Be forewarned—this isn't the most exciting chapter in the world. I apologize in advance.

Wokovu: Kovu's Journey

Chapter 6: The Great Kings

The breezeless afternoon that had descended upon the Pride Lands irked Rafiki slightly. Already it had been a nearly unbearable summer due to the scorching heat and an ill-timed drought; even his baobab tree home had begun to exhibit slight fatigue, its normally green leaves beginning to turn a dull brown.

The discomfort—thank the Kings—did not interfere with his shamanistic duties, though. Already that day, Rafiki had mediated a disagreement on the northern border between two families of hippos (Simba ,more recently, had allowed him this duty, and he felt that he was hardly anything less than a natural at it), had taken his routine stroll in the grounds around his home and down to the water hole, and had even fashioned a nice new pouch to fasten about his walking stick. What was more, he had managed the talk with the Great Kings he had planned on having after the previous evening's sighting of Kovu alone in the savanna.

Their talk had been an interesting one.

The mandrill searched his tree home fervently. He found his walking stick in the corner, with the spares, and snatched it up with ninja-like agility. Rafiki took great care, as he always did, to be sure that all was right with his stick—mainly, that the pouch and its contents were still present and accounted for. It was essential that he did not ever lose this pouch; it was very significant and meaningful to the great shaman.

He had not originally planned on leaving the baobab again that day—he had accomplished much, and he was rather tired; it would be a good day to turn in early. However, his talk with the Kings had altered this plan, albeit slightly. Rafiki would meet with Simba, let him know what the Kings had confided in him, and receive in turn the Lion King's opinion on the matter. Perhaps, Rafiki hoped, he would be in bed before sundown if all went well.

Rafiki scaled down the tree, landing lightly on the grassy base of the baobab. He did not have to move much further, however, for as the mandrill turned to look at the distant Pride Rock, he saw the very lion he wished to meet coming down the path toward him. Rafiki smiled toothily, setting off to meet the approaching Simba halfway. The lion was in no hurry, it seemed—which, Rafiki thought, was generally good news—but had a look to him that suggested something was on his mind, that this was no leisure visit the king was paying to the shaman.

The hornbill Zazu flew slightly ahead of Simba, soaring amidst the trees, his brilliant blue feathers trembling and bristling with the currents of air. Spotting Rafiki, he flew low to the ground, finally coming to rest at a spot on the ground in front of the shaman. Zazu, grinning, bowed low. "Afternoon, Rafiki. Presenting the King of—"

"Quiet, Zazu," Simba grimaced. "Hey, Rafiki."

"My King," said Rafiki, with an added wink.

"I was just coming to see you about something…"

"Ah, what a coincidence, no? I was just doing de same."

Simba's eyes widened. "Really? Okay, you first, then."

"I am sure whatever you have to say is much more important," said Rafiki. "Go ahead."

"No, I insist."

"And I the same."

"Will one of you just say something already?!" cried Zazu finally, causing Simba to jump. "My word…"

Simba paused, stealing a sideways glance at the hornbill. "Well…" he started, "it's about Kovu."

"Ah, interesting. Dis is de subject of my concern as well," Rafiki said. Zazu sighed noticeably, rolling his eyes.

"You know he's gone, then?" asked Simba.

"Saw the young lion late last evening by himself. Thought it was odd dat Kovu was out so late and alone to boot."

"Well, Vitani claims that this was premeditated. Said that Kovu had gone off to find himself. He'd been acting kinda strange since the battle anyway, so in a way it wasn't that surprising. Still, though… I'm worried about him," said Simba. "Like… maybe Zira dying affected him more than he gave off originally." He looked up at Rafiki. "What do you think?"

"It is possible, my King," Rafiki replied thoughtfully. "No matter how evil Zira became, she was still Kovu's mother. She raised him, put shelter over his head. It would not be surprising."

"So you think it's just that?"

"Dat I cannot be sure about," said Rafiki. "If you are done, you will be interested to hear what ol' Rafiki was coming to tell you, methinks."

Simba nodded. "Please."

"Well," started Rafiki, "as I said, I saw the lion leaving Pride Rock last evening. I was curious as to why he was leaving and where he was going, so I decided I would consult with the Kings in the morning."

"Good idea. What'd they say?" Simba asked.

Rafiki sighed. "A lot of nothing. Simba, my friend, I am not very pleased with the Kings at the moment."

Simba eyed Rafiki curiously. Even Zazu was intent on listening, agape. Rafiki had never seemed to have a problem with the Great Kings when he spoke with them. What had happened?

"I asked dem about Kovu, about where he was going and why he was going dere," continued Rafiki. "Dey were very keen to avoid answering my questions directly. All I was able to get out of dem was dat Kovu was on a mission, and dat he would be gone for a few days, and dat dere was nothing to worry. If dere was, I would be de first to know, dey said."

"A mission…" Simba stared at the ground studiously. "That could mean he's finding himself like Vitani said… and it could mean many other things. Very vague and ambiguous…"

"Indeed," Rafiki said with a hint of displeasure. "I am not used to de Kings being vague. Dey are usually very straightforward. Dat said, I trust dem."

"Why do you suppose they're being vague, though?" Simba asked.

"Well… I do have a supposition, but I am unsure dat you will want to hear it."

Shrugging, Simba said, "I'll hear anything you've got, Rafiki."

"Walk with me, den," Rafiki said, turning his back on the lion and hornbill. "I am parched, my King, and you look like you could use a splash of water as well."

Zazu and Simba glanced once at each other before setting off after the mandrill, Zazu taking to the air once again. The water hole was a short distance away, and Rafiki was right—Simba was rather thirsty.

Reaching the water hole, Rafiki bent low to the shimmering water and cupped his hands against it, bringing water to his mouth and drinking it graciously. Simba followed suit a little ways away, and Zazu found a nearby tree on which to perch. "Quite a drought we are having, no?" said Rafiki, looking up from the water and leaping onto a proximate boulder, reclining in the sun. "Water level's already rather low here… give it a while longer and dere won't be any water left!"

"Don't remind me," sighed Simba. "Alright, Rafiki, what did you have to say, then?"

"Ah yes," Rafiki wiped his mouth quickly before continuing. "Well den, I wondered dis… what is something different about Kovu? I mean, something different from you, your father, and the Kings before him."

Simba pondered this for a moment. "Well, he had been exiled. Is that it?"

"Dat is true. But no, dat is not what I am tinking of."

"Er… mane color?" Simba was grasping at straws.

"Tink, now…" Rafiki said, staring into the Lion King's eyes. "Your father… he was a King, no?"

"Of course…"

"And his father?"

"A king…"

Rafiki winked. "See where I am heading here?"

It finally hit Simba. "Kovu's not a direct descendant of a former King. I mean, he isn't the son of a King like everyone else has been."

"Precisely," nodded Rafiki. "I wonder, den… maybe dis is a test for Kovu. Something dat will prove his worth to de Great Kings. I am not saying dat de Kings put him up to leaving, necessarily, but dey might have. Dey may also know he is off to do someting else and want to see if he can triumph on his own. Either way, I doubt he is off finding himself. De Kings, I tink, would have no problem telling me dat."

"So… you think Kovu is on some sort of mission, either by his own will or by the Great Kings?"

"Right, and if it is by his own will, de Kings still see it as a test of his worth. Dey can be like dat sometimes… I pray you will not be once you join dem."

Simba began to pace slowly. In that moment, he, too, was unhappy with his father and the other Kings. But just as Rafiki did, he trusted them—he had no choice but to. He would not tell the rest of the Pride—especially Kiara—about Rafiki's theory, though. At least not yet. They would instead continue under the assumption that Kovu was on a sort-of meditative retreat and would be returning in a few days' time. In the meantime…

"Thanks, Rafiki, you've been a huge help," Simba nodded quickly before turning back toward Pride Rock, Zazu fluttering out of the tree and to his side.

In the meantime… perhaps he could get more information from Vitani. After his talk with Rafiki, Simba now had his doubts, and if Rafiki was correct in his assumption, Vitani might know more than she had let off.

It was merely a question of how to get her to talk.

xXxXxXx

"I'm on to you, Kovu."

The voice had resounded across the lands, freezing Kovu in his tracks. He was alone; there was no one or no thing around for as far as the eye could see. And yet the voice had come, had found him somehow.

Kovu whipped his head around to see the fog descending upon him from behind. He began to run, panicked—though he knew it would not matter. The fog, as it always did, would catch him eventually.

And still he ran. Kovu ran fast, so fast that the ground below his paws did not even feel present, as if he were dashing across the air, as if there were no longer any boundaries to the world he resided in. The cloudless, starless night sky loomed over him like a massive dark blue blanket that threatened to envelop him absolutely. The voice of Simba continued on, continued to speak to Kovu, but Kovu had been unable to make out his words over his exhausted panting as he darted across the flat, treeless land.

The invisible twigs came, as they always did. They snapped at Kovu's face, and Kovu swore he could taste blood as he slowed down, the fog engulfing his heels, an unseen force knocking him to the ground.

The fog swirled and churned, shaping itself into an all-too-familiar face—the head of Simba. Unlike the past, however, the fog held back, not forming Simba's entire body. It loomed over him, ominous, as Simba glared down at Kovu

"I'm on to you," Simba repeated.

"Wh-what do you mean?"

"You've deserted your Pride. Left them to die. Left me to die. Left your future wife to die. And all you worried about was saving your own hide."

"That wasn't my intent! I went to s—"

"Went to what?" Simba growled. "Went to join them? Is that it? Can I expect your sister and the other Outlanders to run off soon as well?"

"You're not listening! I went—"

Simba roared deafeningly, and Kovu was sent cowering, his pulse pounding inside his head, his heart hammering within his chest. He was paralyzed once more; unable to run, unable to escape.

The fog above and aside Simba eddied about, and Kovu swore he could make out other tiny faces beginning to form from out of the corner of his eye as he stared up at Simba.

"And what about your two little friends, Kovu? Hm? How much longer were you planning on keeping the truth from them? They're basically children!"

"N—"

"Not only are you toying with our lives, but their lives as well! You're leading them to their deaths!" cried Simba.

"NO! THAT'S NOT WHAT I'M DOING… I… oh, no."

Koko and Bidii's faces had formed in the fog beside Simba. They gazed at Simba sadly—Koko's round canine eyes even seemed to have tears welling up in them.

"I should have known," Koko said finally. "Th-the entire time, y-you weren't one of th-the good g-guys…"

"Yeah, we trusted you, and it was all for nothing, wasn't it, Koko? We were gonna die if we never learned the truth, yeah, that's it, we were gonna die and you weren't gonna care at all, were you, Kovu? It never, ever even crossed your mind because you never, ever cared about anyone but yourself. Simba told us the entire story, didn't you, sir? Yeah, he told us everything you were planning, yes he did," Bidii spoke so fast it was a wonder he had enough breath for it all.

"No! You've got it all wrong! I would never try to hurt you two!" Kovu exclaimed pleadingly.

"S-save it," Koko howled, fighting back tears. "I don't wanna h-hear it anymore."

"Koko, no! I care deeply about you, I'd never put you in harm's way! Nor you, Bidii! Remember when I said I'd tell you when we were in danger? I meant every word!"

Koko shook her head and closed her eyes, fangs gritting against one another. Bidii glowered at Kovu as he rested his head against Koko's. Simba looked down at them questioningly. Finally, Koko reopened her eyes. Blood-red eyes. Blood-red eyes against the darkened sky.

"K-kill him," she said in a voice much lower and mature than what Kovu had heard from her prior. And then Koko and Bidii vanished in a wisp of fog, leaving only Simba. The fog swirled again, against Simba's head, as the rest of his torso appeared through the mist. Simba flexed his claws, grinning forebodingly. "With pleasure," he snarled.

"PLEASE, STOP! SIMBA, I BEG YOU, PLEASE, HAVE MERCY—"

"I think I'm going to enjoy this," said the Lion King with a sneer.

"NO, SIMBA,PLEASE! KOKO! BIDII! KOKO!!!"

"Kovu, what is it?!"

Kovu sat up hastily, blinking once, twice, three times. He stood and looked around. He was standing in the grouping of trees they had fallen asleep in. There was no Simba around, no fog, no starless sky… it had been a dream… he was alive.

"Are y-you okay?" Koko had sidled up to Kovu, gaping up at him in both fear and concern. "You were c-crying in your sleep… scared us half to death. I don't even know where B-bidii went…"

Kovu sighed deeply and shook his head. "I'm fine… just a bad dream, that's all. I'm… prone to them."

"S-so you had a bad dream… about Bidii and I? And s-some Simba guy? Who's S-simba?"

Glancing up at the sky, Kovu was relieved to find that it was not the evening yet; rather, he approximated there to be at least a few hours of daylight left. He shook his mane out from over his eyes and put on the best grin he could muster. "It's about time I let you know where we're going, isn't it?"

"If you w-want…"

"I do. It was wrong of me to even keep you guessing this long. Where'd you say Bidii had gone?"

Koko shrugged. "Knowing him, he'll be up a tree or something. He thought you were going to e-eat him."

"Well, find him," said Kovu. "We need to get moving if we're going to catch that lioness… that I still need to tell you about." Kovu laughed. "I'll fill you guys in on the way."

While he was unsure if the Simba of his dreams would truly react the same way in real life, something about the dream-Koko and dream-Bidii had stirred something inside Kovu; there could be no more secrets. If these two were to accompany him, they had to know the risks. Kovu knew full well that things could become very dangerous very soon, and privately he wondered if they were even prepared to be in the midst of his encounter with Jasusi and her allies.

He would give them the decision to stay or leave, though Kovu hoped it would be the former. They would be useful, no matter what. And, Kovu thought with a grin, they're really beginning to grow on me.

"A-all ready!" said Koko cheerfully, clamoring toward Kovu from behind a tree, Bidii at that moment clenched between her jaws. Kovu smiled warmly. He was glad to have this company.

"Alright," Kovu said. "Let's go."

END CHAPTER

If it's not obvious already, the character of Koko is really, reeeeally growing on me, LOL. I don't think I've enjoyed writing an original character of mine as much as her. :3

Right, once again, this chapter was a major talker, so sorry about that. I kinda bored myself, even. But I'd never write something that I didn't think was essential to the story, so know that, at least. Also, since I'm leaving for Nashville for a few days tomorrow morning, I wanted to get in a quick update before I left. When I get back, I'm hoping to order my thoughts a little better and write an altogether better chapter.

Thanks dearly for reading, as always. Everyone who has been reading this story (both here and at the TLK forums it has been posted on) are totally on my Nice List, so far out, d00ds. Also, in my few years of writing fanfics, this is the first time I've updated on Christmas, so I feel it necessarily to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays as well! Here's hoping it was a good day. Mine started off kinda weird (power went out for like ten hours, LOL) but it was good altogether. :D

Look for an update sometime in the next two weeks, perhaps even within a week!

~YFWE