Chapter XVI
Simba's eyes, consumed with fear, continued to dart back and forth in search for any movement from his mate, his mind slowly filling with thoughts for the worst.
Nala's dead. She's dead. She's dead Simba...
He had given up on moving the rubble himself and focused on assessing the situation. Each time he looked through gaps of the rubble he saw what he thought were Nala's lifeless paws. He was desperate to nuzzle her and tell her it was all fine.
Nala gasped for more air. Her weakened, damaged lungs were finding it more and more difficult to take in air since the cavern collapsed on her. Choking on more dust, her capabilities to screech for help were abysmal. Each time she tried, only a pathetic squeak escaped her muzzle. The cruel rocks were tightening slightly, crushing the defenceless lioness a little bit more each time.
She suddenly noticed a mix of brown, dim furred and golden paws slowly but progressively moving more and more rubble away. It gave her a slight sense of hope. The second she felt her lungs crushed more she could feel her life slowly ebbing away as another weedy squeak escaped from her mouth.
Simba, unable to contain his nerves any longer dragged away a rock with his fierce paws causing it to sway to the right. The movement of the rubble caused Nala to get crushed yet more and more.
"She's dead! I know it!" Simba yelled.
"No she isn't!" Kovu reassured the former king in an equally loud roar. "Just hurry and help move the rubble!"
Nala was suddenly hit with a strange burning sensation in her hindlegs. As she looked around, she noticed a sharp, heavy slice of rubble that had crushed her legs and potentially damaged her ability to walk. Without warning, she suddenly opened her muzzle to release a vicious roar of pain that echoed throughout. Simba was relieved to hear the familiar roar of his mate however his concern for her kicked straight back in.
"Nala! Nala can you hear me?"
"Simba...I can't feel my paws..."
"Nala, bear with me!"
"Help me..."
Kovu, with all his might, managed to drag some rubble free, which revealed how trapped Nala really was however the second he did the structure swayed unexpectedly to the right. Although it gave her the ability to breathe once more it caused a sudden shift above her, causing small dust particles and tiny parts of rubble to rain down on the former queen and for a larger piece to crash down and almost whack her directly. The pressure from above was far too much causing Nala to screech in hurt once more.
"Careful!" Simba chided Kovu abruptly. Kovu stormed up to a distressed Simba, frustration apparent.
"I'm doing my best Simba!" Kovu roared. "I can't help it I'm not a rocks expert!"
"Well you just hurt her again! Just pull them softer."
"Don't start telling me what to do! I was doing just fine until you started criticizing about half hour ago."
"Are you a cub, Kovu? My mate's dying in there!"
"And what do you think were fucking doing? We're trying to free her you fuckwit!"
"Stop it! Both of you!" Kiara roared. The two lions ceased their arguments and swivelled their heads around in surprise.
"Mom's in there, stop being so stupid! Leave the arguments until we've err...got back to our home!"
Simba and Kovu grumbled to themselves, returning to move the rubble away and freeing the former queen.
"Dad, stop!" Nira suddenly scolded his father. Kovu took his paws away from the debris he was preparing to lift and flipped his head round to his son. "If you take that, the whole things going down."
"Not really like we have a choice, son." Kovu sighed. "Look over that side: there's no way were getting those out. Just help me pull this out..."
"Dad, no! Look how much is rested on it. You lift that, it's all going down! You want grandma to die?"
"Nira, listen to me. There isn't much of another choice, I have to, because others are holding more weight. Just trust me."
"Dad!"
It was too late. Kovu launched his paws around the tight rock and began to tug at it, loosening it every second. Nala twisted her head at the sudden loud scratch and grunting noises attempting to release a surprisingly larger slice of the rubble of the outland cavern. Kovu felt the large piece of rubble begin to loosen, the other lions noticing the sudden increase in creaks and movement.
"Kovu, leave it." Simba instructed. Kovu rolled his eyes in frustration and continued to pull away. As soon as he felt it shift abruptly he tugged on it more until it eventually broke free and slid out. The defenceless lioness suddenly felt yet more tiny pieces of rubble begin to rain down before a much larger part of debris slid down and crashed onto her head, not large enough to knock her out but to trigger a painfully loud, ear shattering roar. The structure surprisingly stayed put as the rubble was released.
"See?" Kovu chuckled smugly. "Told you."
"Fine. You were right about that." Simba grumbled, lightly massaging his temple. "How do you plan to free Nala?"
"I was getting to that. Look:"
Simba darted to Kovu's position and threw his head over. He could see Nala. She was alive, trapped in between those heavy rocks that supported that deadly rubble above that could send the former queen into her early grave. Kovu dragged another rock out so Nala's hindlegs became free.
"Nala!" Simba sighed, overjoyed. "Don't worry, we're nearly there." Simba turned his head round to his daughter. "Kiara, go and get Rafiki."
Kiara, in realisation, flicked her head suddenly to address her father. "You're insane right? It's halfway across the Pridelands. I'll never make it."
"Kiara, don't panic. Its midnight, there's no way Kamba will be awake now. Just go to his tree, tell him Nala needs him and come straight back. If you're quick, you won't get caught."
"But...but father..."
"Kiara! Don't ask questions!"
"I'm scared to! Please!"
"Simba, just let me do it." Kovu suggested, patting his mate in comfort. "It'll take me ten seconds."
"No, you and Nira need to help me move the rest of the rubble."
"Simba..."
"Kiara! Hurry up!"
Kiara shot into the pridelands. Her gut was warning her, forcing her to turn back now and avoid getting caught. Her stance lowered to the level in the long grass, keeping her eyes firmly locked on her old home. She knew she had to do this, but gulping loudly wasn't going to help. Moving further and further into the grass , she saw Rafiki's baobab tree gradually becoming within reaching distance. The golden lioness was still unnoticed.
As she arrived, her snout was thrown out of the long grass, sniffing around, making sure Kamba definitely wasn't around. Her fur suddenly started to tremble at the thought of what was to happen should she be captured. She cautiously set one of her paws out of the long grass, making sure the rest of her paws made no sound.
Unable to withstand the panic any longer, the former princess, with a loud grunt, jumped out of the grass and darted round, just to make sure.
When she was sure the coast was clear, she stepped up to the base of the large tree, threw her head up and found no movement.
"Rafiki!" She sharply whispered. No response. "Rafiki!"
Her golden paws attempted to shake the tree. Not even a rustle from the leaves.
"Rafiki! We need you!"
With no other choice, she unsheathed all of her claws, attached them to the trunk of the baobab tree and slowly began to kick and claw her way up. The lioness looked down and gulped, her fear of heights had been triggered since she watched the fall of the tyrant Zira. Attempting to ignore her gut, she continued to climb until she heard a rustle from the leaves.
"Don't you dare jump..."
The wise Shaman flew from the tree. His monkey hands grasped Kiara as he flew past her, causing the lioness to chuckle before she lost her grip. With an abrupt screech, the golden furred lioness flew to the floor with a large crash at the end. The Mandrill couldn't help but find himself bursting into hysterics at the former princess' foolish moves.
"It's not funny." Kiara giggled. "That hurt you know."
"Wasn' my fault," Rafiki jokingly protested, restraining the urge to cackle more and assisted Kiara in standing to her paws.
"I need your help. Mom's trapped..."
"In de cave?"
"...How did you know that?"
"I heard de crash from dere hour' ago!"
"Right. Come on..."
Before Kiara could conclude her speech, Rafiki almost instantly shot away, leaving Kiara to stand in his dust. She gasped loudly at the sudden realisation that she was alone.
"Rafiki!" She shouted over. "Slow down!"
However, before she had a chance to sprint after the wise mandrill, she suddenly felt a large pain shoot up her tail. Losing her balance at the sudden pressure against her back end she flopped to the floor, suddenly feeling a cold and vicious claw slide slowly up her back to reach her neck.
"Evening Kiara." A dark furred lion cackled. He pressed more of his claws against Kiara's throat, suddenly dragging her up and drawing her ear level with his muzzle.
"You're not going anywhere."
Kiara finally attempted to scream. The second she did, Kamba's paw covered her muzzle tightly and growled viciously.
"If you shut up, this won't hurt at all."
Kamba threw Kiara back to the floor and with his other paw smashed her around the face. The intensity of the hit was extreme, causing her to enter a daze. She felt a sudden second slash sweep across her throat which wasn't lethal, just enough to send her into unconsciousness.
Kamba used one of his paws to lift the lioness' head up.
"Tut tut. They shouldn't leave you defenceless." The lion king cackled as he began to slide underneath her to place her on his back.
"This was too easy."
()0()0()
Rafiki arrived into the outlands. His eyes darting through the unspeakable detriment the pride were currently residing in. He shook his head with a sigh and stepped over to the situation at hand.
As he stepped over, Kovu yanked down a wall of rubble, revealing the bruised, scratched face of the former queen. Simba immediately ran up to the trapped Nala and threw himself into a warm nuzzle with her, relived to see the beautiful face of his mates once more. Her muzzle dripped slowly with the blood that was ripped from her face, mixed with the tears from fright.
"Nala, I'm so sorry." Simba sighed. "This is my fault."
"Don't think that." Nala whispered. "It's not your fault."
Nala's body remained squished in between the two collapsed rocks that were slowly crushing her lungs. Kovu promptly pushed Simba from his nuzzle with Nala and began to attempt to move the rubble. Nira and Shemba hopped over the rubble to assist in shifting the heavy rocks. Simba bit his lip and turned, unable to watch what may or may not happen.
Just as Kovu dragged the large rock more, sudden movement from the large boulder weakly towering above the defenceless Nala rained yet more dust and rubble onto her and caused a sudden shift to the right. Nala gave a brief screech in pain only causing Simba to bite his lip harder in fright of what was going to happen.
"Stop hurting her!" Simba yelled in distress.
"Not like we can help it!" Kovu screeched back in retaliation. "We're doing the best we can!"
One final attempt to pull the large rock from Kovu was enough to cause the boulder to slip and almost collapse. Kovu kicked the floor, realising there was no more rubble to move. He continued to stare at the floor for a brief moment and looked to his son.
"What we gonna do dad?" Nira asked.
"I-I don't know."
Kovu carefully studied the rubble before him, unable to come up with many ways to free the frightened lioness underneath. His eye slipping up every second at the unstable boulder preparing to collapse and kill Nala. He pressed his paw lightly against the side of the structure before it creaked loudly and caused Nala to whimper briefly from the fear of death looming over. Kovu knew the only option they had. The only choice they could take could risk the lives of them all however it could save the trapped lioness.
Kovu pondered his only option for a brief moment, looking to the right and grumbling to himself.
"Dad?"
Kovu turned his head to his eldest, sighed and shook his head before turning to the still worried Simba.
"We need to pull her out."
Simba's eyes flicked, his left paw raised slightly in warning and he shook his head adamantly.
"No." He replied loudly and sternly. "I refuse..."
"Simba, it's your choice, depends if you want your mate to remain alive or not."
"But, Kovu, think of all the pain she'll be in. You're insane! I won't let you! You must be able to move more rubble!"
"Simba, look above Nala's head, that boulder is going to crush her if any more rubbles moved. We have only..."
"No!" Simba raised his paw slightly higher for yet more warning, extending his claws and growling lightly. "You shall not inflict pain like that onto her!"
"What other choice do we have?" Kovu quite suddenly bellowed. "Give me one other option there is, the only other option is her death! Now, rethink before you threaten me."
Simba placed his paw back to the ground, looked over to his mate who was begging to squirm at the unbearable pressure and growled.
"I can't – I just can't let you."
"Well, Simba, it all depends on whether you want her to die or not. It's your choice remember, but just remind yourself of the pain you'll suffer when she's gone."
Simba continued to stare at his slow dying mate, desperate to hold her. He turned back to Kovu, showing an understanding yet reassuring smile before closing his eyes, taking a sharp breath in and stepping back.
"Just be quick."
Kovu ushered over his son and Shemba, sighing before looking at Simba who had turned away, unable to watch.
"Right," Kovu began. "You two need to grab the sides of the rocks, and hold them in place. Don't move them, just make enough room so we can pull grandma out. Got it?"
"Loud and clear!" Nira responded. The two young lions proceeded over and each grabbed a side, grunting at the weight of the rubble and with difficulty pulled it ever so slightly, yet giving the former queen more fresh air. Her gasps of air allowed her muzzle to turn up slightly in a relieved smile just before Kovu stepped up to her.
"This is going to hurt, Nala." Kovu told her. "But it's going to help. We'll have you out in no time."
"Alright." Nala groaned at the pressure that was still apparent. "Just...careful..."
Kovu grabbed her right foreleg and then whistled to grab the attention of the former king.
"I know you can't watch this Simba, but I need your help."
"Kovu," Simba growled lowly. "There is no way I'm..."
"Please Simba..." A sudden weedy voice exclaimed. Simba's head raised and turned at a smile from his helpless mate. "Please help, you know it's for the best. I'll still love you, you're going to save me. Please, I can't stand this anymore. Please..."
Simba, knowing his love for his mate was to easily overthrow his hatred for causing physical harm to his loved ones shook his head and proceeded over, grasping her left foreleg with his large paws. Kovu nodded to Shemba and Nira, where the two younger lions began to pull the large rubble, giving Nala yet more space for her lungs the ability to breathe. Kovu then turned his head to the former king, gave him a reassuring nod as he swallowed and alongside Kovu began to yank the former queen.
Nala's first reaction was a painful screech, causing Simba to shut his eyes tightly being physically unable to watch his mate inflicted with the pain she was enduring. The harder the two older lions pulled, the more Nala broke free however the more the boulder that was supported by the two rubbles, that were now fully supported by the younger lions, loosened. Slipping down yet more and more.
It's almost over, Simba. The former king reassured himself in his head. She's nearly out you can do this...you can do this...you can...you can...
Kovu tugged yet more on the older lioness' foreleg. She could feel herself slowly slipping out of the rubble however feeling sudden movements from the boulder above her, ready to quickly destroy every bone in her body. She shut her eyes tightly and prepared for the worst. Her fear growing every second she felt a tug and a shift in movement. Within seconds her heart began to pound vigorously in her chest, feeling herself slowly slipping away. She could no longer feel the pain or the grunts from the male lions saving her from the rubble, but instead a strange ringing sound that spread through her ears and in a split second she could feel nothing. Each final tug couldn't be felt, nothing but a cold silence drifting through her insides.
Kovu and Simba eventually broke the lioness free from the rubble. Kovu released his grip on her foreleg causing her to launch onto Simba and throw them to the floor in a heap. The support for the boulder above was lost. The second Shemba heard the boom of the boulder moving she flew away. Since the support on the right side was completely gone it crashed to the left preparing to kill Nira.
"FUCK!" Nira screeched. The very second Kovu noticed his son in danger he leaped over and tackled him to the floor just in time for the end of Nira's tail to get crushed.
The second he felt the excruciating pain on his tail Nira howled. His father hopped off of him and released his son's tail from underneath the rubble.
"Are you alright?" Kovu asked.
"You did it." Nira exhaled. "You actually did it!"
"Hey, I'm just doing my job."
Nira gave his father a warm smile as he struggled up and was immediately struck by the sudden nuzzle from Shemba. The lions' joy was immediately stolen by a sudden loud roar of a name from the former king.
"Nala?"
No response.
"NALA?"
A weedy cough escaped her.
"Nala! Please, stay with me!"
Another cold silence.
"NALA! NALA PLEASE LISTEN TO ME!"
Simba remained stood over his mate, slapping her lightly and pawing away at her chest, desperately hoping she was alive. He felt his own heartbeat stop. This was it. No sign of movement. He was the one who was going to have to turn around and say she's dead. The cruel silence that filled the lands was sickening; it was like a ghostly presence surrounded them.
Quite suddenly a collective sigh flew through the air as a weak groan escaped Nala, lifting her paw and lightly slapping her mate.
"S-Simba..."
"Nala...!" Simba exclaimed with pride. He immediately bent down and nuzzled the weak lioness lovingly and in relief, knowing he wouldn't lose her tonight. Light purrs were heard from the lions. It was the one moment of happiness they had felt for a while.
The wise shaman stepped forward and nodded to the former king, who stepped back to allow Rafiki to nurse his mate. Rafiki inspected the creamy furred lioness' body, checking for obvious injuries and cuts that could cause further injuries or even diseases. Nothing major. The second, however, that he placed his hand lightly on one of her hind legs Nala seethed in ache. As Rafiki applied more pressure she began to groan more in pain and eventually begged for him to stop.
"Broken legs." Rafiki concluded. "Shouldn' be a problem."
"Not a problem?" Simba grumbled. "She can't walk..."
"Well, not a lot we can do, is dere?" Rafiki retorted to Simba upon hearing his comment.
"You must be able to do something. I mean come on..."
"Give me a suggestion as to what, and I'll try it..."
The son of the prince suddenly noticed something. He lifted his head from Shemba's and looked around, no signs as to what he was looking for.
"Guys...?"
"Look, I'm not the med's expert here, Rafiki!"
"An' you suspect I am? Well I know I am bu' you can't..."
"Guy's..."
"One moment, Nira: Did I say I was..."
"Wha' are you even going on about anyway...?"
"Well you started it."
"Are you a baby?"
"Guys!"
"I said in a minute Nira!"
Kovu suddenly stepped forward. "Don't yell at my son like that! What have you got against him?"
"Kovu, stay out of this..."
"No, Simba, why do you hate your grandchild?"
"When did I say that? And what the hell is going on here? What are we even arguing about?"
"Well, we're debating on what kind of antelopes there are you see: what do you think we're arguing about?"
"Guys!"
The attention of the pride was thrown to the black lion, Nira. Who exhaled from shouting over the petty and pointless argument.
"Anyone notice someone missing?"
Kovu darted his head around, suddenly realising and gasping at what his son meant.
"Wait a sec, where's Kiara?"
Quite a change, I agree, but fuck it I like it like this xD m'kay, a month and a day ago was my last update ^^; whooops...
I had to split this chapter otherwise it would be almost 10,000 words long. No joke
(Fixed a double published problem. Oops.)
