Chapter XIV
During the night, Kovu was unable to sleep at all. The premonition that foresaw his own mates death had shook him to the core, almost traumatising him.
No, Kiara can't die. I'll make sure of it.
His determination to keep Kiara alive was the only thing that was going to keep him going, stopping anything from killing his beloved mate. Tonight, the thought stayed in his mind, slowly deteriorating his sanity and rendering him almost restless through the warm night.
Kiara was most frightened. She knew that she had cheated death on more than one occasion, but could this be it? The idea of her demise was her main thought; she wasn't the one to want to die. She knew that this was something she wouldn't forget. Out of every inexplicable demise, premonitions or omens, this was the one thing to frighten her the most.
Shemba lay on her side, distressed that no one would believe her brothers darkness. Already she had endangered the pride twice by her pitiful attempts to warn them of the impending dangers that lay ahead, but she had no choice. Once Kamba's plan of death was set in motion there would be no stopping it. She had minimal time for the pride to see the blackness within Kamba, it wasn't going to be easy, but then again when was Shemba's life ever easy?
Shemba slowly flickered her soft hazel eyes open, lifted her head and noticed her charcoal furred brother scoping round with his vicious hazel eyes. She ignored him and focused her attention back to her mate, who was deep in a slumber, half of his face in his forelegs. She smiled at the brown lion weakly and noticed his younger snuggled in his paws. The small underbelly of the golden cub was expanding and deflating at a fast pace, quite possibly dreaming of unpleasant thoughts. Shemba quickly flipped her head to her own underbelly, noticing the small black cub had fallen asleep next to her. Shemba was mostly terrified for the cubs; if Kamba was going to snap, they would potentially be his first targets.
Shemba turned back to Nira, who flipped over with a sheepish groan and faced away from her, coughing slightly. Shemba, with a petty chuckle, slid her paw around his underbelly and grasped tightly. She nuzzled into his mane but suddenly pulled away when another sleepy groan was released from Nira. With a large yawn, his head slowly slid to the right until his eyes met with his mate.
"Hey," He whispered.
"Hey." She replied while begging to rub his stomach.
"What's up? Something wrong?"
"No. Nothing I-I just can't sleep." She lied with a heavy sigh. Nira shook his head, yawned once more and sat up, placing his mates head on his scrawny shoulder.
"Shemba, I promise from the bottom of my heart, that we're gonna prove you innocent. Because you are. If you're not...then...then I'll leave with you! I'm determined to prove gramps wrong, and we're gonna do whatever it takes. I sincerely promise."
Shemba gave a warm smile on her muzzle as Nira licked it. Her eyes shot open and suddenly pawed around his face in surprise.
"D-do that again."
Nira, with a chuckle, slowly licked the side of Shemba's face once more. Her eyes fluttered at the warm tongue slowly brushing and grooming her muzzle. Nira rubbed his nose against her cheek slightly.
"I love you."
Shemba sighed and stared into his eyes.
"I love you too."
Nira moved from the embrace, scooped up the snoozing golden cub, who's black paw fingered paws slapped Nira lightly and returned to his dreams. He was determined as much as he said he was however his knowledge of how to was superseding him. Shemba released and amorous sigh and rested her head along the perimeter of the brown lion's belly, finding it most comfortable in a bitter attempt to rest.
Her attempts were disturbed suddenly by a large yawn from her younger brother. Kamba's only wish for that second in time was to slaughter each and every one of them...but now wasn't the time. He could already smell the adrenaline fuelling lions blood splashing to the floor as a lions body followed soon after; it was what he so desired. Each detriment would feed more and more into his sick mind, leaving him to do what he always wanted. And there he would not stop. His blood thirst ran far deeper than he had ever imagined...
The dim furred lioness arose from her already sleepless slumber and threw a disgusted look to her brother. "What the hell are you doing?" She hissed.
"Just yawning," Kamba replied loudly. "As tired lions tend to do sis."
"Shut up! They're all sleeping."
"What do I care..."
"Look, if you two are gonna argue, can't it wait until morning?" Kiara suddenly mumbled in her light slumber. The young lions, startled by the sudden voice from Kiara, gestured each other to go outside and proceeded into the grasslands, so they were unheard.
"Okay," Shemba started, clearing her dry throat. "I haven't at all thought about your offer to join you; but I'm not letting you kill this pride! It's not right!"
"How'd you know about..."
"You hid it very well didn't you? In that little cave? Very subtle..."
"And what were you doing in there...with Nira eh? Weren't you supposed to be just staying there and not sticking your nose in other people's business and..." He coughed in a suggestive manner. "...other stuff you shouldn't...?"
"Look: Kamba, you are not going to murder them. And what I do with my time is up to me, not you!"
"Just looking out for my sis..."
"I'm your older sis genius! I'm supposed to take care of you!"
"I'm stronger than you, I would be the one to take care for you..."
"I can't believe how stupid you're being!"
"Likewise sis...likewise..."
()0()0()
As the two siblings remained outside in the grass bickering, Kovu began to suddenly twist and turn in his heavy slumber. His paw grabbed his dumbfounded head and began to growl and snarl quietly, trying to make sense of the flashing dreams whizzing through his mind. In the strange dream of his, he was looking at what simply looked like the day Kamba was struck by lightning, but as the velocity of the nightmare increased, Kovu noticed something very intriguing that he had never noticed before.
The nightmare continued as it did all those years ago. Once again he found himself staring into the stormy skies, as he did when it really happened, looking up and the cloud Scar was in until a very peculiar, large red stream flew from the heavens directly to Kovu, enlightening the sudden replay of previous premonitions. He was suddenly hit with the reminder of what happened four days later and how he was powerless against it. He watched the same mysterious red stream free itself from the skies and onto the black lion. Every single premonition, omen or foreseeing Kovu had ever experienced had to do with this red stream. It was only when he saw the fire in the outlands at the ceremony of his son did he notice how the red cloud was getting to him.
"Scar..." He murmured in his snooze.
In his subconscious, Kovu saw nothing. He could see nothing but an endless white abyss what he thought was going to swallow him up until he landed safely on his four paws. He darted his head, thinking he heard the vicious and deadly voice he so recognised from the one cruel lion he so hated. But when he heard it again he called out for help. There was no response. The white abyss remained empty, that vicious voice continuing to cackle deviously. Upon continuing to circle, Kovu found himself feeling dizzy and flopped onto the floor. At his weakest, he noticed some extremely familiar and emaciated like paws dragging themselves closer and closer to him. His insecurities began to arise and as soon as he felt the presence of his adoptive father he sprung to his paws and dusted himself off.
"Wh-what do you want, Scar?" Kovu growled lowly, hiding the insecurities he so felt.
"Why did you do this to me, son?" Scar sighed venomously. The last time that Kovu and Scar had met was the night he died. Kovu had proclaimed to his adoptive father he wanted nothing more to do with him.
"Don't you ever call me 'son' again!" Kovu barked.
"You failed answer my question, imbecile. Why have you done this to me?"
"I never did anything to you!"
"You did! You unsuccessfully completed my dying wish. I chose you to kill Simba!"
"And as I said, I am not evil!"
"You are. The darkness still illuminates inside you. You are the chosen one..."
"No! No you can't do this! The one and only reason you chose me was because..."
"I am responsible for your father's death!"
Both Kovu's heart and stomach fell to the bottom. His muzzle dropped and he flicked his eyes in disbelief. How was this possible?
"How...how could you...my father's death was accidental. He was swept away when the dam burst."
"Your stupidity has grown on you. How do you think it became in a state of unstableness? Things like that don't just happen!"
"You heartless bastard..."
"That's right, insult me. It will never change what is pure fact. I am responsible for your weak father's demise and you are the chosen one."
"Stop calling me that!"
"Never. You are my son..."
"No!"
Kovu launched himself to attack his adoptive father but the ghostly figure only disappeared, resulting in Kovu landing on his paws. He could no longer feel the presence of Scar however he remained vigilant, darting his head round again and again.
"You see..." Scar's voice continued. Kovu stood dead still, making no cautious moves. "You have always been my chosen one, Vitani too. I couldn't let you both get away with what you did to your mother..."
"Zira was never my mother..."
"But she was! She was the one who raised you. After she was murdered..."
"Her death was accidental!"
"Let me speak you fool!" Scar roared in his vicious hateful voice. Kovu fell silent, though he still couldn't see where Scar was, this was frightening him.
"I had to take my revenge on the world. It killed her. I had to get a way back to this earth, and I succeeded."
"Revenge for what? Restoring peace? You're mad. You're the insane one! Not me!"
"Kovu, I'm dead! This is your nightmare. You know how to end it."
"No, I know exactly what you're doing. Your trying to make me go mad so that I kill everyone for you. It's not going to work..."
"You imbecile! You are already insane! One time you told Zira you want nothing more to do with me, the Scar on your face you will never escape! I am always going to be there, whether you like it or not…"
"Stop lying to me!" Kovu roared. Scar's ghostly figure re emerged from the abyss once more and threw his face directly into the one of Kovu's. The older lion snarled viciously as Kovu's attempts to keep his brave face were beginning to fail.
"That darkness in your soul, is going to live on forever, whether you like it or not..."
"The darkness in my soul never existed! My brainwashed confused heart beats on without a trace of it."
"It matters not. It matters not any longer! You know how this ends anyway. You've seen the future, doesn't that already make you insane? In fact those premonitions of yours showed you what to do! They were to help show you what you really were!"
"How do you know about them?"
"How do you think…"
"You killed her didn't you? You killed my only sister!"
"I did not. I simply helped her see the light…"
"You brainwashed her! You brainwashed her for a second time! Your actions aren't to give me the darkness back; you just want to destroy us all! The reason you killed Mufasa was for power and now you just want to see our blood splattered along the floor, for no particular reason! I won't let you get away with this! Ever! Stop lying to me and tell me the truth!"
Scar fell silent, moving away from his distressed adoptive son. He chuckled darkly before continuing.
"You want truth do you son?" Kovu growled at the sound of Scar calling him his son again. "Your truth: I am your premonitions!" Kovu's muzzle dropped open. The past was beginning to make sense. "I am the reason that you had premonitions! Kamba is my new chosen one! He will rule the lands as the king, and there is nothing you can do about it, nothing do you hear me?"
"No. No, no, no…"
"Believe it Kovu, it's true…"
"No!"
Kovu, unable to bear another second of his nightmare, flopped to the floor and his eyes shot open, throwing his head off the ground and gasping heavily for his breath. He looked outside to the purpling sky before turning to his mate and prodding her lightly.
"Kiara…" He whispered in fright. "Kiara!"
"What? What is it?" Kiara yawned loudly. Her head lifted slightly to see her panicked mate come into eye line.
"I know what the premonitions are. Sca-Scar still lives! His-his plans and his…"
"Whoa, whoa!" Kiara interrupted, slowly nuzzling him from his chin. "Calm. Calm down. Take in some air. Let's not disturb the others."
Kovu nodded and with a sleepy stretch proceeded out of the cavern alongside his mate. The bickering siblings upon noticing their adoptive aunt and uncle leave the cavern darted round the side of Pride Rock.
"See I knew you were going to get me in trouble!" Shemba hissed. They weren't allowed out after dusk any longer in fear of their demise.
"You're getting yourself into trouble sis." Kamba sniggered.
"I'm not! You killed the freaking bird, and I'm being blamed because of you!"
"It's not my fault we have the same paw prints is it? Remember that while you pick which side you're on."
"The side my mates! I wouldn't side with a petty lion like you."
"I'm your brother. You might want to take that into consideration."
"Nope."
"Alright. Enjoy your exile tomorrow."
Kamba proceeded to leave but was stopped when Shemba called out his name. "What makes you think I'll be exiled tomorrow?"
He rolled his hazel eyes tiresomely. "It won't just be you sis, it's all of you. And one of you isn't being exiled, if that lioness makes the right decision of course."
Kamba proceeded back into the cavern of sleeping lions. As he approached the ramp, he gave his sister a devious glare before shaking his head and stepping up. Shemba was left alone standing to brood alone in her thoughts but before she had a chance to think her sluggish nature caught the better of her and she grew sleepy within minutes. Her mind still remained on the safety of the pride however the one thing she kept focused on was her pitiful attempts to sleep.
As she returned back into the cavern the sky was becoming a lighter purple by the second due to the escaping sunlight. She rested next to her mate and closed her eyes, but suddenly opened them once more when she felt a strange feeling pawing away at her face.
"Shems?" Hasira whispered. "Shems are you awake?"
"Yes, Hassy. What do you want?" Shemba grumbled at yet another attempt to sleep interrupted.
"Wh-why were you arguing with Kammy?"
The dim furred lioness lifted her head, spreading her paws slightly. "What?"
The small golden cub hopped into her paws and snuggled in, something which Shemba couldn't help but find adorable.
"'Cause Hassy, that's what brothers and sisters do. They fight. It's only a small argument It'll be over soon." She reassured the small cub, skepticism well hidden.
"I don't like it when lions fight. Only like in play fights, cause otherwise it aint nice."
"Well, I hate to break it to you, but lions do fight on this planet. Whether it's for food, girls or power, they fight to the death for it."
"Has Ra ever fighted?"
"Nope…but I recon we all might be soon."
"Wha-"
"Nothing. It's okay Hassy. Go back to sleep."
The small golden cub, in refusal to budge, snuggled up into Shemba's paws and fell into an instant slumber. Shemba shook her head and rested her head in her paws. She was too tired to protest and she was to get very little sleep this night anyway.
()0()0()
The morning was quick to fall over the horizon. Kovu was the first to awaken, having had minimal sleep from his strange nightmares the previous hours. He sat on the promontory of the lower summit, soaking in the summer warmth treasuring the beauty of the pridelands. His peace was soon interfered with when his two small cubs pelted out of the cosy cavern and into the grasslands. Not long followed by their bumbling babysitters. As the four played around it made Kovu chuckle however his fear for his cubs was at large. They were in danger what with the returning evil.
The pride had only twenty four hours remaining before the exile of Shemba. The evidence and proof was in the palm of their paws however pitching it to the king and queen was a completely different story. They would only consider Kovu's insanity if they were told.
Not long after seeing the cubs exit, Kiara proceeded out. She greeted her mate with a nuzzle and slumped next to him.
"Am I completely insane, Kiara?" Kovu sighed. "Do you think I'm going mad?"
"No, no I don't." Kiara reassured. "We just need to get the facts straight."
"I know, but they seem a bit stupid, don't you think?"
"Right; you saw Scar last night..."
"Yeah we know that part. But-"
"You saw Scar last night?" Simba's voice suddenly boomed.
Upon exiting the cavern, the lion king had found his daughter and her mate discussing the evidence when his intrigue was caught. Kovu saw this as the prime opportunity to post the evidence and whistled over the other two lions, where Kamba remained in the cavern pinning his ear to the entrance.
"Now look:"
"Kovu," Nala sighed. "We have more important things to worry about than whether Shemba should..."
"You're trying to find darkness right?" Nira interrupted. "We've found it!"
Simba rolled his eyes and sighed in annoyance. "Stop blaming Kamba! He's a depressed teen, what could he possibly do?"
Kamba was suddenly hit with a strange urge to shoot out of the cavern and slit each and every one of their throats, but, with difficulty, suppressed the urge by growling loudly and lowly.
"We're only doing it because it's true!" Kiara intervened. "Remember what you used to tell me father: stand up for what you believe in. We are!"
"Look, if you're so determined to prove me wrong, then have evidence ready at sunset. I seriously cannot be dealing with this now okay?"
The lions nodded their heads. Simba grunted and alongside his mate stepped into the pridelands, leaving the four lions sat, considering how to pitch the evidence, until they decided their hungers were to get the better of them. As they proceeded off, Kamba stepped out of the cavern and prevented the two new lovers from exiting.
"So, you think you're gonna expose me eh?" Kamba growled, narrowing his vision directly to the brown lion.
"Yes." Nira replied bluntly. "And there's nothing you can do."
"Oh is there not? I have my methods." Kamba launched quite suddenly and pinned down his adoptive cousin. "Would you like to know the first method?"
"If you kill me then who do you thinks' gonna kill you?" Nira chuckled, but then wheezed at the stronger lions paws pressing hard on his chest.
"Killing, no. That wasn't the approach I was going for." He dug his claws into the defenceless lions chest. "I could always cause pain."
The charcoal furred lion was suddenly shoved off of Nira with a grunt. As he flipped off the floor, he noticed the dim furred paws that belonged to his sister crash to the ground. In a daze, as he stood back up he could hear the faint chuckles from his enemy.
"If you have a girl save you Nira that's not something to chuckle about." Kamba snarled, bringing Nira's brief chuckles to come to an end.
"It don't matter. I don't have to listen to what you say anyway. So prepare for exposure."
"That's what she said."
"Are you a cub? Prepare to get caught Kamba."
The two lovers hopped off of Pride Rock deep in discussion, leaving Kamba to stand alone on the top of the ramp, considering how to approach the situation. He couldn't help but growl as he watched the only lion he hated passionately with his sister, it made him want to puke.
"Kamba?" A soft, familiar voice called out to him. The warm voice was just enough to relax him.
"Hey Jeshi." Kamba sighed. The dusty coloured lioness flopped next to him, accidentally touching his paw in the process, causing the charcoal furred lion to grin awkwardly.
"Ignore him. He don't know what's coming to him."
"I know. He's just pissing me off, you know?"
"Yeah, I understand. Don't worry, ."
"I suppose." Kamba heaved a sigh. "Jesh?"
"Hm?"
"...no, never mind."
Jeshi frowned, placing her paw on his shoulder. "Seriously, what's up?"
"No, no it's fine. Seriously. I'm fine."
The dusty coloured lioness sighed. "No you're not. Come on..."
"Nah..."
Jeshi playfully nudged the large lion, only causing him to chuckle and nudge back.
"Stop it." She chuckled.
"Well you started it!" Kamba laughed back.
"I did not!"
"Oh really?"
Kamba suddenly pulled down the lioness and began to tickle her underbelly. She squirmed and squealed in fits of laughter attempting to push the charcoal furred lion off of her.
"No! No stop!" Jeshi laughed. "Please, please stop!"
"Begging gets you nowhere!" Kamba continued to tickle the squirming lioness, laughing along with her, enjoying the sudden outburst of joy he hadn't felt in a long time. He refused to cease until he felt her soft paw playfully slap him around the face.
"Ouch!" Kamba chortled. "That hurts you know."
"Oh is that so?" Jeshi exclaimed, pushing the large lion away from her. "Perhaps you shouldn't do things you're not wanted to do."
"What, did you not want me to..."
"I was joking Kamba!" Jeshi winked. "Or was I?"
Jeshi sprinted into the pridelands, still screeching giddily, shouting back "Hurry up, fat arse!" as she left. Kamba sighed, chuckled and chased after the dusty coloured lioness, eventually catching up with her. As she noticed him behind, she also noticed his wheezing.
"Need to get fit do we, tubby?" She giggled.
"Oh you're so dead now!" Kamba exclaimed.
"You'll have to catch me lardy arse!"
Strangely, Kamba found the energy to launch himself onto his friend and tumble with her directly into the base of a tree. The charcoal lion smashed his head, becoming pinned down by the lioness. Kamba snorted at the sudden painful sensation running through his head.
"Aww," Jeshi giggled. "Did the small cub hit his head?"
"Oh get lost."
"Want me to kiss it all better?"
"Hey, don't patronise!"
In a joking manner, the lioness began to bend down to kiss the lion's head better however Kamba suddenly began to protest and attempted to shove the lioness away. She giggled at Kamba's sudden inhibitions and ceased, jumping off of the large lion.
"Was only a joke." She sighed.
"I know, it was just strange." Kamba replied, standing up and suddenly pouncing on Jeshi, causing her to screech. As he pinned her an enormous roar of laughter escaped him.
"Payback!"
()0()0()
The day was surprisingly quick to follow through. The golden orange that haunted the lands as the sun hid beyond the horizon, the son of the prince sat alone on the promontory of Pride Rock, gazing into the wonders of the pridelands. He was also feeling guilty about the fact that he didn't want to become a king and deep down he just wanted to leave the pride.
Kiara, upon noticing her eldest son slumped conveniently on the upper summit, stepped up the crumbling ramp that led to it. As she stepped up it, bits of the ramp suddenly began to slip. Kiara hopped up and cautiously proceeded up to her son.
"Nira?" She called out, startling the weak hearted lion.
"Why does everyone do that?" Nira sighed in frustration. He didn't turn to face his mother. "Seriously?"
"Nira, I'm here for a reason." Kiara placed herself next to her son. "Now that we know Kamba's dark, I don't want you to..."
Nira sighed in interruption. "No, that's not fair!"
"No, let me finish..."
"Why mom? I was out the night before and didn't die!"
"Yes but that doesn't mean he's not gonna jump at any chance to get you alone and kill you does it?
"Mom, I can stand up for myself, I am old enough!"
"Even so, it's for your own safety. I don't want to do this but I can't risk losing you. I'm sorry, just stay in sight. Please."
"Mother..."
"No buts! Just, do it for me okay?"
Nira didn't respond, instead remained on Pride Rock staring out. Kiara sighed and as she proceeded off. Once she was away Nira shook his head.
I'll prove its safe enough...
()0()0()
Kovu entered the warm cavern of Pride Rock, only to sigh and shake his head. The sun had set, the darkness had loomed and almost an hour had zoomed past with no word from Nira and the cubs.
"I couldn't find them." Kovu sighed. "I looked everywhere."
"Oh, damn it!" Shemba exploded, very close to tears. "This is just great isn't it? My brothers gonna kill the most important lion to me. I knew he was out to hurt me! Kovu you couldn't have looked everywhere. Please."
"I'm sorry, but what else can we do?"
"How about look for them more? Please Kovu..."
Kovu rubbed his temple lightly. "Simba?" He roared. Simba, upon hearing Kovu's loud roar stood from his thin attempts to sleep and plodded over to them.
"What?" The lion king snapped.
"We need a search party now. They haven't returned."
Simba nodded in acceptance, darted back over to Nala and got her up and whispered to her the situation. With a gasp, she rallied up Timon and Pumbaa and join the other lions.
"Right, we search everywhere." Kovu instructed to the pride. "No rock is left unturned. We find them, no matter how long it takes."
The pride nodded, and behind Kovu proceeded out. Shemba was almost close to tears, just begging and praying whatever Kamba was going to do to them he didn't do. As they arrived into the plains of the lands Kamba could hear their cries of the names while he sat inside Vitani's old cavern. Chuckling deviously, he extended his claw and placed it to Nira's throat, startling the small cubs.
"You're not telling anyone what I just told you are you?" The charcoal furred lion growled.
"No. No not at all." Nira replied in fright.
"Good, now, stay here, shut up and don't you dare say anything until I say so, is that clear?"
The three siblings nodded in terror. Kamba grinned darkly and proceeded out of his dug out tunnel that led from the pridelands into Vitani's cave. Nira sighed, held the cubs close as Kamba proceeded into the long grass, ready for his plan to take full shape.
"Ra, I was gonna stop him." Hasira whispered.
"Trust me, Hassy. You were not." Nira replied.
"I thought you were pretty brave Hassy." Jasiri sniggered to her brother.
"Thanks Jas."
"Ra, when we gonna get outa here? I'm scared." Jasiri whimpered, beginning to cry.
"Shhh! It's okay," Nira replied cuddling his little sister. "We'll be fine, no ones gonna die, I promise."
"How'd you know? Kamba's gonna slash us all!"
"No, no he won't. Not if dad has anything to do about it."
Walking around in the group, the faint cries of Nira's , Kamba's, Hasira's and Jasiri's names could be heard. Nira pricked his ears up, listening to everyone calling his name. As the group continued to search, Kamba remained in his pouncing stance, prepared to attack at any moment, this was going to be far too easy.
"Has anyone found them?" Simba bellowed.
"Not yet." Shemba sighed. "I just want Nira back..."
Shemba began to wail and tears streamed from her hazel eyes. Nala sat beside her, despite accusing her of things she understood how it felt.
"We'll find him don't worry." Nala sighed.
Kovu and Kiara stepped out from the outlands, having made little progress in the search party.
"Right think where they would go, look for paw prints." Nala suggested. The paw prints by Vitani's cave didn't show up, the mud hadn't been moistened enough and was too rocky.
"I found paw prints!" A sudden meerkats voice exclaimed. "It leads into the grass!" The lions, without hesitations darted into the long grass where they once again made little progress. As they entered the centre of the long grass, they formed a circle and remained silent for a second before any of them dared break the silence.
"This is hopeless, we're never going to find them!" Kiara shouted.
"You can't just give up hope, Kiara!" Kovu shouted back. "Nira, Hasira and Jasiri are around somewhere."
"Yeah but where?" Shemba wailed. "I don't see them do you?"
"That's why we look for them!"
"And what have we been doing? Picnicking?"
"Don't be sarcastic Shemba..."
"Let's all just calm down shall…"
Simba was unable to conclude his sentence. He suddenly felt the razor sharp pain of being tackled to the floor. The circle of lions and Timon & Pumbaa increased in diameter quite suddenly at the shock of the unfair attack from Kamba. The charcoal furred lion had finally snapped. The older lion roared viciously at the younger lions attack before slashing him back. Circling each other for a brief second, Kamba pounced once more and began to throw smacks to Simba's muzzle, sending droplets of his blood flying to the floor. Simba slapped him around the face hard, but it was no use. Kamba threw his vicious fangs to the destination of Simba's jugular and clamped hard in an attempt to bleed him to death before he released hi grip and pinned down the golden furred lion and ripped away at his face. The rip roaring pain was too unbearable; he was reaching unconsciousness.
Kamba felt no guilt for what he was committing, instead enjoying Simba's pain. As he noticed the older lion slowly passing out, he ceased slashing, heaved out of breath and lifted his paw when the circle ran up to save the lion king.
"No one comes any closer!" Kamba exploded. "I will kill gramps!"
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Nala screamed, desperate to save her mate. Kamba lowered his paw and shoved it into the unconscious muzzle of Simba.
"All, and I mean all my life I have watched this family grow, yet no one cares about my parent's death. You may call me petty, you may call me some other crap, but it means a lot to me! Do you know what really happened to mom and dad? Does anyone really know why I'm attacking this pathetic excuse for a lion?" Kamba narrowed his hatred consumed hazel eyes to his sister. "Shemba does!"
Shemba lowered her head in embarrassment as the attention of the lions, meerkat and warthog was on her. "Don't you dare..." Shemba hissed.
"Why shouldn't I sis? They have a right to know!"
"They don't need to know."
"Oh I think they do."
"It's not important, Kamba! Don't you dare!"
"Its not important that mom and dad were murdered? It's not important that Vitani was the only and real reason they lay at the bottom of west gorge, dead? Is it not important to you?"
There was a collective gasp as the charcoal lion exhaled murderously. He kept his eyes firmly locked on his sibling. Kovu felt mentally sick. His sister, the first to turn against their mother, murdered?
"How do we know you're not lying?" Kiara spoke.
"Fine. If you don't believe me, ask Shemba. Because she knows its true!"
There was a silence before Shemba exhaled and choked loudly, finally acknowledging the truth of her parents after so many years.
"He's not lying. It's the truth."
"Say it louder Shemba!"
"Their deaths were no accident! There I said it, you happy you sick freak?"
She was still determined not to join Kamba's side.
"Why did you never tell us?" Kiara sighed.
"I-I couldn't face it." Shemba felt her warm tears roll off her numb face, being hit with a wave of emotion after finally being forced to come to terms with the truth. "I knew it was true, I just didn't want to believe it. And it wasn't true to me up until this point. It was always an accident in my eyes. It just - it was so unfair. Having to see what lions were capable of for no reasons..."
"Where's Nira and the cubs?" Kiara growled, quickly changing the subject. "You had better not have killed them."
"No, no, their safe and sound, in Vitani's old cave. But if you try t go get them I'll kill Simba!" Nira had his ears practically glued to the wall of the cave. He would hear everything.
"You lay one paw on them, and I will kill you!" Kovu growled.
"Don't threaten me, Kovu, I have more power than you think at the moment!" Kamba cackled. "You wanna know something else? I killed Zazu!"
The heads of the lions turned once more. "What?" Kovu growled. "And you let Shemba be blamed for it?"
"Hey, I merely let her see what kind of lions you really are."
"Its still not gonna work, Kamba!" Shemba roared. "I'm not gonna join your side!"
"Wait, wait, you're side? When did even declare you were evil?" Nala questioned.
"Just now." Kamba grinned darkly. "And every good villain has a list of demands, so here is mine!"
The lions stayed silent for a second. "...fine." Nala sighed. "What do you want?"
"First, you let me be king.."
"No! I'm not allowing you…" Kamba lifted his paw up again as though he was going to kill Simba. "Fine." Nala reluctantly agreed. "What else do you want?"
"Your exile. You see, I don't want to be king of the pridelands if you're all still here! So technically you're now trespassing."
Kovu, Kiara, Nala, Timon and Pumbaa thought this over for a minute. If they let him, then the fate of the future could be seriously under threat. But if they don't, then Simba and Nira will die and he will probably still get into power. Nala sighed as Kiara and Kovu shook their heads at her.
She knew what she had to do though.
"Fine." Nala sighed, quickly snapping her head up. "You are king. But mark my words, Kamba, don't think we aren't going to try and do something about it! And if you even think to start murdering for no reasons we will tear you to pieces!"
"Fine, I like challenges."
Kamba jumped off of Simba, padded calmly over to Vitani's cavern and crawled through the tunnel. Nala pressed her snout against Simba's neck, stirring him and helping him up. Moments later Kamba dragged Nira out of the cavern by the scruff of his neck and dropped him to the centre of the circle where Shemba came to his aid. Kamba then went back into the cavern where a scream was heard. He then crawled back out of the cave with the two cubs' tails in his mouth, dropping them to the floor. When they got up they scurried to their parents and climbed on them, scared and bemused.
"What's going on?" Simba coughed.
"Basically Simba, get out!" Kamba shouted.
Nala whispered in Simba's ear, Simba growled in defeat as Kamba let out his cackle as he returned to his new home.
The ten animals entered the outlands across the unstable log that separated the two territories, led by Simba. He gazed around where they were going to be living until Pride Rock was theirs again. His paw smashed the ash, sending it flying before turning his head to the others.
"And so it begins."
Yes, Kamba finally snapped :D woop!
