Chapter XVIII
"Simba, I need you to stay here and protect Nira. I'm going to find Kiara. Wait until I call for you, then help with the attack. If this bastard wants a fight it's a fight he'll get."
Simba and Nira both nodded in acceptance. Kovu exhaled in anxiety, knowing this could be it for all of them. He hastily proceeded up to the ramp, before he looked back at Simba and his son, gulped loudly and lowered his stance, and snuck up. As he approached the top, his snout lifted and rested on the edge of the lower promontory, sniffing around for any scent he recognised. Nothing but the strong scent of blood, at a frightening rate.
Once he was sure no one was around, his paws lifted up and grasped the edge, where he then fully pulled himself up. Still not a sound was heard from the seemingly deserted Pride Rock. Nothing but the faint clicks from Kovu's claws extending from his paw fingers. He shifted his eyes slightly to the right where he immediately saw a black tail swinging on the outside.
Bingo.
Kamba stepped further into the cavern, cackling loudly as he did before eerie silence. Kovu hopped up onto the lower promontory, making minimal sound and not attracting any attention to him. As he dusted his paws he was startled by a large shriek from inside, which echoed through and rung in Kovu's ears.
"Get away from me!" Kiara screeched. "Don't touch me you freak!"
"Hush, Kiara, hush." Kamba grumbled. "Those weak lions aren't going to save you now. So just shut it!"
Heh, weak am I? Kovu thought to himself. Well, at least I'm not a total di-
Kovu stepped up to the entrance, hiding behind the wall listening in to what the cavern briefly echoed every now and then, making sure Kiara was still alive by glancing through every few seconds. From what he saw, Kiara was curled in a whimpering fur ball, powerless and weak to counter attack. Kamba's claws were tightly pressed against her throat, preventing any screams and threatening to rip her apart. Soft whines escaped the golden lioness, frightened for her life and to what was to happen next.
"Please, Kamba. Just leave me and my family alone..."
"I thought I was partof this crappy family! Shemba seems to be!"
"Because Shemba trusts and looks out for her family instead of trying to slaughter them!"
Kovu, without thinking, pressed his paw forcefully against the side of the entrance to the cavern, knocking some of the decaying rock free which crashed to the ground. In an instant, he was back round the side, heart intensifying in beats and adrenaline beginning to pump through his veins.
Kamba skidded round, standing at a level ready to pounce and growling loudly. His eye twitched slightly in rage knowing they had entered the pridelands.
"Who's there?" Kamba snarled ferociously. "Show yourself!"
Kovu remained silent, holding his heart and attempting to cool himself down. Kamba growled yet more.
"I said show yourself you coward!"
"Delivery!" Kovu shouted into the cavern. Kiara smirked and tried to hold back her sniggers as Kamba stepped closer to the entrance.
"Kovu, of course it was going to be you! Get in here and show yourself!"
Kamba suddenly threw himself at the entrance, only to be viciously batted to the floor when Kovu noticed him. Kamba's body, with a loud roar, crashed to the hard rocky floor, cradling his muzzle from the swift pain. With the time he had spared, Kovu shot into the cave, helped Kiara to her paws and began to nuzzle her for comfort.
"Don't you dare ever scare me like that again." Kovu whispered to his mate in relief.
"Thank you. Oh thank you Kovu." Kiara wept.
()0()0()
Still slumped at the front of the ramp were Simba and Nira, still no signal given their way, still nothing to do. Simba had been yawning briefly, his mind set on removing Kamba from the throne and possibly snoozing, after taking a midnight dip and maybe munching on a calf or two. The two lions were deep in conversation about a question that the younger lion had asked. Nira stared at his grandfather in awe, completely astounded as to what he was telling him.
"…now, that'show you really take down a buffalo." Simba chuckled. "Your father's technique is alright, but he's only grasped the basics."
"Wow..." The younger lion exclaimed in amazement. "But he told me you go for the legs..."
The former king scoffed sarcastically.
"Silly mistake. Buffalo's are difficult to trip. One wrong move and you lose it, and you face getting trampled."
"So, what if you wanted to do it quickly?"
Simba looked over to the ramp, to make doubly sure Kovu wasn't listening to what he was about to tell his grandson. Simba wrapped his paw around Nira's shoulder, leaned in closer to whisper and unsheathed a single claw from his free paw.
"Best thing to get it done quickly," Simba whispered. "Grab them by the scruff of the neck with your teeth, then," He brought the free paw up to Nira's neck and flicked the claw to the right. "...across the throat."
Nira's eyes flickered when Simba drew away.
"A-and that works?"
"Well, it worked every time for me."
"How many times have you taken down buffalos?"
Simba sniggered, remembering how repeatedly he had been capable enough to defeat such a powerful animal before smiling cockily.
"Once or twice. Maybe three, four, five, ten, fifteen, eighteen, something like that…not much."
"…whoa. How...how do you have the energy?"
"You learn. As you get older you'll get an adrenaline rush and you'll see."
"An adrenaline rush?"
"Satisfying feeling ever. Full fact, it's so satisfying it's close to..." Simba's speech was cut off. His head jumped up and his ears shot awake. The older lion stood up quickly and lowered his stance, looking around for the presence he could strangely feel. A sudden loud crack in the long grass caught the attention of the younger lion also, promptly following what his grandfather did.
"What is it g-gramps?" Nira stuttered.
"We've been spotted, stay low."
Nira's heart was in his mouth, his fear levels were far too high to be in a situation like this. Louder cracks as the lioness approached faster and faster every step she took.
"Gramps..." Nira trembled.
"Shh, Nira." Simba hissed. "Stay silent. Don't want to get caught."
Nira trembled more and more, frightened as to what could possibly be behind the grass. Both of the lions were suddenly startled as the dim furred lioness hopped out and stepped back a little at the two lions preparing to pounce on her.
"Stop!" She cried.
"Shemba?" Nira growled. "What are you doing here?"
"Nira, I know you can fight by yourself but I don't want you to. I can't risk you getting injured."
"Shemba..."
"And all I want to do is kill my brother."
"Never in my life did I think someone would say that." Simba kidded. Nira chuckled under his breath before Shemba caught him off guard with a nuzzle.
"I don't want you to get hurt. I know what he's going to do to you. He hates you. I just want to protect you."
"Gramps can protect me, you know that. Please Shemba. Just..."
"No! I want to fight!"
"That's great, Shemba. But what if some lionesses attack Nala and the cubs? They'll be slaughtered."
"No. I already have it all figured out. Half of the pride are taking Nala and the cubs into a safer part of the outlands and the rest are on their way to fight with us. Look: it's not like I can't fight, and plus I'm really the only one who knows what goes through Kamba's mind. Please. I just want to help."
"Shemba..."
"Please Nira."
"But I don't want you to-"
"I won't! I won't I promise."
Nira grumbled to himself before liking the side of Shemba's muzzle. He knew, deep down, he was going to regret this decision. But if it's what she wanted, then he couldn't say no.
"Fine. I'll let you fight. But please, don't do something that'll get you killed."
Shemba chuckled. "I won't. I promise."
Simba beamed warmly at the younger lions and the intimacy that they were sharing. He loved to see the two, preparing to spend their life together. He sighed contently before suddenly hearing another loud crunch from the grass. His eyes widened, his head spun round and to his horror, before him were the yellow beams of light from the sinister eyes of the outsiders he so recognised. He knew exactly what was happening.
The former outlanders stepped out of the long grass, growling viciously and all eyes circling the three lions. Simba felt the same type of fear he felt when he was ambushed himself, but it had to remain hidden, the teenagers couldn't get distressed.
"Nira, did your father ever teach you anything about negotiating?" Simba whispered.
"No." Nira replied.
"Time for a lesson."
()0()0()
Inside the cavern of Priderock, Kovu consoled his overly distressed mate, her tears rapidly flowed from her eyes. She couldn't face the fact that their deaths could potentially be prompt. She nuzzled into the mane on Kovu's chest, feeling much safer and secure when she did.
"What are we going to do?" She snivelled. "He's trying to kill us all."
"Shh, it's okay." Kovu whispered. "He won't kill any of us, I'll make sure of it."
"But he's powerful, he can take down one lion with the strength of a single claw."
"He can't do that to me. You know that."
"I know. I'm just - I'm just so afraid."
Kovu groomed the lioness' head with soft brushes to her forehead with his tongue, wrapping one of his forelegs around her, attempting to make her feel safer. She sobbed weakly into his mane while purring slightly, relaxing somewhat and calming down after her torture from the cold hearted lion.
"N'aww, what a cute little couple." The charcoal furred lion chuckled coldly, re entering the cavern with a muzzle now marred with blood. His voice immediately sent chills to Kiara and startled her. "Isn't it just a shame I have to break it up."
Kovu stepped away from his embrace with Kiara, growling to the dark lion and extending his claws immediately after.
"Kiara, step back." Kovu instructed. Kiara, without hesitations stepped behind her mate and watched the charcoal furred lion step closer and closer, hatred burning through his hazel eyes.
"Oh, Kovu, Kovu, Kovu, you're going to pay for that, you know. Taking away my little test dummy." He cackled.
"And you will pay for what you've done!" Kovu roared in retaliation. In an instant, the younger lion pounced to attack but missed Kovu when he darted out of the way, smashing to the ground face first.
"You think you're tough, do you Kamba?" Kovu paced up to him, flipped him onto his back and drew a claw out, immediately placing it to his throat. "I was going to do this without any violence, but seen as you wish to provoke me..."
"You won't kill me! You don't have the nerve to. I know you Kovu. You just won't."
"You don't think I will, huh?" He pressed his claw harder against the charcoal lion's throat and grabbed the other side with his other paw. "If you ever torture my mate or my family again, I will be forced to slit your throat. Is that clear?"
Kamba remained silent, snarling up at the brown lion above him proving he wasn't afraid.
"I said is that crystal clear?" Kovu roared. Kamba kept silent, snarling louder at the lion. "Don't ignore me..."
"It's not clear at all, Kovu." Kamba finally spoke. "How about you explain it to me?"
The lion king suddenly threw Kovu off of him, throwing him to the floor and taking control of the power. He smacked the former prince's muzzle hard, triggering a roar and a screech from Kiara. He kept Kovu pinned to the floor, making sure that he was incapable of movement.
"I'm free to do whatever I feel like Kovu. These are my lands. I'm king!"
"They'll never be your lands!" Kovu roared up. "You're not king!"
"You're right, as I said earlier, they are not my lands, nor are they yours, they're your fathers..."
Kovu growled. "He is not my father..."
"Oh yes, he is Kovu!"
"No he was not! There's a difference between adopted and blood related."
"But he was still your father!"
"Never!"
Kovu eventually attempted to smash Kamba around the face, only for Kamba to chuckle and send another vicious blow to Kovu's face.
"No matter what you say, these lands belong to Scar!"
"They do not!"
"These lands belong to Scar!" Kamba began to taunt. "These lands belong to Scar…these lands belong-"
Kovu lost his short temper. He threw the young lion to the floor and roared almost into his muzzle. Swiftly losing his strength, Kamba cowered briefly under Kovu and even whimpered slightly, feeling genuine fear towards the brown lion.
"Listen to me Kamba; look at me and listen to me. Scar stole every inch of these lands when he murdered his brother. Simba saved the lands from hell beyond belief."
Kamba scoffed viciously yet again almost in unemotional laughter, grasping his strength back after his moment of weakness.
"You honestly believe that?"
"I don't need to believe it, King. I witnessed it."
"Honestly, do you know what I think you witnessed? I think you witnessed Simba's own stealing."
"I know what I saw!" Kovu roared, finally beginning to dig his claws into the charcoal lion's chest. A concise silence hung around the three lions while the heavily breathing former prince growled more and more, tempted to kill the lion underneath him.
Don't let down your guard. Kamba told himself inwardly. He's weaker than you. You can do this, Kamba...
"You know what you saw, huh?" Kamba's voice had a sudden delicacy and croakiness about it that possibly showed that even he didn't believe what he was about to allow to slip out of his muzzle. "Does everything you see explain things?"
"Well you should know, seeing is believing." Kovu replied full heartedly. His insistent response said it all.
"The truth always runs deeper than you want it to, Kovu."
"Have you noticed how truths never ever stay hidden forever?"
"That's funny, because I have ways to prevent you from finding out." As Kamba said this, he overpowered the lion towering above him. In an instant, Kovu found himself being smashed in the muzzle by the dark furred lion. "Murder's one way."
"You think that's going to solve everything?" Kovu chuckled contemptuously. "What about when Scar..."
"Scar. Doesn't. Exist!" Kamba exploded into Kovu's face, throwing him off and standing back up, crashing his strong paws against his ribs with omnipotence.
"Whoo, someone needs a mint." Kovu choked jokingly while waving his paw by his nose, only causing more vicious snarls from the king.
"Don't test me Kovu, I'm stronger than you."
"I wouldn't know, I haven't seen your strength put to the test."
"Oh, because seeing is believing? I haven't seen Scar! How do I know he exists?"
"Well, seen as he's using you I thought you would have..."
"He is not!"
Kovu could see the frustration bubbling away in the lion, now realising what he had to do.
"Kiara, run." Kovu instructed. Kiara nodded fearfully but stayed put when a loud roar escaped the king.
"She's not leaving, and you're not leaving!" Kamba bellowed, keeping his eye contact with the lion below him. "You are both going to die, in here, tonight!"
"If you even think of laying a single paw on Kiara again..."
"Oh! Oh, wait a minute I'm thinking about it." Kovu began snarling up at Kamba. "Oh yeah, her bloods splattered everywhere..."
Kovu launched his fangs at the base of Kamba's neck, causing him to howl and flail about in his control. He threw the charcoal lion to the floor, clamping harder on his neck. When he released his grip on his nape, Kovu swivelled his head to Kiara.
"Now's your chance; run! Get out Kiara!"
With no hesitations the golden lioness sprinted out of the cave, just quick enough to narrowly escape getting caught by Kamba as he stood back up and missed her with his knives for claws by an inch. Kiara sprinted down the ramp to join Nira, Shemba and Simba, immediately nuzzling her father for safety. The golden, scrawny and dim coloured lions had convinced the outlanders to remain calm and not kill them, however their efforts would not last long.
"I'm still going to kill you!" Kamba roared, standing back up and turning round.
"I don't think so." Kovu growled before launching himself on the younger lion and engaging into a fight.
They were sent rolling along the lower summit, stopping as they reached the tip. Kamba stood, his hind paw ready to slip off on the end, and snarled viciously at the older lion, preparing to attack at any moment. Kovu raised his paw in warning, but Kamba speedily jumped forward and smacked his jaw. With a roar, the brown lion slapped back and jostled him enough for the charcoal coloured lion to slip off of the edge.
Before plummeting, Kamba launched his paw onto Kovu's tail. The lion felt a tremendous twinge of the tug before hurtling over the side. Within time, he unsheathed his claws and grasped the tip of the summit in time preventing the fall of them. Kamba was hanging loosely from his enemy's tail, pulling on it with great force attempting to haul Kovu off.
Shit... Kovu cursed in his mind. Okay, don't panic, you've been in worse situations.
Kiara gawked up at Kamba's attempts of murder in horror. Her staring caused the outlanders to glare up abruptly.
"Kovu!" She screeched. "Hold on!"
"If I'm going down there," Kamba growled. "And breaking my neck. You're coming with me!"
Simba, noticing the lions dangling from the heights of the lower summit, dashed up the ramp and up to where Kovu's paw was clinging desperately.
"Simba," Kovu spoke softly. "Help me."
"I can't." Simba exhaled heavily. "I can't Kovu."
"Yes you can, just grab my paw and pull me up, please."
"Kovu, your paw is almost off. Swing your hind legs and grab the rock."
"Simba, I have a teen dangling off my tail! I don't have the strength!"
"Just try to."
Kovu, accepting the only and minimal help he received off of the former King, swung his hind legs back and forth, almost somewhat shaking off Kamba, before his back claws crashed into the rock. He used his other paw to grasp the side and tightly grasped the tip. Kamba only retaliated with more and more tugging on his tail.
"Simba...I'm-I'm not going to be able...to hold on for long..."
Simba concluded it was no use and bent down to pull the large lion up, but as soon as he did, the rock creaked slightly before beginning to crumble.
No, Kovu chanted inside. No, no, no, no. Don't break. Please, don't break...
It was far too late. Kovu's claws grasping the side cut through and created claw marks in the breaking rock. The rock split open, causing Kovu to lose the loose grip he had.
"No!" Simba bawled, throwing himself over and swinging his paw down at the last minute, attempting to catch him, missing him by a millimetre.
Time seemed to slow. Kamba was the first to begin plummeting. He closed his eyes and prepared for the worst. If he was going to die he would have died knowing Kovu was also dead.
Kovu could hear nothing after his sudden roar of defeat, he could only feel the soft air caressing his body as he continued to allow gravity pull him to the floor. He was unable to hear Kiara and Nira's calls of his name, instead the wind flowing past his ears and through his mane.
Kamba was the first to smash into the floor. As he did, the pain blast through his body like venom, almost even breaking his neck. It shot through his hindlegs and reached his forepaws, eventually to his head and jaw. When he was lying, preparing to stand, he suddenly felt the weight of the brown lion crash into him. Kovu landed onto his underbelly. He took the impact of Kovu's fall as well, triggering more and more pain biting his limbs and torso.
Kovu's impact quickly threw him off of the black lion, landing directly at the paws of his mate and eldest son. He was dazed. Everything around him seemed to still be moving. He felt his son's paw lightly slapping his muzzle followed by a light nuzzle from his mate in an attempt to stir him.
Kamba rolled on to his underbelly, groaning at the stinging pain that was spinning round his body. He knew which lioness he wanted to come to his side and help him up, but he knew she couldn't. It would be too suspicious. Eventually a lioness trailed to his side, slid her muzzle underneath his jaw and lifted him up, dusting the lion king off and checking he was okay before stepping back with the other lioness'. When Kamba was sure he was conscious, he cackled loudly at the potentially demised Kovu.
The former prince finally began to stir. He could feel Kiara's soft fur tickling his face as he opened his green eyes and attempted to stand. Both his son and mate helped him to his paws. Nira dusted his father off before Kovu stretched out, clicking his entire body, causing yet more pain to nibble away. Shemba and Simba both reunited with the pride, all prepared to fight to the death for what was theirs.
"Face it," Kamba chuckled darkly. "It's the end of the line."
"It won't happen like this." Shemba growled to her brother. "I won't let you do this."
"You're not going to stop me, sis. You're as weak as they are! Now, I'm going to give you another chance, join me or die!"
"You know what, Kamba, bro, I'll join you the day I die! You know that mom and dad don't want this to happen!"
"How do you know? When was the last time you spoke to them?"
Shemba fell silent, cocking her head to the right and sneering.
"What? They've been dead for years!"
"Exactly. You don't know what they want. They want me to do this! I know it. I can just tell they want me to kill the murderers!"
"What are you going on about?"
"You know what they did! They murdered your mother and father, Shemba!"
"They did not!"
"I'm going to give justice…"
"You're trying to add them to your list of murders!"
Simba turned over to the dim furred lioness, sighing and whispering to her.
"Shemba, you know he only killed one of us, right?"
Shemba flickered her eyes with amazement. She couldn't believe they didn't all know.
"He never told you? He never told you of what we did to others?"
"What's going on?" Kovu spoke, stepping forward.
"Shemba," Kamba growled viciously. "Don't you dare..."
Nira interjected abruptly into the standoff, stepping forward of his mate, and staring directly into the charcoal furred lion's fierce and deadly glower. His lip curled over in a large snarl, his claws unsheathed to the very tip and his large muscles tensed; a lion prepared for battle. For the first time, Nira felt empowered, he felt the strength to be able to defeat his adoptive cousin. He felt the power to protect the ones he loved. It was brought on from no other reason than the protection of his mate. He found his motivation.
"Nira…" Kiara exhaled worriedly. His newfound bravery may have been pleasing her however she knew very well he was nowhere near strong enough to fight the lion in front of him yet. Kovu stopped Kiara from pulling back their son, his only hope was that he could defeat him. Granted, he wasn't able to believe it himself, but the small amount of pride he felt for him was keeping him from intervening.
"I know, Kamba…" Nira chuckled viciously. "How about we hear the truth from you for once?"
"And, what do you think you're going to do? You're just going to embarrass yourself in front of the whole pride." Kamba replied, equally as violently. The two lions, without noticing it themselves, locked into a deadly stare down, preparing to attack one another. Both with the same murderous look in their eye. Their stances lowered slightly, their claws stretched out so far they could fall out, the world around them simply vanishing. They could sense no one else around them but themselves. It was the moment of murdering Kamba had always wanted in his life.
"I don't know, what are the possible 'options' that you came up with, eh?" Nira snarled.
"Heh, you make it seem like I've had time to think of ways to kill you." Kamba grinned coldly, emphasis placed bluntly on kill.
"No, Kamba. We're not going to do it like this. You're going to stand here and tell them the truth about what else you did."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"You don't, don't you? You wouldn't have a possible clue that I know. I know everything, maybe?"
"You're bluffing."
"The only one bluffing is the one who's hiding."
"I'm not hiding anything, Nira."
"Ha! You're not hiding anything? You're not hiding the truth of Vitani's actual death, are we not!"
The silence fell through the pride. Kovu was quick to realise the truth. For a brief moment, he didn't want to believe it, he couldn't believe it, it was simply impossible. But it was only as the whispers and confusion scuttled through the air did his jaw drop in apprehension. His emotions swirled through his mind, fear, desperation, anger, all centred in the breaking heart of the strong lion. He went numb for a brief moment, eventually feeling his mixed emotions exploding into a white, burning, red hot hatred for his adoptive nephew. Growling lowly to himself, Kiara was forced to hold him back from unleashing the vicious lion desperate to materialize.
To be continued...
UMM... ^^; hello. Remember me? I was writing this fic many moons ago. Sorry for the loooooooong hold up. What with me having jack all to do its tiring!
So yah, another chapter split in two because it got too long. Awesome. I actually finished this some time ago, but I just have no balls and I thought you guys would be mad at me XD
But yah. Now here's something I never do; I say go review! Because I love you all so very much *creepy smile*
