Chapter 4

"Kovu," Zira breathed, padding over to stare at Simba's dead body. "you've done it."
Kovu barely noticed her, his hard glare turned on Simba so fast after he had died. The king had given him a wound, and Kovu couldn't do anything to cause more pain to him...

That was clever. Annoyingly clever.

"Respond to me when I talk to you!" Zira snapped.

Kovu turned on her with anger lit in his eyes, and the bony lioness recoiled with a gasp. A scar. Across his left eye...just like Scar himself had had.

"Whoa," Vitani gaped at him as she padded around to see what her Mother had been staring at. "Simba's done some nice carving work there, hasn't he, Mother?"
"Yes..." Zira whispered, lifting a paw to wipe the blood from under Kovu's eye. The dark male drew back, growling in pain. His Mother, however, kept her blood-red eyes pinned on it. It added such an...ugly touch. It did nothing short of irritate her that Kovu didn't seem too happy about it.

"You look just like him," She said in a soothing manner, nudging him gently. "handsome, of course." She smiled fondly.

Kovu looked on, however. His glare reminded Zira all too much of her lost mate.

"Come on, dear." Zira whispered, slowly pushing him away from Simba's dead body. "We must inform the pride of their new king." She beamed.
"Wont they attack if they find out Kovu killed him?" Nuka asked.

"Of course not." Zira snapped, making her older son flinch. "Without a king, they're powerless. No king to order them around, and nothing gets done. That's why Kovu's filling in."

Nuka still looked somewhat confused, though he got the hint to keep his jaws shut. Kovu, Zira, Vitani and Nuka led the rest of the Outsider lions back into the Pride Lands, their scruffy, lanky figures unusually threatening.

Kiara and Nala still stood upon Pride Rock's main platform, staring off into the distance with worry.

"It's..it's taking them rather long, isn't it?" Nala remarked uneasily.

"They'll be back." Kiara said softly in reply. "I know they'll be. Kovu wants to stay here." She gazed down at her paws. "I know he does."
Nala stared at her daughter with a new sadness lit in her ocean-blue eyes. She knew Kiara had feelings for Kovu, and though Nala didn't mind the two young lions being friends, something about them together worried her. Kovu had the absolute guts to break Kiara's heart. He could do it faster than you could state it offical. Nala was sure Zira had brain-washed him, because he looked like such a helpless young cub so long ago. She remembered his dark, shivering figure clearly. It stood out against all the brightly colored Pridelander pelts. Even Zira's fur had a lighter tone.

Kovu had turned into yet another Scar that the pride simply didn't need. He's just as black-hearted as his father. Everyone knew that. Yet Kiara wouldn't accept the fact that her affections could easily lead to disappointment and heart-break.

"Look!" Kiara gasped, shaking Nala from her thoughts. The two lionesses watched as the Outsiders made their way towards Pride Rock. It caught the attention of many animals, and every being lifted their heads to stare, some in fear, while others in contempt and hostility. The rest of the lionesses who lived at Pride Rock soon joined Kiara and Nala at the edge, worry in their eyes. Zazu landed on a nearby tree branch, shakily wondering where Simba had gone. Timon and Pumbaa as well looked wary.

"Where's Simba?" Nala asked quietly, mostly to herself.

Kiara shook her head, quickly running down the rocks to meet the scrawny lions at the bottom. Nala soon followed, while the other lionesses lingered.

"Kovu?" Kiara stopped, and Kovu and Zira soon did as well. She glanced at Zira wordlessly, and quickly turned to Kovu for an explanation.

Kovu gazed at her with an unreadable expression on his face, until he finally spoke, "Things..." He slowly smirked. "...things are going to change around here, my dear."
"What?" Nala came to stand next to her daughter. "What are you talking about? Where is Simba?"

"We could fetch him," Kovu murmured darkly. "couldn't we, Mother?"
Zira grinned evilly, unable to hide it any longer. "We'd gladly do so."
"What've you done with him?" Nala demanded, lashing out. Kiara quickly leaped forward to hold her back. Kovu didn't flinch.

"Simba's gone." Zira whispered.

"No!" Kiara gasped, her eyes widening, while Nala let out another savage snarl. "K-Kovu...how-how could you?"
"How could I betray my friends and family?" Kovu retorted quietly. "I know you wouldn't."

Kiara didn't have a response. She was too busy staring up at him with a tearful gaze that Kovu desperately wanted an excuse to look away from. Why? Kovu growled suddenly, glancing at Zira with a hard glare. "Things will be going the way they always have." He muttered, nodding to her. "Just..." He chuckled darkly. "...a few new rules, of course."

"Get out," Nala growled. "you've been banished, Zira. Nothing, and I mean nothing, will change that."

"You have no King Simba anymore," Zira sneered. "You must take orders from Kovu now."
"You can't do this!" Kiara shrieked, emotion choking her voice. Nala felt a feirce rush of pity for her daughter. She had believed Kovu changed, when he really hadn't changed a damn bit. And now Simba was gone...

Nala shook her head quickly. She was strong, and she'd greive for her mate when all of this was over. And it would be over soon. She knew it.

Kovu stalked forward. "Everything will be as it was." He said smugly, making Nala desperately want to claw him. "Get hunting," He added, turning to Kiara, then to the rest of the lionesses. "we're low on food."
Kiara opened her mouth to speak, but simply couldn't say anything. She felt like throwing up. How could things change so quickly like this?

Nala nudged her daughter on the shoulder lightly. "I'm staying behind to put a few words forward. Go practice your hunting skills. We are low on food, as much as I hate to admit it. Sarabi and Sarafina will help you."
Kiara fought back a whimper rising in her throat, and quickly buried her muzzle into her mother's shoulder. "I'll be strong." She murmured.

Nala nodded solemnly and nuzzled her daughter sadly. "Go then." She whispered, and watched in dismay as Kiara led the other lionesses off. They all went with reluctance, casting Kovu and the Outsiders dirty looks. Kovu flipped around to gaze at Nala steadily. "I'm, in fact, glad you stayed behind."

"What?" Nala's fur bristled uneasily.

"While Simba and I talked," Kovu explained. "he offered I marry Kiara. Take her as my queen."
"I wont let you." Nala growled.

"You can't stop it from happening." Zira hissed. "Kovu killed Simba, and he can quite as easily kill you." She faced Nala with a hard glare. "Kovu will take Kiara as his own, and she will raise his cub."
Nala's heart skipped a beat. Kiara wasn't old enough. Though she was mature, and nearly a year old. Nala didn't like the idea of her daughter giving birth to cubs at this age. She didn't say anything though as she stalked off, most likely to think about what the future held. She knew for a fact that it'd end with the Pridelanders winning though. It always seemed to, and she did believe they needed it right now.

Very badly.

Kiara tearfully followed after Sarabi and Sarafina, her mind occasionally drifting over to Kovu. She loved him. Why couldn't he love her back?
Then again, he killed her father.

Father...

Kiara sniffled hopelessly, her head hung low.

Sarabi came to nuzzle her granddaughter. "I miss him too." She murmured, tears running from her light brown eyes. Simba was her son, after all.

It wasn't all Simba that was getting to Kiara though. It upsetted her that she absolutely hated Kovu now. He was so vile...he hurt her so much. It was only minutes after the news was broken, too. Kiara felt broken. Very broken. Hopelessly broken. This wasn't how she dreamed things would turn out in the end.

Not at all.