Prolouge: show
Pink Petal's fly amongst the distant clouds, echoing a message across the savannah. The sun starts to rise in the faraway distance turning the sky a faint rose purple. Animals of the land hear the echoes upon the wind and fleet to the throne of the king. Through the night and into the morning light, the one time the savannah becomes peaceful ground for all the animals of the Pridelands: When a successor to the king has been found. The message floats across the wind in the form of pink petals and dust, bringing the news: A new peace has been made and Simba's successor is to be crowned as the new prince this very morning. Those once exiled long ago have become one. Simba, The Lion King and his Pride have just defeated Zira after her stubbornness made her fail to see that they are one. As the animals of the land fleet to Priderock and stand in approval: Two lions and two lionesses' arise upon the end of Priderock. The first to roar is the new prince Kovu who earned his right into the heart of the princess Kiara. Second to roar is Simba himself to validate him as the new Prince. At that very moment a single stream of light beams down upon the throne that is; Priderock. Together the four of them roar together in harmony: A roar of reconciliation; a roar of peace.
Chapter 1 - Echoes upon the wind: show
Peace, accept for one. The lioness Vitani looks on with her hazy blue eyes in awe. She avoided the ceremony all together and lies in a cavern in the back of Priderock, in the shadows. Resting one paw over the other and resting her battle scared head down upon them. She was one of the first to turn against her mother Zira. And in the closing stages she watched her own mother fall into the raging waters of the flooded gorge. There was nothing she could do. Vitani always had mixed feelings about her mother. At one moment she would stand by her side and at others she would think her completely foolish. Like the time Nuka was killed, it was then Vitani had second thoughts of her own mother. While lost in thought it's at that moment Vitani spots a small grey mouse scattering across the rocky ground. She smirks and smashes her paw down on it and grabbing its tail before lifting it up to her face.
"Life's not fair, is it?" She glances over at Kovu who walks around the corner towards her, stands and watches as the little mouse escapes and runs away. Vitani gives out a long dull sigh which is quickly interrupted—
"Vitani, I didn't see you at the ceremony." Vitani raises her head from her paws and looks at her brother. His dark fur and black Maine the spitting image of his adopted father Scar. He had; everything. He was going to be king, what more could he ever want?
"Is that what you call it now? Your grand ceremony as Prince," Vitani mocks and rolls her eyes, lays back down and ignores her brother's optimism. She misses the way they used to fight all the time and joke around with the angry alligators in the Outlands. "I know you're sad about mother but; look at this:" Kovu turns and stares out at the sundrenched Pridelands before them. He takes a deep breath of fresh air before continuing: "We're home."
The Pridelands were surely a magnificent sight, especially from the top of Priderock. The way the sun reflects off the grasslands and taints the whole land orange. The way the little clouds hazily fly across the sky. Even when it rained the Pridelands were a place of outstanding beauty, no two mornings ever been the same. A flock of pelican birds fly over a large gorge as the gazelles rush past under them. Acadia evergreen Tree's cover the land across the tall grass as far as the eye could see. It's no doubt the land itself was a living body. Always moving and changing protected by the Circle of Life; the perfect balance.
After the dawn passes, the sun is now soaring in the uppermost parts of the sky radiating down on the Savannah. Most of the Lions and Lioness' are resting or sleeping in the shades of trees. Rafiki however, the wise baboon and the Pride's shaman, is in his Baobab tree. Friend of the lion king, he dances around his tree, and chants a song.
"Peace at last," Rafiki is pleased the Pridelands peace is restored. And showing his happiness he bounces and swings around his tree while singing cheerfully. With a bit of Upendi, Everything turned out fine. Rafiki's home hasn't changed since the day he arrived in the Pridelands. They are small Baobab fruits littering the floor, some half broken others in a heap. Rafiki's staff is resting on the trunk of the tree where he draws paintings of things to happen or events what have happened. Rafiki's bowl, which is a large turtle shell, rests in the middle of the tree house. Then unexpectedly a papaya fruit dangling from one of the branches falls to the floor. A sudden gust of wind snapped it from its perch. Rafiki glances over his shoulder at the orange fruit. Knowing what to do, he scoops up some of the juice from inside it and silently drops it into his bowl. The wise Rafiki stares down into it long and hard while breathing deeply.
"What is this?" he asks himself rhetorically and gasps before proceeding to dab and paint something on the trunk of his treehouse.
The afternoon quickly comes and the lion king's duty is never finished as Zazu, the king's majordomo, soars through the skies to bring an overdue morning report. He perches himself in front of the king and bows.
"Sire; there's trouble at the watering hole." Zazu looks up at the king who nods in approval understanding what Zazu's on about and then follows him to the epicentre of the problem. Their short journey through the savannah takes them towards the main watering hole, the largest in all the Pridelands. Whilst walking the least of Simba's worries was this. He was worrying more about accepting the new lionesses into the Pride. When finally reaching the watering hole, an adolescent buffalo is resting in the blue waters. Claiming the waters as his own and not contributing the water with the other animals of the Pridelands.
"Basi, when will this end?" Simba shouts over to the young buffalo from the side of the watering hole.
"The watering hole is for everybody to share equally," Basi grunts in anger as he hears Simba speaking down to him. Basi is the son of Boma and both of them were stubborn selfish buffalos. But Simba like his father before him wants to uphold the balance of everything in the Pridelands. Zazu steps forward, next to the king and monitors the situation. The young buffalo could easily give Simba a tough fight. But Basi knows better, he can't fight the king himself. He just snorts, and walks off knowing enough is enough, without saying another word more he departed. You could nearly feel the anger of the beast as he stomps off. The steam snorting out the young buffalo's large nose. "He never learns," Zazu toots at Simba expressive that their work is finished here. Zazu flies off and Simba lowers his head downwards to take a lengthy drink from the watering hole. He hasn't had a period to relax since the defeat of Zira. Only the daily struggles of animals misbehaving now obscure his path. He was overworked and he knew it, but for the sake of everyone, he had to keep going. The balance of all things had to be kept in perfect harmony. Like his father Mufasa and his Grandfather did before him. It's only then that this occurs to Simba: he must teach Kovu to find his place in the Circle of Life.
"She'll be fine," Kiara reconsolidates Kovu with an affectionate nuzzle. Kovu is worried deeply about his older sister. He worries the death of Nuka and Zira may have changed her for the worse. Together and princess and the prince lay together inside the cosy lion's den. Inside of Priderock where all the lions sleep, it now remains empty. The majority of the other lionesses were elsewhere enjoying the afternoon sun.
Kiara continues trying to get her love not to worry any longer, the strong dark lion Kovu just sighs. Kiara looks out to see some of the lioness' which were previously devoted to the Outlands. Now they walk among the Pride with little worry or care. The Pride was now strengthened, strong than ever before and the fighting is now over: This is what Kiara was now attempting to explain to her mate. Kovu needs to understand that it could take time before everyone fully settles into Simba's pride. But their moment is suddenly interrupted—
"Kovu! Kiara!" Timon and Pumbaa suddenly gallop on in. Timon sitting precisely on the top of Pumbaa's large snout. Kiara looks over at them and smiles,
"After long consideration, we've decided to take a vacation!" Timon grins toothily at the couple laid in the cave. "We're heading to go see Timon's Ma and Uncle Max at the Oasis." Pumbaa concludes,
"Precisely," Timon agrees, spins around' and walks onto Pumbaa's back.
"Tell Simba we're gone; okay?" He says more seriously looking over his tiny meerkat shoulder. And with that the two acquaintances are off again galloping off into the beaming midday sun wanting to return only when all the new lions of the Pride settled down and the tension has drastically lowered. Afterwards Kiara stands up and extends her body to stretch. Knowing she won't be able to convince Kovu that everything is okay, that leaves only one alternative.
"Maybe I should speak to Vitani," She glances over at Kovu, he just smiles warmly in agreement.
Parraral to these events, delicately brushing his fingers across the tree-trunk of his home. Rafiki paints a distinguishing shape on the wall of his Baobab home. Dabbing his finger in the fruits juice when it dry's. Without even thinking he continues to draw. When eventually finished: He stands back to gaze upon what he's painted before anxiously seeing what is soon to be.
"There is another cub."
"Life's not fair, is it?" She glances over at Kovu who walks around the corner towards her, stands and watches as the little mouse escapes and runs away. Vitani gives out a long dull sigh which is quickly interrupted—
"Vitani, I didn't see you at the ceremony." Vitani raises her head from her paws and looks at her brother. His dark fur and black Maine the spitting image of his adopted father Scar. He had; everything. He was going to be king, what more could he ever want?
"Is that what you call it now? Your grand ceremony as Prince," Vitani mocks and rolls her eyes, lays back down and ignores her brother's optimism. She misses the way they used to fight all the time and joke around with the angry alligators in the Outlands. "I know you're sad about mother but; look at this:" Kovu turns and stares out at the sundrenched Pridelands before them. He takes a deep breath of fresh air before continuing: "We're home."
The Pridelands were surely a magnificent sight, especially from the top of Priderock. The way the sun reflects off the grasslands and taints the whole land orange. The way the little clouds hazily fly across the sky. Even when it rained the Pridelands were a place of outstanding beauty, no two mornings ever been the same. A flock of pelican birds fly over a large gorge as the gazelles rush past under them. Acadia evergreen Tree's cover the land across the tall grass as far as the eye could see. It's no doubt the land itself was a living body. Always moving and changing protected by the Circle of Life; the perfect balance.
After the dawn passes, the sun is now soaring in the uppermost parts of the sky radiating down on the Savannah. Most of the Lions and Lioness' are resting or sleeping in the shades of trees. Rafiki however, the wise baboon and the Pride's shaman, is in his Baobab tree. Friend of the lion king, he dances around his tree, and chants a song.
"Peace at last," Rafiki is pleased the Pridelands peace is restored. And showing his happiness he bounces and swings around his tree while singing cheerfully. With a bit of Upendi, Everything turned out fine. Rafiki's home hasn't changed since the day he arrived in the Pridelands. They are small Baobab fruits littering the floor, some half broken others in a heap. Rafiki's staff is resting on the trunk of the tree where he draws paintings of things to happen or events what have happened. Rafiki's bowl, which is a large turtle shell, rests in the middle of the tree house. Then unexpectedly a papaya fruit dangling from one of the branches falls to the floor. A sudden gust of wind snapped it from its perch. Rafiki glances over his shoulder at the orange fruit. Knowing what to do, he scoops up some of the juice from inside it and silently drops it into his bowl. The wise Rafiki stares down into it long and hard while breathing deeply.
"What is this?" he asks himself rhetorically and gasps before proceeding to dab and paint something on the trunk of his treehouse.
The afternoon quickly comes and the lion king's duty is never finished as Zazu, the king's majordomo, soars through the skies to bring an overdue morning report. He perches himself in front of the king and bows.
"Sire; there's trouble at the watering hole." Zazu looks up at the king who nods in approval understanding what Zazu's on about and then follows him to the epicentre of the problem. Their short journey through the savannah takes them towards the main watering hole, the largest in all the Pridelands. Whilst walking the least of Simba's worries was this. He was worrying more about accepting the new lionesses into the Pride. When finally reaching the watering hole, an adolescent buffalo is resting in the blue waters. Claiming the waters as his own and not contributing the water with the other animals of the Pridelands.
"Basi, when will this end?" Simba shouts over to the young buffalo from the side of the watering hole.
"The watering hole is for everybody to share equally," Basi grunts in anger as he hears Simba speaking down to him. Basi is the son of Boma and both of them were stubborn selfish buffalos. But Simba like his father before him wants to uphold the balance of everything in the Pridelands. Zazu steps forward, next to the king and monitors the situation. The young buffalo could easily give Simba a tough fight. But Basi knows better, he can't fight the king himself. He just snorts, and walks off knowing enough is enough, without saying another word more he departed. You could nearly feel the anger of the beast as he stomps off. The steam snorting out the young buffalo's large nose. "He never learns," Zazu toots at Simba expressive that their work is finished here. Zazu flies off and Simba lowers his head downwards to take a lengthy drink from the watering hole. He hasn't had a period to relax since the defeat of Zira. Only the daily struggles of animals misbehaving now obscure his path. He was overworked and he knew it, but for the sake of everyone, he had to keep going. The balance of all things had to be kept in perfect harmony. Like his father Mufasa and his Grandfather did before him. It's only then that this occurs to Simba: he must teach Kovu to find his place in the Circle of Life.
"She'll be fine," Kiara reconsolidates Kovu with an affectionate nuzzle. Kovu is worried deeply about his older sister. He worries the death of Nuka and Zira may have changed her for the worse. Together and princess and the prince lay together inside the cosy lion's den. Inside of Priderock where all the lions sleep, it now remains empty. The majority of the other lionesses were elsewhere enjoying the afternoon sun.
Kiara continues trying to get her love not to worry any longer, the strong dark lion Kovu just sighs. Kiara looks out to see some of the lioness' which were previously devoted to the Outlands. Now they walk among the Pride with little worry or care. The Pride was now strengthened, strong than ever before and the fighting is now over: This is what Kiara was now attempting to explain to her mate. Kovu needs to understand that it could take time before everyone fully settles into Simba's pride. But their moment is suddenly interrupted—
"Kovu! Kiara!" Timon and Pumbaa suddenly gallop on in. Timon sitting precisely on the top of Pumbaa's large snout. Kiara looks over at them and smiles,
"After long consideration, we've decided to take a vacation!" Timon grins toothily at the couple laid in the cave. "We're heading to go see Timon's Ma and Uncle Max at the Oasis." Pumbaa concludes,
"Precisely," Timon agrees, spins around' and walks onto Pumbaa's back.
"Tell Simba we're gone; okay?" He says more seriously looking over his tiny meerkat shoulder. And with that the two acquaintances are off again galloping off into the beaming midday sun wanting to return only when all the new lions of the Pride settled down and the tension has drastically lowered. Afterwards Kiara stands up and extends her body to stretch. Knowing she won't be able to convince Kovu that everything is okay, that leaves only one alternative.
"Maybe I should speak to Vitani," She glances over at Kovu, he just smiles warmly in agreement.
Parraral to these events, delicately brushing his fingers across the tree-trunk of his home. Rafiki paints a distinguishing shape on the wall of his Baobab home. Dabbing his finger in the fruits juice when it dry's. Without even thinking he continues to draw. When eventually finished: He stands back to gaze upon what he's painted before anxiously seeing what is soon to be.
"There is another cub."
Chapter 2 - All that the light touches: show
The Peaceful Pridelands continue to shiver alive throughout the roaring daylight. Both departing from the lion's den; Kiara and her love Kovu have gone opposite ways. Attending to himself: Kovu is walking through the lush flourishing land to his favourite watering hole. A small purified pond surrounded by a few palm trees which bend over the water and reflect in its lucid ripples. Kovu was having second thoughts of letting Kiara talk to his sister. Wondering how they're getting along Kovu stretches his head down to the water and licks at the still water taking a lengthy drink. Watching the ripples in the water Kovu watches them glide silently to the other side of the watering hole, it's only then his eyes meet that of another lioness also drinking from the water. A lioness with green eyes and creamy-light fur, he remains speechless as their eyes meet. After finishing her refreshing drink the lioness walks around the watering hole towards the silent Kovu. Squinting her green eyes at the new prince she takes a second look at him.
"We have the same eyes," the lioness breaks the silence and Kovu raises his head towards her bewildered by her sudden comment. Time rapidly passes from the watering hole and the day rolls on into the late hours. Zazu is soaring high above the Pridelands. Taking solace in being able to see everything from high above. His orders from the king stay explicable: find Kovu. Looking diagonally across the lively land he glides down lower, flying towers the watering hole. As he glides down he watches Kovu in deep discussion with another lioness. But suddenly swooping down gracefully to the bright watering hole, Zazu disrupts their discussion, "Good evening, apologizes for the interruption," Zazu says kindly bowing spreading his two wings out wide as he does. Without hesitation Zazu explains his orders; the king would like to see Kovu alone at the summit of Priderock. After finishing the long conversation with the nameless lioness Kovu is swiftly leaded by Zazu away from the glittering watering hole, "You never told me your name," Kovu asks, looking over his shoulder curiously; giving her name she beams warmly and watches Kovu run after Zazu into the brilliant twilight.
Looking upon his well earned kingdom, Simba stiffly sits at the top of Priderock. Taking a deep breath of fresh clean air remembered standing here all those years ago with his father. Only the event with Basi made Simba remember that he had to pass on his legacy. Mufasa had taught Simba everything about being a strong king; he only wished he could have spent more time with his father. "You wanted to see me;" Kovu says nervously sitting down next to the king. Zazu glides down infront of Simba's paws, bows, and then takes off once more leaving the two lions unaccompanied. Unbeknown to Kovu, he was about to hear a second tale from the past: "Kovu;" Simba pauses only to take another quiet calm breath, "I'm going to tell you a story, about how eight of us went out together and only seven of us came back—"
'The smell of clean air blows freshly throughout the foliage of land as lively cub runs out onto the end of Priderock. The cub is Simba, the prince of the Pridelands. Today is the day he and his friends can go to investigate the Daggermouth Gorge. Excited, Simba has been looking forward to the journey for an extremely long time. It's the only occasion his friends can all get together like this. Since some of his friends reside in far away outlining Prides. Simba watches the Pridelands from the end of Priderock: watching the movement of the Gazelles rushing around, the birds flocking from the watering hole. The enthusiastic Simba then runs down onto the lush grass running off ahead of his father to find his friends. Simba's friends, seven cubs in all: His best familiar friend Nala and her younger premature brother Mheetu with his pale, almost white fur. Malka with the small parts of black fur on both his ears. Tojo with his light coloured eyes and small blue birds, which he cares for, mothers and were given to him by the Great Spirit herself. Kula, who enjoys eating more than anything else. Tama, the oldest of all the cubs, both older and wise. And finally Chumvi, the dark furred cub, the real daredevil of the group always daring his friends and adventuring where he shouldn't. Eight cubs in all. The eight cubs had already misplaced Zazu, who was suppost to be accompanying them.
"C'mon guys let's go!" Chumvi the vaguely dark cub runs forward, wanting to get to the gorge as soon as possible. At the back of the group Simba walks with Nala and her younger just-recently born brother Mheetu. Simba is boasting at how many Hyenas' he could chase off. "Wow Simba, that's really brave," Mheetu says clearly fascinated, Simba frowns, he was expecting that response from Nala herself, but Nala just laughed at her brother's remark and rubs his little head with her paw. She would do anything to protect him. Mheetu's fur is almost white and his bright brown eyes. While all the cubs are following Chumvi towards the gorge, Kula scurries around for food pawing at the soil; she is joined by Tojo.
"Look at the lover birds over there," Tojo says looking over at Malka and Tama walking in sync. Kula was too occupied searching for food to look up. Without watching where she is going Kula rushes forward but suddenly trips, rolling forwards in the dust she stops right at the side of a gorge. "We're here," Chumvi says as he and Tojo rush forward to help Kula up, the eight cubs then stand in a line to glance across the gorge. The haphazard gorge cracks diagonally in the ground itself, one of the greatest cracks in all the Pridelands. At the end of the gorge is a wooden dam, constructed of large logs strung together. Ominously the cubs march down into the gorge, Nala remains close to Mheetu so he doesn't plummet into the cavernous gorge. One behind the other they eventually stride into the shadow of the gorge, now like two towering rocky walls the sides of the Daggermouth gorge enclose them. "It's so big," Tojo gawps, "Yeah; like Kula's appetite," All the cubs laugh at Chumvi's joke; Kula gives a cheeky grin at him. Afterwards the cubs investigate the gorge. But Tama looks more anxious, she has to tell him today. "Nala my paws hurt," Mheetu nudges his older sister, but Nala just gasps when she gazes up at the dam. A massive wall of logs at the end of the gorge. While the cubs are staring at the wall of logs Tama rushes over to Malka. He looks over at her smiling affectionately. At that instant, they look into each other's eyes; her eye's gazing deeply into Malka's orange eyes: "Hey," She pauses and smile's finally building up the courage to say it:
"Malka, I Lo—" Suddenly Tama's words are cut short at the sound of wood creaking and breaking. All eight cubs look over to the dam, as some water begins leaking out. Then huge jets of water blast out of the wood. The dam begins to break, pieces of wood smashing apart. Then a log from the very peak of the dam is strangely pushed from its perch and falls downwards smashing against the other logs and breaking them to bits. Suddenly the entire dam starts falling apart splintering in all directions. Much to the shock of all eight cubs in the waters destructive path.
"Run!" Simba shouts as the dam breaks apart and the water rushes forward towards them. Nala quickly pushes Mheetu onto her back as the cubs run for their lives. The water gains speed as the dam fully breaks apart now, and the water crashes against the tall walls of the gorge. As Chumvi and Kula rush ahead, Simba stops and checks on everyone behind himself. His eyes widen as the site of the water was magnificent and deadly. As Nala catches up with the little Mheetu on her back, Simba starts running once more next to his best friend. The Daggermouth Gorge had no sign of ending, and neither did the water, which was quickly rushing towards them more and more. The sound of the water crashing against the various rocks along the gorge behind them was ringing in the cubs ears. Their small legs getting tired as it starts catching up to them…
"Get to higher land," Tojo yells looking in front of them at a bunch of various tree dotted in the Gorge. For the cubs, they are a life saver. Simba looks to his left seeing Nala struggling to keep up with her little brother Mheetu on her back.
"C'mon!" Simba encourages her; this time not looking back at the water looming over them. The cubs getting sprinkled with water droplets now the wave of water was so close to them. Chumvi is the first to reach the acacia tree's and lends a paw to Kula as she rushes up to grab it. The two of them then pull up Tojo and Malka. But behind them: Tama and even further back than that: Simba, Nala and Mheetu lagging behind the rest. Mheetu knowing he is slowing down his sister jumps off her back and starts to run himself. The three cubs run together. Meanwhile Tama jumps up into a second tree next to the one the other cubs are in. She looks back to see Simba, Nala and Mheetu running for their lives. Their legs running as fast as they could carry them. They eventually reach a third and final tree, Nala pushing Mheetu up before she and Simba climb up the thin tree just as the water crashes down around them slamming into all three trees with great impact. By now the water has was shallower from the start of its journey. But the current was still strong enough to shake the thin trees. One of the trees begins to snap, and creak, breaking apart because the water was so violent. The tree Tama is on gradually starts to fall into the aggressive water. She climbs further up and hangs onto a branch over the waters current.
"Give me your paw!" Nala reaches over to Tama from her tree. But suddenly the centre tree also starts crumbling. Nala clings onto the branch she's on, holding on for dear life. Then suddenly the little Mheetu slips from the tree and loses his grip on it. His two back paws now dangling over the rushing river. Nala looks over her shoulder, "Mheetu!" She gasps and goes to try and help him. But is stopped; "Nala! Don't leave me!" Tama shouts from the other side. As Nala watches Simba try to pull Mheetu up, he's just not strong enough to lift the cub. Nala is faced with an impossible choice. She can save Mheetu and watch her friend Tama fall into the water to be swept away. Or she can lose Mheetu, her only brother. As time for her seams to slow down as she decides who to save. The other four cubs on the stable tree, Chumvi, Tojo, Kula and especially Malka all watch as Nala rushes back to help Mheetu. Tama screams as her tree gives way. She falls with it into the unforgiving waters. "Nooooo!" Malka screams, he is powerless to do anything as his hope, his future and best friend Tama is swept away along with the tree. Nala helps lift Mheetu up onto their tree in floods of tears. She looks behind her to see Tama already gone. Only the screams of Malka rival that of the water now as it begins to slow and get calmer. Nala in her grief hugs Mheetu tightly. The water ultimately gets shallower and calms, the cubs can begin to climb down onto dry land. Malka hastily runs over to Nala in anger,
"You should have saved her!" He roars stridently almost brought to tears. Nala apologizes but Malka just pushes her away and runs off down the gorge in anticipation that Tama shall be there. The remaining cubs slowly return to Priderock through the shallow water and back up the way they came. Each knowing deep inside themselves; Tama was gone. Mufasa the Lion King at the time was furious when he heard. Immediately he sent a search party out to the Gorge to locate the missing Tama. Zazu also joins the search party hovering above the Gorge to spot for anything suspicious. Mufasa cannot then apologize enough to everyone for the incident. Most of the cubs involved remain huddled at Priderock for awhile as all the lionesses discuss the tragedy. It all happened so sudden to the cubs. Nala is reconsolidated by everyone; no one blames her for Tama getting washed away. Even Malka realises it wasn't her fault; he was one of the first to head back home. Malka is the only cub of the eight who doesn't live in the proximity of Priderock, but in an Outlining Pride further north. Those last haunting words Tama said to Malka before the dam collapsed he shall never forget. He just wished he could have heard the full sentence. While Daggermouth Gorge is searched most of the other cubs now sadly walk home alone, leaving Mufasa and Simba to anxiously pace back and forth, waiting for any news of the missing Tama.'
"—Tama was never found;" Simba concludes his story on the very zenith of Priderock: "Daggermouth Gorge dam was rebuilt, the waters filled back up, then Zira was swept away the same way;" Kovu listens attentively then gazes down to the rocky ground. No matter how stronger lion he is Kovu is suddenly overcome with grief, mourning his mother's death for the first time. Some tears fall from his deep green eyes. Finding the moment almost awkward Simba finally steps forward to continue: "Kovu, I'm going to tell you something my father once told me: All what the light touches, is our kingdom..." As he explains this Kovu glances up, looking at the sun reflect across the Pridelands. His hazy eyes wiped from the tears he finds the beautiful sight surprisingly calming. His woe's and fears suddenly drained from him. The land itself tinted bright yellow. It was so peaceful and mesmerizing to him. "As king, it will be your responsibility to uphold the balance. To maintain the Circle of Life, as my father did before me;" Simba explains, after the long discussion the sight astounded Kovu so deeply he's decided to reside at the peak of Priderock. There was so much he had to learn of becoming king, all this to come and so much to learn. But as the future king laid there watching the twilight sunset he was thinking about what the lioness Sarafina had told him back at the watering hole. Her words ringing fear deep into his very soul
"We have the same eyes," the lioness breaks the silence and Kovu raises his head towards her bewildered by her sudden comment. Time rapidly passes from the watering hole and the day rolls on into the late hours. Zazu is soaring high above the Pridelands. Taking solace in being able to see everything from high above. His orders from the king stay explicable: find Kovu. Looking diagonally across the lively land he glides down lower, flying towers the watering hole. As he glides down he watches Kovu in deep discussion with another lioness. But suddenly swooping down gracefully to the bright watering hole, Zazu disrupts their discussion, "Good evening, apologizes for the interruption," Zazu says kindly bowing spreading his two wings out wide as he does. Without hesitation Zazu explains his orders; the king would like to see Kovu alone at the summit of Priderock. After finishing the long conversation with the nameless lioness Kovu is swiftly leaded by Zazu away from the glittering watering hole, "You never told me your name," Kovu asks, looking over his shoulder curiously; giving her name she beams warmly and watches Kovu run after Zazu into the brilliant twilight.
Looking upon his well earned kingdom, Simba stiffly sits at the top of Priderock. Taking a deep breath of fresh clean air remembered standing here all those years ago with his father. Only the event with Basi made Simba remember that he had to pass on his legacy. Mufasa had taught Simba everything about being a strong king; he only wished he could have spent more time with his father. "You wanted to see me;" Kovu says nervously sitting down next to the king. Zazu glides down infront of Simba's paws, bows, and then takes off once more leaving the two lions unaccompanied. Unbeknown to Kovu, he was about to hear a second tale from the past: "Kovu;" Simba pauses only to take another quiet calm breath, "I'm going to tell you a story, about how eight of us went out together and only seven of us came back—"
'The smell of clean air blows freshly throughout the foliage of land as lively cub runs out onto the end of Priderock. The cub is Simba, the prince of the Pridelands. Today is the day he and his friends can go to investigate the Daggermouth Gorge. Excited, Simba has been looking forward to the journey for an extremely long time. It's the only occasion his friends can all get together like this. Since some of his friends reside in far away outlining Prides. Simba watches the Pridelands from the end of Priderock: watching the movement of the Gazelles rushing around, the birds flocking from the watering hole. The enthusiastic Simba then runs down onto the lush grass running off ahead of his father to find his friends. Simba's friends, seven cubs in all: His best familiar friend Nala and her younger premature brother Mheetu with his pale, almost white fur. Malka with the small parts of black fur on both his ears. Tojo with his light coloured eyes and small blue birds, which he cares for, mothers and were given to him by the Great Spirit herself. Kula, who enjoys eating more than anything else. Tama, the oldest of all the cubs, both older and wise. And finally Chumvi, the dark furred cub, the real daredevil of the group always daring his friends and adventuring where he shouldn't. Eight cubs in all. The eight cubs had already misplaced Zazu, who was suppost to be accompanying them.
"C'mon guys let's go!" Chumvi the vaguely dark cub runs forward, wanting to get to the gorge as soon as possible. At the back of the group Simba walks with Nala and her younger just-recently born brother Mheetu. Simba is boasting at how many Hyenas' he could chase off. "Wow Simba, that's really brave," Mheetu says clearly fascinated, Simba frowns, he was expecting that response from Nala herself, but Nala just laughed at her brother's remark and rubs his little head with her paw. She would do anything to protect him. Mheetu's fur is almost white and his bright brown eyes. While all the cubs are following Chumvi towards the gorge, Kula scurries around for food pawing at the soil; she is joined by Tojo.
"Look at the lover birds over there," Tojo says looking over at Malka and Tama walking in sync. Kula was too occupied searching for food to look up. Without watching where she is going Kula rushes forward but suddenly trips, rolling forwards in the dust she stops right at the side of a gorge. "We're here," Chumvi says as he and Tojo rush forward to help Kula up, the eight cubs then stand in a line to glance across the gorge. The haphazard gorge cracks diagonally in the ground itself, one of the greatest cracks in all the Pridelands. At the end of the gorge is a wooden dam, constructed of large logs strung together. Ominously the cubs march down into the gorge, Nala remains close to Mheetu so he doesn't plummet into the cavernous gorge. One behind the other they eventually stride into the shadow of the gorge, now like two towering rocky walls the sides of the Daggermouth gorge enclose them. "It's so big," Tojo gawps, "Yeah; like Kula's appetite," All the cubs laugh at Chumvi's joke; Kula gives a cheeky grin at him. Afterwards the cubs investigate the gorge. But Tama looks more anxious, she has to tell him today. "Nala my paws hurt," Mheetu nudges his older sister, but Nala just gasps when she gazes up at the dam. A massive wall of logs at the end of the gorge. While the cubs are staring at the wall of logs Tama rushes over to Malka. He looks over at her smiling affectionately. At that instant, they look into each other's eyes; her eye's gazing deeply into Malka's orange eyes: "Hey," She pauses and smile's finally building up the courage to say it:
"Malka, I Lo—" Suddenly Tama's words are cut short at the sound of wood creaking and breaking. All eight cubs look over to the dam, as some water begins leaking out. Then huge jets of water blast out of the wood. The dam begins to break, pieces of wood smashing apart. Then a log from the very peak of the dam is strangely pushed from its perch and falls downwards smashing against the other logs and breaking them to bits. Suddenly the entire dam starts falling apart splintering in all directions. Much to the shock of all eight cubs in the waters destructive path.
"Run!" Simba shouts as the dam breaks apart and the water rushes forward towards them. Nala quickly pushes Mheetu onto her back as the cubs run for their lives. The water gains speed as the dam fully breaks apart now, and the water crashes against the tall walls of the gorge. As Chumvi and Kula rush ahead, Simba stops and checks on everyone behind himself. His eyes widen as the site of the water was magnificent and deadly. As Nala catches up with the little Mheetu on her back, Simba starts running once more next to his best friend. The Daggermouth Gorge had no sign of ending, and neither did the water, which was quickly rushing towards them more and more. The sound of the water crashing against the various rocks along the gorge behind them was ringing in the cubs ears. Their small legs getting tired as it starts catching up to them…
"Get to higher land," Tojo yells looking in front of them at a bunch of various tree dotted in the Gorge. For the cubs, they are a life saver. Simba looks to his left seeing Nala struggling to keep up with her little brother Mheetu on her back.
"C'mon!" Simba encourages her; this time not looking back at the water looming over them. The cubs getting sprinkled with water droplets now the wave of water was so close to them. Chumvi is the first to reach the acacia tree's and lends a paw to Kula as she rushes up to grab it. The two of them then pull up Tojo and Malka. But behind them: Tama and even further back than that: Simba, Nala and Mheetu lagging behind the rest. Mheetu knowing he is slowing down his sister jumps off her back and starts to run himself. The three cubs run together. Meanwhile Tama jumps up into a second tree next to the one the other cubs are in. She looks back to see Simba, Nala and Mheetu running for their lives. Their legs running as fast as they could carry them. They eventually reach a third and final tree, Nala pushing Mheetu up before she and Simba climb up the thin tree just as the water crashes down around them slamming into all three trees with great impact. By now the water has was shallower from the start of its journey. But the current was still strong enough to shake the thin trees. One of the trees begins to snap, and creak, breaking apart because the water was so violent. The tree Tama is on gradually starts to fall into the aggressive water. She climbs further up and hangs onto a branch over the waters current.
"Give me your paw!" Nala reaches over to Tama from her tree. But suddenly the centre tree also starts crumbling. Nala clings onto the branch she's on, holding on for dear life. Then suddenly the little Mheetu slips from the tree and loses his grip on it. His two back paws now dangling over the rushing river. Nala looks over her shoulder, "Mheetu!" She gasps and goes to try and help him. But is stopped; "Nala! Don't leave me!" Tama shouts from the other side. As Nala watches Simba try to pull Mheetu up, he's just not strong enough to lift the cub. Nala is faced with an impossible choice. She can save Mheetu and watch her friend Tama fall into the water to be swept away. Or she can lose Mheetu, her only brother. As time for her seams to slow down as she decides who to save. The other four cubs on the stable tree, Chumvi, Tojo, Kula and especially Malka all watch as Nala rushes back to help Mheetu. Tama screams as her tree gives way. She falls with it into the unforgiving waters. "Nooooo!" Malka screams, he is powerless to do anything as his hope, his future and best friend Tama is swept away along with the tree. Nala helps lift Mheetu up onto their tree in floods of tears. She looks behind her to see Tama already gone. Only the screams of Malka rival that of the water now as it begins to slow and get calmer. Nala in her grief hugs Mheetu tightly. The water ultimately gets shallower and calms, the cubs can begin to climb down onto dry land. Malka hastily runs over to Nala in anger,
"You should have saved her!" He roars stridently almost brought to tears. Nala apologizes but Malka just pushes her away and runs off down the gorge in anticipation that Tama shall be there. The remaining cubs slowly return to Priderock through the shallow water and back up the way they came. Each knowing deep inside themselves; Tama was gone. Mufasa the Lion King at the time was furious when he heard. Immediately he sent a search party out to the Gorge to locate the missing Tama. Zazu also joins the search party hovering above the Gorge to spot for anything suspicious. Mufasa cannot then apologize enough to everyone for the incident. Most of the cubs involved remain huddled at Priderock for awhile as all the lionesses discuss the tragedy. It all happened so sudden to the cubs. Nala is reconsolidated by everyone; no one blames her for Tama getting washed away. Even Malka realises it wasn't her fault; he was one of the first to head back home. Malka is the only cub of the eight who doesn't live in the proximity of Priderock, but in an Outlining Pride further north. Those last haunting words Tama said to Malka before the dam collapsed he shall never forget. He just wished he could have heard the full sentence. While Daggermouth Gorge is searched most of the other cubs now sadly walk home alone, leaving Mufasa and Simba to anxiously pace back and forth, waiting for any news of the missing Tama.'
"—Tama was never found;" Simba concludes his story on the very zenith of Priderock: "Daggermouth Gorge dam was rebuilt, the waters filled back up, then Zira was swept away the same way;" Kovu listens attentively then gazes down to the rocky ground. No matter how stronger lion he is Kovu is suddenly overcome with grief, mourning his mother's death for the first time. Some tears fall from his deep green eyes. Finding the moment almost awkward Simba finally steps forward to continue: "Kovu, I'm going to tell you something my father once told me: All what the light touches, is our kingdom..." As he explains this Kovu glances up, looking at the sun reflect across the Pridelands. His hazy eyes wiped from the tears he finds the beautiful sight surprisingly calming. His woe's and fears suddenly drained from him. The land itself tinted bright yellow. It was so peaceful and mesmerizing to him. "As king, it will be your responsibility to uphold the balance. To maintain the Circle of Life, as my father did before me;" Simba explains, after the long discussion the sight astounded Kovu so deeply he's decided to reside at the peak of Priderock. There was so much he had to learn of becoming king, all this to come and so much to learn. But as the future king laid there watching the twilight sunset he was thinking about what the lioness Sarafina had told him back at the watering hole. Her words ringing fear deep into his very soul
Chapter 3 - Warnings from the past: show
It's midday and it doesn't take long for the new lioness' to intermingle inside Simba's Pride. Together they're hunting together and sleeping in the baking hot sunlight. Its midday But in the shadow of Priderock in her cavern, grunting and drifting among naps, the lioness Vitani has resided in the same spot since she and the other lioness' united with Simba's pride. As Vitani lays there and rolls over she catches the glimpse of Kiara stood in the cavern with her,
"Kiara?" Vitani moans in surprise with her gruff voice and sits up inelegantly, Kiara stands there in the cavern acting brave knowing what the lioness is like, she finally reply's,
"You're not glad we're all as one again?" Kiara smiles warmly but it doesn't affect the dim expression on Vitani's face. "I'm glad. But once, era's ago: I was the chosen princess," Vitani looks right at Kiara now; Kiara frowns, knowing Vitani is not lying, Kiara immediately asks to know further about her; Vitani expresses how it was years and years ago but then refuses to explain anymore and finally leaves her spot in the shadow of Priderock. Afterall Vitani was the first to turn against her mother Zira, but before the two lionesses can continue chatting; Vitani has already strolled off. Once she was part of her mother's plot to destroy Kiara. It's understandable she must require more time to coexist in Simba's Pride. Wanting more answers Kiara rushes to find the wise but enthusiastic baboon Rafiki. Running through the grassland and not stopping, running for the old Baobab tree, one of the oldest trees in the Pridelands.
Far away in the remoteness, past gorges and deserts: The sparkling cerulean rivers flow magically through the corridors of flourishing tree's, bushes and hedges. This jungle was alive with the sounds of the wildlife coexisting in the Circle of Life. An enormous waterfall is the central landmark of this beautiful Oasis, its waters blasting down in the purified lakes below. Beneath the waterfall, the fervent meerkats shout and dance, at the centre of the celebrations are Timon and Pumbaa;
"Timmy," Timon's Ma shouts and rushes towards him for a firm mother hug. Giving an embarrassed smile Timon hugs her back, getting acquainted with his family once more. They've been gone for quite some time with all the hustle with babysitting Kiara and defeating Zira. Together the energetic meerkats rejoice and enjoy themselves.
"Hakuna Matata;" Pumbaa smiles gulping down a crunchy light worm from the ground. The celebrations continue without hesitation. Timon decides to skate halfway down the magnificent waterfall, giving a wail of enjoying as he slides down the water and splashes into the water below. This is closely followed by Pumbaa who creates an enormous splash when landing in the water, everyone gets soaked by the wave of water but all laugh soon after. Together they enjoy the peace of the Pridelands once again; But unbeknown to them, in the gloom of the undergrowth a threatening creature watches, a pair of bright yellow piercing eye's gaze upon Timon and Pumbaa. In the creatures tight and deathly grip, Uncle Max tries to struggle himself free.
Nala extends her body and stretches outwards. Since the ceremony she's being talking with her mother Sarafina and with her help trying to get the new lioness' to coexist in their Pride. Nala has been training them about the best hunting grounds, and all about the Pridelands. Since the exile of Zira and her family, many lionesses have forgotten to hunt in such lush environments. While in the outlands they just scraped for food and got increasingly desperate. She hadn't seen Simba in awhile and wanted to spend some time with him once again. The night was quickly closing in, eventually spotting her love Simba sat on the projection rock which pokes out from Priderock. She walks up Priderock to greet him,
"Hey," she smiles like she did when she was younger, Simba smiles back as his wife comes to lie down next to him. Immediately they begin nuzzling eachother lovingly. Finally together they can relax and look upon the night, the peaceful still land, the animals swaying to sleep in their dens and nests. But most importantly the stars can come out, twinkling in the dark sky. Looking up at the sky filled with wondrous white stars, Nala leans over to give Simba a cheeky lick on the cheek, Simba sigh happily as the two of them look up at the romantic sky,
"When you were gone; I looked up at the stars, and thought of you," Nala say's in deep thought. Simba sits up and realises he did exactly the same, that was until he tried to forgot about his past. Together they remain laid in the night, talking to eachother like never before, under the stars.
After the long celebration at the waterfall was over; Timon and his friend Pumbaa are walking together side by side, separated from the other meerkats they're still joking and laughing, enjoying their time. All the other meerkats are now resting high in the trees in their little hammocks swinging silently in the treetops. The last sunbeams before night gleam through the gaps in the canopy of trees reflecting off the night sky. The two acquaintances take a long deserved rest in the bubbling Jacuzzi Lake. Resting their aching selves and sighing happily; their Jacuzzi moment is soon interrupted suddenly by Timon's ma comes running downhill towards them;
"Timon come quick, its Max!" The two of them pursue her through the jungle brushing branches and ferns out of their path. They find Uncle Max laid in the middle of a circular opening surrounded by tall trees, Max is not moving a limb. Timon rushes forwards to help his uncle up, Pumbaa looks around nervously, sensing a trap, looking worried;
"So, I have your attention," A slimy voice echoes around them. The slivering voice having elongated hisses while speaking. Pumbaa looks around frantically trying to discover where the dark toned voice is hissing from. But nothing can be seen accept the overgrowth of tree's. The voice eventually fades away with a high-pitched snigger; leaving the group with Max. Asking if he is alright, Timon's holds his Uncle up, Pumbaa gently waves a palm leaf above max to give him some air. He awakes, bewildered and weak; coughing and not fully opening his eyes. Timon and his Ma look at eachother in utter worry.
"Looks like our vacation is cut-short pal," Timon looks at Pumbaa troublingly. It's the first time he's been this serious in a long time. After long questioning of Uncle Max, he claims to remember nothing of the event; everyone can't help but think this is a warning, someone or something is wanting their undivided attention, Timon climbs up onto Pumbaa's warthog snout, with one last look to confirm is Max will be fine, they head off through the dark of night, back through the gorges and cold night deserts, heading back to Priderock to bring the news of a dire warning.
The shivering Pridelands grow cold; the wind dies down a nothing more than a whisper, the lioness are sleeping in the Priderock's den for warmth with plenty of space for all the new lionesses. Only a few refuse to sleep now: Simba and Nala sat nuzzling together at rocky projection of Priderock. Vitani who wonders the dark of night unaccompanied and Kiara still searching for answers finally reaches the treehouse of the wise Rafiki. Brushing through one more plain of grass she darts into the opening and looks up at the tall ancient Baobab tree. The stars in the sky looked magically when placed in the backdrop of the tree itself. Kiara doesn't need to call his name before the eccentric baboon reveals himself. He jumps around and beckons her inside his home, Kiara uses her claws to quickly climb up into the tall tree effortlessly; she was taught well. She walks slowly through some leaves into his home for the first time. Many fruits were hanging from the branches of the tree all neatly arranged in lines, the wooden floor of the treehouse was littered with half eaten fruits and juicy paint splashes. Rafiki's staff rested on the bulky truck of the tree. Before Kiara could say anything, Rafiki the wise already knew the answer to her nervous question. Putting an arm around her and waving his other hand through the air he finally points across to the trunk of his tree which ran through the centre of his home, there rested a freshly drawn painting of a small cub. Kiara squinted at it finding the painting strangely familiar. Rafiki, with a grin, swings with both arms from a dumpy tree branch.
"Vitani has lived here before; the Pridelands were her home era's before you was even born Kiara; she was someday banished and exiled from her home out into the outlands along with all her family, forced from her home as only a cub. All because of her mother's—" Rafiki abruptly pauses his speech. Looking out at the flat Pridelands the wise mandrill see's a gloomy lioness in the distance clawing away some foliage and undergrowth. Kiara slowly puts her paw upon the painting feeling strangely miserable and not understanding why. She rapidly turns back and rushes back down the large Baobab tree; running off into the night to find her father. Kiara has uncertainties: her father had certainly never told her this, looking for the answers she so desperately wants. Rushing to Priderock, almost eccentric without the sleep she needs. The adrenalin kicking in, she keeps going. Perhaps offering to talk to Vitani for her mate was the worst decision to have made. Questions flow through her head but all shall be answered soon as she rushes into the silent midnight.
"Kiara?" Vitani moans in surprise with her gruff voice and sits up inelegantly, Kiara stands there in the cavern acting brave knowing what the lioness is like, she finally reply's,
"You're not glad we're all as one again?" Kiara smiles warmly but it doesn't affect the dim expression on Vitani's face. "I'm glad. But once, era's ago: I was the chosen princess," Vitani looks right at Kiara now; Kiara frowns, knowing Vitani is not lying, Kiara immediately asks to know further about her; Vitani expresses how it was years and years ago but then refuses to explain anymore and finally leaves her spot in the shadow of Priderock. Afterall Vitani was the first to turn against her mother Zira, but before the two lionesses can continue chatting; Vitani has already strolled off. Once she was part of her mother's plot to destroy Kiara. It's understandable she must require more time to coexist in Simba's Pride. Wanting more answers Kiara rushes to find the wise but enthusiastic baboon Rafiki. Running through the grassland and not stopping, running for the old Baobab tree, one of the oldest trees in the Pridelands.
Far away in the remoteness, past gorges and deserts: The sparkling cerulean rivers flow magically through the corridors of flourishing tree's, bushes and hedges. This jungle was alive with the sounds of the wildlife coexisting in the Circle of Life. An enormous waterfall is the central landmark of this beautiful Oasis, its waters blasting down in the purified lakes below. Beneath the waterfall, the fervent meerkats shout and dance, at the centre of the celebrations are Timon and Pumbaa;
"Timmy," Timon's Ma shouts and rushes towards him for a firm mother hug. Giving an embarrassed smile Timon hugs her back, getting acquainted with his family once more. They've been gone for quite some time with all the hustle with babysitting Kiara and defeating Zira. Together the energetic meerkats rejoice and enjoy themselves.
"Hakuna Matata;" Pumbaa smiles gulping down a crunchy light worm from the ground. The celebrations continue without hesitation. Timon decides to skate halfway down the magnificent waterfall, giving a wail of enjoying as he slides down the water and splashes into the water below. This is closely followed by Pumbaa who creates an enormous splash when landing in the water, everyone gets soaked by the wave of water but all laugh soon after. Together they enjoy the peace of the Pridelands once again; But unbeknown to them, in the gloom of the undergrowth a threatening creature watches, a pair of bright yellow piercing eye's gaze upon Timon and Pumbaa. In the creatures tight and deathly grip, Uncle Max tries to struggle himself free.
Nala extends her body and stretches outwards. Since the ceremony she's being talking with her mother Sarafina and with her help trying to get the new lioness' to coexist in their Pride. Nala has been training them about the best hunting grounds, and all about the Pridelands. Since the exile of Zira and her family, many lionesses have forgotten to hunt in such lush environments. While in the outlands they just scraped for food and got increasingly desperate. She hadn't seen Simba in awhile and wanted to spend some time with him once again. The night was quickly closing in, eventually spotting her love Simba sat on the projection rock which pokes out from Priderock. She walks up Priderock to greet him,
"Hey," she smiles like she did when she was younger, Simba smiles back as his wife comes to lie down next to him. Immediately they begin nuzzling eachother lovingly. Finally together they can relax and look upon the night, the peaceful still land, the animals swaying to sleep in their dens and nests. But most importantly the stars can come out, twinkling in the dark sky. Looking up at the sky filled with wondrous white stars, Nala leans over to give Simba a cheeky lick on the cheek, Simba sigh happily as the two of them look up at the romantic sky,
"When you were gone; I looked up at the stars, and thought of you," Nala say's in deep thought. Simba sits up and realises he did exactly the same, that was until he tried to forgot about his past. Together they remain laid in the night, talking to eachother like never before, under the stars.
After the long celebration at the waterfall was over; Timon and his friend Pumbaa are walking together side by side, separated from the other meerkats they're still joking and laughing, enjoying their time. All the other meerkats are now resting high in the trees in their little hammocks swinging silently in the treetops. The last sunbeams before night gleam through the gaps in the canopy of trees reflecting off the night sky. The two acquaintances take a long deserved rest in the bubbling Jacuzzi Lake. Resting their aching selves and sighing happily; their Jacuzzi moment is soon interrupted suddenly by Timon's ma comes running downhill towards them;
"Timon come quick, its Max!" The two of them pursue her through the jungle brushing branches and ferns out of their path. They find Uncle Max laid in the middle of a circular opening surrounded by tall trees, Max is not moving a limb. Timon rushes forwards to help his uncle up, Pumbaa looks around nervously, sensing a trap, looking worried;
"So, I have your attention," A slimy voice echoes around them. The slivering voice having elongated hisses while speaking. Pumbaa looks around frantically trying to discover where the dark toned voice is hissing from. But nothing can be seen accept the overgrowth of tree's. The voice eventually fades away with a high-pitched snigger; leaving the group with Max. Asking if he is alright, Timon's holds his Uncle up, Pumbaa gently waves a palm leaf above max to give him some air. He awakes, bewildered and weak; coughing and not fully opening his eyes. Timon and his Ma look at eachother in utter worry.
"Looks like our vacation is cut-short pal," Timon looks at Pumbaa troublingly. It's the first time he's been this serious in a long time. After long questioning of Uncle Max, he claims to remember nothing of the event; everyone can't help but think this is a warning, someone or something is wanting their undivided attention, Timon climbs up onto Pumbaa's warthog snout, with one last look to confirm is Max will be fine, they head off through the dark of night, back through the gorges and cold night deserts, heading back to Priderock to bring the news of a dire warning.
The shivering Pridelands grow cold; the wind dies down a nothing more than a whisper, the lioness are sleeping in the Priderock's den for warmth with plenty of space for all the new lionesses. Only a few refuse to sleep now: Simba and Nala sat nuzzling together at rocky projection of Priderock. Vitani who wonders the dark of night unaccompanied and Kiara still searching for answers finally reaches the treehouse of the wise Rafiki. Brushing through one more plain of grass she darts into the opening and looks up at the tall ancient Baobab tree. The stars in the sky looked magically when placed in the backdrop of the tree itself. Kiara doesn't need to call his name before the eccentric baboon reveals himself. He jumps around and beckons her inside his home, Kiara uses her claws to quickly climb up into the tall tree effortlessly; she was taught well. She walks slowly through some leaves into his home for the first time. Many fruits were hanging from the branches of the tree all neatly arranged in lines, the wooden floor of the treehouse was littered with half eaten fruits and juicy paint splashes. Rafiki's staff rested on the bulky truck of the tree. Before Kiara could say anything, Rafiki the wise already knew the answer to her nervous question. Putting an arm around her and waving his other hand through the air he finally points across to the trunk of his tree which ran through the centre of his home, there rested a freshly drawn painting of a small cub. Kiara squinted at it finding the painting strangely familiar. Rafiki, with a grin, swings with both arms from a dumpy tree branch.
"Vitani has lived here before; the Pridelands were her home era's before you was even born Kiara; she was someday banished and exiled from her home out into the outlands along with all her family, forced from her home as only a cub. All because of her mother's—" Rafiki abruptly pauses his speech. Looking out at the flat Pridelands the wise mandrill see's a gloomy lioness in the distance clawing away some foliage and undergrowth. Kiara slowly puts her paw upon the painting feeling strangely miserable and not understanding why. She rapidly turns back and rushes back down the large Baobab tree; running off into the night to find her father. Kiara has uncertainties: her father had certainly never told her this, looking for the answers she so desperately wants. Rushing to Priderock, almost eccentric without the sleep she needs. The adrenalin kicking in, she keeps going. Perhaps offering to talk to Vitani for her mate was the worst decision to have made. Questions flow through her head but all shall be answered soon as she rushes into the silent midnight.
Chapter 4 - The family tree: show
The serene hours of darkness roll onwards; still perched upon the end of Priderock, Simba and Nala lay cuddled to eachother both in their own thoughts. Together they reminisced about their past experiences, never before talking so sincerely about how they missed eachother, on that fateful starry night: they promised never to depart each other's sides again. Eventually after many hours together, Nala sits up gracefully and smiles as she nuzzles her mate goodnight, enjoying the time she's had tonight. Simba watches his wife saunter off into the lion's den for several hours of well deserved sleep. Simba decides to stay just alittle whilst longer, for reasons unknown to him; he wanted to stay gazing beneath the bright stars. Simba enjoys the quietude for a moment; a king's duty is never truly finished. Gazing at the twinkling stars, the little white lights hanging magically in the black of night, taking a deep breath Simba remembers the times he laid beneath the stars with his own father Mufasa. Simba smiles to himself, reminiscing in happier days and remembrance of his father. That fateful night; Simba finally realised what it truthfully takes to be a king. Simba thought he could swathe his past through laughter and enjoyment. But his father taught him a lecture he will never forget. Meanwhile not so faraway: Dashing through the tall grass which surrounds Priderock; running her upmost fastest now, Kiara eventually reaches the fabled Priderock; taking a moment to herself to catch her breath, she's relieved to notice her father laid comfortably on the end of Priderock. Abruptly calling out to her father and running up to join him atop the furthest most point of the throne. Simba's thoughts are intervallic as his daughter lies beside him. For a brief moment there's silence, as night turns to its darkest hour: Kiara gathers her thoughts as Simba looks out at his kingdom. They rest just slightly; knowing she has a many questions to be answered, she starts at the beginning:
"Daddy, Zira was exiled to the Outlands before I was born, but why;" Simba's eyes widen worryingly, sudden flashbacks of the past flood his mind. Recurring lost memories of a dreadful act which lead to the separation of the Pride and the shadowy image of a long forgotten cub. Kiara suddenly realises her question has stunned her father and doesn't continue; instead she crosses her paws over and rests her head upon them, gazing out at the darkened Pridelands and then up at the starry sky. Trying to pick out shapes in the stars like old times. Resting her eye's for only a minute Kiara closes them slowly.
All the lion's and lioness' are sleeping; accept for one figure of a gloomy lioness which creeps across the grassland. Vitani sneaks through the night, glancing over her shoulder occasionally, she was looking for something; something important to her. She continues scurrying about the Pridelands. Scratching at the ground; she's in the correct place. Trying to find something important to her, something old and important to her, she dashes forwards and discovers a cave covered in old tree branches and foliage. Clawing away at the undergrowth with her large claws, she drags them out and away from the cave to reveal a previously hidden entrance. Vitani look's down into the cave, there is revealed a narrow passage winding down into a bottomless darkness; Vitani enters the cave without uncertainty and marches forward into the dark cave. Her paw echo in the cave as it winds downwards, Vitani is not scared of the dark, and her courage is endless. Just like the darkness within the cave, Vitani keeps marching forward not hesitating even the slightest; eventually after marching through the pitch dark the sound of flowing water can be heard gushing at the bottom of the long tunnel. Eventually Vitani reaches the end of the tunnel which opens up into a vast cavern. On one side of the cavern's haphazard walls a large waterfall blasts water into a small lake, the source of the waterfall trails off into another dark section of the cave. On the far side of the cavern another tunnel leads off into an unknown location. In the roof of the cave are small holes where sunbeams of light would shine through in the daytime illuminating the whole cave-like room. Moss covered rocks litter the cave, placed around the cavern. Vitani walks into the cave; this place was known to her when she was just a cub. So many memories here, this is the only place she can truly feel at peace. Walking around the cave she smiles at the waterfall as it splashes down into the lake below her. Vitani's turns her gaze down to look at her reflection in the sparkling water. Been banished has affected her in more ways than one. Looking back at her dismal reflection the Outlands have changed her even in appearance. Vitani sighs to herself, walking around once more for the final time Vitani slowly approaches one of the rocky walls, the most important part of the cave. Vitani looks upwards at a large carving upon one of the tall walls of the cave. Vitani's Gazes sadly at the drawing, carved into the very rock itself. Knowing exactly what the carving is, when she was a cub she wished to show her younger brother Kovu this carving, then she realises that now, she can show her brother Kovu the carving. There's nothing stopping her from bringing him here now, Vitani's thoughts are suddenly interrupted. Her ears prick up at the slightest sound other than that of the roaring waterfall. Hearing the clatter of a tiny pebble overturned echoing across the dim cavern walls, Vitani turns to look over her shoulder; she's no longer alone.
"What do you want Baboon?" Vitani groans intrepidly rolling her eyes at the sudden appearance of Rafiki. Rafiki saw Vitani in the distance from his Baobab tree; it becomes clear he has followed her down into the cave. Noticing Vitani had no fear clambering down into the darkness of the cavern he parts some words of advice to the lonely lioness:
"Brave animals know when to be afraid," Rafiki grips his shaman staff loosely while standing perfectly upon one of the moss covered boulders. It was Rafiki who tried to hide this cave with all the foliage and tree branches, but why? Rafiki watches the waterfall; entranced by its waters roaring down into the water below, Vitani just sigh's giving little reaction to the wise shaman,
"I told him that once," Rafiki suddenly explains, Vitani's eyes widen at that comment and she darts around shocked, only to see Rafiki has swirled off into the shadows of the cave. Little waves of water brush up against her front paws, Rafiki had gone, leaving Vitani in the cave, thinking back at old times, when she was cub living in the Pridelands, she came here all the time. This was the hide-out she found as a cub with her brother Nuka, Afua and one other cub. The cub Rafiki just mentioned to her, Vitani looks around, seeing the cave merely rotted now, damaged and withered. Turning to stare at her reflection one last time, for once her dim expression changes, she remains sulking at the water's edge; alone.
After their brief talk, Simba and his daughter departed from Priderock and journeyed into a still flat meadow. Both laid jointly on the grass gazing up at into the twinkling heavens. Kiara had missed lying under the stars with her father; as a cub she would always come here. The chirping of crickets flood the meadow with sound; with a reluctant sigh, Simba cannot directly answer her question, for that was the pact he made so very long ago. But perhaps he can show his daughter instead.
"Look at the stars, the great kings of the past look down on us from those stars," As her father explains wisely Kiara looks up at all the stars, most are clamped together in groups. As the wise Simba continues Kiara comes to realise that the stars are a great big family tree in the sky, a web of their past history. She is always being guided by their light, she is never alone. Little white lights in the sky forever shining and never going out, a beckon to all lions and lionesses. The cub painted on Rafiki's tree wall: Perhaps he can found up there. Kiara realises all her answers are in the stars. Together father and daughter keep discussing the events of the past days, when Simba's Pride was almost torn apart. Then it accrues to Kiara that she hasn't slept for days, neither of them have. They could always sleep during the daylight hours, taking a snooze in the silhouette of an acacia tree. Her father was not as optimistic and soon heads back to Priderock to join his mate at the lion's den for a well deserved sleep. Simba's worries drifted away that night, all the pressures of a king suddenly seemed more controllable. Leaving Kiara to gather her thoughts; she is left alone in the meadow. But suddenly hears the rustling of the meadow's tall grass no sooner than when her father departed home. Getting up she sees a darkened Rafiki had appeared before her. Without the distraction of Vitani this time, Rafiki can conclude what he spoke back at his tree house. He says what he needed to say:
"Vitani has lived here before; the Pridelands were her home era's before you was even born Kiara; she was someday banished and exiled from her home out into the outlands along with all her family, forced from her home as only a cub. All because of her mother's terrible actions, it's understandable she was one of the earliest wanting to return home against Zira; the cub you saw in the sketch I made was the one she loved throughout her time here in the Pridelands." Rafiki explains the full tale. He can tell her no more and no less; for that was the secret pact he made many long years ago. As Rafiki walks away knowing his job is done, Kiara smile's to herself, the majority of the lioness' questions were now answered. But one question remains hanging heavy on her heart: 'What terrible act did Zira commit to get banished?'
"Daddy, Zira was exiled to the Outlands before I was born, but why;" Simba's eyes widen worryingly, sudden flashbacks of the past flood his mind. Recurring lost memories of a dreadful act which lead to the separation of the Pride and the shadowy image of a long forgotten cub. Kiara suddenly realises her question has stunned her father and doesn't continue; instead she crosses her paws over and rests her head upon them, gazing out at the darkened Pridelands and then up at the starry sky. Trying to pick out shapes in the stars like old times. Resting her eye's for only a minute Kiara closes them slowly.
All the lion's and lioness' are sleeping; accept for one figure of a gloomy lioness which creeps across the grassland. Vitani sneaks through the night, glancing over her shoulder occasionally, she was looking for something; something important to her. She continues scurrying about the Pridelands. Scratching at the ground; she's in the correct place. Trying to find something important to her, something old and important to her, she dashes forwards and discovers a cave covered in old tree branches and foliage. Clawing away at the undergrowth with her large claws, she drags them out and away from the cave to reveal a previously hidden entrance. Vitani look's down into the cave, there is revealed a narrow passage winding down into a bottomless darkness; Vitani enters the cave without uncertainty and marches forward into the dark cave. Her paw echo in the cave as it winds downwards, Vitani is not scared of the dark, and her courage is endless. Just like the darkness within the cave, Vitani keeps marching forward not hesitating even the slightest; eventually after marching through the pitch dark the sound of flowing water can be heard gushing at the bottom of the long tunnel. Eventually Vitani reaches the end of the tunnel which opens up into a vast cavern. On one side of the cavern's haphazard walls a large waterfall blasts water into a small lake, the source of the waterfall trails off into another dark section of the cave. On the far side of the cavern another tunnel leads off into an unknown location. In the roof of the cave are small holes where sunbeams of light would shine through in the daytime illuminating the whole cave-like room. Moss covered rocks litter the cave, placed around the cavern. Vitani walks into the cave; this place was known to her when she was just a cub. So many memories here, this is the only place she can truly feel at peace. Walking around the cave she smiles at the waterfall as it splashes down into the lake below her. Vitani's turns her gaze down to look at her reflection in the sparkling water. Been banished has affected her in more ways than one. Looking back at her dismal reflection the Outlands have changed her even in appearance. Vitani sighs to herself, walking around once more for the final time Vitani slowly approaches one of the rocky walls, the most important part of the cave. Vitani looks upwards at a large carving upon one of the tall walls of the cave. Vitani's Gazes sadly at the drawing, carved into the very rock itself. Knowing exactly what the carving is, when she was a cub she wished to show her younger brother Kovu this carving, then she realises that now, she can show her brother Kovu the carving. There's nothing stopping her from bringing him here now, Vitani's thoughts are suddenly interrupted. Her ears prick up at the slightest sound other than that of the roaring waterfall. Hearing the clatter of a tiny pebble overturned echoing across the dim cavern walls, Vitani turns to look over her shoulder; she's no longer alone.
"What do you want Baboon?" Vitani groans intrepidly rolling her eyes at the sudden appearance of Rafiki. Rafiki saw Vitani in the distance from his Baobab tree; it becomes clear he has followed her down into the cave. Noticing Vitani had no fear clambering down into the darkness of the cavern he parts some words of advice to the lonely lioness:
"Brave animals know when to be afraid," Rafiki grips his shaman staff loosely while standing perfectly upon one of the moss covered boulders. It was Rafiki who tried to hide this cave with all the foliage and tree branches, but why? Rafiki watches the waterfall; entranced by its waters roaring down into the water below, Vitani just sigh's giving little reaction to the wise shaman,
"I told him that once," Rafiki suddenly explains, Vitani's eyes widen at that comment and she darts around shocked, only to see Rafiki has swirled off into the shadows of the cave. Little waves of water brush up against her front paws, Rafiki had gone, leaving Vitani in the cave, thinking back at old times, when she was cub living in the Pridelands, she came here all the time. This was the hide-out she found as a cub with her brother Nuka, Afua and one other cub. The cub Rafiki just mentioned to her, Vitani looks around, seeing the cave merely rotted now, damaged and withered. Turning to stare at her reflection one last time, for once her dim expression changes, she remains sulking at the water's edge; alone.
After their brief talk, Simba and his daughter departed from Priderock and journeyed into a still flat meadow. Both laid jointly on the grass gazing up at into the twinkling heavens. Kiara had missed lying under the stars with her father; as a cub she would always come here. The chirping of crickets flood the meadow with sound; with a reluctant sigh, Simba cannot directly answer her question, for that was the pact he made so very long ago. But perhaps he can show his daughter instead.
"Look at the stars, the great kings of the past look down on us from those stars," As her father explains wisely Kiara looks up at all the stars, most are clamped together in groups. As the wise Simba continues Kiara comes to realise that the stars are a great big family tree in the sky, a web of their past history. She is always being guided by their light, she is never alone. Little white lights in the sky forever shining and never going out, a beckon to all lions and lionesses. The cub painted on Rafiki's tree wall: Perhaps he can found up there. Kiara realises all her answers are in the stars. Together father and daughter keep discussing the events of the past days, when Simba's Pride was almost torn apart. Then it accrues to Kiara that she hasn't slept for days, neither of them have. They could always sleep during the daylight hours, taking a snooze in the silhouette of an acacia tree. Her father was not as optimistic and soon heads back to Priderock to join his mate at the lion's den for a well deserved sleep. Simba's worries drifted away that night, all the pressures of a king suddenly seemed more controllable. Leaving Kiara to gather her thoughts; she is left alone in the meadow. But suddenly hears the rustling of the meadow's tall grass no sooner than when her father departed home. Getting up she sees a darkened Rafiki had appeared before her. Without the distraction of Vitani this time, Rafiki can conclude what he spoke back at his tree house. He says what he needed to say:
"Vitani has lived here before; the Pridelands were her home era's before you was even born Kiara; she was someday banished and exiled from her home out into the outlands along with all her family, forced from her home as only a cub. All because of her mother's terrible actions, it's understandable she was one of the earliest wanting to return home against Zira; the cub you saw in the sketch I made was the one she loved throughout her time here in the Pridelands." Rafiki explains the full tale. He can tell her no more and no less; for that was the secret pact he made many long years ago. As Rafiki walks away knowing his job is done, Kiara smile's to herself, the majority of the lioness' questions were now answered. But one question remains hanging heavy on her heart: 'What terrible act did Zira commit to get banished?'
Chapter 5 - Takas Scar: show
Two days previously to the long eventful night beneath the stars. Both departing from the lion's den; Kiara and her love Kovu have gone opposite ways. As the curious Kiara discussed Vitani's past. Meanwhile Kovu walked through the lush flourishing land to his favourite watering hole. A small purified pond surrounded by a few palm trees which bend over the water and reflect in its lucid ripples. Kovu was having second thoughts of letting Kiara talk to his sister. Wondering how they're getting along Kovu stretches his head down to the water and licks at the still water taking a lengthy drink. Watching the ripples in the water Kovu watches them glide silently to the other side of the watering hole, it's only then his eyes meet that of another lioness also drinking from the water. A lioness with green eyes and creamy-light fur, he remains speechless as their eyes meet. After finishing her refreshing drink the lioness walks around the watering hole towards the silent Kovu. Squinting her green eyes at the new prince she finally speaks:
"We have the same eyes," the lioness breaks the silence and Kovu raises his head towards her bewildered by her sudden comment. Looking at his reflection in the bright blue waters, meeting eyes with the nameless lioness again, both of them having the same shade of green. Getting a close look the lioness examines him. Finding it mysterious that the lion before her looks exactly like the villainous Scar without having him as his real father. For the lioness knew Scar well, and she was indeed in the fight against Zira, leading the lionesses into conflict; and the old lioness has the battle-scars to prove it; but none compare to the scar across Kovu's right eye. Noticing her impulsive outburst has left Kovu surprised, she turns around, about to leave the watering hole without another word until Kovu calls out to her,
"I got it from my mother," Clearly referring about the scar across his eye. Being more open to her then she first intended, glancing over her shoulder and giving a serious gaze, the lioness decides Kovu has to know the truth about his ancestors. She decides to tell him the story about a king, a prince, and a great enemy. "Kovu," She speaks with a hushed voice:
"Let me tell you a tale: About the storms, the darkness and the scar which changed the face of Priderock for all time—"
'In the tale of two brothers, It was dark times; the Pridelands were suffering from an assault of heavy droughts, storms raged transversely the land but bring with them rain they did not. At the time, Ahadi was the proud Lion King, his bright green eye's glimmered in the dark haze of the Pridelands, and his thick black mane showed no signs of aging. Along with his mate Uru and their recently born cubs he attempted to govern the wilting lands. With the animals' getting increasingly agitated and desperate. All the animals are complaining about the shortage of water and food. The antelopes and zebras are blaming the giraffes, while the leopards are blaming the Cape buffalo,Boma, and his herd. The ostriches are worried about the hyenas, and Zuzu, who had appeared nearby, agrees with them. It was considered an omen, for a king to suffer droughts during his reign. Inside the lion's den Uru cradles her two boys, sheltering them in her dark brown fur from crashes of the harsh storms,
"Shh my children; be still," She whispers to them peacefully, humming them a lullaby to help them calm. Ahadi pounces inside the lion's den, after working hard to maintain the order of the Circle of Life, he was looking progressively more worried with each passing day. Smiling down at Uru, he gazes at his two offspring: Taka and Mufasa. Both only so young, not even old enough to part a sole word. The air tasted foul; and sick with each day becoming far worse than the one before. After pondering for so long in the past days, it was finally time for Ahadi to make his choice.
"Uru my darling, it's time for me to depart; I must find the end to this drought." A single sudden lightning bolt strikes the side of Priderock, creating a small incision in the monument. Originally it was to be Uru who was to find a new source of water, but it was decided to be a king's duty, and for her to look after her cubs. Uru gazes upwards slowly parting a tear and nuzzling Ahadi for perhaps the final time, he bows his head down towards his children and talks directly to Mufasa and Taka:
"Stay safe my child, soon one of you shall be king to a better land." And with that Ahadi roared the call of his departure and ran into the stormy night fearlessly journeying off into lands yet unfamiliar.
As the years rolled onwards, Uru was forced to bring up the cubs Taka and Mufasa on her own. The droughts continued through all the land and signs or tales of Ahadi were non-existent. With everyone knowing little if he was still living. His son's had grown substantially. As brother's they were also the greatest of friends, growing up without a father was tough, but they got by, together far away from vicinity of Priderock the two played on the rolling logs of the Mog Forest.
"Hey Muffy, watch this!" Taka grins as he balances atop one of the circular logs, only to slide off into a ditch of dirt. Mufasa cheekily laughs, but helps Taka back up on his paws. Heading deeper into the forest, Taka the darker furred cub examines the many creatures, from the Bushbabies upon the treetops to the Aardvarks of the undergrowth. Speaking of which, he was fairly hungry. Perhaps he can now give his brother that lesson in hunting he so desperately needs. The animals in the forest were easy pickings for lions, even for the cubs.
"Stay low, to the ground," Taka whispers, lowering his body and drawing out his claws. Edging forwards slowly and quietly, Taka suddenly blasts upwards and pounces over another log. Mufasa suddenly hears the squeal of someone, dashing round to see Taka had pounced unexpectedly upon a female cub. Laughing loudly Mufasa watches his brother slowly clamper off the surprised cub, it is only then when their eyes meet. The cub introduces herself as Sarabi. Her brown eyes are deep and dark. Taka brushes himself off, blushes to himself and then apologizes.
From that day the three of them had many adventures inside the Mog Forest, one such time they journeyed off into the heart of the forest, and at the very centre saw a magical baobab tree twinkle and eliminate in the night hours. It was such a magical sight, Taka and Sarabi soon fell in love; each time they had adventures with Mufasa it only strengthened the relationship of Taka and Sarabi. Saving eachother many times, falling, running and exploring, so many childhood memories together, the three of them couldn't have being closer. Unfortunately sometime after Taka and Sarabi met, the Mog Forest remorsefully burned down during the driest day of the Pridelands drought, the sun set alight the many arid tree's which gathered and grown closely together. Many animals departed this life that night, including a large herd of elephants. The charred remains of the forest later became known as the Elephant Graveyard and the tree at the centre of the forest was destroyed, burned to a crisp.
Afterwards, the days rolled onwards as always, but one night was particularly rememberable for all of them, the sun was just setting upon the orange horizon; glittering twilight all across the sky. Taka picked a festal flower from the burned ruins of the Mog Forest; he was walking over to give it to his love Sarabi under the burning setting sun. But as he approached the cliff face where they're suppost to meet, Taka hears her talking, he darts behinds a boulder, peaking around he notices his brother Mufasa giving Sarabi a finer even more beautiful flower.
"You ought' to tell your brother about us, we've been meeting here for awhile now," Sarabi smiles and gives Mufasa a lick on the cheek, much to Taka's disgust, in his revulsion he throws his flower on the floor and crushes it heartlessly under his murky paw. Taka's own brother, had been seeing her behind his back, Taka in fury was about to walk off, but then remembers his hunting training, purring it to use he suddenly in his rage he pounces over the boulder, and onto his brother. Smashing his paw into his brother's face, Sarabi squeals much like she did when they first met. From the smack Mufasa slides across the cliff and grabs onto the end with his claws, hanging on for dear life. Slowly slipping down the rocky haphazard cliff edge. Taka stands atop the cliff looking down on his brother who in sheer panic roars for help. Taka sighs, and helps his brother up from the cliff, only to be clawed back in the face. "Stop it!" Sarabi shout's for the first time being the source of their fighting; they both wanted her. She puts an end to the brother's fighting and was about to say something as the two cubs struggle in a heap, when the three cubs on the cliff edge suddenly hear a distant but important roar. It was coming from Priderock; Ahadi had returned.
Momentary forgetting their brawl under the sunset with Sarabi, the two brothers rushed home worried for news of their father, both eager to see Ahadi once more. They cannot barely remember him from their cubhood, memories of him faded in time. But no longer can they only have Uru as a mother, but a father too. It has being so long, they wanted to hear tales of their father's adventure's outside of the Pridelands. But when they eventually get home, it wasn't what they expected to witness, Ahadi was laid in the lion's den, he looked much older and had cuts across his face and was bruised in many places. Uru was worried sick and darted to her mate's side as he coughed weakly. Both brother's look worried, lying with him now, "Don't worry; Daddy's home," Ahadi manages to say before closing his eyes for rest. Uru looks after him, much like she did with Taka and Mufasa over the years, whatever Ahadi fought with out there, it certainly wasn't friendly. Some day's after Ahadi returned, so did the rain, the clouds exploded with hail and rain like never seen before, although it would be some time before the land itself repairs, the rain was most welcome to many. The Hippopotamus could finally soak in the waters, and the dodo's no longer need to conserve water. But the Lion King brought back somebody from his travels to help the Pridelands recover from these sinister times, a wise mandrill-baboon by the name of Rafiki; With a eccentric grin he joined the Pride. He became a Shaman, maintaining the balance of the Circle of Life, but most of all, helping Mufasa whim the mischievous acts of his brother Taka.
As another average night closes in, Rafiki comments to Mufasa and Taka who were sitting nearby; discussing past events, learning for the first time about Priderock and situation here. Taka certainly didn't get along with his fatherorhis brother. Mufasa was going to be the next king and now that the drought has ended, perhaps the various animals' can live in harmony once more. Stretches out next to him and the two swiftly fall asleep. But Rafiki is awakened in the middle of the night. When he opens his eyes, he comes face-to-face with a spitting snake. A large purple snake with red strips along its scaly skin. The giant snake is poised and ready to strike, its fangs sticking outwards dangerously,
"You shall not intervene!" The snake hisses, slivering towards Rafiki with a deadly look in its eye, it strikes its fangs towards him but Mufasa jumps in and promptly claws the snake away with little effort showing how brave he can be. Giving an elongated hiss the snake quickly slivers away in defeat but not before giving a outlandish, almost friendly look at Taka. In time, Sarabi fully confessed her love for Mufasa and Uru looked after Ahadi and treated his wounds; Ahadi makes a full recovery.
Ahadi's recovery quickly spread across the Pridelands inhabitants, it was at this time that Ahadi the lion king named that it is to be Mufasa who will be the next king and begins teaching Mufasa his place in the Circle of Life. Taka is comforted by his mother whenever he is upset, mostly he felt left out; Mufasa was always the favourite son. Sarafina came to Priderock, an orphaned young female cub; she approached Priderock and was gladly accepted into the Pride. Taka tried to conspire with Sarafina, trying to use her to make Mufasa jealous. She eventually made friends with Sarabi, the two of them because best friends; Taka was blissfully ignored as his anger and rage only grew deeper. But one attempt to embarrass Mufasa went a step too far...
It was one morning in the Pridelands, the blazing sun has risen up into the sky and the animals were beginning to awake. Taka friendly invited Mufasa to head out hunting for once in a long time; together again it was almost like old times. The now adolescent brother's head to one of the previously dried up watering holes, only to find a large buffalo is claiming it for his own. The Cape Buffalo Boma with a voice as deep as the rumbling earth was lying in the centre of the lake, Mufasa takes this chance to finally prove himself as king as Ahadi has taught him. Stepping forward boldly,
"You must share the water with the other creatures, water is still scarce here," Mufasa swallows deep as the Buffalo Boma stomps his hoof in the water and gives out a loud snort. Clearly not wanting to share anything, Taka suddenly steps forward this time, giving out a loud roar,
"Boma if you do not listen, you'll have to face Mufasa in combat!" Taka growls loudly, his villainous plan coming together nicely, enforcing the rules of the Pridelands, Mufasa will have no choice but to fight or be embarrassed infront of everyone. Mufasa refuses to fight, but Boma doesn't listen, with steam snorting out of his nostrils he charges for Mufasa horns prized forwards, he can only turn and run from the raging Buffalo. With no hope's of defeated him, Mufasa narrowly avoids Boma with agile speed, looking back to see only Taka laughing, increasingly the short-tempered Buffalo gets angrier, but since Boma can't catch with Mufasa he turns to go at his brother. Charging fast Taka's laugher is soon replaced by that of cries for help, Mufasa rushes to help his younger brother as Boma slashes his horns at Taka, the Buffalo has him backed into a corner, growling and stomping, showing no mercy, until the horn of Boma the Buffalo slashes across Taka's youthful face, he crumbles to the ground in an unmoving heap of dark brown fur. Mufasa rushes to his side just as Ahadi arrives at the watering hole, roaring at his upmost loudest at Boma and scaring the beast away. Taka was hurt badly; he looks up weakly; to see Sarafina and Mufasa's gazing down at him worryingly. Then Sarafina notices a large deep red scar across Taka's right eye. The scar he will carry for the rest of his life.
Ahadi was furious with Taka after the events at the watering hole. He lectured his son for hours that night in the lion's den, the night Taka got his new name. He shall be named it for the rest of his days,
"You're no son of mine!" Ahadi roars and suddenly lashes out at his son, striking him across the face, making the large scar on his face more permanent and noticeable. Scar was born that night, inside of him a new hate was born, for Mufasa, for everyone. Ahadi seemingly disowns his own son, never again bothering to give his son attention. But Scar didn't concern himself; he had something bigger planned. He was quick to fall into hatred, with his new dark mark he ran away from his home to the Elephant Graveyard where he and Mufasa used to play in the elderly Mog Forest before it was all painfully scorched. There he meets three young hyenas for the first time; and is quick to forcefully make friends with them. Nobody notices that Scar was gone from Priderock, but the three hyenas: Shenzi, Banzi and Ed, schemed with Scar, creating dark plans of the heart to depose of Mufasa. Meanwhile Ahadi's private watering hole was mysteriously poisoned; Ahadi died almost immediately, his life cut short from his mate Uru. Everyone undoubtedly held Scar responsible for this treachery. Scar claimed to be innocent, he was at the Elephant Graveyard at the time of Ahadi's death and no facts ever proved him to be his father's killer, Scar walked free. But to this day no-one ever truthfully know's who killed Ahadi, or why they committed the appalling act. After many more lengthy days away planning dark dangers for his brother, the now heartless and hateful Scar returns home to visit Sarafina only to see Mufasa the newly crowned Lion King stood apex the end of Priderock with his new mate Sarabi, basking in the light while his forgotten brother Scar laid underneath in the shadows watching his brother with fresh hate. Putting his paw slowly upon his scar, that morning the darkness inside of him manifested itself, it's that day he vowed his revenge, the plans were made, the hyena's were prepared and vengeance will come. His brother had everything he ever wanted, he even got to spend more time with father, he got to be king and even found a loving mate, but little Taka got nothing, betrayed by his own brother, the promises made to him were always broken. But Taka was not that little cub anymore, now he was Scar, and now he sought only to tear down Mufasa. As all the different animals headed the calling as echoes upon the four winds, they gathered at Priderock for Mufasa's coronation, together they all chanted in devoted unison what would become Scar's parting words to his brother: "Long live the king...! Long live the king...! Long live the king...!"'
"—In the tale of Taka, more commonly known as Scar, monsters are made, not born." The lioness at the watering hole finally concludes her long tale to Kovu, Scar's adopted son. Kovu was almost brought to tears right there at the glittering palms watering hole, all he had being told was that Scar was truly a killer, but today, he saw another side to that tale. His adopted father was one innocent, pure of heart, even fun to be around. But the loss of love and betrayal drove him into darkness. Darkness he couldn't escape once rooted deep inside by others. But suddenly swooping down gracefully to the clear watering hole, Zazu disrupts their lengthy discussion,
"Good evening, apologizes for the interruption," Zazu says kindly bowing spreading his two wings out wide as he does. Without hesitation Zazu explains his orders; the king would like to see Kovu alone at the summit of Priderock. After finishing the long conversation with the nameless lioness Kovu is swiftly leaded by Zazu away from the glittering watering hole, "You never told meyour name," Kovu asks, looking over his shoulder curiously;
"It's me from the story, I'm Sarafina," it becomes clear Sarafina grew old alone in the end but lived an incredibly good life here in the Pridelands. She beams warmly and watches Kovu run after Zazu into the brilliant twilight.
"We have the same eyes," the lioness breaks the silence and Kovu raises his head towards her bewildered by her sudden comment. Looking at his reflection in the bright blue waters, meeting eyes with the nameless lioness again, both of them having the same shade of green. Getting a close look the lioness examines him. Finding it mysterious that the lion before her looks exactly like the villainous Scar without having him as his real father. For the lioness knew Scar well, and she was indeed in the fight against Zira, leading the lionesses into conflict; and the old lioness has the battle-scars to prove it; but none compare to the scar across Kovu's right eye. Noticing her impulsive outburst has left Kovu surprised, she turns around, about to leave the watering hole without another word until Kovu calls out to her,
"I got it from my mother," Clearly referring about the scar across his eye. Being more open to her then she first intended, glancing over her shoulder and giving a serious gaze, the lioness decides Kovu has to know the truth about his ancestors. She decides to tell him the story about a king, a prince, and a great enemy. "Kovu," She speaks with a hushed voice:
"Let me tell you a tale: About the storms, the darkness and the scar which changed the face of Priderock for all time—"
'In the tale of two brothers, It was dark times; the Pridelands were suffering from an assault of heavy droughts, storms raged transversely the land but bring with them rain they did not. At the time, Ahadi was the proud Lion King, his bright green eye's glimmered in the dark haze of the Pridelands, and his thick black mane showed no signs of aging. Along with his mate Uru and their recently born cubs he attempted to govern the wilting lands. With the animals' getting increasingly agitated and desperate. All the animals are complaining about the shortage of water and food. The antelopes and zebras are blaming the giraffes, while the leopards are blaming the Cape buffalo,Boma, and his herd. The ostriches are worried about the hyenas, and Zuzu, who had appeared nearby, agrees with them. It was considered an omen, for a king to suffer droughts during his reign. Inside the lion's den Uru cradles her two boys, sheltering them in her dark brown fur from crashes of the harsh storms,
"Shh my children; be still," She whispers to them peacefully, humming them a lullaby to help them calm. Ahadi pounces inside the lion's den, after working hard to maintain the order of the Circle of Life, he was looking progressively more worried with each passing day. Smiling down at Uru, he gazes at his two offspring: Taka and Mufasa. Both only so young, not even old enough to part a sole word. The air tasted foul; and sick with each day becoming far worse than the one before. After pondering for so long in the past days, it was finally time for Ahadi to make his choice.
"Uru my darling, it's time for me to depart; I must find the end to this drought." A single sudden lightning bolt strikes the side of Priderock, creating a small incision in the monument. Originally it was to be Uru who was to find a new source of water, but it was decided to be a king's duty, and for her to look after her cubs. Uru gazes upwards slowly parting a tear and nuzzling Ahadi for perhaps the final time, he bows his head down towards his children and talks directly to Mufasa and Taka:
"Stay safe my child, soon one of you shall be king to a better land." And with that Ahadi roared the call of his departure and ran into the stormy night fearlessly journeying off into lands yet unfamiliar.
As the years rolled onwards, Uru was forced to bring up the cubs Taka and Mufasa on her own. The droughts continued through all the land and signs or tales of Ahadi were non-existent. With everyone knowing little if he was still living. His son's had grown substantially. As brother's they were also the greatest of friends, growing up without a father was tough, but they got by, together far away from vicinity of Priderock the two played on the rolling logs of the Mog Forest.
"Hey Muffy, watch this!" Taka grins as he balances atop one of the circular logs, only to slide off into a ditch of dirt. Mufasa cheekily laughs, but helps Taka back up on his paws. Heading deeper into the forest, Taka the darker furred cub examines the many creatures, from the Bushbabies upon the treetops to the Aardvarks of the undergrowth. Speaking of which, he was fairly hungry. Perhaps he can now give his brother that lesson in hunting he so desperately needs. The animals in the forest were easy pickings for lions, even for the cubs.
"Stay low, to the ground," Taka whispers, lowering his body and drawing out his claws. Edging forwards slowly and quietly, Taka suddenly blasts upwards and pounces over another log. Mufasa suddenly hears the squeal of someone, dashing round to see Taka had pounced unexpectedly upon a female cub. Laughing loudly Mufasa watches his brother slowly clamper off the surprised cub, it is only then when their eyes meet. The cub introduces herself as Sarabi. Her brown eyes are deep and dark. Taka brushes himself off, blushes to himself and then apologizes.
From that day the three of them had many adventures inside the Mog Forest, one such time they journeyed off into the heart of the forest, and at the very centre saw a magical baobab tree twinkle and eliminate in the night hours. It was such a magical sight, Taka and Sarabi soon fell in love; each time they had adventures with Mufasa it only strengthened the relationship of Taka and Sarabi. Saving eachother many times, falling, running and exploring, so many childhood memories together, the three of them couldn't have being closer. Unfortunately sometime after Taka and Sarabi met, the Mog Forest remorsefully burned down during the driest day of the Pridelands drought, the sun set alight the many arid tree's which gathered and grown closely together. Many animals departed this life that night, including a large herd of elephants. The charred remains of the forest later became known as the Elephant Graveyard and the tree at the centre of the forest was destroyed, burned to a crisp.
Afterwards, the days rolled onwards as always, but one night was particularly rememberable for all of them, the sun was just setting upon the orange horizon; glittering twilight all across the sky. Taka picked a festal flower from the burned ruins of the Mog Forest; he was walking over to give it to his love Sarabi under the burning setting sun. But as he approached the cliff face where they're suppost to meet, Taka hears her talking, he darts behinds a boulder, peaking around he notices his brother Mufasa giving Sarabi a finer even more beautiful flower.
"You ought' to tell your brother about us, we've been meeting here for awhile now," Sarabi smiles and gives Mufasa a lick on the cheek, much to Taka's disgust, in his revulsion he throws his flower on the floor and crushes it heartlessly under his murky paw. Taka's own brother, had been seeing her behind his back, Taka in fury was about to walk off, but then remembers his hunting training, purring it to use he suddenly in his rage he pounces over the boulder, and onto his brother. Smashing his paw into his brother's face, Sarabi squeals much like she did when they first met. From the smack Mufasa slides across the cliff and grabs onto the end with his claws, hanging on for dear life. Slowly slipping down the rocky haphazard cliff edge. Taka stands atop the cliff looking down on his brother who in sheer panic roars for help. Taka sighs, and helps his brother up from the cliff, only to be clawed back in the face. "Stop it!" Sarabi shout's for the first time being the source of their fighting; they both wanted her. She puts an end to the brother's fighting and was about to say something as the two cubs struggle in a heap, when the three cubs on the cliff edge suddenly hear a distant but important roar. It was coming from Priderock; Ahadi had returned.
Momentary forgetting their brawl under the sunset with Sarabi, the two brothers rushed home worried for news of their father, both eager to see Ahadi once more. They cannot barely remember him from their cubhood, memories of him faded in time. But no longer can they only have Uru as a mother, but a father too. It has being so long, they wanted to hear tales of their father's adventure's outside of the Pridelands. But when they eventually get home, it wasn't what they expected to witness, Ahadi was laid in the lion's den, he looked much older and had cuts across his face and was bruised in many places. Uru was worried sick and darted to her mate's side as he coughed weakly. Both brother's look worried, lying with him now, "Don't worry; Daddy's home," Ahadi manages to say before closing his eyes for rest. Uru looks after him, much like she did with Taka and Mufasa over the years, whatever Ahadi fought with out there, it certainly wasn't friendly. Some day's after Ahadi returned, so did the rain, the clouds exploded with hail and rain like never seen before, although it would be some time before the land itself repairs, the rain was most welcome to many. The Hippopotamus could finally soak in the waters, and the dodo's no longer need to conserve water. But the Lion King brought back somebody from his travels to help the Pridelands recover from these sinister times, a wise mandrill-baboon by the name of Rafiki; With a eccentric grin he joined the Pride. He became a Shaman, maintaining the balance of the Circle of Life, but most of all, helping Mufasa whim the mischievous acts of his brother Taka.
As another average night closes in, Rafiki comments to Mufasa and Taka who were sitting nearby; discussing past events, learning for the first time about Priderock and situation here. Taka certainly didn't get along with his fatherorhis brother. Mufasa was going to be the next king and now that the drought has ended, perhaps the various animals' can live in harmony once more. Stretches out next to him and the two swiftly fall asleep. But Rafiki is awakened in the middle of the night. When he opens his eyes, he comes face-to-face with a spitting snake. A large purple snake with red strips along its scaly skin. The giant snake is poised and ready to strike, its fangs sticking outwards dangerously,
"You shall not intervene!" The snake hisses, slivering towards Rafiki with a deadly look in its eye, it strikes its fangs towards him but Mufasa jumps in and promptly claws the snake away with little effort showing how brave he can be. Giving an elongated hiss the snake quickly slivers away in defeat but not before giving a outlandish, almost friendly look at Taka. In time, Sarabi fully confessed her love for Mufasa and Uru looked after Ahadi and treated his wounds; Ahadi makes a full recovery.
Ahadi's recovery quickly spread across the Pridelands inhabitants, it was at this time that Ahadi the lion king named that it is to be Mufasa who will be the next king and begins teaching Mufasa his place in the Circle of Life. Taka is comforted by his mother whenever he is upset, mostly he felt left out; Mufasa was always the favourite son. Sarafina came to Priderock, an orphaned young female cub; she approached Priderock and was gladly accepted into the Pride. Taka tried to conspire with Sarafina, trying to use her to make Mufasa jealous. She eventually made friends with Sarabi, the two of them because best friends; Taka was blissfully ignored as his anger and rage only grew deeper. But one attempt to embarrass Mufasa went a step too far...
It was one morning in the Pridelands, the blazing sun has risen up into the sky and the animals were beginning to awake. Taka friendly invited Mufasa to head out hunting for once in a long time; together again it was almost like old times. The now adolescent brother's head to one of the previously dried up watering holes, only to find a large buffalo is claiming it for his own. The Cape Buffalo Boma with a voice as deep as the rumbling earth was lying in the centre of the lake, Mufasa takes this chance to finally prove himself as king as Ahadi has taught him. Stepping forward boldly,
"You must share the water with the other creatures, water is still scarce here," Mufasa swallows deep as the Buffalo Boma stomps his hoof in the water and gives out a loud snort. Clearly not wanting to share anything, Taka suddenly steps forward this time, giving out a loud roar,
"Boma if you do not listen, you'll have to face Mufasa in combat!" Taka growls loudly, his villainous plan coming together nicely, enforcing the rules of the Pridelands, Mufasa will have no choice but to fight or be embarrassed infront of everyone. Mufasa refuses to fight, but Boma doesn't listen, with steam snorting out of his nostrils he charges for Mufasa horns prized forwards, he can only turn and run from the raging Buffalo. With no hope's of defeated him, Mufasa narrowly avoids Boma with agile speed, looking back to see only Taka laughing, increasingly the short-tempered Buffalo gets angrier, but since Boma can't catch with Mufasa he turns to go at his brother. Charging fast Taka's laugher is soon replaced by that of cries for help, Mufasa rushes to help his younger brother as Boma slashes his horns at Taka, the Buffalo has him backed into a corner, growling and stomping, showing no mercy, until the horn of Boma the Buffalo slashes across Taka's youthful face, he crumbles to the ground in an unmoving heap of dark brown fur. Mufasa rushes to his side just as Ahadi arrives at the watering hole, roaring at his upmost loudest at Boma and scaring the beast away. Taka was hurt badly; he looks up weakly; to see Sarafina and Mufasa's gazing down at him worryingly. Then Sarafina notices a large deep red scar across Taka's right eye. The scar he will carry for the rest of his life.
Ahadi was furious with Taka after the events at the watering hole. He lectured his son for hours that night in the lion's den, the night Taka got his new name. He shall be named it for the rest of his days,
"You're no son of mine!" Ahadi roars and suddenly lashes out at his son, striking him across the face, making the large scar on his face more permanent and noticeable. Scar was born that night, inside of him a new hate was born, for Mufasa, for everyone. Ahadi seemingly disowns his own son, never again bothering to give his son attention. But Scar didn't concern himself; he had something bigger planned. He was quick to fall into hatred, with his new dark mark he ran away from his home to the Elephant Graveyard where he and Mufasa used to play in the elderly Mog Forest before it was all painfully scorched. There he meets three young hyenas for the first time; and is quick to forcefully make friends with them. Nobody notices that Scar was gone from Priderock, but the three hyenas: Shenzi, Banzi and Ed, schemed with Scar, creating dark plans of the heart to depose of Mufasa. Meanwhile Ahadi's private watering hole was mysteriously poisoned; Ahadi died almost immediately, his life cut short from his mate Uru. Everyone undoubtedly held Scar responsible for this treachery. Scar claimed to be innocent, he was at the Elephant Graveyard at the time of Ahadi's death and no facts ever proved him to be his father's killer, Scar walked free. But to this day no-one ever truthfully know's who killed Ahadi, or why they committed the appalling act. After many more lengthy days away planning dark dangers for his brother, the now heartless and hateful Scar returns home to visit Sarafina only to see Mufasa the newly crowned Lion King stood apex the end of Priderock with his new mate Sarabi, basking in the light while his forgotten brother Scar laid underneath in the shadows watching his brother with fresh hate. Putting his paw slowly upon his scar, that morning the darkness inside of him manifested itself, it's that day he vowed his revenge, the plans were made, the hyena's were prepared and vengeance will come. His brother had everything he ever wanted, he even got to spend more time with father, he got to be king and even found a loving mate, but little Taka got nothing, betrayed by his own brother, the promises made to him were always broken. But Taka was not that little cub anymore, now he was Scar, and now he sought only to tear down Mufasa. As all the different animals headed the calling as echoes upon the four winds, they gathered at Priderock for Mufasa's coronation, together they all chanted in devoted unison what would become Scar's parting words to his brother: "Long live the king...! Long live the king...! Long live the king...!"'
"—In the tale of Taka, more commonly known as Scar, monsters are made, not born." The lioness at the watering hole finally concludes her long tale to Kovu, Scar's adopted son. Kovu was almost brought to tears right there at the glittering palms watering hole, all he had being told was that Scar was truly a killer, but today, he saw another side to that tale. His adopted father was one innocent, pure of heart, even fun to be around. But the loss of love and betrayal drove him into darkness. Darkness he couldn't escape once rooted deep inside by others. But suddenly swooping down gracefully to the clear watering hole, Zazu disrupts their lengthy discussion,
"Good evening, apologizes for the interruption," Zazu says kindly bowing spreading his two wings out wide as he does. Without hesitation Zazu explains his orders; the king would like to see Kovu alone at the summit of Priderock. After finishing the long conversation with the nameless lioness Kovu is swiftly leaded by Zazu away from the glittering watering hole, "You never told meyour name," Kovu asks, looking over his shoulder curiously;
"It's me from the story, I'm Sarafina," it becomes clear Sarafina grew old alone in the end but lived an incredibly good life here in the Pridelands. She beams warmly and watches Kovu run after Zazu into the brilliant twilight.
Chapter 6 - Zulu falls: show
Once more the animals of this land did shiver awake, opening their eyes at the blistering sun, it started like another dawn marked by the clear blue morning sky. Porcupines awoke from their burrows and rushed around for an early eat. A morning storm brewed in the south and lightning raged on far away. The Silent Sun peaks its way over the horizon; Vitani the fearless finally emerges from the cave, which was special to her throughout her cub years. Squinting her gloomy thin eyes at the rising sun. It being huge and warm as it emerges over the dusty horizon. She's being in the cavern all night. Vitani doesn't welcome the new morning as the all-important stars temporally fade away in the blazing orange sky; she prefers the dark hours more. Today seemed extraordinarily and unusually warmer than the previous. A group of cheerful but importantly bright blue birds flutter past the lioness as just frowns and begins covering up the cave with the same foliage and undergrowth of the former night. Vitani could go many nights without respite or rest; she was obstinate; never letting anybody stand in her way. She needed to show her brother the immense carving inside on the cavern wall; the one she gazed at sadly for so long, She marches off towards Priderock in the remoteness of the awakening Pridelands.
The lionesses finally awake from the lion's den. They awoke late, leaded by an extremely weary Nala. The now larger group of Lioness' split up into their groups. Doti, a previous Outlander who joined the pride using the less-common nickname of Dotty because of a distinctive row of dots under her right eye runs with the leader of the pack Nala as she heads out swiftly to find her energetic daughter, it was time for the morning hunt. Nala dreamed of being a great huntress like Sarabi; who took down a whole male elephant alone in her prime. But with more lionesses in the pride joint from the Outland, it's becoming increasingly hard to control the hunts across the whole savannah. Rushing out into the open, she quickly discovers her optimistic daughter Kiara laid in a patch of tall grass. Nala grins and almost giggles noticing her daughter is just as restless as herself. Getting up Kiara gazes at her mother, the time for the morning hunt is dawning quickly, if they didn't act now they would miss all the early moving heards, and both lionesses knew it. After a brief discussion, they were about to scurry off with Doti, their claws drawn, their hunting instincts kicking in, when suddenly they spot another gloomy looking lioness alone. It was Vitani, Nala was about to leave without her alone, not wanting to talk, there was no time to waste, but Doti, the previous Outlander, calls out to her across the short distance,
"Vitani, we need you here," turning her gaze over her muscular shoulder to see them, perplexed by the sudden comment. Vitani and Doti were both outlanders collectively; they know eachother especially well as friends. It's at that moment Nala, Kiara and Vitani meet on the outskirts of the Acacia plains, the three lionesses coming together for the first occasion since the merge. Nala was very sceptical and unconvinced about Vitani, but Doti greeted her warmly as did Kiara with a warm smile, the youngest of the lionesses she was blissfully unaware of Vitani's past. Afterall they could use all the claws they could get; hunting in the Pridelands is not effortless at daybreak. After a very brief meeting the four of them head out together in their group, and so their hunt began. During the hunt Nala was very sceptical about Vitani; afterall she did connive with her mother Zira, after the two of them were alone in the sallow grass, Nala confronts the previous Outlander,
"I know it was you who started that fire to hurt Kiara," Nala snarls at Vitani as they approach the hunting ground; Nala see's everything that moves on the savannah, her watchful eye's never overlook events. Vitani says nothing in retaliation, but only regretfully remembers the time she set fire to the Pridelands in her mother's mad plans. Nala and Vitani join Kiara and Doti. Doti's lazy eye twitching in the sallow grass; together the four of them are ducked down, stalking the prey of gazelle. The heard had finally stopped and bunched closely and collectively, grazing, being blissfully unaware of the huntresses waiting beside them. But Vitani trips, her paw snapping a twig with a loud snap. The gazelle's raise their heads promptly up and rush off stotting off in a frenzy. Vitani is given disgusted looks,
"I've never actually hunted before; okay?" Vitani admits sighing, an anxious look in her light sapphire eyes. As a cub she hunted the rats of the unforgiving Outlands, nothing more than easy pickings; Vitani may look strong and be good in fights, but she significantly lacks experience for the ability of hunting. She gazes around, moaning to herself, wrapping her tail around her for comfort.
"You're a burden; we shouldn't of brought her," Nala yells angrily; saying nothing more and pouncing off on her lonesome with claws drawn, determined to finish the hunt even if she has to complete it alone. Leaving Vitani with a look of discussed. Kiara and Doti both sigh and comfort Vitani, showing her the ways of hunting, Kiara had not completed a full hunt either yet, but she learned nevertheless, passing on the knowledge. Vitani was too ruthless; she would rather dive in and attack then take a stealthier approach. While she would overpower the beasts, she wasn't sufficiently sly catch them for a clean hunt. She needed to stay low, to the ground, breathe quietly and remain silent at all times. After a quick discussion, and demonstration from Doti, they ran off to join with the queen.
Meanwhile, in the faint purple skies above everything Zazu flies across the heavens, dawn changes the colour of the sky itself, nothing was more great than seeing the magical Pridelands from above. and the majordomo was worried about the storm to the south raging in the distance. But even more worried about the heat of the morning, it was sweltering and not even midday thus far. Swooping below quickly to the ground and perching on a pointed rock, it was time to deliver his morning report; which to everyone accept him seemed pointless. Simba was still sleeping, Zazu steps inside the lion's den;
"Sire?" He toots only to be greeted with a lengthy shrill roar, the king was snoring. Zazu sighs and bounces out of the lion's den; sitting back he watches the storm on the horizon, the lightning bolts striking the world can be seen even from Priderock. Zazu's never had such a sudden day off before, he enjoys nothing more than relaxing to himself however, perhaps there's a first time for everything, he sets off just an quickly as he came. Flying off towards his birdhouse home across the Zulu Falls, the biggest compilation of Waterfalls in all the Pridelands. Huge masses of water all blasting down in the Zuberi River, the greatest elongated river which flows beneath the waterfalls and then through and across the whole of the Pridelands.
Something suddenly catches Zazu's hawk-like eyes; the ferocious Rhino's threatening a lioness it was Nala, struggling to hunt on her own. Fighting off the Rhino's, striking her claws through the air, roaring loudly with all her sharp teeth showing. The Rhino's rush towards her, but Nala dashes out of the way, leaving them to smash through the rock she was trapped against not moments before. Nala runs, faster than light she dashes through the Pridelands, Zazu watches the events unfolding flapping his wings hard to catch up the fleeing lioness. The rhino's rage through the trail Nala leaves, unbelievably catching up to her with little effort. The queen stopping suddenly at the end of a large cliff, below her the many collective waterfalls make up the Zulu Falls, all blasting gallons of water into the Zuberi River. The waterfalls were a magnificent sight, and the roaring waters rivalled that of the loudest most powerful lion roar. Nala didn't want to fight; apparently she was intruding in the rhino's territory and didn't have time to protest against them very long. Zazu hovers above the scene, Nala trapped at the cliff's edge, below the Zulu Fall's never end into a misty pit below. Doing the only thing he can and acting quickly Zazu glides off to search for help in total panic and worry; regretfully leaving the queen as the rhino's once again corner Nala. The rhino's stomp their hoofs, surely they act not to harm Nala; but she is not so sure, Nala looks behind her and see's the numerous waterfalls below, falling would be certain death, the waters would never give chase for an escape. Thinking back to her cubhood, Nala remembers Tama suffering her fate in the Daggermouth gorge. Tama getting swept away without hesitation, water can be unforgiving, even more so than the rhino's which taunt with Nala on the cliff's edge. But unexpectedly help arrives, pouncing out of no-where the rhino's are caught off guard, hope fills Nala's heart once more as Vitani dives on the chief rhino scratching it's rough skin with her long claws. Roaring then jumping infront of Nala, in defence of her. Vitani didn't know how to hunt, but she surely knew how to fight, pouncing forwards to scare the small group of rhino's away, they retreat without hesitancy. Breathing deeply Vitani watches them leave, much to the shock of Nala: Vitani saved her, even after she raised her voice towards her, even after she thought Vitani to be a bad inside, perhaps she was wrong all along.
"No thanks needed," Vitani growls lowly in relief and turns to face Nala, Kiara and Doti arrive soon after with reassured hearts. Kiara runs to nuzzle her mother and beams a warm smile. Doti cheers and smiles for the first time in a long while, Nala gazes over her daughters shoulder to see a enraged rhino charging back towards them with great speed, Nala's eyes widen the rhino roars piercingly and smashes straight into Vitani with its lengthy horn, both Vitani and the rhino fall off the cliff edge, while the rhino falls down into the misty pale pit underneath Vitani hangs onto the rocky cliff-face with her claws imbedded deeply into the rock. Hanging on tightly her two back paws dangling in midair, Vitani struggles to pull herself back up, Doti rushes in immediately to help pull Vitani up just as she slips and grabs Doti's paw tightly, hanging on to Doti's paw for dear life Vitani has let go of the cliff's edge, swinging airborne above the waterfalls from her paw, she looks up showing fear for the first time, her paw slipping the grip of Doti's. Above the raging and many waterfalls all Vitani can hear is her heart thudding inside, she looks up, a single salty tear falls from her eye,
"I'm sorry," she yelps before her grip falters completely and Vitani tumbles down into the Zulu Falls, her high-pitched cry echoes across the waterfalls as she plummets out of sight falling almost flying into the watery pits below; much to the disbelief of the other lionesses. Doti looks at her paw in tears, if only she'd of held on tighter, Nala breaks away from Kiara and desperately glances down from the edge of the cliff to spot any sign of Vitani, but Nala's gaze meets only that of the waterfalls and the Zuberi River they blast down into below. It all happened so quick for everyone, help eventually arrived in the form of additional lionesses and Zazu; but even then they were too late.
The Zulu Falls were searched for hours to come, late into the afternoon, every lioness, buffalo, and even rhino in the land were searching for Vitani together. Kovu wouldn't rest until she was found; but all were whispering the news that Vitani will never be found, perhaps she was really gone. Nala was in denial that Vitani was gone for the rest of her life; she yelled at Vitani, questioned her loyalty, even threatened in her last words to the lioness, and even then Vitani saved her life that very morn. After long searching Kiara instantaneously runs to her mate Kovu on his arrival and nuzzles him securely; telling him in grief reality of the event. Kovu had just lost the last part of his family, his family was now all gone. The Pridelands wept, in a state of great mourning. And Vitani, brave, courageous and fearless Vitani never got to show her brother the carving in the cavern wall.
The lionesses finally awake from the lion's den. They awoke late, leaded by an extremely weary Nala. The now larger group of Lioness' split up into their groups. Doti, a previous Outlander who joined the pride using the less-common nickname of Dotty because of a distinctive row of dots under her right eye runs with the leader of the pack Nala as she heads out swiftly to find her energetic daughter, it was time for the morning hunt. Nala dreamed of being a great huntress like Sarabi; who took down a whole male elephant alone in her prime. But with more lionesses in the pride joint from the Outland, it's becoming increasingly hard to control the hunts across the whole savannah. Rushing out into the open, she quickly discovers her optimistic daughter Kiara laid in a patch of tall grass. Nala grins and almost giggles noticing her daughter is just as restless as herself. Getting up Kiara gazes at her mother, the time for the morning hunt is dawning quickly, if they didn't act now they would miss all the early moving heards, and both lionesses knew it. After a brief discussion, they were about to scurry off with Doti, their claws drawn, their hunting instincts kicking in, when suddenly they spot another gloomy looking lioness alone. It was Vitani, Nala was about to leave without her alone, not wanting to talk, there was no time to waste, but Doti, the previous Outlander, calls out to her across the short distance,
"Vitani, we need you here," turning her gaze over her muscular shoulder to see them, perplexed by the sudden comment. Vitani and Doti were both outlanders collectively; they know eachother especially well as friends. It's at that moment Nala, Kiara and Vitani meet on the outskirts of the Acacia plains, the three lionesses coming together for the first occasion since the merge. Nala was very sceptical and unconvinced about Vitani, but Doti greeted her warmly as did Kiara with a warm smile, the youngest of the lionesses she was blissfully unaware of Vitani's past. Afterall they could use all the claws they could get; hunting in the Pridelands is not effortless at daybreak. After a very brief meeting the four of them head out together in their group, and so their hunt began. During the hunt Nala was very sceptical about Vitani; afterall she did connive with her mother Zira, after the two of them were alone in the sallow grass, Nala confronts the previous Outlander,
"I know it was you who started that fire to hurt Kiara," Nala snarls at Vitani as they approach the hunting ground; Nala see's everything that moves on the savannah, her watchful eye's never overlook events. Vitani says nothing in retaliation, but only regretfully remembers the time she set fire to the Pridelands in her mother's mad plans. Nala and Vitani join Kiara and Doti. Doti's lazy eye twitching in the sallow grass; together the four of them are ducked down, stalking the prey of gazelle. The heard had finally stopped and bunched closely and collectively, grazing, being blissfully unaware of the huntresses waiting beside them. But Vitani trips, her paw snapping a twig with a loud snap. The gazelle's raise their heads promptly up and rush off stotting off in a frenzy. Vitani is given disgusted looks,
"I've never actually hunted before; okay?" Vitani admits sighing, an anxious look in her light sapphire eyes. As a cub she hunted the rats of the unforgiving Outlands, nothing more than easy pickings; Vitani may look strong and be good in fights, but she significantly lacks experience for the ability of hunting. She gazes around, moaning to herself, wrapping her tail around her for comfort.
"You're a burden; we shouldn't of brought her," Nala yells angrily; saying nothing more and pouncing off on her lonesome with claws drawn, determined to finish the hunt even if she has to complete it alone. Leaving Vitani with a look of discussed. Kiara and Doti both sigh and comfort Vitani, showing her the ways of hunting, Kiara had not completed a full hunt either yet, but she learned nevertheless, passing on the knowledge. Vitani was too ruthless; she would rather dive in and attack then take a stealthier approach. While she would overpower the beasts, she wasn't sufficiently sly catch them for a clean hunt. She needed to stay low, to the ground, breathe quietly and remain silent at all times. After a quick discussion, and demonstration from Doti, they ran off to join with the queen.
Meanwhile, in the faint purple skies above everything Zazu flies across the heavens, dawn changes the colour of the sky itself, nothing was more great than seeing the magical Pridelands from above. and the majordomo was worried about the storm to the south raging in the distance. But even more worried about the heat of the morning, it was sweltering and not even midday thus far. Swooping below quickly to the ground and perching on a pointed rock, it was time to deliver his morning report; which to everyone accept him seemed pointless. Simba was still sleeping, Zazu steps inside the lion's den;
"Sire?" He toots only to be greeted with a lengthy shrill roar, the king was snoring. Zazu sighs and bounces out of the lion's den; sitting back he watches the storm on the horizon, the lightning bolts striking the world can be seen even from Priderock. Zazu's never had such a sudden day off before, he enjoys nothing more than relaxing to himself however, perhaps there's a first time for everything, he sets off just an quickly as he came. Flying off towards his birdhouse home across the Zulu Falls, the biggest compilation of Waterfalls in all the Pridelands. Huge masses of water all blasting down in the Zuberi River, the greatest elongated river which flows beneath the waterfalls and then through and across the whole of the Pridelands.
Something suddenly catches Zazu's hawk-like eyes; the ferocious Rhino's threatening a lioness it was Nala, struggling to hunt on her own. Fighting off the Rhino's, striking her claws through the air, roaring loudly with all her sharp teeth showing. The Rhino's rush towards her, but Nala dashes out of the way, leaving them to smash through the rock she was trapped against not moments before. Nala runs, faster than light she dashes through the Pridelands, Zazu watches the events unfolding flapping his wings hard to catch up the fleeing lioness. The rhino's rage through the trail Nala leaves, unbelievably catching up to her with little effort. The queen stopping suddenly at the end of a large cliff, below her the many collective waterfalls make up the Zulu Falls, all blasting gallons of water into the Zuberi River. The waterfalls were a magnificent sight, and the roaring waters rivalled that of the loudest most powerful lion roar. Nala didn't want to fight; apparently she was intruding in the rhino's territory and didn't have time to protest against them very long. Zazu hovers above the scene, Nala trapped at the cliff's edge, below the Zulu Fall's never end into a misty pit below. Doing the only thing he can and acting quickly Zazu glides off to search for help in total panic and worry; regretfully leaving the queen as the rhino's once again corner Nala. The rhino's stomp their hoofs, surely they act not to harm Nala; but she is not so sure, Nala looks behind her and see's the numerous waterfalls below, falling would be certain death, the waters would never give chase for an escape. Thinking back to her cubhood, Nala remembers Tama suffering her fate in the Daggermouth gorge. Tama getting swept away without hesitation, water can be unforgiving, even more so than the rhino's which taunt with Nala on the cliff's edge. But unexpectedly help arrives, pouncing out of no-where the rhino's are caught off guard, hope fills Nala's heart once more as Vitani dives on the chief rhino scratching it's rough skin with her long claws. Roaring then jumping infront of Nala, in defence of her. Vitani didn't know how to hunt, but she surely knew how to fight, pouncing forwards to scare the small group of rhino's away, they retreat without hesitancy. Breathing deeply Vitani watches them leave, much to the shock of Nala: Vitani saved her, even after she raised her voice towards her, even after she thought Vitani to be a bad inside, perhaps she was wrong all along.
"No thanks needed," Vitani growls lowly in relief and turns to face Nala, Kiara and Doti arrive soon after with reassured hearts. Kiara runs to nuzzle her mother and beams a warm smile. Doti cheers and smiles for the first time in a long while, Nala gazes over her daughters shoulder to see a enraged rhino charging back towards them with great speed, Nala's eyes widen the rhino roars piercingly and smashes straight into Vitani with its lengthy horn, both Vitani and the rhino fall off the cliff edge, while the rhino falls down into the misty pale pit underneath Vitani hangs onto the rocky cliff-face with her claws imbedded deeply into the rock. Hanging on tightly her two back paws dangling in midair, Vitani struggles to pull herself back up, Doti rushes in immediately to help pull Vitani up just as she slips and grabs Doti's paw tightly, hanging on to Doti's paw for dear life Vitani has let go of the cliff's edge, swinging airborne above the waterfalls from her paw, she looks up showing fear for the first time, her paw slipping the grip of Doti's. Above the raging and many waterfalls all Vitani can hear is her heart thudding inside, she looks up, a single salty tear falls from her eye,
"I'm sorry," she yelps before her grip falters completely and Vitani tumbles down into the Zulu Falls, her high-pitched cry echoes across the waterfalls as she plummets out of sight falling almost flying into the watery pits below; much to the disbelief of the other lionesses. Doti looks at her paw in tears, if only she'd of held on tighter, Nala breaks away from Kiara and desperately glances down from the edge of the cliff to spot any sign of Vitani, but Nala's gaze meets only that of the waterfalls and the Zuberi River they blast down into below. It all happened so quick for everyone, help eventually arrived in the form of additional lionesses and Zazu; but even then they were too late.
The Zulu Falls were searched for hours to come, late into the afternoon, every lioness, buffalo, and even rhino in the land were searching for Vitani together. Kovu wouldn't rest until she was found; but all were whispering the news that Vitani will never be found, perhaps she was really gone. Nala was in denial that Vitani was gone for the rest of her life; she yelled at Vitani, questioned her loyalty, even threatened in her last words to the lioness, and even then Vitani saved her life that very morn. After long searching Kiara instantaneously runs to her mate Kovu on his arrival and nuzzles him securely; telling him in grief reality of the event. Kovu had just lost the last part of his family, his family was now all gone. The Pridelands wept, in a state of great mourning. And Vitani, brave, courageous and fearless Vitani never got to show her brother the carving in the cavern wall.
Chapter 7 - Beyond the moutains: show
Across the sizzling mores of the Sunstar desert the hoofs of the warthog Pumbaa and his best friend Timon rush across the lonely sands: Rushing moments ahead of a powerful but eerie storm; the dark clouds and flashes of lightning following them as they race back to Priderock. Neither of the two friends forgetting the slivering words spoken to them at the oasis: 'The sought successor as the rightful heir will return. Then equilibrium of this world will be broken.' Brave words spoken; the creature which spoke those words harmed Uncle Max to just to get their attention, just to threaten them. But why speak to them? Why give Timon and Pumbaa to job to warn the king, to warn all the Pridelands, many questions the best friends wonder as they rush through the sweltering almost endless sands of the Sunstar desert.
Meanwhile days passed after the great tragedy at Zulu Falls. Simba, the Lion King comforted his mate Nala, nuzzling her warmly when she was fraught with guilt. Each night they settled down and count their blessings for comfort. The searches around the rivers slowly stopped to a halt, but like all events in the Pridelands, in time, they settled to a simmer and the balance soon became restored. It was only another lengthy day for Simba. He remains comfortably laid in the quietude of the lion's den, sighing deeply he dreams and misses his father from that cruel, fateful day. Mufasa was stolen from him, and he was powerless to stop it. As quickly as the thought accrued, Simba's thoughts are swiftly interrupted. Glancing up he see's two of his old friends:
"Simba!" Pumbaa snorts with a grievous smile as he and Timon by his side walk stridently into the lion's den; their long journey across the Sunstar desert was difficult; they only had moments to rest before rushing here to address the king, their best friend.
"Welcome home guy's;" Simba smile's but ponders as to why their vacation at the oasis was already over, yawning the lion king lays his head down upon his sturdy paws,
"While at the sunny oasis enjoying our brisk vacation with the other merecats we were warned of great peril and danger!" Timon paces up and down the lion's den being all dramatic and loud as always but he pauses to see Simba snoring through his tale, Timon frowns marches up to his buddy and prizes open Simba's eye lid, gazing into his big wide pupil;
"Great peril and danger!" Timon repeats louder his voice echoing across the cave. Simba rolls his eyes as the friends fill eachother in on past events. Inside the darkened Priderock, they discuss the situation of what happened at the oasis. Uncle Max was the bait for a devious trap and a warning was told and sent to be passed on to the king; someone was threatening Simba's pride, and he certainly did not approve, this definitely wasn't a false threat, something was approaching the Pridelands. Then its Simba's turn to explain about the incident at Zulu Fall's; how Vitani fell into the waters below and was never found. Timon and Pumbaa look at eachother, how they remembered Vitani as just a young cub and the adventures they had in the times what passed. It seems while they were away Timon and Pumbaa missed plenty here in the Pridelands. Perhaps it was time to meet to new lionesses, the reason they left was so the new lionesses wouldn't eat them. Having a truce with merecats was pretty difficult for even Simba at first. As the two best friends trot off into the sunlight, this leaves Simba to have a serious think of the times ahead. He may need help in deciding the future; of the Pridelands.
Looking up out on the horizon as a substantial storm brews and dark cloud twirl along towards Priderock. Considering the thunderstorm as an omen like all kings have before him; Simba decides he needs to seek counsel from one of his old cubhood friends. Looking to the skies for his adviser, his Maine blowing in the gathering winds, Simba yells up to the sky for Zazu, heeding the kings call the majordomo swoops down without a moments delay; bowing infront of the king with a smile. Simba whispers instructions into Zazu's right ear; nodding intently Zazu takes flight once more without hesitation flying quickly towards the mountains in the west, his instruction: Fly beyond the mountains to a certain outlining pride and fetch the lion named Malka.
The wind picks up; gusts start blow throughout the Pridelands, as the wind swirls and coils through Kovu's black mane he approaches a small cornered-off cave close to Priderock. Already inside is the worried Kiara laid on a small patch of wheat grass. Ever since Vitani was gone its being the princess' job to help Kovu; full of grief the new prince enters the cave and lays away from Kiara on his lonesome.
"First Nuka, then mother and now Vitani;" Kovu sighs and curls into a small ball. Kiara rushes up to him and nuzzles him warmly trying to get through to him. She is so deeply worried for him; almost nursing him, Kovu felt hopeless, feeling no one could help him now; everyone wanted his relatives gone and now it's happened.
"Leave me alone," Kovu suddenly outbursts in grief getting up almost pushing Kiara away and walking out into the stormy afternoon. At that moment a thin sudden wave of black smoke blows past the cave as a tree suddenly collapses before him burning brightly its sets the tall grass alight all around him; so suddenly smoke and flames blaze everywhere, Kiara bravely dives through the flames just escaping as the bright red fire spreads quickly. In the reflection of Kovu's green eyes the flames can be seen in his pupil; he almost smiles before he is dragged away by his mate Kiara.
The black plumes of smoke whirl upwards into the stormy grey sky, the smoke can be seen for miles around nobody could miss the black scar of smoke in the sky. The crackling flame continue burn through the tall grass, eating away at the land itself, the heards surrounding the area fled without a moment's hindrance. The origin's to the fire remains unknown but fetching water in any way possible, Kiara, Timon, Pumbaa and some others try to stop the flames. Pumbaa collects water in his huge mouth and spits upon the flame while Nala and some other lionesses dig into the land clawing dirt and sand up into the bright fire. Coughing from the smoke the strong flames rage onwards, nothing can stop them.
"It's no us; the fire's just too strong for us" Timon calls out above the roaring constant sound of the flames. Kiara stepping back falls into one of the holes and trips backwards falling into a small pit. Groaning she yells out for help; cursing she's trapped inside another fire, she coughs loudly, Kovu just watches almost memorized by the flames, too full of grief to help anyone, it's Pumbaa who comes to her rescue, placing a tree branch upon his tusks firmly he lowers it down into the small pit helping Kiara as she grabs it tightly; another lioness helps her upwards and out just before the flames consume the pit. Forcing to flee the area, Kovu finally orders the retreat.
Zazu gazes at the flames high in the air; already on his return a muscular lion is running behind him. A bright furred lion with a mane of two colours, black and lighter brown, with black fur on the top of both his ears and gleaming brown eyes, adult Malka follows Zazu through the Pridelands. Malka is the only one of Simba's old friends who lived beyond the mountains in a different pride. When his mother died as only a teen Malka assumed the role as pride leader. Spending the remainder of his days looking for the love he lost in the Daggermouth Gorge when just a cub. Priderock was still a distance away yet but the smoke could be seen, a fire in a storm? Most mysterious Zazu thinks to himself; perhaps it was not started by natural causes, Malka did run ahead of Zazu and lost of sight of him for awhile. His wings ached as he had never flown so quickly, similarly he had never noticed the king so worried. No one was injured as everyone is declared safe; the blaze is to be left to burn away on its own.
"So suddenly the flames spread, everything in sight set alight within moments," Doti reports to Simba standing high upon the end of Priderock. Simba's sighs relieved everyone had being moved to the watering hole or so he was told. Simba can only watch, he was far too worried about greater problems, a greater threat than that of the fire, and indeed everyone was safe and accounted for, no one was hurt in the fire, but how did it start? Simba was so lost in thought he failed to notice a familiar face suddenly walks up the rocks towards him, the lion catching his eye Simba beams with a smile:
"Malka!" Simba greets his older friend with a huge grin as he runs to joins him at the end of Priderock,
"Didn't get lost on the way here did you?" Simba jokes from old times; laughing only slightly, it's being a very long time since they last met, Malka was there cheering with all the other lions at Simba's coronation just after he defeated his uncle Scar and the Pridelands returned to normal. One smile from Simba cannot cover up his worry,
"We have much to talk about my friend," Simba smile's looking out on the horizon where the fire rages. Malka takes a deep breath, for what he is about to say should never be spoken: "Perhaps you consider using the Knights?" Simba winces at the sound of Malka's voice, for a moment he freezes almost in disbelief, before growling lowly. "The Knights have nothing to do with this, they shall not interfere here under my order—" Simba sighs warmly invites Malka inside the lion's den for a more private talk, while Zazu rests his wings and the others watch the inferno continue to smoulder the land in the distance as the thunderstorm on the horizon grows ever darker and closer.
Meanwhile days passed after the great tragedy at Zulu Falls. Simba, the Lion King comforted his mate Nala, nuzzling her warmly when she was fraught with guilt. Each night they settled down and count their blessings for comfort. The searches around the rivers slowly stopped to a halt, but like all events in the Pridelands, in time, they settled to a simmer and the balance soon became restored. It was only another lengthy day for Simba. He remains comfortably laid in the quietude of the lion's den, sighing deeply he dreams and misses his father from that cruel, fateful day. Mufasa was stolen from him, and he was powerless to stop it. As quickly as the thought accrued, Simba's thoughts are swiftly interrupted. Glancing up he see's two of his old friends:
"Simba!" Pumbaa snorts with a grievous smile as he and Timon by his side walk stridently into the lion's den; their long journey across the Sunstar desert was difficult; they only had moments to rest before rushing here to address the king, their best friend.
"Welcome home guy's;" Simba smile's but ponders as to why their vacation at the oasis was already over, yawning the lion king lays his head down upon his sturdy paws,
"While at the sunny oasis enjoying our brisk vacation with the other merecats we were warned of great peril and danger!" Timon paces up and down the lion's den being all dramatic and loud as always but he pauses to see Simba snoring through his tale, Timon frowns marches up to his buddy and prizes open Simba's eye lid, gazing into his big wide pupil;
"Great peril and danger!" Timon repeats louder his voice echoing across the cave. Simba rolls his eyes as the friends fill eachother in on past events. Inside the darkened Priderock, they discuss the situation of what happened at the oasis. Uncle Max was the bait for a devious trap and a warning was told and sent to be passed on to the king; someone was threatening Simba's pride, and he certainly did not approve, this definitely wasn't a false threat, something was approaching the Pridelands. Then its Simba's turn to explain about the incident at Zulu Fall's; how Vitani fell into the waters below and was never found. Timon and Pumbaa look at eachother, how they remembered Vitani as just a young cub and the adventures they had in the times what passed. It seems while they were away Timon and Pumbaa missed plenty here in the Pridelands. Perhaps it was time to meet to new lionesses, the reason they left was so the new lionesses wouldn't eat them. Having a truce with merecats was pretty difficult for even Simba at first. As the two best friends trot off into the sunlight, this leaves Simba to have a serious think of the times ahead. He may need help in deciding the future; of the Pridelands.
Looking up out on the horizon as a substantial storm brews and dark cloud twirl along towards Priderock. Considering the thunderstorm as an omen like all kings have before him; Simba decides he needs to seek counsel from one of his old cubhood friends. Looking to the skies for his adviser, his Maine blowing in the gathering winds, Simba yells up to the sky for Zazu, heeding the kings call the majordomo swoops down without a moments delay; bowing infront of the king with a smile. Simba whispers instructions into Zazu's right ear; nodding intently Zazu takes flight once more without hesitation flying quickly towards the mountains in the west, his instruction: Fly beyond the mountains to a certain outlining pride and fetch the lion named Malka.
The wind picks up; gusts start blow throughout the Pridelands, as the wind swirls and coils through Kovu's black mane he approaches a small cornered-off cave close to Priderock. Already inside is the worried Kiara laid on a small patch of wheat grass. Ever since Vitani was gone its being the princess' job to help Kovu; full of grief the new prince enters the cave and lays away from Kiara on his lonesome.
"First Nuka, then mother and now Vitani;" Kovu sighs and curls into a small ball. Kiara rushes up to him and nuzzles him warmly trying to get through to him. She is so deeply worried for him; almost nursing him, Kovu felt hopeless, feeling no one could help him now; everyone wanted his relatives gone and now it's happened.
"Leave me alone," Kovu suddenly outbursts in grief getting up almost pushing Kiara away and walking out into the stormy afternoon. At that moment a thin sudden wave of black smoke blows past the cave as a tree suddenly collapses before him burning brightly its sets the tall grass alight all around him; so suddenly smoke and flames blaze everywhere, Kiara bravely dives through the flames just escaping as the bright red fire spreads quickly. In the reflection of Kovu's green eyes the flames can be seen in his pupil; he almost smiles before he is dragged away by his mate Kiara.
The black plumes of smoke whirl upwards into the stormy grey sky, the smoke can be seen for miles around nobody could miss the black scar of smoke in the sky. The crackling flame continue burn through the tall grass, eating away at the land itself, the heards surrounding the area fled without a moment's hindrance. The origin's to the fire remains unknown but fetching water in any way possible, Kiara, Timon, Pumbaa and some others try to stop the flames. Pumbaa collects water in his huge mouth and spits upon the flame while Nala and some other lionesses dig into the land clawing dirt and sand up into the bright fire. Coughing from the smoke the strong flames rage onwards, nothing can stop them.
"It's no us; the fire's just too strong for us" Timon calls out above the roaring constant sound of the flames. Kiara stepping back falls into one of the holes and trips backwards falling into a small pit. Groaning she yells out for help; cursing she's trapped inside another fire, she coughs loudly, Kovu just watches almost memorized by the flames, too full of grief to help anyone, it's Pumbaa who comes to her rescue, placing a tree branch upon his tusks firmly he lowers it down into the small pit helping Kiara as she grabs it tightly; another lioness helps her upwards and out just before the flames consume the pit. Forcing to flee the area, Kovu finally orders the retreat.
Zazu gazes at the flames high in the air; already on his return a muscular lion is running behind him. A bright furred lion with a mane of two colours, black and lighter brown, with black fur on the top of both his ears and gleaming brown eyes, adult Malka follows Zazu through the Pridelands. Malka is the only one of Simba's old friends who lived beyond the mountains in a different pride. When his mother died as only a teen Malka assumed the role as pride leader. Spending the remainder of his days looking for the love he lost in the Daggermouth Gorge when just a cub. Priderock was still a distance away yet but the smoke could be seen, a fire in a storm? Most mysterious Zazu thinks to himself; perhaps it was not started by natural causes, Malka did run ahead of Zazu and lost of sight of him for awhile. His wings ached as he had never flown so quickly, similarly he had never noticed the king so worried. No one was injured as everyone is declared safe; the blaze is to be left to burn away on its own.
"So suddenly the flames spread, everything in sight set alight within moments," Doti reports to Simba standing high upon the end of Priderock. Simba's sighs relieved everyone had being moved to the watering hole or so he was told. Simba can only watch, he was far too worried about greater problems, a greater threat than that of the fire, and indeed everyone was safe and accounted for, no one was hurt in the fire, but how did it start? Simba was so lost in thought he failed to notice a familiar face suddenly walks up the rocks towards him, the lion catching his eye Simba beams with a smile:
"Malka!" Simba greets his older friend with a huge grin as he runs to joins him at the end of Priderock,
"Didn't get lost on the way here did you?" Simba jokes from old times; laughing only slightly, it's being a very long time since they last met, Malka was there cheering with all the other lions at Simba's coronation just after he defeated his uncle Scar and the Pridelands returned to normal. One smile from Simba cannot cover up his worry,
"We have much to talk about my friend," Simba smile's looking out on the horizon where the fire rages. Malka takes a deep breath, for what he is about to say should never be spoken: "Perhaps you consider using the Knights?" Simba winces at the sound of Malka's voice, for a moment he freezes almost in disbelief, before growling lowly. "The Knights have nothing to do with this, they shall not interfere here under my order—" Simba sighs warmly invites Malka inside the lion's den for a more private talk, while Zazu rests his wings and the others watch the inferno continue to smoulder the land in the distance as the thunderstorm on the horizon grows ever darker and closer.
Chapter 8 - Vennom and fire: show
As events pasted; scowling his eyes and growling lowly Kovu watches suspiciously as Malka rushes up the end of Priderock to address his old friend the lion king. "Strange don't you think? As soon as Malka appears that fire started," Kovu groans, his fur was slightly smothered and dirty from the flames of the raging fire. Listening intently in the shadow of Priderock Kovu glares at the two lions listening to every word. After the rain pours down in gallons, Simba and Malka head inside Priderock, Kovu wonders to himself; who exactly are the Knights? Kiara sighs licking her mate clean and giving him words of reassurance.
"You may be right in suspecting him prince Kovu," Zazu suddenly appears, anxious when addressing the prince,
"I lost sight of him one moment, and then, smoke appeared in the distance. Malka is a fast lion, faster than my wings could ever fly me." The majordomo concludes; snuffing then taking off without another word, flying off into the distance. Just at that moment a group of cheerful but important bright blue birds flutter past Kovu and Kiara, the mates gazing at them for a short while, little did Kovu know his sister Vitani saw the exact same birds just days before. Suddenly Kiara interrupts the silence— "The past days have being hotter than usual Kovu; it could of being the sun which started that fire." But Kovu wasn't listening to his mate. He was sure Malka started the fire; he wasn't going to listen to reason. Kiara keeps on trying to pull Kovu out of his self-pity and concern, but the prince knew he needed to confront with this new arrival.
Inside the dry confines of Priderock, within its rock walls Simba and Malka discuss everything personally. Malka has heard so much from Simba's Pride, tales of courageousness although most importantly; tales of secrecy. From beyond the Mountains Malka is detached from the events what happen within the inner Pridelands, but occasional visits keep the two old friends together. However this time Simba only brought bad news, about the fire, the loss of Vitani, the deadly warning given in the Oasis and the dark omen of the storm which swirls ominously in the sky. Simba begins explaining all to his cubhood friend.
"Don't be troubled Simba; with me and you together, we'll discover who started that fire." Simba winces at his friend's comment, what makes Malka so certain it was someone who started the fire and not the sun itself or even maybe a lightning strike? Shaking his head and overcoming any hesitation Simba smiles to his friend knowing his intentions are good. After their very short private discussion inside the lion's den they agree to investigate the source of the fire when the sun peaks highest in the sky, once decided both lions head out unto the heavy rain departing their separate ways.
The sun was barely visible from behind the thick grey clouds. Malka smiles to himself as he ponders through the sodden Pridelands. Malka knew he was being watched through the tall grass. A pair of thin green silent eyes stare at his every move. Malka rolls his eyes and looks directly at the lion watching him in the distance. The eerie silence is broken as Kovu suddenly emerged knowing he'd being caught watching the new arrival.
"So you're the new prince, Kovu is it? I presume you were watching me for a reason." Kovu does not reply but instead growls loudly and threateningly, knowing the lion before him cannot be trusted. Malka gases at the prince; knowing he needed to tell the young prince the truth. The two lions stay a distance from each other, circling around each other, neither one taking a step closer because they dare not. "You have his eyes," Malka suddenly interrupts the moment, Kovu stands his ground. The tone of the mood outside suddenly drops; the air becomes thin and eerier now. Again with his eyes, what's so important about them? Catching onto what Malka just said, did he mean his real father? Noticing his impulsive outburst has left Kovu shocked, Malka slowly walks towards the prince a kind smile on his face but Kovu growls and draws his sharp claws before replying in rage:
"But that's impossible, no one knew him, how can you know that?" Kovu shouts in shock and disbelief ready to pounce on the lion and attack him,
"Because I've met your father!" Malka roars back stridently just as a lightning bolt strikes the Pridelands and thunder rages across the flashing clouds above them. Kovu's eyes widen and he nearly falls over in shock, wincing and retracting his claws at the sudden outburst from the new arrival. In the flash of lightning Malka was gone; ran away to join Simba in the investigation of the fire leaving Kovu to sulk in the rain. Kovu's heart races with a thousand sudden questions rushing around in his head, perhaps Kovu still had family; he was not as alone as he thought...
The eerie Pridelands were deserted for now. Not even a flicker of the afternoon pelicans could be heard. A thick black scar of ash and smoke weaves its way along where the path of fire used to be. The fire slowly dissipated but parts of the Pridelands were burned asunder. Simba was prowling through the ash where the fire burned just moments before. Sniffing the ground, scratching the black cinders away to find any sort of tracks. Perhaps a lightning strike started the fire, suddenly Simba stands upon a twig snapping it clean in two he looks down to see the starts of a track. Filling with hope Simba uses his paw to brush away the ash once more this time showing a clear path of foliage leading out into the distance, not waiting for his old friend Simba dashes off towards the east, towards the Elephant Graveyard.
The rain clouds gathered and rain poured down like a monsoon. The rain was heavy and fast however this did not bother Timon and Pumbaa who were out in the muddy pits looking for a snack of soggy grubs. Chasing and running through the puddles and ignoring the rain although it was wet and cold, a brilliant time for bugs to come out. Picking through the mud, eating all the grubs they could eat, the two best friends enjoy their time in the rain. Looking out on the distance Pumbaa notices Kovu running through the rain at lightning speeds, his claws drawn the prince jumps straight over the best friends and rushes towards the Elephant Graveyard ignoring the two Kovu continues to run. Wanting more answers; if Malka leaves now maybe he'll never get those answers; and Kovu was going to get them, even if he had to force them from the new arrival. The adrenaline pumping through his body, keeping him going as the heavy rain soaked his fur making it harder for the lion, he kept going. Nothing stopping him now, an evil glare in his eyes the darkness he thought he left behind him was still growing within him, ready to strike at any moment.
Following the tracks Simba comes to the haunting Elephant Graveyard, heading inside down a small hill, he descends into the graveyard full of old bones and geysers of fire which occasionally blast up into the air. Simba slowly walks through the misty land, remembering times of his childhood here he would rather forget. Adventure's with Nala, Malka and even Tama before she was swept away in the Daggermouth Gorge. Simba was braver now and stronger too, following the tracks he senses an ambush. Anything could jump out from above or even to the sides but he was ready for anything. The Elephant Graveyard was safer since the Hyena's got chased off many years ago. Simba remembers the battles here with the Hyena's after Scar's demise. It was one such battle Simba's mother Sarabi died during. Simba will never forget that dark day. Suddenly something crunches off in the distance, Simba's ear prick up as he notices Malka somehow ahead of the king. Simba gives a sigh of relief and calls out to his old friend with a smile discarding the thoughts of danger. A constant eerie haze swirling around them Simba approaches his old friend at the very end of the Elephant Graveyard, looking down at what Malka discovered. Below them a small pool of deadly venom. Neither of the lions touches the deadly substance, but both finding it interesting. Perhaps a clue to the true culprit of the fire, following the tracks with his eyes looking up Simba notices the end of the Elephant Graveyard. Beyond this the path leads to the Shadowland. Simba decides to end his search here. Even the king dare not travel there. Even he does not know what stays in the Shadowland, no one does, for it is an outlawed place. Any who dare travel there never return home. Unexpectedly a brown figure dashes past knocking Simba off his paws and into a pit, the lion king landing on a pile of grimy skeletons bashing his head against one of the hard bones, bewilder by what just happened he collapses in the pit. Malka's eye widen as a sudden hurl of claws slash across his face. Roaring in pain he looks up to see Kovu. Malka and Kovu claw at each other, growling in combat Malka finally backs off defeated by the stronger prince.
"Where's my father!" Kovu growls piercingly sounding just like his adopted father Taka did before him. Knowing he has overstayed his welcome Malka shakes his head and backs away from the new prince, almost scared of what he might do. Acting just like Scar did with the same rage and darkness in the princes eyes.
"When the sun next rises you can see him Kovu. Meet him in the Outlands..." Malka finally concludes before without hesitation runs off; escaping from the obsessed Kovu looking for his family, he rushes away into the mist away from the Pridelands. As the lion king awakes from his short absence he tries desperately to claws his way out of the pit, but Kovu calms down enough to lend the king his paw. Simba looks around for Malka knowing nothing of what he just said to the new prince. During the brawl the tracks were destroyed, covered up by the black dust of the Elephant Graveyard. Simba sighs to himself, the search was over. Still with Kovu they leisurely head home-back to Priderock.
Gone as quickly as he came, Malka was not seen again in the Pridelands, Malka's real task in the Pridelands was finished and to where he ran away remains a mystery to everyone. Simba thinks about the pool of venom he found, wondering just what it meant as he returned home to the lion's den Kovu rushes up to the very peak of Priderock. The rain pours on the princes Maine as he watches the Pridelands become wet and soggy, full of mud and grime. Kovu lays upon the top most part of Priderock; looking out at the dark clouds and a shadowy Pridelands. Kovu feels he wasn't wrong to suspect Malka, he never trusted the lion from the minute he saw him. Kovu believed Malka was a villain and that it was really him who started the fire but no one believed him that Malka was bad. Kovu's thinks this was just what happened to Taka when everyone thought he poisoned Ahadi, no one believed Taka that he didn't kill his own father. Kovu remains thinking of his adopted father, later renamed Scar, the way Sarafina told him. Kiara soon joins her mate again atop Priderock, finding it dangerous he's so high up in a thunderstorm. Kovu just sighs sadly and looks over at her with a miserable frown,
"He knows my father Kiara," Kovu explains all to her as he looks out on the wet horizon. For tomorrow he will go to Outland to meet his real father. For tomorrow starts the beginning of the end.
"You may be right in suspecting him prince Kovu," Zazu suddenly appears, anxious when addressing the prince,
"I lost sight of him one moment, and then, smoke appeared in the distance. Malka is a fast lion, faster than my wings could ever fly me." The majordomo concludes; snuffing then taking off without another word, flying off into the distance. Just at that moment a group of cheerful but important bright blue birds flutter past Kovu and Kiara, the mates gazing at them for a short while, little did Kovu know his sister Vitani saw the exact same birds just days before. Suddenly Kiara interrupts the silence— "The past days have being hotter than usual Kovu; it could of being the sun which started that fire." But Kovu wasn't listening to his mate. He was sure Malka started the fire; he wasn't going to listen to reason. Kiara keeps on trying to pull Kovu out of his self-pity and concern, but the prince knew he needed to confront with this new arrival.
Inside the dry confines of Priderock, within its rock walls Simba and Malka discuss everything personally. Malka has heard so much from Simba's Pride, tales of courageousness although most importantly; tales of secrecy. From beyond the Mountains Malka is detached from the events what happen within the inner Pridelands, but occasional visits keep the two old friends together. However this time Simba only brought bad news, about the fire, the loss of Vitani, the deadly warning given in the Oasis and the dark omen of the storm which swirls ominously in the sky. Simba begins explaining all to his cubhood friend.
"Don't be troubled Simba; with me and you together, we'll discover who started that fire." Simba winces at his friend's comment, what makes Malka so certain it was someone who started the fire and not the sun itself or even maybe a lightning strike? Shaking his head and overcoming any hesitation Simba smiles to his friend knowing his intentions are good. After their very short private discussion inside the lion's den they agree to investigate the source of the fire when the sun peaks highest in the sky, once decided both lions head out unto the heavy rain departing their separate ways.
The sun was barely visible from behind the thick grey clouds. Malka smiles to himself as he ponders through the sodden Pridelands. Malka knew he was being watched through the tall grass. A pair of thin green silent eyes stare at his every move. Malka rolls his eyes and looks directly at the lion watching him in the distance. The eerie silence is broken as Kovu suddenly emerged knowing he'd being caught watching the new arrival.
"So you're the new prince, Kovu is it? I presume you were watching me for a reason." Kovu does not reply but instead growls loudly and threateningly, knowing the lion before him cannot be trusted. Malka gases at the prince; knowing he needed to tell the young prince the truth. The two lions stay a distance from each other, circling around each other, neither one taking a step closer because they dare not. "You have his eyes," Malka suddenly interrupts the moment, Kovu stands his ground. The tone of the mood outside suddenly drops; the air becomes thin and eerier now. Again with his eyes, what's so important about them? Catching onto what Malka just said, did he mean his real father? Noticing his impulsive outburst has left Kovu shocked, Malka slowly walks towards the prince a kind smile on his face but Kovu growls and draws his sharp claws before replying in rage:
"But that's impossible, no one knew him, how can you know that?" Kovu shouts in shock and disbelief ready to pounce on the lion and attack him,
"Because I've met your father!" Malka roars back stridently just as a lightning bolt strikes the Pridelands and thunder rages across the flashing clouds above them. Kovu's eyes widen and he nearly falls over in shock, wincing and retracting his claws at the sudden outburst from the new arrival. In the flash of lightning Malka was gone; ran away to join Simba in the investigation of the fire leaving Kovu to sulk in the rain. Kovu's heart races with a thousand sudden questions rushing around in his head, perhaps Kovu still had family; he was not as alone as he thought...
The eerie Pridelands were deserted for now. Not even a flicker of the afternoon pelicans could be heard. A thick black scar of ash and smoke weaves its way along where the path of fire used to be. The fire slowly dissipated but parts of the Pridelands were burned asunder. Simba was prowling through the ash where the fire burned just moments before. Sniffing the ground, scratching the black cinders away to find any sort of tracks. Perhaps a lightning strike started the fire, suddenly Simba stands upon a twig snapping it clean in two he looks down to see the starts of a track. Filling with hope Simba uses his paw to brush away the ash once more this time showing a clear path of foliage leading out into the distance, not waiting for his old friend Simba dashes off towards the east, towards the Elephant Graveyard.
The rain clouds gathered and rain poured down like a monsoon. The rain was heavy and fast however this did not bother Timon and Pumbaa who were out in the muddy pits looking for a snack of soggy grubs. Chasing and running through the puddles and ignoring the rain although it was wet and cold, a brilliant time for bugs to come out. Picking through the mud, eating all the grubs they could eat, the two best friends enjoy their time in the rain. Looking out on the distance Pumbaa notices Kovu running through the rain at lightning speeds, his claws drawn the prince jumps straight over the best friends and rushes towards the Elephant Graveyard ignoring the two Kovu continues to run. Wanting more answers; if Malka leaves now maybe he'll never get those answers; and Kovu was going to get them, even if he had to force them from the new arrival. The adrenaline pumping through his body, keeping him going as the heavy rain soaked his fur making it harder for the lion, he kept going. Nothing stopping him now, an evil glare in his eyes the darkness he thought he left behind him was still growing within him, ready to strike at any moment.
Following the tracks Simba comes to the haunting Elephant Graveyard, heading inside down a small hill, he descends into the graveyard full of old bones and geysers of fire which occasionally blast up into the air. Simba slowly walks through the misty land, remembering times of his childhood here he would rather forget. Adventure's with Nala, Malka and even Tama before she was swept away in the Daggermouth Gorge. Simba was braver now and stronger too, following the tracks he senses an ambush. Anything could jump out from above or even to the sides but he was ready for anything. The Elephant Graveyard was safer since the Hyena's got chased off many years ago. Simba remembers the battles here with the Hyena's after Scar's demise. It was one such battle Simba's mother Sarabi died during. Simba will never forget that dark day. Suddenly something crunches off in the distance, Simba's ear prick up as he notices Malka somehow ahead of the king. Simba gives a sigh of relief and calls out to his old friend with a smile discarding the thoughts of danger. A constant eerie haze swirling around them Simba approaches his old friend at the very end of the Elephant Graveyard, looking down at what Malka discovered. Below them a small pool of deadly venom. Neither of the lions touches the deadly substance, but both finding it interesting. Perhaps a clue to the true culprit of the fire, following the tracks with his eyes looking up Simba notices the end of the Elephant Graveyard. Beyond this the path leads to the Shadowland. Simba decides to end his search here. Even the king dare not travel there. Even he does not know what stays in the Shadowland, no one does, for it is an outlawed place. Any who dare travel there never return home. Unexpectedly a brown figure dashes past knocking Simba off his paws and into a pit, the lion king landing on a pile of grimy skeletons bashing his head against one of the hard bones, bewilder by what just happened he collapses in the pit. Malka's eye widen as a sudden hurl of claws slash across his face. Roaring in pain he looks up to see Kovu. Malka and Kovu claw at each other, growling in combat Malka finally backs off defeated by the stronger prince.
"Where's my father!" Kovu growls piercingly sounding just like his adopted father Taka did before him. Knowing he has overstayed his welcome Malka shakes his head and backs away from the new prince, almost scared of what he might do. Acting just like Scar did with the same rage and darkness in the princes eyes.
"When the sun next rises you can see him Kovu. Meet him in the Outlands..." Malka finally concludes before without hesitation runs off; escaping from the obsessed Kovu looking for his family, he rushes away into the mist away from the Pridelands. As the lion king awakes from his short absence he tries desperately to claws his way out of the pit, but Kovu calms down enough to lend the king his paw. Simba looks around for Malka knowing nothing of what he just said to the new prince. During the brawl the tracks were destroyed, covered up by the black dust of the Elephant Graveyard. Simba sighs to himself, the search was over. Still with Kovu they leisurely head home-back to Priderock.
Gone as quickly as he came, Malka was not seen again in the Pridelands, Malka's real task in the Pridelands was finished and to where he ran away remains a mystery to everyone. Simba thinks about the pool of venom he found, wondering just what it meant as he returned home to the lion's den Kovu rushes up to the very peak of Priderock. The rain pours on the princes Maine as he watches the Pridelands become wet and soggy, full of mud and grime. Kovu lays upon the top most part of Priderock; looking out at the dark clouds and a shadowy Pridelands. Kovu feels he wasn't wrong to suspect Malka, he never trusted the lion from the minute he saw him. Kovu believed Malka was a villain and that it was really him who started the fire but no one believed him that Malka was bad. Kovu's thinks this was just what happened to Taka when everyone thought he poisoned Ahadi, no one believed Taka that he didn't kill his own father. Kovu remains thinking of his adopted father, later renamed Scar, the way Sarafina told him. Kiara soon joins her mate again atop Priderock, finding it dangerous he's so high up in a thunderstorm. Kovu just sighs sadly and looks over at her with a miserable frown,
"He knows my father Kiara," Kovu explains all to her as he looks out on the wet horizon. For tomorrow he will go to Outland to meet his real father. For tomorrow starts the beginning of the end.
Chapter 9 - Finale Part I - Before the storm: show
The Storm is darker than ever, a clear sign that night has drawn in. Another white flash of lightning crashed through the clouds striking the land. The storm was near, almost directly on top of Priderock. Perfect time for a midnight hunt Sarafina thought to herself and quickly gathers the lionesses, Nala and Kiara were first to join her in the rain, the perky Kiara chatting with her mother while waiting for the miserable Doti to catch up. Doti is still saddened by the loss of her friend Vitani, a day the lionesses will not forget lightly. The lioness's fur was soggy and drenched but the hunt was still to go ahead, for it the perfect time to catch some zebra. The storm was perfect cover for the huntresses; they didn't have to be so silent. The storm is not yet at its greatest but it is still roaring above in the sky above them as their hunt begins. Rushing through the wet Pridelands the lionesses decide to split into two groups, Kiara goes with her grandmother on mom's side: Sarafina. Doti decides go with the queen Nala. Splitting off into opposite directions Sarafina and her granddaughter rush out further into the storm. Running throughout the Pridelands Kiara is happy to spend some quiet time with her grandmother. They have had little time to talk. But now enjoying their time together they charge past the main watering hole where a drowsy Kovu is taking a long refreshing drink. Having no time to talk Kiara and her grandmother rush off, not stopping, their eyes wide, ready to attack rapidly, concentrating on the horizon they run across a patch of grass and twigs on the ground which suddenly fracture and break beneath them, Kiara and Sarafina suddenly fall through the ground into a deep muddy pit as foliage collapses on top of them.
Moments of black pass and Kiara awakes inside a filthy pit shallowly filled with rainwater. Looking around her blurry vision she brushes off a heavy tree branch. Kiara's fur is stained with the mud of the deep pit, as the young lioness comes to her senses she looks over to see her Grandmother badly hurt on the other side of the pit. Sarafina was pinned down by a large circular log which fell in the pit with them, Kiara rushes over to her. The rain continues to pour in the small pit as Kiara struggles over to her grandmother lying still and not moving. The young princess tries desperately to push the log, using all her strength to lift it up, but it's no use, she is not strong enough. Lying silently Sarafina remains still; Kiara uses her paw to lift her grandmother's face out of the muddy water and sulks. There's nothing she can do to help; feeling powerless to do anything Kiara cries out for help, roaring out loudly, but her faint cries could not rival that of the thunderstorms wind and heavy rain.
As the thunderstorm continues it has left most of the Pridelands wet and Zazu scouts the land below. Once again looking across the land all the small floods across the grasslands; later when the sun rises he can check in with the morning report, the kings majordomo is always awake and alert this early in the nights. Zazu glides towards Five Stones: swooping down towards Rafiki who's resting upon the tallest rock at Five Stones, a location behind Priderock where five rocks stick out of the ground in a perfect circle each one at a different height to the overs. Rafiki is sat with his legs crosses and his staff across his lap, almost in a trance as the majordomo perches right beside him. Opening one eye and looking down at the bird Rafiki smiles warmly,
"Everything is fine here," The mandrill says answering any questions Zazu might already have. Rafiki then begins humming into the air. Zazu with his beady eyes has a quick scout around checking all is well before taking flight once more. Rafiki continues humming until his friend is out of sight, then the mandrill bounces into action, jumping from the highest of the five stones and walking towards the centre of the stones. At the centre of the circle of stones there is a hidden passage, covered up with old foliage and old twigs. A sudden clap of thunder rages throughout the sky above him as Rafiki uncovers the passageway and gripping his shaman staff tightly he looks around before walking into the mysterious shady cave below.
Still outside, Pumbaa lowers himself to the ground, and suddenly springing up from behind a hill diving upon a blue flying bug he has being trying to catch for some time. But slipping in the mud Pumbaa falls forwards as the bug harmlessly flies away into the grey sky. Still hunting for grubs the two best friends have being here all night since telling Simba of the warning they got. Timon wonders if his Uncle Max is fine back at the Oasis and tries to think of just what creature attacked his uncle. Soon discarding their thoughts both of them were about to head homeward, until the sudden faint cry of a lioness can be heard roaring in the distance. Looking at eachother they both yell at the same time,
"Kiara!" Bursting into action Timon rushes to get help, neatly jumping off Pumbaa's large snout as the warthog charges off to find the source of the roar. The small Timon runs across the Pridelands looking for help in the storm. Suddenly a quick burst of wind gusts past the merecat knocking him from his feet. As Timon gazes up at the swirling storm just as a dark furred lioness walks up to him:
"What do we have here, lunch?" Doti jokes finding the merecat. Timon notices Doti and Nala have found him instead, shaking his head he quickly warns them about Kiara's cries. Shocked to hear about the sudden problem they follow Timon, running towards to the sources of the cries. Nala is determined not to lose someone else during a hunt. Arriving quickly at the pit Pumbaa stops right on the edge of the pit and almost falling in himself. Simba is already here, he must have heard Kiara as well. Simba looks over at Pumbaa before checking his daughter. The pit is flooding fast and Sarafina is yet to move at all. Acting quickly Simba grabs a nearby lone tree branch and lowers it inside the deep pit.
"It was over here!" Timon suddenly yells as he Doti and Nala appear from behind the tall grass to join the rescue. Nala looking down into the pit calling for Kiara not to worry, determined to help and rescue her everyone helps Simba lower the tree branch to help Kiara out. The princess by now full of panic and her fur is stained brown, "Heave!" Nala says boldly as Kiara holds onto the branch with one paw and her grandmother with the other, their damp fur making them twice as heavy. But the combined efforts of Simba, Nala, Doti, Timon and Pumbaa is enough to lift the two lionesses out of the dreadful pit, they help Kiara out unharmed but Sarafina's leg is sprained and she was knocked out during the fall, but they both escape the pit alive and just in time too, as the large pit was badly flooded now, its walls slowly started to crumble inwards. Instantly Simba rushes to his daughter nuzzling her warming, telling her she's fine now, as the queen Nala checks on her own mother Sarafina who now slowly opens her eyes and smiles weakly. Everyone breathes a sigh of relief glad and cheers, everyone accept for Simba who takes another closer look at the pit. Simba cringes his eyes at the pit, he realises someone dug the pit themselves; it wasn't just a pit, it was a trap, a trap designed to hurt or maybe even kill someone in the Pridelands. Simba shakes his head, wondering if the fire and the trap are connected. The warning he was given, it was about someone trying to break the balance here in the Pridelands.
"Everyone listen," Simba steps forwards to gravely warn everyone to look out for more traps and wonders just who is trying to hurt them. Sarafina is strong enough to walk or limp and Kiara will eventually be okay, they both head towards a cave to rest and after filling in the trap everyone goes their separate ways. Only the especially worried Simba returns to Priderock alone as Nala finishes the hunt by herself; hunting is not as safe as it used to be.
Kovu is alone at the watering hole, little knowing his mate Kiara was just in deep trouble, he had his own drama to deal with, the darkness inside him was growing, he could feel it, and he could feel himself caring less for everything. Inside him Kovu believes the only way to cure this darkness in him once and for all is to meet his real father and to get the answers he so desperately needs. Kovu wonders just what his father looks like, if he is brave, or strong, dark furred or golden furred, what if he's the leader of his own pride. His mother Zira refused to talk about anyone other than Scar, but Scar is not Kovu's real father, and since he was a cub Kovu knew that. But he always wondered who his real father was in the back of his mind. Suddenly another flash a lightning lights up the grey sky all across the Pridelands snapping Kovu out of his thoughts as the slow sun begins to peak up across the horizon slightly lighting up the dim sky. The rain pours down across Kovu face and scar disguising the tears he sheds. Slowly wiping the tears clean from his soaked face Kovu takes the first step on his journey to the Outlands.
Nala finished the short zebra hunt alone; her hunting duty was completed for today. Sarafina and Kiara were both resting with her inside in the cave they're now taking shelter in, all safe within the grey rocky walls.
"I'm worried about Kovu, he's changed so much and his eyes are different" Sarafina regretfully says laying a small bed of wheat grass, resting her foreleg. Kiara nods at her grandmother in agreement all of them deep in thought,
"He's not the lion I once met," Kiara gases over at her mother with distressed eyes. Walking over to her daughter Nala nuzzles her daughter warmly and turns to take one last look outside; her eyes never miss anything that moves across the savannah. However she feels just this once she is missing something. Neglecting the thought the lioness turns only to notice a figure moving out across the gloomy horizon, she instantly notices its Kovu heading towards the towards the Outland. Nala believes he is heading there to grieve,
"I'm going to check if he's all right, you stay here where it's safe," Bidding her family farewell for awhile Nala curiously rushes out and decides to follow prince Kovu.
Checking over his shoulder to see if he's being followed, Kovu with a thousand questions grazes his way through the wet Pridelands, walking straight the muddy puddles his eyes almost scowled. Stepping lightly he makes his way south, through the many bushes and trees of the Pridelands, not stopping to gaze upon the white wild flowers he trampled, nothing was going to stop him. Nala rushes quickly to chase the prince, but he ran through a wet puddle and his tracks have faded now. Sniffing the ground Nala looks around her ears perked up; she can hear a faint voice from behind a bulky boulder. Through the grass she runs, right into another grey lion. With a groan the male lion turns around, his fur is scruffy and his fur was dirty and wet. But his eyes were kind, squinting her own eyes at him Nala realises she recognises this lion from somewhere.
"It can't be, Ni?" Nala's looks of confusion change into one of smiles and laughter as she remembers this lion from her cubhood. Suddenly flashbacks of her past flow through her mind: When a group of rouge Hyena's attacked Nala when she was just a cub; Ni came to save the young Nala's life. Sarafina introduced the rouge lion Ni to Mufasa's Pride before he left without a trace. He was never seen again, until now;
"Nala!" Ni suddenly recognises the older lioness as the two old friends suddenly nuzzle eachother without hesitation. Gases at eachother both have changed in the past years, both older, looking at how they have grown, but neither of them forgot that one day the Great Spirit brought them together. Amazed she found him again Nala suddenly realises she can't talk about old times for too long as she is still suppost to be following Kovu. Reluctantly Ni decides to tag along with his old female friend; he cannot stay for very long in the Pridelands, for Simba declared it to be this way. The two old friends catch up as they head towards the Outland themselves.
The Outlands remain peaceful from the storm but ever deadly in itself the land remains deserted. Crossing the log between borders Kovu heads quickly inside his old home, you cannot tell its midday in the outlands, thick grey dust acts as mist covering the land, Kovu squints as he weeds his way through, looking upon the old termite mounts which he once trained in, where he became the monster Zira made him to be. But now, all that was destroyed and rotted away, the Outlands are full of old memories for him, mainly bad memories, looking across the mores he smiles to himself, remembering when he, Nuka and Vitani used to chase the bat-eared foxes, the good times they had together, they're all gone now. The Outland still had that rotting smell. Kovu continues to think to himself while trying to find his real father. Desperately trying to find any trace of him, getting distracted by every past memory, but then, very slowly and Kovu turns to see a lion emerging through the dusty mist. His vision faded because of the haze Kovu's heart pounds; he breathes deeply his face in a look of shock as the lion appears before him. Kovu needs a closer look, perhaps Malka really was right, this is his real father, after so long. The lion appears infront of him and finally takes a small step forward,
"Father?" Kovu growls confusingly. The adult lion smiles, but the smile turns into a long dark snigger as he finally steps out into the open towards Kovu, this new lion has a golden fur coat with a very large brown mane; and he looks nothing like Kovu. That's when tone of their meeting changes for the worst. Kovu too lost in thought and is blissfully unaware he's surrounded,
"You don't remember me, do you?" The lion laughs evilly and without warning pounces upon Kovu quicker than lightning, claws drawn he catches the prince Kovu unawares attacking him and quickly overpowering the latest prince before violently knocking him to the ground. The brutal fight was over quickly and Kovu was beaten. In victory the mysterious nameless lion in the Outland looks out on the horizon at the emerald green Pridelands, his eyes set upon the ultimate prize: Priderock.
Moments of black pass and Kiara awakes inside a filthy pit shallowly filled with rainwater. Looking around her blurry vision she brushes off a heavy tree branch. Kiara's fur is stained with the mud of the deep pit, as the young lioness comes to her senses she looks over to see her Grandmother badly hurt on the other side of the pit. Sarafina was pinned down by a large circular log which fell in the pit with them, Kiara rushes over to her. The rain continues to pour in the small pit as Kiara struggles over to her grandmother lying still and not moving. The young princess tries desperately to push the log, using all her strength to lift it up, but it's no use, she is not strong enough. Lying silently Sarafina remains still; Kiara uses her paw to lift her grandmother's face out of the muddy water and sulks. There's nothing she can do to help; feeling powerless to do anything Kiara cries out for help, roaring out loudly, but her faint cries could not rival that of the thunderstorms wind and heavy rain.
As the thunderstorm continues it has left most of the Pridelands wet and Zazu scouts the land below. Once again looking across the land all the small floods across the grasslands; later when the sun rises he can check in with the morning report, the kings majordomo is always awake and alert this early in the nights. Zazu glides towards Five Stones: swooping down towards Rafiki who's resting upon the tallest rock at Five Stones, a location behind Priderock where five rocks stick out of the ground in a perfect circle each one at a different height to the overs. Rafiki is sat with his legs crosses and his staff across his lap, almost in a trance as the majordomo perches right beside him. Opening one eye and looking down at the bird Rafiki smiles warmly,
"Everything is fine here," The mandrill says answering any questions Zazu might already have. Rafiki then begins humming into the air. Zazu with his beady eyes has a quick scout around checking all is well before taking flight once more. Rafiki continues humming until his friend is out of sight, then the mandrill bounces into action, jumping from the highest of the five stones and walking towards the centre of the stones. At the centre of the circle of stones there is a hidden passage, covered up with old foliage and old twigs. A sudden clap of thunder rages throughout the sky above him as Rafiki uncovers the passageway and gripping his shaman staff tightly he looks around before walking into the mysterious shady cave below.
Still outside, Pumbaa lowers himself to the ground, and suddenly springing up from behind a hill diving upon a blue flying bug he has being trying to catch for some time. But slipping in the mud Pumbaa falls forwards as the bug harmlessly flies away into the grey sky. Still hunting for grubs the two best friends have being here all night since telling Simba of the warning they got. Timon wonders if his Uncle Max is fine back at the Oasis and tries to think of just what creature attacked his uncle. Soon discarding their thoughts both of them were about to head homeward, until the sudden faint cry of a lioness can be heard roaring in the distance. Looking at eachother they both yell at the same time,
"Kiara!" Bursting into action Timon rushes to get help, neatly jumping off Pumbaa's large snout as the warthog charges off to find the source of the roar. The small Timon runs across the Pridelands looking for help in the storm. Suddenly a quick burst of wind gusts past the merecat knocking him from his feet. As Timon gazes up at the swirling storm just as a dark furred lioness walks up to him:
"What do we have here, lunch?" Doti jokes finding the merecat. Timon notices Doti and Nala have found him instead, shaking his head he quickly warns them about Kiara's cries. Shocked to hear about the sudden problem they follow Timon, running towards to the sources of the cries. Nala is determined not to lose someone else during a hunt. Arriving quickly at the pit Pumbaa stops right on the edge of the pit and almost falling in himself. Simba is already here, he must have heard Kiara as well. Simba looks over at Pumbaa before checking his daughter. The pit is flooding fast and Sarafina is yet to move at all. Acting quickly Simba grabs a nearby lone tree branch and lowers it inside the deep pit.
"It was over here!" Timon suddenly yells as he Doti and Nala appear from behind the tall grass to join the rescue. Nala looking down into the pit calling for Kiara not to worry, determined to help and rescue her everyone helps Simba lower the tree branch to help Kiara out. The princess by now full of panic and her fur is stained brown, "Heave!" Nala says boldly as Kiara holds onto the branch with one paw and her grandmother with the other, their damp fur making them twice as heavy. But the combined efforts of Simba, Nala, Doti, Timon and Pumbaa is enough to lift the two lionesses out of the dreadful pit, they help Kiara out unharmed but Sarafina's leg is sprained and she was knocked out during the fall, but they both escape the pit alive and just in time too, as the large pit was badly flooded now, its walls slowly started to crumble inwards. Instantly Simba rushes to his daughter nuzzling her warming, telling her she's fine now, as the queen Nala checks on her own mother Sarafina who now slowly opens her eyes and smiles weakly. Everyone breathes a sigh of relief glad and cheers, everyone accept for Simba who takes another closer look at the pit. Simba cringes his eyes at the pit, he realises someone dug the pit themselves; it wasn't just a pit, it was a trap, a trap designed to hurt or maybe even kill someone in the Pridelands. Simba shakes his head, wondering if the fire and the trap are connected. The warning he was given, it was about someone trying to break the balance here in the Pridelands.
"Everyone listen," Simba steps forwards to gravely warn everyone to look out for more traps and wonders just who is trying to hurt them. Sarafina is strong enough to walk or limp and Kiara will eventually be okay, they both head towards a cave to rest and after filling in the trap everyone goes their separate ways. Only the especially worried Simba returns to Priderock alone as Nala finishes the hunt by herself; hunting is not as safe as it used to be.
Kovu is alone at the watering hole, little knowing his mate Kiara was just in deep trouble, he had his own drama to deal with, the darkness inside him was growing, he could feel it, and he could feel himself caring less for everything. Inside him Kovu believes the only way to cure this darkness in him once and for all is to meet his real father and to get the answers he so desperately needs. Kovu wonders just what his father looks like, if he is brave, or strong, dark furred or golden furred, what if he's the leader of his own pride. His mother Zira refused to talk about anyone other than Scar, but Scar is not Kovu's real father, and since he was a cub Kovu knew that. But he always wondered who his real father was in the back of his mind. Suddenly another flash a lightning lights up the grey sky all across the Pridelands snapping Kovu out of his thoughts as the slow sun begins to peak up across the horizon slightly lighting up the dim sky. The rain pours down across Kovu face and scar disguising the tears he sheds. Slowly wiping the tears clean from his soaked face Kovu takes the first step on his journey to the Outlands.
Nala finished the short zebra hunt alone; her hunting duty was completed for today. Sarafina and Kiara were both resting with her inside in the cave they're now taking shelter in, all safe within the grey rocky walls.
"I'm worried about Kovu, he's changed so much and his eyes are different" Sarafina regretfully says laying a small bed of wheat grass, resting her foreleg. Kiara nods at her grandmother in agreement all of them deep in thought,
"He's not the lion I once met," Kiara gases over at her mother with distressed eyes. Walking over to her daughter Nala nuzzles her daughter warmly and turns to take one last look outside; her eyes never miss anything that moves across the savannah. However she feels just this once she is missing something. Neglecting the thought the lioness turns only to notice a figure moving out across the gloomy horizon, she instantly notices its Kovu heading towards the towards the Outland. Nala believes he is heading there to grieve,
"I'm going to check if he's all right, you stay here where it's safe," Bidding her family farewell for awhile Nala curiously rushes out and decides to follow prince Kovu.
Checking over his shoulder to see if he's being followed, Kovu with a thousand questions grazes his way through the wet Pridelands, walking straight the muddy puddles his eyes almost scowled. Stepping lightly he makes his way south, through the many bushes and trees of the Pridelands, not stopping to gaze upon the white wild flowers he trampled, nothing was going to stop him. Nala rushes quickly to chase the prince, but he ran through a wet puddle and his tracks have faded now. Sniffing the ground Nala looks around her ears perked up; she can hear a faint voice from behind a bulky boulder. Through the grass she runs, right into another grey lion. With a groan the male lion turns around, his fur is scruffy and his fur was dirty and wet. But his eyes were kind, squinting her own eyes at him Nala realises she recognises this lion from somewhere.
"It can't be, Ni?" Nala's looks of confusion change into one of smiles and laughter as she remembers this lion from her cubhood. Suddenly flashbacks of her past flow through her mind: When a group of rouge Hyena's attacked Nala when she was just a cub; Ni came to save the young Nala's life. Sarafina introduced the rouge lion Ni to Mufasa's Pride before he left without a trace. He was never seen again, until now;
"Nala!" Ni suddenly recognises the older lioness as the two old friends suddenly nuzzle eachother without hesitation. Gases at eachother both have changed in the past years, both older, looking at how they have grown, but neither of them forgot that one day the Great Spirit brought them together. Amazed she found him again Nala suddenly realises she can't talk about old times for too long as she is still suppost to be following Kovu. Reluctantly Ni decides to tag along with his old female friend; he cannot stay for very long in the Pridelands, for Simba declared it to be this way. The two old friends catch up as they head towards the Outland themselves.
The Outlands remain peaceful from the storm but ever deadly in itself the land remains deserted. Crossing the log between borders Kovu heads quickly inside his old home, you cannot tell its midday in the outlands, thick grey dust acts as mist covering the land, Kovu squints as he weeds his way through, looking upon the old termite mounts which he once trained in, where he became the monster Zira made him to be. But now, all that was destroyed and rotted away, the Outlands are full of old memories for him, mainly bad memories, looking across the mores he smiles to himself, remembering when he, Nuka and Vitani used to chase the bat-eared foxes, the good times they had together, they're all gone now. The Outland still had that rotting smell. Kovu continues to think to himself while trying to find his real father. Desperately trying to find any trace of him, getting distracted by every past memory, but then, very slowly and Kovu turns to see a lion emerging through the dusty mist. His vision faded because of the haze Kovu's heart pounds; he breathes deeply his face in a look of shock as the lion appears before him. Kovu needs a closer look, perhaps Malka really was right, this is his real father, after so long. The lion appears infront of him and finally takes a small step forward,
"Father?" Kovu growls confusingly. The adult lion smiles, but the smile turns into a long dark snigger as he finally steps out into the open towards Kovu, this new lion has a golden fur coat with a very large brown mane; and he looks nothing like Kovu. That's when tone of their meeting changes for the worst. Kovu too lost in thought and is blissfully unaware he's surrounded,
"You don't remember me, do you?" The lion laughs evilly and without warning pounces upon Kovu quicker than lightning, claws drawn he catches the prince Kovu unawares attacking him and quickly overpowering the latest prince before violently knocking him to the ground. The brutal fight was over quickly and Kovu was beaten. In victory the mysterious nameless lion in the Outland looks out on the horizon at the emerald green Pridelands, his eyes set upon the ultimate prize: Priderock.
Chapter 10 - Finale part II - the successor: show
"Hey; what are you doing? We had a deal; you weren't suppost to hurt him!" The sudden voice of Malka erupts from within the maroon haze of the Outland. Malka rushes up the Kovu lying on the ground unconscious. The nameless lion growls and looks down upon the prince he just attacked, he tilts Kovu's head with his paw to get a better look at the future king.
"What do you think I was going to do? Let this half-breed take my place on the throne?" The lion growls at Malka, looking saddened Malka quickly realizes this was entirely his fault, he lied to Kovu, to everyone just so that he could Kovu here alone where he could be defeated. Regretfully Malka shakes his head and backs off; he wince's his eyes and backs off running off deeper into the outlands, no longer wanting to be part of this foolish scheme. Letting the liar Malka run off, for he has served his purpose the new lion that remains nameless leaves Kovu to rot unaccompanied in the Outland as a pack of three hungry vultures circle overhead.
'The sought successor as the rightful heir will return. Then equilibrium of this world will be broken.' That was the deadly warning given to Timon and Pumbaa at the Oasis, they passed it on to Simba and now the Lion King wonders just what it really means inside the lion's den, the fire, the storm, what does it all mean? Simba remains at Priderock, looking around for company around his rock throne, but everywhere is deserted, no Timon or Pumbaa, no Nala or Sarafina, not even the wise old Rafiki. Simba is alone at the eerier Priderock; the storm now at its worst and ominously swirls above Priderock itself and the air grows cold. He shivers alone in the lion's den, wondering just where everyone is; alone he cowers clueless to just who was trying to hurt his pride, and even more clueless to the events happening in the Outlands, a sudden gust of cold air blasts through the lion's den, Simba curls up for warmth, alone he continues to try to work out the sudden mysteries of the past few days.
To the north of Priderock the shaman Rafiki continues his descend into the mysterious shady cave at Five Stone, after a narrow dodge from the beady eyed Zazu. The dark passage being only dimly lit by cracked holes in the roof the tunnel where the light shines in. His elderly eyes peer as he makes his way through the passage, slowly and carefully down the gentle slope, throughout the hindering darkness. Rafiki has being here before, they are many entrances into the cavern, but this was the most concealed. The sound of gushing water could be heard in the distance; quickly reaching the end of the mighty passage Rafiki enters the large cavern. The small waterfall continues to rain down into the small lake below and the carving on the cavern wall remaining untouched by all. Smiling as her enters the cave, he's encountered with a familiar voice:
"What do you want Baboon?" the lioness groans intrepidly rolling her eyes at the sudden appearance of Rafiki who slowly walks towards her and places his hand on her shoulder. Looking at her gloomy reflection in the water, the lioness can only sob at the lakes edge. Rafiki knew he would find her here; Vitani fell down the falls awakening on the river's edge before immediately running to this cavern, the things Nala said to her Vitani could understand, and Vitani didn't want to be found. She recovered from the fall and is safely here now. Rafiki's wise instincts drew him to this cavern once again where he knew he would find the young lioness. Standing next to Vitani sulking in the cavern Rafiki decides to part some clever advice:
"Love doesn't hide, it stays and fights and it goes the distance, that's why love is so strong. So it can carry you all the way home." The lioness continues to sulk before looking up at Rafiki who gives her a warm smile. She lifts her face up and replies shadily "Why are you telling me this?" she says before heading towards the exit hoping never to be seen again. Rafiki sighs understanding and knowing her pain with all she has lost. It's just at that moment he remembers the painting he drew just after the coronation of newest prince Kovu. Days ago he drew a painting of a cub on the tree truck wall of his home. Suddenly to Rafiki it all made sense, remembering painting he made on the wall of his tree he answer Vitani's sole question:
"Because there is another cub." He says wisely and then looks on the far side of the cavern another tunnel leads off into an unknown location but then finally turns to face the caving on the cavern wall. Vitani's eyes widen, gazing upon the carving on the cavern wall, carved into the rock itself is her name. Staring at her own name carved on the wall, she now knows there is another cub and she winces at her name and rushes out of the cave knowing exactly what the wise mandrill meant, running through the cave quicker than lightning towards the exit. Rafiki realizes the painting he drew was for Vitani, and that the secret pact made so very long ago will soon be broken, the shaman eventually decides to follow Vitani into the furious storm.
Ni cries out Kovu's name in the Outlands, hoping for an answer and feeling slightly safer now he's away from the Pridelands. Nala follows closely noticing Ni's grubby fur coat cannot be noticed in the dusty Outlands, Kovu is missing and its particularly serious because someone in setting fires and traps among all the Pridelands. Nala has missed Ni so much, suddenly flashbacks of her past flow through her mind again: When Simba was deemed dead and Scar was the dark king, Nala and Ni met up several times and with Simba presumes dead in the stampede Nala was alone and after so long she needed someone for company, Ni was always around to help her, he wonders around the Pridelands occasionally, he is more like a wanderer, never staying in the same place for too long, always moving on. Nala is glad she found Ni, he was always around someplace, she knew she could find him if she ever wanted too again and she is most grateful to Ni for all he has done for her. Perhaps after all this is over she can finally thank him. Shaking her head the queen Nala cries Kovu's name once more, together the old friends had already searched the termite mounds and the bark forest, but there no sign of him. Suddenly running through the fog an adult lion crashes into Ni knocking them both off their feet. It's a bright furred lion with a mane of two colours, black and party lighter brown, with black fur on the top of both his ears and brown eyes, it was Malka. Ni growls and gets up but does not brushing himself as Malka gets up also slower. Nala knows they're something wrong in his eyes and she can see the panic in his face;
"Where's Simba?" Malka asks desperately for his own reasons he now wanted to help the Pridelands, but no one answers his question or even trust him as Ni suddenly notices Kovu laid on the ground in the dusty fog, rushing up the dark furred lion in the distance he checks if the new prince is okay while Nala finally answers Malka's question:
"Simba's back at Priderock," Nala run over to Kovu who lays unconscious.
Ni look at the poor state Kovu is in, he had clearly being attacked with lots of small scratches across his fur, Nala finally found Kovu and nuzzles him awake.
"I know who did this, but it doesn't matter, you must hurry back to Priderock, all of you, you shouldn't have left Simba alone, that's what he wants!" Malka replies quickly in fear as Kovu coughs, he opens his eyes and frowns ready to pounce on Malka if he makes another bad move, Kovu gets as up all four of his brawny legs shake, Malka lied to them, to all of them, and Kovu wasn't letting him get away with it,
"Why did you do this Malka! Why are you working for him?" Kovu shouts growling loudly, he was talking about the golden furred lion which attacked him, the lion Kovu thought was his father, the nameless lion which Kovu was lead towards only be disappointed and attacked.
"Because hetold me where I can find Tama!" Malka shouts back above everyone else, ringing fear into everyone as he does. The air saddens around them; time almost stops for the queen Nala. A single salty tear falls out of Nala's deep blue eye, she remembers back to the adventure of eight, long ago in the Daggermouth Gorge, the dam broke the logs fell, Tama was swept away, all because Nala saved her younger brother Mheetu instead. Nala can still hear the cries of the young Tama in hear head: 'Nala! Don't leave me!' the young Tama's last words before the unforgiving waters swept the oldest cub away never to be seen again. Nala falls apart, her eyes stream tears, remembering that fateful day in the gorge, she looks deep at Malka as she can read the emotions of lion just by looking at their. Nala has read emotes before, she knows these things and Malka was not lying. The queen stands there, dazed at what she just heard, but her tears were not ones of sadness, but of rejoice, Tama was alive! Kovu stands with Ni as he introduces himself the new prince and Nala wipes her tears; she asks Malka all about this nameless lion who attacked Kovu, why he lied to everyone and more importantly what's happened to Tama all this time. But Malka himself did not know all the answers, the nameless lion made a deal with Malka, he was to him in order to get the information he needed to find Tama, Malka explains part of the deal was that nobody got hurt. Malka needs to find her in order for Tama to finish that sentence she said in the Daggermouth Gorge before it all collapsed, for so long he has being searching for his love. Malka then regrets ever lying to Kovu; he proves it was not him who started the fire in the Pridelands with a simple gentle apology. Malka always enjoyed returning to the Pridelands to play with Simba after their first encounter as cubs. Zazu would pick him up once a week from his own pride just to be sure he wouldn't get lost again just like Simba promised. After a month's passing, Simba and Malka grew to become close comrades. Malka misses those times, he sighs sadly realising he can't show his face in the Pridelands again for a very long time and so Malka departs once more leaving on his own long journey to be reunited with Tama.
Nala, Kovu and Ni gather together and all hurry back to Priderock to save the Lion King, Kovu shows them the way through his old home, bidding farewell to the Outlands for the very last time, it was sad for him, but the Pridelands were his home now, and one day he can have his own family, with new memories. Regretfully he did not find his real father, but his real father could be watching Kovu from the stars and smiling, perhaps they are not stars, but rather openings in heaven where the love of our lost ones pours through and shines down upon us to let us know they are happy.
The future of all the Pridelands was under threat. But the dramas of the Outland remain a mystery to Simba as he stands upon the very top part of Priderock, in the wind, rain and thunder in hopes to find anyone. Zazu haphazardly swoops down, the wing knocking him of course as he flies straight into the stone right infront of Simba, almost in hysterics the majordomo takes a few deep breathes before reporting his news: "Sire! The Lionesses are spread out across the Savannah without Nala to lead them they have no direction, and still no sign of prince Kovu, but there's an unknown rouge lion approaching Priderock at speed!" Zazu takes a few deep breathes, gasping as he stops with the king for awhile as they realise they are not alone atop the throne. There is a low growling as Simba turns his head around to see another adult lion. Zazu stops dead as Simba turns around to see a lion with battle scars across his forelegs slowly walking towards him. Simba's eyes widen worryingly, his blood runs cold. Suddenly everything was about to change, sudden flashbacks of the past flood his mind. Recurring lost memories of a dreadful act which lead to the separation of the Pride and the shadowy image of a long forgotten cub. The forgotten prince, Vitani's prince, when she was a princess crowned to become the new queen, the prince who was taken away from her by her mother's dreadful acts, the cub she used to spend time with inside the cavern in the secret cave which meant so much to them, the other cub painted upon Rafiki's tree trunk now stands before Simba as a fully grown adult, as his growls turn into a sombre smirk,
"Hello father," he smiles sincerely over to Simba as tears stream from his brown eyes, Simba freezes in disbelief. This is, his son, prince Kopa, brother to Kiara, grandson to Sarabi and soul-mate to Vitani. Simba shakes as he rushes up to his son and wraps his arms around him, as father and son reunite. Just at that moment Nala, Kovu and Ni finally reach the top of Priderock, all of them looking distressed and disappointed. "It is really you, Kopa?" Nala blinks in doubt; Kopa gives a small embarrassed laugh from his mom and nods his head slowly, Nala runs to her son embracing him once more, this was by far the biggest shock to her so far, but as the two hug atop Priderock, Kopa's eyes turn to sadness as he backs away from his own mother. With both his parents full of more questions on the top of Priderock, Kopa lowers his head, his sadness suddenly turning to anger,
"You all forgot me, Never even once mentioning my name as was your secret pact made long ago: you tired to cover me up! You made it look like I never even existed! Even you forgot me, mom," Kopa yells as sudden blast of lightning strikes the side of Priderock. But even his anger cannot hide the tears of the young Kopa he sobs as both Simba and Nala rush over to their son despite his anger, his mother holding him tight as a single ray of light shines down upon them. A long discussion insists on the top of Priderock, Simba tries to explain what happened: "After Scar's defeat, after the great migration, the Pridelands recovered from the dark king Scar's reign. Zira was distraught from Scar's death, she wanted revenge for the death of her loved one, she sought revenge through Kopa, that terrible day Kopa was stolen and a dreadful act was committed, Kopa was deemed dead. A pact was made, to protect future generations, we wouldn't talk about that day openly, for fear that our children might suffer the same fate; I tried to protect Kiara as much as I could, in the end I was over-protective and I didn't want to lose her as well. I'm sorry Kopa," Simba sighs to himself explaining all followed by an apology to his own son. Then Kopa shakes his head and gathers his thoughts, wondering just what happened to Zira and his cubhood love Vitani, as Kopa gets his hopes up smiling broadly and remembering the good old days, happy memories of his cubhood with his friends, he looking around in the rain but then looks directly at Kovu and his hopes drop, realising his worst fears have become real.
"They're two princes..." Kopa says to himself. Suddenly everyone wonders the same problem, Kovu was the new prince now, he took the place Kopa, and times have changed:
"Is that why you made Malka lie, so you could hurt him Kopa? To stop him becoming prince?" Nala asks using a kind voice, never once getting mad or angry at her caring son,
"He's a half-breed mom, he doesn't even have king's blood, I'm the first born and I'm the real prince here!" Kopa acts almost selfish as Kovu growls at him now pushing everyone else out of the way, Kovu worked so hard for this throne, after all he's being through he is not going to let Kopa take his place on the throne like this.
"At least I'm not a momma's boy!" Kovu suddenly outbursts with an evil smile on his face clearing referring to Kopa's immature behaviour.
"Why don't you try telling your father that?" Kopa roars back as Kovu makes the first strike and pounces upon the forgotten prince his sharply developed claws drawn as the two prince's fight atop Priderock in the confrontation was what always meant to be. Everyone panics and tries to help as Kovu slashes widely at his rival. Suddenly Kopa dives on the stronger Kovu as the two prince's fall off the end of Priderock. Rolling down the side of rocky monument they still fight, Kovu grabs Kopa's mane and bites into his neck slightly as Kopa retaliates by kicking Kovu in the gut sending faint claws across his brown darkened fur. The two land upon the hard ground, roaring in great pain as they land in a heap. Both weakly trying to get up to continue their battle, Kovu gets up first; he circles Kopa who is still lying on the floor weakly. "She died Kopa! Right in Doti's paws, Vitani fell down the falls!" Kovu yells destroying all hope within the older Kopa as the darker lion approaches the hopeless Kopa with a killing look in his eyes; it's at that moment Kopa see's the darkness within Kovu. For just a moment Kovu looks just like his adopted father Scar, gritting his teeth Kopa shuts his eyes fearing the worst as Kovu lowers his paw, striking Kopa's face mercilessly scratching a huge red scar down his right eye. Kopa howls in pain holding his eye with his paw breathing heavily only increasing his rage. A large lightning bolt strikes the Pridelands flashing up the whole sky which roars with anger just then Kovu goes for another strike to end it all lowing his paw once last time...
"Stop it!" The sudden familiar voice of a lioness roars above the clashing thunder itself. Kopa slowly opens his eyes and Kovu lowers his paw harmlessly to the ground, they both look over for standing firm in the distance is Vitani.
Kovu gawps to see his sister standing in the rain and steps back slightly but more importantly Kopa floods with optimism. His face lights up as he gases upon Vitani, the cub he loved and the cub who he wanted to be his queen. A lionesses he hasn't heard of or seen of in a very long time. Muttering her name in his head Kopa shakes his head in disbelieve but rushes directly towards her. Vitani smiles for the first time in a long while and the two of them run together before finally embracing eachother in an almighty nuzzle.
"I thought you were dead," Vitani says as they lovingly nuzzle one another,
"I thought you were too," Kopa smiles filled with hope and joy, a final salty tear trickles down his cheek. Simba and Nala both rush down from Priderock to see the two old mates nuzzling one another they smile together as Zazu swoops down and Rafiki appears from the cavern, Kovu looks in surprise but only scowls and remains in the shadow of Priderock. Everyone smiles accept Kovu, it's only at that moment the dark storm clouds divide apart above Priderock and a single ray of light blasts through the grey clouds shining down solely upon Kopa and Vitani. The successor has returned, marking a fresh era for everyone in the Pridelands; perhaps this is merely the beginning of a far larger plan in the great Circle of Life.
To Be Continued...
"What do you think I was going to do? Let this half-breed take my place on the throne?" The lion growls at Malka, looking saddened Malka quickly realizes this was entirely his fault, he lied to Kovu, to everyone just so that he could Kovu here alone where he could be defeated. Regretfully Malka shakes his head and backs off; he wince's his eyes and backs off running off deeper into the outlands, no longer wanting to be part of this foolish scheme. Letting the liar Malka run off, for he has served his purpose the new lion that remains nameless leaves Kovu to rot unaccompanied in the Outland as a pack of three hungry vultures circle overhead.
'The sought successor as the rightful heir will return. Then equilibrium of this world will be broken.' That was the deadly warning given to Timon and Pumbaa at the Oasis, they passed it on to Simba and now the Lion King wonders just what it really means inside the lion's den, the fire, the storm, what does it all mean? Simba remains at Priderock, looking around for company around his rock throne, but everywhere is deserted, no Timon or Pumbaa, no Nala or Sarafina, not even the wise old Rafiki. Simba is alone at the eerier Priderock; the storm now at its worst and ominously swirls above Priderock itself and the air grows cold. He shivers alone in the lion's den, wondering just where everyone is; alone he cowers clueless to just who was trying to hurt his pride, and even more clueless to the events happening in the Outlands, a sudden gust of cold air blasts through the lion's den, Simba curls up for warmth, alone he continues to try to work out the sudden mysteries of the past few days.
To the north of Priderock the shaman Rafiki continues his descend into the mysterious shady cave at Five Stone, after a narrow dodge from the beady eyed Zazu. The dark passage being only dimly lit by cracked holes in the roof the tunnel where the light shines in. His elderly eyes peer as he makes his way through the passage, slowly and carefully down the gentle slope, throughout the hindering darkness. Rafiki has being here before, they are many entrances into the cavern, but this was the most concealed. The sound of gushing water could be heard in the distance; quickly reaching the end of the mighty passage Rafiki enters the large cavern. The small waterfall continues to rain down into the small lake below and the carving on the cavern wall remaining untouched by all. Smiling as her enters the cave, he's encountered with a familiar voice:
"What do you want Baboon?" the lioness groans intrepidly rolling her eyes at the sudden appearance of Rafiki who slowly walks towards her and places his hand on her shoulder. Looking at her gloomy reflection in the water, the lioness can only sob at the lakes edge. Rafiki knew he would find her here; Vitani fell down the falls awakening on the river's edge before immediately running to this cavern, the things Nala said to her Vitani could understand, and Vitani didn't want to be found. She recovered from the fall and is safely here now. Rafiki's wise instincts drew him to this cavern once again where he knew he would find the young lioness. Standing next to Vitani sulking in the cavern Rafiki decides to part some clever advice:
"Love doesn't hide, it stays and fights and it goes the distance, that's why love is so strong. So it can carry you all the way home." The lioness continues to sulk before looking up at Rafiki who gives her a warm smile. She lifts her face up and replies shadily "Why are you telling me this?" she says before heading towards the exit hoping never to be seen again. Rafiki sighs understanding and knowing her pain with all she has lost. It's just at that moment he remembers the painting he drew just after the coronation of newest prince Kovu. Days ago he drew a painting of a cub on the tree truck wall of his home. Suddenly to Rafiki it all made sense, remembering painting he made on the wall of his tree he answer Vitani's sole question:
"Because there is another cub." He says wisely and then looks on the far side of the cavern another tunnel leads off into an unknown location but then finally turns to face the caving on the cavern wall. Vitani's eyes widen, gazing upon the carving on the cavern wall, carved into the rock itself is her name. Staring at her own name carved on the wall, she now knows there is another cub and she winces at her name and rushes out of the cave knowing exactly what the wise mandrill meant, running through the cave quicker than lightning towards the exit. Rafiki realizes the painting he drew was for Vitani, and that the secret pact made so very long ago will soon be broken, the shaman eventually decides to follow Vitani into the furious storm.
Ni cries out Kovu's name in the Outlands, hoping for an answer and feeling slightly safer now he's away from the Pridelands. Nala follows closely noticing Ni's grubby fur coat cannot be noticed in the dusty Outlands, Kovu is missing and its particularly serious because someone in setting fires and traps among all the Pridelands. Nala has missed Ni so much, suddenly flashbacks of her past flow through her mind again: When Simba was deemed dead and Scar was the dark king, Nala and Ni met up several times and with Simba presumes dead in the stampede Nala was alone and after so long she needed someone for company, Ni was always around to help her, he wonders around the Pridelands occasionally, he is more like a wanderer, never staying in the same place for too long, always moving on. Nala is glad she found Ni, he was always around someplace, she knew she could find him if she ever wanted too again and she is most grateful to Ni for all he has done for her. Perhaps after all this is over she can finally thank him. Shaking her head the queen Nala cries Kovu's name once more, together the old friends had already searched the termite mounds and the bark forest, but there no sign of him. Suddenly running through the fog an adult lion crashes into Ni knocking them both off their feet. It's a bright furred lion with a mane of two colours, black and party lighter brown, with black fur on the top of both his ears and brown eyes, it was Malka. Ni growls and gets up but does not brushing himself as Malka gets up also slower. Nala knows they're something wrong in his eyes and she can see the panic in his face;
"Where's Simba?" Malka asks desperately for his own reasons he now wanted to help the Pridelands, but no one answers his question or even trust him as Ni suddenly notices Kovu laid on the ground in the dusty fog, rushing up the dark furred lion in the distance he checks if the new prince is okay while Nala finally answers Malka's question:
"Simba's back at Priderock," Nala run over to Kovu who lays unconscious.
Ni look at the poor state Kovu is in, he had clearly being attacked with lots of small scratches across his fur, Nala finally found Kovu and nuzzles him awake.
"I know who did this, but it doesn't matter, you must hurry back to Priderock, all of you, you shouldn't have left Simba alone, that's what he wants!" Malka replies quickly in fear as Kovu coughs, he opens his eyes and frowns ready to pounce on Malka if he makes another bad move, Kovu gets as up all four of his brawny legs shake, Malka lied to them, to all of them, and Kovu wasn't letting him get away with it,
"Why did you do this Malka! Why are you working for him?" Kovu shouts growling loudly, he was talking about the golden furred lion which attacked him, the lion Kovu thought was his father, the nameless lion which Kovu was lead towards only be disappointed and attacked.
"Because hetold me where I can find Tama!" Malka shouts back above everyone else, ringing fear into everyone as he does. The air saddens around them; time almost stops for the queen Nala. A single salty tear falls out of Nala's deep blue eye, she remembers back to the adventure of eight, long ago in the Daggermouth Gorge, the dam broke the logs fell, Tama was swept away, all because Nala saved her younger brother Mheetu instead. Nala can still hear the cries of the young Tama in hear head: 'Nala! Don't leave me!' the young Tama's last words before the unforgiving waters swept the oldest cub away never to be seen again. Nala falls apart, her eyes stream tears, remembering that fateful day in the gorge, she looks deep at Malka as she can read the emotions of lion just by looking at their. Nala has read emotes before, she knows these things and Malka was not lying. The queen stands there, dazed at what she just heard, but her tears were not ones of sadness, but of rejoice, Tama was alive! Kovu stands with Ni as he introduces himself the new prince and Nala wipes her tears; she asks Malka all about this nameless lion who attacked Kovu, why he lied to everyone and more importantly what's happened to Tama all this time. But Malka himself did not know all the answers, the nameless lion made a deal with Malka, he was to him in order to get the information he needed to find Tama, Malka explains part of the deal was that nobody got hurt. Malka needs to find her in order for Tama to finish that sentence she said in the Daggermouth Gorge before it all collapsed, for so long he has being searching for his love. Malka then regrets ever lying to Kovu; he proves it was not him who started the fire in the Pridelands with a simple gentle apology. Malka always enjoyed returning to the Pridelands to play with Simba after their first encounter as cubs. Zazu would pick him up once a week from his own pride just to be sure he wouldn't get lost again just like Simba promised. After a month's passing, Simba and Malka grew to become close comrades. Malka misses those times, he sighs sadly realising he can't show his face in the Pridelands again for a very long time and so Malka departs once more leaving on his own long journey to be reunited with Tama.
Nala, Kovu and Ni gather together and all hurry back to Priderock to save the Lion King, Kovu shows them the way through his old home, bidding farewell to the Outlands for the very last time, it was sad for him, but the Pridelands were his home now, and one day he can have his own family, with new memories. Regretfully he did not find his real father, but his real father could be watching Kovu from the stars and smiling, perhaps they are not stars, but rather openings in heaven where the love of our lost ones pours through and shines down upon us to let us know they are happy.
The future of all the Pridelands was under threat. But the dramas of the Outland remain a mystery to Simba as he stands upon the very top part of Priderock, in the wind, rain and thunder in hopes to find anyone. Zazu haphazardly swoops down, the wing knocking him of course as he flies straight into the stone right infront of Simba, almost in hysterics the majordomo takes a few deep breathes before reporting his news: "Sire! The Lionesses are spread out across the Savannah without Nala to lead them they have no direction, and still no sign of prince Kovu, but there's an unknown rouge lion approaching Priderock at speed!" Zazu takes a few deep breathes, gasping as he stops with the king for awhile as they realise they are not alone atop the throne. There is a low growling as Simba turns his head around to see another adult lion. Zazu stops dead as Simba turns around to see a lion with battle scars across his forelegs slowly walking towards him. Simba's eyes widen worryingly, his blood runs cold. Suddenly everything was about to change, sudden flashbacks of the past flood his mind. Recurring lost memories of a dreadful act which lead to the separation of the Pride and the shadowy image of a long forgotten cub. The forgotten prince, Vitani's prince, when she was a princess crowned to become the new queen, the prince who was taken away from her by her mother's dreadful acts, the cub she used to spend time with inside the cavern in the secret cave which meant so much to them, the other cub painted upon Rafiki's tree trunk now stands before Simba as a fully grown adult, as his growls turn into a sombre smirk,
"Hello father," he smiles sincerely over to Simba as tears stream from his brown eyes, Simba freezes in disbelief. This is, his son, prince Kopa, brother to Kiara, grandson to Sarabi and soul-mate to Vitani. Simba shakes as he rushes up to his son and wraps his arms around him, as father and son reunite. Just at that moment Nala, Kovu and Ni finally reach the top of Priderock, all of them looking distressed and disappointed. "It is really you, Kopa?" Nala blinks in doubt; Kopa gives a small embarrassed laugh from his mom and nods his head slowly, Nala runs to her son embracing him once more, this was by far the biggest shock to her so far, but as the two hug atop Priderock, Kopa's eyes turn to sadness as he backs away from his own mother. With both his parents full of more questions on the top of Priderock, Kopa lowers his head, his sadness suddenly turning to anger,
"You all forgot me, Never even once mentioning my name as was your secret pact made long ago: you tired to cover me up! You made it look like I never even existed! Even you forgot me, mom," Kopa yells as sudden blast of lightning strikes the side of Priderock. But even his anger cannot hide the tears of the young Kopa he sobs as both Simba and Nala rush over to their son despite his anger, his mother holding him tight as a single ray of light shines down upon them. A long discussion insists on the top of Priderock, Simba tries to explain what happened: "After Scar's defeat, after the great migration, the Pridelands recovered from the dark king Scar's reign. Zira was distraught from Scar's death, she wanted revenge for the death of her loved one, she sought revenge through Kopa, that terrible day Kopa was stolen and a dreadful act was committed, Kopa was deemed dead. A pact was made, to protect future generations, we wouldn't talk about that day openly, for fear that our children might suffer the same fate; I tried to protect Kiara as much as I could, in the end I was over-protective and I didn't want to lose her as well. I'm sorry Kopa," Simba sighs to himself explaining all followed by an apology to his own son. Then Kopa shakes his head and gathers his thoughts, wondering just what happened to Zira and his cubhood love Vitani, as Kopa gets his hopes up smiling broadly and remembering the good old days, happy memories of his cubhood with his friends, he looking around in the rain but then looks directly at Kovu and his hopes drop, realising his worst fears have become real.
"They're two princes..." Kopa says to himself. Suddenly everyone wonders the same problem, Kovu was the new prince now, he took the place Kopa, and times have changed:
"Is that why you made Malka lie, so you could hurt him Kopa? To stop him becoming prince?" Nala asks using a kind voice, never once getting mad or angry at her caring son,
"He's a half-breed mom, he doesn't even have king's blood, I'm the first born and I'm the real prince here!" Kopa acts almost selfish as Kovu growls at him now pushing everyone else out of the way, Kovu worked so hard for this throne, after all he's being through he is not going to let Kopa take his place on the throne like this.
"At least I'm not a momma's boy!" Kovu suddenly outbursts with an evil smile on his face clearing referring to Kopa's immature behaviour.
"Why don't you try telling your father that?" Kopa roars back as Kovu makes the first strike and pounces upon the forgotten prince his sharply developed claws drawn as the two prince's fight atop Priderock in the confrontation was what always meant to be. Everyone panics and tries to help as Kovu slashes widely at his rival. Suddenly Kopa dives on the stronger Kovu as the two prince's fall off the end of Priderock. Rolling down the side of rocky monument they still fight, Kovu grabs Kopa's mane and bites into his neck slightly as Kopa retaliates by kicking Kovu in the gut sending faint claws across his brown darkened fur. The two land upon the hard ground, roaring in great pain as they land in a heap. Both weakly trying to get up to continue their battle, Kovu gets up first; he circles Kopa who is still lying on the floor weakly. "She died Kopa! Right in Doti's paws, Vitani fell down the falls!" Kovu yells destroying all hope within the older Kopa as the darker lion approaches the hopeless Kopa with a killing look in his eyes; it's at that moment Kopa see's the darkness within Kovu. For just a moment Kovu looks just like his adopted father Scar, gritting his teeth Kopa shuts his eyes fearing the worst as Kovu lowers his paw, striking Kopa's face mercilessly scratching a huge red scar down his right eye. Kopa howls in pain holding his eye with his paw breathing heavily only increasing his rage. A large lightning bolt strikes the Pridelands flashing up the whole sky which roars with anger just then Kovu goes for another strike to end it all lowing his paw once last time...
"Stop it!" The sudden familiar voice of a lioness roars above the clashing thunder itself. Kopa slowly opens his eyes and Kovu lowers his paw harmlessly to the ground, they both look over for standing firm in the distance is Vitani.
Kovu gawps to see his sister standing in the rain and steps back slightly but more importantly Kopa floods with optimism. His face lights up as he gases upon Vitani, the cub he loved and the cub who he wanted to be his queen. A lionesses he hasn't heard of or seen of in a very long time. Muttering her name in his head Kopa shakes his head in disbelieve but rushes directly towards her. Vitani smiles for the first time in a long while and the two of them run together before finally embracing eachother in an almighty nuzzle.
"I thought you were dead," Vitani says as they lovingly nuzzle one another,
"I thought you were too," Kopa smiles filled with hope and joy, a final salty tear trickles down his cheek. Simba and Nala both rush down from Priderock to see the two old mates nuzzling one another they smile together as Zazu swoops down and Rafiki appears from the cavern, Kovu looks in surprise but only scowls and remains in the shadow of Priderock. Everyone smiles accept Kovu, it's only at that moment the dark storm clouds divide apart above Priderock and a single ray of light blasts through the grey clouds shining down solely upon Kopa and Vitani. The successor has returned, marking a fresh era for everyone in the Pridelands; perhaps this is merely the beginning of a far larger plan in the great Circle of Life.
To Be Continued...
Book Two – Reuniting the Pasts.
Prolouge: show
In the warmth of the savannah a newly formed tide covered with thick broken logs presents itself on the rocky coast of the Pridelands. In the coastal waves a figure of a lioness is washed away with the tide. With no strength to raise her legs she crawls out of the water and trundles further onto the coast. She wheezes for breath only to cough up water. The strong waves trying to haul her back into the rushing river she came down from. The lioness almost reached the end of her life after falling from a reasonable height into the water and swept down the gorge when the dam broke. The waters crushed upon her with such power and ferocity the next second she could breathe was on this coast, but now she was greedily swallowing the air before eventually awakening and started coming to her senses over than the tang of wet groggy dirt and sand in her mouth. She rubs her bleak face and eyes with a broken paw. She shakes her golden furred body to release the water and only then she does look up at the horizon and stare at Priderock still standing strong in the distance. With cowardly eye's she draws her chipped claws and weakly hobbles off alongside the golden twilight coast into lands yet unknown.
Kopa floods with optimism. His face lights up as he gases upon Vitani, the cub he loved and the cub who he wanted to be his queen now as an adult. A lioness he hasn't heard of or seen of in a very long time. Muttering her name in his head Kopa shakes his head in disbelieve but rushes directly towards her. Vitani smiles for the first time in a long while and the two of them run together before finally embracing eachother in an almighty nuzzle.
"I thought you were dead," Vitani says as they lovingly nuzzle one another,
"I thought you were too," Kopa smiles filled with hope and joy, a final salty tear trickles down his cheek. Simba and Nala both rush down from Priderock to see the two old mates nuzzling one another they smile together as Zazu swoops down and Rafiki appears from the cavern, Kovu looks in surprise but only scowls and remains in the shadow of Priderock. Everyone smiles accept Kovu, it's only at that moment the dark storm clouds divide apart above Priderock and a single ray of light blasts through the grey clouds shining down solely upon Kopa and Vitani. The successor has returned.
Kopa floods with optimism. His face lights up as he gases upon Vitani, the cub he loved and the cub who he wanted to be his queen now as an adult. A lioness he hasn't heard of or seen of in a very long time. Muttering her name in his head Kopa shakes his head in disbelieve but rushes directly towards her. Vitani smiles for the first time in a long while and the two of them run together before finally embracing eachother in an almighty nuzzle.
"I thought you were dead," Vitani says as they lovingly nuzzle one another,
"I thought you were too," Kopa smiles filled with hope and joy, a final salty tear trickles down his cheek. Simba and Nala both rush down from Priderock to see the two old mates nuzzling one another they smile together as Zazu swoops down and Rafiki appears from the cavern, Kovu looks in surprise but only scowls and remains in the shadow of Priderock. Everyone smiles accept Kovu, it's only at that moment the dark storm clouds divide apart above Priderock and a single ray of light blasts through the grey clouds shining down solely upon Kopa and Vitani. The successor has returned.
Chapter 1 - The Tail of Prince Kopa, part 1: show
As their loving nuzzle ends and the storm cloud slowly part above them the mates gaze longingly upon eachother once more, time has not been so kind to Vitani, her face changed with the spiral of depression she felt when Kopa was deemed dead. For once, now she is smiling, the look in her face suddenly lights up, she is no longer the gloomy looking lioness she was at her mother Zira's side and now for the first time Kopa can now find the words he failed to say all those many years ago: "I love you."
Those words opened up Kovu's heart as he looks down at his dark paws and then at the new scar he scratched along Kopa's right eye. Thinking what a fool he is to attack a prince. Perhaps his anger just got the better of him, when his hopes were so suddenly crushed knowing the tales of his father were fake Kopa was there to take the fall. But this did not excuse the fact of what Kopa did. All to be addressed later it seems as it's Nala who steps forward next to nuzzle her only son, Kopa will always be her baby. The scar on Kopa's right eye drips a single small drop of blood but he ignores the stinging pain and just turns to face everyone with a warm smile, he sits down upon the ground and slowly starts to reminisce of his past, he begins by telling his story. Just what happened to the forgotten prince for all these years? This is the true chronicle of prince Kopa—
'—The tale of Kopa takes place in the time just after the demise of the dark king Scar who used to be named Taka in his cub years. A time when Sarabi was still with the living, the Hyena's were chased off and peace was declared in the Pridelands once more. Nonetheless the battles which just past and the actions of Scar had left the Pridelands destroyed and ominously dark. So during this time all the inhabitants of Priderock had to migrate and journey to the outskirts of the Grass Wall: Rafiki's fatherland. Here they waited for the Pridelands itself to recover and bloom once more from Scar's reign of starvation and drought. It was called the Great Migration, the date everyone had to leave Priderock. Zira also migrated away from Priderock, she had just seen the death of her mate Scar, and for the duration of Scar's reign she was spent in recluse raising their two cubs Nuka and Vitani. At the Grass Wall Zira had a third cub named Kovu, the cub Scar had already chosen to be his successor. No one truly knows why Scar chose Kovu to be the next Lion King and to this day it remains a complete mystery. But during this time called the Great Migration; Kopa was also born from his mother Nala and his father Simba. After the Pridelands recovered from the drought of Scar's reign Kopa was immediately presented to the Pridelands which were now flourishing with new greenery and wildlife, however Kovu was never presented. This saw Zira's hate grow, not only does she blame Simba for her mate's Scar's death but now Kovu has been pushed out of becoming the Lion King! That day Zira vowed for revenge, while she was allowed to stay in the Pridelands by the kindness of Simba she hatched an evil plan to act her revenge on the newly born but unsuspecting prince Kopa.
Kopa was always a mommy's boy; on the star filled nights of the equinox grandmother and son would lie together on a wide terrace of Priderock telling stories of a hopeful and bright new future for everyone in the Pridelands. If lucky they would sometimes see shooting stars majestically jet across the blackness of the night sky. Kopa would always try to locate patterns in the stars whilst laid on his back. The prince's enthusiasm and charisma made Sarabi feel younger than her years. Kopa regularly slept beneath the stars after his grandmother departed for the lion's den, their wondrous brightness amazed the young cub. Kopa was always the charmer and stronger than his father Simba was at his age, his reddish-brown mane between his ears had also developed early and this brought the attention of many of the younger female cubs, although Kopa never boasted about this mainly because he never even noticed the attention he got. Here in the Pridelands, he was content. Kopa lays his sleepy head upon his crossed paws; his tired eyes slowly close as he peacefully falls into sleep.
Sunrise, and a shining new bright morning begins, the sun brightly radiates the Pridelands as it always did in the clear blue morning sky. The Pridelands were awaking with chirping insects, singing birds and much more lively wildlife all around. Everyone had just arrived back from the Great Migration and the land had recovered from Scar reign, fresh grass was grown, flowers have bloomed again and the Pridelands were as good as new. But as the darkness of night fades away a silent figure of a lion slowly creeps its way across the rocky ledge to the sleeping prince Kopa, making no sounds other than low breathing, just a few more steps towards the cub... Suddenly the lion lets out an almighty and powerful roar behind the unsuspecting Kopa. The young cub Kopa jumps out of his sleep and turns quickly looking up with his ears folded back and his heart racing.
"Ha; I got you!" Afua laughs after just scaring his younger best friend. Kopa breathes a sigh of relief as Afua ruffles Kopa's mane with his paw. Afua is one of Kopa's older friends, standing much taller than the prince, with dark tanned fur and brown ears and also small clumps of black fur on top of both his ears. Like Kopa, Afua's mane developed early and his fur tail is half colored half black and half brown. But Afua's most distinctive feature is that he always stands with his paws facing outwards. Kopa frowns and tries to relax after just awakening hastily. Afua sits and grins,
"I can't stay long little buddy; I promised Beba I would stay with her tonight, afterall it's the date of Equinox Sunset, I'm sharing it with Beba, who will you go with Kopa?" Afua questions his friend as Kopa tilts his head and begins to think, the Equinox Sunset happens only once every year during the summer seasons, the sun would shine its upmost greatest and the sky would light up in a display of orange, red and yellow lights. Kopa was excited to see the Equinox Sunset as this was the one night for him to share with someone special to him. They're plenty of younger female cubs but Kopa never really understood love, he just wanted to have adventures and fun. Afua wasn't going to stay all morning watching his friend gaze into the air, he needed to find Beba. According to Afua, Beba was a fast African leopard with a small white maine, Afua always exaggerated on how fast she could run, saying she was faster than a lightning flash. Kopa and his friends have never seen Beba, infact Afua and Kopa once even got into an argument one time because Afua constantly talked only about her, Kopa got jealous and fell out with Afua as friends sometimes do, but the two of them quickly made amends and Kopa was taught was valuable lesson that day. After bidding his friend a quick farewell Afua runs off into the Pridelands leaving Kopa to stand on a small rocky terrace of Priderock and look out to someone to share the sunset with. The young cub shakes his head of the nonsense and climbs down Priderock onto the grass,
"And where do you think you're going young prince?" A stern voice suddenly pierces the air. It's Zazu. The hornbill marches up to the prince three times his size. Zazu is suppose to be watching over Kopa as ordered from the king. Kopa thinks to himself and grins coming up with a genius plan to get away from Zazu so he can explore the Pridelands independently. Kopa jumps on Zazu's back and after rolling around playfully in a scuffle Kopa ditches Zazu running as fast as he can, Zazu on the other hand is left in a heap on Priderock, fluttering his wings he quickly takes off once more.
Not so far away from Priderock, two other cubs from a different family are lying in the sunshine: "The freedom of the Pridelands; isn't it great? Just smell that fresh air," the cub Vitani smiles as she rolls over in the sunlight to warm her golden furred back. Together with her brother the two siblings are relaxing in the sunlight deep in the Pridelands. Nuka takes a whiff of the air; the air was indeed fresh but also smelt of the lush grass all around them. Of course the smell of the Pridelands was nothing compared to Nuka himself, he always avoided taking a bathe; his whiskers were loopy or bent and his posture was one of pure laziness. Their mother Zira is currently looking after her third cub named Kovu who has just barely begun to open his small green cub eyes, Kovu was born during the Great Migration and before Scar died he claimed Kovu to be the next the king, much to Nuka's disgust. This is why Nuka was so upset all the time, Kovu was barely even born and already Scar chosen him to be the next king. That's twice Nuka was cheated out of out being the king of the Pridelands, first Kopa was born and now Kovu. Nuka felt unloved, a dark burden he will carry for most of his life. But with their mother Zira raising her third cub or hunting with the other lionesses this left Vitani and Nuka to adventure across the Pridelands without consequence.
"You're always so serious about everything Nuka;" Vitani smile's reading her brother's facial expressions while playfully laying in the sunlight. Gazing at her brother while lying on her back, Vitani tilts her head backwards as to see the world upside down. It's only at this moment she notices Kopa in the distance heading towards them and she grins even more. Vitani suddenly rushes up to the prince and hops onto Kopa wrestling with him playfully while exchanging greetings with eachother. The prince and Vitani were always happy to see eachother as they roll and wrestle on the ground. Nuka, the oldest of the three cubs rolls his eyes at their childishness. Vitani grins in reply to her brother's reaction as she pins Kopa and rolls off over him onto the ground infront of Nuka making everyone laugh. Nuka and Kopa were friends, just not very close ones. Vitani and Kopa were the best of friends and this distracted Nuka from the hardships of not becoming the Lion King. So together they shared laughs and adventures. After greeting eachother for the new day and playing around for awhile Kopa, enthusiastic as always, plans an adventure for them.
Far across the Pridelands, four lionesses prepare for a volunteering hunt for the heard of dawn gazelles. Among the small party of lionesses: Nala, Sarabi, Sarafina and finally Zira: Who was taking a break from raising Kovu. Sarabi in her old age was keeping a close eye on Zira; afterall she was the queen of Scar, and the dreadful acts what Scar committed upon the lionesses was unforgivable. However for now, the lionesses including Zira, were working together in this hunt. Crawling in a line each lioness behind the next they creep slowly against the ground. The gazelles were grazing quietly in the distance. The dawn sandy gazelles were known for their attuned attention to their surroundings, almost always looking over their shoulders, bending their heads in hope for a peaceful grazing. Almost blended into the wheat grass the four lionesses' get ready, eye's wide, claws drawn.
Rushing faster and faster, Nuka and Vitani race eachother across the sunny mores of the Pridelands. Vitani taking little leaps into the air. As they run two swinging monkeys glide through the vines of the trees near the Zulu Waterfalls as Kopa, Vitani and Nuka run through the Pridelands, enjoying the new dawn. The monkeys named Jambo and Kwaheri are following them, as Vitani and Nuka rush on ahead, crossing the river on a bridge made of logs and old timber, Kopa accidentally trips over his forward paw's and into the ground, as the cub lands sand blasts up covering the cub in dirt. Grunting in shame Kopa shakes himself off, his tail had someone managed to find its way on top of his head. It's only then Kopa hears the giggling of the two swinging monkeys in the nearby thin vine trees. Gliding through the vines the monkeys Jambo and Kwaheri were pointing and laughing at the prince. The monkeys had being following Kopa for awhile now.
"We know you want to impress Vitani," Kwaheri the deceitful monkey turns so he is hanging upside down in the tree looking down on the prince Kopa. "We know what could really impress her: Go the Zuberi River and scare the red elephants with an almighty roar; that would be sure to impress her!" Jambo explains with a snigger, Kopa brushes himself off of the dirt and runs off saying nothing more. But now the idea was in his head, Kopa will show those swinging monkeys his almighty roar, he will impress Vitani and one day he will become the Lion King. Vitani and Nuka had already run off ahead not knowing of Kopa's encounter with the mischievous monkeys. With little effort now Kopa joins them on the edge of the sallow part of the Zuberi River; right below to the fantastic Zulu Falls. The red elephants were bathing in the water here, right where Jambo and Kwaheri knew they would be. Gawping at the size of the waterfall above her Vitani decides to swim around some, using her paw to splash water on her best friend Kopa. Nuka hated the water, it made him think of taking a wash and so he growls severely before leisurely backing away into the grass leaving Kopa and Vitani alone by the water's edge. Kopa laughs and climbs up onto the highest rock nearest the lake at the bottom of the waterfall. Wasting no time he takes a deep breath; Kopa roars out like a true king. The red elephants suddenly turn in shock and panic; they race around and rush off, right into the path of Vitani. The elephants large stomps almost standing right on the cub as she dodges the larger elephants, water explodes everywhere in all directions and Kopa watches as the elephants scuttle away in a stampede. Vitani was no longer moving, her smile turned into a frown as she was collapsed in the swallow wavy water. It's only then Kopa realises his great error as the elephants clear the water and run off into the Pridelands at full speed. The ground shakes; the tiny pebbles and rocks bounce up and down uncontrollably. The dawn gazelles perceive this at first their ears pricking up suddenly as they being to bounce away in all directions, the four lionesses, Nala, Sarabi, Sarafina and Zira all look at the horizon.
"It's a stampede!" Sarabi shouts as the red elephants approach in a dust cloud of sand with their stomping. Sprinting into action Nala and Sarafina rush towards the elephants in a bid to stop them, running alongside them, trying to calm them down, they were exceedingly spooked. But they were stopping for nothing, after charging after the large beasts Nala pulls back and look down at the path of destruction the stampede caused. Grass was trampled and a nest of termites were completely destroyed. Heading to find the source, Sarabi leads the others following the destruction back. Eventually to come to see Kopa lying next to Vitani in the water, Nala and Zira's faces instantly turn to one of disgust, both of them growling at their cubs and then at eachother.
"Your little brat ruined our hunt, that much is obvious," Zira snarls at the queen Nala.
"Kopa, you should know better than this, you broke our hunt, scared the elephants and almost harmed Vitani." Nala winces her eyes looking down in deep thought, sighing deeply. "I'm sorry mom; I just wanted to impress Vitani!" Kopa sulks; knowing he's committed a grave mistake. The lionesses stand together all arguing over what just happened,
"You left one of yours cub alone? What dreadful mother!" Sarabi taunts Zira during the arguments. Kopa looks up at the fighting lionesses in deep regret of his actions. Vitani awakes finally looking up innocently to see her mother guarding her away from the others. Nala walks up to Kopa giving her son a look of great disappointment before moving him away.
After vowing to never let the cubs see one another again, Nala and Zira walked in opposite directions taking their cubs with them.
Nuka kicking the dirt with his paw was long gone from Zulu Fall's by now. Nuka decided to spend some time alone on a dusty old rock. The rejection of his father was something Nuka could not easily forget. Sighing the cub bounces his tail against the rock in anger. A young lioness suddenly runs infront of him chasing a savannah butterfly. The cubs name was Doti, using the less-common nickname of Dotty because of a distinctive row of dots under her right eye. The cub Doti runs right past, she turns shyly to see Nuka and backs away slightly.
"What are you looking at?" Nuka says smugly, Doti's lazy eye twitches and she sadly looks down wondering what she did wrong. Nuka sighs deeply and gets up; he draws his claws and points on the horizon, "Let me show you how you really hunt something." Doti's face lights up as the two walk along the sunny Pridelands together little knowing of the drama back at Zulu Fall's.
The day was quickly thinning; the Equinox sunset was almost upon the Pridelands for another year. The events what happened at Zulu Fall's were quick and painful, especially for Kopa, he was forbidden from seeing his best friend, but not because of own their actions, but because of the grievances of their parents and the events of the past which drove them into hate. Sulking in the lion's den in the darkest corner Kopa hides his face in his paw. Jambo and Kwaheri watched the whole scene, laughing and wailing they tease Kopa inside Priderock.
"What a show we got tonight Jambo!" Kwaheri says to his monkey brother. Kopa sits, wrapping his tail around himself for comfort, ignoring the monkeys. However the swinging monkeys are quickly dispatched with a quick whack of a wooden staff. Jambo and Kwaheri quickly run away wailing loudly and clearly defeated. The wise one Rafiki seemed to have watched everything from afar as well. After dispensing of the devious monkey's with his staff Rafiki he walks up to Kopa, understanding completely what the young prince was trying to achieve. Rafiki Notices Kopa wants to have no fear and be like his father Simba. Kopa clearly thinks that not having any fear makes you a good king. Kopa just wanted to impress Vitani and everyone in the Pridelands. Rafiki parts some words of advice to the prince:
"Brave animals know when to be afraid," Rafiki grips his shaman staff loosely while standing perfectly on a moss covered boulder next to the prince. Little did Rafiki know; it's that same line of advice he would tell a much older Vitani in many years to come... Kopa had enough of listening to others; he wanted to see his best friend. Rafiki was not going to stop the cub as Kopa gets up and suddenly rushes out of Priderock to find Vitani.
Into the fleeting sun Kopa runs, never before feeling like he does now inside. Meeting once more in a secretive place, Vitani has had the same idea to meet with Kopa and the two cubs reunite in the Pridelands. Nuzzling eachother, neither one knew what this feeling was. It felt warm inside, like a thousand hugs. The two cubs run away together, trying to find a secret place, someplace where no parents or swinging monkeys could ever find them.
"Here!" Vitani calls to Kopa as the two cub's dash forwards and discovers a cave covered in old tree branches and foliage. Clawing away at the undergrowth with their large claws, they drag's them out and away from the cave to reveal a hidden cave entrance. Vitani looks down into the cave, there is revealed a narrow passage winding down into a bottomless darkness; the two young cub's side-by-side march down into the darkness. Together they had no fear, eventually after marching through the pitch dark the sound of flowing water can be heard gushing at the bottom of the long tunnel. The cave opens up into a enormous cavern; On one side of the cavern's haphazard walls a large waterfall blasts water into a small lake, the source of the waterfall trails off into another dark section of the cave. On the far side of the cavern another tunnel leads off into an unknown location. In the roof of the cave are small holes where sunbeams of light shine through enlightening the whole cave-like room. Grey fresh rocks litter the cave, placed around the cavern. This was the perfect secret place. Together the two cubs explore the cave themselves, they stands by the water's edge looking down into their reflections. . There they sit by the waterfall, look into the water and see their reflections are merged together in the waters.
"We are one" Kopa says smiling at their reflections. It's only later when fully exploring the cave, the two cubs find it. Someone had being here before, but not for an anciently long time. On the tallest wall of the cave they discover a carving. On the wall is a carving of names connected with strange lines, they go all the way to the bottom of the wall, and at the bottom of the carving Kopa and Vitani added their own names to the bottom of the carving under their parent's names and draw a line between their names using a rock or their own claws. Looking at all the names Kopa ponders a question:
"What happened to your father? Can you tell me about him?" Kopa lies down upon a high rock, resting his head on his crossed paws.
"Well, his name was Taka, well that was before he got a scar across his eye, then his name became Scar and he was the best king ever. That's what my mother told me." Vitani says,
"What happened? Where is he now?" Kopa says curious about his best friend's past.
"He's dead."
"Oh, I'm sorry..." Kopa quickly replies. Vitani just smile's, she didn't mind talking about this:
"Some lion came and killed him. But if I ever knew who killed my father." Vitani clenches her paws, the story of Scar and Simba was greatly exaggerated on both sides as it was told. However the true story still remains a mystery and a fuzzy mess to the two cubs, for now, Vitani and Kopa neither knew the truth of their parents past. Kopa understanding his best friend's pain, Kopa would be devastated without a father. Kopa slowly gets up on the small rock he was perched on but suddenly the cub slips on the moss covered rock tumbling down he falls right onto Vitani and the two cubs lips meet in a accidental kiss. Both their eyes widen and Kopa quickly gets up off of his friend. Both blush deep red and then finally leave the cave for the first time, Kopa and Vitani head towards the West...
As the day fades away Kopa and Vitani secretly meet up on the hill top away from the cavern but they're not the only ones: Afua and Beba sit together not too far away and also Nuka and his new friend Doti to the other side of them. Together they all sit as the Equinox Sunset begins, the sun disappears before the horizon and the light display begins, yellow and red's dance across the sky the clouds burn deep orange across the whole of the Pridelands. Under the blazing colourful sky, Kopa and Vitani declare their love. The dazzling lights could not compare to how beautiful Kopa saw Vitani in that moment. Little did either of them know, it would be the last and only sunset they would spent together. The display lasted for several minutes, the sky was like anything seen before in the Pridelands and the light's seemed almost alive. The Equinox Sunset kept going until a thick blanket of night covers the sky and the stars came out in their hundreds. When it was time for them to part, Kopa almost came to say those fateful words before saying goodbye to Vitani; but somehow he wanted to wait. Kopa in the thick of night was walking home, alone, in the dark. Long hoots of quiet owls can occasionally be heard as the prince walks towards Priderock. Kopa is stopped by a figure on the horizon, a lion walking towards him, Kopa freezes as the lion gets closer. Then suddenly Kopa sees his own father Simba approaching him. Breathing a sigh a relief Simba quickly tells his son he was very worried. Father and son then begin to lie under the stars,
"Look at the stars, the great kings of the past look down on us from those stars." Simba says wisely passing down the wise words his own father Mufasa once told him. Kopa shakes his head as he is laid with his father Kopa asks for the truth:"Dad, what happened to king Scar?" Simba suddenly shakes from hearing Kopa's question, nobody has ever told his son the tale of king Scar, nobody dare speak of the dreadful acts that lion committed on so many others drunk on the power of being the Lion King...
"Scar was, lost to darkness son, he let his hate and fear corrupt him, and in the end, I had to make sure he would never harm this land again, I did what had to be done," Kopa listens to every word, then he gets up, the young cubs leg's shaking, Kopa suddenly realises it was his own father who lead king Scar to his death,
"Y-you only told me that you stopped Scar. Not killed him!" Tears stream down the prince's face, Kopa suddenly realises the truth of his origins, "You lied to me! It was you who killed Vitani's father!" Kopa screams at his dad before shaking his head and running off into the darkened Savannah. Kopa ran so fast he couldn't hear his father's cries: "Kopa I can explain, please come back!" Simba's voice only seemed a mere echo as the prince Kopa ran so fast he didn't even notice he was running into a mysterious white fog, angry and upset at the past, Kopa suddenly finds he is alone. Looking around so cold and upset, Kopa fails to see a lioness in the fog with him. The lioness gazes at Kopa, a killing look in her eye; claws drawn; the fog would be the perfect ambush. It seemed Kopa's fate was already sealed—'
Back at Priderock, the now adult Kopa is quickly interrupted from his tale by the blinding sunlight of sunrise. He was not nearly finished from his tale, but perhaps he can finish another time. The storm clouds had now fully parted in the sky, and the Pridelands were still moist and wet from the rain which fell previously. Kopa stands with Vitani, Simba and his loving mother Nala and no matter what happened in the past, this was his family, and for now, they were all safe. He'd only to remember that.
Those words opened up Kovu's heart as he looks down at his dark paws and then at the new scar he scratched along Kopa's right eye. Thinking what a fool he is to attack a prince. Perhaps his anger just got the better of him, when his hopes were so suddenly crushed knowing the tales of his father were fake Kopa was there to take the fall. But this did not excuse the fact of what Kopa did. All to be addressed later it seems as it's Nala who steps forward next to nuzzle her only son, Kopa will always be her baby. The scar on Kopa's right eye drips a single small drop of blood but he ignores the stinging pain and just turns to face everyone with a warm smile, he sits down upon the ground and slowly starts to reminisce of his past, he begins by telling his story. Just what happened to the forgotten prince for all these years? This is the true chronicle of prince Kopa—
'—The tale of Kopa takes place in the time just after the demise of the dark king Scar who used to be named Taka in his cub years. A time when Sarabi was still with the living, the Hyena's were chased off and peace was declared in the Pridelands once more. Nonetheless the battles which just past and the actions of Scar had left the Pridelands destroyed and ominously dark. So during this time all the inhabitants of Priderock had to migrate and journey to the outskirts of the Grass Wall: Rafiki's fatherland. Here they waited for the Pridelands itself to recover and bloom once more from Scar's reign of starvation and drought. It was called the Great Migration, the date everyone had to leave Priderock. Zira also migrated away from Priderock, she had just seen the death of her mate Scar, and for the duration of Scar's reign she was spent in recluse raising their two cubs Nuka and Vitani. At the Grass Wall Zira had a third cub named Kovu, the cub Scar had already chosen to be his successor. No one truly knows why Scar chose Kovu to be the next Lion King and to this day it remains a complete mystery. But during this time called the Great Migration; Kopa was also born from his mother Nala and his father Simba. After the Pridelands recovered from the drought of Scar's reign Kopa was immediately presented to the Pridelands which were now flourishing with new greenery and wildlife, however Kovu was never presented. This saw Zira's hate grow, not only does she blame Simba for her mate's Scar's death but now Kovu has been pushed out of becoming the Lion King! That day Zira vowed for revenge, while she was allowed to stay in the Pridelands by the kindness of Simba she hatched an evil plan to act her revenge on the newly born but unsuspecting prince Kopa.
Kopa was always a mommy's boy; on the star filled nights of the equinox grandmother and son would lie together on a wide terrace of Priderock telling stories of a hopeful and bright new future for everyone in the Pridelands. If lucky they would sometimes see shooting stars majestically jet across the blackness of the night sky. Kopa would always try to locate patterns in the stars whilst laid on his back. The prince's enthusiasm and charisma made Sarabi feel younger than her years. Kopa regularly slept beneath the stars after his grandmother departed for the lion's den, their wondrous brightness amazed the young cub. Kopa was always the charmer and stronger than his father Simba was at his age, his reddish-brown mane between his ears had also developed early and this brought the attention of many of the younger female cubs, although Kopa never boasted about this mainly because he never even noticed the attention he got. Here in the Pridelands, he was content. Kopa lays his sleepy head upon his crossed paws; his tired eyes slowly close as he peacefully falls into sleep.
Sunrise, and a shining new bright morning begins, the sun brightly radiates the Pridelands as it always did in the clear blue morning sky. The Pridelands were awaking with chirping insects, singing birds and much more lively wildlife all around. Everyone had just arrived back from the Great Migration and the land had recovered from Scar reign, fresh grass was grown, flowers have bloomed again and the Pridelands were as good as new. But as the darkness of night fades away a silent figure of a lion slowly creeps its way across the rocky ledge to the sleeping prince Kopa, making no sounds other than low breathing, just a few more steps towards the cub... Suddenly the lion lets out an almighty and powerful roar behind the unsuspecting Kopa. The young cub Kopa jumps out of his sleep and turns quickly looking up with his ears folded back and his heart racing.
"Ha; I got you!" Afua laughs after just scaring his younger best friend. Kopa breathes a sigh of relief as Afua ruffles Kopa's mane with his paw. Afua is one of Kopa's older friends, standing much taller than the prince, with dark tanned fur and brown ears and also small clumps of black fur on top of both his ears. Like Kopa, Afua's mane developed early and his fur tail is half colored half black and half brown. But Afua's most distinctive feature is that he always stands with his paws facing outwards. Kopa frowns and tries to relax after just awakening hastily. Afua sits and grins,
"I can't stay long little buddy; I promised Beba I would stay with her tonight, afterall it's the date of Equinox Sunset, I'm sharing it with Beba, who will you go with Kopa?" Afua questions his friend as Kopa tilts his head and begins to think, the Equinox Sunset happens only once every year during the summer seasons, the sun would shine its upmost greatest and the sky would light up in a display of orange, red and yellow lights. Kopa was excited to see the Equinox Sunset as this was the one night for him to share with someone special to him. They're plenty of younger female cubs but Kopa never really understood love, he just wanted to have adventures and fun. Afua wasn't going to stay all morning watching his friend gaze into the air, he needed to find Beba. According to Afua, Beba was a fast African leopard with a small white maine, Afua always exaggerated on how fast she could run, saying she was faster than a lightning flash. Kopa and his friends have never seen Beba, infact Afua and Kopa once even got into an argument one time because Afua constantly talked only about her, Kopa got jealous and fell out with Afua as friends sometimes do, but the two of them quickly made amends and Kopa was taught was valuable lesson that day. After bidding his friend a quick farewell Afua runs off into the Pridelands leaving Kopa to stand on a small rocky terrace of Priderock and look out to someone to share the sunset with. The young cub shakes his head of the nonsense and climbs down Priderock onto the grass,
"And where do you think you're going young prince?" A stern voice suddenly pierces the air. It's Zazu. The hornbill marches up to the prince three times his size. Zazu is suppose to be watching over Kopa as ordered from the king. Kopa thinks to himself and grins coming up with a genius plan to get away from Zazu so he can explore the Pridelands independently. Kopa jumps on Zazu's back and after rolling around playfully in a scuffle Kopa ditches Zazu running as fast as he can, Zazu on the other hand is left in a heap on Priderock, fluttering his wings he quickly takes off once more.
Not so far away from Priderock, two other cubs from a different family are lying in the sunshine: "The freedom of the Pridelands; isn't it great? Just smell that fresh air," the cub Vitani smiles as she rolls over in the sunlight to warm her golden furred back. Together with her brother the two siblings are relaxing in the sunlight deep in the Pridelands. Nuka takes a whiff of the air; the air was indeed fresh but also smelt of the lush grass all around them. Of course the smell of the Pridelands was nothing compared to Nuka himself, he always avoided taking a bathe; his whiskers were loopy or bent and his posture was one of pure laziness. Their mother Zira is currently looking after her third cub named Kovu who has just barely begun to open his small green cub eyes, Kovu was born during the Great Migration and before Scar died he claimed Kovu to be the next the king, much to Nuka's disgust. This is why Nuka was so upset all the time, Kovu was barely even born and already Scar chosen him to be the next king. That's twice Nuka was cheated out of out being the king of the Pridelands, first Kopa was born and now Kovu. Nuka felt unloved, a dark burden he will carry for most of his life. But with their mother Zira raising her third cub or hunting with the other lionesses this left Vitani and Nuka to adventure across the Pridelands without consequence.
"You're always so serious about everything Nuka;" Vitani smile's reading her brother's facial expressions while playfully laying in the sunlight. Gazing at her brother while lying on her back, Vitani tilts her head backwards as to see the world upside down. It's only at this moment she notices Kopa in the distance heading towards them and she grins even more. Vitani suddenly rushes up to the prince and hops onto Kopa wrestling with him playfully while exchanging greetings with eachother. The prince and Vitani were always happy to see eachother as they roll and wrestle on the ground. Nuka, the oldest of the three cubs rolls his eyes at their childishness. Vitani grins in reply to her brother's reaction as she pins Kopa and rolls off over him onto the ground infront of Nuka making everyone laugh. Nuka and Kopa were friends, just not very close ones. Vitani and Kopa were the best of friends and this distracted Nuka from the hardships of not becoming the Lion King. So together they shared laughs and adventures. After greeting eachother for the new day and playing around for awhile Kopa, enthusiastic as always, plans an adventure for them.
Far across the Pridelands, four lionesses prepare for a volunteering hunt for the heard of dawn gazelles. Among the small party of lionesses: Nala, Sarabi, Sarafina and finally Zira: Who was taking a break from raising Kovu. Sarabi in her old age was keeping a close eye on Zira; afterall she was the queen of Scar, and the dreadful acts what Scar committed upon the lionesses was unforgivable. However for now, the lionesses including Zira, were working together in this hunt. Crawling in a line each lioness behind the next they creep slowly against the ground. The gazelles were grazing quietly in the distance. The dawn sandy gazelles were known for their attuned attention to their surroundings, almost always looking over their shoulders, bending their heads in hope for a peaceful grazing. Almost blended into the wheat grass the four lionesses' get ready, eye's wide, claws drawn.
Rushing faster and faster, Nuka and Vitani race eachother across the sunny mores of the Pridelands. Vitani taking little leaps into the air. As they run two swinging monkeys glide through the vines of the trees near the Zulu Waterfalls as Kopa, Vitani and Nuka run through the Pridelands, enjoying the new dawn. The monkeys named Jambo and Kwaheri are following them, as Vitani and Nuka rush on ahead, crossing the river on a bridge made of logs and old timber, Kopa accidentally trips over his forward paw's and into the ground, as the cub lands sand blasts up covering the cub in dirt. Grunting in shame Kopa shakes himself off, his tail had someone managed to find its way on top of his head. It's only then Kopa hears the giggling of the two swinging monkeys in the nearby thin vine trees. Gliding through the vines the monkeys Jambo and Kwaheri were pointing and laughing at the prince. The monkeys had being following Kopa for awhile now.
"We know you want to impress Vitani," Kwaheri the deceitful monkey turns so he is hanging upside down in the tree looking down on the prince Kopa. "We know what could really impress her: Go the Zuberi River and scare the red elephants with an almighty roar; that would be sure to impress her!" Jambo explains with a snigger, Kopa brushes himself off of the dirt and runs off saying nothing more. But now the idea was in his head, Kopa will show those swinging monkeys his almighty roar, he will impress Vitani and one day he will become the Lion King. Vitani and Nuka had already run off ahead not knowing of Kopa's encounter with the mischievous monkeys. With little effort now Kopa joins them on the edge of the sallow part of the Zuberi River; right below to the fantastic Zulu Falls. The red elephants were bathing in the water here, right where Jambo and Kwaheri knew they would be. Gawping at the size of the waterfall above her Vitani decides to swim around some, using her paw to splash water on her best friend Kopa. Nuka hated the water, it made him think of taking a wash and so he growls severely before leisurely backing away into the grass leaving Kopa and Vitani alone by the water's edge. Kopa laughs and climbs up onto the highest rock nearest the lake at the bottom of the waterfall. Wasting no time he takes a deep breath; Kopa roars out like a true king. The red elephants suddenly turn in shock and panic; they race around and rush off, right into the path of Vitani. The elephants large stomps almost standing right on the cub as she dodges the larger elephants, water explodes everywhere in all directions and Kopa watches as the elephants scuttle away in a stampede. Vitani was no longer moving, her smile turned into a frown as she was collapsed in the swallow wavy water. It's only then Kopa realises his great error as the elephants clear the water and run off into the Pridelands at full speed. The ground shakes; the tiny pebbles and rocks bounce up and down uncontrollably. The dawn gazelles perceive this at first their ears pricking up suddenly as they being to bounce away in all directions, the four lionesses, Nala, Sarabi, Sarafina and Zira all look at the horizon.
"It's a stampede!" Sarabi shouts as the red elephants approach in a dust cloud of sand with their stomping. Sprinting into action Nala and Sarafina rush towards the elephants in a bid to stop them, running alongside them, trying to calm them down, they were exceedingly spooked. But they were stopping for nothing, after charging after the large beasts Nala pulls back and look down at the path of destruction the stampede caused. Grass was trampled and a nest of termites were completely destroyed. Heading to find the source, Sarabi leads the others following the destruction back. Eventually to come to see Kopa lying next to Vitani in the water, Nala and Zira's faces instantly turn to one of disgust, both of them growling at their cubs and then at eachother.
"Your little brat ruined our hunt, that much is obvious," Zira snarls at the queen Nala.
"Kopa, you should know better than this, you broke our hunt, scared the elephants and almost harmed Vitani." Nala winces her eyes looking down in deep thought, sighing deeply. "I'm sorry mom; I just wanted to impress Vitani!" Kopa sulks; knowing he's committed a grave mistake. The lionesses stand together all arguing over what just happened,
"You left one of yours cub alone? What dreadful mother!" Sarabi taunts Zira during the arguments. Kopa looks up at the fighting lionesses in deep regret of his actions. Vitani awakes finally looking up innocently to see her mother guarding her away from the others. Nala walks up to Kopa giving her son a look of great disappointment before moving him away.
After vowing to never let the cubs see one another again, Nala and Zira walked in opposite directions taking their cubs with them.
Nuka kicking the dirt with his paw was long gone from Zulu Fall's by now. Nuka decided to spend some time alone on a dusty old rock. The rejection of his father was something Nuka could not easily forget. Sighing the cub bounces his tail against the rock in anger. A young lioness suddenly runs infront of him chasing a savannah butterfly. The cubs name was Doti, using the less-common nickname of Dotty because of a distinctive row of dots under her right eye. The cub Doti runs right past, she turns shyly to see Nuka and backs away slightly.
"What are you looking at?" Nuka says smugly, Doti's lazy eye twitches and she sadly looks down wondering what she did wrong. Nuka sighs deeply and gets up; he draws his claws and points on the horizon, "Let me show you how you really hunt something." Doti's face lights up as the two walk along the sunny Pridelands together little knowing of the drama back at Zulu Fall's.
The day was quickly thinning; the Equinox sunset was almost upon the Pridelands for another year. The events what happened at Zulu Fall's were quick and painful, especially for Kopa, he was forbidden from seeing his best friend, but not because of own their actions, but because of the grievances of their parents and the events of the past which drove them into hate. Sulking in the lion's den in the darkest corner Kopa hides his face in his paw. Jambo and Kwaheri watched the whole scene, laughing and wailing they tease Kopa inside Priderock.
"What a show we got tonight Jambo!" Kwaheri says to his monkey brother. Kopa sits, wrapping his tail around himself for comfort, ignoring the monkeys. However the swinging monkeys are quickly dispatched with a quick whack of a wooden staff. Jambo and Kwaheri quickly run away wailing loudly and clearly defeated. The wise one Rafiki seemed to have watched everything from afar as well. After dispensing of the devious monkey's with his staff Rafiki he walks up to Kopa, understanding completely what the young prince was trying to achieve. Rafiki Notices Kopa wants to have no fear and be like his father Simba. Kopa clearly thinks that not having any fear makes you a good king. Kopa just wanted to impress Vitani and everyone in the Pridelands. Rafiki parts some words of advice to the prince:
"Brave animals know when to be afraid," Rafiki grips his shaman staff loosely while standing perfectly on a moss covered boulder next to the prince. Little did Rafiki know; it's that same line of advice he would tell a much older Vitani in many years to come... Kopa had enough of listening to others; he wanted to see his best friend. Rafiki was not going to stop the cub as Kopa gets up and suddenly rushes out of Priderock to find Vitani.
Into the fleeting sun Kopa runs, never before feeling like he does now inside. Meeting once more in a secretive place, Vitani has had the same idea to meet with Kopa and the two cubs reunite in the Pridelands. Nuzzling eachother, neither one knew what this feeling was. It felt warm inside, like a thousand hugs. The two cubs run away together, trying to find a secret place, someplace where no parents or swinging monkeys could ever find them.
"Here!" Vitani calls to Kopa as the two cub's dash forwards and discovers a cave covered in old tree branches and foliage. Clawing away at the undergrowth with their large claws, they drag's them out and away from the cave to reveal a hidden cave entrance. Vitani looks down into the cave, there is revealed a narrow passage winding down into a bottomless darkness; the two young cub's side-by-side march down into the darkness. Together they had no fear, eventually after marching through the pitch dark the sound of flowing water can be heard gushing at the bottom of the long tunnel. The cave opens up into a enormous cavern; On one side of the cavern's haphazard walls a large waterfall blasts water into a small lake, the source of the waterfall trails off into another dark section of the cave. On the far side of the cavern another tunnel leads off into an unknown location. In the roof of the cave are small holes where sunbeams of light shine through enlightening the whole cave-like room. Grey fresh rocks litter the cave, placed around the cavern. This was the perfect secret place. Together the two cubs explore the cave themselves, they stands by the water's edge looking down into their reflections. . There they sit by the waterfall, look into the water and see their reflections are merged together in the waters.
"We are one" Kopa says smiling at their reflections. It's only later when fully exploring the cave, the two cubs find it. Someone had being here before, but not for an anciently long time. On the tallest wall of the cave they discover a carving. On the wall is a carving of names connected with strange lines, they go all the way to the bottom of the wall, and at the bottom of the carving Kopa and Vitani added their own names to the bottom of the carving under their parent's names and draw a line between their names using a rock or their own claws. Looking at all the names Kopa ponders a question:
"What happened to your father? Can you tell me about him?" Kopa lies down upon a high rock, resting his head on his crossed paws.
"Well, his name was Taka, well that was before he got a scar across his eye, then his name became Scar and he was the best king ever. That's what my mother told me." Vitani says,
"What happened? Where is he now?" Kopa says curious about his best friend's past.
"He's dead."
"Oh, I'm sorry..." Kopa quickly replies. Vitani just smile's, she didn't mind talking about this:
"Some lion came and killed him. But if I ever knew who killed my father." Vitani clenches her paws, the story of Scar and Simba was greatly exaggerated on both sides as it was told. However the true story still remains a mystery and a fuzzy mess to the two cubs, for now, Vitani and Kopa neither knew the truth of their parents past. Kopa understanding his best friend's pain, Kopa would be devastated without a father. Kopa slowly gets up on the small rock he was perched on but suddenly the cub slips on the moss covered rock tumbling down he falls right onto Vitani and the two cubs lips meet in a accidental kiss. Both their eyes widen and Kopa quickly gets up off of his friend. Both blush deep red and then finally leave the cave for the first time, Kopa and Vitani head towards the West...
As the day fades away Kopa and Vitani secretly meet up on the hill top away from the cavern but they're not the only ones: Afua and Beba sit together not too far away and also Nuka and his new friend Doti to the other side of them. Together they all sit as the Equinox Sunset begins, the sun disappears before the horizon and the light display begins, yellow and red's dance across the sky the clouds burn deep orange across the whole of the Pridelands. Under the blazing colourful sky, Kopa and Vitani declare their love. The dazzling lights could not compare to how beautiful Kopa saw Vitani in that moment. Little did either of them know, it would be the last and only sunset they would spent together. The display lasted for several minutes, the sky was like anything seen before in the Pridelands and the light's seemed almost alive. The Equinox Sunset kept going until a thick blanket of night covers the sky and the stars came out in their hundreds. When it was time for them to part, Kopa almost came to say those fateful words before saying goodbye to Vitani; but somehow he wanted to wait. Kopa in the thick of night was walking home, alone, in the dark. Long hoots of quiet owls can occasionally be heard as the prince walks towards Priderock. Kopa is stopped by a figure on the horizon, a lion walking towards him, Kopa freezes as the lion gets closer. Then suddenly Kopa sees his own father Simba approaching him. Breathing a sigh a relief Simba quickly tells his son he was very worried. Father and son then begin to lie under the stars,
"Look at the stars, the great kings of the past look down on us from those stars." Simba says wisely passing down the wise words his own father Mufasa once told him. Kopa shakes his head as he is laid with his father Kopa asks for the truth:"Dad, what happened to king Scar?" Simba suddenly shakes from hearing Kopa's question, nobody has ever told his son the tale of king Scar, nobody dare speak of the dreadful acts that lion committed on so many others drunk on the power of being the Lion King...
"Scar was, lost to darkness son, he let his hate and fear corrupt him, and in the end, I had to make sure he would never harm this land again, I did what had to be done," Kopa listens to every word, then he gets up, the young cubs leg's shaking, Kopa suddenly realises it was his own father who lead king Scar to his death,
"Y-you only told me that you stopped Scar. Not killed him!" Tears stream down the prince's face, Kopa suddenly realises the truth of his origins, "You lied to me! It was you who killed Vitani's father!" Kopa screams at his dad before shaking his head and running off into the darkened Savannah. Kopa ran so fast he couldn't hear his father's cries: "Kopa I can explain, please come back!" Simba's voice only seemed a mere echo as the prince Kopa ran so fast he didn't even notice he was running into a mysterious white fog, angry and upset at the past, Kopa suddenly finds he is alone. Looking around so cold and upset, Kopa fails to see a lioness in the fog with him. The lioness gazes at Kopa, a killing look in her eye; claws drawn; the fog would be the perfect ambush. It seemed Kopa's fate was already sealed—'
Back at Priderock, the now adult Kopa is quickly interrupted from his tale by the blinding sunlight of sunrise. He was not nearly finished from his tale, but perhaps he can finish another time. The storm clouds had now fully parted in the sky, and the Pridelands were still moist and wet from the rain which fell previously. Kopa stands with Vitani, Simba and his loving mother Nala and no matter what happened in the past, this was his family, and for now, they were all safe. He'd only to remember that.
Chapter 2 - After The storm: show
As life returns to flourish in the Pridelands, the animals return to grazing the birds flock amongst the now blue sky which previous was an array of dark storm clouds. Beams of sunlight now illuminate Priderock; shadows of the monument are cast across the ground. After the events of the past days, everyone decides to go their separate ways. Small circles of wind carrying pink petals fly amongst the distant clouds, once again echo a message across the savannah. The sun starts to rise in the faraway distance turning the sky a faint rose purple. Through the night and into the morning light, the message floats across the wind in the form of pink petals and dust, bringing the news: The sought successor as the rightful heir to the throne has return. One prince who was lost long ago has cheated death itself and as the deadly warning given to Timon and Pumbaa prophesies: Now the equilibrium of this world will be broken.
Kiara and Sarafina were still in one of the many caves of the Pridelands when the news came to them. Still resting here because of the trap which was set and they fell in. A once warm fire now remains a ash heap on top of small cindered logs at the centre of the cave, Sarafina smiles as she awakes, looking healthier for the long relaxed sleep she took throughout the storm. After deciding she'll be just fine on her own. The storm stopped and calmed, the rain stopped falling and the thunder ceased to strike the Pridelands: Kiara also recovered from her ordeal in the pit trap and after hearing the news, the sought successor had returned? Kiara wondered just what was happening, rising up off the ground and stretching her legs, Kiara's fur was no longer covered in the wet mud of the pit trap, and this was because of a quick wash from her grandmother Sarafina just moments before. Kiara slowly heads out into the sunrise her golden fur shining in the sun, towards Priderock, oblivious to her true past. By the time Kiara reaches to vicinity of Priderock's splendour, Kopa was already gone, minding his own business in the Pridelands like he once did. So instead Kiara is met with her loving parents, who head inside the lion's den to speak with her in private. As Simba and Nala talk to their daughter she is in disbelief, Kiara was never told she had a brother, as was the pact made long ago, to cover up the past in hope that future generations not fall into plans of revenge and get hurt. But this pact was recently broken. And right now, Kiara was the only one in the Pridelands who didn't know who Kopa was. She was upset more than anything, Simba, Nala, Rafiki and many others in the Pridelands had decided to never to speak of Kopa, everyone feared that when Kiara was born she might fall into the same fate Kopa did that night in the fog. This explains everything Kiara was told by Rafiki in his treehouse days ago:
"Vitani has lived here before; the Pridelands were her home era's before you was even born Kiara; she was someday banished and exiled from her home out into the outlands along with all her family, forced from her home as only a cub. All because of her mother's terrible actions, it's understandable she was one of the earliest wanting to return home against Zira; the cub you saw in the sketch I made was the one she loved throughout her time here in the Pridelands." The cub in the sketch painted on Rafiki's tree wall was really her own brother. Kiara realises why Simba was so overprotective of her when she was younger, he places path through the Pridelands for her, always got Timon and Pumbaa to watch over her like hawks, all that protection was because Simba had already lost a son. All was becoming clear for the princess, and now the pact to protect future generations was broken, nothing was stopping Kiara from seeing her brother Kopa right here in the Pridelands. But just before Kiara rushes off to meet the brother she never met, the princess Kiara explains her concerns once more:
"This doesn't explain the fire which burned the Pridelands," Kiara winces in the lion's den. Everyone knows Kopa wouldn't do something like that to his own home, he wouldn't set the Pridelands ablaze, the same fire which almost killed Kiara herself and as Malka explained, he did not start the fire. Whoever really started that fire still remains a distant mystery.
Kiara bids her parents farewell and heads into the Pridelands to find her brother Kopa. As Simba and Nala remain in the lion's den of Priderock they too now speak in private.
"A deadly warning given to us all, followed by a fire in the Pridelands, a trap which was set to trap the lionesses, a pool of venom, and Kopa returning home...what does all this mean?" Simba looks up at his wife Nala who quickly comforts her king. So many unanswered questions for them. This may only be the beginning.
In the aftermath of the storm, Ni has slipped away during all the drama and only Nala had noticed his sudden disappearance. The fact that Nala and Ni met again could have been a stroke of fate. But now Ni's part in the Pridelands is complete. But as regimented by Simba, Ni is not allowed to remain in the Pridelands. And it's all because Ni, is a Knight. The fabled but mysterious Knight's which should never be spoken about. Simba long ago declared the Knight's should never interfere in the Pridelands and this is the solitary reason Ni vanished. Looking out at the Pridelands as the light shines upon her shared land Nala remembers when she was a cub, Ni saved her life from a ravenous hyena and they've being best friend from that day onwards. Perhaps one day Nala might be able to return Ni's kindness. Besides she need to get back at him for calling her flaky.
Kovu remains in the cold westerly shadow of Priderock. Laid on the soft lush grass there Kovu just didn't feel right, he attacked Kopa and it was unlike him. Something took over Kovu and now the dark lion shakes in fear, looking regretfully at his claws, the same claws used to scratch a large scar across Kopa's right eye. Kovu felt no better than his mother Zira now. The lion's thought are interrupted by the approach of his sister. Leaving Kopa's side for awhile, she is angry at how her brother acted towards her love. But if Vitani had learned anything from the days past events, it is forgiveness. Vitani walks up to Kovu with a smile,
"There's a carving I need to show you brother," without saying much more Vitani guides her younger brother towards the cave entrance of the cavern. The cavern which served for her secret adventures with Kopa, Nuka and Afua when they were just cubs. Vitani has been waiting for so long to show her brother the carving on the wall, long before she fell down the Zulu waterfall's, and now she finally can. Kovu follows his sister down the dark passage and into the cave-like room for the first time. Without further delay she guides her brother to the list of names on the tallest wall of the cavern. Squinting at all the names Kovu see the carving was clearly carved into the wall in ancient times years before any of them were even born, Vitani finally explains what the carving on the cavern wall is:
"It's a family tree." With all the names of all the past and present lions and lionesses connected with carved lines and ordered from top to bottom in the order of their generation linking down with the lines connecting everyone; after each new cub is born a new line of names is added all the way down to where Vitani's name remains right next to Kopa's, which they carved into the wall themselves when they were cubs. Kovu looks at all the names of the Family Tree: Mohatu, Ahadi, Ni, Sarabi and many more names which he has never seen before. Deciding to lower his head down to find his own name Kovu suddenly steps back in shock, the dark lion's leg's shake in fear once more, for next to his mother's name of Zira is the name of his real father. After so long of searching for his real father, his name was written right here in the cave all along. Kovu smiles, he stands straight and he closes his green eyes. His legs stop shaking and slowly Kovu speaks his real father's name for the first time: "Kivuli". It seemed so right, Scar only adopted Kovu as his son, and for so long nobody had known who the real father was. It seemed Zira was with another lion, Kivuli. Kovu suddenly regrets his actions for the past few days, he was lied to and attacked, but that doesn't explain the dark feelings he got inside him.
"I knew Malka wasn't to be Trusted, but yet I fell right into his trap," Kovu finally says, still upset no one trusted him yet. Kovu feelings rush through him, he decides in that moment he needs to understand the darkness more. The darkness which he was told about so much, the dark feelings of hate and anger which consumed his adopted father Scar until it destroyed him. But then Kovu was told a different tale from Sarafina, of the day's when Scar was actually named Taka. And Kovu saw another side to his adopted father, monsters are made, not born; the darkness grows inside them until it cannot be stopped. Kovu gives a look a determination, and finally thanks his sister for finally showing him the truth.
Just like his father before him, Kopa had many days spent solely with the both Timon and Pumbaa. Of course Timon was at home in the Oasis at the time Kopa disappeared as a cub the merecat remembers the day Pumbaa told him the news of that dreadful act in the Pridelands. But now Timon and Pumbaa are overjoyed that their young cub friend Kopa has returned. The two comedians want to see their friend again, however while searching for the returned prince, Kopa rushes past his old friends, running by without saying a word, a look of worry of Kopa's face. Timon and Pumbaa see that Kopa is heading for the Outlands, they instantly realises there is something wrong, but they are too slow to follow the lightning fast prince and instead rush to tell the king.
The confused Kopa looks back at his old home, Priderock standing proudly in the distance in the heart of the Pridelands and then Kopa stares at his reflection in the water. Squinting sadly it's only then that he realises he didn't even have the time to talk to Kiara, his own sister, but Kopa continues out of the Pridelands and into the dusty mist and haze which always covers the dead Outlands. Kopa didn't want to return, dashing deeper and deeper in the Outland, farther than ever gone before, running away to the farthest point of the Outland. Kopa waits and sits on a broken old circular log, looking around nervously he waits where he was told too. Kopa knew exactly where to find him; they've met here before many times. Slowly a hissing could be heard in the ominously quiet Outland, slivering around on the ground a purple snake with red stripes slivers up the prince. The snake hisses slightly and points upright infront of the prince its long curling tail curled behind it. The snake's red eyes look deep at Kopa and it seems the snake knows this prince; it seems even Kopa answers to someone. The mysterious wise snake is gifted with second sight; in a slimy piercing voice it parts a prophecy with the obfuscated prince:
"It doesn't have to be this way. You can still achieve glory; you will be your father's successor. One who has been touched by the Great Spirit herself shall return. And Kopa, while you find a way to change your inevitable fate, know this: The darkness has rooted itself inside the Pridelands once more, and this time: four of you die because of it."
Kiara and Sarafina were still in one of the many caves of the Pridelands when the news came to them. Still resting here because of the trap which was set and they fell in. A once warm fire now remains a ash heap on top of small cindered logs at the centre of the cave, Sarafina smiles as she awakes, looking healthier for the long relaxed sleep she took throughout the storm. After deciding she'll be just fine on her own. The storm stopped and calmed, the rain stopped falling and the thunder ceased to strike the Pridelands: Kiara also recovered from her ordeal in the pit trap and after hearing the news, the sought successor had returned? Kiara wondered just what was happening, rising up off the ground and stretching her legs, Kiara's fur was no longer covered in the wet mud of the pit trap, and this was because of a quick wash from her grandmother Sarafina just moments before. Kiara slowly heads out into the sunrise her golden fur shining in the sun, towards Priderock, oblivious to her true past. By the time Kiara reaches to vicinity of Priderock's splendour, Kopa was already gone, minding his own business in the Pridelands like he once did. So instead Kiara is met with her loving parents, who head inside the lion's den to speak with her in private. As Simba and Nala talk to their daughter she is in disbelief, Kiara was never told she had a brother, as was the pact made long ago, to cover up the past in hope that future generations not fall into plans of revenge and get hurt. But this pact was recently broken. And right now, Kiara was the only one in the Pridelands who didn't know who Kopa was. She was upset more than anything, Simba, Nala, Rafiki and many others in the Pridelands had decided to never to speak of Kopa, everyone feared that when Kiara was born she might fall into the same fate Kopa did that night in the fog. This explains everything Kiara was told by Rafiki in his treehouse days ago:
"Vitani has lived here before; the Pridelands were her home era's before you was even born Kiara; she was someday banished and exiled from her home out into the outlands along with all her family, forced from her home as only a cub. All because of her mother's terrible actions, it's understandable she was one of the earliest wanting to return home against Zira; the cub you saw in the sketch I made was the one she loved throughout her time here in the Pridelands." The cub in the sketch painted on Rafiki's tree wall was really her own brother. Kiara realises why Simba was so overprotective of her when she was younger, he places path through the Pridelands for her, always got Timon and Pumbaa to watch over her like hawks, all that protection was because Simba had already lost a son. All was becoming clear for the princess, and now the pact to protect future generations was broken, nothing was stopping Kiara from seeing her brother Kopa right here in the Pridelands. But just before Kiara rushes off to meet the brother she never met, the princess Kiara explains her concerns once more:
"This doesn't explain the fire which burned the Pridelands," Kiara winces in the lion's den. Everyone knows Kopa wouldn't do something like that to his own home, he wouldn't set the Pridelands ablaze, the same fire which almost killed Kiara herself and as Malka explained, he did not start the fire. Whoever really started that fire still remains a distant mystery.
Kiara bids her parents farewell and heads into the Pridelands to find her brother Kopa. As Simba and Nala remain in the lion's den of Priderock they too now speak in private.
"A deadly warning given to us all, followed by a fire in the Pridelands, a trap which was set to trap the lionesses, a pool of venom, and Kopa returning home...what does all this mean?" Simba looks up at his wife Nala who quickly comforts her king. So many unanswered questions for them. This may only be the beginning.
In the aftermath of the storm, Ni has slipped away during all the drama and only Nala had noticed his sudden disappearance. The fact that Nala and Ni met again could have been a stroke of fate. But now Ni's part in the Pridelands is complete. But as regimented by Simba, Ni is not allowed to remain in the Pridelands. And it's all because Ni, is a Knight. The fabled but mysterious Knight's which should never be spoken about. Simba long ago declared the Knight's should never interfere in the Pridelands and this is the solitary reason Ni vanished. Looking out at the Pridelands as the light shines upon her shared land Nala remembers when she was a cub, Ni saved her life from a ravenous hyena and they've being best friend from that day onwards. Perhaps one day Nala might be able to return Ni's kindness. Besides she need to get back at him for calling her flaky.
Kovu remains in the cold westerly shadow of Priderock. Laid on the soft lush grass there Kovu just didn't feel right, he attacked Kopa and it was unlike him. Something took over Kovu and now the dark lion shakes in fear, looking regretfully at his claws, the same claws used to scratch a large scar across Kopa's right eye. Kovu felt no better than his mother Zira now. The lion's thought are interrupted by the approach of his sister. Leaving Kopa's side for awhile, she is angry at how her brother acted towards her love. But if Vitani had learned anything from the days past events, it is forgiveness. Vitani walks up to Kovu with a smile,
"There's a carving I need to show you brother," without saying much more Vitani guides her younger brother towards the cave entrance of the cavern. The cavern which served for her secret adventures with Kopa, Nuka and Afua when they were just cubs. Vitani has been waiting for so long to show her brother the carving on the wall, long before she fell down the Zulu waterfall's, and now she finally can. Kovu follows his sister down the dark passage and into the cave-like room for the first time. Without further delay she guides her brother to the list of names on the tallest wall of the cavern. Squinting at all the names Kovu see the carving was clearly carved into the wall in ancient times years before any of them were even born, Vitani finally explains what the carving on the cavern wall is:
"It's a family tree." With all the names of all the past and present lions and lionesses connected with carved lines and ordered from top to bottom in the order of their generation linking down with the lines connecting everyone; after each new cub is born a new line of names is added all the way down to where Vitani's name remains right next to Kopa's, which they carved into the wall themselves when they were cubs. Kovu looks at all the names of the Family Tree: Mohatu, Ahadi, Ni, Sarabi and many more names which he has never seen before. Deciding to lower his head down to find his own name Kovu suddenly steps back in shock, the dark lion's leg's shake in fear once more, for next to his mother's name of Zira is the name of his real father. After so long of searching for his real father, his name was written right here in the cave all along. Kovu smiles, he stands straight and he closes his green eyes. His legs stop shaking and slowly Kovu speaks his real father's name for the first time: "Kivuli". It seemed so right, Scar only adopted Kovu as his son, and for so long nobody had known who the real father was. It seemed Zira was with another lion, Kivuli. Kovu suddenly regrets his actions for the past few days, he was lied to and attacked, but that doesn't explain the dark feelings he got inside him.
"I knew Malka wasn't to be Trusted, but yet I fell right into his trap," Kovu finally says, still upset no one trusted him yet. Kovu feelings rush through him, he decides in that moment he needs to understand the darkness more. The darkness which he was told about so much, the dark feelings of hate and anger which consumed his adopted father Scar until it destroyed him. But then Kovu was told a different tale from Sarafina, of the day's when Scar was actually named Taka. And Kovu saw another side to his adopted father, monsters are made, not born; the darkness grows inside them until it cannot be stopped. Kovu gives a look a determination, and finally thanks his sister for finally showing him the truth.
Just like his father before him, Kopa had many days spent solely with the both Timon and Pumbaa. Of course Timon was at home in the Oasis at the time Kopa disappeared as a cub the merecat remembers the day Pumbaa told him the news of that dreadful act in the Pridelands. But now Timon and Pumbaa are overjoyed that their young cub friend Kopa has returned. The two comedians want to see their friend again, however while searching for the returned prince, Kopa rushes past his old friends, running by without saying a word, a look of worry of Kopa's face. Timon and Pumbaa see that Kopa is heading for the Outlands, they instantly realises there is something wrong, but they are too slow to follow the lightning fast prince and instead rush to tell the king.
The confused Kopa looks back at his old home, Priderock standing proudly in the distance in the heart of the Pridelands and then Kopa stares at his reflection in the water. Squinting sadly it's only then that he realises he didn't even have the time to talk to Kiara, his own sister, but Kopa continues out of the Pridelands and into the dusty mist and haze which always covers the dead Outlands. Kopa didn't want to return, dashing deeper and deeper in the Outland, farther than ever gone before, running away to the farthest point of the Outland. Kopa waits and sits on a broken old circular log, looking around nervously he waits where he was told too. Kopa knew exactly where to find him; they've met here before many times. Slowly a hissing could be heard in the ominously quiet Outland, slivering around on the ground a purple snake with red stripes slivers up the prince. The snake hisses slightly and points upright infront of the prince its long curling tail curled behind it. The snake's red eyes look deep at Kopa and it seems the snake knows this prince; it seems even Kopa answers to someone. The mysterious wise snake is gifted with second sight; in a slimy piercing voice it parts a prophecy with the obfuscated prince:
"It doesn't have to be this way. You can still achieve glory; you will be your father's successor. One who has been touched by the Great Spirit herself shall return. And Kopa, while you find a way to change your inevitable fate, know this: The darkness has rooted itself inside the Pridelands once more, and this time: four of you die because of it."
Chapter 3 - mheetu and the dark king: show
Kovu and Vitani realize that they are infact Step-Brother and Step-Sister because they had different birth fathers. But their bond remains so close they chose to remain as just brother and sister. As they remain in the cavern together, talking about the past; this is one of rare moments alone they have had to talk since the start of battle with their mother Zira. Lounging around they finally confess in eachother everything they've being upset about lately. It helps to talk about their problems together; Kovu is worried about the misunderstood darkness growing inside of him, Vitani was worried about her brother, she nuzzles him kindly, their the only two left in their whole family and from now on they are going to stick together.
The Pridelands were in chaos from the events of the previous storm. Parts of the Pridelands were completely flooded and Simba the Lion King was too busy with the drama of Kopa returning he could not mend his land. But now Simba and Zazu are rushing around the Pridelands attending to duties, a whole nest of mole rats was flooded; a lone wandering cheetah had fallen into one of the many traps recently placed around the Pridelands. At first it seemed like a mammoth task for any King, but Simba had the newly found hope that Kopa was alive, and that drove him to actually keep a smile on his face. The nightmares Simba used to have of his father Mufasa, of losing his son Kopa, he no longer had those foreshadowing nightmares of the past. However what the Lion King did not know is that his mate Nala was more worried than she has ever been. She herself over time has being facing many of her own worries: With the events with Vitani falling down the enormous Zulu Fall's, with seeing Ni once more, and most of all getting the news that Tama was still alive. As Nala rests inside the lion's den she closes her dazzling blue eye's just for a moment and quickly finds herself drifting off into dreams—
'—The heavy rain still fell from the dark clouds when Scar entered the cave. Scar happy to see his previous mate Sarafina laying a bed of carefully placed wheat grass, Sarafina had obviously moved on and found a new mate to have cubs with, but Scar just grinned his teeth when seeing the newborn cub.
"Congratulations, Sarafina" he said almost sarcastically. "What shall you call him?" Sarafina looks up at Scar, and names her cub: Mheetu. Nala had little brother.
Mheetu as youthful as he was had many adventures with his big sister Nala, Simba and during the adventure of eight; he remembers clearly the day Tama was swept away in the Daggermouth Gorge. That was to be Mheetu's last adventure away from Priderock. For one fateful day there was a stampede, both Mufasa and Simba were claimed to be lost to the animals which raged in the gorge that day. Scar claimed himself to be the next king; his dark acts around the Pridelands quickly gave him the title of the Dark King. He fell in love with Zira during these same dark days and one time, while Sarafina was with her newest cub Mheetu in an isolated cave. There was a tense silence as Scar approached his previous mate Sarafina with a tedious frown on his face. Something wasn't right. Scar roars angrily at the terrified mother drawing his claws as he looms over his previous mate Sarafina.
"Please, Scar, let me explain..." Sarafina whines,
"You all disobeyed me! I ordered you to kill the newborn child!" Scar says angrily not wanting anyone to challenge him to the throne. Scar was going to execute all the male cubs; this was just one of his dark deeds in kingship.
"Please," moaned Sarafina, "let my little Mheetu live."
Without listening, Scar seizes the terrified cub. Scar was going to kill him in that moment, Mheetu was a shade threads away from death until a young female cub made its way over and threw herself on Mheetu. Scar was surprised recognizing the little Nala.
"Let my little brother live! He was born early, even as an adult he won't be strong enough to challenge you." Nala growls up at the dark king Scar. And in his only act of kindness, Scar lets the little newborn cub live, for now. Scar warns the little Nala that she can't protect her brother forever... Nala protected her little brother Mheetu as she always had from all threats. Nala mothered him almost all on her own, the dark king Scar was forcing the lionesses to constantly hunt for the dwindling food around Priderock and Sarafina even in childbirth was not given time to raise Mheetu. Nala had to look after Mheetu. She must protect him from both the dark king Scar and the many Hyenas' that Scar let into the boarder of the Pridelands; they were always prowling around the now fading Pridelands, the once green Pridelands now slowly falling into chaos and darkness. It was dangerous to go out alone. Nala had already lost Tama in the Daggermouth Gorge, she'd already lost Simba during the Stampede, but Nala was not going to lose Mheetu as well.
The year's past slowly, they were some good days, they were some bad days, they were fights and battles, some days there was no one at all, the Pridelands were silent and dull. It was one of these silent days that Nala was free to meet with her two best friends, Kula and Chumvi. "I must become stronger, maybe one day I'll be strong enough to do something about Scar" Chumvi says bravely to everyone. Nala doesn't listen, instead she utilises her claws to etch her friends name into the ground. Kula was looking for a snack; she always had food on the brain. Looking for bugs to eat, she licked her lips just thinking about it. Mheetu, who was still small for his age was playing with Chumvi, they were trying to jump off the highest rocks and Chumvi was daring Mheetu to jump off the biggest rocks, Nala was too miserable to do anything, she sighed after she finished digging her friend's name into the ground with her claws with a glum face Mheetu realised his big sisters sadness and rushes up to her. Mheetu giggles and jumps on his sister tugging her ear playfully; Nala couldn't resist and joins in the game with her brother, always bringing a smile to her face. Suddenly there's a powerful lioness roar emanating from Priderock, Chumvi's ears prick up as he hears it,
"You know what that roar means, there's an emergency!" Chumvi says rushing back home to Priderock, Kula sighs and follows,
"Can't we have a snack before we go?" She sighs following Chumvi intently. But Nala play fighting with her brother Mheetu did not hear the roar. Instead she remained alone in the Pridelands, when the air turned cold. Both her and Mheetu stopped dead when realises they were alone. A low growling is heard from the other side of the grass, Nala immediately takes cover, protecting her brother hind her they dive behind a medium sized rock, the growling gets louder as a lone hyena suddenly sniffs the hiding siblings. The hyena was hungry; it had eaten in so long, the hyena thinking to itself suddenly exploded into fits of laugher, Nala protects Mheetu growling showing all her teeth and standing as tall as she could, but the hyena ignores Nala's threats and dives towards her, in shock Nala's flattens her ears, closes her eyes and fears for the worse. Suddenly a loud roar erupts and scuffling could be heard, Nala opens her eyes and glances around to see the Hyena was gone, fleeing in terror as a male lion had just suddenly fought off the hungry beast. Nala in shock looks at this rouge lion, his fur was scruffy and he was covered in dirt. Nala had not seen this lion before, he was an outsider, but he had just saved Nala's life from that hyena. Nala slowly approaches the dirty, scruffy lion, but it is the outsider who initiates conversation with Nala and Mheetu:
"What are you doing out here alone, it's dangerous around here for cubs, especially young flaky ones," Nala winces and protests, she wasn't flaky, Mheetu laughs at the outsiders comment about his big sister, Nala dismisses the comment she shakes her head and sits down,
"Who are you anyway?"
"I'm Ni, I had to leave my pride like all the younger male's have to do. But I couldn't just stand and watch you get hurt by that Hyena." Ni introduces himself kindly. Ni was defiantly small for his age, smaller than most, it seems Mheetu was not the only cub to of been born prematurely. Nala failed to realise that the emergency was caused by Ni, he was an outsider and they were not easily welcomed into the Pridelands. However when Nala's mother Sarafina returned to Priderock from her fifth hunt of the day, she kindly introduced Ni to the rest of the Pride. Nala had reason to smile from Ni's visit; she was one day going to get back to him for calling her flaky. Her mother Sarafina seemed strangely friendly to Ni, but in this time the Pridelands could do with more friendliness. Sarafina and Ni stand together on a terrace of Priderock overlooking the warm Pridelands one evening. Sarafina thanks for the outsider for saving her daughter,
"I should really be going," Ni says regretfully sighing. Of course Scar was oblivious to Ni appearing in the Pridelands but if the dark king figured out there was another male lion in the Pridelands Ni would be exiled forever or worse he would be attacked. Bidding Sarafina farewell Ni left without another word. He was most mysterious but he never told Nala he was leaving. Little did they know they would meet once again during the drama of Kopa's return...
As time passed Nala's smile was wiped away once more. One day the Pridelands was wiped of greenery completely, Sarabi, Sarafina and the other lionesses had no food left, and everyone including the many hyenas were gathered at Priderock. Nala always sticking by her younger brother's side. It was because of Mheetu everyone was gathered. It was a dark day at Priderock, everyone was hugging Mheetu and he was clueless as to why. Until Nala herself hugs her brother a few tears stream down her face...
"I don't understand where am I going?" Mheetu was told he was going away, for a very long time.
"Oh Mheetu, my lovely brave Mheetu; this is goodbye..." Nala didn't want to let Mheetu go, but she was dragged away by Zira when Mheetu was lead up Priderock by Scar. The lionesses were kept in place the hyenas in rage, each one angry and upset. Nala run to cuddle with her mother Sarafina. On the highest cave of Priderock, Mheetu stood scared as Scar evilly clawed a large boulder as to sharpen them a loud high-pitched squeaking echo's through the cave as Scar drags his claws down the rock. Scar then pounces on Mheetu and slowly took him apart. In these moments Mheetu's teary eyes squint on the horizon, for the little cub see's a faded ghost on the horizon, a spirit of a black fox, the spirit ghost was staring right at Mheetu, watching him—'
The adult Nala suddenly awakes from her terrible nightmare in the lion's den. Gasping for air she shakes and looks around quickly. Her terrible nightmare's reflecting the awful truth, Mheetu was gone. Even though Simba's nightmare's had ended, Nala's have only just begun...
The Pridelands were in chaos from the events of the previous storm. Parts of the Pridelands were completely flooded and Simba the Lion King was too busy with the drama of Kopa returning he could not mend his land. But now Simba and Zazu are rushing around the Pridelands attending to duties, a whole nest of mole rats was flooded; a lone wandering cheetah had fallen into one of the many traps recently placed around the Pridelands. At first it seemed like a mammoth task for any King, but Simba had the newly found hope that Kopa was alive, and that drove him to actually keep a smile on his face. The nightmares Simba used to have of his father Mufasa, of losing his son Kopa, he no longer had those foreshadowing nightmares of the past. However what the Lion King did not know is that his mate Nala was more worried than she has ever been. She herself over time has being facing many of her own worries: With the events with Vitani falling down the enormous Zulu Fall's, with seeing Ni once more, and most of all getting the news that Tama was still alive. As Nala rests inside the lion's den she closes her dazzling blue eye's just for a moment and quickly finds herself drifting off into dreams—
'—The heavy rain still fell from the dark clouds when Scar entered the cave. Scar happy to see his previous mate Sarafina laying a bed of carefully placed wheat grass, Sarafina had obviously moved on and found a new mate to have cubs with, but Scar just grinned his teeth when seeing the newborn cub.
"Congratulations, Sarafina" he said almost sarcastically. "What shall you call him?" Sarafina looks up at Scar, and names her cub: Mheetu. Nala had little brother.
Mheetu as youthful as he was had many adventures with his big sister Nala, Simba and during the adventure of eight; he remembers clearly the day Tama was swept away in the Daggermouth Gorge. That was to be Mheetu's last adventure away from Priderock. For one fateful day there was a stampede, both Mufasa and Simba were claimed to be lost to the animals which raged in the gorge that day. Scar claimed himself to be the next king; his dark acts around the Pridelands quickly gave him the title of the Dark King. He fell in love with Zira during these same dark days and one time, while Sarafina was with her newest cub Mheetu in an isolated cave. There was a tense silence as Scar approached his previous mate Sarafina with a tedious frown on his face. Something wasn't right. Scar roars angrily at the terrified mother drawing his claws as he looms over his previous mate Sarafina.
"Please, Scar, let me explain..." Sarafina whines,
"You all disobeyed me! I ordered you to kill the newborn child!" Scar says angrily not wanting anyone to challenge him to the throne. Scar was going to execute all the male cubs; this was just one of his dark deeds in kingship.
"Please," moaned Sarafina, "let my little Mheetu live."
Without listening, Scar seizes the terrified cub. Scar was going to kill him in that moment, Mheetu was a shade threads away from death until a young female cub made its way over and threw herself on Mheetu. Scar was surprised recognizing the little Nala.
"Let my little brother live! He was born early, even as an adult he won't be strong enough to challenge you." Nala growls up at the dark king Scar. And in his only act of kindness, Scar lets the little newborn cub live, for now. Scar warns the little Nala that she can't protect her brother forever... Nala protected her little brother Mheetu as she always had from all threats. Nala mothered him almost all on her own, the dark king Scar was forcing the lionesses to constantly hunt for the dwindling food around Priderock and Sarafina even in childbirth was not given time to raise Mheetu. Nala had to look after Mheetu. She must protect him from both the dark king Scar and the many Hyenas' that Scar let into the boarder of the Pridelands; they were always prowling around the now fading Pridelands, the once green Pridelands now slowly falling into chaos and darkness. It was dangerous to go out alone. Nala had already lost Tama in the Daggermouth Gorge, she'd already lost Simba during the Stampede, but Nala was not going to lose Mheetu as well.
The year's past slowly, they were some good days, they were some bad days, they were fights and battles, some days there was no one at all, the Pridelands were silent and dull. It was one of these silent days that Nala was free to meet with her two best friends, Kula and Chumvi. "I must become stronger, maybe one day I'll be strong enough to do something about Scar" Chumvi says bravely to everyone. Nala doesn't listen, instead she utilises her claws to etch her friends name into the ground. Kula was looking for a snack; she always had food on the brain. Looking for bugs to eat, she licked her lips just thinking about it. Mheetu, who was still small for his age was playing with Chumvi, they were trying to jump off the highest rocks and Chumvi was daring Mheetu to jump off the biggest rocks, Nala was too miserable to do anything, she sighed after she finished digging her friend's name into the ground with her claws with a glum face Mheetu realised his big sisters sadness and rushes up to her. Mheetu giggles and jumps on his sister tugging her ear playfully; Nala couldn't resist and joins in the game with her brother, always bringing a smile to her face. Suddenly there's a powerful lioness roar emanating from Priderock, Chumvi's ears prick up as he hears it,
"You know what that roar means, there's an emergency!" Chumvi says rushing back home to Priderock, Kula sighs and follows,
"Can't we have a snack before we go?" She sighs following Chumvi intently. But Nala play fighting with her brother Mheetu did not hear the roar. Instead she remained alone in the Pridelands, when the air turned cold. Both her and Mheetu stopped dead when realises they were alone. A low growling is heard from the other side of the grass, Nala immediately takes cover, protecting her brother hind her they dive behind a medium sized rock, the growling gets louder as a lone hyena suddenly sniffs the hiding siblings. The hyena was hungry; it had eaten in so long, the hyena thinking to itself suddenly exploded into fits of laugher, Nala protects Mheetu growling showing all her teeth and standing as tall as she could, but the hyena ignores Nala's threats and dives towards her, in shock Nala's flattens her ears, closes her eyes and fears for the worse. Suddenly a loud roar erupts and scuffling could be heard, Nala opens her eyes and glances around to see the Hyena was gone, fleeing in terror as a male lion had just suddenly fought off the hungry beast. Nala in shock looks at this rouge lion, his fur was scruffy and he was covered in dirt. Nala had not seen this lion before, he was an outsider, but he had just saved Nala's life from that hyena. Nala slowly approaches the dirty, scruffy lion, but it is the outsider who initiates conversation with Nala and Mheetu:
"What are you doing out here alone, it's dangerous around here for cubs, especially young flaky ones," Nala winces and protests, she wasn't flaky, Mheetu laughs at the outsiders comment about his big sister, Nala dismisses the comment she shakes her head and sits down,
"Who are you anyway?"
"I'm Ni, I had to leave my pride like all the younger male's have to do. But I couldn't just stand and watch you get hurt by that Hyena." Ni introduces himself kindly. Ni was defiantly small for his age, smaller than most, it seems Mheetu was not the only cub to of been born prematurely. Nala failed to realise that the emergency was caused by Ni, he was an outsider and they were not easily welcomed into the Pridelands. However when Nala's mother Sarafina returned to Priderock from her fifth hunt of the day, she kindly introduced Ni to the rest of the Pride. Nala had reason to smile from Ni's visit; she was one day going to get back to him for calling her flaky. Her mother Sarafina seemed strangely friendly to Ni, but in this time the Pridelands could do with more friendliness. Sarafina and Ni stand together on a terrace of Priderock overlooking the warm Pridelands one evening. Sarafina thanks for the outsider for saving her daughter,
"I should really be going," Ni says regretfully sighing. Of course Scar was oblivious to Ni appearing in the Pridelands but if the dark king figured out there was another male lion in the Pridelands Ni would be exiled forever or worse he would be attacked. Bidding Sarafina farewell Ni left without another word. He was most mysterious but he never told Nala he was leaving. Little did they know they would meet once again during the drama of Kopa's return...
As time passed Nala's smile was wiped away once more. One day the Pridelands was wiped of greenery completely, Sarabi, Sarafina and the other lionesses had no food left, and everyone including the many hyenas were gathered at Priderock. Nala always sticking by her younger brother's side. It was because of Mheetu everyone was gathered. It was a dark day at Priderock, everyone was hugging Mheetu and he was clueless as to why. Until Nala herself hugs her brother a few tears stream down her face...
"I don't understand where am I going?" Mheetu was told he was going away, for a very long time.
"Oh Mheetu, my lovely brave Mheetu; this is goodbye..." Nala didn't want to let Mheetu go, but she was dragged away by Zira when Mheetu was lead up Priderock by Scar. The lionesses were kept in place the hyenas in rage, each one angry and upset. Nala run to cuddle with her mother Sarafina. On the highest cave of Priderock, Mheetu stood scared as Scar evilly clawed a large boulder as to sharpen them a loud high-pitched squeaking echo's through the cave as Scar drags his claws down the rock. Scar then pounces on Mheetu and slowly took him apart. In these moments Mheetu's teary eyes squint on the horizon, for the little cub see's a faded ghost on the horizon, a spirit of a black fox, the spirit ghost was staring right at Mheetu, watching him—'
The adult Nala suddenly awakes from her terrible nightmare in the lion's den. Gasping for air she shakes and looks around quickly. Her terrible nightmare's reflecting the awful truth, Mheetu was gone. Even though Simba's nightmare's had ended, Nala's have only just begun...
Chapter 4 - Journeys and the prosecutor of death: show
Dashing through the Pridelands, the small hoofs of the warthog Pumbaa and his best friend Timon as they go to alert the king that Kopa was gone, the prince who just returned has run to the Outlands, running quickly without giving any detail as to what's around them the figure of a golden lioness crashes straight into the two friends. They slide across the floor in the dirt. When he finally gets up Timon looks to see Kiara, in their hastiness of trying to find the same lion, all three of them collided in the middle of the damp Pridelands. As Kiara brushes herself down, it becomes obvious they were following the same tracks; all three of them were looking for Kopa.
"Kopa's gone Kiara, he ran off into the Outlands," Pumbaa explains solemnly in his distinctive voice, Kiara thinks to herself, what was so important for Kopa to just suddenly run off, Kiara has never met her brother, and now he disappeared... again.
"Follow me," Kiara says as she knows exactly where to find her father in the Pridelands.
From her nightmare, Nala stretches out; the sunset was almost upon the Pridelands, another eventful day almost ended. Although even the coming sunset could not take Nala's mind of her nightmare; mainly the spirit of the black fox, it seemed so real to her, Nala felt it the black fox wasn't looking at her, but right at her. Just thinking about it sent shivers down Nala's back, her fur almost standing up on their ends. As the queen was about to head down onto the grass she is suddenly petrified witless as Kovu appears behind her. Nala is jumping at everything now, even her own shadow. But Kovu just smiles and wonders why the queen is like this. But it seems Kovu has already departed from the cavern with his sister. After Nala calms herself down it seems Kovu has too reasons for talking to the queen, Kovu immediately apologizes for attacking Kopa like he did, both of them still bear the scars of tumbling down Priderock, both of them were also lucky to have avoided serious injury. Then as Nala and Kovu lay together on the largest pointy ledge of Priderock overlooking the entire Pridelands, Kovu explains the real reason he is here:
"I need to leave Priderock; I need to find my real father, they're so many questions I need answering, so much I don't yet understand, "Kovu wanted to tell someone that he is leaving just so they know where he is going. Nala assures Kovu that she will inform the rest of the Pride that he is gone, even Kiara. But what Nala says next changed Kovu's life forever...
"I never met my real father either," Nala says with kind eyes, "I stopped looking a long time ago, but now I just don't want to know for fearing he could already be gone, I've just had to accept that fact." As she finishes Kovu is amazed at how strong-willed Nala really is. How much loss the queen must of suffered but yet she explains loss without regret or much worry. But little did Kovu know Nala was very troubled inside, she'd just decided to hide it for so long. After their understanding on Priderock Nala and Kovu separate; and Kovu begins his first step on a grand journey to find his real father. And this time, he was not going to return until he finds his father, dead or alive, at least now Kovu knows his father's name: Kivuli. Kovu keeps repeating the name in his head, if Nala can be so strong then maybe Kovu one day can be as well. As they part Nala heads off to then go find Vitani. Nala wants to finally apologize for the regretful things she yellow at Vitani back at Zulu Fall's. As the queen starts walking she realises she wants to apologize for something more as well, Nala didn't realise it but she acted like such a terrible lioness way back when Vitani was a cub. Nala wouldn't let her own son Kopa see Vitani all those years ago in the first years Simba was the Lion King, and until now Nala didn't realise how cruel she was really being. It seemed so long ago now but Nala heads out to find the closure her pure heart so desperately needs.
Finally after what seemed like hours of travelling, Kiara, Timon and Pumbaa find Simba dealing with an angry emu whose nest was destroyed during the storm. Simba orders Zazu to find some friends to help rebuild the flooded nest, the emu's eggs were safe but they needed a nest to survive. Simba turns to see his friends, it pained Simba to deal with another problem but it had to be done.
"Kopa has run off to the Outlands," Timon waves his tiny arms and paces up and down knowing this news would just make Simba panic. Simba gasps when he hears the news, and immediately sets off with his daughter to find tracks. The Outlands were a big place and Kopa could be anywhere inside it.
"Perhaps returning home so quickly was just too much for the prince to bear." Zazu explains before flying off to get some more birds to help him reconstruct the emu's large destroyed nest. Bidding Timon and Pumbaa farewell for now, Kiara joins her father in the search. But just why Kopa has disappeared remains a mystery, what could possibly be more important than meeting his sister and reuniting with his family? Kiara and Simba run off into the sunset as the sun starts to descend in the sky.
Nala is very glad to see Vitani once more, and as the two lionesses approach eachother, it seems they've already become great friends. The guilt Nala felt when she yelled at the younger lioness seemed to have now completely vanished. The two old enemies talk, Nala apologises for everything, it seems Vitani wasn't as bad as she was made out to believe.
"Does this make me a princess again?" Vitani asks hopeful, as a cub when she and Kopa declared their love on the Family Tree and under the Equinox Sunset, Vitani would have been the next queen after Nala passed. But complications with Kiara and Kovu being the next in line lead Vitani to believe she would never be queen, this is why she was so disheartened when Kovu was crowned the new prince during his grand ceremony. Nala nods and smiles, Kopa was born first meaning whoever he picks to be his princess will become the next queen. Vitani grins and is thrilled; she can become the queen she always dreamed to be as a cub. On the note of Princesses, Nala sits with Vitani and decides to tell her about a princess of the past named Uru.
"The stories are passed down to everyone through the generations, everyone in the Pridelands know the tale, however each time the story is pasted the tale changes, and becomes more faded. Through all of the past generations it is said that Uru, the mother of Mufasa, got a black stone carved into the silhouette of a scarab. Ahadi's personal watering hole was poisoned and the king had passed away just days before Uru received a Black Scarab. Again, no one truly knows who killed Ahadi but after his death Uru fell into a spiral of depression. She gave up on herself and later passed away. Now Mohatu, the first Lion King, his mate was called Ufu; and it's said Ufu carved into black stone the symbol of a Scarab before she herself died giving birth to Ahadi. The past queen's and princesses have taught us that the Black Scarabs were a sign that death was on its way for whoever received one, the Black Scarab would present itself to anyone who is about to pass over...they are our warning to prepare ourselves, it is said that Ufu's ghost still walk the Pridelands and place Black Scarabs for the creatures of the Pridelands to find to forewarn them of them inevitable fate..."
Vitani listen intently but the story seemed too implausible to be true. After telling her story Nala says that it's mainly just a story to scare the cubs and that until her nightmare she also believed there's no such thing a ghosts or spirits. Vitani gives thanks Nala for the tale and for apologizing for everything. It's only then so suddenly that news reaches the two lionesses that Kopa has run away to the Outlands. Zazu on his way to find more birds to help the emu kindly stopped off to inform the two lionesses that prince Kopa was gone. Vitani shocked more than anything, decides to follow him, she know's Kopa more than anyone in the Pridelands, so if someone can find him, it's her. Heading out towards the south, towards the Outland Vitani rushes to find her love, she doesn't want to lose him again. Especially after the tale Nala just told her. Uru was lost to a spiral of depression after Ahadi was poisenoned; to Vitani that sounded so familiar, Vitani gave up on herself too when Kopa disappeared as a cub, she was going to make sure after she finds him they never part sides ever again.
As everyone runs off to partake in their own business this leaves Nala alone to watch the burning sunset. Everyone was out looking for the past they lost. But as Nala watches the sunset alone, a slippery figure slowly creeps up behind her. Slivering across the ground a purple snake with red stripes approaches her. Its slivering hissing voice beckons Nala. As Nala turns to the creature the snakes blood red eyes meet with her crystal blue eyes. As they do Nala seems to grow cold and weak, as if she's being captivated in the snake's strange eyes. As the snake grins it decides to part the information it knows with the queen:
"Your dreams are real Nala, everything you dreamt, the darkest nightmares of your past, all of it really happened. Nala, you have been lost so much longer than everyone but yet you hide within yourself. This is the same way Taka kept his melancholy hidden away until the darkness slivered inside him and he became the Dark Lion King Scar. But you must know; your brother Mheetu is still with the living." Listen intently Nala suddenly squints, for a second she believes she misheard the snake and in her thoughts she growls and grabs the snake's neck with both paws and demands for more answers, her brother can't possibly be alive, she saw it herself in her nightmare, Mheetu was gone. The mysterious snake with its red stripes across its slivery body was gifted with the knowledge of second sight and slivers out of Nala's tight grip and twists back into the tall grass, but just before heading into the grass to disappear the snake coyly turns it head back to the lioness queen with a smile and continues:
"Scar failed to deliver the final blow to your brother. Mheetu escaped and ran away. But Scar in all his pride couldn't bring himself to tell everyone that Mheetu escaped he couldn't accept his weakness that he didn't bring himself to finish the cub. Scar told you he killed Mheetu, but this is his darkest secret: he lied about that to all of you. Mheetu ran so very far away, this much I have seen myself, he fell in love with a grey lioness named Solta in the perpetual forest that time forgot." The snake's sharp voice drove Nala into more fear than she's ever experienced before, under the dazzling sunset the snake slivers away saying no more. And so suddenly the fear and hurt Nala kept inside of her for so long bursts out into forms of salty tears, curling herself up into a ball covering her face with her paws Nala parts pain under the great blood red sun. As the snake slides away his voice still echoes around the tearful Nala, telling the queen over and over again that Mheetu was last seen in the bone chilling Elephant Graveyard, Nala tells no one of her encounter and after parting her sorrow she gets up and immediately runs to the Elephant Graveyard to find her lost brother leaving a trail of saline tears behind her.
As the sky burns brightly red four journeys to find the past which was lost have begun: Kovu who heads outwards to search for his real father Kivuli so he can further understand the darkness which he believes to be corrupting his thoughts. Kiara and Simba both separated from Vitani all search for Kopa to reunite with her lost love Kopa in the Outlands, Vitani can return Kopa to his sister and get answers as to why he ran away. Nala who so quickly learned that Mheetu may still be found from a snake which decided to help her grieve, the queen rushes to the Elephant Graveyard in hopes of finding her lost little brother. And finally Malka who was given information about Tama's location from Kopa, Tama was said to of survived the Daggermouth Gorge incident. All four journeys are in search for the past. But soon the entire Pridelands will shake and shiver as the past they anticipate to find could mean the destruction of a great balance the king's and queen's of the past worked so hard to maintain.
"Kopa's gone Kiara, he ran off into the Outlands," Pumbaa explains solemnly in his distinctive voice, Kiara thinks to herself, what was so important for Kopa to just suddenly run off, Kiara has never met her brother, and now he disappeared... again.
"Follow me," Kiara says as she knows exactly where to find her father in the Pridelands.
From her nightmare, Nala stretches out; the sunset was almost upon the Pridelands, another eventful day almost ended. Although even the coming sunset could not take Nala's mind of her nightmare; mainly the spirit of the black fox, it seemed so real to her, Nala felt it the black fox wasn't looking at her, but right at her. Just thinking about it sent shivers down Nala's back, her fur almost standing up on their ends. As the queen was about to head down onto the grass she is suddenly petrified witless as Kovu appears behind her. Nala is jumping at everything now, even her own shadow. But Kovu just smiles and wonders why the queen is like this. But it seems Kovu has already departed from the cavern with his sister. After Nala calms herself down it seems Kovu has too reasons for talking to the queen, Kovu immediately apologizes for attacking Kopa like he did, both of them still bear the scars of tumbling down Priderock, both of them were also lucky to have avoided serious injury. Then as Nala and Kovu lay together on the largest pointy ledge of Priderock overlooking the entire Pridelands, Kovu explains the real reason he is here:
"I need to leave Priderock; I need to find my real father, they're so many questions I need answering, so much I don't yet understand, "Kovu wanted to tell someone that he is leaving just so they know where he is going. Nala assures Kovu that she will inform the rest of the Pride that he is gone, even Kiara. But what Nala says next changed Kovu's life forever...
"I never met my real father either," Nala says with kind eyes, "I stopped looking a long time ago, but now I just don't want to know for fearing he could already be gone, I've just had to accept that fact." As she finishes Kovu is amazed at how strong-willed Nala really is. How much loss the queen must of suffered but yet she explains loss without regret or much worry. But little did Kovu know Nala was very troubled inside, she'd just decided to hide it for so long. After their understanding on Priderock Nala and Kovu separate; and Kovu begins his first step on a grand journey to find his real father. And this time, he was not going to return until he finds his father, dead or alive, at least now Kovu knows his father's name: Kivuli. Kovu keeps repeating the name in his head, if Nala can be so strong then maybe Kovu one day can be as well. As they part Nala heads off to then go find Vitani. Nala wants to finally apologize for the regretful things she yellow at Vitani back at Zulu Fall's. As the queen starts walking she realises she wants to apologize for something more as well, Nala didn't realise it but she acted like such a terrible lioness way back when Vitani was a cub. Nala wouldn't let her own son Kopa see Vitani all those years ago in the first years Simba was the Lion King, and until now Nala didn't realise how cruel she was really being. It seemed so long ago now but Nala heads out to find the closure her pure heart so desperately needs.
Finally after what seemed like hours of travelling, Kiara, Timon and Pumbaa find Simba dealing with an angry emu whose nest was destroyed during the storm. Simba orders Zazu to find some friends to help rebuild the flooded nest, the emu's eggs were safe but they needed a nest to survive. Simba turns to see his friends, it pained Simba to deal with another problem but it had to be done.
"Kopa has run off to the Outlands," Timon waves his tiny arms and paces up and down knowing this news would just make Simba panic. Simba gasps when he hears the news, and immediately sets off with his daughter to find tracks. The Outlands were a big place and Kopa could be anywhere inside it.
"Perhaps returning home so quickly was just too much for the prince to bear." Zazu explains before flying off to get some more birds to help him reconstruct the emu's large destroyed nest. Bidding Timon and Pumbaa farewell for now, Kiara joins her father in the search. But just why Kopa has disappeared remains a mystery, what could possibly be more important than meeting his sister and reuniting with his family? Kiara and Simba run off into the sunset as the sun starts to descend in the sky.
Nala is very glad to see Vitani once more, and as the two lionesses approach eachother, it seems they've already become great friends. The guilt Nala felt when she yelled at the younger lioness seemed to have now completely vanished. The two old enemies talk, Nala apologises for everything, it seems Vitani wasn't as bad as she was made out to believe.
"Does this make me a princess again?" Vitani asks hopeful, as a cub when she and Kopa declared their love on the Family Tree and under the Equinox Sunset, Vitani would have been the next queen after Nala passed. But complications with Kiara and Kovu being the next in line lead Vitani to believe she would never be queen, this is why she was so disheartened when Kovu was crowned the new prince during his grand ceremony. Nala nods and smiles, Kopa was born first meaning whoever he picks to be his princess will become the next queen. Vitani grins and is thrilled; she can become the queen she always dreamed to be as a cub. On the note of Princesses, Nala sits with Vitani and decides to tell her about a princess of the past named Uru.
"The stories are passed down to everyone through the generations, everyone in the Pridelands know the tale, however each time the story is pasted the tale changes, and becomes more faded. Through all of the past generations it is said that Uru, the mother of Mufasa, got a black stone carved into the silhouette of a scarab. Ahadi's personal watering hole was poisoned and the king had passed away just days before Uru received a Black Scarab. Again, no one truly knows who killed Ahadi but after his death Uru fell into a spiral of depression. She gave up on herself and later passed away. Now Mohatu, the first Lion King, his mate was called Ufu; and it's said Ufu carved into black stone the symbol of a Scarab before she herself died giving birth to Ahadi. The past queen's and princesses have taught us that the Black Scarabs were a sign that death was on its way for whoever received one, the Black Scarab would present itself to anyone who is about to pass over...they are our warning to prepare ourselves, it is said that Ufu's ghost still walk the Pridelands and place Black Scarabs for the creatures of the Pridelands to find to forewarn them of them inevitable fate..."
Vitani listen intently but the story seemed too implausible to be true. After telling her story Nala says that it's mainly just a story to scare the cubs and that until her nightmare she also believed there's no such thing a ghosts or spirits. Vitani gives thanks Nala for the tale and for apologizing for everything. It's only then so suddenly that news reaches the two lionesses that Kopa has run away to the Outlands. Zazu on his way to find more birds to help the emu kindly stopped off to inform the two lionesses that prince Kopa was gone. Vitani shocked more than anything, decides to follow him, she know's Kopa more than anyone in the Pridelands, so if someone can find him, it's her. Heading out towards the south, towards the Outland Vitani rushes to find her love, she doesn't want to lose him again. Especially after the tale Nala just told her. Uru was lost to a spiral of depression after Ahadi was poisenoned; to Vitani that sounded so familiar, Vitani gave up on herself too when Kopa disappeared as a cub, she was going to make sure after she finds him they never part sides ever again.
As everyone runs off to partake in their own business this leaves Nala alone to watch the burning sunset. Everyone was out looking for the past they lost. But as Nala watches the sunset alone, a slippery figure slowly creeps up behind her. Slivering across the ground a purple snake with red stripes approaches her. Its slivering hissing voice beckons Nala. As Nala turns to the creature the snakes blood red eyes meet with her crystal blue eyes. As they do Nala seems to grow cold and weak, as if she's being captivated in the snake's strange eyes. As the snake grins it decides to part the information it knows with the queen:
"Your dreams are real Nala, everything you dreamt, the darkest nightmares of your past, all of it really happened. Nala, you have been lost so much longer than everyone but yet you hide within yourself. This is the same way Taka kept his melancholy hidden away until the darkness slivered inside him and he became the Dark Lion King Scar. But you must know; your brother Mheetu is still with the living." Listen intently Nala suddenly squints, for a second she believes she misheard the snake and in her thoughts she growls and grabs the snake's neck with both paws and demands for more answers, her brother can't possibly be alive, she saw it herself in her nightmare, Mheetu was gone. The mysterious snake with its red stripes across its slivery body was gifted with the knowledge of second sight and slivers out of Nala's tight grip and twists back into the tall grass, but just before heading into the grass to disappear the snake coyly turns it head back to the lioness queen with a smile and continues:
"Scar failed to deliver the final blow to your brother. Mheetu escaped and ran away. But Scar in all his pride couldn't bring himself to tell everyone that Mheetu escaped he couldn't accept his weakness that he didn't bring himself to finish the cub. Scar told you he killed Mheetu, but this is his darkest secret: he lied about that to all of you. Mheetu ran so very far away, this much I have seen myself, he fell in love with a grey lioness named Solta in the perpetual forest that time forgot." The snake's sharp voice drove Nala into more fear than she's ever experienced before, under the dazzling sunset the snake slivers away saying no more. And so suddenly the fear and hurt Nala kept inside of her for so long bursts out into forms of salty tears, curling herself up into a ball covering her face with her paws Nala parts pain under the great blood red sun. As the snake slides away his voice still echoes around the tearful Nala, telling the queen over and over again that Mheetu was last seen in the bone chilling Elephant Graveyard, Nala tells no one of her encounter and after parting her sorrow she gets up and immediately runs to the Elephant Graveyard to find her lost brother leaving a trail of saline tears behind her.
As the sky burns brightly red four journeys to find the past which was lost have begun: Kovu who heads outwards to search for his real father Kivuli so he can further understand the darkness which he believes to be corrupting his thoughts. Kiara and Simba both separated from Vitani all search for Kopa to reunite with her lost love Kopa in the Outlands, Vitani can return Kopa to his sister and get answers as to why he ran away. Nala who so quickly learned that Mheetu may still be found from a snake which decided to help her grieve, the queen rushes to the Elephant Graveyard in hopes of finding her lost little brother. And finally Malka who was given information about Tama's location from Kopa, Tama was said to of survived the Daggermouth Gorge incident. All four journeys are in search for the past. But soon the entire Pridelands will shake and shiver as the past they anticipate to find could mean the destruction of a great balance the king's and queen's of the past worked so hard to maintain.
Chapter 5 - A day in the life of Chumvi and Kula: show
As nightmares and tales of the past present themselves to inhabitants of Priderock, two old friends of queen Nala are having their own chronicles chaptered to the faraway northern borders of the Pridelands. So very far away even the monument of Priderock cannot be seen, Chumvi and Kula left Priderock together just a few years prior to when Scar was dethroned. The adolescent lions had have so many adventures with Nala, but as the three of them grew up together it seemed Nala was dedicated more to hunting in faraway lands and their adventures together came a close. Being the same age as Nala, Chumvi and Kula migrated to the far north, Chumvi once dared himself to travel to the very edge of the Pridelands, and when leaving Priderock along with Afua, Kula and Beba achieved just that. At the far north of the Pridelands are mountains taller than ever imagined, the land itself was different, filled with lush jungles but without as much rainfall or water, the tree's hung downwards and their long leaves almost touched the ground and the creatures here always seemed to be making chirping noises. Chumvi and Kula were settled in the side of the northern mountain which was just above the canopy of trees, there was a fairly steep path leading up the cave, Chumvi believed that a forest wild bear must have once lived here a long time ago. And it's this same cave where Chumvi and Kula awake each morning to the warm forest which never sleeps. And this is how Kula came to came to call the northern land. She named it the Dry Forest. Afua and Beba settled just the south in the heart of the forest there is a small opening in the large forest in which the stars could be seen, Afua and Beba made their home here, both of them enjoying sleeping under the stars. So far away from Priderock, nothing ever really bothered them here, Chumvi and Kula were free to fall in love without any hassle and they quickly become mates. But it seemed the happy days along with Afua and Beba the four of them will have their own account of tragedy...
"Beba, I can't see!" Afua stirs in the heart of the forest awakening from his deep sleep, the entire forest was covered in a strange mist, unlike the normal morning haze which covers the forest, this mist was more severe, Afua couldn't see anything, not even his leopard mate Baba as he steps forward and falls over the still happily sleeping leopard. Beba opens one eye and slowly awakes out of her sleep in her own time; she was very laid back like this, even in emergencies. The Dry Forest was completely covered in white mist, making it difficult to see, the forest was still as noisy as ever and Beba realises they can use the forest livestock to their advantage. In all Beba's running and hunting skills, not only could she run fast but her hearing was more attuned as well, following the sound the leopard guides her mate to higher ground, towards Chumvi and Kula's home. Along the way the two of them realise the mist is wreaking havoc of the wildlife here, the once dry and warm forest has become a moist wetland, perhaps this was just a part of the extreme climate here, or perhaps not, when Beba and Afua get their friend's home they climb up along the steep path, up above the canopy of trees to see the full extent of the problem. Standing together both of them were shocked, the mist continued on for what looked like forever, the world itself below them seemed to disappear into the white mist, as if the clouds themselves has fallen from the stars, the sky was a stony grey around the Dry Forest and the sun was blanked out of the sky. The air was cold, very cold; Beba found herself shivering in the cold, after gawping at the site of their home covered in this most mysterious mist both Afua and Beba head inside the home of Chumvi and Kula to converse their plan of action.
"Well the obvious easy solution to this is to just leave." Chumvi grunts in his solid cave, the older Chumvi with his small dark mane is still as obstinate and as daring as ever. Everyone is talking over eachother discussing the problem:
"We can't just leave the forest like this, this is our home now, and this mist is destroying the delicate life here,"
"Maybe the mist will pass in a few days," Afua suggests, his paws always facing outwards, the older Afua was rather clumsy for his age. So the four friends waited together, as the days past, the mist showed no signs of vanishing, this worried Kula the most mainly because she could no longer hunt for food in the Dry Forest. After three moons have passed the four friends can no long wait, and decide to take action. Their adventure begins as Chumvi leads the group back down into the woodland. As they march down into the forest a sudden gust of cold merciless air brushes around them, their breathe can be seen coming from their mouths as the cold mist envelops them.
"Stay together," Kula says stridently; Kula has the largest coat of fur but even she was shivering slightly. Sticking together and four friends advance slowly through their home, the mist had ruined most of the plants here; the once dry plants were not drowned in the shallow moist and wet undergrowth. After searching for what seemed like hours the group were starting to lose hope. Afua was now leading the group as Chumvi and Kula were huddled together for warmth and protection, but as the adult lion steps forward he suddenly falls through the forest floor, the ground collapses under him much to the shock of his friends who immediately rush over. In the heart of the Dry Forest there is a small cave complete covered by overgrowing undergrowth and vines, Afua in his clumsiness had just inadvertently discovered the entrance. After falling a small height Afua was covered in vines and old dying tree roots he was struggling to break himself free, Beba was slow to the rescue cutting the excessively panicked Afua free. The cave entrance was small and slowly descended downwards below ground; the mist seemed less powerful underground. The group of four keep heading down inside, the cave eventually came to an end a large stone wall blocks them from proceeding. After realises they can go no further together they head back to the cave. Back through the forest after a short journey home the four have returned back due to the cold and general stuffiness of the mist below. They all conclude that the mist was coming from underground, perhaps from a series of tunnels that run underneath the Dry Forest. Whatever was down there was producing this mist and the mist was rising up into the Dry Forest through the ground and making the entire forest cold and genially miserable. It seems the problem could not be solved from here. Chumvi and Kula have no over choice than to leave the Dry Forest and go for help. Kula nuzzles the younger Afua bidding him farewell.
"If we don't return within six moons come to Priderock and no matter what happens: Make sure you stay together..."
Chumvi says in the entrance of the cave nodding his friend's farewell before dashing off with his mate Kula. It is a sad sight indeed seeing your once beautiful home slowly being destroyed, but it seems not even Chumvi and Kula can escape this disaster; together they travel south through the dazzling sunset, towards the heart of the Pridelands, towards Priderock.
The unexpected events of the generally peaceful Dry Forest seemed minuscule to the events at Priderock. So much was happening in such a small amount of time. But Priderock was strangely deserted. With Kopa, Vitani, Nala and Kovu all gone on journey's to find their pasts, this left Simba and his daughter Kiara to greet the guests. Chumvi and Kula after a long journey through the Pridelands now walk up onto Priderock itself approaching the Lion King Simba. Simba was very pleased to see his old friends once more. But Chumvi and Kula are interested to hear they are not the only ones to of returned to Priderock. Simba informs his friends of everything what has happened: Kopa has returned only to run off once more to the Outlands. Chumvi and Kula were both there when Kopa was presented as a baby cub to all the Pridelands after the Great Migration and they are both fascinated to hear about what finally happened with Zira and Kopa. All the talk of the past suddenly makes Chumvi worries about Afua and Beba back home that might still be waiting in the frozen forest…
"They'll be fine, trust me, they know what do to, they're not cubs anymore. But our home, the Dry Forest is gone..." Kula smiles warmly at her mate trying to reassure him and together they nuzzle. Chumvi sighs before agreeing to remain at Priderock. Although it was sad to see the Dry Forest destroyed Priderock was once their home and they want to help the Lion King by any means they can. As all four of them stand on the largest terrace of Priderock, it's just at that moment a small flock of blue birds fly past all four of them upon Priderock. Little did they know; the birds are a sign that another old friends of Simba's is returning. One of the cubs who joined Simba on the adventure to the Daggermouth Gorge and the only one who has been touched by the Great Spirit herself….
"Beba, I can't see!" Afua stirs in the heart of the forest awakening from his deep sleep, the entire forest was covered in a strange mist, unlike the normal morning haze which covers the forest, this mist was more severe, Afua couldn't see anything, not even his leopard mate Baba as he steps forward and falls over the still happily sleeping leopard. Beba opens one eye and slowly awakes out of her sleep in her own time; she was very laid back like this, even in emergencies. The Dry Forest was completely covered in white mist, making it difficult to see, the forest was still as noisy as ever and Beba realises they can use the forest livestock to their advantage. In all Beba's running and hunting skills, not only could she run fast but her hearing was more attuned as well, following the sound the leopard guides her mate to higher ground, towards Chumvi and Kula's home. Along the way the two of them realise the mist is wreaking havoc of the wildlife here, the once dry and warm forest has become a moist wetland, perhaps this was just a part of the extreme climate here, or perhaps not, when Beba and Afua get their friend's home they climb up along the steep path, up above the canopy of trees to see the full extent of the problem. Standing together both of them were shocked, the mist continued on for what looked like forever, the world itself below them seemed to disappear into the white mist, as if the clouds themselves has fallen from the stars, the sky was a stony grey around the Dry Forest and the sun was blanked out of the sky. The air was cold, very cold; Beba found herself shivering in the cold, after gawping at the site of their home covered in this most mysterious mist both Afua and Beba head inside the home of Chumvi and Kula to converse their plan of action.
"Well the obvious easy solution to this is to just leave." Chumvi grunts in his solid cave, the older Chumvi with his small dark mane is still as obstinate and as daring as ever. Everyone is talking over eachother discussing the problem:
"We can't just leave the forest like this, this is our home now, and this mist is destroying the delicate life here,"
"Maybe the mist will pass in a few days," Afua suggests, his paws always facing outwards, the older Afua was rather clumsy for his age. So the four friends waited together, as the days past, the mist showed no signs of vanishing, this worried Kula the most mainly because she could no longer hunt for food in the Dry Forest. After three moons have passed the four friends can no long wait, and decide to take action. Their adventure begins as Chumvi leads the group back down into the woodland. As they march down into the forest a sudden gust of cold merciless air brushes around them, their breathe can be seen coming from their mouths as the cold mist envelops them.
"Stay together," Kula says stridently; Kula has the largest coat of fur but even she was shivering slightly. Sticking together and four friends advance slowly through their home, the mist had ruined most of the plants here; the once dry plants were not drowned in the shallow moist and wet undergrowth. After searching for what seemed like hours the group were starting to lose hope. Afua was now leading the group as Chumvi and Kula were huddled together for warmth and protection, but as the adult lion steps forward he suddenly falls through the forest floor, the ground collapses under him much to the shock of his friends who immediately rush over. In the heart of the Dry Forest there is a small cave complete covered by overgrowing undergrowth and vines, Afua in his clumsiness had just inadvertently discovered the entrance. After falling a small height Afua was covered in vines and old dying tree roots he was struggling to break himself free, Beba was slow to the rescue cutting the excessively panicked Afua free. The cave entrance was small and slowly descended downwards below ground; the mist seemed less powerful underground. The group of four keep heading down inside, the cave eventually came to an end a large stone wall blocks them from proceeding. After realises they can go no further together they head back to the cave. Back through the forest after a short journey home the four have returned back due to the cold and general stuffiness of the mist below. They all conclude that the mist was coming from underground, perhaps from a series of tunnels that run underneath the Dry Forest. Whatever was down there was producing this mist and the mist was rising up into the Dry Forest through the ground and making the entire forest cold and genially miserable. It seems the problem could not be solved from here. Chumvi and Kula have no over choice than to leave the Dry Forest and go for help. Kula nuzzles the younger Afua bidding him farewell.
"If we don't return within six moons come to Priderock and no matter what happens: Make sure you stay together..."
Chumvi says in the entrance of the cave nodding his friend's farewell before dashing off with his mate Kula. It is a sad sight indeed seeing your once beautiful home slowly being destroyed, but it seems not even Chumvi and Kula can escape this disaster; together they travel south through the dazzling sunset, towards the heart of the Pridelands, towards Priderock.
The unexpected events of the generally peaceful Dry Forest seemed minuscule to the events at Priderock. So much was happening in such a small amount of time. But Priderock was strangely deserted. With Kopa, Vitani, Nala and Kovu all gone on journey's to find their pasts, this left Simba and his daughter Kiara to greet the guests. Chumvi and Kula after a long journey through the Pridelands now walk up onto Priderock itself approaching the Lion King Simba. Simba was very pleased to see his old friends once more. But Chumvi and Kula are interested to hear they are not the only ones to of returned to Priderock. Simba informs his friends of everything what has happened: Kopa has returned only to run off once more to the Outlands. Chumvi and Kula were both there when Kopa was presented as a baby cub to all the Pridelands after the Great Migration and they are both fascinated to hear about what finally happened with Zira and Kopa. All the talk of the past suddenly makes Chumvi worries about Afua and Beba back home that might still be waiting in the frozen forest…
"They'll be fine, trust me, they know what do to, they're not cubs anymore. But our home, the Dry Forest is gone..." Kula smiles warmly at her mate trying to reassure him and together they nuzzle. Chumvi sighs before agreeing to remain at Priderock. Although it was sad to see the Dry Forest destroyed Priderock was once their home and they want to help the Lion King by any means they can. As all four of them stand on the largest terrace of Priderock, it's just at that moment a small flock of blue birds fly past all four of them upon Priderock. Little did they know; the birds are a sign that another old friends of Simba's is returning. One of the cubs who joined Simba on the adventure to the Daggermouth Gorge and the only one who has been touched by the Great Spirit herself….
Chapter 6 - A Father Figure and Tedious Traps: show
Spread among all the Pridelands were the inhabitants of Priderock. Each one on their own personal journey to find what they have lost, all of them unaware those two old friends of Simba have returned. Far out across the mores, Vitani runs, faster than she's ever run before. Her legs were tired and her heart was pounding quickly. Kopa was the key to her happiness and she wasn't going to let him go ever again. Crossing the bridge between the Pridelands and the Outlands Vitani reaches her old home for the first time since she joined Simba's Pride. It was so quiet, Vitani could hear every step she took, saddened to see the Outlands like this, barren and dry, hot and wrecked. The Outlands used to be just an extension of the Pridelands until the vultures flew south and destroyed most life here. Vitani searches high and low, she knew the Outlands layout incredibly well afterall it was her home for many years, she knows every canyon and corner, but even this did not help her find Kopa. Vitani sits on a dusty dead old tree root her head hung downwards; it seemed everyone in the Pridelands has lost someone dear to their hearts. During all the fighting Nuka passed away, trying to desperately to get the love of their mother Zira; it's only those thoughts which turn the lioness's attention to her old home. The giant termite mount, now destroyed and crumbling without any inhabitants, Vitani draws her claws and digs her way inside, scratching dirt and sand out of the way to form a small tunnel. Using her feline instincts Vitani jumps down into her old home. As she lands on the ground in the heart of her old home she is suddenly surprised as she lands upon fresh tracks of a lion. Following them across the ground with her blue eyes she looks up to see a shadow of a dark lion suddenly tower upon her.
"It can't be," Vitani says muttering under her breathe and stuttering the name of the lion infront of her when she realises who it really is, she finally shakes her head and takes a few steps back before fully realising the lion who is standing before her.
"Kivuli, is it really you?" Infront of Vitani a rough looking lion, his fur and large mane is tinted grey and his old eyes are a dazzling green colour. Sighing the grey lion confirms that he is infact Kivuli, Kovu's real father. Inside the large termite mound Vitani suddenly dashes forward and gives Kivuli an almighty cuddle, before bombarding the old lion with hundreds of questions, Kivuli listens to them all before interrupting his step-daughter,
"Settle down child, all questions will be answered in time," the wise lion answers before sitting down and sighing deeply turning his head away, Kivuli is a very old lion, his life has been spent in his own self-exile he is lost to sadness; he spent most of his time in the Shadowlands, and this explains why his fur is grey, anyone who spends too long in the Shadowland will get their fur tainted by the dust and filth. Vitani listen to her step-fathers tale without pity as he explains about how his life was so dark and terrible in the Shadowland. Kivuli blames himself for unleashing Zira onto the Pridelands and then Kivuli vowed to never return to the Pridelands. After hearing the old lions tales Vitani gets upset and strikes her step-father right across the face.
"Listen here, you have a son who is lost without you! For so long he and all the family have wondered just where you were, you left Kovu to almost fall into darkness and you've been here the whole time feeling sorry for yourself? Zira's gone Kivuli; she chose her own fate for being stubborn, she had a second chance to return home and she threw it away, don't you dare do the same! The Pridelands are your home too, you are on the family tree, you're part of the Pridelands and you're always welcome there. So please, come home." Vitani offers her paw outwards as Kivuli sits in shock holding the cheek which Vitani just struck him. The grey lion slowly lowers his paw and takes Vitani's. Vitani may have not found Kopa but she found a piece of her life which has been missing for so long. Together they slowly return home.
A dark haze covers the Elephant Graveyard. Before a terrible fire here the Elephant Graveyard was called the Mog Forest, a large forest inhabited by mainly the crimson elephants, during the largest fire the Pridelands have ever known a herd of elephants got trapped in the forest as it burned and it became known as the Elephant Graveyard, the adolescent Mufasa along with his brother Scar, formally known as Taka, saw the great fire themselves. But now it is a now dangerous place filled with wrath and darkness. Nala treads carefully along this sinister land, crossing a series of large geysers streaming hot green steam from their depths, the graveyard was unstable as it was dangerous, the land itself often shook and transformed as the rock structures moved. High towers of black rock also formed in the centre. Nala searched swiftly, she did not want to remain here through the dark hours, when the land is most treacherous and the sun was fading fast, when the sun went down the shadows grew larger and the darkness would creep in, Nala had always feared the dark or more specifically, the shadows within the darkness, while searching Nala wondered if she would find Kovu here, afterall he too started his search for his real father in this dark place. However none of this mattered to her now as her brave little brother Mheetu was just told to be still alive. So why isn't she happy? She ought be delighted to hear about Mheetu, but for some reason she was still upset and angry, perhaps the snake was right, she has been lost for so long now she kept it all hidden inside her. Scouting the land she rushes past a large skull of a huge elephant and jumps down into a pile of bones. Unaware of everything happening deep inside of the Elephant Graveyard, Nala prowls most of the graveyard swiftly but cautiously, the day was almost fully gone none and the dark was growing, she has searched almost all the Elephant Graveyard. Before almost giving up for the day Nala reaches the centre of the Elephant Graveyard only the find Malka. The two of them approach eachother. Although neither one of them were surprised for seeing eachother again, as they were both searching for either Tama or Mheetu. Sighing the two old friends sit together and talk about old times, together they adventured as cubs along with Chumvi and Simba, and even Kula. But the Daggermouth Gorge was their last adventure together, Tama got swept away, Mheetu was purposively killed by Scar, and that suddenly reminds Nala that she was still searching for her little brother, Nala suddenly regrets everything,
"For a minute I thought Mheetu was still alive," She realises she was acting upon the word of a strange snake, she realises the snake lied to her to get her away from Priderock. As Nala regrets everything and sulks into despair. Malka comforts her, Nala had a new found courage with Malka, with him by her side the two of them searched the Elephant Graveyard one last time, but Mheetu was never found and this only confirmed Nala's feelings that the snake she met lied to her about everything. Malka believes the snake did it to help the queen grieve and to help her release the feelings she's felt trapped inside her for so long. But Malka is not surprised because he too has heard of this snake, infact Malka has met this snake before, before the two old friend's part sides once more Malka explains all he knows to the lost Nala: "His name is Joka; and he is more than just a snake..."
Far across the graveyard on the other side Kovu also searches for someone, his real father named Kivuli. His sister kindly showed him a family tree made on the cavern wall she used to have fun with Kopa and Nuka in as a cub. Kovu however with his dark brown fur and hazy green eyes wonders if searching for his father was a mistake. He remembers his talk with Nala, she told him she didn't need to know who her father was because in this time she was content with her life, she was happy. But even Kovu could tell that inside Nala was not happy, she was just hiding it behind a false smile. And that worries Kovu even more. Slowly walking around a shadowy corner Kovu looks around in all directions; Kovu could look after himself and fend off any evil creatures of the savannah. He once fought off an entire pack of lions for his training. The training his mother Zira put him through, all that violence and killing and it seemed that Kovu was the only one no noticing himself becoming a monster. Stopping at a thin gorge filled with lava at the bottom, he takes a few subtle steps back and takes a large jump cleanly over the small break. It's only at that moment he hears the voice of a few laughing hyena's around the next shadowy corner. Kovu suddenly lowers his body, and creeps around the corner, they were three hyena's, one was laughing manically like he always did and the other two were making jokes, Kovu notices the female of the three hyena's appears to be the leader.
"Shh!" Shenzi the female hyena smacks her fellow hyena Ed on the head with a large white bone. All three of the them grey spotted hyena's remain silent, Kovu remembers his brother Nuka telling him about when the hyena's got chased away from the Elephant Graveyard, and this makes Kovu even more curious as to why they are here once more.
"If she find us here separated from the main group we're dead," Banzi says muffing while chewing on a piece of bone, Banzi the continues going on about Scar and Shenzi growls referring on about to how unrewarding the Elephant Graveyard is all the amusement of Ed who laugh at the arguing pair. It's only at that moment Kovu steps on a small delicate white bone, snapping it clean in two with his paw and sending the sound of it breaking echoing all around the canyons above. The three hyenas; Shenzi, Banzi and Ed all suddenly turn their heads to see Kovu, Kovu was ready for a fight drawing his claws and he could beat them. However Kovu was outnumbered as he suddenly realises they are more than just three of them, looking up on the various terraces of the canyon above him, hundreds of hyenas all feeding, sleeping, they dusty fur almost blended into the canyon's grey walls. Suddenly Kovu turn and runs, dashing around the corner and rushing down the canyons as Shenzi, Banzi and Ed give chase, running faster than the prince, Kovu looks down to see the hyena's gaining on him, but Kovu wasn't looking where he was going and suddenly trips in the thin gap he jumped over before landing flat on his face into the ground the hyena's catch him. The three hyena's and Kovu scuffle, Kovu with his claws drawn slashes at the three beasts as each one tries to pin him down and bite him. "Dinner is served!" Banzi snarls but Kovu struggles with all his might and pushes them off him, as the prince runs away through the horrors of the graveyard a wheezing voice suddenly echoes throughout the dark land,
"Let him go," the familiar voice says as the hyena's growl but obey the order. Kovu recognises the voice also and stops running and turns his head. The weak wheezing voice could only have come from one lioness: Zira! As Kovu turns his head and looks up, standing on the top of the grey canyon wall was Zira herself stood on the wall of the canyon above him even in the cold shadows Zira's deceitful grin could be seen. In that split second Kovu works it all out as he begins running with all his might he also now bares scars on his front from the hyena's bites. As much as he wanted to deny it, it was clear; he had just seen his mother, he wanted to stay and wonder if it really was him, but the hyenas looked very hungry. Kovu rushes out of the Elephant Graveyard the way he came and it's only then he takes a deep breath and stops for a minute. The scar across his right eye gleaming in the dim setting sun behind the dark clouds, Kovu remembers when Simba told him the story of the Daggermouth Gorge and that Zira was swept away in the gorge just like Tama was when the dam broke, but the myth that Zira was still alive and had survived that ordeal is now solved as Kovu suddenly realises: Zira is still alive and not only that but now she is leading the hyenas. Kovu paces up and down and decides to talk to himself:
"She couldn't be here, she was washed away we all saw her fall into the gorge, but that was her voice and that was her smile and now she's with the hyenas. I have to warn Simba!" The prince concludes, dropping all hopes of finding his real father and rushes off towards Priderock in the distance.
In the heart of the Pridelands during all the events going on around the savannah, Rafiki in all his wisdom remains in his wide Baobab tree. The sun had once more gone behind the horizon and the night was filled with the wondrous but equally mysterious stars. All the nocturnal creatures like the African Porcupines awake only the night and the Pridelands never truly sleep. However the ruse of night gave Rafiki the peace he needed deep inside his tree house home. Where the painting of Kopa, the other cub was still on the truck on his tree, Rafiki himself is sat crossed legged in the direct centre of a painted circle. The Baobab fruits of his tree provided as great painting equipment. In complete silence Rafiki meditates alone. As the wise mandrill breathe steady he find himself drifting off into a strange induced vision, where the magic of the savannah truly shows, Rafiki is suddenly drifted off to a place with many white clouds in silence the clouds swirl around him before a large grey shadow appears before the mandrill. The shadow was huge in size standing tall above Rafiki and had the body of a lioness,
"A full circle of events have already begun. The circle began with Zira's vengeance long ago and events will end with the sincere child Kopa. Both it seems have bested death itself and shortly the circle of events will seal inwards and ultimately end. This is their destiny, the fate of a full circle. Heed my warning righteous mandrill. Four will die. It shall begin when the sun next rises." The shadow speaks with a booming female voice, but at the same time the voice was both wise, so all-knowing, Rafiki was not in doubt he was in the presence of an otherworldly being. He manages to build to the confidence to reply "What do you mean? Who are you?" Rafiki says for once he knew not what was happening. The shadow briefly pauses before replying: "I was lost, so very long ago—"
With a quick and sudden tug Rafiki awakes to find it was all a weird dream in his meditation. His eyes go blurry and he quickly shakes his head and jumps up onto his feet and out of the painted circle he drew. Rafiki was a powerful shaman but never had he contacting anyone like he just had. The shadow had contacted him, it seemed so powerful but at t he same time so compassionate and kind. Within the shadows eye's all the secrets of the savannah locked inside them. He decides to keep the vision with the mysterious shadow a secret. But Rafiki can't help thinking, if Zira is still alive, is this the end?
With a deathly grin Zira watches her son run away. The evil lioness was indeed alive, she makes her way down into the canyon with scowling eyes she turns to Shenzi, Banzi and Ed and roars at them;
"Do not hurt Kovu! He is still part of the plan." She growls as the three hyenas cower and run away leaving a trail of dust behind them. Zira remains in the Elephant Graveyard, she turns her head and turns away, walking further into the canyon when eventually she climbs a pile of old white bones and up onto a terrace above all the canyons, below her, hundreds of hyenas all gather below most of them fighting or running around. Zira had no choice but to side with the hyena's they are her old enemy however she blamed Simba for killing Scar and since the hyenas were already familiar with Scar making a pact with them was no so difficult. Zira thought they were idiots, just like her mate before her, she was only using them for a greater goal and the hyenas still hadn't learned that. Roaring loudly she gets the hyenas in order, she wanted Priderock, she wanted it all for herself, both Kovu, Vitani and the other Outlanders betrayed her and after everything she was not going to give up. Zira shouts down to all the hyenas in the canyon below: "Get the rest of your colony ready, tomorrow when the sun first rises, we shall stride for war!"
Four journeys have finished and the past has been found. But each journey found not exactly what was intended. As events quickly unfold with sudden and almost immediate haste surely now the fate of the Pridelands must be sealed as the sun sets once more, night falls and as all the creatures from the Bushbabies upon the treetops to the Aardvarks of the undergrowth all settle down to sleep and rest, with an army of hyenas growing in the Elephant Graveyard let by Zira, from the icy chills of the Dry Forest being slowly frozen to Kivuli, Kovu's real father who was so suddenly found in the Outlands as they all return to Priderock tomorrow will certainly bring another dark day in Pridelands history.
"Four will still die..."
"It can't be," Vitani says muttering under her breathe and stuttering the name of the lion infront of her when she realises who it really is, she finally shakes her head and takes a few steps back before fully realising the lion who is standing before her.
"Kivuli, is it really you?" Infront of Vitani a rough looking lion, his fur and large mane is tinted grey and his old eyes are a dazzling green colour. Sighing the grey lion confirms that he is infact Kivuli, Kovu's real father. Inside the large termite mound Vitani suddenly dashes forward and gives Kivuli an almighty cuddle, before bombarding the old lion with hundreds of questions, Kivuli listens to them all before interrupting his step-daughter,
"Settle down child, all questions will be answered in time," the wise lion answers before sitting down and sighing deeply turning his head away, Kivuli is a very old lion, his life has been spent in his own self-exile he is lost to sadness; he spent most of his time in the Shadowlands, and this explains why his fur is grey, anyone who spends too long in the Shadowland will get their fur tainted by the dust and filth. Vitani listen to her step-fathers tale without pity as he explains about how his life was so dark and terrible in the Shadowland. Kivuli blames himself for unleashing Zira onto the Pridelands and then Kivuli vowed to never return to the Pridelands. After hearing the old lions tales Vitani gets upset and strikes her step-father right across the face.
"Listen here, you have a son who is lost without you! For so long he and all the family have wondered just where you were, you left Kovu to almost fall into darkness and you've been here the whole time feeling sorry for yourself? Zira's gone Kivuli; she chose her own fate for being stubborn, she had a second chance to return home and she threw it away, don't you dare do the same! The Pridelands are your home too, you are on the family tree, you're part of the Pridelands and you're always welcome there. So please, come home." Vitani offers her paw outwards as Kivuli sits in shock holding the cheek which Vitani just struck him. The grey lion slowly lowers his paw and takes Vitani's. Vitani may have not found Kopa but she found a piece of her life which has been missing for so long. Together they slowly return home.
A dark haze covers the Elephant Graveyard. Before a terrible fire here the Elephant Graveyard was called the Mog Forest, a large forest inhabited by mainly the crimson elephants, during the largest fire the Pridelands have ever known a herd of elephants got trapped in the forest as it burned and it became known as the Elephant Graveyard, the adolescent Mufasa along with his brother Scar, formally known as Taka, saw the great fire themselves. But now it is a now dangerous place filled with wrath and darkness. Nala treads carefully along this sinister land, crossing a series of large geysers streaming hot green steam from their depths, the graveyard was unstable as it was dangerous, the land itself often shook and transformed as the rock structures moved. High towers of black rock also formed in the centre. Nala searched swiftly, she did not want to remain here through the dark hours, when the land is most treacherous and the sun was fading fast, when the sun went down the shadows grew larger and the darkness would creep in, Nala had always feared the dark or more specifically, the shadows within the darkness, while searching Nala wondered if she would find Kovu here, afterall he too started his search for his real father in this dark place. However none of this mattered to her now as her brave little brother Mheetu was just told to be still alive. So why isn't she happy? She ought be delighted to hear about Mheetu, but for some reason she was still upset and angry, perhaps the snake was right, she has been lost for so long now she kept it all hidden inside her. Scouting the land she rushes past a large skull of a huge elephant and jumps down into a pile of bones. Unaware of everything happening deep inside of the Elephant Graveyard, Nala prowls most of the graveyard swiftly but cautiously, the day was almost fully gone none and the dark was growing, she has searched almost all the Elephant Graveyard. Before almost giving up for the day Nala reaches the centre of the Elephant Graveyard only the find Malka. The two of them approach eachother. Although neither one of them were surprised for seeing eachother again, as they were both searching for either Tama or Mheetu. Sighing the two old friends sit together and talk about old times, together they adventured as cubs along with Chumvi and Simba, and even Kula. But the Daggermouth Gorge was their last adventure together, Tama got swept away, Mheetu was purposively killed by Scar, and that suddenly reminds Nala that she was still searching for her little brother, Nala suddenly regrets everything,
"For a minute I thought Mheetu was still alive," She realises she was acting upon the word of a strange snake, she realises the snake lied to her to get her away from Priderock. As Nala regrets everything and sulks into despair. Malka comforts her, Nala had a new found courage with Malka, with him by her side the two of them searched the Elephant Graveyard one last time, but Mheetu was never found and this only confirmed Nala's feelings that the snake she met lied to her about everything. Malka believes the snake did it to help the queen grieve and to help her release the feelings she's felt trapped inside her for so long. But Malka is not surprised because he too has heard of this snake, infact Malka has met this snake before, before the two old friend's part sides once more Malka explains all he knows to the lost Nala: "His name is Joka; and he is more than just a snake..."
Far across the graveyard on the other side Kovu also searches for someone, his real father named Kivuli. His sister kindly showed him a family tree made on the cavern wall she used to have fun with Kopa and Nuka in as a cub. Kovu however with his dark brown fur and hazy green eyes wonders if searching for his father was a mistake. He remembers his talk with Nala, she told him she didn't need to know who her father was because in this time she was content with her life, she was happy. But even Kovu could tell that inside Nala was not happy, she was just hiding it behind a false smile. And that worries Kovu even more. Slowly walking around a shadowy corner Kovu looks around in all directions; Kovu could look after himself and fend off any evil creatures of the savannah. He once fought off an entire pack of lions for his training. The training his mother Zira put him through, all that violence and killing and it seemed that Kovu was the only one no noticing himself becoming a monster. Stopping at a thin gorge filled with lava at the bottom, he takes a few subtle steps back and takes a large jump cleanly over the small break. It's only at that moment he hears the voice of a few laughing hyena's around the next shadowy corner. Kovu suddenly lowers his body, and creeps around the corner, they were three hyena's, one was laughing manically like he always did and the other two were making jokes, Kovu notices the female of the three hyena's appears to be the leader.
"Shh!" Shenzi the female hyena smacks her fellow hyena Ed on the head with a large white bone. All three of the them grey spotted hyena's remain silent, Kovu remembers his brother Nuka telling him about when the hyena's got chased away from the Elephant Graveyard, and this makes Kovu even more curious as to why they are here once more.
"If she find us here separated from the main group we're dead," Banzi says muffing while chewing on a piece of bone, Banzi the continues going on about Scar and Shenzi growls referring on about to how unrewarding the Elephant Graveyard is all the amusement of Ed who laugh at the arguing pair. It's only at that moment Kovu steps on a small delicate white bone, snapping it clean in two with his paw and sending the sound of it breaking echoing all around the canyons above. The three hyenas; Shenzi, Banzi and Ed all suddenly turn their heads to see Kovu, Kovu was ready for a fight drawing his claws and he could beat them. However Kovu was outnumbered as he suddenly realises they are more than just three of them, looking up on the various terraces of the canyon above him, hundreds of hyenas all feeding, sleeping, they dusty fur almost blended into the canyon's grey walls. Suddenly Kovu turn and runs, dashing around the corner and rushing down the canyons as Shenzi, Banzi and Ed give chase, running faster than the prince, Kovu looks down to see the hyena's gaining on him, but Kovu wasn't looking where he was going and suddenly trips in the thin gap he jumped over before landing flat on his face into the ground the hyena's catch him. The three hyena's and Kovu scuffle, Kovu with his claws drawn slashes at the three beasts as each one tries to pin him down and bite him. "Dinner is served!" Banzi snarls but Kovu struggles with all his might and pushes them off him, as the prince runs away through the horrors of the graveyard a wheezing voice suddenly echoes throughout the dark land,
"Let him go," the familiar voice says as the hyena's growl but obey the order. Kovu recognises the voice also and stops running and turns his head. The weak wheezing voice could only have come from one lioness: Zira! As Kovu turns his head and looks up, standing on the top of the grey canyon wall was Zira herself stood on the wall of the canyon above him even in the cold shadows Zira's deceitful grin could be seen. In that split second Kovu works it all out as he begins running with all his might he also now bares scars on his front from the hyena's bites. As much as he wanted to deny it, it was clear; he had just seen his mother, he wanted to stay and wonder if it really was him, but the hyenas looked very hungry. Kovu rushes out of the Elephant Graveyard the way he came and it's only then he takes a deep breath and stops for a minute. The scar across his right eye gleaming in the dim setting sun behind the dark clouds, Kovu remembers when Simba told him the story of the Daggermouth Gorge and that Zira was swept away in the gorge just like Tama was when the dam broke, but the myth that Zira was still alive and had survived that ordeal is now solved as Kovu suddenly realises: Zira is still alive and not only that but now she is leading the hyenas. Kovu paces up and down and decides to talk to himself:
"She couldn't be here, she was washed away we all saw her fall into the gorge, but that was her voice and that was her smile and now she's with the hyenas. I have to warn Simba!" The prince concludes, dropping all hopes of finding his real father and rushes off towards Priderock in the distance.
In the heart of the Pridelands during all the events going on around the savannah, Rafiki in all his wisdom remains in his wide Baobab tree. The sun had once more gone behind the horizon and the night was filled with the wondrous but equally mysterious stars. All the nocturnal creatures like the African Porcupines awake only the night and the Pridelands never truly sleep. However the ruse of night gave Rafiki the peace he needed deep inside his tree house home. Where the painting of Kopa, the other cub was still on the truck on his tree, Rafiki himself is sat crossed legged in the direct centre of a painted circle. The Baobab fruits of his tree provided as great painting equipment. In complete silence Rafiki meditates alone. As the wise mandrill breathe steady he find himself drifting off into a strange induced vision, where the magic of the savannah truly shows, Rafiki is suddenly drifted off to a place with many white clouds in silence the clouds swirl around him before a large grey shadow appears before the mandrill. The shadow was huge in size standing tall above Rafiki and had the body of a lioness,
"A full circle of events have already begun. The circle began with Zira's vengeance long ago and events will end with the sincere child Kopa. Both it seems have bested death itself and shortly the circle of events will seal inwards and ultimately end. This is their destiny, the fate of a full circle. Heed my warning righteous mandrill. Four will die. It shall begin when the sun next rises." The shadow speaks with a booming female voice, but at the same time the voice was both wise, so all-knowing, Rafiki was not in doubt he was in the presence of an otherworldly being. He manages to build to the confidence to reply "What do you mean? Who are you?" Rafiki says for once he knew not what was happening. The shadow briefly pauses before replying: "I was lost, so very long ago—"
With a quick and sudden tug Rafiki awakes to find it was all a weird dream in his meditation. His eyes go blurry and he quickly shakes his head and jumps up onto his feet and out of the painted circle he drew. Rafiki was a powerful shaman but never had he contacting anyone like he just had. The shadow had contacted him, it seemed so powerful but at t he same time so compassionate and kind. Within the shadows eye's all the secrets of the savannah locked inside them. He decides to keep the vision with the mysterious shadow a secret. But Rafiki can't help thinking, if Zira is still alive, is this the end?
With a deathly grin Zira watches her son run away. The evil lioness was indeed alive, she makes her way down into the canyon with scowling eyes she turns to Shenzi, Banzi and Ed and roars at them;
"Do not hurt Kovu! He is still part of the plan." She growls as the three hyenas cower and run away leaving a trail of dust behind them. Zira remains in the Elephant Graveyard, she turns her head and turns away, walking further into the canyon when eventually she climbs a pile of old white bones and up onto a terrace above all the canyons, below her, hundreds of hyenas all gather below most of them fighting or running around. Zira had no choice but to side with the hyena's they are her old enemy however she blamed Simba for killing Scar and since the hyenas were already familiar with Scar making a pact with them was no so difficult. Zira thought they were idiots, just like her mate before her, she was only using them for a greater goal and the hyenas still hadn't learned that. Roaring loudly she gets the hyenas in order, she wanted Priderock, she wanted it all for herself, both Kovu, Vitani and the other Outlanders betrayed her and after everything she was not going to give up. Zira shouts down to all the hyenas in the canyon below: "Get the rest of your colony ready, tomorrow when the sun first rises, we shall stride for war!"
Four journeys have finished and the past has been found. But each journey found not exactly what was intended. As events quickly unfold with sudden and almost immediate haste surely now the fate of the Pridelands must be sealed as the sun sets once more, night falls and as all the creatures from the Bushbabies upon the treetops to the Aardvarks of the undergrowth all settle down to sleep and rest, with an army of hyenas growing in the Elephant Graveyard let by Zira, from the icy chills of the Dry Forest being slowly frozen to Kivuli, Kovu's real father who was so suddenly found in the Outlands as they all return to Priderock tomorrow will certainly bring another dark day in Pridelands history.
"Four will still die..."
Chapter 7 - sarafina the lonely: show
In the heart of the Pridelands, everybody gathers at Priderock with the exception of Vitani and Kivuli, everyone else stands on Priderock, all of them nuzzling, hugging and talking to eachother. All of them discussing the events what happened to them. But as everyone gathers upon Priderock one lioness remains alone, Sarafina. It seems with everybody else in their individual events she was forgotten about, but Sarafina enjoyed the peace and solace, after leaving the cave she ventures out into the savannah to take a long drink at the largest watering hole. In the thick of night as she drank Sarafina could see the stars in the reflection of the still water. Yawning slightly, Sarafina looks up and stretches, she looks up at the stars, she has had many mates in the past, she remembers Taka whom she loved in the past, but when Taka became Scar and let the darkness touch his heart Sarafina had to move on from him, but she can't help but feel, lonely. After her long rest she leisurely walks towards Priderock. The journey is quickly over but as Sarafina reaches Priderock she is greeted with arguments and everyone discussing plans. She sits and watches however saying nothing but noticing the chaos and listening carefully she picks out bits of information:
"Zira is alive and she's made a pact with all the hyena's to take over Priderock once and for all. I saw her with my own eyes; they were hundreds of hyena's; an army of them in the Elephant Graveyard." Kovu talks quickly out of breathe his heart beating fast, he needed to relax.
"What about the Dry Forest we need help over there too," Chumvi roars over at Kovu who is meant to be acting as the new prince and helping the Pridelands. "We still have to find my brother Kopa, he's still missing!" Kiara says to her father hoping for a straight answer, finally Sarafina roars louder than everyone else, and everyone stops to look at her. The air turns silent; as Sarafina creates order and everyone takes their turns to part their worries with Simba. Obviously Simba cannot just leave the Pridelands with all this drama, Kovu was not skilled enough to deal with the king's problems and Simba didn't want to place that entire burden on him all at once. And there was still the matter of finding Kopa who seemed to have disappeared.
"One problem at a time," Simba says to himself. It only at that moment in the thick of night that Vitani and Kivuli finally arrive at Priderock after travelling a long journey from the Outlands, Kivuli was very withdrawn and slowly walked up to join everyone else, everyone was staring at him and Kivuli turns to see his son for the first time in years. An instinct inside him just knew that this was his son. The oblivious Kovu grunts as his father approaches him.
"You have his eyes" Sarafina say over the prince and smiles, It's only when Kovu looks inside his father's green eyes that he realises. All those times Sarafina had told him, about his green eyes, she always said that they had the same eyes, Kovu suddenly realises what she meant and this was his real father.
"Dad...?" Kovu finally musters the courage to say, his father nods and the two suddenly embrace one another. They had finally found eachother.
As everyone else prepares for an attack, Simba has work to do, and they shall be ready to finish Zira once and for all. This means Kovu, Sarafina, and Kivuli are gathered upon Priderock. By now the monument was getting quite crowded. Kivuli's fur is almost grey in colour because he has spent so much time in the Shadowland and know's much about the dark land. His mane is dark black just like the shadows he is named after. A family reunited, Sarafina is happy that father and son are together. And Sarafina has a long history with Kivuli. It was Sarafina who first introduced Zira to Kivuli so very long ago. Far away from Priderock the three of them go for a walk, to get away from all the havoc at Priderock, together the three of them lay in a small palm forest north of Priderock. It was time for some answers.
"Long ago I was born into the Shadowland, with no mother, or father, I grew up alone, but when I grew up I became selfish and almost hateful of the world. And this is where Sarafina helped me, I found her and she brought me to the Pridelands where, in secret she introduced me to Zira. At this time Scar was king and Simba was deemed dead. While Scar was mad with power and pride, I kept meeting with Zira in secret and this is how you came into the world my son I fell in love with Zira, at the time she was sane and a most beautiful lioness. Eventually Scar was defeated and everyone was forced to mirage to the Grass Wall while the Pridelands recovered and regrew. And this is where and when you were born. You were born in Grass Wall and if I remember correctly, you were born on the exact same day Kopa was. When Zira went mad with revenge and the loss of Scar, I could not help her and I left for my home in the Shadowland. I regret it so deeply, I shouldn't of left you alone with that monster," Kivuli parts his story with a sigh, still regretting everything he has done, Sarafina nuzzles him, she has been a good friend, but she also shares the pain of Kivuli.
"Father, it's not your fault, it was the darkness, it possessed Scar, it has Zira and I think that maybe there's darkness inside me too; I've being searching for you, I need to know what this darkness is" Reflecting back Kovu remembers all the conversations he had with Simba and Kiara all about the mysterious darkness.
"My son, you have worked so very hard to get into the position you are in now, the Lion *King trusts you and in all your temptations you sought it inside yourself to do the right thing. No darkness will ever dampen your heart my son," Kivuli says wisely, he is weak and old; he is what is known as an elder lion. Kovu smiles at his real father and gets up,
"It really is you..." Kovu smiles he can hardly believe it, a few days ago he was rolling down Priderock with Kopa fighting for his position to be the next king fearing that darkness inside drove him into it. But now he is here with his father and suddenly he feels whole once more. He looks over at his father and then over at Sarafina, his past was unwinding before him and he couldn't be happier.
Suddenly there's a loud roar, emanating across the whole of the Pridelands. One solitary roar is the call to arms. War once more was at Priderock, the feeling seemed almost customary to everyone. In the heat of it all Chumvi and Kula are dragged into helping. Kula, Vitani, Nala and Kiara help prepare the lionesses to attack many of the lionesses were once loyal to Zira and so preparations are difficult. Chumvi and Simba help the animals of the savannah to find safe land so they shall not be injured. Rafiki standing tall on the top branch of his Baobab tree gets a good view as the hyenas being emerging from the Elephant Graveyard. The mandrill signals to Zazu as the hornbill bird swoops down his little blue wings flapping swiftly as he flies through the dark of night. Simba now stood on the end of the terrace of Priderock his mane blowing the high wind as a gust a wind swirls around him. Simba looks up the at the many twinkling stars as Zazu swoops down beside him. Simba looks directly up at the brightest star in the sky, this was Mohatu, the first ever Lion King who became the brightest star in the sky. Then Simba looks down on his entire kingdom, the Pridelands, so many battles have been fought here, and so many more battles to come. Simba can't help but think that the prophecy is coming true: 'The sought successor as the rightful heir will return. Then equilibrium of this world will be broken.' Kopa was the successor and he returned just as the forewarning explained. And now, the equilibrium of the world is broken, so many problems happening all at once the balance of the savannah is uneasy. But little did Simba know another prophecy was given to his missing son Kopa. The army of hyenas approach in the distance as just mere dots on the horizon, approaching slowly, they had little more time to prepare. It was time. The yellow sun slowly edges it way up across the night sky, the night had gone quickly and once again many of the lions have had little or no sleep. They were on the brink of exhaustion but they had to keep going, just one more day. Simba gets down from Priderock and joins the lionesses and together beneath Priderock, they wait as the burning sun erupts the sky into light around them.
Zira leading her hyena colony forward they walk towards Priderock, the hyenas snapping and laughing ready and eager for battle. It's the first time Zira has been in the Pridelands for a long time and this time she is assured she will win. As she approaches Priderock both small armies stand on either side of the battleground, and once again Simba and Zira see themselves facing off. Zira looks across to see her daughter Vitani on the other side; she can't help but feel that her own daughter is different somehow in that she seemed happier in herself.
"So you really did survive," Simba scowls at the evil lioness. Zira doesn't reply instead she just paces back and forth, before stopping in the centre, she orders the attack. Suddenly the hyenas and lionesses dash towards eachother growling and fighting the two groups meet in the centre and fight without mercy. Colliding together the lionesses dive at the hyenas but while they were outnumbered they were also stronger than the hyenas. Simba rushes through the madness to find Zira but is suddenly knocked over by a hyena in a fight, shaking his head Simba immediately gets back us as four hyenas pounce on him he growls and scratches them clawing them off him with his strength. Everyone was using the last of their energy to fight. Chumvi was fighting together with Vitani and Kula was fighting alongside Kiara. And Simba couldn't find Zira anywhere, instead he kept fighting, but the wave of hyena's kept coming as the battle waged onwards. Kovu, Sarafina and Kivuli the three of them together rush from the forest towards the battle ground, Kovu dives into the fight, he was one of the few who has been resting and now it showed as he bashed the hyenas away. Biting into her back Sarafina faces off against two hyenas on her own, she was old but she still could fight pouncing forward she attacks with lightning quick movement. Kivuli however rushes up onto the terrace of Priderock where he finds Zira, his old mate. She is stood watching the fighting and barking orders to her new allies. Kivuli approaches her and the evil lioness turns to see him.
"I knew you would be here Kivuli, I have been waiting for this day a very long time." Together the two old mates circle eachother atop Priderock. Meanwhile down below in the scuffles everyone keeps fighting but the battle keeps raging on and everyone was losing their energy especially with lack of sleep. Kiara manages to escape the scuffles and back away slightly to catch his breath. Suddenly by her side is her eccentric friend Rafiki,
"Go find him, you know where to look, we can fend off Zira until you return, go find your brother," The mandrill parts his unprecedented guidance with Kiara before giving a loud eccentric battle cry and jumps into the battle smashing the hyenas with his large shaman stick. As the fighting continues Kiara cannot help but think all this has happened before, under the burning sun he realises everyone is losing their strength too quickly, Kiara looks at the large battle infront of her, and then looks on the horizon, there's only one lion that can truly stop Zira's madness: Kopa. She shakes his head and gives loud roar before dashing off towards the horizon, taking Rafiki's advice and leaving the battle behind herself she runs far off towards the east. Kopa is the only cub strong enough to stop Zira, Kopa was strong for his age, he always was, Kopa was stronger than Simba was just a cub and Kopa is the only one with an intertwining past with Zira. Everyone else was either too tired to fight or too weak to hold off the hyenas. Kiara had to hurry. She dashes off away from battle, hoping to find her brother and end this, once and for all.
Atop Priderock, Zira and Kivuli continue to circle eachother, as a group of hyenas suddenly approach up behind the elder lion Kivuli. The evil lioness now grins knowing she now has the upper hand she approaches Kivuli closer until they're directly faced onwards.
"I've been setting traps in the Pridelands for so long now. It was me who set the fire, it was meant to end Kiara once and for all and I laid all those traps across the Pridelands. I have been waiting for this day. The day I would meet you again my love, join me Kivuli, together we can be the queen and king of the Pridelands. Together we can rule everything." Zira says piercingly her voice sounding most sincere; she was truly lost to the darkness. Behind the two old mates, Sarafina rushes to help Kivuli her old friend, she tries to fight the hyenas trapping him until they suddenly turn to her and Sarafina becomes cornered against the lion's den, with a quick slash of her claw she strikes the closest hyena causing it to run off in pain.
"Sarafina! Yeah, I remember you the time you ate my father and left me as an orphan!" Banzi suddenly yells and steps forward infront of his fellow hyenas. The lioness was trapped as she backs up inside the lion's den slowly. Sarafina remembers the day, the day she took the life of Banzi's hyena father. Banzi was just a small cub as the time but his father was a ruthless hyena, a cold blooded murderer, but as an act of mercy Sarafina let the little pup Banzi live. She remembers that day all too well, it was Sarafina's first ever hunt. Banzi scowls as Sarafina as she keeps backing up until she suddenly steps on something. Stopping still she turns her head to look down at her paw and her face saddens. Sarafina stepped on a black rock. A black rock in the shape of a perfect scarab. The precursor of death had come to her and her heart sinks as she gases at the mysterious rock. Sarafina tries to call for help but by them she's already surrounded and outnumbered, Sarafina looks head on at the hyenas and sadly closes her eyes... That moment the winds change and the air grows eerie, Nala's blood runs cold, she could feel a sudden sadness overcome her, she froze and suddenly knew from a strange instinct inside her, her mother was in danger. Nala rips apart one of the smaller hyena and rushes through the fighting to find her mother. As the queen rushes up to the lion's den Banzi hastily runs down past her, his maw was covered in dry blood stains. Nala rushes to the lion's den where inside she is greeted with horror. Sarafina was laid on the rocky floor of the lion's den, she wasn't moving and her body was covered in scars, and cradled tightly in Sarafina's paw was the Black Scarab. Nala in disbelief suddenly rushes to her mother, Nala puts her head to her mother's chest; she was still breathing, but only barely. Nala cradles her mother after the fighting with her old rival Banzi. Sarafina turns her head and coughs weakly looking up at her daughter,
"Everything has its time; and everything passes on." Sarafina coughs weakly.
"Don't leave me, not like this!" Nala yells in tears lying above her dying mother. Nala shakes in disbelief, she grips her mother tightly not wanting to let go,
"You need to know, about your father," Sarafina gasps for air, she was fading away in her daughters paws.
"Please, just hold on," Nala replies fearing the worst, Sarafina manages keeps her eyes open, the old lioness looks directly into her daughters, she still has strength for this,
"He was a kind lion. The kindest lion I've even known. We met on the Evenstar Beach; he had such striking eyes and flaking fur, we are so proud of you Nala..." Sarafina smile's and remembers back to a happier time. She has had many lovers as was never truly alone. Flashbacks of her time flood her memory giving Sarafina one last taste of true happiness.
"Don't go, not like father did," Nala weeps with Sarafina looking down upon her honest mother. Not wanting to let go, not accepting anything any more. Sarafina gains the strength to say one last thing—
"Oh my beautiful Nala: Your father never left us. He is...still...here..." Sarafina draws her last breath and slowly drifts away in her daughter's paws resting her tired eyes for the last time. Sarafina's arm falls to the floor letting the Black Scarab roll across the ground. She was at peace now. Nala in utter shock hugs her mother so tightly, roaring loudly the tears streaming down her face, the pain was agonizing. Sarafina was gone.
"Zira is alive and she's made a pact with all the hyena's to take over Priderock once and for all. I saw her with my own eyes; they were hundreds of hyena's; an army of them in the Elephant Graveyard." Kovu talks quickly out of breathe his heart beating fast, he needed to relax.
"What about the Dry Forest we need help over there too," Chumvi roars over at Kovu who is meant to be acting as the new prince and helping the Pridelands. "We still have to find my brother Kopa, he's still missing!" Kiara says to her father hoping for a straight answer, finally Sarafina roars louder than everyone else, and everyone stops to look at her. The air turns silent; as Sarafina creates order and everyone takes their turns to part their worries with Simba. Obviously Simba cannot just leave the Pridelands with all this drama, Kovu was not skilled enough to deal with the king's problems and Simba didn't want to place that entire burden on him all at once. And there was still the matter of finding Kopa who seemed to have disappeared.
"One problem at a time," Simba says to himself. It only at that moment in the thick of night that Vitani and Kivuli finally arrive at Priderock after travelling a long journey from the Outlands, Kivuli was very withdrawn and slowly walked up to join everyone else, everyone was staring at him and Kivuli turns to see his son for the first time in years. An instinct inside him just knew that this was his son. The oblivious Kovu grunts as his father approaches him.
"You have his eyes" Sarafina say over the prince and smiles, It's only when Kovu looks inside his father's green eyes that he realises. All those times Sarafina had told him, about his green eyes, she always said that they had the same eyes, Kovu suddenly realises what she meant and this was his real father.
"Dad...?" Kovu finally musters the courage to say, his father nods and the two suddenly embrace one another. They had finally found eachother.
As everyone else prepares for an attack, Simba has work to do, and they shall be ready to finish Zira once and for all. This means Kovu, Sarafina, and Kivuli are gathered upon Priderock. By now the monument was getting quite crowded. Kivuli's fur is almost grey in colour because he has spent so much time in the Shadowland and know's much about the dark land. His mane is dark black just like the shadows he is named after. A family reunited, Sarafina is happy that father and son are together. And Sarafina has a long history with Kivuli. It was Sarafina who first introduced Zira to Kivuli so very long ago. Far away from Priderock the three of them go for a walk, to get away from all the havoc at Priderock, together the three of them lay in a small palm forest north of Priderock. It was time for some answers.
"Long ago I was born into the Shadowland, with no mother, or father, I grew up alone, but when I grew up I became selfish and almost hateful of the world. And this is where Sarafina helped me, I found her and she brought me to the Pridelands where, in secret she introduced me to Zira. At this time Scar was king and Simba was deemed dead. While Scar was mad with power and pride, I kept meeting with Zira in secret and this is how you came into the world my son I fell in love with Zira, at the time she was sane and a most beautiful lioness. Eventually Scar was defeated and everyone was forced to mirage to the Grass Wall while the Pridelands recovered and regrew. And this is where and when you were born. You were born in Grass Wall and if I remember correctly, you were born on the exact same day Kopa was. When Zira went mad with revenge and the loss of Scar, I could not help her and I left for my home in the Shadowland. I regret it so deeply, I shouldn't of left you alone with that monster," Kivuli parts his story with a sigh, still regretting everything he has done, Sarafina nuzzles him, she has been a good friend, but she also shares the pain of Kivuli.
"Father, it's not your fault, it was the darkness, it possessed Scar, it has Zira and I think that maybe there's darkness inside me too; I've being searching for you, I need to know what this darkness is" Reflecting back Kovu remembers all the conversations he had with Simba and Kiara all about the mysterious darkness.
"My son, you have worked so very hard to get into the position you are in now, the Lion *King trusts you and in all your temptations you sought it inside yourself to do the right thing. No darkness will ever dampen your heart my son," Kivuli says wisely, he is weak and old; he is what is known as an elder lion. Kovu smiles at his real father and gets up,
"It really is you..." Kovu smiles he can hardly believe it, a few days ago he was rolling down Priderock with Kopa fighting for his position to be the next king fearing that darkness inside drove him into it. But now he is here with his father and suddenly he feels whole once more. He looks over at his father and then over at Sarafina, his past was unwinding before him and he couldn't be happier.
Suddenly there's a loud roar, emanating across the whole of the Pridelands. One solitary roar is the call to arms. War once more was at Priderock, the feeling seemed almost customary to everyone. In the heat of it all Chumvi and Kula are dragged into helping. Kula, Vitani, Nala and Kiara help prepare the lionesses to attack many of the lionesses were once loyal to Zira and so preparations are difficult. Chumvi and Simba help the animals of the savannah to find safe land so they shall not be injured. Rafiki standing tall on the top branch of his Baobab tree gets a good view as the hyenas being emerging from the Elephant Graveyard. The mandrill signals to Zazu as the hornbill bird swoops down his little blue wings flapping swiftly as he flies through the dark of night. Simba now stood on the end of the terrace of Priderock his mane blowing the high wind as a gust a wind swirls around him. Simba looks up the at the many twinkling stars as Zazu swoops down beside him. Simba looks directly up at the brightest star in the sky, this was Mohatu, the first ever Lion King who became the brightest star in the sky. Then Simba looks down on his entire kingdom, the Pridelands, so many battles have been fought here, and so many more battles to come. Simba can't help but think that the prophecy is coming true: 'The sought successor as the rightful heir will return. Then equilibrium of this world will be broken.' Kopa was the successor and he returned just as the forewarning explained. And now, the equilibrium of the world is broken, so many problems happening all at once the balance of the savannah is uneasy. But little did Simba know another prophecy was given to his missing son Kopa. The army of hyenas approach in the distance as just mere dots on the horizon, approaching slowly, they had little more time to prepare. It was time. The yellow sun slowly edges it way up across the night sky, the night had gone quickly and once again many of the lions have had little or no sleep. They were on the brink of exhaustion but they had to keep going, just one more day. Simba gets down from Priderock and joins the lionesses and together beneath Priderock, they wait as the burning sun erupts the sky into light around them.
Zira leading her hyena colony forward they walk towards Priderock, the hyenas snapping and laughing ready and eager for battle. It's the first time Zira has been in the Pridelands for a long time and this time she is assured she will win. As she approaches Priderock both small armies stand on either side of the battleground, and once again Simba and Zira see themselves facing off. Zira looks across to see her daughter Vitani on the other side; she can't help but feel that her own daughter is different somehow in that she seemed happier in herself.
"So you really did survive," Simba scowls at the evil lioness. Zira doesn't reply instead she just paces back and forth, before stopping in the centre, she orders the attack. Suddenly the hyenas and lionesses dash towards eachother growling and fighting the two groups meet in the centre and fight without mercy. Colliding together the lionesses dive at the hyenas but while they were outnumbered they were also stronger than the hyenas. Simba rushes through the madness to find Zira but is suddenly knocked over by a hyena in a fight, shaking his head Simba immediately gets back us as four hyenas pounce on him he growls and scratches them clawing them off him with his strength. Everyone was using the last of their energy to fight. Chumvi was fighting together with Vitani and Kula was fighting alongside Kiara. And Simba couldn't find Zira anywhere, instead he kept fighting, but the wave of hyena's kept coming as the battle waged onwards. Kovu, Sarafina and Kivuli the three of them together rush from the forest towards the battle ground, Kovu dives into the fight, he was one of the few who has been resting and now it showed as he bashed the hyenas away. Biting into her back Sarafina faces off against two hyenas on her own, she was old but she still could fight pouncing forward she attacks with lightning quick movement. Kivuli however rushes up onto the terrace of Priderock where he finds Zira, his old mate. She is stood watching the fighting and barking orders to her new allies. Kivuli approaches her and the evil lioness turns to see him.
"I knew you would be here Kivuli, I have been waiting for this day a very long time." Together the two old mates circle eachother atop Priderock. Meanwhile down below in the scuffles everyone keeps fighting but the battle keeps raging on and everyone was losing their energy especially with lack of sleep. Kiara manages to escape the scuffles and back away slightly to catch his breath. Suddenly by her side is her eccentric friend Rafiki,
"Go find him, you know where to look, we can fend off Zira until you return, go find your brother," The mandrill parts his unprecedented guidance with Kiara before giving a loud eccentric battle cry and jumps into the battle smashing the hyenas with his large shaman stick. As the fighting continues Kiara cannot help but think all this has happened before, under the burning sun he realises everyone is losing their strength too quickly, Kiara looks at the large battle infront of her, and then looks on the horizon, there's only one lion that can truly stop Zira's madness: Kopa. She shakes his head and gives loud roar before dashing off towards the horizon, taking Rafiki's advice and leaving the battle behind herself she runs far off towards the east. Kopa is the only cub strong enough to stop Zira, Kopa was strong for his age, he always was, Kopa was stronger than Simba was just a cub and Kopa is the only one with an intertwining past with Zira. Everyone else was either too tired to fight or too weak to hold off the hyenas. Kiara had to hurry. She dashes off away from battle, hoping to find her brother and end this, once and for all.
Atop Priderock, Zira and Kivuli continue to circle eachother, as a group of hyenas suddenly approach up behind the elder lion Kivuli. The evil lioness now grins knowing she now has the upper hand she approaches Kivuli closer until they're directly faced onwards.
"I've been setting traps in the Pridelands for so long now. It was me who set the fire, it was meant to end Kiara once and for all and I laid all those traps across the Pridelands. I have been waiting for this day. The day I would meet you again my love, join me Kivuli, together we can be the queen and king of the Pridelands. Together we can rule everything." Zira says piercingly her voice sounding most sincere; she was truly lost to the darkness. Behind the two old mates, Sarafina rushes to help Kivuli her old friend, she tries to fight the hyenas trapping him until they suddenly turn to her and Sarafina becomes cornered against the lion's den, with a quick slash of her claw she strikes the closest hyena causing it to run off in pain.
"Sarafina! Yeah, I remember you the time you ate my father and left me as an orphan!" Banzi suddenly yells and steps forward infront of his fellow hyenas. The lioness was trapped as she backs up inside the lion's den slowly. Sarafina remembers the day, the day she took the life of Banzi's hyena father. Banzi was just a small cub as the time but his father was a ruthless hyena, a cold blooded murderer, but as an act of mercy Sarafina let the little pup Banzi live. She remembers that day all too well, it was Sarafina's first ever hunt. Banzi scowls as Sarafina as she keeps backing up until she suddenly steps on something. Stopping still she turns her head to look down at her paw and her face saddens. Sarafina stepped on a black rock. A black rock in the shape of a perfect scarab. The precursor of death had come to her and her heart sinks as she gases at the mysterious rock. Sarafina tries to call for help but by them she's already surrounded and outnumbered, Sarafina looks head on at the hyenas and sadly closes her eyes... That moment the winds change and the air grows eerie, Nala's blood runs cold, she could feel a sudden sadness overcome her, she froze and suddenly knew from a strange instinct inside her, her mother was in danger. Nala rips apart one of the smaller hyena and rushes through the fighting to find her mother. As the queen rushes up to the lion's den Banzi hastily runs down past her, his maw was covered in dry blood stains. Nala rushes to the lion's den where inside she is greeted with horror. Sarafina was laid on the rocky floor of the lion's den, she wasn't moving and her body was covered in scars, and cradled tightly in Sarafina's paw was the Black Scarab. Nala in disbelief suddenly rushes to her mother, Nala puts her head to her mother's chest; she was still breathing, but only barely. Nala cradles her mother after the fighting with her old rival Banzi. Sarafina turns her head and coughs weakly looking up at her daughter,
"Everything has its time; and everything passes on." Sarafina coughs weakly.
"Don't leave me, not like this!" Nala yells in tears lying above her dying mother. Nala shakes in disbelief, she grips her mother tightly not wanting to let go,
"You need to know, about your father," Sarafina gasps for air, she was fading away in her daughters paws.
"Please, just hold on," Nala replies fearing the worst, Sarafina manages keeps her eyes open, the old lioness looks directly into her daughters, she still has strength for this,
"He was a kind lion. The kindest lion I've even known. We met on the Evenstar Beach; he had such striking eyes and flaking fur, we are so proud of you Nala..." Sarafina smile's and remembers back to a happier time. She has had many lovers as was never truly alone. Flashbacks of her time flood her memory giving Sarafina one last taste of true happiness.
"Don't go, not like father did," Nala weeps with Sarafina looking down upon her honest mother. Not wanting to let go, not accepting anything any more. Sarafina gains the strength to say one last thing—
"Oh my beautiful Nala: Your father never left us. He is...still...here..." Sarafina draws her last breath and slowly drifts away in her daughter's paws resting her tired eyes for the last time. Sarafina's arm falls to the floor letting the Black Scarab roll across the ground. She was at peace now. Nala in utter shock hugs her mother so tightly, roaring loudly the tears streaming down her face, the pain was agonizing. Sarafina was gone.
Chapter 8 - The Tale of Prince Kopa, Part Two: show
The roars of Nala's pain could be heard across the entire savannah, standing in the grotto entrance stood Rafiki, there was nothing he
could have done to save Nala's mother. With a deep sigh of regret je suddenly realises the shadow he saw in his vision was right about everything, the prophecy is coming true and for the first time in a long while the mandrill is terrified of the future. He stands in the entrance of the lion's den, behind him Zira and Kivuli face off, and below the battle still rages.
At Priderock the battle continues but in the furthest reaches of the Pridelands far across the sunny mores Kopa walks along the Evenstar Beach, a fabled sandy coast around an enormous lake to the east of Priderock just past the Daggermouth Gorge. If anyone was to survive falling into that dangerous gorge, this is where they would eventually get washed up. Kopa walks across the smooth land, feeling the particles of sand beneath his golden paws, he looks back and wonders to himself about his life, about everything, right now to him none of it mattered he was still mad they tried to replace him with a new prince. Looking over at Priderock Kopa couldn't see the fighting from where he was as Priderock were a mere spec in the distance. But he sees a figure running towards him, a lioness, she was just a young adult and it takes the prince awhile to realise it is his sister. In the short time it take Kiara to run toward the beach the prince thinks of what to say, he has never seen his sister fully grown before, and she has never seen him fully grown before either. Kiara rushes forward and eventually reaches the beach; she squints over at Kopa, was stood tall with a larger brown and slightly ginger mane, his eyes were brown and the colour of his fur matched that of the sand on the shore around them. And for the first time brother and sister reunite. Kiara knows about her brothers tale but he never got to finish what really happened to him Kopa decides to reflects back on what happened to him after he chased a shadowy figure in the fog that fateful day when he was a cub—
'—"Y-you only told me that you stopped Scar. Not killed him!" Tears stream down the prince's face, Kopa suddenly realises the truth of his origins, "You lied to me! It was you who killed Vitani's father!" Kopa screams at his dad before shaking his head and running off into the darkened savannah. Kopa ran so fast he couldn't hear his father's cries: "Kopa I can explain, please come back!" Simba's voice only seemed a mere echo as the prince Kopa ran so fast he didn't even notice he was running into a mysterious white fog, angry and upset at the past, Kopa suddenly finds he is alone. Looking around so cold and upset, Kopa fails to see a lioness in the fog with him. The lioness gazes at the young cub prince, a killing look in her eye; claws drawn; the fog would be the perfect ambush. It seemed Kopa's fate was already sealed.
At Priderock was fog was getting denser, Simba arrives at Priderock and worries that Kopa has run away, alerting everyone on guard including Kopa grandmother Sarabi who looks out across the Pridelands, its only at that moment that the devious Zira approaches the elder lioness and circles around her mocking the lioness about her missing grandson,
"Soon Sarabi everything in the Pridelands shall be mine," Zira snarls one day she believes all the Pridelands will belong to her own son Kovu and she will be the instigator of this plan. Sarabi frowns and rushes out to find Kopa praying that this magical land will never fall into total darkness. The search continues throughout the daylight hours, but it was almost impossible to find the prince as he was too far deep inside it. Sulking in the fog and curled up into a ball the young cub prince was upset, he just realised it was Simba who killed the father of his true love Vitani. The fog was icy cold and it appeared to be coming from underneath the ground itself, Kopa shivered and sighed and looked around to realise he was lost and the lioness draws closer, circling the prince she makes her approach with claws drawn, its Zira. As she approaches she seems friendly at first and the prince decides to approach her also, that was until suddenly Kopa's grandmother Sarabi jumps infront of the prince growling at the villain Zira. Suddenly her plan becomes real as Sarabi and Zira fight in the in the centre of the Pridelands, Sarabi was old and outmanoeuvring the younger Zira but Sarabi fell as she was clawed across the face many times.
"Run!" Sarabi barks orders to her grandson as Kopa in fear runs for her life leaving the two fighting lionesses behind him. Running fast Kopa screams for his mom and dad, it's only at that moment that the fog decides to clear slightly revealing more of the Pridelands around them. Kopa turns his head to see something, a spirit crossing the Pridelands behind him, the spirit of a black fox, it looks directly at the small prince and Kopa looks back at the ghostly black figure before it fades away before him the sheer site of the spirit sent chills down the young prince's spine. His fur stood on end before finally he snapped back to his senses and continued running.
"I know you're here Sarabi; I can smell your fear!" Zira roars further in the icy cold fog. Sarabi rushes forward before Kopa and the elder lioness take no hesitation of taking Kopa in her mouth by the scruff and running, dashing off to the tall grass and placing him down where he can hide.
"Kopa promise me, no matter what you hear or see that you will stay here! Promise me!" Kopa gulps and breathes heavily,
"Promise me!" Sarabi says again almost shouting this time in desperation.
"I promise grandma." Kopa says scared he looks at Sarabi's face covered in scars and cuts before she dashes off to get help.
Kopa says extremely frightened. Sarabi has rushed off to find help leaving Kopa in the tall grass, alone.
"Come out little Kopa; It's only a matter of time." Kopa ducks as low as he his body pressed against the ground hiding and hoping for her to go away. As Zira walks past, he backs off slightly. He holds his breathe his heart beating quickly his paws shaking; Zira silently spots Kopa and walks through the tall grass towards him.
"Let me tell you about my daughter Kopa, she never loved you and she never will, not if I have anything to say about it." Zira comes up infront of the scared prince, Kopa looks up in tears as Zira with an evil grin on her face bears down on the defenceless cub... "No…I love Vita—!"Kopa mumbles his last words before they're cut short as his life is mercilessly taken from him.
A full circle of events began that fateful day. Sarabi hurt from the attack ran to Priderock and warned the others also hurt and attacked by Zira but she escaped and told the king. Sarabi rushes through the grass with Simba and Nala and Zazu flying not too close behind the fog clearing in their path as they run revealing the clear red sunset. Brushing through the tall grass they reach the scene. Zira is dusting off her claws and Kopa is laying on a small rock, his lifeless paws hanging over the edge… his body motionless and covered in blood. Kopa was already gone…and they were too late... Horror greets everyone at the scene, nobody could react big enough for words, Simba gaze upon Zira in absolute rage, Nala looked at her darling baby Kopa and shook in fear,
"Not again, please no, not again," Nala cries and rushes up to Kopa. She had already lost Mheetu during Scar reign and was grieving in anguish throughout all of the Great Migration and now she can't lose her cub too; Nala cradles her little brave prince curling up around him.
"W-what have you done!" Simba finally breaks the eerie silence and pounces on Zira and bites at her violently much too evil lioness' amusement as she just laughed in the face of the Lion King. "You don't deserve to live!" Simba roars again louder this time in rage he lifts his paw up ready to deal a killing blow his sharp claws drawn ready to destroy Zira but then in the distance the cub Vitani and adolescent Nuka both also come into view through the grass they've come to see the loud disturbance happening under the furious sunset. Simba's rage then drains out of him…
"Yes, you can't do it can you afterall: It will orphan my poor beloved cubs," Out of everyone Vitani reacted the worst, she was only just a cub and seeing Kopa in the state he was in, she was heartbroken, tears swelled up in her eyes, she couldn't quite understand that Kopa was really gone, brother and sister sit together and watch as Simba lowers his paw. Nala curls around Kopa.
"My baby… I was too late… I'm so sorry," She cries and licks Kopa's body clean of dirt and the little blood from what is left of his body. At that moment a single radiating light shines down from between the clouds right upon Kopa's body as a brief wind blows, white pedals fly through the air around them. Simba lets Zira up as he walks to his dead son and Nala still comforting him. Sarabi looks down at the ground suddenly blaming her for leaving him like she did in the heat of the moment. Simba shakes his head at the deviation,
"Get out," He whimpers under his many tears before mustering the strength to shout: "I sad get out! And never return!" Simba roars rage and turns to Zira a murderous look in his eye.
"Nuka, go get your brother Kovu, we're leaving," Zira picks up Vitani in her mouth by the scruff and turns away, Vitani with tears in her eyes; inside she just knows it's the last time she'll ever see her love. As the two groups separated; those who were friends or loyal with Zira joined her in exile to the barren Outland one such lioness was Doti who had fallen in love with Nuka during the Equinox sunset the night before and thus they all separated, the pride was broken. Rafiki appears from the tall grass, he has been called by the winds. He blesses Kopa and places his hand upon Nala's shoulder. Nala reluctantly has to leave Kopa after grooming his dead body… Rafiki blesses Kopa's body to help him on his way to the passed life with the Great Spirit the place all good creatures of the Pridelands go when they die and that day the Pridelands entered a great time of mourning. The message is sent across the Pridelands to grieve the loss of Kopa the wind blow across the Pridelands carrying pink petals. The echoes upon the wind flew across the sky to the oasis to tell Timon and Pumbaa and also far to the north to the Dry Forest and finally back to Priderock itself as the wind dusts itself across the lion's den as inside the den, Nala cradles her newest cub, she remembers how happy Kopa was when he learned he had a sister, but now he will never see her grow up. Everyone remains silent in the lion's den until Sarabi then admits it's all her fault regretfully she is laid in the corner her wounds are great but Rafiki is trying his best to tend her to wound and keep everyone together.
"It's my fault; I told him what happened with Scar...I left him alone." Simba corrects his mother Sarabi admitting he was to blame also. Simba feels like he let everyone down especially Nala who is so upset she has given up on herself. Falling into a spiral of depression similar to that of queen Uru, Nala rejects her newly born cub and it's up to Simba and Rafiki to help her:
"No matter the loss of Kopa you still have another healthy cub and she must be presented to the people tomorrow morning at first light." Rafiki says looking over at Nala who is rejecting her newest baby female cub. Simba looks down to the ground "I'll make sure nothing happens to her, I'll put paths in the Pridelands which she must follow, I'll watch over her protect her no matter what." Simba grunts he was willing to protect her even if it meant he would have to watch over her himself for the rest of her life. Nala turns to her newest cub. And utters the cubs name for the first time:
"Kiara." Sarabi passed away in the few days what followed, Rafiki explained that she had given up on all hope now that Kopa was gone and that her last words were regret for not heeding Zira's many warnings. Kiara is now old enough to be presented to the Pridelands. Rafiki sends the Echo's upon the winds once more chanting his song and all the animals came to Priderock. The sun rose on the horizon as the animals marched across the magical land. Rafiki then walks into the Lion Den with a large smile, and presents Kiara. Zira went to the Outland with her three cubs Vitani, Kovu and Nuka, they grew up together in the barren harshness, and poor Vitani was so alone. The nightmares she had of losing Kopa, the one she loved, of being pulled into a black void her heart was destroyed and she became fearless and she lost most her beauty in the Outland. But that one night Kopa was attacked something happened...
In the cold night far in the Pridelands, the blistering darkness burns with cold chills. Kopa is left on the rock he died on, His body lifeless and fading away, nothing more but the sweeping gusts of wind could be heard but then, but as a sudden gust of wind rotates around him the faint glow of life returns to the cub and Kopa abruptly awakes in tears. He grunts in anguish, coughs and gets up weakly, covered in dirt and blood. He trembles and falls off the rock he was on…Falling to the ground his body could hardly move. He struggled to even lift his body up he gasps for breathe, the only question running through his head is wondering how he survived, Kopa sobs and finally gets up,
"I see; I see, Why can I see Grandpa?" Kopa squints the tears of the lion cub flow down his cheeks. The shadowy image of Mufasa in front of a white light comes into his vision. He shakes his head and musters all his strength to get back up. He glances over his shoulder and gazes Priderock in the distance of the night; his vision is blurry, his paws are quivering, "I just, want to go home. And Vitani, I should of said it before, I love you," Kopa scream out to himself but it was all too late. Speaking no more. He turns around and stumbles into the grass. The faint echoing voice of his Grandpa Mufasa rings out to him beckoning him, telling the young prince it's time to move on. But Kopa rushes away, each step he takes was as painful as the next but he ran anyway, the pain was almost natural to him now. Kopa ran so far away, further than any lion went before, the cub was so upset and destroyed inside almost nothing was left. In the many days what followed eventually Kopa discovers a mysterious lioness at the location known as the Evenstar Beach. She introduces herself as Tama.
"I was lost, so very long ago," she explains to the young cub however Tama had no clue that this little cub was. But they were both lost far from home and they could relate to eachother. As Kopa grew older with Tama, he gains and musters the courage to fight and he grew stronger. Tama and Kopa grew up on the Evenstar Beach together, Tama was like a mother to him, and Kopa almost forget his past completely. Eventually they too had to go their separate ways; this is when Kopa met a purple snake with red stripes and a piecing voice which slivers up behind him. The snake was called Joka, and he is more than just a snake. The snake gifted with second sight manipulated Kopa into using Malka to lie and finally Kopa returned home to Priderock—'
—Kopa now finishes the last of his story on the Evenstar Beach, he had just explained everything to his younger sister Kiara, about why he returned and where he had been all this time. Kopa knew where to find Tama because he grew up with her in the same years that Kovu and Kiara were growing up together. Suddenly everything became clear to Kiara, now she knows why Zira was exiled and banished; now she knows why he father Simba was so overprotective of her. She smiles to herself as Kopa kicks the sand before finally drawing a circle in the golden sand with his paw.
"The full circle of events which can never be stopped or changed," Kopa say to himself looking at the circle he drew. Kiara finally has the answers she wanted she rushes up to her brother and gives him an almighty nuzzle to reassure him that everything will be fine. But she is surprised to see that Kopa already Zira is still alive and he is so angry at her, Kopa might finally be able to get his revenge on that most evil of lionesses.
"We'll stop Zira together," Kiara offers her paw to her brother, who sadly looks out across the large lake and down at the circle in the sand he drew before taking his sister's paw and the two of them rush off to the west towards Priderock. The circle Kopa marked into the golden sand slowly gets washed away by the waves of the Evenstar Beach; they flow majestically across the sand destroying the circle as brother and sister run towards the fabled Priderock to hopefully stop Zira once and all.
could have done to save Nala's mother. With a deep sigh of regret je suddenly realises the shadow he saw in his vision was right about everything, the prophecy is coming true and for the first time in a long while the mandrill is terrified of the future. He stands in the entrance of the lion's den, behind him Zira and Kivuli face off, and below the battle still rages.
At Priderock the battle continues but in the furthest reaches of the Pridelands far across the sunny mores Kopa walks along the Evenstar Beach, a fabled sandy coast around an enormous lake to the east of Priderock just past the Daggermouth Gorge. If anyone was to survive falling into that dangerous gorge, this is where they would eventually get washed up. Kopa walks across the smooth land, feeling the particles of sand beneath his golden paws, he looks back and wonders to himself about his life, about everything, right now to him none of it mattered he was still mad they tried to replace him with a new prince. Looking over at Priderock Kopa couldn't see the fighting from where he was as Priderock were a mere spec in the distance. But he sees a figure running towards him, a lioness, she was just a young adult and it takes the prince awhile to realise it is his sister. In the short time it take Kiara to run toward the beach the prince thinks of what to say, he has never seen his sister fully grown before, and she has never seen him fully grown before either. Kiara rushes forward and eventually reaches the beach; she squints over at Kopa, was stood tall with a larger brown and slightly ginger mane, his eyes were brown and the colour of his fur matched that of the sand on the shore around them. And for the first time brother and sister reunite. Kiara knows about her brothers tale but he never got to finish what really happened to him Kopa decides to reflects back on what happened to him after he chased a shadowy figure in the fog that fateful day when he was a cub—
'—"Y-you only told me that you stopped Scar. Not killed him!" Tears stream down the prince's face, Kopa suddenly realises the truth of his origins, "You lied to me! It was you who killed Vitani's father!" Kopa screams at his dad before shaking his head and running off into the darkened savannah. Kopa ran so fast he couldn't hear his father's cries: "Kopa I can explain, please come back!" Simba's voice only seemed a mere echo as the prince Kopa ran so fast he didn't even notice he was running into a mysterious white fog, angry and upset at the past, Kopa suddenly finds he is alone. Looking around so cold and upset, Kopa fails to see a lioness in the fog with him. The lioness gazes at the young cub prince, a killing look in her eye; claws drawn; the fog would be the perfect ambush. It seemed Kopa's fate was already sealed.
At Priderock was fog was getting denser, Simba arrives at Priderock and worries that Kopa has run away, alerting everyone on guard including Kopa grandmother Sarabi who looks out across the Pridelands, its only at that moment that the devious Zira approaches the elder lioness and circles around her mocking the lioness about her missing grandson,
"Soon Sarabi everything in the Pridelands shall be mine," Zira snarls one day she believes all the Pridelands will belong to her own son Kovu and she will be the instigator of this plan. Sarabi frowns and rushes out to find Kopa praying that this magical land will never fall into total darkness. The search continues throughout the daylight hours, but it was almost impossible to find the prince as he was too far deep inside it. Sulking in the fog and curled up into a ball the young cub prince was upset, he just realised it was Simba who killed the father of his true love Vitani. The fog was icy cold and it appeared to be coming from underneath the ground itself, Kopa shivered and sighed and looked around to realise he was lost and the lioness draws closer, circling the prince she makes her approach with claws drawn, its Zira. As she approaches she seems friendly at first and the prince decides to approach her also, that was until suddenly Kopa's grandmother Sarabi jumps infront of the prince growling at the villain Zira. Suddenly her plan becomes real as Sarabi and Zira fight in the in the centre of the Pridelands, Sarabi was old and outmanoeuvring the younger Zira but Sarabi fell as she was clawed across the face many times.
"Run!" Sarabi barks orders to her grandson as Kopa in fear runs for her life leaving the two fighting lionesses behind him. Running fast Kopa screams for his mom and dad, it's only at that moment that the fog decides to clear slightly revealing more of the Pridelands around them. Kopa turns his head to see something, a spirit crossing the Pridelands behind him, the spirit of a black fox, it looks directly at the small prince and Kopa looks back at the ghostly black figure before it fades away before him the sheer site of the spirit sent chills down the young prince's spine. His fur stood on end before finally he snapped back to his senses and continued running.
"I know you're here Sarabi; I can smell your fear!" Zira roars further in the icy cold fog. Sarabi rushes forward before Kopa and the elder lioness take no hesitation of taking Kopa in her mouth by the scruff and running, dashing off to the tall grass and placing him down where he can hide.
"Kopa promise me, no matter what you hear or see that you will stay here! Promise me!" Kopa gulps and breathes heavily,
"Promise me!" Sarabi says again almost shouting this time in desperation.
"I promise grandma." Kopa says scared he looks at Sarabi's face covered in scars and cuts before she dashes off to get help.
Kopa says extremely frightened. Sarabi has rushed off to find help leaving Kopa in the tall grass, alone.
"Come out little Kopa; It's only a matter of time." Kopa ducks as low as he his body pressed against the ground hiding and hoping for her to go away. As Zira walks past, he backs off slightly. He holds his breathe his heart beating quickly his paws shaking; Zira silently spots Kopa and walks through the tall grass towards him.
"Let me tell you about my daughter Kopa, she never loved you and she never will, not if I have anything to say about it." Zira comes up infront of the scared prince, Kopa looks up in tears as Zira with an evil grin on her face bears down on the defenceless cub... "No…I love Vita—!"Kopa mumbles his last words before they're cut short as his life is mercilessly taken from him.
A full circle of events began that fateful day. Sarabi hurt from the attack ran to Priderock and warned the others also hurt and attacked by Zira but she escaped and told the king. Sarabi rushes through the grass with Simba and Nala and Zazu flying not too close behind the fog clearing in their path as they run revealing the clear red sunset. Brushing through the tall grass they reach the scene. Zira is dusting off her claws and Kopa is laying on a small rock, his lifeless paws hanging over the edge… his body motionless and covered in blood. Kopa was already gone…and they were too late... Horror greets everyone at the scene, nobody could react big enough for words, Simba gaze upon Zira in absolute rage, Nala looked at her darling baby Kopa and shook in fear,
"Not again, please no, not again," Nala cries and rushes up to Kopa. She had already lost Mheetu during Scar reign and was grieving in anguish throughout all of the Great Migration and now she can't lose her cub too; Nala cradles her little brave prince curling up around him.
"W-what have you done!" Simba finally breaks the eerie silence and pounces on Zira and bites at her violently much too evil lioness' amusement as she just laughed in the face of the Lion King. "You don't deserve to live!" Simba roars again louder this time in rage he lifts his paw up ready to deal a killing blow his sharp claws drawn ready to destroy Zira but then in the distance the cub Vitani and adolescent Nuka both also come into view through the grass they've come to see the loud disturbance happening under the furious sunset. Simba's rage then drains out of him…
"Yes, you can't do it can you afterall: It will orphan my poor beloved cubs," Out of everyone Vitani reacted the worst, she was only just a cub and seeing Kopa in the state he was in, she was heartbroken, tears swelled up in her eyes, she couldn't quite understand that Kopa was really gone, brother and sister sit together and watch as Simba lowers his paw. Nala curls around Kopa.
"My baby… I was too late… I'm so sorry," She cries and licks Kopa's body clean of dirt and the little blood from what is left of his body. At that moment a single radiating light shines down from between the clouds right upon Kopa's body as a brief wind blows, white pedals fly through the air around them. Simba lets Zira up as he walks to his dead son and Nala still comforting him. Sarabi looks down at the ground suddenly blaming her for leaving him like she did in the heat of the moment. Simba shakes his head at the deviation,
"Get out," He whimpers under his many tears before mustering the strength to shout: "I sad get out! And never return!" Simba roars rage and turns to Zira a murderous look in his eye.
"Nuka, go get your brother Kovu, we're leaving," Zira picks up Vitani in her mouth by the scruff and turns away, Vitani with tears in her eyes; inside she just knows it's the last time she'll ever see her love. As the two groups separated; those who were friends or loyal with Zira joined her in exile to the barren Outland one such lioness was Doti who had fallen in love with Nuka during the Equinox sunset the night before and thus they all separated, the pride was broken. Rafiki appears from the tall grass, he has been called by the winds. He blesses Kopa and places his hand upon Nala's shoulder. Nala reluctantly has to leave Kopa after grooming his dead body… Rafiki blesses Kopa's body to help him on his way to the passed life with the Great Spirit the place all good creatures of the Pridelands go when they die and that day the Pridelands entered a great time of mourning. The message is sent across the Pridelands to grieve the loss of Kopa the wind blow across the Pridelands carrying pink petals. The echoes upon the wind flew across the sky to the oasis to tell Timon and Pumbaa and also far to the north to the Dry Forest and finally back to Priderock itself as the wind dusts itself across the lion's den as inside the den, Nala cradles her newest cub, she remembers how happy Kopa was when he learned he had a sister, but now he will never see her grow up. Everyone remains silent in the lion's den until Sarabi then admits it's all her fault regretfully she is laid in the corner her wounds are great but Rafiki is trying his best to tend her to wound and keep everyone together.
"It's my fault; I told him what happened with Scar...I left him alone." Simba corrects his mother Sarabi admitting he was to blame also. Simba feels like he let everyone down especially Nala who is so upset she has given up on herself. Falling into a spiral of depression similar to that of queen Uru, Nala rejects her newly born cub and it's up to Simba and Rafiki to help her:
"No matter the loss of Kopa you still have another healthy cub and she must be presented to the people tomorrow morning at first light." Rafiki says looking over at Nala who is rejecting her newest baby female cub. Simba looks down to the ground "I'll make sure nothing happens to her, I'll put paths in the Pridelands which she must follow, I'll watch over her protect her no matter what." Simba grunts he was willing to protect her even if it meant he would have to watch over her himself for the rest of her life. Nala turns to her newest cub. And utters the cubs name for the first time:
"Kiara." Sarabi passed away in the few days what followed, Rafiki explained that she had given up on all hope now that Kopa was gone and that her last words were regret for not heeding Zira's many warnings. Kiara is now old enough to be presented to the Pridelands. Rafiki sends the Echo's upon the winds once more chanting his song and all the animals came to Priderock. The sun rose on the horizon as the animals marched across the magical land. Rafiki then walks into the Lion Den with a large smile, and presents Kiara. Zira went to the Outland with her three cubs Vitani, Kovu and Nuka, they grew up together in the barren harshness, and poor Vitani was so alone. The nightmares she had of losing Kopa, the one she loved, of being pulled into a black void her heart was destroyed and she became fearless and she lost most her beauty in the Outland. But that one night Kopa was attacked something happened...
In the cold night far in the Pridelands, the blistering darkness burns with cold chills. Kopa is left on the rock he died on, His body lifeless and fading away, nothing more but the sweeping gusts of wind could be heard but then, but as a sudden gust of wind rotates around him the faint glow of life returns to the cub and Kopa abruptly awakes in tears. He grunts in anguish, coughs and gets up weakly, covered in dirt and blood. He trembles and falls off the rock he was on…Falling to the ground his body could hardly move. He struggled to even lift his body up he gasps for breathe, the only question running through his head is wondering how he survived, Kopa sobs and finally gets up,
"I see; I see, Why can I see Grandpa?" Kopa squints the tears of the lion cub flow down his cheeks. The shadowy image of Mufasa in front of a white light comes into his vision. He shakes his head and musters all his strength to get back up. He glances over his shoulder and gazes Priderock in the distance of the night; his vision is blurry, his paws are quivering, "I just, want to go home. And Vitani, I should of said it before, I love you," Kopa scream out to himself but it was all too late. Speaking no more. He turns around and stumbles into the grass. The faint echoing voice of his Grandpa Mufasa rings out to him beckoning him, telling the young prince it's time to move on. But Kopa rushes away, each step he takes was as painful as the next but he ran anyway, the pain was almost natural to him now. Kopa ran so far away, further than any lion went before, the cub was so upset and destroyed inside almost nothing was left. In the many days what followed eventually Kopa discovers a mysterious lioness at the location known as the Evenstar Beach. She introduces herself as Tama.
"I was lost, so very long ago," she explains to the young cub however Tama had no clue that this little cub was. But they were both lost far from home and they could relate to eachother. As Kopa grew older with Tama, he gains and musters the courage to fight and he grew stronger. Tama and Kopa grew up on the Evenstar Beach together, Tama was like a mother to him, and Kopa almost forget his past completely. Eventually they too had to go their separate ways; this is when Kopa met a purple snake with red stripes and a piecing voice which slivers up behind him. The snake was called Joka, and he is more than just a snake. The snake gifted with second sight manipulated Kopa into using Malka to lie and finally Kopa returned home to Priderock—'
—Kopa now finishes the last of his story on the Evenstar Beach, he had just explained everything to his younger sister Kiara, about why he returned and where he had been all this time. Kopa knew where to find Tama because he grew up with her in the same years that Kovu and Kiara were growing up together. Suddenly everything became clear to Kiara, now she knows why Zira was exiled and banished; now she knows why he father Simba was so overprotective of her. She smiles to herself as Kopa kicks the sand before finally drawing a circle in the golden sand with his paw.
"The full circle of events which can never be stopped or changed," Kopa say to himself looking at the circle he drew. Kiara finally has the answers she wanted she rushes up to her brother and gives him an almighty nuzzle to reassure him that everything will be fine. But she is surprised to see that Kopa already Zira is still alive and he is so angry at her, Kopa might finally be able to get his revenge on that most evil of lionesses.
"We'll stop Zira together," Kiara offers her paw to her brother, who sadly looks out across the large lake and down at the circle in the sand he drew before taking his sister's paw and the two of them rush off to the west towards Priderock. The circle Kopa marked into the golden sand slowly gets washed away by the waves of the Evenstar Beach; they flow majestically across the sand destroying the circle as brother and sister run towards the fabled Priderock to hopefully stop Zira once and all.
Chapter 9 - Finale Part I - The Malovent Queen: show
Atop Priderock, Zira and Kivuli continue to circle each-other, as a group of hyenas suddenly approach up behind the elder lion Kivuli. The evil lioness now grins knowing she now has the upper hand she approaches Kivuli closer until they're directly faced onwards.
"I've been setting traps in the Pridelands for so long now. It was me who set the fire, it was meant to end Kiara once and for all and I laid all those traps across the Pridelands. I have been waiting for this day. The day I would meet you again my love, join me Kivuli, together we can be the queen and king of the Pridelands. Together we can rule everything." Zira says piercingly her voice sounding most sincere; she was truly lost to the darkness. Kivuli looks at his old mate; her eyes were so different they were dim and lost their past beauty and radiance.
"Stop this madness; put an end to all this and you can go home, to your parents! Do you even remember their names?" The two of them stop circling each-other on Priderock and Zira's scowl turns into a look of regret, looking back on her life. She dare not look back on her past, so much fighting, so much rage and anger, and there in the darkness is a small spot of light, her parents who until now she had denied they ever lived. She approaches the elder lion Kivuli and slowly turns to face him.
"Their names were Uzuri and Kari." Zira gazes right into the eyes of the bigger lion and then she reflects back way back to when she herself was a cub, the old queen remembers them well, she had her mother: Kari and her father: Uzuri, who she has missed so much, but it is because of them all this was made possible, because of her parents Zira became who she is, sitting next to her old mate atop Priderock the malevolent queen Zira tells her own chronicle of her past life—'
'—In a warm time of tangible peace and propriety, far along the Zeburi River down to the very south along its golden coast, once more the animals of this land did shiver awake, opening their eyes at the blistering sun, it started like another dawn marked by the clear blue morning sky. The all-important stars temporally fade away in the blazing orange sky, a group of cheerful but importantly bright blue birds flutter throughout this land. The sky was filled with the fresh morning air as the new mother awoke from her home. Kari smiled up and welcomed the sun; Kari had dazzling but mysterious brown eyes and white flaky fur and in this time long ago she was currently the strongest lioness in all the Pridelands. Here she lived with her mate in a small green wood surrounded with a healthy and tall variety of trees; this is the forest that time forgot. The forest's true name remains a mystery but that never mattered to Kari who had just given birth to her only offspring, as she turns to see her mate Uzuri the darkest lion she ever met, he always wore a small distinctive grey scarf made of old grass and over woodland undergrowth. The grey scarf was wrapped tightly around his right 's paws themselves were white in colour, while the rest of his fur was dark grey. Uzuri was cradling their new born cub smiling at the wonders of new life.
"What shall we call her my love?" Uzuri smiles up at his stronger female mate with a warm smile, deciding to give her the honour of naming their new born cub. Kari looks down on the infant and searches her feelings; she decides to name her cub with a mixture of their own two names: "Zira," Kari says deep in the reclusive forest. While Uzuri was a kind lion, his mate Kari was somewhat overpowering, sometimes using her lioness strength to intimidate others, but she held a secret, for she was protecting something. The woodland itself was circular in shape and at the very centre of the forest rested a strange haphazard stone alter. On the top of the stone alter was a peculiar white stone perched on the altar. Kari was prepared to do anything to protect this white stone and stop anyone who came near it, Uzuri the kind lion never questioned his mate about the location at the centre of the forest, he was too timid for that. It is only when Zira grew old enough to speak her first words that her world started to crumble apart. This is her story; the story of how the little cub Zira grew up and descended into the darkness.
Zira's magnificent hazel eyes gleamed in the dark forest, the small female cub had just awakened and she rushes up to her father nudging him "Dad, Dad! C'mon I want to play!" Zira pounces on her sleeping tired father Uzuri, the small lion groans and rolls over in his slumber before opening his white eyes. Zira playfully growls and tugs on her father's ear in a futile effort to get him up, but the elder lion wakes up on his own. Yawning widely Uzuri realises the sun hasn't even risen in the dark sky yet. But he smiles, Uzuri always slept alone, Kari, as always was guarding the strange rock alter at the centre of their forest home day and all night. The trees were so densely huddled together it would be hard for Uzuri to play with his daughter without something going wrong. While they almost had the entire forest to themselves, many tigers lived in the lush forest around them and Uzuri was too old to be fighting groups of tigers. So the lion headed out with his daughter Zira to the north to play by the old logs. As Zira happily bounces and skips along the grass she enjoys herself. She was content. When together father and daughter reach an opening in the trees with several large intact logs dotted around. Uzuri comes up with a cunning plan, using the logs he arranges them together, after alittle effort Uzuri had created a mini adventure playground for his daughter with the logs. Zira nuzzles her taller father with a small purr before rushing off to play inside the logs, she rolls around of them and crawls around enjoying herself as cubs did as Uzuri chuckled and lies down on the grass. As the sun arose high the sky its beaming light shined down through the canopy of trees, the rays of light eliminated t he opening. Zira spent all day with her kind father. Together they had many adventures inside the forest as the sun peaked in the sky Zira pounce on her father and he playfully fell to the ground with a deep laugh. It's only at that moment the young cub Zira notices the strange grey cloth around her father's paw.
"Dad, why do you wear that scarf around your paw?" Zira questions her father so suddenly tilting her lovable head. Uzuri lifts his paw upwards to show his ornament up into the white rays of light.
"It's for good luck, I weaved it from this very forest when me and your mother first announced our love to eachother," he smiles warmly sincerely. As the day continue daughter and father enjoyed the warmth of the woodland they live in, far across the whole forest they adventured up high and down low, finding strange bugs and laughing, enjoying themselves as they always did. And this time it seemed like any other day, until when returning to their forest home together Kari rushes out of the lush forest chasing a small tiger with her claws drawn she roars angrily, Kari pounces on the tiger and tears it apart mercilessly pulling it and ending its life right infront of her small daughter Zira. Uzuri immediately covers his daughter curling around her to shield her eyes but by then it's too late. The tiger was dead and its blood was on Kari's paws. Kari herself just grunted and headed back to the stone alter while Uzuri takes Zira back home. He lays her down in a bed of soft straw as Zira was in sudden shock; such a lovely day was ruined with such a sight of horror. Zira shakes in her straw bed, As the sun descended and Zira fell asleep warmly tucked into the fur of her father. Uzuri cradled his daughter before parting with her and rushes over to find his mate. He knew exactly where to find Kari. She was where she always was. Rushing up to his mate Kari, Uzuri roars in anger:
"Why do you care so much about that whit stone? Why is it so important you have to kill an innocent tiger to protect it? You know, it's because of you we can't go live in the Pridelands with the Lion King Ahadi. He just returned home to Priderock and he brought the rain back with him. We can go live there, where it is safe, away from this forest, away from that white stone on the rock altar you keep swearing to protect more than your own daughter!" Uzuri roars, but as he does he just suddenly regrets doing so almost immediately. It was not like him to just suddenly outburst like that. He was too good natured to yell anymore, he never stood up against Kari before. But this time she had really let them down...
"I've had enough, I'm taking Zira and I'm leaving this place, forever!" Uzuri finishes, doing the only thing he knows he can do, protecting his daughter. Kari obviously couldn't follow them, she would be at the stone alter like she always was, day and night sleeping at its base, killing anyone who gets close to it, obsessed with the strange mysterious white coloured stone perched upon it.
That night a storm was brewing, Uzuri had Zira by the scruff in his mouth and although it pained him to do so, he was already far away from the forest and now following the Zeburi River up to the Pridelands in the North. He had never done anything like this before and it went against everything he stood for. His mate had gone mad and even Kari herself didn't understand the full purpose of the white stone in the centre of their forest home. Ever since them the two of them fell in love Kari was always protecting it... As thoughts of his mate rushed through his mind Uzuri suddenly felt a sharp pain across his back.
"How dare you say I don't care for Zira!" Kari rushes up to her mate pouncing on him as the two elder lions roll across the floor fighting in a scuffle kicking up sand up high on the river bed. Zira falls to the ground, getting up and shaking her head, watching her two parents fight, it was heartbreaking to her,
"Stop it!" Zira repeats over and over again in desperation she rushes up to her fighting parents in a bid to stop. Kari was overpowering her mate as Uzuri frails his paws desperately trying to fight back. A thunder claps erupt above the sky above them. Zira quickly approaches the fighting couple but during the fighting she is kicked in the scuffle and falls across the floor sliding right over the edge and into the Zeburi River with a loud splash. As more thunder lights up the sky in the storm the Zeburi River was rushing faster than ever, Zira gasps for breathe her fur was wet and ruined, she tried to keep her head above the water but she was only a young cub. Only the cries of their daughter stop Kari and Uzuri from fighting. Both of them hear Zira at the same time and they both rush to the water edge looking across the water in fright, "Zira! Zirrraaaa!" Uzuri chases his daughter down the river but the raging water is too fast and Zira is thrown down the river at deadly speed. Zira couldn't even muster the strength to cry for help anymore. Her parents suddenly out of sight, the thunderstorm rages above. In fear Zira thought her last memories were going to be of her mom and dad fighting as the cub is washed across the savannah. And that was the last time she ever saw her parents...
In the warmth of the savannah a newly formed tide covered with thick broken logs presents itself on the rocky coast of the Pridelands. In the coastal waves a figure of a lioness is washed away with the tide. With no strength to raise her legs she crawls out of the water and trundles further onto the coast. She wheezes for breath only to cough up water. The strong waves trying to haul her back into the rushing river she came down from. The lioness almost reached the end of her life after falling from a reasonable height into the water and swept down the Daggermouth gorge when the dam broke. The waters crushed upon her with such power and ferocitythe next second she could breathe was on this coast, but now she was greedily swallowing the air before eventually awakening and started coming to her senses over than the tang of wet groggy dirt and sand in her mouth. She rubs her bleak face and eyes with a broken paw. She shakes her golden furred body to release the water and only then she does look up at the horizon and stare at Priderock still standing strong in the distance. With cowardly eye's she draws her chipped claws and weakly hobbles off alongside the golden twilight coast.
"Hey, who're you?" A dark furred adolescent teenage lion turns to the golden female cub that just appeared on the same shore. The lioness spitting out some swallowed sand weakly manages to speak her name:
"Zira... My name is Zira." She says, the water trapped in her throat had permanently changed her once beautiful voice into one of wheezing horror.
The dark furred lion smiles, and introduces himself:
"I'm Taka! Oh wait, that was my old name until I got this Scar...Did you run away from home too?" The teenage Scar says on the Evenstar Beach. The beach was around a large lake and it was here Scar and Zira met. Both of them lost from home. Priderock was a mere speck on the distant horizon from the beach. Zira finally manages to reply,
"Yeah, I guess I did run away..." Zira only remembers the horror of her mother ripping a tiger apart and both her parents fighting at forest. She had no reason to return home. And so without thinking too much, Zira went with Scar to Priderock. Where Zira found a new better mother named Uru who adopted her and protected her. Zira cries and hugs Uru. However spending time in the Pridelands never made her forget those horrors she saw as just a cub and it scared her for life. Scar had already fallen into hatred; he had already met with three young hyenas and is quick to forcefully make friends with them. Nobody notices that Scar was gone from Priderock he was almost forgotten as Mufasa was learning to become the Lion King. The three young hyenas: Shenzi, Banzi and Ed, schemed with Scar, creating dark plans to depose of Mufasa. Meanwhile Ahadi's private watering hole was mysteriously poisoned; Ahadi died almost immediately, his life cut short. Everyone undoubtedly held Scar responsible for this treachery. Scar claimed to be innocent, he was at the Elephant Graveyard at the time of Ahadi's death and no facts ever proved him to be his father's killer, Scar walked free. But to this day no-one ever truthfully know's who killed Ahadi, or why they committed the appalling act.
After many more lengthy days away planning dark dangers for his brother, the now heartless and hateful Scar returns home to visit Zira and his old mate Sarafina only to see Mufasa the newly crowned Lion King stood apex the end of Priderock with his new mate Sarabi, basking in the light while his forgotten brother Scar laid underneath in the shadows watching his brother with fresh hate. Putting his paw slowly upon his scar, that morning the darkness inside of him manifested itself, it's that day he vowed his revenge, the plans were made, the hyena's were prepared and vengeance will come. His brother had everything he ever wanted, he even got to spend more time with father, he got to be king and even found a loving mate, but little Taka got nothing, betrayed by his own brother Mufasa, the promises made to him were always broken. But Taka was not that little cub anymore, now he was Scar, and now he sought only to tear down Mufasa. As all the different animals headed the calling as echoes upon the four winds, they gathered at Priderock for Mufasa's coronation, together they all chanted in devoted unison what would become Scar's parting words to his brother: "Long live the king...! Long live the king...! Long live the king...!" However Zira was stood next to Scar and she understood his pain like no one ever had. She nuzzled him warmly and she was by his side the whole time. Together they had two cubs: Vitani and Nuka. And while Scar was planning to kill Mufasa, Zira raised their cubs in the recluse of the Pridelands out of sight and out of mind. Zira always wondered why her parents never came to look for her at Priderock, she wondered just what happened to them in the end but she never found out.
Then it finally happened, Scar acted out his evil revenge, killing Mufasa and Simba was lost in exile. Zira became the Malevolent Queen and Scar became the Dark Lion King. During these times the younger Sarafina could only watch she already knew Scar was lost to darkness but she still had hope to save Zira. Sarafina decided to introduce her old friend Kivuli to the Malevolent Queen in an effort to turn Zira and show the kindness in her heart. Sarafina and Kivuli were old friends in these dark times and Sarafina introduced the brown furred lion to Zira on the day of Scar's coronation, the day the hyena's entered the Pridelands. Unlike Scar, Kivuli was kind and truthful. It seemed Zira might have being saved from the darkness when she fell in love with Kivuli and hope it seemed was restored; Zira later became pregnant with Kivuli's cub. But Sarafina's plan failed one fateful day. The Dark Lion King Scar was defeated and then killed by Simba. That was the day when everything changed forever. As Simba ascended onto Priderock, Zira cradled Scar's body, Zira was no longer the Malevolent Queen and Scar's body was mess because of the hyenas attack, but as Zira cuddled her mate, the sparkle of life was still in Scar's green eyes, Scar noticed that Zira was pregnant once more and as she hugged his blood stained body in tears, Scar tilts his head, too weak to move much, Scar was staring at a figure on the horizon, a single black ghostly figure was watching his last moments. A spirit of a black fox was watching him, staring right into his eyes. The spirit made him feel uneasy and made the Dark King scared for the first time in a long while. Scar remembers back when his real name of Taka was used, how he used to play in the Mog Forest with Mufasa, Sarabi and Sarafina before everything started falling apart. Scar lifts up his brown paw and rubs Zira's belated womb before managing to weakly say his final words: "Long live the king—'
Zira, now a fully grown lioness, finishes telling her story to Kivuli. The whole time the two of them were sat together, protected by a group a hyena's behind them. While everyone was fighting they were bonding on the largest ledge of Priderock. Kivuli listened intently as his old mate finished her long story.
"Because of Scar's last words you both wanted the unborn Kovu to become the next king. You raised three cubs all on your own without love and without hope. Even the unfortunate Nuka had to grow up knowing he would never become the next king." Kivuli concludes finally understands Zira's pain. Scar never knew that Zira loved Kivuli behind his back. Zira was in love with two lions at the same time. It was a long and complicated tale, Zira's whole life had been one of horror, pain and misunderstanding, Kivuli who in regret for ever leaving her alone nuzzles her warmly, she was hurt inside and it had been so long since they saw eachother. Kivuli closes his eyes and while nuzzling her, the grey lion parts just a few more words:
"Just as my fur used to be brown, it was twisted grey when I was in the Shadowland that is what the Shadowland does to you, it taints your fur, it marks you forever. It changes us, but you can change too Zira. You can be a good and caring wife as you always were before. Zira my love, we will put an end to all of this; Together."
"I've been setting traps in the Pridelands for so long now. It was me who set the fire, it was meant to end Kiara once and for all and I laid all those traps across the Pridelands. I have been waiting for this day. The day I would meet you again my love, join me Kivuli, together we can be the queen and king of the Pridelands. Together we can rule everything." Zira says piercingly her voice sounding most sincere; she was truly lost to the darkness. Kivuli looks at his old mate; her eyes were so different they were dim and lost their past beauty and radiance.
"Stop this madness; put an end to all this and you can go home, to your parents! Do you even remember their names?" The two of them stop circling each-other on Priderock and Zira's scowl turns into a look of regret, looking back on her life. She dare not look back on her past, so much fighting, so much rage and anger, and there in the darkness is a small spot of light, her parents who until now she had denied they ever lived. She approaches the elder lion Kivuli and slowly turns to face him.
"Their names were Uzuri and Kari." Zira gazes right into the eyes of the bigger lion and then she reflects back way back to when she herself was a cub, the old queen remembers them well, she had her mother: Kari and her father: Uzuri, who she has missed so much, but it is because of them all this was made possible, because of her parents Zira became who she is, sitting next to her old mate atop Priderock the malevolent queen Zira tells her own chronicle of her past life—'
'—In a warm time of tangible peace and propriety, far along the Zeburi River down to the very south along its golden coast, once more the animals of this land did shiver awake, opening their eyes at the blistering sun, it started like another dawn marked by the clear blue morning sky. The all-important stars temporally fade away in the blazing orange sky, a group of cheerful but importantly bright blue birds flutter throughout this land. The sky was filled with the fresh morning air as the new mother awoke from her home. Kari smiled up and welcomed the sun; Kari had dazzling but mysterious brown eyes and white flaky fur and in this time long ago she was currently the strongest lioness in all the Pridelands. Here she lived with her mate in a small green wood surrounded with a healthy and tall variety of trees; this is the forest that time forgot. The forest's true name remains a mystery but that never mattered to Kari who had just given birth to her only offspring, as she turns to see her mate Uzuri the darkest lion she ever met, he always wore a small distinctive grey scarf made of old grass and over woodland undergrowth. The grey scarf was wrapped tightly around his right 's paws themselves were white in colour, while the rest of his fur was dark grey. Uzuri was cradling their new born cub smiling at the wonders of new life.
"What shall we call her my love?" Uzuri smiles up at his stronger female mate with a warm smile, deciding to give her the honour of naming their new born cub. Kari looks down on the infant and searches her feelings; she decides to name her cub with a mixture of their own two names: "Zira," Kari says deep in the reclusive forest. While Uzuri was a kind lion, his mate Kari was somewhat overpowering, sometimes using her lioness strength to intimidate others, but she held a secret, for she was protecting something. The woodland itself was circular in shape and at the very centre of the forest rested a strange haphazard stone alter. On the top of the stone alter was a peculiar white stone perched on the altar. Kari was prepared to do anything to protect this white stone and stop anyone who came near it, Uzuri the kind lion never questioned his mate about the location at the centre of the forest, he was too timid for that. It is only when Zira grew old enough to speak her first words that her world started to crumble apart. This is her story; the story of how the little cub Zira grew up and descended into the darkness.
Zira's magnificent hazel eyes gleamed in the dark forest, the small female cub had just awakened and she rushes up to her father nudging him "Dad, Dad! C'mon I want to play!" Zira pounces on her sleeping tired father Uzuri, the small lion groans and rolls over in his slumber before opening his white eyes. Zira playfully growls and tugs on her father's ear in a futile effort to get him up, but the elder lion wakes up on his own. Yawning widely Uzuri realises the sun hasn't even risen in the dark sky yet. But he smiles, Uzuri always slept alone, Kari, as always was guarding the strange rock alter at the centre of their forest home day and all night. The trees were so densely huddled together it would be hard for Uzuri to play with his daughter without something going wrong. While they almost had the entire forest to themselves, many tigers lived in the lush forest around them and Uzuri was too old to be fighting groups of tigers. So the lion headed out with his daughter Zira to the north to play by the old logs. As Zira happily bounces and skips along the grass she enjoys herself. She was content. When together father and daughter reach an opening in the trees with several large intact logs dotted around. Uzuri comes up with a cunning plan, using the logs he arranges them together, after alittle effort Uzuri had created a mini adventure playground for his daughter with the logs. Zira nuzzles her taller father with a small purr before rushing off to play inside the logs, she rolls around of them and crawls around enjoying herself as cubs did as Uzuri chuckled and lies down on the grass. As the sun arose high the sky its beaming light shined down through the canopy of trees, the rays of light eliminated t he opening. Zira spent all day with her kind father. Together they had many adventures inside the forest as the sun peaked in the sky Zira pounce on her father and he playfully fell to the ground with a deep laugh. It's only at that moment the young cub Zira notices the strange grey cloth around her father's paw.
"Dad, why do you wear that scarf around your paw?" Zira questions her father so suddenly tilting her lovable head. Uzuri lifts his paw upwards to show his ornament up into the white rays of light.
"It's for good luck, I weaved it from this very forest when me and your mother first announced our love to eachother," he smiles warmly sincerely. As the day continue daughter and father enjoyed the warmth of the woodland they live in, far across the whole forest they adventured up high and down low, finding strange bugs and laughing, enjoying themselves as they always did. And this time it seemed like any other day, until when returning to their forest home together Kari rushes out of the lush forest chasing a small tiger with her claws drawn she roars angrily, Kari pounces on the tiger and tears it apart mercilessly pulling it and ending its life right infront of her small daughter Zira. Uzuri immediately covers his daughter curling around her to shield her eyes but by then it's too late. The tiger was dead and its blood was on Kari's paws. Kari herself just grunted and headed back to the stone alter while Uzuri takes Zira back home. He lays her down in a bed of soft straw as Zira was in sudden shock; such a lovely day was ruined with such a sight of horror. Zira shakes in her straw bed, As the sun descended and Zira fell asleep warmly tucked into the fur of her father. Uzuri cradled his daughter before parting with her and rushes over to find his mate. He knew exactly where to find Kari. She was where she always was. Rushing up to his mate Kari, Uzuri roars in anger:
"Why do you care so much about that whit stone? Why is it so important you have to kill an innocent tiger to protect it? You know, it's because of you we can't go live in the Pridelands with the Lion King Ahadi. He just returned home to Priderock and he brought the rain back with him. We can go live there, where it is safe, away from this forest, away from that white stone on the rock altar you keep swearing to protect more than your own daughter!" Uzuri roars, but as he does he just suddenly regrets doing so almost immediately. It was not like him to just suddenly outburst like that. He was too good natured to yell anymore, he never stood up against Kari before. But this time she had really let them down...
"I've had enough, I'm taking Zira and I'm leaving this place, forever!" Uzuri finishes, doing the only thing he knows he can do, protecting his daughter. Kari obviously couldn't follow them, she would be at the stone alter like she always was, day and night sleeping at its base, killing anyone who gets close to it, obsessed with the strange mysterious white coloured stone perched upon it.
That night a storm was brewing, Uzuri had Zira by the scruff in his mouth and although it pained him to do so, he was already far away from the forest and now following the Zeburi River up to the Pridelands in the North. He had never done anything like this before and it went against everything he stood for. His mate had gone mad and even Kari herself didn't understand the full purpose of the white stone in the centre of their forest home. Ever since them the two of them fell in love Kari was always protecting it... As thoughts of his mate rushed through his mind Uzuri suddenly felt a sharp pain across his back.
"How dare you say I don't care for Zira!" Kari rushes up to her mate pouncing on him as the two elder lions roll across the floor fighting in a scuffle kicking up sand up high on the river bed. Zira falls to the ground, getting up and shaking her head, watching her two parents fight, it was heartbreaking to her,
"Stop it!" Zira repeats over and over again in desperation she rushes up to her fighting parents in a bid to stop. Kari was overpowering her mate as Uzuri frails his paws desperately trying to fight back. A thunder claps erupt above the sky above them. Zira quickly approaches the fighting couple but during the fighting she is kicked in the scuffle and falls across the floor sliding right over the edge and into the Zeburi River with a loud splash. As more thunder lights up the sky in the storm the Zeburi River was rushing faster than ever, Zira gasps for breathe her fur was wet and ruined, she tried to keep her head above the water but she was only a young cub. Only the cries of their daughter stop Kari and Uzuri from fighting. Both of them hear Zira at the same time and they both rush to the water edge looking across the water in fright, "Zira! Zirrraaaa!" Uzuri chases his daughter down the river but the raging water is too fast and Zira is thrown down the river at deadly speed. Zira couldn't even muster the strength to cry for help anymore. Her parents suddenly out of sight, the thunderstorm rages above. In fear Zira thought her last memories were going to be of her mom and dad fighting as the cub is washed across the savannah. And that was the last time she ever saw her parents...
In the warmth of the savannah a newly formed tide covered with thick broken logs presents itself on the rocky coast of the Pridelands. In the coastal waves a figure of a lioness is washed away with the tide. With no strength to raise her legs she crawls out of the water and trundles further onto the coast. She wheezes for breath only to cough up water. The strong waves trying to haul her back into the rushing river she came down from. The lioness almost reached the end of her life after falling from a reasonable height into the water and swept down the Daggermouth gorge when the dam broke. The waters crushed upon her with such power and ferocitythe next second she could breathe was on this coast, but now she was greedily swallowing the air before eventually awakening and started coming to her senses over than the tang of wet groggy dirt and sand in her mouth. She rubs her bleak face and eyes with a broken paw. She shakes her golden furred body to release the water and only then she does look up at the horizon and stare at Priderock still standing strong in the distance. With cowardly eye's she draws her chipped claws and weakly hobbles off alongside the golden twilight coast.
"Hey, who're you?" A dark furred adolescent teenage lion turns to the golden female cub that just appeared on the same shore. The lioness spitting out some swallowed sand weakly manages to speak her name:
"Zira... My name is Zira." She says, the water trapped in her throat had permanently changed her once beautiful voice into one of wheezing horror.
The dark furred lion smiles, and introduces himself:
"I'm Taka! Oh wait, that was my old name until I got this Scar...Did you run away from home too?" The teenage Scar says on the Evenstar Beach. The beach was around a large lake and it was here Scar and Zira met. Both of them lost from home. Priderock was a mere speck on the distant horizon from the beach. Zira finally manages to reply,
"Yeah, I guess I did run away..." Zira only remembers the horror of her mother ripping a tiger apart and both her parents fighting at forest. She had no reason to return home. And so without thinking too much, Zira went with Scar to Priderock. Where Zira found a new better mother named Uru who adopted her and protected her. Zira cries and hugs Uru. However spending time in the Pridelands never made her forget those horrors she saw as just a cub and it scared her for life. Scar had already fallen into hatred; he had already met with three young hyenas and is quick to forcefully make friends with them. Nobody notices that Scar was gone from Priderock he was almost forgotten as Mufasa was learning to become the Lion King. The three young hyenas: Shenzi, Banzi and Ed, schemed with Scar, creating dark plans to depose of Mufasa. Meanwhile Ahadi's private watering hole was mysteriously poisoned; Ahadi died almost immediately, his life cut short. Everyone undoubtedly held Scar responsible for this treachery. Scar claimed to be innocent, he was at the Elephant Graveyard at the time of Ahadi's death and no facts ever proved him to be his father's killer, Scar walked free. But to this day no-one ever truthfully know's who killed Ahadi, or why they committed the appalling act.
After many more lengthy days away planning dark dangers for his brother, the now heartless and hateful Scar returns home to visit Zira and his old mate Sarafina only to see Mufasa the newly crowned Lion King stood apex the end of Priderock with his new mate Sarabi, basking in the light while his forgotten brother Scar laid underneath in the shadows watching his brother with fresh hate. Putting his paw slowly upon his scar, that morning the darkness inside of him manifested itself, it's that day he vowed his revenge, the plans were made, the hyena's were prepared and vengeance will come. His brother had everything he ever wanted, he even got to spend more time with father, he got to be king and even found a loving mate, but little Taka got nothing, betrayed by his own brother Mufasa, the promises made to him were always broken. But Taka was not that little cub anymore, now he was Scar, and now he sought only to tear down Mufasa. As all the different animals headed the calling as echoes upon the four winds, they gathered at Priderock for Mufasa's coronation, together they all chanted in devoted unison what would become Scar's parting words to his brother: "Long live the king...! Long live the king...! Long live the king...!" However Zira was stood next to Scar and she understood his pain like no one ever had. She nuzzled him warmly and she was by his side the whole time. Together they had two cubs: Vitani and Nuka. And while Scar was planning to kill Mufasa, Zira raised their cubs in the recluse of the Pridelands out of sight and out of mind. Zira always wondered why her parents never came to look for her at Priderock, she wondered just what happened to them in the end but she never found out.
Then it finally happened, Scar acted out his evil revenge, killing Mufasa and Simba was lost in exile. Zira became the Malevolent Queen and Scar became the Dark Lion King. During these times the younger Sarafina could only watch she already knew Scar was lost to darkness but she still had hope to save Zira. Sarafina decided to introduce her old friend Kivuli to the Malevolent Queen in an effort to turn Zira and show the kindness in her heart. Sarafina and Kivuli were old friends in these dark times and Sarafina introduced the brown furred lion to Zira on the day of Scar's coronation, the day the hyena's entered the Pridelands. Unlike Scar, Kivuli was kind and truthful. It seemed Zira might have being saved from the darkness when she fell in love with Kivuli and hope it seemed was restored; Zira later became pregnant with Kivuli's cub. But Sarafina's plan failed one fateful day. The Dark Lion King Scar was defeated and then killed by Simba. That was the day when everything changed forever. As Simba ascended onto Priderock, Zira cradled Scar's body, Zira was no longer the Malevolent Queen and Scar's body was mess because of the hyenas attack, but as Zira cuddled her mate, the sparkle of life was still in Scar's green eyes, Scar noticed that Zira was pregnant once more and as she hugged his blood stained body in tears, Scar tilts his head, too weak to move much, Scar was staring at a figure on the horizon, a single black ghostly figure was watching his last moments. A spirit of a black fox was watching him, staring right into his eyes. The spirit made him feel uneasy and made the Dark King scared for the first time in a long while. Scar remembers back when his real name of Taka was used, how he used to play in the Mog Forest with Mufasa, Sarabi and Sarafina before everything started falling apart. Scar lifts up his brown paw and rubs Zira's belated womb before managing to weakly say his final words: "Long live the king—'
Zira, now a fully grown lioness, finishes telling her story to Kivuli. The whole time the two of them were sat together, protected by a group a hyena's behind them. While everyone was fighting they were bonding on the largest ledge of Priderock. Kivuli listened intently as his old mate finished her long story.
"Because of Scar's last words you both wanted the unborn Kovu to become the next king. You raised three cubs all on your own without love and without hope. Even the unfortunate Nuka had to grow up knowing he would never become the next king." Kivuli concludes finally understands Zira's pain. Scar never knew that Zira loved Kivuli behind his back. Zira was in love with two lions at the same time. It was a long and complicated tale, Zira's whole life had been one of horror, pain and misunderstanding, Kivuli who in regret for ever leaving her alone nuzzles her warmly, she was hurt inside and it had been so long since they saw eachother. Kivuli closes his eyes and while nuzzling her, the grey lion parts just a few more words:
"Just as my fur used to be brown, it was twisted grey when I was in the Shadowland that is what the Shadowland does to you, it taints your fur, it marks you forever. It changes us, but you can change too Zira. You can be a good and caring wife as you always were before. Zira my love, we will put an end to all of this; Together."
Chapter 10 - Finale Part II - The Fate of the Full Circle: show
Kopa kicks the sand before finally drawing a circle in the golden coastal sand with his paw.
"The full circle of events which can never be stopped or changed," Kopa say to himself looking at the circle he drew. Kiara finally has the answers she wanted she rushes up to her brother and gives him an almighty nuzzle to reassure him that everything will be fine. As Kiara fills Kopa in of all the events that have past she is surprised to see that Kopa is willing to confront Zira once more. Kopa might finally be able to get his revenge on that most evil of lionesses.
"We'll stop Zira together," Kiara offers her paw to her brother, who sadly looks out across the large lake and down at the circle in the sand he drew before taking his sister's paw and the two of them rush off to the west towards Priderock. The circle Kopa marked into the golden sand slowly gets washed away by the waves of the Evenstar Beach; they flow majestically across the sand destroying the circle as brother and sister run towards the fabled Priderock. The Evenstar Beach becomes silent, only the shallow tides brush up against the coast of the lake as a rather silent purple snake with red stripes and a piecing voice slivers across the golden sand. It watches brother and sister rush away from the beach before the red eyes of the snake glance down at the destroyed and faded circle drawn into the sand realizes the end is near. The circle represents five tales of the past all reunited together: Kopa, Zira, Scar, Sarafina, Kivuli, A circle of events which began when Zira was born and lost, a circle of events which lead to Kopa's disappearance and to Sarafina's death and a circle of events which will finally end when Zira is ultimately stopped. The snake gazes out impassively towards the west watching brother and sister run alongside one another towards Priderock in the faraway distance before slivering unaccompanied towards the deathly Shadowland.
Priderock was a torn battlefield now. The area around Priderock was already scarred with ash and the grass was dead from the constant fighting. The majority of the hyenas were defeated but some still fought valiantly. They just needed one final push to defeat her once and for all. All the other lionesses fought valiantly but most of them had fallen, Simba and his old friend Chumvi stand back to back fighting anything what comes near them, both of them were exhausted but they carried on because they needed to win this fight. Vitani and Kula stand together fighting off any of all predators. Meanwhile Kopa and Kiara rush further and further towards Priderock, the monument was getting larger across the purple horizon. Nala was still in the lion's den, after her pain she suddenly becomes overcome with rage, the dark thoughts suddenly creep inside her and touch her heart and for once in her life Nala wanted revenge, she was going to kill Zira for everything she and Scar has done, they took away Kopa, Mheetu and now Sarafina, they have taken so much away from her. Nala cries in anger and rushes out the lion's den and into the field of battle crushing any hyenas in her path killing one as she slashes right across its face in anger. She was working her way towards Zira. Destroying the hyena's guarding Zira, Nala brushes past them like they were weightless. Nala's rage was keeping her fighting and finally she reaches Zira only to find her nuzzling with Kivuli. But Nala didn't care she shoves Kivuli out of the way and dives onto the evil lioness, scratching her face wildly Nala was still in tears. Kivuli falls the fall he was almost thrown away by Nala; he shakes his head and gets up. He is saddened to Zira has given up the will to fight and is just letting Nala attack her.
"Fight Back!" Nala growls loudly in rage as she smacks Zira across the face with her paw and claws. After just seeing her mother die Nala was holding nothing back as the queen scratches Zira's face clawing it straight across her eyes. Zira wails in pain and finally gets up to face her challenger. Nala dashes towards the lioness once more but Kivuli rushes forward to stop the queen Nala, crashing his full body into her and knocking Nala off her paws...
Down below in the battle, the lionesses were falling, it seemed the Hyena's were too great, Priderock was caught unprepared. Simba was worried, the fighting seemed to never stop, his legs were giving up and he was exhausted, Simba only wished that instead of staying awake all those nights that instead he had slept. Even Timon and Pumbaa were fighting now in their own comical ways, Pumbaa had a log locked into his tusks as was flailing his head about from side to side while Timon was riding on the back of a hyena and bopping it on the head with the smallest stick Simba had ever seen. But even now Simba worried. He was joined by his old friends Chumvi and Kula and still he couldn't find the assurance to keep going. As three very familiar hyenas approach him, Shenzi, Banzi and Ed, they were the ones who chased him away from the Pridelands throughout the Daggermouth Thorn Forest when Simba was just a cub. The four of them rush together; Simba jumps first, grabbing Banzi and rolling across with him all the time trying to strike the hyena. The hyenas were fast but Simba breaks off from Banzi and calls over to Timon and Pumbaa for some well-needed assistance. The sky was red as blood when they arrived and Simba grabbed the log on Pumbaa's tusk,
"Whoa Simba, don't be doing anything to hasty now, Ahh—" Thwack! Simba swung the log right into the three hyenas with little ease sending the three hyenas flying before they flee, rushing away from Priderock hopefully never to return again.
Meanwhile Vitani, impatient as ever was still fighting strong, she was one of the strongest lionesses in the Pridelands and she was never scared of hyenas even as a cub. She knew how to fight, but the hyenas always fought with little leadership. Vitani wondered what made her mother Zira stop barking orders from above on Priderock. It was strangely silent up there. The fearless lioness Vitani has no idea her mother was still alive, she saw her mother get swept away down the Daggermouth Gorge. Suddenly Vitani is knocked down by Shenzi, Banzi and Ed as they flee. They crashed right into the lioness catching her off guard. It's only at that moment Kula approaches her and helps her back up.
"Perhaps we can get to know eachother sometime!" Kula grins as she rushes off help her mate Chumvi. Together they were dragged into war; they were only visiting Priderock to hopefully find an answer to the strange icy mist back at their home in the far North. Kula was rather protective of her mate; they had never fought the vicious hyenas before. When the hyenas got chases away from the Elephant Graveyard Kula and Chumvi had already moved to their new home at the Dry Forest. But none of that mattered now as they stand back-to-back ready to take on the hyenas.
Across from the burning red sun after a long journey brother and sister finally return. Kopa is horrified to see the scene, Priderock was torn the grass was dead. Everyone; his friends and family were all fighting. Kiara parts ways with her brother, she rushes to help her mate Kovu as he was fighting alone. As Kiara fights with Kovu, the son of the Lion King makes his way up onto Priderock. It was time to end this. Kopa heads up onto Priderock to confront the mistress of evil behind all this: Zira.
"Enough!" Kivuli shouts at Nala. The queen wasn't giving up, she wanted Zira dead. But at every turn Kivuli was acting as a shield for Zira. Kivuli was battered and scratched from the queen's desperate onslaught. The elder lion falls to the ground defeated he cannot protect his love from Nala anymore, he was too weak. Zira herself was too shocked and upset to fight, after telling about her past to Kivuli everything to her was now different. But nothing could prepare her for the arrival of the forgotten prince Kopa. The prince marches up onto Priderock the blazing red sun behind him, the wind of the sunset blowing through his fur. Kopa stands with his mother. They were gathered for the end. Without their leader to guide them and bark orders at them the grey hyenas were laughing no more as they were quickly scattering across the Pridelands. Simba's Pride were finally getting the advantage. The fighting slowly comes to a halt as one more lioness makes her way up to Priderock. It was Doti. She had being fighting also and she had numerous small scratches across her dark fur. Doti was a previous Outlander and was once loyal to Zira, but not anymore. She was just as angry as everyone else but for her own reason:
"Do you remember your son Zira? How you treated Nuka like dirt? You forgot about him and all that time all he ever wanted was your love!" The dark dotted lioness growls furiously. When Doti was just an adolescent lioness she fell in love with Nuka under the burning Equinox Sunset many years ago, all that time they lived in the Outlands she was Nuka's mate. Everyone knows how badly she treated him it was all her fault that Nuka died and Doti wasn't going to let her get away
"Face it Zira, you can't fight us all," Suddenly Kopa, Nala and Doti advance towards their enemy, each one of them having their own reasons to want to end her life right now. Zira could see all the evil she has committed; it was laid out infront of her. Kivuli couldn't fight anymore, he was laid on the floor defeated he tried to get up but he couldn't muster the strength. Zira slowly backs up away from everyone she was getting dangerously close to the end of the Priderock, looking over her shoulder, she was trapped. Kopa, Nala and Doti encircle the malevolent lioness. But only Kivuli questions if Zira is in fact truly evil, he can only whimper and watch, powerless to do anything. Kopa who was attacked as a cub and left for dead, Nala who wanted revenge for the death of her mother Sarafina, and Doti who fell in love with Nuka and has always wanted revenge on Zira for driving her own son into the actions which lead to his death. But killing Zira would not be right. Kopa takes his first step towards being the next Lion King and decides to end everything not with violence but with words, and the Prince Kopa steps forward to deal Zira a punishment far worse than death:
"You have gone too far this time. You killed and you got others to kill for you. All we wanted to do was help you Zira. Look around you, all this fighting, all this betrayal, all of it has a source, you. Exile is no longer the right punishment for you. So you leave me no choice. You must journey into the abyss that is the Shadowland and there you will meet your end for all time." Listening to her old rival Zira sighs looking down the ground. She thinks back to when she was a cub with her parents and how disappointed they would be if they saw her now.
"No!" Kivuli shouts objecting to everything, his deep voice echoing across all of Priderock, "I know those Shadowlands Kopa. And I can assure you something much darker and stronger is growing there, you cannot send Zira to that place or everything will be made to suffer; they will make sure of it!" Kivuli growls and pushes himself up onto his paws until he roars in pain louder than any lion ever has before. But Zira cannot say a word, she is in shock, falling deeper and deeper into depression, she nuzzles Kivuli with a single crystal tear falling from her eye.
"I'm sorry my love," Zira says goodbye and squints her eyes; the tears burned her eyes she had not cried in so long. Kopa stands with a serious look of anger on his face as Zira runs for the very last time away from Priderock just before roaring the order for the hyenas to stop. And just like that, it was over. The hyenas fled to four borders of the Pridelands, hopefully never to be seen again, the colony was broken, the hyenas should never return. Everyone in Simba's Pride reunite down on the grass. Kopa nuzzles with Vitani once more, Kovu helps his father Kivuli up towards the lion's den where he can rest and the elder lion was distraught from seeing his mate's demise. Nala lies again with her mother's body, Sarafina's golden fur had already lost its colour, Nala glances over at the Black Scarab her mother was holding and smashes it into hundreds of pieces onto the rock floor of the lion's den...
After getting ordered by the once and future king Kopa, the destroyed lioness Zira makes walks defeated away from the glory of Priderock. She could only realise Kopa was right, she had gone too far. She could have taken your place in the Circle of Life but somehow she knew it wouldn't be the same. Vitani and her friend Doti hated Zira and she had sided with the hyenas that were to partly blame for Scar's death in the first. But before she leaves, the past malevolent queen makes her way to a cave and down a long dark tunnel into a large cavern. She walks into the cave with the waterfall. The cave with the family tree carved into the cavern wall. Sitting there, Zira looks at all the names on the wall. Her own name was placed next to that of Scar. Regretfully Zira uses her claws and scratches her own name from the family tree, her claws screech down the cave wall until her name was no longer visible, the scratching made her claws bleed she did it so desperately. It was time for her to leave. Zira walks off towards the entrance of the cave which nobody knows where it leads to. Nobody has ever gone this entrance, not even Vitani dared go when she was cub. But now Zira fearlessly walks into the dark tunnel through the mysterious entrance to the cave which no one has ever gone through. On the other side Zira is greeted with the Shadowland. A merciless land, the land was covered in old ancient stones; lightning constantly blasted down from the clouds and struck the stones. The land itself was twisted, the gorges were covered in deadly spikes and it seemed to go on for as far as the eye could see. There was hardly any light here, the Shadowland was black. Twister's curved down from the black clouds and spiraled across all of the Shadowland causing constant destruction. Zira makes her way towards a black spiky monument formed from the ground only to find it struck by a sudden flash a blue bright lightning. Zira gasps and runs in fear where she trips and falls into pile of ash hurling dust up around her, tainting her once golden fur to grey. She gets up and brushes herself off. It's only then a sound of quiet hissing could be heard around her. Behind her a purple snake with red stripes slivers up infront of her a blank expression on the snakes face. The snake was called Joka and it lean's upwards on its long rattling tail until its eyes match the level of Zira's.
"I set everything up for you; I manipulated Malka and then Kopa into returning home for you to get your vengeance. I made the deal with the hyenas so they'd serve you unwillingly. You had everything you needed to become queen but you let that dim imbecile Kivuli touch your heart. You could have of had it all. You could have broken the Circle of Life! But you have failed me for the last time Zira!" The snake hisses at her its piecing voice high-pitched voice throat with anger. The snake jolts away from Zira and silvers across the black ground before turning its head ever so slightly,
"Do you remember Kari and Uzuri? Your mother and father, what do you think happened to them once you'd left and never returned out of spite? While they were out searching for you Zira, they were murdered in cold blood. They were poisoned. Just think; if you hadn't of run away from home perhaps they might still be alive!" Joka hisses with a deceitful grin on its face and spit falling from mouth. The snake finished before finally revealing to Zira her father's grey scarf as the lioness in shock recognizes the grey scarf. "NO!" She screams and grabs the scarf as it slowly falls through the air, she hugs it in pain. The snake laughs knowing saying all this would be hurt her; it knew all her weak points. "Why are you doing this?" Zira manages to roar in pain under her many tears. Suddenly Zira fills with remorse and suddenly realizes all the evil she has committed, everything she has done, she killed Nuka, she hurt Kovu and Kopa, she was stubborn to realizes she could of had a second chance in the Pridelands to be happy. But now everyone would be happy without her...
The snake paces up and down slivering while leaned up high on its tail. It decides to continue to explain everything to this pawn of his:
"The circle of life is a delicate equilibrium between life and death, if either one gets knocked out of balance then it's not just the Pridelands which will fall. But the Pridelands, the Outlands, the Shadowlands and everything beyond that." Zira scowls at the snake before realizing she was just a pawn to this creature, she growls and is about to attack when the snake grabs her and squeezes her, wrapping it's coiling its long fat tail around her tightly. The snake looks right into the eye's of the scared lioness, her breathe was being stolen from her by the snakes tight grip. It squeezes her even tighter, Zira could feel herself fading away, but she manages to mumble her final few words:
"I-I'm sorry..." Before she can conclude her words she passes away, closing her tired eyes for the final time. Joka the snake uncoils itself and allows her body to fall to the ground lifelessly its gleaming red snake eyes light up in the dark Shadowland as it slivers away without remorse. A deafeningly loud thunder clap rages across the black clouds above as Zira's body is left cling onto the grey scarf which was once her fathers...
The fate of full circle was over. The events started long ago, when a lost female cub was separated from her parents. Washed up on the lonely shore of the Evenstar Beach, she descended into evil in the Pridelands and hurt the successor, the forgotten prince who she attacked and got exiled for. But an elder lion with grey fur named Kivuli saved her, she realized her true place in the Circle of Life. But too late, far too late. Did she get her just deserves? Or was she just a tool in a far bigger scheme... The pasts are now reunited, the malevolent queen is no more, but it was far from over, while the Fate of Full Circle may have ended...Something much darker and stronger is growing in the Shadowlands. And as Kivuli warned: 'Everything will be made to suffer; theywill make sure of it'.
To Be Continued...
"The full circle of events which can never be stopped or changed," Kopa say to himself looking at the circle he drew. Kiara finally has the answers she wanted she rushes up to her brother and gives him an almighty nuzzle to reassure him that everything will be fine. As Kiara fills Kopa in of all the events that have past she is surprised to see that Kopa is willing to confront Zira once more. Kopa might finally be able to get his revenge on that most evil of lionesses.
"We'll stop Zira together," Kiara offers her paw to her brother, who sadly looks out across the large lake and down at the circle in the sand he drew before taking his sister's paw and the two of them rush off to the west towards Priderock. The circle Kopa marked into the golden sand slowly gets washed away by the waves of the Evenstar Beach; they flow majestically across the sand destroying the circle as brother and sister run towards the fabled Priderock. The Evenstar Beach becomes silent, only the shallow tides brush up against the coast of the lake as a rather silent purple snake with red stripes and a piecing voice slivers across the golden sand. It watches brother and sister rush away from the beach before the red eyes of the snake glance down at the destroyed and faded circle drawn into the sand realizes the end is near. The circle represents five tales of the past all reunited together: Kopa, Zira, Scar, Sarafina, Kivuli, A circle of events which began when Zira was born and lost, a circle of events which lead to Kopa's disappearance and to Sarafina's death and a circle of events which will finally end when Zira is ultimately stopped. The snake gazes out impassively towards the west watching brother and sister run alongside one another towards Priderock in the faraway distance before slivering unaccompanied towards the deathly Shadowland.
Priderock was a torn battlefield now. The area around Priderock was already scarred with ash and the grass was dead from the constant fighting. The majority of the hyenas were defeated but some still fought valiantly. They just needed one final push to defeat her once and for all. All the other lionesses fought valiantly but most of them had fallen, Simba and his old friend Chumvi stand back to back fighting anything what comes near them, both of them were exhausted but they carried on because they needed to win this fight. Vitani and Kula stand together fighting off any of all predators. Meanwhile Kopa and Kiara rush further and further towards Priderock, the monument was getting larger across the purple horizon. Nala was still in the lion's den, after her pain she suddenly becomes overcome with rage, the dark thoughts suddenly creep inside her and touch her heart and for once in her life Nala wanted revenge, she was going to kill Zira for everything she and Scar has done, they took away Kopa, Mheetu and now Sarafina, they have taken so much away from her. Nala cries in anger and rushes out the lion's den and into the field of battle crushing any hyenas in her path killing one as she slashes right across its face in anger. She was working her way towards Zira. Destroying the hyena's guarding Zira, Nala brushes past them like they were weightless. Nala's rage was keeping her fighting and finally she reaches Zira only to find her nuzzling with Kivuli. But Nala didn't care she shoves Kivuli out of the way and dives onto the evil lioness, scratching her face wildly Nala was still in tears. Kivuli falls the fall he was almost thrown away by Nala; he shakes his head and gets up. He is saddened to Zira has given up the will to fight and is just letting Nala attack her.
"Fight Back!" Nala growls loudly in rage as she smacks Zira across the face with her paw and claws. After just seeing her mother die Nala was holding nothing back as the queen scratches Zira's face clawing it straight across her eyes. Zira wails in pain and finally gets up to face her challenger. Nala dashes towards the lioness once more but Kivuli rushes forward to stop the queen Nala, crashing his full body into her and knocking Nala off her paws...
Down below in the battle, the lionesses were falling, it seemed the Hyena's were too great, Priderock was caught unprepared. Simba was worried, the fighting seemed to never stop, his legs were giving up and he was exhausted, Simba only wished that instead of staying awake all those nights that instead he had slept. Even Timon and Pumbaa were fighting now in their own comical ways, Pumbaa had a log locked into his tusks as was flailing his head about from side to side while Timon was riding on the back of a hyena and bopping it on the head with the smallest stick Simba had ever seen. But even now Simba worried. He was joined by his old friends Chumvi and Kula and still he couldn't find the assurance to keep going. As three very familiar hyenas approach him, Shenzi, Banzi and Ed, they were the ones who chased him away from the Pridelands throughout the Daggermouth Thorn Forest when Simba was just a cub. The four of them rush together; Simba jumps first, grabbing Banzi and rolling across with him all the time trying to strike the hyena. The hyenas were fast but Simba breaks off from Banzi and calls over to Timon and Pumbaa for some well-needed assistance. The sky was red as blood when they arrived and Simba grabbed the log on Pumbaa's tusk,
"Whoa Simba, don't be doing anything to hasty now, Ahh—" Thwack! Simba swung the log right into the three hyenas with little ease sending the three hyenas flying before they flee, rushing away from Priderock hopefully never to return again.
Meanwhile Vitani, impatient as ever was still fighting strong, she was one of the strongest lionesses in the Pridelands and she was never scared of hyenas even as a cub. She knew how to fight, but the hyenas always fought with little leadership. Vitani wondered what made her mother Zira stop barking orders from above on Priderock. It was strangely silent up there. The fearless lioness Vitani has no idea her mother was still alive, she saw her mother get swept away down the Daggermouth Gorge. Suddenly Vitani is knocked down by Shenzi, Banzi and Ed as they flee. They crashed right into the lioness catching her off guard. It's only at that moment Kula approaches her and helps her back up.
"Perhaps we can get to know eachother sometime!" Kula grins as she rushes off help her mate Chumvi. Together they were dragged into war; they were only visiting Priderock to hopefully find an answer to the strange icy mist back at their home in the far North. Kula was rather protective of her mate; they had never fought the vicious hyenas before. When the hyenas got chases away from the Elephant Graveyard Kula and Chumvi had already moved to their new home at the Dry Forest. But none of that mattered now as they stand back-to-back ready to take on the hyenas.
Across from the burning red sun after a long journey brother and sister finally return. Kopa is horrified to see the scene, Priderock was torn the grass was dead. Everyone; his friends and family were all fighting. Kiara parts ways with her brother, she rushes to help her mate Kovu as he was fighting alone. As Kiara fights with Kovu, the son of the Lion King makes his way up onto Priderock. It was time to end this. Kopa heads up onto Priderock to confront the mistress of evil behind all this: Zira.
"Enough!" Kivuli shouts at Nala. The queen wasn't giving up, she wanted Zira dead. But at every turn Kivuli was acting as a shield for Zira. Kivuli was battered and scratched from the queen's desperate onslaught. The elder lion falls to the ground defeated he cannot protect his love from Nala anymore, he was too weak. Zira herself was too shocked and upset to fight, after telling about her past to Kivuli everything to her was now different. But nothing could prepare her for the arrival of the forgotten prince Kopa. The prince marches up onto Priderock the blazing red sun behind him, the wind of the sunset blowing through his fur. Kopa stands with his mother. They were gathered for the end. Without their leader to guide them and bark orders at them the grey hyenas were laughing no more as they were quickly scattering across the Pridelands. Simba's Pride were finally getting the advantage. The fighting slowly comes to a halt as one more lioness makes her way up to Priderock. It was Doti. She had being fighting also and she had numerous small scratches across her dark fur. Doti was a previous Outlander and was once loyal to Zira, but not anymore. She was just as angry as everyone else but for her own reason:
"Do you remember your son Zira? How you treated Nuka like dirt? You forgot about him and all that time all he ever wanted was your love!" The dark dotted lioness growls furiously. When Doti was just an adolescent lioness she fell in love with Nuka under the burning Equinox Sunset many years ago, all that time they lived in the Outlands she was Nuka's mate. Everyone knows how badly she treated him it was all her fault that Nuka died and Doti wasn't going to let her get away
"Face it Zira, you can't fight us all," Suddenly Kopa, Nala and Doti advance towards their enemy, each one of them having their own reasons to want to end her life right now. Zira could see all the evil she has committed; it was laid out infront of her. Kivuli couldn't fight anymore, he was laid on the floor defeated he tried to get up but he couldn't muster the strength. Zira slowly backs up away from everyone she was getting dangerously close to the end of the Priderock, looking over her shoulder, she was trapped. Kopa, Nala and Doti encircle the malevolent lioness. But only Kivuli questions if Zira is in fact truly evil, he can only whimper and watch, powerless to do anything. Kopa who was attacked as a cub and left for dead, Nala who wanted revenge for the death of her mother Sarafina, and Doti who fell in love with Nuka and has always wanted revenge on Zira for driving her own son into the actions which lead to his death. But killing Zira would not be right. Kopa takes his first step towards being the next Lion King and decides to end everything not with violence but with words, and the Prince Kopa steps forward to deal Zira a punishment far worse than death:
"You have gone too far this time. You killed and you got others to kill for you. All we wanted to do was help you Zira. Look around you, all this fighting, all this betrayal, all of it has a source, you. Exile is no longer the right punishment for you. So you leave me no choice. You must journey into the abyss that is the Shadowland and there you will meet your end for all time." Listening to her old rival Zira sighs looking down the ground. She thinks back to when she was a cub with her parents and how disappointed they would be if they saw her now.
"No!" Kivuli shouts objecting to everything, his deep voice echoing across all of Priderock, "I know those Shadowlands Kopa. And I can assure you something much darker and stronger is growing there, you cannot send Zira to that place or everything will be made to suffer; they will make sure of it!" Kivuli growls and pushes himself up onto his paws until he roars in pain louder than any lion ever has before. But Zira cannot say a word, she is in shock, falling deeper and deeper into depression, she nuzzles Kivuli with a single crystal tear falling from her eye.
"I'm sorry my love," Zira says goodbye and squints her eyes; the tears burned her eyes she had not cried in so long. Kopa stands with a serious look of anger on his face as Zira runs for the very last time away from Priderock just before roaring the order for the hyenas to stop. And just like that, it was over. The hyenas fled to four borders of the Pridelands, hopefully never to be seen again, the colony was broken, the hyenas should never return. Everyone in Simba's Pride reunite down on the grass. Kopa nuzzles with Vitani once more, Kovu helps his father Kivuli up towards the lion's den where he can rest and the elder lion was distraught from seeing his mate's demise. Nala lies again with her mother's body, Sarafina's golden fur had already lost its colour, Nala glances over at the Black Scarab her mother was holding and smashes it into hundreds of pieces onto the rock floor of the lion's den...
After getting ordered by the once and future king Kopa, the destroyed lioness Zira makes walks defeated away from the glory of Priderock. She could only realise Kopa was right, she had gone too far. She could have taken your place in the Circle of Life but somehow she knew it wouldn't be the same. Vitani and her friend Doti hated Zira and she had sided with the hyenas that were to partly blame for Scar's death in the first. But before she leaves, the past malevolent queen makes her way to a cave and down a long dark tunnel into a large cavern. She walks into the cave with the waterfall. The cave with the family tree carved into the cavern wall. Sitting there, Zira looks at all the names on the wall. Her own name was placed next to that of Scar. Regretfully Zira uses her claws and scratches her own name from the family tree, her claws screech down the cave wall until her name was no longer visible, the scratching made her claws bleed she did it so desperately. It was time for her to leave. Zira walks off towards the entrance of the cave which nobody knows where it leads to. Nobody has ever gone this entrance, not even Vitani dared go when she was cub. But now Zira fearlessly walks into the dark tunnel through the mysterious entrance to the cave which no one has ever gone through. On the other side Zira is greeted with the Shadowland. A merciless land, the land was covered in old ancient stones; lightning constantly blasted down from the clouds and struck the stones. The land itself was twisted, the gorges were covered in deadly spikes and it seemed to go on for as far as the eye could see. There was hardly any light here, the Shadowland was black. Twister's curved down from the black clouds and spiraled across all of the Shadowland causing constant destruction. Zira makes her way towards a black spiky monument formed from the ground only to find it struck by a sudden flash a blue bright lightning. Zira gasps and runs in fear where she trips and falls into pile of ash hurling dust up around her, tainting her once golden fur to grey. She gets up and brushes herself off. It's only then a sound of quiet hissing could be heard around her. Behind her a purple snake with red stripes slivers up infront of her a blank expression on the snakes face. The snake was called Joka and it lean's upwards on its long rattling tail until its eyes match the level of Zira's.
"I set everything up for you; I manipulated Malka and then Kopa into returning home for you to get your vengeance. I made the deal with the hyenas so they'd serve you unwillingly. You had everything you needed to become queen but you let that dim imbecile Kivuli touch your heart. You could have of had it all. You could have broken the Circle of Life! But you have failed me for the last time Zira!" The snake hisses at her its piecing voice high-pitched voice throat with anger. The snake jolts away from Zira and silvers across the black ground before turning its head ever so slightly,
"Do you remember Kari and Uzuri? Your mother and father, what do you think happened to them once you'd left and never returned out of spite? While they were out searching for you Zira, they were murdered in cold blood. They were poisoned. Just think; if you hadn't of run away from home perhaps they might still be alive!" Joka hisses with a deceitful grin on its face and spit falling from mouth. The snake finished before finally revealing to Zira her father's grey scarf as the lioness in shock recognizes the grey scarf. "NO!" She screams and grabs the scarf as it slowly falls through the air, she hugs it in pain. The snake laughs knowing saying all this would be hurt her; it knew all her weak points. "Why are you doing this?" Zira manages to roar in pain under her many tears. Suddenly Zira fills with remorse and suddenly realizes all the evil she has committed, everything she has done, she killed Nuka, she hurt Kovu and Kopa, she was stubborn to realizes she could of had a second chance in the Pridelands to be happy. But now everyone would be happy without her...
The snake paces up and down slivering while leaned up high on its tail. It decides to continue to explain everything to this pawn of his:
"The circle of life is a delicate equilibrium between life and death, if either one gets knocked out of balance then it's not just the Pridelands which will fall. But the Pridelands, the Outlands, the Shadowlands and everything beyond that." Zira scowls at the snake before realizing she was just a pawn to this creature, she growls and is about to attack when the snake grabs her and squeezes her, wrapping it's coiling its long fat tail around her tightly. The snake looks right into the eye's of the scared lioness, her breathe was being stolen from her by the snakes tight grip. It squeezes her even tighter, Zira could feel herself fading away, but she manages to mumble her final few words:
"I-I'm sorry..." Before she can conclude her words she passes away, closing her tired eyes for the final time. Joka the snake uncoils itself and allows her body to fall to the ground lifelessly its gleaming red snake eyes light up in the dark Shadowland as it slivers away without remorse. A deafeningly loud thunder clap rages across the black clouds above as Zira's body is left cling onto the grey scarf which was once her fathers...
The fate of full circle was over. The events started long ago, when a lost female cub was separated from her parents. Washed up on the lonely shore of the Evenstar Beach, she descended into evil in the Pridelands and hurt the successor, the forgotten prince who she attacked and got exiled for. But an elder lion with grey fur named Kivuli saved her, she realized her true place in the Circle of Life. But too late, far too late. Did she get her just deserves? Or was she just a tool in a far bigger scheme... The pasts are now reunited, the malevolent queen is no more, but it was far from over, while the Fate of Full Circle may have ended...Something much darker and stronger is growing in the Shadowlands. And as Kivuli warned: 'Everything will be made to suffer; theywill make sure of it'.
To Be Continued...
