TLK2 - Kovu's Queen Chapter 4
Author's Note: So the goal is to update once a week, hopefully that will work out and you guys won't totally hate for making you wait. ;) The story will pick up soon, but this is some back story that you may want to read because it may or may not be important later, so don't give up on me just yet!
"But I fail to see what this has to do, with me and my daughter," Kaona said causually. She knew exactly what Zira was going to ask and she had to keep her anger down enough so she wouldn't rip her limp from limp.
Mkali barely sees Kovu, so how in the world would she be close enough to him, to marry him? The thought disgusted Kaona and made her honestly want to slap the mess out of their "esteemed" leader.
"I think you know where I'm going with this, Kaona," Zira said innocently. She bent her head down and tried to smile at Mkali but the little cub knew better to stay close to her mother.
Kaona still hadn't gotten over the fact that her daughter had to watch Zira mangle the young pridelander prince. It traumitized her so bad that Kaona could feel Mkali want to disappear. She put a protective paw over Mkali's shoulder to sheild her face and held her close before picking her up by her nap.
"And I think we're done here," she retortedly. Kaona turned away from Zira and began to walk back to their shelter when she heard Zira growl behind her.
"You are going to regret turning your back on me," she roared and lounged at Kaona. She was expecting such an attack but the plan that was formulated in her mind didn't involve Mkali being in her mouth. In attempts to break the cub's fall with her own body, Kaona felt Zira's teeth sink deeper into her leg.
Mkali wiggled out of her mother's grasp whimpering at the sight. Kaona grimaced knowing this scene would also permanently be etched in her daughter's mind. She tried to fight Zira back but it was no use, she had both of her legs pinned and she had one of them in her mouth.
Zira bit down hard until she heard the satisfying SNAP earning a pained roar from Kaona, like she planned. She grabbed the gimp leg on the ground hard making her victim squeal like a pathetic child.
Kaona hated Zira. She hated that Mkali was mere feet away and she was watching her mother get hurt. Worse, she hated the fact that she couldn't fight back even if she wanted to. She ached to claw at Zira's smug face and for her daughter to not hate her for it. If she fought back now, teeth bared and full strength, her daughter would be scared of her.
But it was a risk she was going to have to take.
Zira had eased up pinning her to the ground believing she was down. Kaona used this opportunity to strike. She immediately filled on her stomach so she was in croached fighting position. She was feirce and her eyes were deadly. Kaona bared her teeth and let out a venomous hiss. She knew she couldn't sprint to Zira with her injury but she could make her pay for it.
Kaona lounged at Zira tackling her. Zira recovered fast and threw her off but Kaona didn't give up. She jumped on Zira's back and bit into her neck. Zira roared and rolled over so Kaona was on the ground again. She landed on her injured leg making her next strike delayed. Zira took this opportunity to break the other one.
She pinned her hard and grasped her other leg in her teeth and bit down harder and harder until:
SNAP
Kaona roared. The pain was so severe that her vision began to blur and tears stung her eyes. She whimpered because the cruel fate was setting in; she was down. Kaona looked for her daughter to see her hiding in a nearby bush but she could see everything. Kaona shook her head no and begged Mkali to stay hidden through her eyes.
Zira laughed at Kaona.
"You are weaker than I thought," she taunted. "Hopefully your precious little daughter won't follow in her pathetic mother's footsteps." Zira stepped on Kaona's tail hard making her wince, but no other pain could affect her at this point. "Well, you see this was my plan all along dear Kaona. I knew you would never give your little Mkali up, so I guess I'll just have to take her."
Kaona growled at Zira but her eyes told her she was desperate. "Don't touch her."
Zira smirked. "Oh, I always get what I want." She bit down hard on Kaona's neck and the sensation hurt so bad it made her go numb. She was completely paralyzed and her deep sapphire eyes widened in shock as she yelped.
It didn't take a genius to know that she had broken skin.
"You will never stand in the way of my plans again," Zira said through her nap. "Mkali will be Kovu's queen and there's nothing you could possibly do about OW!" She roared dropping Kaona back on the ground. She felt her eyes getting heavier as her blood seeped from her neck wound. "GET OFF ME YOU LITTLE PLAGUED ANT!"
Kaona's eyes immediately flew open to where Mkali was hiding to see an empty bush. Her eyes widened as she looked up at Zira. In the blazing hot sun, Kaona squinted but go see her daughter latched hard like a leach on Zira's right ear.
Her little infant teeth had already broken skin and fur and was just gripped tight for dear life. Kaona was flooded with pride, shock, and fear for her daughter. If she told her to let go, she wouldn't be able to scamper away fast enough and Zira would kill her. But if she hung, Zira could lose an ear and she still could get hurt. Kaona's eyes darted back and forth trying to make a plan in her head.
She thought too late though. Zira had shoulder bumped Mkali since she couldn't reach her, and it got Mkali right in the stomach knocking the wind of her lungs. She gasped at let go falling to the ground. She landed on her back but she looked okay.
When she opened her eyes, Zira had been crying out in pain and blood streaked the right side of her face.
Wow would you look at that? My daughter really
is a warrior, like her mommy. Kaona thought proudly for a second before shutting her eyes.
Zira zeroed in on Mkali and raised a paw to swipe her; she squeezed her eyes shut waiting for a pain that never came. She opened her eyes and saw that her mother's best friend had came to the rescue.
Hasana took Zira by surprise and tackled her to the side; she swatted her a couple times before giving her a hard swipe to the face sending her flying. She landed hard but she was still concious. While she was down, Hasana came and grabbed the shaking Mkali in her mouth and ran towards Kaona.
She set Mkali down gently before nuzzling her mother. "Kaona, please wake up. I'm here its okay."
Kaona eyes fluttered open and she smiled before it turned into a grimace.
"Ha-Has-Hasana?" she whispered through pants.
"Yes it's me, I'm right here," she said soothlingly to her friend. "We need to hurry, come on get up."
Kaona shook her head as tears ran down her cheeks. "Hasana, you have to take Mkali."
Hasana froze. "Kaona don't you talk like that, we're going to get out of this together. Come on we need to get you out of here." She said nudging her, then she saw her neck and tears buillt in her eyes. "No, Kaona. Please stay with me," she whispered helplessly. Kaona was fighting to keep her eyes open, she knew there was no way.
"Hasana, you are my best friend in the entire Savannah. I don't trust anyone to do this for me, but you. Please take Mkali far from this place. Far, Far away. Raise her outside of the outlands, don't make her suffer here," she whispered, crying. "Zira won't quit. Take her far."
She drew in a shaky breath. "Promise me Hasana."
Hasana was speechless and broken. She had tears running down her cheeks and she mourned for her dying friend. But she knew she had to do it, she nodded.
"I promise Kaona, Mkali won't live like this. She won't be betrothed to Kovu. I swear it."
Kaona took a deep breath and seemed at peace. "Thank you."
Mkali had been crying silently against Hasana's leg but now she came up and licked a tear off her mother's cheek.
"Oh," Kaona whispered with a smile. "There's my brave girl. You are strong, and beautiful and feirce. You make me so proud, and I never regretted calling you my moyo na binti." She lightly nuzzled her. "I love you, Mkali. Stay strong for you mother and you may one day avenge me."
Kaona licked her cheek and felt her power drain from her. She settled on the ground with closed her eyes breathing heavily.
"Take care of her, Hasana." She whispered.
Then she rested.
Author's Note: Please review and stay tuned; chapter 5 is coming soon!