The Lion King: Dawn of the Nations
Episode 48: Downfall
Kion was looking at his surroundings with extreme caution, taking careful steps while breathing silently, he gasped when Baturu tackled him all of a sudden, having come out of nowhere. Baturu submitted him by pressing his chest strongly with both paws, starting to pierce his fur and skin with his claws. Baturu opened his jaws in order to bite Kion's face, but Kion threw a powerful blow at his snout right before it could reach his own. Baturu roared and groaned by the pain on his bleeding snout, covering it instinctively with his paw, thing that let Kion free himself from him, rolling over the ground and getting onto his paws after so, growling and rushing towards Baturu, jumping at him with his front legs extended, aiming at his side, managing to hit and pierce it strongly with his claws.
"Argh!" Baturu fell down and Kion started to throw enraged blows at his face, roaring beastly while looking at his damaged face with an unmeasurable anger. Baturu threw a blow at his face, making Kion back away as he covered his bleeding cheek. Baturu got onto his paws again, ignoring the pain he felt on his deeply scratched face, leaving a trace of blood over the sandy ground as he walked towards Kion. "Your lineage…" He groaned. "…dies tonight!" Baturu began to walk in circle, taking small, cautious steps. "I will kill your family after I'm done with you." He had his gaze locked in Kion's eyes. "Starting with your sister and her mate." Baturu chuckled mockingly. "Then I'll go to your home and kill your cubs, slowly and painfully. Same as your nephews."
Kion frowned at him. "Killing little cubs…such a strong warrior you are." He looked into his eyes with a challenging gaze. "You've always been weak, Baturu. Weak and stupid, thinking you could stand a chance against me." He growled at him.
Baturu growled as well then ran towards Kion, jumping at him and getting over his back, starting to bite his nape. Kion roared and groaned by the intense pain he was feeling as Baturu's teeth pierced his fur, skin and muscle, Kion charged rapidly towards a nearby rocky wall and jumped against it, making Baturu's head and back hit it strongly. Baturu growled and let go off Kion's nape, falling over as Kion stood on his paws with great effort, almost not being able to bear the great pain on his bleeding nape, he roared and approached Baturu, biting his neck and throwing him, taking him to the edge of the sandy surface. Baturu groaned while standing up as his legs trembled, looking at Kion with deep hate and fury. "You will end like your mate, Kion." He chuckled mockingly while licking his lips.
Kion was growling at him while backing away, stopping when he felt his tail rubbing the rocky wall behind him. "What are you waiting for then?!" He yelled with tears on his eyes and a lump in his throat.
Baturu roared beastly and started to run towards him with his jaws open, Kion closed his eyes and took a deep breath, getting his paws firm over the ground. He then opened his eyes and with his glare focused on Baturu, Kion let out the Roar of the Elders, making the ground tremble around him. The clouds in the sky revealed the faces of Simba, Mufasa and Askari, roaring with synchrony, the lightning and thunder increased drastically, getting way louder and stronger, making every animal under the sky shiver with fear and confusion, creating a powerful wind that made Baturu fly away.
Baturu screamed with terror while falling towards one of the lava rivers. Half of his body got submerged on the burning lava as he held onto the shore with his paws, yelling loudly while feeling the lava rapidly destroying his body, making a great effort to maintain his claws embedded in the shore. Kion arrived a few moments later, walking towards him while trembling and groaning. He sat down right before him, looking into his eyes with a straight face. Baturu breathed erratically as blood came out from his jaws with no cease. "Go…" He coughed. "…ahead. Cut…" Baturu vomited blood between his paws. "…my head off." He smirked. "…you want it…don't you?"
Kion frowned at him. "With every fiber of my body." A tear ran down the fur of his face. "But I'm not like you." He sentenced with a broken voice.
Baturu's paws had lost all of the strength they had left, he let go off the shore between chuckles and screeches, getting fully submerged in the lava. The vapors of death invaded Kion's nostrils as the wind took them away.
The last rhinos, lions and cheetahs from Baturu's forces had been defeated. The ground was full of corpses from both sides. "It's done." Dogo said as Bedor, Gorger, Koca, Ozel, Kovu and Kiara got by his sides, contemplating the scene of victory and death.
Kion arrived, trembling and groaning, walking weakly. Kiara gasped when seeing his bleeding face and nape. "Kion!" She exclaimed with worry while rushing towards him.
"He…he's dead." Kion fainted, Kiara let out a gasp of great worry.
"Kovu, help me carry him! We must take him with Musabi, now!" Kiara crouched and got him over her back. Kovu approached her and did the same. They got onto their paws, gasping while carrying Kion.
"We'll take care of this, my queen." Koca said while gesturing away.
"Thanks, Koca." Kiara glanced at their other allies. "And all of you." She and Kovu rushed en route to the Pride Lands.
Koca glanced at the caves around the lava rivers. "The cubs and the calves, we must take them home."
"You take care of that, captain." Dogo said and switched his gaze towards their dead warriors. "These brave animals deserve a decent burial. Let us give them that." He received a confirming nod from Koca.
"I'll help you with the children." Ozel said, then he and Koca walked towards the caves.
Meanwhile, in the cave of Pride Rock, Zale was crying as he laid over the cold ground, Ari and Emba were comforting him as they had woken up by his sobs. Keru was deeply asleep in a corner of the cave. "Zale, they will be alright, they are strong lions." Emba said while nuzzling his forehead.
"Yes, Zale, don't worry. Your daddy and mommy can handle anything, they've been in so many battles." Ari nuzzled his neck tenderly.
Zale kept crying deeply. "I don't want to…" He sobbed with great sorrow. "…lose them."
Emba looked at Ari, they both shared looks of great concern, their hearts getting influenced by Zale's tears. "Sleep, Zale." Emba said while resting his head over his neck. "Just get some sleep. We're here with you."
"Yes. We will wait for them together. You need to sleep, we all need to." Ari spoke with a reassuring voice as she rested her head over her cousin's back, nuzzling it with care.
Koca and Ozel arrived at the cave area. "I'll check these." Koca gestured at the set of caves at his right, Ozel nodded and rushed towards the ones at the opposite side. Koca entered the first cave, finding a group of five little animals, two lion cubs, two cheetahs and one rhino calf. They let out gasps of fright while backing away instinctively.
One of the cheetahs started to cry all of a sudden. "Please don't kill us!" She pleaded.
"Hey, no, no I'm here to rescue you." Koca stepped aside, uncovering the entrance. "Come on." He gestured at it, smirking at them.
"Wh…" The rhino calf trembled by the fear he still felt despite Koca's friendly invitation. "…where are you taking us?"
"Home." Koca replied.
"But, here is home." One of the little lions said.
"Your new home." Koca said with a straight tone. "Now…come. You will start a new life in the Pride Lands.
"But…Baturu says we are enemies." The other lion cub argued.
Koca approached him, making him and the others get their tails even closer to the rocky wall. He looked at the lion cub with a deep stare. "Baturu is dead, kid." The cubs and the calf shared looks of confusion and astonishment. "We're your only chance of survival. We'll give you a warm cave, food, education and everything you ask of us. You're children of the Pride Lands now." Koca turned and started to walk away, then looked at them over his shoulder. "Unless you want to be here on your own, hunting your preys, if you ever find them, facing the dangers of the night with no other support than your young claws."
The lion cub got thoughtful for a moment, looking at his fellows with concern, then he glanced back at Koca's eyes. "Well, when you put it that way…I guess we should come with you."
Koca smirked at him. "Wise decision." He resumed his steps, being cautiously followed by the four little animals.
On the meantime, Ozel was leading two groups of cubs and calves already, walking up the sandy path of the tall mound where a couple more caves were left to check. He looked over his shoulder, noticing they weren't keeping up with him. "Kids, move your tails!"
"Why can't we stay here?" A male cheetah cub asked. "I'm hungry, I wanna see my parents."
Ozel sighed. "You're coming with us, whether you like it or not." He responded firmly. "You will eat when we arrive."
"What about my parents?" The cheetah insisted.
Ozel turned and sat down, looking at him with a straight face. "They died. Is that enough for you to close your snout and do as I say? Or do you want more details?" Tears started to form in the eyes of the little cheetah, he then lowered down his gaze and began to cry. Ozel switched his gaze at the rest of them. "There's nothing left for you in this place." He got onto his feet and resumed his way to the next caves, getting followed by the children, who quickened their steps a bit.
Dogo, Bedor, Gorger and the remaining warriors had finished digging a great hole on the sandy ground to bury the dead of the Outlands and the Pride Lands. They started to move the corpses gently with their heads, pushing quickly until reaching the hole, letting the bodies fall in it one by one. A female jackal warrior walked around the dark scene, with tears in her eyes.
The river hasn't stopped flowing,
She sung with a voice of great sorrow.
It just took a new and firm course,
Through green fields and endless forests,
The ancient air has brought it home,
Kovu and Kiara hurried under the light of the stars, with Pride Rock already on their sight. After more effortful and quick steps, they finally arrived.
The sun will come out once again,
An embrace that heals and remains,
For the souls that stayed in this land,
As you flow forever above.
The warriors pushed the sand with their heads to cover the hole and the corpses in it while listening to her sweet voice.
Kovu and Kiara entered the cave of Pride Rock, along with Musabi and Zaire, who were already carrying some Ornum plants on their snouts in order to treat Kion's grave wounds. Emba, Ari and Zale rushed towards them with great worry. After laying Kion down on a corner and letting Zaire and Musabi start attending him, Kovu got on the cubs' way. "Give them space, kids."
"Let me see him!" Emba demanded.
"He'll be fine! Just give them space to cure him, okay?" Kovu said with a straight tone. Ari started to cry, approaching Emba and resting her head on his chest. Emba gave her brotherly strokes with his lower jaw to reassure her.
"Dad…" Zale got on his hind legs and hugged Kovu's front leg tightly while licking it, breaking down in tears.
Kovu nuzzled his head then licked it gently. "I'm here, my son." He kept nuzzling him lovingly.
"Mom, dad!" Keru had just woken up, he rushed towards Kiara.
"Oh, my little boy..." Kiara received him with caring licks and nuzzles as he stood on his hind legs and placed his paws on her chest while nuzzling her neck.
-Author's note-
I hope you enjoyed this chapter! The conclusion of Baturu's story arc. I have great, epic plans for the future, which you will start seeing very soon :D, I'm sure you're gonna be very excited. Thanks for reading, it means the world to me. May God bless you!