SPARTAN-626: Don't worry, Vitani and Kopa's story is not over.
Extinction17: Perhaps one day.
Kopa led his family over the hill, worry plastered upon each of their faces.
Once they were on the hill a horrible sight met their eyes.
Below them, they saw their father, struggling to walk, as he was covered in bruises and scratches.
"Father!" Kiara cried. "Zazu, get help!"
The majordomo yelped. "Yes, of course!" He said before racing off.
Kopa frowned as he made his way to down to help support his weakened father.
"Simba, talk to me!" Timon cried, clearly worried about his cub.
"Dad, what happened?" Kopa asked.
Simba winced as he brought his head up. "Kovu," He rasped. "Ambush..." With that, Simba collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
Kopa turned to Kiara who looked like she was near collapsing herself. "No..." She whispered.
"Kiara, we can worry about that later, right now we have to get Dad back. Now!"
Pumbaa was already on it, carefully grabbing Simba with his tusks like he did so many years ago when they had first found him in the desert.
"It's all right, buddy, we're here for ya." Timon said as he grabbed Simba's tail.
Kopa frowned he nuzzled Kiara and together the two followed their uncles back to Pride Rock.
You can imagine Nala's horror when her children arrived with Pumbaa and Timon bringing her injured mate, but, keeping her head, she helped them bring him up to Pride Rock. His wounds were many, but none fatal. Rafiki was called soon after to tend to his injuries whilst Timon and Pumbaa watched worriedly. News of his father's attack traveled and Kion soon arrived, the guard close behind.
Kopa frowned as he snuck off, leaving Kion and Kiara to help their mother and Rafiki.
"He said Kovu did this?" Fuli asked as she and the gaurd waited at the bottom of Pride Rock.
"He tried to kill my big bro!? Let me at him!" Bunga growled. "I'll make him eat his own tail!"
"Easy little B." Beshti said. "We don't know the whole story."
"Seems pretty clear to me. Kovu led Simba away from view and attacked him." Fuli growled.
"Why would Simba go with him alone? Wouldn't he had someone to go with him?" Ono asked.
"Simba probably thought he could handle him." Bunga said, crossing his arms.
"Zazu said it was an ambush." Fuli said.
"Say, where's Kopa?" Beshti asked, noticing the older lion's absent.
TLK
Kopa panted as he raced through the Pride Lands. An ambush?! Did that mean that Vitani was in on it?
Finally, he arrived at their special place and just as he thought, the zebra was still there. Vitani never arrived. Kopa frowned as he raced off once more, this time, his destination was the Outlands.
Crossing the fallen tree, he jumped to the ground. "Vitani!" He cried, not caring who heard him.
No answer.
Observing his surroundings, Kopa made his way through the land. The ground was hard and dusty, not at all like the grassy land he was from.
The termite mounds stood, some as tall as elephants. Suddenly, he heard someone sobbing.
Peaking over a mound, Kopa noticed Vitani, her eyes bursting with tears.
His anger towards her brother Kovu died down as he came around the mound.
"Vitani?" He whispered.
The tan lion jumped as she looked up, her eyes full of fear. "K-Kopa!!"
Kopa frowned as he approached her. He had never seen her cry before and after this night, he hoped he would never have to see it again. "Vitani-"
"Kopa, please! I didn't want to attack the king! My mother, she said that of we didn't, she'd-"
"Vitani, calm down. You attacked my da- king?"
Vitani sniffed. "My pride did. I didn't want to, but my mother, she threatened us! I knew it was bad idea!"
"Do Kovu had nothing to do with this...?"
The tan lioness shook her head. "No, in fact he tried to...save him."
Kovu tried help Dad, Kopa thought. He had nothing to do with the ambush.
"But... we still attacked him...and when he tried to escape, Nuka went after him..." Suddenly she started to sob again. "And...Nuka's dead!"
Kopa's eyes widened. Even though he never knew Nuka, his sudden death was no doubt quite a shock. Lying next to her, he placed his paw on her shoulder and nuzzled her.
"And then... Kovu left. He left our pride."
The Pridelander frowned. She lost both brothers...
Soon Vitani stood. "Kopa, let's leave. Let's get out of here! We'll run away, please."
"Vitani-"
"I have nothing here, Kopa." Vitani said.
But I can't leave and have Kovu be blamed for a crime he wasn't even a part of, Kopa thought.
Suddenly, they heard Zira's voice. "Vitani!"
The tan lioness winced before turning to Kopa. "Run, Kopa, get out of here." She said.
"But-"
"Now!"
Now wasn't the time to argue with her. Giving her a lick, Kopa turned and raced off, hoping to get back to Pride Rock in time to tell his father of Kovu's innocence.
Meanwhile, Kiara was watching as Kovu raced away, trying his best to avoid the birds that swooped and pecked him. She wanted to run with him, but Kion and Fuli blocked her path.
Finally, once Kovu was out of sight, Kion and Fuli backed away, allowing Kiara to approach her father.
"Father, please! Reconsider!" She cried, walking up to his side.
"You will not go anywhere without an escort from now own." Simba said.
Kiara was horrified. "No! That's not-"
"He used you to get to me!" Simba argued.
"No!" Kiara cried. "He loves me! For me!"
"Because you are my daughter." Simba said, turning to face her. "You will not leave Pride Rock, you will stay here, where I can keep an eye on you, away from him."
Kion glanced at Nala who looked just as shocked.
"You don't know him!" Kiara argued.
"I know he's following in Scar's paw prints!" Simba said, turning back to look over his land once more."And I must follow in my father's."
"You will never be Mufasa!"
Simba frowned, shocked as Kiara raced off, not bothering to look back.
Kion faced his mother, unsure what to do. He wanted to help his sister but he also wanted to speak with his father. Kiara never did get the freedom he and Kopa had as cubs, mostly because she was the future queen and Simba's only daughter.
"Mom-" But Nala interrupted him. "Go to Kiara, I will speak with your father." She said.
Kion nodded as raced into the den where he found Kiara trying to break through some lose rock. "Kiara!" He cried.
Kiara turned, the fur under her eyes stained with dry tears. "Go, Kion!" She growled.
"Don't do this!" Kion pleaded.
"Kovu didn't attack Dad, I know he didn't. Kovu, he's...he's not like that. He may have been raised like that, but he's not! I know he's not! I have to find him!"
Kion frowned as he approached his sister. Standing on his hind legs he pushed the remaining rocks out of the way and quickly nuzzled his sister. "Be careful." He said.
Kiara smiled as she nodded before escaping through the hole.
TLK
Animals were dispersing from Pride Rock when Kopa arrived back. On top, he saw his parents, arguing. He wasted no time making his way up to hear Nala's voice.
"You don't know the whole story!" She said.
"I know enough. Kovu was using Kiara to get to me." Simba said.
"Kiara is almost an adult, Simba. And we raised a smart lioness."
"She's too young. I stand by my word. She is not to leave Pride Rock without an escort."
"You're being ridiculous!"
"Dad!" Kopa panted as he made his way up.
"What is it, Kopa?" Simba growled at his oldest son.
"Kovu was trying to help you! He wasn't a part of Zira's plan!"
The King snarled. "Not you too, Kopa, I don't have time for this nonsense!"
"I'm telling the truth!"
"He's a follower of Scar!"
Kopa growled back. "Will you shut up about Scar?! He's dead! He means nothing!"
"He's kept alive by Zira!"
"No, Dad." Kopa frowned, his eyes blazing with fury. "He's kept alive by you."
Simba glared.
"You've never let go of the past, Scar still haunts you. He is kept alive by your words. Kovu wasn't even related to him and yet you blame him for a crime he knew nothing of. He tried to save you, he turned on his pride to say another's king." Kopa panted as he straightened up. With one last growl, he turned and raced back down Pride Rock. His destination unknown.
TLK
Kion frowned as he made his way to the waterhole, his eyes glancing towards the gathering rain clouds.
Soon he heard the familiar voices of his friends and made his way over.
Bunga was first to notice him. "Hey, Kion." He said. "Your sis okay?" He asked.
Kion nodded. "She's fine."
"I wouldn't be." Fuli said. "Not being able to go anywhere without an escort? That's evil!"
Kion raised his head to defend his father's words, but found himself unable. Fuli was right, it was evil.
"He's just trying to protect his daughter." Bashti pointed out.
"No, Fuli's right, this isn't how things should be handled." Kion said. "Kiara said Kovu isn't like that."
"He's an Outlander, though." Bunga said.
"Not all Outlanders are bad! Kopa said he was good lion. And I trust my siblings' judgement."
"Where is Kiara anyway?" Ono asked.
"Resting." Kion lied.
"And Kopa?"
"I don't know. Last I heard, he got into a fight with my dad and left."
"He's coming back, right?" Beshti asked.
Kion swallowed. "I don't know."
Bunga frowned as he jumped up. "Course he's comin' back! If I know Kopa, he's probably on his way back right now."
Kion frowned as he felt a drop of rain hit his nose. "I hope so."
Kopa was indeed on his way back. The rain was started to pick up, but Kopa wasn't in a hurry to get out of it. After his fight with Simba, Kopa left. At first he wasn't sure where to go before he realized that he needed to find Kovu. But he never did. If what Kiara and Kovu was true, he wouldn't have gone far, but Kopa searched everywhere. Suddenly, he happened to glance the Outlands and immediately regretted it. Crossing the water border were the Outsiders.
Kopa's eyes widened as he noticed Zira in the lead with Vitani beside her.
He quickly turned and raced for Pride Rock. He was nearly there when he saw Zazu hurrying to get out of the rain. "Zazu!" He cried to majordomo.
"Kopa! What are you doing out here?" Zazu asked.
"Find my father! Tell him the Outsiders are heading this way! I'm going to find Kion and the guard!"
"Oh, my goodness! Right away!" Zazu cried.
Kopa growled as he raced in the opposite direction. If it's a war they want, they shall have it, Kopa thought.
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