Here's chapter twenty one and please review.
I'd like to thank Fluffy Hug, balto90, Raina, AMBER, Teddi 8347, cllar door, BlackLouie and CSIMentalistTLK lover for reviewing.
The next morning, Simba opened his eyes and shifted, expecting to see Nala beside him. He thought that his heart would break into two when he remembered the previous day's events. Tears trickled down his face as he looked around. Kiara was still in an uncomfortable sleep but Kopa was nowhere to be seen. Carefully getting up, Simba walked out of the den and walked around Priderock, looking for Kopa.
"Simba" Came a voice. It was Sarabi.
"Mom," Simba asked. "Have you seen Kopa?"
"No," Sarabi said, shaking her head. "I haven't. Didn't he sleep with you and Kiara last night?"
"No," Simba said. "He wasn't in the den last night."
Sarabi nodded. "He might have just wanted time alone. Nala's…death…it's hard on all of us especially him."
Simba nodded and went back into the main den where everyone was beginning to wake up. He had to start organizing the males so they could start repairing the Pridelands, sending out word that the true King was back and reform the alliances with the other Prides. He didn't want to deal with any of this. All he wanted was to sit in a corner and mourn for Nala and be there for his son and daughter. But Kopa wouldn't want his comfort and Kiara seemed to be in her own world. And he knew that if Nala was here, she would be telling him to start doing his duties and not to waste time mourning for something that would never come back.
While Simba was organizing everything, Kiara woke up. Shifting her body with her eyes still closed, she moved her paws, looking and feeling for her mother. When she couldn't feel her, Kiara shot her head up as she remembered what had happened. Her mother was gone.
Tears began streaming down her eyes and she buried her face into her paws, sobbing. Nala had died trying to save them. Why hadn't she gone back for Nala? Why had she run?
"Mom told us to run. She wanted us to be safe. She died to give us our best chance at living." Kiara reminded herself but it didn't help the grief she felt in her heart at the loss of her mother.
After about half an hour, Kiara managed to get herself up. Despite the throbbing in her head she walked into the main den to see what everyone was doing.
The majority of the males were gone while the females were tending to wounds and the cubs. She saw Danyssa asleep, curled next to Tama who was resting with her eyes closed. Kiara felt tears coming to her eyes knowing that she would never be able to do that again with her own mother. Nala was gone.
"Kiara?" Kiara turned around to see her father approaching her. She rubbed her head against Simba and Simba gave her a nuzzle.
"Daddy, where's Kopa?" Kiara asked.
Simba sighed. "I don't know. I woke up today and he wasn't there. He probably somewhere alone. He wants time alone."
"But he's never gone for this long though." Kiara pointed out. "He never stays out the entire night."
"Is that so?" Simba said. "I'll get some males to form a search party for him."
"Are you leaving too?" Kiara asked.
Simba licked her forehead. "I'm sorry darling, but I have to. We have to get the Pridelands back into its proper condition and we need everyone's help to do so. I don't want to but as King, I have to. I'll be back as soon as I can. Stay at Priderock, alright?" Kiara nodded and after giving her a nuzzle, Simba walked out.
"Kiara?" Shinda walked up to her niece. "How are you feeling?"
"I miss her." Kiara whispered. Tears formed in Shinda's eyes and she did everything she could to prevent them from falling. She had spent the entire night mourning for Nala and no matter what she did, the pain never seemed to dull.
"I know," Shinda said. "I do too. Now come on, let's get you cleaned up. The lionesses have to go hunting soon."
Kiara nodded and after letting Shinda groom her, she joined the other cubs and adolescents while the lionesses left for hunting. She watched them leave. She remembered how Nala had also once hunted with them…
"Kiara?" Jasiri and Danyssa walked up to her and Kiara looked at her best friends.
"We're sorry about your mother." Danyssa said, and a tear rolled down her eyes.
"Nala didn't deserve that." Jasiri murmured.
"It's not fair." Kiara said, her voice choking up. "Mom shouldn't have died that way and…and…and…" Kiara felt herself beginning to cry again, and Danyssa and Jasiri came onto either side of her and rested against her and comforted Kiara while she cried for her mother.
After a while, Kiara's sobs died down but it left her with a pulling ache in her heart. She didn't want anything except to be with her mother but that would never happen.
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Simba, Chumvi, Amri, Alex, Tojo, Tonal and Moraan were walking around the edges of the Pridelands, marking the new Pridelands borders. The patrols hadn't been done during Scar's reign and now everything had to be done fresh.
"How're you holding up?" Amri asked, softly. His voice cracked slightly, but he didn't want to show his emotions in front of everyone as he thought of Nala.
Simba sighed. "I don't think I can handle this all. Being the King, dealing with the loss of my mate, being a father for my daughter and I have no idea where my son is."
"You know we've got your back." Chumvi said, giving him a nudge. "We always have and always will."
"I know." Simba said. "Thank you."
"Sire!" Zazu flew towards them at top speed.
"What is it Zazu?" Simba asked. "Did you find Kopa?"
"Yes," Zazu said. "I did. He's with Scar's Pride in the Outlands."
"He what?" Moraan asked.
"I'm afraid it's true." Zazu said. "I listened to them talking and Kopa is part of them now. They and he won't accept you as the King."
"No," Simba said, shaking his head. "I can't lose my son to them. Take me to them."
"We're coming with you." Tojo said. Zazu nodded and led the males to where Scar's Pride was. They watched from a distance as they split up and began searching for food.
"There he is." Alex said, pointing to Kopa.
"Follow him and we'll talk to him when he's a distance away from the others." Simba said and they began following Kopa. When the males were certain they were far away enough from the others, they approached Kopa.
"Kopa," Simba said. Kopa whirled around, snarling and growling on defense mode but then stopped when he saw the familiar faces.
"What are you doing here?" Kopa asked.
"We came looking for you." Tojo said. "What are you doing here?"
Kopa growled. "I'm part of Scar's Pride now."
" No Kopa." Simba said. "You don't belong with Scar's Pride. You belong in the Pridelands with our Pride."
"I have nothing there." Kopa hissed. "Mom's gone."
"You still have Kiara and I." Simba said. "We're family."
"You aren't my father!" Kopa growled. "You did nothing but run away from your problems and then fail at protecting Mom. Scar taught us better than that."
"How could you join Scar's Pride like this?" Tonal asked. "He killed your mother!"
"But he failed at protecting her!" Kopa snarled, looking at Simba. "Scar actually fathered me and taught me well unlike him!"
"Kopa," Simba said. "I'm your father and you belong with me. You're coming back to the Pridelands with us."
"No!" Kopa said. "I'm staying with my brothers and sisters."
"Then how about Kiara?" Moraan asked. "Are you just going to forget about her? She's your only real sister."
"She was willing to accept Simba as her father and act like Scar was nothing to her. I don't need her anymore." Kopa muttered.
Alex sighed and closed his eyes. "Kopa, what happened to you?"
"I'm leaving with Scar's Pride." Kopa said. "We're going to find territory of our own and rule it." Of course that wasn't true. They were all planning on taking back the Pridelands but they had to be patient.
"Kopa," Simba said. "Please think about what you're doing. Your mother died trying to protect you and this is how your honor her? What would she think if she saw you doing this?"
"Answer my question first then." Kopa hissed. "What would she say to you if she could talk to you? She would never speak to you again because you failed at protecting her!"
Simba sighed and closed his eyes. Nala's bloody body flashed through his head and he swallowed hard.
"So you're not going to come back to Priderock?" Simba asked.
"I'm never going to come back." Kopa said.
Simba sighed. There was no use in keeping him if he wasn't happy at Priderock. And despite everything that Kopa had said to him, he had been through a lot and in the end he deserved to be happy. Now he had lost his son as well.
"Very well then." Simba sighed. "Good luck on your travels my son. Remember that you will always be welcome in the Pridelands. May the spirits above protect you."
With another painful glance at Kopa, he turned and left followed by the other males.
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Kiara was in the den that evening when Tojo walked in.
"Kiara." Tojo gave her a nuzzle.
"What is it?" Kiara asked, looking at her uncle.
"It's time for your mother's funeral." Tojo said, quietly and Kiara looked away. They were burying her mother.
"Your father wants to talk to you first." Tojo said. "He's in the den." Kiara nodded and walked into the royal den where Simba was waiting for her.
"Daddy, what do you want to talk to me about?" Kiara asked.
Simba sighed. "It's about your brother."
"Kopa?" Kiara asked. "Where is he? Is he alright?"
"Kiara," Simba said. "Kopa joined Scar's Pride."
"What?" Kiara asked. "Why would he do that?"
"He's angry at me for not protecting Mom. They plan on finding territory of their own and they probably already left by now."
"He didn't even say goodbye…" Kiara whispered, tears streaming down her eyes. She had lost her mother and brother now. Simba pulled her into a comforting embrace and held her for a few minutes.
"We have to go bury your mother's body now. Come out when you are ready." He licked Kiara's forehead before walking out of the den.
Kiara squeezed her eyes shut, trying to tell herself to keep it together. But how could she? Her mother had died and now her brother had left.
"Kiara…" Kiara felt a presence by her and she looked around. She could have sworn she heard someone calling her.
"Kiara…my little one…have hope." She could hear Nala's voice around her.
"Mom?" Kiara looked around but she couldn't see anyone. She smelled her mother's scent in the air faintly.
"Have hope my sweet Princess. I'm always watching over you…don't ever forget that." Kiara smiled tearfully; she should have known that Nala would always watch over her. Nothing could truly separate her from her mother.
Her spirits lifted slightly at the message from her mother, Kiara trotted out of the den to attend the funeral.
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Nala watched lovingly as her daughter trotted out of the den to attend something that would cause her great pain yet she was still brave enough to face it.
Nala remembered seeing Simba just as complete blackness had engulfed her. It only seemed like she had blinked for when she had opened her eyes she saw a cloudy world. Everything was blurred with golden and creamy colors. Nala had been quite confused but when she had looked down at the ground she had been shocked to see the Pridelands and Priderock.
At first Nala had been confused, wondering where she was but then everything replayed in her mind. Scar killing her and being engulfed in darkness.
She had remembered her dying.
"I'm looking down on the Pridelands," Nala had thought. "I died and now it's my turn to watch over the Pridelands and my family just like my ancestors."
Relief filled her, knowing that could watch over her family. At least her dying wish had been fulfilled.
After that, Nala had wandered around a bit, trying to get used to her new world. When she looked up she saw stars but when she looked down, she saw the Pridelands.
"I'm a star now. I'm a star. I exist in the form of a star." Nala had realized. "I took my place with the great spirits above."
"Yes you have." A voice had said. Nala had turned around to see Mufasa looking at her.
"Mufasa…" Nala had breathed looking at him in shock.
"Nala," Mufasa had smiled. "We are all so proud of you."
"I tried so hard…" Nala had whispered. "I wanted to raise Kiara and Kopa and…"
"You've done well Nala." Mufasa had said. "Now come with me and you can meet all your ancestors and the great Kings and Queens of the past."
Nala had followed him and she had been shocked to meet all her ancestors and all those that she had only heard stories of.
With Mufasa's help, she had learned how to watch over her family and be there for them when they needed it. She now watched over her family every day and she was heartbroken to see them mourn over her but she felt her spirits being lifted when everyone began fixing the Pridelands. She was glad to see that Simba knew that she wanted him to get on and start with his duties. She was comforted to see her daughter being cared for by the entire Pride. They wouldn't let her sacrifice be in vain.
She had watched with an aching heart as her son ran away from the Pridelands to join forces with Scar's Pride. Was this really her Kopa?
Nala told herself to believe that the future would be better. She was sure of it. Until then she had to have faith.
Hope you enjoyed and please review. For those of you who wanted to see that Nala was watching over her family, here it is.