"Life without a home"
After banishing Zira. Simba asked any willing animals to help search for Kopa. Most is not all the pride landers searched far and wide, just like when he went missing with the Vultures. Simba thought that maybe Zira had orchestrated this, but he knew if Kopa was found he would have to let Zira and her family back in. Several days they searched, but nothing not even a scent. Timon and the meerkats all joined in the search underground but nothing. Finally, Simba and Nala made the heavy-hearted decision that they had to assume the worst and that the search must cease. Afua the lion cub who was Kopa's best friend couldn't believe that his friend was gone, soon after him and his mother refusing to give up on finding Kopa, left the pride lands. Nala eventually told Simba that she was pregnant again, and they both agreed that in order to raise Kiara and this new cub, that they had to mourn and then forget the son that they lost. To put on a brave face for the pride landers. That all changed when just before Kion was born Sarabi passed away, this was after Kiara's ceremony. Simba was devastated as was Nala, and all the pride was devastated at the loss of their former Queen and leader. Especially the lionesses who lived through the reign of Scar and remembered how she protected them from the tyrant.
Meanwhile in a far away land, North of the pride lands Mbali finally stopped. Along the journey she kept herself hidden from Kopa, and waited for him to cry himself to sleep for her to keep going. She felt conflicted about all of this, but Zira promised her that she would receive a reward, that her cub would be protected. Mbali stopped where she knew a different pride reigned over the savannah. Savannah Straits was the place where a firm ruler lead his pride. Mbali dropped Kopa off in a cave and began her trek back to the pridelands. She knew secret ways around the great lands just as all the cheetah wanderers did. She knew she had just enough time to get home so she could have her cub.
Kopa woke up again in a cave all by himself. Everytime he had woke up he didn't know where he was, or where he came from. He knew his name was Kopa that was all. Kopa wandered out of the cave to look at his reflection and found a three marked slash of a scar on his right cheek. It had healed over from where it was opened. After seeing the scar Kopa had a flashback to Nuka swiping his paw at him. But all Kopa could see was a big lion swiping at him, a shadow of a memory. Suddenly, Kopa heard something behind him, his instincts were still intact.
"Who, Who goes there?" Kopa asked still terrified as to where he was, and in desperate need of answers.
A bush behind Kopa was rattling.
"Grrr!" A male lion cub jumped out at Kopa trying to spook him.
"AHH!" Kopa shrieked.
"Oh sorry kid. My mistake I thought you were my brother," The cub apologized.
"It's okay, where am I?" Kopa asked.
"Savannah Straits. The northern kingdom. Your looking at a valued member of the north pride," The cub bragged.
"The northern kingdom?" Kopa asked.
"Your not from around here are you kid?" The cub asked.
Kopa didn't know why, but when the cub called him kid he felt like he knew someone who called him kid. But he couldn't remember.
"My name is Siakam. What's yours?" Siakam asked while taking a drink.
"My name is Kopa, I'm lost. And I know it sounds weird but I don't know where I'm from," Kopa replied feeling stupid that he couldn't remember things.
"Hey. Maybe we got off on the wrong paw, let me take you to my mom and brother, maybe they can help," Siakam said.
"Okay?" Kopa wasn't sure if he should follow but he didn't have choice, he didn't know where he was.
Siakam took Kopa to the home of his pride, a massive den with multiple caves around a large den inside of a large hill.
"That's your home?" Kopa asked.
"Yeah, the home of the north pride. That big den is where Teta lives, he's the leader of the pride, you'll probably meet him later," Siakam said.
"Hey Siakam, where did you go? I thought we were playing tag," Siakam's larger brother said.
"Whoa! He's big for a cub," Kopa said looking at Siakam's brother who was larger then both Kopa and Siakam.
"Omos, this is Kopa. Kopa this is my twin brother Omos," Siakam said.
"Siakam, you know that we shouldn't just lead other lions to the pride," Omos said.
"Relax Omos, have you seen mom?" Siakam asked.
"Nah, the lionesses are out on a hunt, only Kove and Teta are here," Omos replied.
"Kove?" Kopa asked.
"She's our prophetess. She can speak to the spirits of the earth, she's very wise," Siakam said.
"Boys who is that?" A female cub asked.
"Uzuri this is kopa. He's lost so I was going to see if our mom could help," Siakam said.
"If you need help, my mom would be the best to help you," Uzuri said.
"Yeah, Kopa. Uzuri's mom is the best hunter around, she once took down a full grown elephant by her self," Omos said.
"That's right, my mom is the best hunter in all the great lands," Uzuri bragged.
"Whoa! Who's the new guy? Another lion cub asked walking up on the conversation.
"Kopa, Kifa, Kifa, Kopa," Siakam said tired of explaining this to everyone.
"Kifa is Teta's son. He's the next in line to lead the pride," Uzuri said.
"Ahh, like a prince," Kopa asked.
"Not really. We're not like other prides, you earn the role of alpha. Blood means nothing, at least that's what my dad says," Kifa said.
"Who the hell is that! And who the hell brought him here?" Teta yelled standing at the mouth of his cave.
"Teta, I'm sorry this cub was lost. I couldn't just leave him alone," Siakam said.
"That's the difference between me and you Siakam, I would've. But why did you bring him here?" Teta replied.
"I'm sorry sir, I can leave so no one gets in trouble. I just don't know where I am," Kopa said.
"Who are you? And where did you come from?" Teta questioned.
"My names Kopa, but I don't know where I'm from or why I was here. I know its hard to believe, but truly my memory at the moment is a bit fuzzy," Kopa said.
"With a question this important and life altering. Your best answer is Fuzzy?" Teta scoffed.
"I'm sorry sir, I will leave," Kopa said very slowly cause Teta intimated him.
"Wait! What did you say your name was?" A lioness said from above the cave where Teta was.
"That's Kove," Uzuri whispered.
"Yes I am Kove. The daughter of the spirits, little one, what is your name?" Kove asked.
"My name's Kopa," Kopa answered.
"Kove, with all due respect, this cub is not ours. Why should we care?" Teta interrupted.
"Oh. Mr.Teta is that your queen?" Kopa asked.
The cubs laughed knowing that was a silly question to ask Teta.
"No little one. I am not, where did you say you were from?" Kove asked.
"The land of fuzzy," Teta scoffed laying down getting bored with the whole situation.
"I don't know ma'am. I just remember meeting Siakam," Kopa replied.
"I believe you. Teta may I speak with you for a moment," Kove said.
Teta came up to Kove's cave.
"This cub is royal," Kove said.
"Royal?" Teta whispered as he knew the cubs were probably trying to hear.
"Yes, the spirits tell me that this cub is important. I will try a few rituals I know to see if I can get more information," Kove said.
"No, no. We don't need witchcraft to figure out where this fuzz ball is from," Teta said.
"It's not witchcraft Teta. How dare you disrespect the ways of the spirits," Kove reprimanded.
"Forgive me prophetess, but this cub is not our blood," Teta said.
"And I'm not your blood, neither is Winda, Bibi, or Natty. What's your next excuse?" Kove asked.
"I have no plans to feed another cub," Teta said.
"You have a problem with the fact that he is male. Your old way of thinking blinds you," Kove said.
"Lions for centuries have taken over prides, driven out the males, and created their own cubs. That's not an old way of thinking that's the only way. The only way for me," Teta said.
"I believe if we keep this cub for now, let him earn his keep. If I can find out where he's from. We may be given a reward, or maybe a bigger plain to hunt," Kove said.
Teta was reluctant to give in but he trusted Kove's judgment although her methods to him was a bit weird.
"Alright fuzzy, you can stay for now. But no one in this pride will carry your weight. You have to earn your keep, understood," Teta said aloud addressing the cubs.
"Yes sir," Kopa said.
"Good, when the hunting party comes home, after I, and they have eaten you may eat with the cubs," Teta commanded and then went into his cave to rest.
"What does he mean by carry my weight?" Kopa asked the cubs.
"Well you can't expect us to help you survive. We're a family but you have to help around here, cleaning up the kills the hunting party bring home. Hunting from time to time, and never step out of line. My father is in charge, no matter what happens," Kifa said seeming terrified of his own father.
"And I guess you have a new nickname Kopa, fuzzy," Omos said.
"Fuzzy it is. Doesn't take too much thought in that one," Kopa said.
Author's Note
For the readers who want to know what the characters introduced in this chapter look like. Head on over to /Dkstiger I will be posting the North Pride picture very soon.