Submission 1:
Spoiler: show
The King is Dead
stars clinged to the black surrounding, twinkling in the distance. The sun was depleted by now, and the white light of the moon shone down on the Pridelands. Not a creature was awake, they were all too caught up in their humble slumber to notice the dark lion and tawny lioness creeping through the grass and past their sleeping young. The two kept their stomachs low to the ground, so low that their fur barley scrapped the dirt. The purple eyed lioness stopped and giggled, with signalled the green eyed lion to stop aswell.
"Kovu. Kovu, look. Our dear King Simba seems to be having trouble sleeping!" The she-lion's husky voice whispered as the darker lion nodded and laughed quietly.
"He'll be into a surprise when he meets his match today!" Kovu said with a sneer, then moving forward. "We must keep moving, he usually goes to the watering hole when he wakes up from a nightmare."
Little did Simba know. Kovu had been watching Simba's daily and nightly routines, watching his every move. In attempt to figure out when to assassinate the King. He figured night time would be the best time, when no animals or lionesses will spot them. Kovu noticed the King got up every night, to get a small drink from the Watering Hole, then went back to sleep.
"Yes Brother." The lioness hissed, keeping her head low and stalking through the Pridelands. Just as Kovu had mentioned; King Simba walked slowly down the steep rocky ledges and travelled East towards the Watering Hole. Why was he always so right?
Kovu and the purple eyed lioness stalked the King silently, while Simba was too caught up in his own world to realize that there was two threats following him. His father's death invaded his mind, kept him wondering if he could have done something to stop it.
The plan had been working out perfectly. The moon was high in the sky, giving no sign of the two assassins. Simba was dazed, no clue they were after him. Everyone was asleep. Soon, Great King Simba would be dead.
Without a minute wasted, both Kovu and the purple eyed lioness were clawing and biting at the King. Simba was too in shock to respond quickly, and was brought to the ground before he could even begin to attack. The silent roars of the King did not wake or alert anyone, as his chest was beginning to get heavy. Crimson blood oozed out of the fresh scratches of the dying King.
The maroon eyes of the shocked King scanned the two lions. "Vitani? Kovu? Why?" Simba managed choked out as he coughed up blood, spitting it to the dirt. He started breathing heavier and heavier, as he lay to the dark, dirt ground. "Why did you do this, to me?" Cringing in pain, hating the last moments of his life.
Vitani simply laughed, as did Kovu. The hate spread between them like wild fire. "Why Simba? You're asking why? Because you murdered my adoptive father in cold blood! He had a family you know! We all lost him, and now its your turn to perish, like he did." Kovu sneered, then laughed loudly like Scar once did. Still, no signs of life stirred in the distance, there was no hope for Simba. He was good as dead now. "All I want you to say is one thing." Whispered Kovu into Simbas ear, his moist breath tickled Simbas fur and made him cringe. "Tell me, that the Outlanders won." Kovu hissed, smiling evily at the King.
Simba scowled then turned away quickly, staring at the ground, waiting for help. "I will never." He growled, his mouth dripped blood as he grinned at Kovu.
Kovu growled then slapped Simba, leaving three clean cuts across his entire face. "Say it! Say it now or I'll kill Kiara!" The dark lion screamed in Simba's face, with a growl behind the sentence.
"I'll kill Kiara. I'll make it slow." Vitani hissed, circling Simba with blood on her muzzle and paws. Simba's blood. "She'll perish like her father did." Giggled Vitani in the most horrifying way, making Simba terrified for his daughter.
"The Outlanders won." Simba cried, choking on his own blood and tears. "Now please, don't hurt Kiara." Pleaded Simba, as sparkling tears rolled down his golden face. Soon, anger filled the Kings fading heart. It built up so fast, not even Simba could catch it. With a swift move, the King made his last swipe across Kovu's face with great force.
Fur and blood flew from Kovu's brown face and a cry in pain emitted from his jaws. He growled then turned to Simba, with a smile. A fresh scar lay on Kovu's face, blood dripping from the open wound into Kovu's mouth. This made Kovu look more menacing, like Scar once had in his day. Simba gasped, then dragged his limp body back a few inches away from Kovu. Kovu's face drew a blank for a few moments, then, quick as lightning, his jaws were around Simba's neck, tightining with each movement Simba made.
Kovu released, and let Simba fall to the ground in pain, gasping for air and gripping the dirt in attempt to get up. "Now I'll be sure to hurt your daughter." Smiled Kovu, as he watched the King die slowly, blood stained both Kovu's dark brown mane, and Simba's red mane. Kovu blankly watched Simba's life leave his body, and saw the movements of the Dead King become limp.
"Kovu. You're King!" Zira cheered as many Outlander lionesses followed behind the running grey lioness. After all these years, Zira was finally proud of them both. The old lioness gleamed in pleasure, finally feeling the weight come off her shoulders. For many moons, the lioness cried nightly for her beloved dead mate. Now, she could finally rest a full night with no tears. Scar was avenged, by the hand chosen one, Kovu.
"What's your first order of business, King Kovu?" One grey lioness asked, as the others nodded in agreement. The sun would soon come out, and the Pridelanders would wake up. The lionesses gazed at their new home, many of them gasped by the sight of such beautiful, lush lands.
Kovu was also caught staring before he shook his mane and cleared his throat. "First. We must go to Priderock. Second-" He paused, staring at the many eyes who gazed upon him. "Second. I become King."
Submission 2:
Spoiler: show
Checkmate
Preceding the end of Scar's reign, the desolate waste known as the Pridelands was ravaged with flames. King Simba emerged from the ashes, set on rebuilding his kingdom. Years of peace and prosperity followed in Simba's wake, and the Pridelands were returned to their former glory. But threats outside the land continued to linger.As a constant reminder to Simba, another cleansing fire swept across the borders of the Pridelands, years later. However, this time, the cause was not natural. The fire was a deception. A plan set in motion by the overzealous lioness, Zira. Even a week later, the heavy dust and ash continued to make visibility poor, just as planned.
Zira waited, with her pride ready to attack. Years of plotting would finally pay off, as Simba walked directly into the trap. He, however, had other intentions, as he tried to tell Kovu, as the two walked through the scorched Earth. "Scar couldn't let go of his anger, and in the end, it destroyed him," Simba explained.
Kovu would not be persuaded that easily, as evident in his response. "That's not true. You were the one that killed Scar. You're no better than he is."
Simba observed shadows behind the ash beginning to move, followed by Zira's recognizable, maniacal laughter filled the air. "Well done, Kovu! Just as we planned." Kovu seized his opportunity by pouncing on the unsuspecting king. His claws dug deep into Simba's flesh, pinning him to the ground before he could react. A dozen or so outsiders rushed into the fray to assist him.
Simba tried to move, but failed. Even if he could get up, he would never be able to escape alive. He had only one option. "Please... you can have the Pridelands, you can have everything. Just don't hurt my daughter," he pleaded, as he was held against the ground, bleeding to death. Not long after, he moaned in pain before drifting out of consciousness.
"The king is dead," Zira announced. "And soon, his pride will fall... and we shall have peace." She stood atop a nearby rock, before continuing her speech. "We will overtake Pride Rock at dusk. Let's show them the same mercy they showed Scar. There will be no survivors." If the king could be fooled and killed, finishing off the remains of his pride would be an easy task.
Discovering
The hours of the day passed quickly at Pride Rock. After hearing of neither Simba nor Kovu since the early morning, Nala began to worry. She left to search the less populated areas of the Pridelands, with Kiara following her.
Her search brought the two lionesses to the scorched section of the Pridelands. Nala called for him. "Simba?"
After several minutes, Nala found a large carcass lying behind the fog of dust and ash. Immediately, she assumed the worst. She called once more. "Simba?" Nala slowly walked closer, ordering her daughter not to follow. "Stay here, Kiara."
It was obvious her mate was dead. Simba would not move, and his fur was stained red with blood. She noted the many bite and claw marks surrounding his body. Nala lowered her head, her eyes beginning to fill with water. "Who could have done this? It must have been another pride," she told Kiara, not even realizing that her daughter had disobeyed her. "The Outsiders."
"No! Kovu wouldn't-" Kiara yelled, before realizing the truth.
"You were deceived by a lie. We all were. Kovu used you to get to Simba," Nala explained. "If hyenas did this, they would have killed both of them."
"I... I loved him," Kiara sobbed. "How could he? It can't be true."
"Zira is maniacal in her desire to see us dead. She would kill all of us if she had the chance," Nala thought, holding back tears herself. "We must leave the Pridelands."
"And let everyone die?" Kiara continued, pulling herself together. "No. I want to fight!"
"No! Kiara, it's too dangerous! You can't go back. Even if we can kill Kovu, it won't ease the pain. We can't win."
"Either they're going down, or we are," Kiara responded, trying to hide her fear. She then ran off, back to Pride Rock, with her mother in pursuit. "I'm not going to sit around while they kill everyone. That's not what Simba would do."
Return of the King
Night had fallen, and the moonlight was all that illuminated Pride Rock. After seeing nearly a dozen outsiders at Pride Rock, Kiara's stomach folded in on itself. She crouched down and hid behind a rock. All her bravery from minutes ago escaped her.
Nala followed, remaining unsurprised by Kiara's actions. "I told you this wasn't a good idea. Now, let's get going before they find us," she advised.
"Wait!" Kiara yelled softly. "There is something we need to know." She kept her breathing shallow, trying to listen in on the Outsiders.
Kovu roared before giving his speech to the crowd. "The war is over! Simba's pride is dead! I am the king now!" The Outsiders then roared in return, signaling yet another new era; the third in Nala's lifetime.
"I don't believe it," Nala whispered. "Not this again..."
Zira noticed their whispering and walked around the rock. "Nala? Why, it's nice to see you! I guess I'll have the pleasure of killing you personally," she taunted.
Nala, however, only had one concern. "Kiara, run! I'll hold her off!"
"No!" Kiara yelled, as she watched the two lionesses lunge forward, clashing in midair.
More lionesses ran over to assist Zira, giving her the advantage of numbers. "Remember me, Kiara. You are our only hope," were Nala's final words to her daughter.
Hearing her mother's dying words, Kiara finally ran off; where she would go, or what she would do, she had no idea. But, more importantly, she was bearing Kovu's cubs.
The Circle of Life Continues
"And that's why you can't leave the oasis," Kiara explained to her three cubs. "They're all dead, if you go back, you'll be killed too."
"But... we were just trying to be brave, like you were."
"Being brave almost got me killed. I shouldn't have gone back, and neither should you," Kiara replied. She sighed, realizing how different things would be if she had listened to her mother. Nala would still be alive, and maybe even Simba too.
It didn't take long for Kiara to pick up on the pattern which ran through her family. "I have this strange feeling you three are going to be the death of me," she joked.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to," one of her cubs responded. "Yeah, we're really sorry," another added.
Kiara grabbed them into a tight hug. "I know, just don't leave again. This is our home now," she said, overlooking the sunset across a waterfall, from the same rock Simba once lied on years ago.
Dusk soon followed, and with her cubs asleep beside her, Kiara looked to the night sky. "I wish you could be here to see this, Mom. We won't forget you."
Submission 3:
Spoiler: show
As the high pitched laughter of the hyenas echoed all around Pride Rock, the one sound that Zazu couldn't get out of his head, couldn't ignore, was the much quieter, much more irregular sobbing emanating from Sarabi.
For a long time, the proud lioness had stood strong in front of the rest of the pride when Scar had emerged alone from that stampede in the gorge and delivered his terrible news. She even hardly batted an eye when the pride came back with Mufasa's body, and even helped clean it herself to make her late husband look more presentable before Rafiki would help remove his remains.
But when news that Simba was never found, not even any sign of where his body could have been kicked to, Sarabi made her way unsteadily to a dark corner of the den, where she lost it.
When Scar made his announcement that night, no one dared to look at Sarabi, who was trying very hard, but failing, to look dignified and strong for the pride as the deaths of both her love and son were announced to everyone.
Zazu tried his best to comfort her, but there was only so much that the little bird was able to do. He placed a wing gently on one of her forepaws, and would occasionally mutter a word or two of comfort, but he doubted that she heard him.
When the pride made their way into the den, Zazu followed Sarabi inside and made himself as comfortable as he could next to her. The lioness, as strong as a queen that she was, would need all the comfort and help that she can get. But of those who could, Scar was not that great of a friend, while Sarafina was busy trying to keep Nala in check.
That left only Zazu.
“I'm so sorry for your loss, Sarabi...” Zazu said hesitantly. He shrank back when she looked at him, but her gaze was cold and unrecognizing, as though she was looking right through him with her bloodshot, tear-covered eyes. “If only I was there, I could have helped...” the bird said after a while, hoping that it might help.
Sarabi barely nodded hear head. “I know, Zazu, I know. If only... if only I was there too. I should have been there! I promised Mufasa that I would never leave his side! And Simba...” At the muttering of her son's name, she groaned loudly and placed her head on the ground next to Zazu, weeping visibly.
Zazu placed a wing on her nose, hoping to try and imitate the soothing licking that lionesses would give to their cubs.
“What happened, Zazu? Tell me what it was like...”
“What?” Zazu didn't know what Sarabi meant. He wasn't there. He couldn't tell her what had happened. He looked at Sarabi and saw his own reflection in one of her eyes as she looked at him.
“How was Mufasa when you were with him last? What was the last thing that he was doing? I want to know. No! I need to know!”
Zazu sighed. “I don't have much, I'm afraid,” he muttered quietly, “I was patrolling the Pride Lands with him. You know, the usual...” Sarabi snorted in disbelief, something that Zazu agreed with. Today had been anything but ordinary. “But the last thing I remember doing with him...” Zazu paused, trying to recall. What exactly did happen? He was patrolling with Mufasa just like he had said, but why was he having a hard time remembering about the stampede? Why was he so shocked when Scar rose from the gorge? Wasn't it his job to be with Mufasa? He should have been there in the stampede and scene it all. So what was the matter?
“Yes, I am starting to remember now...” Sarabi lifted her head up eagerly, clearly anxious to learn about her husband's last moments. And her son's.
Zazu then began to recall, and tell Sarabi, of everything that he had done with Mufasa after they had separated from the pride to go onto regular king business. He told of the urgent matters they had attended to, and of the not so urgent matters.
And then Zazu stopped. “And I just... don't remember anything else.” He looked at Sarabi guiltily, feeling like he had failed her. “The next thing I know, Scar had found me lying on the ground in the gorge, eyes wide and blabbering on about the stampede...” He cringed at his last words. “Sorry! I didn't mean to-”
Sarabi had placed her head back on the ground, and closed her eyes. To Zazu, it looked like she had given up listening to him, and how he had failed probably his most important task given to him by her, and yet, in a sick ironic sort of way, the easiest task as well.
Sarabi opened an eye to look at him after a while. “You tried to save them, didn't you?” she asked quietly.
Zazu was speechless, and eventually forced himself to shake his head. “I... I don't remember. It's... it's part of my job! But I can't- I'm sorry, Sarabi, but I can't answer this. Unless I will know, I can't tell you.”
Despite this, Sarabi reached out and quickly embraced Zazu in the tightest hug she could give him, squeezing him between a paw and her muzzle. He forced himself not to cringe away from her tear-soaked fur. “Thank you Zazu,” she whispered,
“For what?”
“I know you tried. It's why Scar found you like that. You tried to help them! But there's only so much you could have done, a small bird like you...”
It didn't make Zazu feel any better. “But there was so much more I could have done!” he protested. “I could've, no, I should have found you! Or Sarafina! I should have found the pride, and lead you guys to the stampede to help! If only I had done my job properly... they...” he chocked. “They would have still been alive.”
Sarabi growled at Zazu, making him escape her clutches and back away in fear. “No, Zazu!” she growled again.
“No what?”
“You did not fail your job! Mufasa would never have relied on someone incompetent! He trusted you! He trusted you with Simba and Nala! I trusted you! You did not fail, Zazu! You did what you were supposed to do!”
Before he could stop himself, Zazu was already arguing back. “If I had succeeded, Mufasa and Simba would still be alive!” The shock and pain in Sarabi's eyes gave Zazu a small sense of satisfaction, a feeling that immediately made him want to go and drop himself off Pride Rock. He never before got satisfaction from someone else's pain, and certainly not like this. “I failed, Sarabi,” Zazu whispered when he regained control of himself. “Mufasa trusted me to keep the Pride Lands safe. That meant keeping Simba safe. And him too. But I... I didn't. I'm sorry, Sarabi. But I have failed.”
Turing his back to her, he walked away, feeling awful.
“Zazu! Wait!”
He stopped, and readied himself for whatever Sarabi would have to say.
“Don't leave me, Zazu. Please, come back!” He voice was just barely above a whisper, but it was almost like a shout to the bird. “I need you!”
Turning back to the lioness, Zazu realized then how much she was hurting. Yes, they all were hurting, but Sarabi had lost the most today. So without much of a choice, he hobbled back to the lioness, who once again wrapped a paw around him and brought him close to her head.
“You smell like him,” Sarabi whispered, “like both of them.” She laid her head on the ground and closed her eyes.
Zazu wasn't surprised at all. He spent so much time with Mufasa and Simba, that their scent covered him all the time. With Sarabi holding onto him, he placed his beak under a wing and prepared himself for one of the longest nights he would ever spend.
Sarabi, I just want to tell you, he thought, from now on... I will be here for you. I will not fail anymore. I will succeed or I will die trying. For you.
Sarabi's rhythmic breathing told Zazu that, somehow, she manged to fall asleep.
For you.
For a long time, the proud lioness had stood strong in front of the rest of the pride when Scar had emerged alone from that stampede in the gorge and delivered his terrible news. She even hardly batted an eye when the pride came back with Mufasa's body, and even helped clean it herself to make her late husband look more presentable before Rafiki would help remove his remains.
But when news that Simba was never found, not even any sign of where his body could have been kicked to, Sarabi made her way unsteadily to a dark corner of the den, where she lost it.
When Scar made his announcement that night, no one dared to look at Sarabi, who was trying very hard, but failing, to look dignified and strong for the pride as the deaths of both her love and son were announced to everyone.
Zazu tried his best to comfort her, but there was only so much that the little bird was able to do. He placed a wing gently on one of her forepaws, and would occasionally mutter a word or two of comfort, but he doubted that she heard him.
When the pride made their way into the den, Zazu followed Sarabi inside and made himself as comfortable as he could next to her. The lioness, as strong as a queen that she was, would need all the comfort and help that she can get. But of those who could, Scar was not that great of a friend, while Sarafina was busy trying to keep Nala in check.
That left only Zazu.
“I'm so sorry for your loss, Sarabi...” Zazu said hesitantly. He shrank back when she looked at him, but her gaze was cold and unrecognizing, as though she was looking right through him with her bloodshot, tear-covered eyes. “If only I was there, I could have helped...” the bird said after a while, hoping that it might help.
Sarabi barely nodded hear head. “I know, Zazu, I know. If only... if only I was there too. I should have been there! I promised Mufasa that I would never leave his side! And Simba...” At the muttering of her son's name, she groaned loudly and placed her head on the ground next to Zazu, weeping visibly.
Zazu placed a wing on her nose, hoping to try and imitate the soothing licking that lionesses would give to their cubs.
“What happened, Zazu? Tell me what it was like...”
“What?” Zazu didn't know what Sarabi meant. He wasn't there. He couldn't tell her what had happened. He looked at Sarabi and saw his own reflection in one of her eyes as she looked at him.
“How was Mufasa when you were with him last? What was the last thing that he was doing? I want to know. No! I need to know!”
Zazu sighed. “I don't have much, I'm afraid,” he muttered quietly, “I was patrolling the Pride Lands with him. You know, the usual...” Sarabi snorted in disbelief, something that Zazu agreed with. Today had been anything but ordinary. “But the last thing I remember doing with him...” Zazu paused, trying to recall. What exactly did happen? He was patrolling with Mufasa just like he had said, but why was he having a hard time remembering about the stampede? Why was he so shocked when Scar rose from the gorge? Wasn't it his job to be with Mufasa? He should have been there in the stampede and scene it all. So what was the matter?
“Yes, I am starting to remember now...” Sarabi lifted her head up eagerly, clearly anxious to learn about her husband's last moments. And her son's.
Zazu then began to recall, and tell Sarabi, of everything that he had done with Mufasa after they had separated from the pride to go onto regular king business. He told of the urgent matters they had attended to, and of the not so urgent matters.
And then Zazu stopped. “And I just... don't remember anything else.” He looked at Sarabi guiltily, feeling like he had failed her. “The next thing I know, Scar had found me lying on the ground in the gorge, eyes wide and blabbering on about the stampede...” He cringed at his last words. “Sorry! I didn't mean to-”
Sarabi had placed her head back on the ground, and closed her eyes. To Zazu, it looked like she had given up listening to him, and how he had failed probably his most important task given to him by her, and yet, in a sick ironic sort of way, the easiest task as well.
Sarabi opened an eye to look at him after a while. “You tried to save them, didn't you?” she asked quietly.
Zazu was speechless, and eventually forced himself to shake his head. “I... I don't remember. It's... it's part of my job! But I can't- I'm sorry, Sarabi, but I can't answer this. Unless I will know, I can't tell you.”
Despite this, Sarabi reached out and quickly embraced Zazu in the tightest hug she could give him, squeezing him between a paw and her muzzle. He forced himself not to cringe away from her tear-soaked fur. “Thank you Zazu,” she whispered,
“For what?”
“I know you tried. It's why Scar found you like that. You tried to help them! But there's only so much you could have done, a small bird like you...”
It didn't make Zazu feel any better. “But there was so much more I could have done!” he protested. “I could've, no, I should have found you! Or Sarafina! I should have found the pride, and lead you guys to the stampede to help! If only I had done my job properly... they...” he chocked. “They would have still been alive.”
Sarabi growled at Zazu, making him escape her clutches and back away in fear. “No, Zazu!” she growled again.
“No what?”
“You did not fail your job! Mufasa would never have relied on someone incompetent! He trusted you! He trusted you with Simba and Nala! I trusted you! You did not fail, Zazu! You did what you were supposed to do!”
Before he could stop himself, Zazu was already arguing back. “If I had succeeded, Mufasa and Simba would still be alive!” The shock and pain in Sarabi's eyes gave Zazu a small sense of satisfaction, a feeling that immediately made him want to go and drop himself off Pride Rock. He never before got satisfaction from someone else's pain, and certainly not like this. “I failed, Sarabi,” Zazu whispered when he regained control of himself. “Mufasa trusted me to keep the Pride Lands safe. That meant keeping Simba safe. And him too. But I... I didn't. I'm sorry, Sarabi. But I have failed.”
Turing his back to her, he walked away, feeling awful.
“Zazu! Wait!”
He stopped, and readied himself for whatever Sarabi would have to say.
“Don't leave me, Zazu. Please, come back!” He voice was just barely above a whisper, but it was almost like a shout to the bird. “I need you!”
Turning back to the lioness, Zazu realized then how much she was hurting. Yes, they all were hurting, but Sarabi had lost the most today. So without much of a choice, he hobbled back to the lioness, who once again wrapped a paw around him and brought him close to her head.
“You smell like him,” Sarabi whispered, “like both of them.” She laid her head on the ground and closed her eyes.
Zazu wasn't surprised at all. He spent so much time with Mufasa and Simba, that their scent covered him all the time. With Sarabi holding onto him, he placed his beak under a wing and prepared himself for one of the longest nights he would ever spend.
Sarabi, I just want to tell you, he thought, from now on... I will be here for you. I will not fail anymore. I will succeed or I will die trying. For you.
Sarabi's rhythmic breathing told Zazu that, somehow, she manged to fall asleep.
For you.
Submission 4:
Spoiler: show
Dawn slowly opened over the Pridelands as the dew of the evening mist slowly rose up to meet the giant sun sphere canopying over the Baobab tree belonging to Rafiki the shaman. Though it’s a bit awkward to claim that the silly old bamboo owned the tree, he was just using it for shelter as was all the creatures who called it home. He was on his way to the place where all the animals would gather and the place where the sun’s rays first reached their warm lengths. It goes without saying that this was the highest point in all the land, a wonder wall of stone—Pride Rock. Normally, the bright light would raise all of the sleeping lionesses, but this morning all the felines were gathered around to witness a transition that the pride had been planning for a while. This was Kiara’s rite of passage, her chance to prove herself. The King of Pride Rock, Simba walked up and slowly embraced his only daughter in a warm goodbye and good luck hug. She took off as her father said a short prayer to the great kings of the past wishing her success.
A half kilometer away, where the sun had yet to reach, another set of lions were gathered for a similar rite of passage. Kovu, the oldest male, was about to undertake a challenge, but since cub hood he has been virtus tentamine gaudet. Kovu softly felt the warm Serengeti soil underneath his well-worn paws. He had been planning for this occasion ever since he was born; he had never had any time before for fun, frolicking, or friendship. According to his mother Zira, none of that mattered; her blind rage only fueled his life of solitude. Some of the lionesses had found out in advance that today was the day that Kiara was hunting for the first time and they knew they wouldn’t get another opportunity like this for a while.
With two dozen paws in the air saluting him, he took off in the dawning light and began towards the meeting point where Nuka and Vitani would start the fire. Kovu nearly gave his location away when he first laid eyes on Kiara, not that anything was spectacular about her, and in fact the opposite, but he couldn’t help giggling at her clumsiness. His hunting skills were top notch, but hers seemed something a newborn cub could beat. He honestly expected more from the great Simba and Nala. He also took notice that she really wasn’t giving cares to her ambient failures: she was having fun, something Kovu wished he could do, but that was a mystery that he didn’t have time for.
Without warning, his nostrils detected the presence of smoke in the atmosphere, but it would be several more minutes before Kiara could, and by then it would be too late. He knelt into position and prepared himself for a good laugh for when the princess would run like a half dazed hyena, and he was not disappointed. He then did the simplest exercise he could do: carry her to freedom. Of course, it wouldn’t seem so simple to the royals, and be his back stage pass to the Kingdom.
The next thing he knew he was being given a compliment from Simba himself and a small wink from Kiara too. The thought crosses his mind that she may even be in love with him, but he had no time for Eros: his only goal was to sneak up behind and Simba and send the lion sleeping for eternity. In all the commotion, none of the felines noticed the day had flown by quicker than a hornbill with high blood sugar. Kovu knew the timing had to be perfect for this mission, so he decided to put his mind at rest and focus his thoughts elsewhere: on the only Pridelander being nice to him.
Kiara tapped Kovu’s furry shoulder as they made their way back to Pride Rock. She wanted to show him a shortcut and took him past a berry bush beaming with ripe, plump fruit. They were sweeter than anything Kovu had ever had, as Outsider vegetation isn’t exactly abundance in taste. She told him that this was a well-kept secret that she had never shown to him before. He was genuinely touched by the kind act and could honestly say he had never met anyone like her. He wanted to be her friend.
The next morning, the surprises continued as Kovu and the princess lay under the sun and joined a nice afternoon together. What started with his planning to infiltrate and execute Simba, slowly turned into a beautiful thing that Kovu never had even dreamt was possible: friendship. He always thought lions only talked or communicated when they needed something, but just talking for the sake of talking was new. He couldn’t imagine how he’d gone through life before without this experience and he yearned for more.
The next day, as the Outlanders began to issue death warrants for Kovu, rightly believing he’d abandoned his mission, Kovu was begging Kiara to spend more time with him, but Kiara had to go on another scouting mission to prepare her for her retaking her failed rite of passage. Kovu was greedy and acted in ways he normally wouldn’t act. He couldn’t bear to lose Kiara for a day so he argued with her and began to make her upset. He called her names and even did the unthinkable, he threatened her.
He knew he did wrong, but it was hard for him to pinpoint what he had done. Kiara told him to leave her alone, but he was selfish and kept bugging him, until things reached a boiling point. Kiara made a public scene and called her father out to help her. He banned Kovu from the Pridelands and told him to go back to his family in the outlands. With a heavy heart, he slowly exited the place he’d longed to call home. He began on his way back to the Outlands, but began to realize that his life wouldn’t be complete without Kiara as his friend. He felt lonely, like a part of him was gone. He had nothing left to live for. Both the Pridelanders and the Outlanders hated him; he had only one thing he could do.
He reached the swamplands on the edge of the lands where he and Kiara had battled crocodiles when they were cubs. He had lost all will to go on with the circle of life. He was an outcast, hated and despised by everyone; if he stayed no one would be his friend, no matter how hard he tried. Slowly, he crept up to the rim of the pond and caught the attention of a dozen or so hungry crocodiles making their way to him with their mouths agape. Kovu remained motionless.
A half kilometer away, where the sun had yet to reach, another set of lions were gathered for a similar rite of passage. Kovu, the oldest male, was about to undertake a challenge, but since cub hood he has been virtus tentamine gaudet. Kovu softly felt the warm Serengeti soil underneath his well-worn paws. He had been planning for this occasion ever since he was born; he had never had any time before for fun, frolicking, or friendship. According to his mother Zira, none of that mattered; her blind rage only fueled his life of solitude. Some of the lionesses had found out in advance that today was the day that Kiara was hunting for the first time and they knew they wouldn’t get another opportunity like this for a while.
With two dozen paws in the air saluting him, he took off in the dawning light and began towards the meeting point where Nuka and Vitani would start the fire. Kovu nearly gave his location away when he first laid eyes on Kiara, not that anything was spectacular about her, and in fact the opposite, but he couldn’t help giggling at her clumsiness. His hunting skills were top notch, but hers seemed something a newborn cub could beat. He honestly expected more from the great Simba and Nala. He also took notice that she really wasn’t giving cares to her ambient failures: she was having fun, something Kovu wished he could do, but that was a mystery that he didn’t have time for.
Without warning, his nostrils detected the presence of smoke in the atmosphere, but it would be several more minutes before Kiara could, and by then it would be too late. He knelt into position and prepared himself for a good laugh for when the princess would run like a half dazed hyena, and he was not disappointed. He then did the simplest exercise he could do: carry her to freedom. Of course, it wouldn’t seem so simple to the royals, and be his back stage pass to the Kingdom.
The next thing he knew he was being given a compliment from Simba himself and a small wink from Kiara too. The thought crosses his mind that she may even be in love with him, but he had no time for Eros: his only goal was to sneak up behind and Simba and send the lion sleeping for eternity. In all the commotion, none of the felines noticed the day had flown by quicker than a hornbill with high blood sugar. Kovu knew the timing had to be perfect for this mission, so he decided to put his mind at rest and focus his thoughts elsewhere: on the only Pridelander being nice to him.
Kiara tapped Kovu’s furry shoulder as they made their way back to Pride Rock. She wanted to show him a shortcut and took him past a berry bush beaming with ripe, plump fruit. They were sweeter than anything Kovu had ever had, as Outsider vegetation isn’t exactly abundance in taste. She told him that this was a well-kept secret that she had never shown to him before. He was genuinely touched by the kind act and could honestly say he had never met anyone like her. He wanted to be her friend.
The next morning, the surprises continued as Kovu and the princess lay under the sun and joined a nice afternoon together. What started with his planning to infiltrate and execute Simba, slowly turned into a beautiful thing that Kovu never had even dreamt was possible: friendship. He always thought lions only talked or communicated when they needed something, but just talking for the sake of talking was new. He couldn’t imagine how he’d gone through life before without this experience and he yearned for more.
The next day, as the Outlanders began to issue death warrants for Kovu, rightly believing he’d abandoned his mission, Kovu was begging Kiara to spend more time with him, but Kiara had to go on another scouting mission to prepare her for her retaking her failed rite of passage. Kovu was greedy and acted in ways he normally wouldn’t act. He couldn’t bear to lose Kiara for a day so he argued with her and began to make her upset. He called her names and even did the unthinkable, he threatened her.
He knew he did wrong, but it was hard for him to pinpoint what he had done. Kiara told him to leave her alone, but he was selfish and kept bugging him, until things reached a boiling point. Kiara made a public scene and called her father out to help her. He banned Kovu from the Pridelands and told him to go back to his family in the outlands. With a heavy heart, he slowly exited the place he’d longed to call home. He began on his way back to the Outlands, but began to realize that his life wouldn’t be complete without Kiara as his friend. He felt lonely, like a part of him was gone. He had nothing left to live for. Both the Pridelanders and the Outlanders hated him; he had only one thing he could do.
He reached the swamplands on the edge of the lands where he and Kiara had battled crocodiles when they were cubs. He had lost all will to go on with the circle of life. He was an outcast, hated and despised by everyone; if he stayed no one would be his friend, no matter how hard he tried. Slowly, he crept up to the rim of the pond and caught the attention of a dozen or so hungry crocodiles making their way to him with their mouths agape. Kovu remained motionless.
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