Firstly, a late thanks for the feedback, everyone!
Sure been a while since I updated this, eh? Finally picked it back up; hopefully I can set out to do everything I originally planned on doing.
I should also note that this is the first writing fanfic-wise I've done since the last update, so I may be a bit rusty, LOL. I apologize.
Wokovu: Kovu’s Journey
Chapter 3: Hunters
It was a magnificent day for a hunt.
The bright orange sun had risen to a spot directly over the Serengeti, its warm rays gloriously announcing midday to all who would take notice. There was only a slight breeze, enough to escape the raw heat that would’ve ascended from the ground otherwise. Impermanent flocks of birds weaved around and about, to and fro, one second at the apex of the sky and hidden in the intense light of the sun, and another moment swooping low over the calm oasis waters without missing a beat.
Simba grinned, his teeth glinting in the sun’s beams. He turned to Kiara, who returned the affection eagerly. Kovu slunk beside her, his gaze lowered to the ground, pretending to take vivid interest in the swarms of ant colonies that scattered below his paws, upset at the intrusion by these three kingly beasts but at the same time grateful for the momentary shade they received on behalf of the passing lions.
They had been walking for a while; Pride Rock was now simply just another part of the scenery, albeit a very large part. Still, no one had spoken yet, and Kovu secretly wished someone would…it would provide his mind a diversion from the internal struggles he was experiencing.
Some hunt this’ll be, Kovu thought. Can’t even enjoy it like I should. I should never have…
Finally, Simba spoke. “So, Kovu… I take it you’ve never hunted on these grounds before?”
“Wha?” Kovu looked up suddenly, eyes blinking rapidly for a few moments as if he were snapping out of a long trance, which garnered him a thoughtful look from Kiara. “Oh! Uh… erm… yeah, never. First time,” he added with a weak grin.
Simba eyed him for a few moments, his gaze piercing into Kovu as if searching him, and for a brief moment Kovu was sure that he had been discovered, that he would be unable to delay telling Simba of the danger he was in. But to his relief, Simba’s gaze softened, his mouth upturned into a prideful grin. “Well, I’d say you’re in for a real treat. The conditions are near-perfect today, and the Pride Lands stretch over easily the most abundant parts of the land. Sometimes I have to restrain myself from coming out here more often!”
Kovu shot him a half-amused grin, which Kiara once again noticed. It did not seem to faze Simba, however, who saw it as a brilliant opportunity to launch into a long dialogue concerning the history of the grounds they had set foot upon. Apparently, Kiara had already heard this speech numerous times, for instead of taking interest, she stalked over to Kovu’s left side and whispered dully, “Okay, what’s the matter?”
Kovu kept his gaze centered toward Simba and spoke out of the corner of his mouth, “What do you mean? Shouldn’t we be listening to…”
“You’ve been acting really funny since last night, don’t think I haven’t noticed. Something’s on your mind. Don’t lie to me.”
“I told you, it’s nothing,” replied Kovu through gritted teeth.
“Kovu…”
A thought finally came to Kovu, and without missing a beat he said, “It’s just nerves, okay?”
“Nerves?” asked Kiara bemusedly. “What do you…”
“Kiara, I’m the heir to the throne of Pride Rock, I wasn’t until just recently, and I’m out hunting with my future father-in-law. How do you expect me to feel? …gleeful?”
“Are you two even listening?!” Simba had paused, having noticed that the two young lions were conversing on the side during the grand speech his father (and his father’s father, ad infinitum) had once given to him seasons before concerning the great ”˜Circle of Life’ they all were a part of. Kiara sauntered back to her original spot on Kovu’s right, nearer her father. “Sorry, daddy,” she said quickly, shooting an unconvinced stare at Kovu that she made sure he saw, before turning an ear toward the king of the Pride Lands, who curtly continued with his story. Kovu could not help but feel that his little white lie had not fooled his mate, and so as Simba’s story continued, he could not help but daydream once again, drifting into a state of concentration as he contemplated the events ahead.
Great, now Kiara suspects something’s up, he thought. But I can’t tell her what’s wrong, especially with Simba here. I just hope Vitani can end up holding her at bay tomorrow.
He had originally looked forward to this hunt, it being the final, precious hours he would be able to spend with Kiara before his departure into the great unknown of the Serengeti. And now… even something as simple as happiness with his love had become damaged by his inability to mask the guilt he was feeling in full force.
Yeah, a magnificent day for a hunt indeed.
xXxXxXx
At long last, the lioness had reached the edge of the Pride Lands, already having traveled far past the boundaries of the Outlands. No one ever came out this far from the Pride Lands; the lioness knew this quite well. Finally, at long last, she was delving into far more welcoming territory rather than that infernal stink that followed one wherever and whenever one was “where the light touches.” Where the light touches. What a joke, said the lioness named Jasusi.
The terrain had become far rockier, which suited the sleek lioness perfectly. She leapt from rock to rock, her pale, matted fur brushing against the sides of overly large boulders as she performed acrobatic bounds across the rough terrain, finally pausing at the base of a large, mountain-like rock structure. She grinned, gazing up at the imposing edifice before ambling to the side, darting around the rock as if she were running some sort of time trial.
Jasusi slowed her pace a few moments later, eyes transfixed ahead of her. Yes… yes, here we are. This is the place.
She had reached a gigantic split in the mountain. While the two sides still rose up to a towering height, a gorge had fashioned itself between these two apexes. It was a dark place; rarely did the sun shine straight into the gorge. A singular patch of grass and trees sat next to a central oasis of water, but otherwise the place was a barren wasteland of jutting rock.
Jasusi’s eyes narrowed. Far down into the gorge and into one of the towering, mountainous walls was a small hole that the lioness took to be the entrance of a cave. And just as she had expected, a tiny figure was sprawled just inside the opening…a lion, Jasusi had no doubt. She smiled. The place had been found.
A scraggly-looking vulture was grounded nearby, scanning the dusty grounds for a source of food. Jasusi spotted the bird and, grinning, sauntered over to the animal. “Good day, my feathered friend,” the lioness said slyly.
The vulture, without even looking up at the approaching lioness, replied, “yeah, yeah, wha’ th’ heck d’you wan’? Y’see I’m busy here?”
“Ah, yes… busy… quite fascinating,” said Jasusi, adding a pronounced yawn. “Right. Do me a favor, my friend, won’t you?” She eyed the vulture, who continued to scuttle about.
“Sorry, ain’t interested,” retorted the bird, who stretched his wings, as if about to take flight. “Don’ mess with th’ lions an’ they don’ mess with me. Ev’ry animal fer his or herself out here, so why don’ you…”
The bird was suddenly knocked to the ground, a clawed paw against his throat, holding him in place. The vulture began to choke and cough, his eyes staring up pleadingly at the lioness hovering above him.
Jasusi leaned her head down low, to a spot conspicuously close to the bird’s struggling head. “Now,” the lioness breathed, “I don’t believe I gave you a choice in the matter, did I? Didn’t say please.” She got even closer to the bird’s face, her hot breath bearing down on him. “I want you,” she began, “to go down to that cave of lions, the Matapeli, and deliver to them a little message for me. Could you do that, my friend? I see you nodding… see, this isn’t so hard, is it? I want you to tell the Matapeli that I bring a message from Zira, of the Outlands. They will know who Zira is, ah yes.”
She looked up for a moment, thoughtful; the bird continued to struggle and gasp beneath her. “Hmmm… yes, tell them to meet me here, unless they are so kind as to welcome me into their humble abode. I have rather urgent news for them. Yes, I think that will be all.” The lioness began to loosen her grip on the vulture’s neck, allowing the bird to breathe once more. He coughed and gasped stridently, brushing himself off before giving the lioness a look of utmost fear. He turned toward the gorge, preparing himself to fly to the distant cave. But before he could, a large paw came down on his back, pinning him to the ground.
“Oh… and one more thing,” added Jasusi, once again lowering herself to the bird’s struggling head once more. “Tell them,” she grinned, teeth bared, “it concerns Simba.”
xXxXxXx
Kovu was relieved when they returned to Pride Rock later that day, for the hunt was finally over and he could finally, somehow, avoid the accusing stares Kiara would throw in his general direction every so often. Their hunt had certainly been successful; Kiara herself had taken down at least seven antelope, soundly outdoing Kovu’s mere three. But it was food nonetheless; the Pride would eat well that night.
The enticement of food provided a distraction unlike any other for the young lion, for when living creatures are presented with food of any type, especially the lions of Pride Rock, nothing else matters. Kovu laid beside Vitani, explaining to her the events of the hunt that day and the implications they might have on Kiara and her disposition to try to know what Kovu was up to.
“That’ll make it harder,” said Vitani, digging into an antelope’s leg. “But I think I can hold her off.”
“You think?”
Vitani laughed. “Look, obviously she knows something’s not right with you, but if I tell her that you’re off ”˜finding yourself’ or whatever your excuse is going to be, is that really going to raise any problems for her? I mean, aside from the obvious,” she added through a mouthful of antelope.
“I just hope you know what you’re doing…” said Kovu with a sigh, glancing across the cave at Kiara, who was nestled near her mother, picking at the ribcage of another freshly-killed antelope. “I can’t have her follow me. I just can’t.”
“You’re leaving tonight, then?”
“Once everyone’s asleep.”
“Good, good,” murmured Vitani. She got to her feet. “I’ll need to let the Outlander lionesses know the plan, then. So if I don’t see you…” for a moment there was a look of concern in her gaze, but it quickly turned to a look of approval, “give ”˜em hell.”
The evening slowly wore down. Stuffed from a rather hearty meal, the best one they had had in weeks, the lions had begun to turn in for the evening, taking their places along the rocky walls of the cave, one by one drifting off to sleep. Kovu took his place next to Kiara, shooting her a weak grin as he did so. The lioness did nothing to acknowledge this, turning on her back to where she was facing away from her mate. Kovu let out a small sigh, heaving himself to the ground. It has to be this way, he thought. I gotta remember that. It has to be this way.
Within an hour, all had fallen asleep but Kovu. Feeling blessed for having chosen a sleeping spot so close to the mouth of the cave and away from obstacles in the form of other sleeping lions, Kovu slowly arose, taking great care as to not make a sound. How lucky he was that he was not on the best terms with Kiara, he reflected, for she had not fallen asleep against him as she so often had before. Tonight, she would not even notice his sudden departure.
Kovu crept to the mouth of the cave, as quiet as a four hundred pound, young adult lion could be. Finally, he was out into the night, and he sped up a bit, though still making sure he did not make any dim-witted mistakes. He bounded down the side of Pride Rock and out onto the grounds, at long last out of earshot of the rest of the Pride. It was a cool evening; the moon was out, though its light was obstructed by a few unsystematic clouds every so often. Everything was quiet, serene and peaceful. Kovu gave a great sigh of longing. He would miss these nights, the stolen hours of the evening walking with Kiara, gazing up at the night sky and its unending star formations. Oh, how he missed them already. For a fleeting moment, he had the urge to run back to Pride Rock, to safety, to Kiara. But the young lion shook this off soundly.
There would be no more of these nights for him, for Kiara or for anyone else at Pride Rock if he didn’t succeed. He had to find Jasusi, had to put an end to whatever plan his mother had enacted before her death. The fate of many depended upon his success or his failure. It had to be done.
As the lion walked further and further into the night, away from Pride Rock, he was unaware of a pair of eyes watching him from a faraway baobab tree. From inside his tree home, the shaman Rafiki watched Kovu slink across the Pride Lands, and at a very late hour. This certainly puzzled Rafiki; why would the young lion do such a thing? He would have to consult with the old Kings.
END CHAPTER
That's it, then! Kinda got some of the dust shaken off, LOL. Hope you liked it. C: And at any rate, a heartfelt thanks to anyone who took their time to read it.
Let's hope I can provide an update a bit quicker next time, eh?
~YFWE