"You have trained him well, Zibu." Zira smiled.
"Thank you." The lioness replied.
"Themba!" The other lioness called. "Come here!" She turned back to Zibu and hissed into her ear. "Go away now."
Zibu bounded away as Themba, now a teenage lion, stepped up to her.
"Yeah?" The dark furred lion asked.
"I have gathered news that Kovu is attacking with some other lions." Zira explained. "Are you ready to fight for what is right?"
"Always." Themba straightened up to his full height. "For what is right."
Just after he said it, a group of Pride Land lions burst into sight at the top of the gorge, Kovu in the lead. Themba let out a roar that was as deep as he could get. His father roared right back. Two foolish dark furred Outlanders charged at the group of Pride Landers. Kovu knocked them tumbling back down the stone ramp of the gorge. Themba rolled his eyes. Kovu's group raced down the ramp.
Themba charged at them just as he heard Zira give the order to attack. The Pride Landers reached the Outlanders and began fighting in a tangle of light and dark fur. Themba ended up face to face with Kovu. He swung his forepaw at the other lion, missing his father's face.
Kovu leapt on top of him, knocking him to the ground. Themba shoved him off, getting up. The two lions were facing each other, snarling. Finally, he stopped snarling as he looked into his father's eyes. The older lion looked right back into his.
Suddenly, Kovu's jaw dropped and a look of shock covered his face. "K-Kimba?"
"The name's Themba, Kovu." He growled.
"You've been here for all of this time?" The king asked, still off guard. "Why didn't you come back?"
"When Zira took me, she told me the truth." Themba snarled. "The Pride Landers are the bad lions."
"What?" Kovu gasped. "No! She lied to you, Kimba, just like she tricked me when I was a cub. Don't trust her. The Pride Landers are good. We fight for the Circle of Life, remember? Zira's the bad lion!"
"Then why are you fighting now?" He demanded, shoving his face in his father's. He pulled back and padded in a circle around the other lion, eyeing him suspiciously. "Why did you come here? These are the Outlands, our home, not yours. You don't belong here."
Kovu swallowed, lowering his head sadly. "I came here because we were lured. The only reason I didn't stay in the Pride Lands because I hoped to see you here."
"You see me now." Themba retorted. "Happy? Better get out before Zira notices that we aren't fighting." He cast a glance at the lioness, who was in combat with Kiara.
"No, I'm not happy." The dark furred king responded. "I'm not mad either." Defeat shone in his eyes. "I'm disappointed. You don't belong here either, Kimba." His voice grew soft. "You belong in the Pride Lands."
"No, I don't!" The teenage lion roared, slashing his claws across his father's face, leaving a scratch from his left eye across his nose. "I don't belong there! Don't you see? That's why I'm here!"
"No, it's not." Kovu objected, clearly trying to remain calm as he pulled back to dodge another blow. "You're here because you chose to believe something that's not right." The king looked up to see that most of his lions were struggling. He glanced sadly at his son and then back to his lions. "Retreat!" He ordered.
Themba watched as the king raced up to the top of the gorge, followed by the other Pride Landers. They all had a good amount of scratches, except for Kovu, of course, because he hadn't done much fighting. The dark furred king gazed at his son sadly.
"Leave and never return, Pride Landers." Themba growled.
"Come on, let's go." Kiara gently said to Kovu. "Why are you staring at that one?"
"Yeah, let's get out of here." Kovu snarled. The lions turned and began to trek back to their land, Kovu casting one last glance over his shoulder.
"I'll make sure that they actually leave." He called back to Zira.
"Good, now get on with it." Zira replied.
Themba raced after the Pride Landers, letting out a fierce roar.
*X*
Themba now sat at the edge of the Outlands, where it met with the Pride Lands. He watched, his gaze stern, as the lions headed in the direction of Pride Rock, which looked like a pebble in the distance. Truthfully, his emotions weren't as stern as he looked.
Themba was confused. He didn't know what to think, who to trust, or even where he should be. He wondered whether he should go back to his Pride Lands, to his family. Maybe he should stay with Zira and the others who'd trained him? He shook his dark head in confusion. Maybe he's right. Maybe I do belong there.
Themba made up his mind. He'd go to the Pride Lands, at least for a visit while he made up his mind where he'd stay for the rest of his life. Whichever choice he'd make, there'd be a battle over it though. He knew it. He was split into two inside.
The dark furred lion got to his paws and raced into the Pride Lands, staying low in the tall grass as he hoped not to be caught. He easily caught up with the other lions that had attacked him and the Outlanders. He stayed a little ways behind just to be safe.
Kovu's head was drooping in an obvous sadness as he seemingly told Kiara about meeting him there. Themba felt his own sadness begin to form, followed by pity. What had he done to his father?
I'm staying here, He silently vowed.