Telegraphing Our Moves: A Kopa and Vitamin Short Story

by TheScholarlySimpleton12

Desperate for fighting skills a future king is meant to possess, Kopa ventures deep into the Outlands in search of a lion who can train him. But what he finds and who he meets will eternally alter his worldview forever. For growing pains are like weeds sprouting numerously in the garden of life: they never telegraph their moves. One Shot.

14

Telegraphing Our Moves: A Story of Kopa and Vitani

Once Kopa reached the edge of his father's kingdom, he clawed his way up a large rock and surveyed the border. The land lying before him was vast, a withered gathering of hills and cliffs that rose like logs in a lake. Meanwhile, vein-like streams lined its face. Masses of trees, barren and naked as a carcass's skeleton, freckled its crust. Similar to home, this place expanded under everything the light touched, an ocean of terrain waiting to be searched.

"The Outlands," Kopa whispered. "I'd be out of my mind to go there." He smiled at his lame humor, knowing full well others would gag if they heard it. Light comedy had become Kopa's crutch, his means of coping in difficult circumstances. As prince of the Pridelands, he had a lot going for him.

Except one thing.

Seeing his reflection in a nearby pond, the young lion cub studied the posh of his brownish-gold fur. He observed the brown tuft parting handsomely on his head, and he watched his brown eyes trickle softer than mud in the cool water. It was as if they were just waiting for an anxious moment to melt.

He threw a jagged pebble into the pond's depths, rippling his reflection wrinkled. The other Pridelander cubs talked about Kopa's appearance whenever in ear range, backs turned. They all agreed he looked like a future king, but wasn't born tough enough. For if a slobbering, mangy, stupid poacher ever encroached on their territory, the best Kopa could do, or so they said, would be to flash his pampered looks and think funny thoughts.

He'd doom them all.

The idea impelled Kopa forward, urging him to embark on this personal mission. For he was quickly aging out of cubhood, advancing straight into teenage years. Time wasn't going to wait for him to toughen up. So, why should he?

But as he trekked mere paces within the Outlands, he stopped and looked back at the trail his father marked out. Under specific orders, Kopa was not supposed to traverse off this beaten path. To do so would be dangerous.

The prince swallowed what tasted like rotten meat. His fear, a thick claw, inched deeper into his throat. But he couldn't stop now, he had to press on. For there were rumors aplenty spreading throughout the Pridelands of other lions, veterans of violence, champions of turmoil, who flaunted themselves as fighting masters in the Outlands. If Kopa could somehow convince these warriors to teach him their ways, he might convince the rest of the pride he had what it took to be king. Was this plan dangerous? Absolutely. Stupid? Probably, but Kopa was tired of all the sneak talk directed his way, fed up with relying on humor to cope. It was time to change.

The bold cub skidded down a slope, stirring several orange dust clouds into the air. The copper sun hiked high into the ether, and the sky paraded it's blue without a single cloud. But Kopa's spirits were dwindling. No other animals roamed here, let alone battle-tested lions. The vast Outlands Kopa entered this morning had remained as such after hours of searching:

Vast, empty, and disappointing.

Kopa lowered his head. Pretty soon, his father would return from patrol, and his mother had probably finished a hunt. Wouldn't be long before every lioness in the pride came looking for him. And Kopa wasn't in the mood for a tongue lashing. Sighing, he turned around to climb out of the gorge.

Then, his ears picked up a distant cry.

Kopa looked down to his right, towards the commotion. This sound, now multiplied, bounced echoes around a bend. Below a rocky bridge in the gorge, a female lion cub sprinted into view. Though a blur in motion, Kopa could make out her pale, creamy pelt, an unkempt set of bangs dangling down her head. She was around his size, but slightly skinnier, a little rough in her features.

Behind her dashed several scrawny jackals, their claws extended, mouths dripping with drool. Kopa's eyes widened.

They were gaining; he had to do something.

Quickly sliding down another slope, Kopa noticed the female cub leaping up several small rocks before stopping on a ledge. The only way up to her was the path she leapt, and the jackals encircled it, no doubt cutting off any chance at escape.

The girl cub panted, her chest heaving with precious air. If Kopa didn't make it down there in time, he worried the Jackals would overwhelm her. And just as he feared, they lined up one at a time, leaping up the small rocks to nab some corned prey.

"No, don't!" Kopa shouted, but the distraction cost him his balance, and he rolled down the rest of the slope. Colliding with the ground, the dizzy prince coughed away his vertigo, slowly waited out the pain. As he stood, the disbelief at what was happening widened his eyes again.

The jackals could only ascend single file, limiting their advantage in numbers. And as one made it to the top outcropping, the girl cub, her stance set, lashed out with a quick paw strike, nailing the jackal's jaw. In turn, they each fell to the ground, slamming their backs. None the wiser to the lion cub's strategy, they lined up and charged again. But she clawed their mouths bloody, and they soon retreated out the gorge.

Kopa looked around and smelt the air for any kind of enemy scent. But once he was sure the coast was clear, he padded over to where the female lion cub leapt down.

"Hi, there," he said, but, barring her teeth, the female cub readied a new stance.

"Who are you? What do you want?" she growled.

Kopa stopped a few feet away from her, maintaining a friendly disposition. "The way you handled those jackals was amazing! You must really know how to fight."

The girl cub relaxed. "It's really not that brilliant," she said. "Just about any animal will scram if you nail them right." She moved her paw behind her jawbone. "Tap there and see how it feels."

Kopa obeyed and grimaced. "Oh, yeah. Even poking it hurts."

"That tip was for free, now get out of here," the girl cub said, turning away. "I want to be alone."

Kopa followed her. "Wait," he called out, "what's your name?"

"I have four."

"You do?"

"Yeah." The girl cub jolted around, holding up a fore toe at each word. "None. Of. Your. Business."

Kopa frowned. "Oh, real funny."

"Nice to meet you, real funny." The girl cub walked away again.

"No, I mean you're trying to be." Kopa said, trailing her heels.

"No, I'm holding true to my nickname: impatient. Now run home before you get hurt."

"Please," Kopa jumped ahead, blocking her path. "Just hear me out, please?"

The girl cub growled, shot Kopa a half-interested stare, but did sit down.

"I could really use your help."

The girl cub held up a paw. "Stop," she said, and Kopa blinked. "You're not from around here, are you?"

"Why do you ask?" Kopa said.

"Because outlander lions never ask one another for help. We learn to count on ourselves, or death takes us real quick out here." The girl cub moved her face mere inches away from the prince's. "So, you'd better sprint on home before something bad happens. This isn't the place for you."

The girl cub pushed past Kopa, and the prince slouched his shoulders. "I think you're an incredible fighter," he said, but the cub kept padding. "And I'd love to learn how to fight from you." She stopped at his last words, slowly veered back around. The young prince watched her cold, purple eyes melt for a moment.

"What's your deal?" She asked. Kopa shrugged, but she continued. "I've never heard a male lion beg like this to a girl. Especially when it comes to fighting." She cocked an eyebrow. "You desperate, or something?"

"It's important," Kopa said, pawing the ground. "My dad's always busy patrolling, and my mother takes all the young lionesses with her to hunt." He walked closer to the girl cub. "If I don't learn some serious skills soon, I won't have any respect in my pride. Please, I'm begging you."

The girl cub looked away, unsure of how to respond. Kopa bit at his lower lip, silently praying to the Great Kings of the Past for an intervention. Finally, the girl cub sighed and nodded. "Follow me," she said.

Kopa formed an open-mouthed smile and padded alongside her. The two cubs trekked over mounds speckled with dust. They slid down more slopes and climbed over rocks until their paws burnt with fatigue. Though Kopa tried sparking up conversations, the girl silenced him every time, told him to pay attention to his surroundings. Eventually, they came to a lush field marked with paw prints all too familiar to Kopa.

"This," Kopa sputtered, disbelief taking him. "This is…"

"The way out of the Outlands," the girl cub said.

Kopa's anger emerged. "What gives?" he asked. "I thought we were going to train?"

"Look at the sky, genius," the girl replied. Compressing itself below the mountains, the sun's blended rays of orange and pink sent dark silhouettes streaking along the land. "Night time is when the real baddies come out to play, and I need to get back home." The girl cub started walking away. "Meet me back here tomorrow, early in the morning, and we'll start your training. I promise."

"Uh, okay," Kopa said, "see you tomorrow." He crossed back into the Pridelands and then remembered something. "Hey," he called out, "I didn't get your name."

But the girl cub was long gone.

Fog rested its belly on the path. The warm sky loomed dark in purples and blues while stripes of cloud streaked across its body. They reminded Kopa of white chalk lines Rafiki sometimes drew when telling stories in the den.

Bushes, prickled in thorns, snatched at Kopa's fur. The morning dew, glittering infant sunlight, damped his paws chilly. But the young cub padded on, a light skip in his step. He felt as excited as a toddler on its birthday. Soon, he'd know how to fight, and all his doubters would regret their negative words, finally realizing he had the makings of a king.

Leaving the comfort of his father's marked path, Kopa entered the Outland territories. He padded on until arriving at a lush field surrounded by large rocks. A deep, shimmering river ran near it.

The young cub lay down, smiling. This was where the girl said to come. Hopefully, she'd keep to her word and show. He licked one of his paws and brushed back his tuft, feeling the need to look good when she arrived.

"I wouldn't pamper yourself just yet." Kopa looked towards a downed rock, cracked in its ruin. The girl cub stepped out from behind it. "We've got a lot of work to do."

"Hey, you made it!" Kopa ran over to her, feeling grateful. Leaning down, he ripped up a daisy and offered it. "Wanna flower?"

The girl cub lunged her forepaws into the prince's chest, knocking him down. "Wanna fight?" she asked, smirking with sharp teeth. Kopa laughed nervously as the girl let him up. Then, they moved to the middle of the field.

"Alright, no more fooling around," the girl said. "I want to see what you can do."

Kopa made a stance. "Well, I'm ready," he said, limbering up his muscles.

The girl cub grinned and circled Kopa. "Here's your first task. I want you to pin me."

"Oh?" Kopa asked. "I've done that before."

"Now, hold on. You aren't listening." The girl cub stopped in front of him. "I don't want you gently prodding me, shoving me, or giving me some whimsy tackle." She spat into the grass. "I want you to pin me as if I were prey; make me feel helpless."

"Okay, no problem." Kopa lowered himself, his rear in the air, and the girl cub skeptically looked him over.

"Something tells me you won't even succeed once."

"Oh yeah?" Kopa pounced, but the girl rolled out of his way, expending little energy. Turning, the cub asked, "And what happens if I do?"

The girl flashed him some mock flirtation. "I'll give you a big kiss."

Hot color blushed Kopa's face. When he was younger, such an offer would've grossed him out. But now, things felt different. He asked, "You serious?"

"No, I'm impatient. Remember?" She drew her own stance, ready to duel.

"Alright, then! Here I come!"

Kopa lunged, but the girl cub dodged him a second time. He pivoted and tried again, but the girl kept evading, swift as a gazelle. The poor prince flexed his muscles, sought power from within, but every attempt resulted in failure. And he was getting tired.

Taking a moment to breath, Kopa noticed the girl always twitched her paw before dodging. If he could adjust his angle and strike accordingly, he might have her. The two cubs circled the wide field, eyes glaring each other down. Kopa studied the girl's movements, waited for her to make the first move. And once her paw finally twitched, Kopa lunged, this time catching her mid-dodge. But the cub directed too much energy forward, leaving his attack off-balanced. And with fresh momentum, the young girl rolled back, kicking Kopa face first into one of the large rocks.

The prince pulled his body away from the rigged stone, blood bubbling out his nostrils. The girl cub started laughing at him, loud enough to punish, and a seared rage shot through Kopa. Flailing forward with a shriek, the cub rammed into the girl, and the two rolled into a blurry mess. Their frantic swirling barreled the long, itchy grass flat, but the girl ended up trapping Kopa, her tight pressure preventing any escape.

"Lesson one," she said, "control your temper, control the fight." Kopa exhaled his frustration, and the girl let him up. "Cause once you lose your focus, you lose everything."

Kopa rubbed his sore nose. The remaining blood stained his paw sticky.

"Let's take a quick break," the girl said.

Together, they lay under one of the rocks, enjoying the shade. The girl cub pawed at some beetles crawling out stone faults while Kopa looked at the sky. A soft breeze touched his fur.

"Sorry I lost control back there," Kopa said.

"Don't worry about it," the girl replied, her tone indifferent. She kept her eyes on the beetles. "I remember when I first started fighting."

"You're really good at it, you know? Kopa folded his paws. "Who taught you?"

The girl toyed with a black, rolled-up insect before crushing it. "My mother, mostly."

Kopa nodded. "And did she call you something other than impatient?"

"Not often." The girl looked at Kopa. "But when she did, she called me Vitani."

Kopa blinked, mishearing her. "Shetani?" He knew full well the name meant demon. "Did your mother hate you or something?"

The girl's face darkened. "It's Vi-ta-ni." She cupped his chin. "And don't talk about my mother like that."

"Sorry, sorry, take two for me." Kopa said, sheepishly dipping his head.

The girl turned back to the beetles. No matter where they rolled, no matter how they curled, she dictated all their moves like some powerful deity dominating mortals. "One of the first things mother taught me was not to telegraph my moves. That's what we need to work on with you. Get that under control and you'll be decent."

"Just decent?" Kopa asked, feeling the weight of his inexperience.

"You gotta keep sharpening your skills like they're claws." Vitani ran hers through Kopa's fur, shivering the young cub ticklish. "These babies wouldn't perform nearly as well if I stopped tending to them."

"Makes sense," Kopa said. "Though, I almost had you at the end there."

Vitani nodded. "Yeah, you did. That was nice." She smiled. "I liked how you studied my patterns and adjusted." Then she frowned. "But that was only because I gave you the time."

"Huh?"

"In a real fight, most enemies won't wait for you to get better. They'll end the duel while they can." Vitani placed a paw on Kopa's, again filling the prince with hot color. "Study your opponent, sure, but make it quick, and lessen the telegraphs." Vitani stood and walked over to the clearing. "Let's go again."

Kopa stayed put for a moment, taking the young warrior's advice in a different direction.

He lay there studying her, observing several features: the way she walked, the way her slick muscles curved under her rough, unkempt, yet gorgeous pelt. There was something primal about this girl, a beauty in the savagery. It was like looking at a poisonous flower. Could you blame such a plant for its harsh nature? When the seedling bloomed, it blossomed radiantly, seeping itself rich in sweet smells and colors. Everyone walking past would love to pluck it out, take it home for themselves. So, such a being had to defend itself, had to adjust to a tough life. Kopa didn't know what Vitani had been through, but so much ambition, drive, and smarts beckoned out for some heartfelt appreciation. And when Kopa remembered his own name meant "heart", he smiled, instantly believing he felt more than just simple appreciation for this Outlander.

"Hey!" Vitani shouted, jolting Kopa alert. "Are you going to daydream all day, or are we going to fight?"

"Yeah, yeah," Kopa said, rising. Some bravery boiled within, and the prince felt his excitement taking off. "Do I still get to kiss you if I win?"

Vitani's face flinched, oozing Kopa's bubbly happiness straight out of him; a desert oasis bleeding dry. But as he bit his lip, preparing an apology, Vitani smiled, and said, "Careful. You're still telegraphing."

Kopa and Vitani carried on with their practice. Losing themselves to pure enjoyment, they ignored the setting sun washing the land copper. Nor did they mind the thick Outland dust sticking to their fur. But after so much fun, their throats constricted.

"Think," Kopa panted, "think we could-"

"Yeah, I'm thirsty," Vitani replied, reading Kopa's mind.

The cubs walked down to the nearby river. A multi-channel landmark spreading veins like centipede legs, it streamed its lifeblood into the more barren parts of the Outlands. Both cubs lapped their fill of the cool water. As Kopa quenched his thirst with a few more gulps, a pair of what looked like yellow eyes stared back at him from the river's depths. Kopa swallowed his last intake, shook his jaw dry. But as he looked back into the water, the eyes were gone.

"Probably just some fish," Kopa whispered to himself.

"What'd you say?" Vitani asked, wiping her muzzle.

"Nothing. Just thinking out loud."

"You know, I'm impressed," Vitani said. "You're a pretty fast learner."

Though Kopa ultimately failed at pinning Vitani, he'd managed to land several strikes throughout their duels. He even carried out a few sweeps, coupled with several balanced lunges. The young prince increased his speed at picking apart an enemy's weaknesses, and he felt he learned more about fighting in this one afternoon than his entire life.

"Well," Kopa said, feeling brave again, "that's what happens when the greatest teacher in the world works with you." He glanced around before whispering, "I'll have to introduce you to her someday."

The girl rolled her eyes, dangling stands of bangs like they were thick jungle vines. "You're such a dork."

Vitani playfully pushed Kopa, and the cub sat down. "But really, thanks to you, I'll show everyone how a real king fights his battles." He rubbed his paw against his chest, solidifying arrogance. "No one will ever make fun of me, again."

Vitani covered her mouth, briefly stuffing her cheeks with repressed laughter. "Yeah, if you think one day of training will save you from further jests, you're running the wrong kingdom." A brief moment passed, and Vitani made a face. "And there's no way you're a king."

Kopa's insides flinched. "Why do you say that?"

Vitani's smile melted. "Are you?"

"I mean, technically, I'm not a king yet but I'm next in line."

Vitani cocked an eyebrow, resurrecting her skeptical look from earlier. "Oh? And where is this dearly devoted realm of yours."

"It's actually not far from here." Kopa pointed over towards one of the orange hills, said, "I bet if we stood up there, we could see where my family lives."

"What? Is it a big tree or something?"

"No, a rock. Priderock, actually." Kopa shrugged. "I didn't name it, but that's what we call it."

Kopa's words must have slapped Vitani hard, for the girl cub's expression slowly morphed into someone's who had just watched a murder take place. She didn't blink, didn't breathe. She just stared at Kopa, looking past his figure, into something deeper.

"Your father is Simba," she whispered, her words clawing out the mouth.

Unease took over Kopa. "Yeah, he…Yeah, he is."

Vitani scoffed and looked to her side. Then she got up to leave, her heavy pawprints stomping the earth. "I'm such an idiot!"

Kopa jolted. "Whoa, hey, wait!" He said. "What's wrong? What did I say?"

Vitani jumped onto flat rocks splitting the river's flow. Without looking back, she shouted, "Go home, Kopa!" It was the first time she'd said his name, and the prince wished it wasn't seared with hatred. "You don't belong here! We never should've met."

But as Vitani spoke, the water to her left erupted. Before their eyes, a large crocodile, the size of a hippo, spewed itself out of the streaming liquid, ripping a hole in the water as if it were merely shrugging off gravity. Vitani acted on instinct and dove off the rock. Both individuals splashed into the water, and Kopa felt sheer anxiety squeezing him ragged, the same way an oversized baboon squeezed a banana from its peel.

He leapt onto the rocks, searched the water's depths for any sign of Vitani. But further down the river, the crocodile surfaced again. This time, Vitani was on its back, her sharp claws burrowing themselves into the creature's hide.

Kopa jumped to the other end of the river's bank and ran towards the commotion. The crocodile gave Vitani quite the ride, flailing and slamming itself all around in an effort to fling the poor cub. Vitani let out several screams, fueling Kopa's air-slicing legs. But she held on, a sharp splinter wedging itself beneath skin. Still, she couldn't hold on forever. Kopa had to act.

Arriving a bit winded, Kopa grabbed a few submerged rocks, smooth to the touch, and chucked them at the crocodile's head, missing by mere inches. On his third throw, he pelted the oversized reptile squarely between the eyes, angering the beast more than hurting it. The crocodile stared Kopa down, giving Vitani an opportunity to escape. She dashed along the creature's back and jumped towards an extended tree branch. Pulling herself up, Vitani wrapped her forearms around the dead tree's hollow trunk and yelled for Kopa to run.

The crocodile looked between the outlander and the prince, undecided over which prey would make for an easier kill. Finally deciding, the creature propelled itself towards Kopa. The young cub made a stance, studied the crocodile's movements. Despite Vitani screaming for him to flee, the young cub maintained focus. He knew his strength was no match for the reptile, nor could he count on wearing it out before himself. Instead, he figured he'd have to hit a soft point, something that might stun the crocodile if not outright kill it.

Closing the distance, the crocodile lurched onto the bank, snapping long jaws. But the young prince read it's bites perfectly and dodged the attack, leaping for his turn on the crocodile's body. Holding onto one last rock, Kopa slammed his weapon down on the crocodile's head. He smashed his foe bruised, thumped its brains silly, but despite every hit, right on target, the crocodile voiced a chiseled hiss, still signaling annoyance over pain.

Veering to one side, the crocodile carried out a death roll, but Kopa recognized the maneuver and jumped off. Facing his enemy and realizing his efforts were producing squat, the young cub threw the rock, nailing the beast once again square center on its head.

"Knock yourself out," he laughed, sprinting towards the water. The prince jumped his way across more stony outcroppings, but still the crocodile pursued. Reaching Vitani's tree, he clawed his way up the rotting trunk, ignored the beast snapping for his tail. As he reached the spot where Vitani sat perched, both cubs watched as the crocodile started ripping apart the tree's roots and bark. Their foundation started shaking, and Kopa knew there wasn't much time.

"Listen," he shouted, balancing himself, "when the tree falls, dive with me towards his head!"

"What?" Vitani screamed back.

"Yeah! Be sure to stick your elbow out! We'll drive a real slam onto his skull."

"Kopa, that's stupid!" Vitani's eyes leaked pure panic. "He'll catch us in his mouth!"

"No, he won't," Kopa replied. The tree bent and swayed before the crocodile's onslaught, ready to give way. "He'll expect us to fall straight down, but we'll catch him on an angle. He'll never see it coming." Vitani tried to protest, but Kopa cut her off. "No telegraphing moves, remember?"

The crocodile tore away more wood, splintering rotten bark. As the tree's last set of roots collapsed, Vitani looked at Kopa, conveying her decision to trust him. The tree leaned over, but Kopa and Vitani pushed off its trunk, torpedoing their bodies towards their foe.

By the time the crocodile realized what was happening, it had already happened. With the blunt of their elbows, the cubs crashed into the crocodile's head, knocking it out. After tearing a new hole in the liquid, the cubs swam back to shore, shaking themselves free of the wet.

Kopa looked out at the crocodile floating idly. The unconscious animal bobbed its head like a bird drinking water, and Kopa imagined several golden stars fluttering around its head.

He shouted, "Alright!" Then he looked at Vitani. "That was aweso-"

Vitani pinned Kopa, snarling and applying some harsh pressure. With her teeth bared, she said, "What the heck was that?"

Kopa reared his forearms close, leaving his mouth open. Vitani never applied this kind of force during their duels.

"You think I needed saving?" Vitani's purple eyes turned cold. "If I need your help, I'll ask for it. Understand?"

Kopa blinked. "I just saved your life!" His throat stung. "What's wrong with you?"

Such words melted Vitani's eyes, and the outlander cub stared at Kopa as seconds limped by. The wind rustled her unkempt bangs, and sun-spackled water dripped down her fur. But she kept staring, kept soul-searching the sockets of her heart for the right response.

Then, as the setting sun winked its orange rays behind a few straggling clouds, the girl lowered herself onto Kopa, her soft belly settling with his. She moved her face close to the prince's, and her paw brushed back his brown tuft of mane.

Kopa felt a flash of fear streak through as he watched Vitani's somber frown crescent into a smile. "Wait," he asked. "What are you-". But Vitani cut him off with a lick to his cheek.

Kopa's eyes widened, and he felt goosebumps taking root. But instead of pulling back, Vitani moved her smiling face in front of Kopa's and lapped another long, warm kiss up the prince's muzzle.

"You're too sweet to be an outlander," Vitani said, her paw sliding off Kopa's head. "Thank you, Kopa."

She got off, and the prince rose with her. Wrapping his forearms around the girl's cream-colored back, Kopa hugged Vitani close. She likewise embraced him. Then, Kopa gave into his emptions and licked her face, wishing they were the only two lions occupying this world. "I don't get it. What's going on?"

"Does the name Zira mean anything to you?"

Kopa swallowed. "A little. Father said he banished her for siding with my great uncle, Scar."

Vitani nodded and looked at Kopa with the saddest eyes. "She's my mom."

Kopa felt all his warmth seep away.

"And she's vowed revenge on your pride." Vitani's face turned dark again as she broke their hug. "I didn't figure out who you really were until you described your home, but if I had known…" She clenched and unclenched her paws as if squeezing the life out of something. Kopa, bracing for further rage, placed his paw on the girl cub's shoulder. Vitani closed her eyes and relaxed.

"I'm glad I met you, though," she said, placing her own paw on his. "You really are a sweet lion, one of the sweetest I've ever met."

"You're incredible," Kopa said, "and that's why I can't believe you're Zira's daughter."

"Like I said earlier, She's why I know all I know." Vitani pushed Kopa's paw away. "And I'll give you one guess as to why she's training me."

Kopa sighed. "To kill royals like me?"

"Oh, no, not just you. But everyone who follows Simba in your pride." Vitani spat on some wood. "Mother's training all our lionesses to be vicious fighters. She's obsessed with it. But don't think that means I like your dad. Cause I don't."

Kopa frowned. "You don't know him."

Vitani shook her head. "Doesn't matter. You live in the lush Pridelands while my kind starves in this place. And that's his fault." Vitani's eyes turned sad, again. She bent her head down and swallowed, clearly summoning the strength to say something she felt needed to be said.

"We can't see each other anymore," she whispered. Her words punched Kopa hard.

"Don't say that, Vitani."

"Mother will kill me if she finds out I've been seeing a Pridelander." The girl cub turned away. "And she will kill you."

Kopa stepped in front of her. "But we're friends, now. We can find a way to meet up."

"It's too dangerous."

Kopa formed a desperate grin. "Hey, danger's our trade, now. We can handle it."

"Not this kind of danger." Vitani moved past. "Please don't make this hard."

The prince grabbed the girl's forearm. "Promise me you'll come back here, tomorrow."

Vitani looked away, and Kopa heard her sniffle. "I can't."

"I won't let go until you promise to meet here."

"I can't do that, Kopa!"

The prince tightened his grip. "Promise me!"

"No!" With her free paw, Vitani swung at Kopa's chin. Her blow connected with his lip, reeling him back, and Kopa tasted copper in his mouth.

The girl cub froze long enough for the prince to see her crying. Then, without another word, she sprinted off deeper into the Outlands. Kopa stood back up, rubbed at his throbbing jaw. He thought about running after her, but it was pointless. Her mind was made up.

Gathering himself, he watched the speck that was his friend disappear over a hill. Then, he started walking towards his own home. He rubbed his jaw again, noticed his paw turning sticky like it did during training. The sight triggered his memory of all the lessons Vitani taught him, specifically the ones concerning reading opponents and telegraphing moves.

"She was an outlander," Kopa said, spitting blood into the dust. "I should've seen this coming."