as regimented by Simba, Ni is not allowed to remain in the Pridelands. And it's all because Ni, is a Knight. The fabled but mysterious Knight's which should never be spoken about. Simba long ago declared the Knight's should never interfere in the Pridelands and this is the solitary reason Ni vanished. Looking out at the Pridelands as the light shines upon her shared land Nala remembers when she was a cub, Ni saved her life from a ravenous hyena and they've being best friend from that day onwards. Perhaps one day Nala might be able to return Ni's kindness. Besides she need to get back at him for calling her flaky.

Kovu remains in the cold westerly shadow of Priderock. Laid on the soft lush grass there Kovu just didn't feel right, he attacked Kopa and it was unlike him. Something took over Kovu and now the dark lion shakes in fear, looking regretfully at his claws, the same claws used to scratch a large scar across Kopa's right eye. Kovu felt no better than his mother Zira now. The lion's thought are interrupted by the approach of his sister. Leaving Kopa's side for awhile, she is angry at how her brother acted towards her love. But if Vitani had learned anything from the days past events, it is forgiveness. Vitani walks up to Kovu with a smile,
"There's a carving I need to show you brother," without saying much more Vitani guides her younger brother towards the cave entrance of the cavern. The cavern which served for her secret adventures with Kopa, Nuka and Afua when they were just cubs. Vitani has been waiting for so long to show her brother the carving on the wall, long before she fell down the Zulu waterfall's, and now she finally can. Kovu follows his sister down the dark passage and into the cave-like room for the first time. Without further delay she guides her brother to the list of names on the tallest wall of the cavern. Squinting at all the names Kovu see the carving was clearly carved into the wall in ancient times years before any of them were even born, Vitani finally explains what the carving on the cavern wall is:
"It's a family tree." With all the names of all the past and present lions and lionesses connected with carved lines and ordered from top to bottom in the order of their generation linking down with the lines connecting everyone; after each new cub is born a new line of names is added all the way down to where Vitani's name remains right next to Kopa's, which they carved into the wall themselves when they were cubs. Kovu looks at all the names of the Family Tree: Mohatu, Ahadi, Ni, Sarabi and many more names which he has never seen before. Deciding to lower his head down to find his own name Kovu suddenly steps back in shock, the dark lion's leg's shake in fear once more, for next to his mother's name of Zira is the name of his real father. After so long of searching for his real father, his name was written right here in the cave all along. Kovu smiles, he stands straight and he closes his green eyes. His legs stop shaking and slowly Kovu speaks his real father's name for the first time: "Kivuli". It seemed so right, Scar only adopted Kovu as his son, and for so long nobody had known who the real father was. It seemed Zira was with another lion, Kivuli. Kovu suddenly regrets his actions for the past few days, he was lied to and attacked, but that doesn't explain the dark feelings he got inside him.
"I knew Malka wasn't to be Trusted, but yet I fell right into his trap," Kovu finally says, still upset no one trusted him yet. Kovu feelings rush through him, he decides in that moment he needs to understand the darkness more. The darkness which he was told about so much, the dark feelings of hate and anger which consumed his adopted father Scar until it destroyed him. But then Kovu was told a different tale from Sarafina, of the day's when Scar was actually named Taka. And Kovu saw another side to his adopted father, monsters are made, not born; the darkness grows inside them until it cannot be stopped. Kovu gives a look a determination, and finally thanks his sister for finally showing him the truth.

Just like his father before him, Kopa had many days spent solely with the both Timon and Pumbaa. Of course Timon was at home in the Oasis at the time Kopa disappeared as a cub the merecat remembers the day Pumbaa told him the news of that dreadful act in the Pridelands. But now Timon and Pumbaa are overjoyed that their young cub friend Kopa has returned. The two comedians want to see their friend again, however while searching for the returned prince, Kopa rushes past his old friends, running by without saying a word, a look of worry of Kopa's face. Timon and Pumbaa see that Kopa is heading for the Outlands, they instantly realises there is something wrong, but they are too slow to follow the lightning fast prince and instead rush to tell the king.

The confused Kopa looks back at his old home, Priderock standing proudly in the distance in the heart of the Pridelands and then Kopa stares at his reflection in the water. Squinting sadly it's only then that he realises he didn't even have the time to talk to Kiara, his own sister, but Kopa continues out of the Pridelands and into the dusty mist and haze which always covers the dead Outlands. Kopa didn't want to return, dashing deeper and deeper in the Outland, farther than ever gone before, running away to the farthest point of the Outland. Kopa waits and sits on a broken old circular log, looking around nervously he waits where he was told too. Kopa knew exactly where to find him; they've met here before many times. Slowly a hissing could be heard in the ominously quiet Outland, slivering around on the ground a purple snake with red stripes slivers up the prince. The snake hisses slightly and points upright infront of the prince its long curling tail curled behind it. The snake's red eyes look deep at Kopa and it seems the snake knows this prince; it seems even Kopa answers to someone. The mysterious wise snake is gifted with second sight; in a slimy piercing voice it parts a prophecy with the obfuscated prince:
"It doesn't have to be this way. You can still achieve glory; you will be your father's successor. One who has been touched by the Great Spirit herself shall return. And Kopa, while you find a way to change your inevitable fate, know this: The darkness has rooted itself inside the Pridelands once more, and this time: four of you die because of it."

End of Episode II.