•
Well, I've been afraid of changing
Cause I've built my life around you.
But time makes you bolder,
Even children get older,
And I'm getting older too.
—Fleetwood Mac, "Landslide"
Kopa slumped back against the wall of his den, unable to take another bite of the buffalo he had hauled back from the mountains. Sprawled beside him was Tumaini, one paw over his stomach and idly licking at a bite mark on his other foreleg. Sitting across from them, Siri was still ravenously ripping chunks of meat from the carcass, heedless of the blood smeared on her paws and snout. She looked up when she noticed Kopa staring at her.
He hastily averted his gaze. "Sorry. I haven't seen a lioness since... well, it's been a long time."
"You two don't get out much, do you?" remarked Siri, wiping her face with the clean side of her paw.
"Don't really have to," Kopa told her. "This forest is plenty of territory for us."
She peered out at the river, sitting just below eye level from the mouth of the den. "It is beautiful here. I travelled the mountains a lot as a cub, but I never would have guessed there was a forest tucked away here.
"Most predators don't," Tumaini said, rolling onto his back with a slight groan. "It's sort of the idea."
The lioness' wary grey eyes were deep in thought. "Must have taken a lot of trust for the others to let you stay. The only places where prey get this cozy with predators are the kingdoms. That and..." She straightened briskly, having seemed to realize something. "I should go. Thanks for the meal."
"Hang on, your paws." Tumaini got up as well, taking a moment to steady himself. "You're in no condition to go anywhere."
Siri shook her head. "It doesn't matter. You're all in danger as long as I'm here." She made to leave the den.
Tumaini swiftly stepped in front of her, all signs of lethargy gone. "And you're clearly in danger already."
"I think I've imposed on you enough," insisted Siri. "You already offered me dinner after I nearly killed you."
"Like I said, explain and we'll call it even."
"The less you know, the better. You'll only get dragged into it if she finds out you helped—"
"'She'?" Tumaini repeated. Siri hesitated, evidently reluctant to elaborate.
Something occurred to Kopa. "We don't want to be unprepared if those lions show up here," he pointed out, and at this her shoulders sagged.
"Janga. She's — she was my..." Siri faltered, and sadness entered her eyes. "We were close. She looked out for me when I had no one; lent me her strength, when I wanted to give up on myself." Her voice became quiet and her gaze fell. "But eventually I realized she was still chasing ghosts, and it didn't leave room for anything else."
"What do you mean?" asked Kopa.
"Janga comes from the Serengeti Pride Lands, one of the three kingdoms around here. She fled a long time ago from its ruler, Scar."
Without warning, the image of the red-eyed lioness sprang forth in Kopa's mind. He instinctively flinched, prompting a look of consternation from Tumaini.
Siri noticed his reaction as well. "You've heard of him?"
Kopa rubbed his front paws against the sides of his head. "I don't know," he huffed, growing frustrated. "I'm not..."
"I have," realized Tumaini. "Present company excluded, there isn't a lion on either side of these mountains who hasn't heard of Scar — a careless and hedonistic tyrant who brought his own kingdom to ruin."
Siri's quizzical stare lingered on Kopa, even as she continued. "Well, Janga made it her life's mission to tear down Scar's kingdom. She found refuge with others whose lives had been upended, and rallied many lions to her cause over the years. For a while, I was one of them."
"So what changed?" Tumaini asked.
She fixed him with a guarded look.
He shrugged nonchalantly. "I'm not judging. Just curious."
Siri did not speak for a moment. There was a distance to her gaze now, and something about it gave Kopa a twinge of envy he couldn't explain. "I was a nomad," she murmured. "I was adrift, with no family and no purpose of my own. The idea of liberating an oppressed people felt... right. Then one day we got the news — Scar was dead, and the Serengeti reborn." She sighed heavily. "And Janga just... unravelled. She kept the drills going as if nothing had changed. I grew tired of it, preparing for a fight that no longer needed to be fought. So I told her to go home, and I left to find my own. It was the last time I saw her, until..."
"She came for you?" Tumaini guessed.
"I don't think that's what happened," Siri recalled with a frown. "She didn't want anything from me, except to ensure I wouldn't warn King Simba."
Simba. I know that name, right? Kopa kneaded his forehead, trying to latch onto whatever was prodding at the edges of his memory.
"It didn't occur to you to tell King Simba before?" inquired Tumaini, casting another sidelong glance at Kopa.
Now Siri looked nothing but regretful. "I thought the Duara Vunja was done. It certainly looked that way when I left." Her voice shook, tears of rage brimming in her eyes. "She never used to be like this. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't come face-to-face with her myself."
"I don't understand," Kopa said slowly. "Why did Janga attack your pride if she wasn't after you?"
"Because my pride is also one of the three kingdoms. I think... I think she's coming for all of them now."
Tumaini's expression tensed. Kopa did not miss it, even as he himself stood up to leave. "I'm going to get Tanzu. Can you stay with her, Tumaini?"
"I... yeah, okay."
There was something strange in the older lion's voice, but Kopa decided not to question it for the time being. He swiftly exited the den and pointed himself toward the chimps' habitat before breaking into a dash. Siri's words echoed in his mind as he sped through the night. "She's coming for all of them now."
What if she's coming for my parents too?
•••
Despite its fractured state, the Chakula Plains were bathed in cool evening colours that lent it an austere tranquility in the aftermath of the earthquake. The near-full moon shone boldly in the cloudless night sky, indicating the approach of a new lunar cycle. Though the stillness was uncommon for most territories in the Pride Lands, Vitani was thankful she had found a quiet place away from all the chirping crickets. Unable to put her fretful thoughts to rest after tossing and turning the night away, she had finally given up and did what she frequently used to do in the Outlands — sneak away while everyone else was asleep.
Though this time it wasn't solitude Vitani sought, not really. Her paws halted atop a barren patch of broken flatland, and checking once more that there was not a creature to be seen, she lifted her gaze to the constellations above. "Hey, you there?"
The starry night became shrouded by a convalescence of clouds stirring in the otherwise unobstructed sky. Brilliant shafts of light burst forth from their depths, revealing the shimmering image of Nuka. "Always, sis. Couldn't sleep, huh?"
"Today was a lot," admitted Vitani. "Let me guess, you saw the whole thing?"
"Naturally. You did great, by the way. I doubt Kion could have handled it better himself."
It was catching up now, the guilt she had set aside earlier. "I didn't want to leave Tazama in there, you know. If Kasi hadn't gotten her out..."
"Don't do that, Tani," implored Nuka. "You did what anyone in your place should have done, and Tazama was selfless enough to stay behind. You should both be proud."
I don't think I'll ever get used to seeing him like this — lucid, serious... healthy. But he seemed content, and that was good enough for Vitani. "We made an oath in the Outlands. That oath kept us together through the worst of times."
"Those times have passed," he reminded her. "Change is inevitable, and now things are better for it. Isn't that enough?"
"You know what, Nuka, it isn't," she snapped resentfully. "I've got the Lion Guard, Kovu's the king-in-waiting, and we didn't even have to murder anyone for it."
"So what's the problem then?"
"'What's the problem'?" sputtered Vitani. "We could have all been here right now! We would've been, if Zira had just let go of the past."
"And what about you?" he asked gently. "Aren't you still holding onto the past?"
Vitani sighed. "I try not to, I really do."
"But?"
"But everywhere I go, I still see the scars she left, the reminders of what she really wanted — for everyone else to be in pain like she was. She took away everything — you, Kovu's father, my father... and Kopa."
Her head dropped as she spoke his name. Nuka said nothing.
"I still don't know if she did it," Vitani murmured. "She lied about so many things, I don't even know what the truth is anymore. I think she killed him, Nuka. But I can't tell if I really believe that, or if I just want another reason to hate her." When her words were met with more silence, she looked up to catch Nuka wearing an uneasy expression. "What? What is it?"
He immediately tried to look impartial. "What is what?" he squeaked, his voice involuntarily going up an octave.
Vitani rolled her eyes. "Don't give me that. You know something I don't. Spit it out, Nuka."
"I'm really not supposed to say anything..." Nuka stammered, eyes now darting everywhere but at his sister.
"Did she do it?" she pressed. "Did she kill Kopa?"
He squirmed uncomfortably. "Not... really?" A look of horror crossed his face as soon as the words left his mouth.
Vitani frowned. "What's that supposed to mean? Did she have nothing to do with it, or did she—" She stopped as the realization hit her. "She tried. She did throw him in the river, but..."
"Please, Tani, stop," pleaded Nuka. "We're not allowed to interfere with the living wor—" He broke off, panickedly sticking two ghostly front paws into his mouth.
Vitani's breath caught in her throat. "He's not dead," she whispered, hardly daring to say it aloud. "Kopa's alive, isn't he?"
"Come on, sis," he said desperately. "You're just... hearing what you want to believe."
"Then look me in the eye and tell me I'm wrong," she challenged. "Spirits can't lie, Kion told me."
"Of course he did," grumbled Nuka.
"You can't do it, can you?" Vitani looked back in the direction of Pride Rock, incredulous as the realization sank in. "He's alive. I have to tell the king and queen."
"Tani, don't!" he cried frantically. "You're gonna get me in so much trouble with the Council!"
"Tell the Council to take it up with me when I'm dead," she said, unperturbed. "Thanks, Nuka!"
Vitani could hear her brother muttering to himself as his apparition faded back into the clouds. "Nuka, you idiot... you had one job... just couldn't keep your stupid mouth shut for once..."
•••
Tumaini dabbed at Siri's paws with a wet clump of cotton, collecting the last of the blood mottled in her fur. He tossed aside the crimson-soaked cotton and gently lowered her front paws into a small stone bowl between them. "Disinfectant," he explained, immersing her paw pads in the clear green liquid. Her expression was rigid but remained unchanged otherwise. "You must have a high tolerance for pain. This part is supposed to sting."
"Oh, it does," she confided tautly. "I just don't want to disturb anyone by screaming. It's late."
Tumaini laughed, albeit while trying to keep his voice down. "You would've gotten along with my mother. She came from a tribe that drank poison as part of their coming-of-age ritual."
Siri raised an eyebrow. "Cultists?"
"Warriors," he clarified. "Lioness warriors."
"I think I've heard of them. No wonder you put up such a good fight."
"You're not so bad yourself." He examined her other injuries, letting go of her surprisingly fleecy forelegs. "This Janga, was she the one who trained you?"
"Yes, though I lived a different life before that. My parents used to bring me everywhere, then one day there was a flash flood and I never saw them again."
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be. They raised me well, and I try to do right by them. Hey!" Siri jerked back, startled, as Tumaini carefully pawed at her ear.
"Tilt your head toward me," he instructed.
She blinked. "What, why?"
"Your ear's bleeding. Let me clean it."
Slowly, Siri tilted her head, wincing a little as Tumaini licked the blood off of her ear. "So what about you, Tumaini? You said your mother was a warrior — where's your family now?"
He withdrew, distractedly lifting her paws out of the disinfectant while avoiding eye contact. "I haven't seen them in a long time. I... don't want to talk about it."
"Alright, I won't pry. What about Kopa? How did he end up here?"
A ripple of anger coursed through Tumaini. His paws shook, causing Siri's forelegs to slip from his grasp.
"Also a touchy subject, got it," she said astutely.
"No, it's..." Tumaini exhaled, struggling to keep himself collected as the events of that day resurfaced. "Tanzu found him by the riverbank three years ago, half-dead and covered in—in cuts and bruises. Poor kid could barely remember his own name."
Siri looked mortified. "That's awful. So he doesn't know either?"
"Not from what I can tell. Though lately he's been getting these... flashes." Tumaini shook his head. "Doesn't matter. Wherever he came from, he's better off with me."
"It matters to him," she said firmly. "He deserves to know the truth, doesn't he?"
"Sometimes the truth hurts more than not knowing. In a lot of ways, I actually envy him."
"Why? What is it you want to forget?"
Tumaini, who was drying Siri's fur with another cotton clump, stopped to shoot her a reproachful glare.
"Sorry, I said I wouldn't pry." She scrutinized him pensively. "For someone so protective, you sure are taking a risk having me here."
"I can't turn a blind eye when someone needs my help. My father—" Tumaini caught himself, abruptly changing the subject. "Where are you going next?"
"If I'm right, then my pride will have escaped to our hideout at Mount Kilimanjaro. We should be safe there, assuming Janga doesn't know about it too."
"You ever been to Mount Kilimanjaro?"
"Seen from a distance is about it. But I'll figure it out."
Tumaini sighed. "No, you won't. Those mountains are a maze to navigate, and that's before you reach the canyons. I'll take you — as far as the start of the climb, at least."
"You don't have to do that," said Siri, astounded.
"I kinda do. Let's just say I once lived a different life too." Tumaini's ears pricked up at the sound of Kopa's familiar pawsteps drawing near the den. A moment later, the brown-maned lion appeared in the entrance with Tanzu on his back.
The old chimp hopped off, steadying himself by placing one hand against Kopa's flank. "Next time I will take the trees, I think," he grumbled. "I nearly fell off several times back there."
Kopa shot him a look of annoyance. "Let me get this straight. You never worry about falling from the treetops, those treetops way up th—"
"Kopa," interjected Tumaini sternly. He shifted aside to make room for Tanzu inside the now-crowded den. "Thanks for coming, Tanzu. You must have a lot to deal with after the earthquake."
Tanzu waved a wrinkled hand. "It is not every day a new lion enters the forest." He turned to Siri and bowed his head graciously. "You must be Siri. Hujambo, I am Tanzu."
"It's an honour to meet you, Tanzu," she said cordially, bowing a little as well. "I apologize for bringing you trouble when you have so much of it already."
"Hakuna matata, my child, there's nothing to apologize for," assured Tanzu. "Kopa told me everything on the way here. As I understand it, you lost your pursuers during the earthquake, yes?"
Siri nodded. "They're probably still searching for me in the mountains. But it's only a matter of time before they track me here, so it'll be better for everyone the sooner I'm gone."
He peered more closely at Siri's paws. "Tumaini, if I may?"
Tumaini moved aside, giving Tanzu room to set down the wrapped leaf slung around his back. The chimp's fingers quickly unfastened the vine, and the leaf opened to reveal a plethora of herbs and berries, a few of which Tumaini recognized. "She's not in any state to run right now," he remarked, "but once you patch her up, she should be able to walk as far as Mount Kilimanjaro."
Tanzu craned his neck to meet Siri's gaze. "That is where you intend to go?"
"Yes," she affirmed. "That's where my pride would be if they got away."
The old chimp's brow wrinkled in thought. "It takes several days to get to Mount Kilimanjaro through the mountains, and you will be vulnerable in your current state."
"That's why I'm going with her," volunteered Tumaini.
Kopa blinked. "You are?"
"It won't be a straight path, and she doesn't know her way around the mountains. I do."
"Then I'm coming with you," the younger lion said immediately.
"No. You stay here, Kopa. I'll be back in a few days."
"You can't be serious! What if those lions find you? If they're as bad as Siri says, then you're going to need my help. You trained me for this."
"I did not train you for this, I taught you to defend yourself," Tumaini exclaimed in annoyance. "There's a big difference."
Kopa scrunched his snout stubbornly. "You also taught me never to turn my back on someone in need. Your words, not mine."
"Oh, come on. That's not what this is about and you know it."
"Trust me, Tumaini, I know exactly what this is about. Did you tell Siri why it has to be you that takes her?"
Tumaini fixed his most hawkish glare on Kopa, who unflinchingly returned the courtesy. The prolonged silence was broken by Siri clearing her throat. "You can't choose for him, Tumaini."
Both lions turned to look at her in confoundment.
"I have no idea what you guys are bickering about, so this is more of an observation than an opinion," the brown-furred lioness clarified, undaunted by their stares. "But I've only known you both for an evening and I am already certain that if you leave Kopa behind, he'll come after you anyway. So unless you plan on tying him to a tree, you're not getting a say in this."
"I'll find a tree right now if you want to get the first part over with," Kopa suggested.
Tumaini regarded Siri for a long moment before giving a grunt of resignation. "Forget it, I know when I'm beat." He saw Kopa give her a grateful smile and added, "We'd better hide Siri's trail. There should be plenty of debris to bury the path she took into the forest."
"I can help," she offered, seeing them stand up and rising to do the same.
"No," said Tumaini flatly. "You stay here, get as much rest as you can. And don't move around too much, your paws are still healing."
Siri cracked a grin but complied as she settled into a prone position. "Does he always gotta have the last word?" she asked Kopa.
Out of the corner of his eye, Tumaini caught his friend smirking in response to the question. He sighed as the two of them padded out of the den. "This is gonna be a long trip."
•••
Vitani raced into the royal den, nimbly hopping around the sleeping lions with a practiced familiarity. She found Simba and Nala near the centre of the group, and hesitated when she saw how exhausted they looked.
The king and queen had spent the latter half of the day assessing the damage to the Pride Lands and prioritizing those in most urgent need of aid. Probably best they only heard about Kiara after we brought her back to Pride Rock. They have enough to worry about as it is. Grimacing with just a smidge of guilt, Vitani placed her front paws on Simba and Nala's shoulders and shook them gently.
Nala rolled over, concern slipping into her groggy expression. "Wha... is something wrong, Vitani?"
Vitani shook her head, silently motioning for them to follow her. The three of them tentatively stepped around the others as she led them toward the mouth of the den. She waited by the edge of the promontory while Simba and Nala emerged from the royal den, blinking wearily. Taking care to keep her voice down, she spoke once they were close enough to hear her. "Sorry for waking you, but this can't wait."
"We're all ears," Simba responded, yawning. Vitani looked from him to Nala, unsure how to even begin explaining her conversation with Nuka.
"Kopa is alive."
The drowsiness instantly vanished from Simba and Nala's demeanours, instantly morphing into shock and incredulity. The king's mouth moved in disbelief as he struggled to articulate his reaction. "You're... how do you know...?"
Yeah, who am I kidding? I never had the patience for beating around the bush. "Nuka," she said simply.
"Your brother?" recalled Nala, frowning.
Vitani nodded. "He's my spiritual advisor."
Having regained some of his composure, Simba's full attention was now on her. "And he told you... he told you this himself?"
"Erm, sort of," she said. "Well, he didn't deny it when I asked him..." She caught the uncertain glance between him and Nala, and earnestly insisted, "It sounds crazy, yeah, but I know my brother. There's something he isn't telling me about Kopa — or can't tell me — and I have a gut feeling this is it."
"Vitani," murmured Nala gently, "if Kopa is alive... why hasn't he come back all this time?"
Vitani faltered, not having thought of this. She shook her head, determined to convince them. "I have no idea, but don't you want to find out?" She immediately regretted her words when she saw the sorrow in their expressions. "I'm sorry. You must not want to hear this."
"We held out hope at first," reflected Simba with a distant look in his eyes, "but eventually we learned to move on. There was a time when I would have given anything to know what happened to my son, but one day I had to accept that I never would."
"And what if you're wrong?" Vitani insisted, wincing again at her own brusqueness. "No offence."
"No, it's a question I've asked myself many times," Simba disclosed. "But holding onto the past has led me to making choices I regret — ones that put your family and many others through a lot of hardship."
"We can't let that happen again, especially not after the earthquake," asserted Nala.
"I understand, really, I do." Vitani paused, taking a moment to mull over her words for once. "The kingdom needs you both right now and this is where you should be. But you said you trusted me, right? Like Kion does." She was heartened when Simba nodded wordlessly. "If there's a chance that the truth is out there — that Kopa is out there — you gotta at least let me try."
The king and queen locked gazes, neither of them saying a word for a prolonged moment. Vitani caught a look between them that she couldn't quite read, and finally he gave a slow nod.
"Let's pay Rafiki a visit," said Nala decisively. "If anyone in the Pride Lands knows the way, it'd be him."
•••
Kopa laid prone atop the edge of a grassy cliff, staring down at the buried path Siri used when she stumbled into the Maelewano Forest. He and Tumaini had spent the rest of the evening thoroughly concealing the opening, dumping rocks and moving fallen trees onto the path until it was impossible for any lion to traverse. Now his friend was napping behind him, getting some much-needed rest before their impending journey.
Watching for signs of movement amidst the still of the night, Kopa's thoughts drifted back to what Siri had told them earlier. He furrowed his brow, struggling to remember something, anything about Scar — a face, a voice — but nothing came forth. Why does his name sound so familiar? I know there's a connection between him and the lioness in my nightmares...
"Relax," echoed Tanzu's words in his mind. "Recollection is a delicate process. Let it come to you." Kopa quelled his frustration, now trying to focus on Simba instead. This is a lot harder when I have to keep my eyes open.
"Listen up, animals of the Pride Lands! Today we have a battle for the royal throne between Simba, your noble king, and his challenger Kesho..."
Kopa's head abruptly shot up. The memory had only taken shape for a fleeting moment, but the single glimpse he got had been clear as day — the animals gathered around to watch, the cheetah Kesho, and—
That's them. Simba and the cream-furred lioness beside him, exactly like he saw them in his previous vision — except this time he was able to make out their faces, just for a moment. Caught up with newfound excitement, Kopa didn't even notice Tumaini was awake until his friend appeared beside him. "My turn," yawned the older lion. "Take my spot, it's still warm."
"I'm not tired," Kopa said sprightly.
Tumaini gave him a rigid look. "You will be once the sun rises. Get some shut-eye, or you're not coming with me tomorrow."
Kopa grumbled in response but did not argue. He found the warm spot and circled it once before laying down. "Tumaini, how far are the Serengeti Pride Lands?"
"Northwest a ways, about a three-day trip through the mountains," Tumaini responded with his back turned to him. "Go to sleep."
"So you've been there before?"
"No. Now sleep, I mean it."
"Then how do you know where it is?"
Tumaini groaned in exasperation, slumping forward but not turning around. "My father went there a long time ago, okay?"
"He did?" asked Kopa, taken aback.
"Yeah. He even met Simba before Scar took over. Why are you so interested in the Serengeti anyway?"
"I... think that's where I came from."
Finally, Tumaini peered at him over his shoulder. "I wouldn't be so sure, kid. There's no way the Zuberi would have carried you all the way here."
"Why not? Tanzu said it's the same river that runs through the Serengeti."
"You wouldn't have made it this far before you washed up, that's why. The current isn't strong enough for that, not even close."
Kopa thought back to what he could remember of that night. "There was a storm. A really bad one."
"Kopa, do you know how many prides there are between here and the Serengeti?"
"'I can see everything that moves on the plain.'"
Tumaini blinked. "What?"
"'You are never far from my sight or my protection,'" recited Kopa. "'I can see everything that moves on the plain.' Those were my mother's words, I remember now."
"And...?"
"Plain, Tumaini. If the Zuberi brought me here, then the nearest plain has to be on the other side of the mountains, right?"
"I suppose," muttered Tumaini.
"Alright, then that's the first place we're going once we bring Siri to Mount Kilimanjaro." Kopa noticed the same strange look he saw earlier in his friend's expression, and decided to say something. "So what about your family?"
"What about them?" the older lion asked stiffly.
Kopa chuckled. "Ease up, buddy, I'm not asking you to talk about them. But after what Siri told us, don't you want to make sure they're alright?"
"It might be too late for that. I... don't know what I'm supposed to do."
Kopa gave him a knowing look. "Yes, you do. I saw you wearing that same look back in the den."
"Janga's got an army. I won't make enough of a difference by getting involved."
"Or you could make all the difference. Maybe just enough." Kopa got up and sat beside the black-maned lion, who did not chide him this time.
"I can't know that for sure," Tumaini murmured, more to himself than anything.
"You did when you took me in."
"That was different."
"Well, sure. But I was violent, unpredictable — and you never gave up on me."
Tumaini scowled. "You were scared. And you were only a cub, you didn't know what you were doing."
"I was a danger to everyone in this forest," Kopa said quietly. "But you took a chance on me because you didn't care about the odds."
"I didn't have anything to lose. I do now."
Kopa sighed. "Tumaini. We don't have any more time to figure ourselves out. That's why I need to know, and yeah, I am afraid I won't like what I find. But what really scares me is the thought of being too late, that I didn't do all I could when I had the chance. Doesn't that scare you too?"
"Yeah, I guess it should," admitted Tumaini. He gave his friend an appraising look. "You sure grew up fast, kid, you know th—" Suddenly, he pressed himself flat against the ground, and Kopa hastened to do the same.
Following Tumaini's gaze, Kopa spotted movement down by the edge of the obstruction. He could make out half a dozen lions through the opening, and swallowed when he glimpsed the one matching Siri's description of Jeraha. He's even bigger than I imagined. "That looks like them," he whispered. "I'm gonna lay them a false trail."
"Wait," hissed Tumaini in alarm. "These lions are dangerous. I'll go."
"No. You get to Siri, take her back into the mountains. I'll lead them the other way, give you both an opening."
Tumaini clearly did not like this idea at all, but he did not argue.
"I'm going," Kopa said firmly. "It'll be fine, I know where to meet you."
"Be careful, Kopa," murmured Tumaini.
Kopa silently navigated down the opposite side of the cliffs, seeing that Jeraha's team was searching for a clear route into the forest. Careful to remain out of their line of sight, he double-checked the path to make certain Siri's trail had been completely erased. He began to create a set of decoy tracks leading away from the Zuberi River, hoping to lose the intruders in the thick of the forest.
It's only a matter of time until they find another way in. Trying not to think about what would happen if Jeraha caught up to him, Kopa picked up the pace.
•••
If Vitani thought she was reclusive, she definitely had nothing on Rafiki, whose baobab tree was located in a sparsely populated corner of the Pride Lands. She wasn't familiar with the area, having never needed to bring the Lion Guard to this particular end of the border. But it was just as well that there was no one else around, because the Royal Mjuzi was being rather uncooperative at the moment.
"Rafiki, we're tired too," beseeched Nala, staring sleepily up at the baobab. "Please just come down?"
"Tired? Ha!" came Rafiki's voice from the canopy above. "You don't know tired until you get to my age. Now go away!"
Simba rolled his eyes, looking more than a little cranky. "I seem to recall you used to stay up all night painting this tree."
"That was when I still had Makini around. Now I have to do everything without her! I'm getting too old for this."
Having heard enough, Vitani stepped forward. "Listen, monkey," she snapped, "this is a literal life and death situation. The sooner you help us, the sooner we can all go back to slee—"
Thwack.
Vitani yelped as stars sprang forth from her vision, and whirled about to see Rafiki twirling his staff and grinning cheekily. Simba and Nala looked similarly startled, having clearly not heard him come down either.
"First things first, I am a mandrill," said Rafiki, wagging a finger at Vitani.
She clenched her jaw, unwilling to give him the satisfaction of seeing how much pain she was in. "I've never said this to anyone before, but do you think maybe you're too violent?"
"Rafiki can be as violent as he is diplomatic, so yes," he replied with a wink. "He knows why you are here."
"Nuka talked to you, didn't he?" she guessed, fighting the urge to rub her throbbing head.
Rafiki let out a chittering laugh. "You have a great deal of determination, Vitani. But you must ask yourself this — do you really believe Kopa is alive, or is it merely what you want to believe?"
"Of course I want to believe it!" exclaimed Vitani, bristling. "Is that so wrong?"
"Not at all. But the things we desire can often cloud our judgement when we desperately want it to be so. If you do this, you must be willing to accept the possibility that the truth will not bring you the peace you want."
She breathed in and out through her nose, undeterred. "I haven't gotten by on peace my entire life. The truth will do."
The Royal Mjuzi stroked his silver beard with one hand, contemplating this in silence.
"You know what's outside the Pride Lands better than anyone," said Simba. "Do you know where Kopa might have ended up?"
Rafiki turned and stared reflectively into the sleeping savanna. "There are a few places Rafiki is thinking of," he said finally. "Come."
•••
"You're a long way from home, little lion."
Kopa stumbled to a halt as Jeraha appeared out of the mynasa trees before him. The burly lion stood close enough for Kopa to see the countless scars on his face, and he found he couldn't avert his gaze from the cyan eyes coldly studying him from beneath a tall red-brown mane. I thought he was still behind me. And when did he split up his team?
"This is my home," Kopa affirmed, resisting the instinct to take a step back. "What are you doing here?" Something told him the enemy lions hadn't been fooled by the false trail, not even a little.
Jeraha broke eye contact to scrutinize him up and down. "You're a misfit. I've seen many others like you. You don't belong here any more than the lioness you're hiding in this forest."
"I don't know about any lioness," insisted Kopa with as much conviction as he could mutter. The smirk on the larger lion's face told him it wasn't working.
"You could come with me, little lion," contemplated Jeraha, still eyeing him closely. "I would give you a real purpose."
"Not interested," he said tersely, "and my name is Kopa."
"Alright, Kopa. But my offer expires with the lioness. You'd be smart not to stand in my way — I'll only warn you once." Jeraha made to brush past him and continue further into the forest.
Kopa stepped in front of him. "And I'm warning you, there will be many eyes on you as long as you're here. If you harm anyone in the forest, you will answer for it."
Jeraha paused, looking slightly impressed in spite of himself. "Your friends have nothing to fear, Kopa, so long as they have nothing to hide. I intend on taking only one life tonight. It's up to you how it goes." With that he walked away, leaving Kopa where he stood.
Kopa made sure the burly lion was gone before turning to face the tree next to him. He tapped its trunk with one paw.
A heartbeat later, a bat dropped down, flapping her wings in front of Kopa's face. "As if I wasn't nervous enough with all these lions prowling around," she grumbled. "What do you want, Kopa?"
"Head for my den, Jioni," he instructed. "Tell Tumaini they're splitting up. He'll have to double back toward the pass and try not to get noticed."
"Got it," grunted Jioni, still scowling. "What are you gonna do?"
Kopa bit his lip, feverishly hoping for a miracle he knew wasn't coming. "He was right," he said quietly. "It is up to me now."
•••
The faintest tinge of light was teasing the horizon by the time Vitani saw where Rafiki had brought them — all the way back to Pride Rock. Following him around to one side of the structure, they passed by the Lair of the Lion Guard before stopping at a small entrance hewn into the stony surface, one that appeared fairly unremarkable compared to the other caverns.
"The Cave of Ancestry," Simba said in surprise. The lions stepped through the opening, which was only wide enough to accommodate them single file. "I haven't been in here for a while."
Vitani, bringing up the rear, stopped to peer past Simba's mane — and found herself at a loss for words. The interior was enormous, but what struck her was the plethora of bright colours splashed upon the surrounding walls. She realized that they were paintings from ancient generations, many of which were partially obscured by overgrown vines and ivy. The illustrations were spread extensively throughout the cave, but even then much of the stone surface remained untouched.
Simba and Nala were staring up at the ceiling, which was strewn with a dazzling model of the constellations. Upon closer inspection, Vitani saw that each star was inscribed with the names of the royal family, every last one connected to what she presumed were the names of their ancestors.
"Rafiki started working on this after Scar was defeated," Rafiki explained proudly. "On the day your brother becomes king, your names will be recorded here as well. This way."
Rafiki led them to the far end of the cave, where an enormous map was painted across an elongated stretch of wall. At its centre was the Pride Lands, meticulously and uncannily recreated in miniature form; Vitani's eye caught a carving of Pride Rock hewn into the stone surface, and the surrounding geography was just as vividly detailed. A long line of jutting points denoted the East African Mountains, and the map itself stretched far beyond the Serengeti to the endless places she had never heard of. I never knew the world was so big.
Rafiki clicked his fingers in front of Vitani's face, snapping her out of her state of reverie. He placed one finger on the long blue ribbon snaking and winding through the Pride Lands. "This is where Kopa was last seen. Follow the Zuberi River until you enter the mountain range. There lives a warrior tribe who may know something. But be warned, they are not fond of outsiders."
"I'll tread lightly," promised Vitani. "And if I don't find anything there?"
Rafiki hesitated for a moment. Slowly, he moved his finger down the winding river, stopping at a particular spot on the other side of the mountains. "Here lies the Maelewano Forest. It is a place free from predators, so take care not to alarm them. Ask for Tanzu, he will help you if he can."
She nodded. "It's as good a start as I'm gonna get. I'll head out now."
"Now?" repeated Nala. "You should get some rest before you leave."
"I'm fine," Vitani told her curtly. "I've gotten by on less sleep before."
"You'll be in better shape if you don't," Simba pointed out. "And what about your team?"
"They still need time to recover. Besides, you'll need them to protect the Pride Lands while I'm gone." Not keen on dragging out the farewells, the only thing Vitani said was, "I'll be back as soon as I can." She promptly hastened out of the cave and stepped into the approaching dawn.
The sun had not yet risen, though the last of the stars had faded from the brightening sky. Vitani circled around the perimeter of Pride Rock, ready to set out when the recovery den caught her eye. After only a brief hesitation, she silently slipped into the entrance.
The den, already modest in size, was more occupied than she had ever seen it. The lions resting inside were laid in two haphazard rows along the walls, their wounds covered by various leaves and medicinal pastes. Sprawled in the middle of the floor was Tamika, her normally tidy fur mottled with splashes of her mixed concoctions.
Vitani crouched down to move her sleeping sister somewhere more comfortable, when she heard a groan from behind her. She turned around and saw that it was the black-maned lion from yesterday. He was muttering incoherently in his sleep, his brow knit with fright. "Please..." he pleaded frantically. "Don't let him... I can't keep... stop it — stop it..."
Peering around to make sure everyone else was still out cold, Vitani slowly approached him. She reached out to place a paw on his shoulder when Tamika appeared beside her. "Don't startle him, Tani. Let him rest."
Vitani raised an eyebrow. "He's not getting much rest if you ask me."
"The nightmares affect him worse if he wakes up before it ends," her sister explained quietly. "At least, that's what he tells me."
"You take his word for it?"
"I can't imagine why he'd lie about that."
Vitani glanced at him again. "Honestly, he doesn't look hurt to me."
"He's been in shock since the earthquake. I figured I'd put him here where I can keep an eye on him." Tamika peered around the recovery den. "Anyway, my patients have leaves that need changing, so is there anything I can help you with before I get started?"
"Yeah. Do you know if Kovu's in here?"
"As it happens, he is. You know your brother well."
"You should have just kicked him out," Vitani grunted.
Tamika smirked. "I probably would have, if there was no room for him. Fortunately, I managed to squeeze everyone in here. He's at the very back."
Vitani nodded in thanks and tiptoed her way through the den. Sure enough, she was unsurprised to see Kovu lying at the far end of the den with his face pressed against Kiara's. I've never been the romantic type, but I do admit they look cute together. Not that I'd ever say it out loud. She nudged her brother, who raised his head dozily in response.
"Wh-what are—" he mumbled.
Vitani placed a paw over Kovu's mouth to shush him and jerked her head toward the exit. Reluctantly disentangling himself from Kiara, he got up and followed her out of the recovery den, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.
"I'm leaving the Pride Lands for a few days," she informed him once they were out of earshot.
"Huh?" Kovu blinked, still not fully awake. "How come?"
"It's complicated — be easier to explain when I get back. I just wanted to tell you before I left."
He gave her a discerning look. "Let me guess, you're not taking the Guard and you haven't told them."
"They're tired, even the ones who aren't hurt," she stated defensively. "Besides, this is personal."
"I could come with you," he offered.
"I have to do this alone." Vitani was already questioning if she should have just left. She briskly stepped past her brother, not wanting to elaborate any further.
"You know, that's one thing that never changed about you," Kovu said in exasperation. "Even when you had both Nuka and me... you always acted like you didn't."
"Nuka was a bonehead and if anything had happened to you, Zira would have beaten me senseless," Vitani retorted as she continued walking away. "What did you expect?"
"You don't even call her 'mother' anymore," he remarked dolefully.
She stopped but did not turn around. "Very observant of you. What was the last thing she said to me again? You want to remind me?"
Silence fell between them.
Vitani snorted. "Yeah, that's what I thought."
"I get it," insisted Kovu. "But don't you think she—"
"No, Kovu, and I don't care either," she snapped. "All I can do now is try and fix the damage she did."
"So that's what this is about?"
She mentally berated herself for the slip. "I didn't say that."
"Uh huh," Kovu responded shrewdly. "Look, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to. You have your own life now, and you're probably tired of getting mixed up in mine."
At this, Vitani whirled about to face him in astonishment. "Is that really how you think I feel?"
"It's hard to tell how you feel, sis," he said, shrugging. "You were never one for sharing."
Okay, I deserve that. Vitani contemplated this for a moment, wondering if it was necessary to keep things from her brother when he clearly knew her better than he let on. "It wasn't that long ago when I saw things differently," she recalled gloomily. "If you had killed Simba when Zira wanted you to, I wouldn't have lost any sleep over it. I never really thought about what I wanted after that."
"Me either," admitted Kovu. "But it looks like you do now."
"We'll see." Vitani gazed out across the Pride Lands, trying to imagine where she'd have ended up under different circumstances. "Why didn't we ever run? We could have gone anywhere after we were exiled."
"Well, you know how she was," he sighed. She could feel the weight of the world in those simple words — they both did.
"I meant us. You, me, anyone else who was willing. We could have made it."
"Tani, we don't give up on family."
Vitani narrowed her eyes. "It was a mistake to call her family."
"What about Nuka?" pressed Kovu. "Do you seriously think he would have left her side?"
"No," she muttered. "And Zira would have never stopped coming after us. So instead we suffered with her."
"Did you..." He faltered, prompting an inquisitive look from her. "Do you blame me? About Nuka?"
"Never did, never will," Vitani answered. "It was his own stupidity that got him killed, plain and simple."
Kovu winced. "You have a real way with words, you know that?"
"Like that's new," she scoffed unapologetically. "Not my fault you picked a dainty princess to spend the rest of your life with."
"Well, I owe you one for getting the dainty princess out of those caverns." He shot her a grin. "Sure you don't need my help?"
That's one of the good things about Kovu. He almost never takes things personally. Vitani gave her brother an affectionate pat on the paw that was only slightly sarcastic. "Tempting, but you shouldn't stand Kiara up for your double date with the earthquake crisis."
"Right, yeah, that's a good point," Kovu conceded sheepishly.
"Your heart's in the right place, little brother, but you still haven't learned to focus. I'll be fine. I always am."
"Okay. Say hi to Nuka for me."
"I will. Tell the Guard I won't be long."
Without waiting for a prolonged farewell, Vitani dashed off away from Pride Rock, bound for the Zuberi River. The sun was coming up now, and she intended to be in the thick of the mountain range by the time it went down again. In spite of her misgivings, she could feel an excitement stirring in her bones. I've been walking circles around the Pride Lands for too long. I've almost forgotten what it's like to be on my own again.
Vitani could only hope she wouldn't return alone. Wait for me, Kopa. I'll find you, I just know it.
