[Open] When All Seems Lost....

[Nitro]

Kopa returns years after Simba and Nala pass, and Kovu and Kiara have been crowned King and Queen along with their 2 cubs, Prince Chimalsi and Princess Kalifa, littermates out of whom Kovu is tasked with picking the heir. While Kiara is overjoyed to finally meet her older brother, all Kopa wants is his throne. Kovu resists giving it up, and so Kopa teams up with Vitani's sons, Taji and Runako, to take his "rightful" place, causing a civil war to erupt between those who believe Kovu earned his right to be King and those who believe Kopa deserves it, being the eldest cub of Simba.

I made the plot pretty vague on purpose, by the way, so everyone can have some freedom.

Kopa: Nitro
Kovu: TheLionQueen
Kiara: TheLionQueen
Prince Chimalsi: Changa
Princess Kalifa: Zoketi
Vitani: Nitro
Taji: Kopalover
Runako: Zoketi

Lioness 1: [Kovu] OPEN
Lioness 2: [Kovu] OPEN
Lioness 3: [Kopa] OPEN
Lioness 4: [Kopa] OPEN

*Chimalsi (light golden fur, red-brown mane) and Kalifa (dark brown fur [like Kovu]) are older cubs with Chimalsi having a tiny tuft of mane.
*Taji (red mane, golden fur [like Simba and Mufasa]) is a few months older than Runako (black mane, darker fur [like Scar and Nuka]) but they are both young adults
*Kopa, Vitani, Kiara, and Kovu are all adults, around the age Simba was at the end of TLK

~~~~~

Kopa stared straight on ahead, ignoring his aching muscles and the weight that seemed to pull down on his limbs until he felt like he was trying to pull a boulder. His eyes burned with need for sleep and his paws felt like they were on fire as they left bloody prints on the burning ground. The sun was already high in the sky as the young lion continued his trek to Pride Rock. It had been many days since he had set out in search of his homeland, and finally the tip of it had come into view. He smiled ruefully, knowing that everyone he had known had probably passed from age since he had been gone.

His once bright golden fur was dirty and matted, and the twinkle in his eyes diminished. In his head, he went over the vague memories of Simba teaching him how to be king.

"Everything the light touches will one day belong to you, my son. One day, you will be the King in my place. The sun will set on my time and rise on yours. But remember, Kopa, that this kingdom belongs to you and only you. You must defend its borders with your life and allow only your heir to ascend the throne."

Kopa stood still for a moment, head cocked to the side in confusion. Did he tell me everything was mine or everything belonged to the animals that lived there? He shrugged, and continued walking, having decided it did not matter much. He grinned as he finally arrived in the Pridelands.

"The Lion King has returned," he declared.

[Zoketi]

[Ahh sorry it took me long to get here--didn't know you posted this yet.]

At that moment, Princess Kalifa was scattering stones as she scrambled around Pride Rock. The heat was keeping most of the lions inside, but Kalifa didn't mind. At least she was alone. The cub paused for a moment. The stones skittered away in silence. Kalifa stared for a moment, thinking she had spotted a lion in the distance. She blinked, and the tiny figure was still their, plodding endlessly towards Pride Rock. Kalifa recovered in a moment though, and she sat down hard. "Ouch." She sprang up again, having sat on a small rock.
She hesistated, unsure whether to tell her father about the lone feline, but finally decided not to. She advanced a few steps forwards, until she stood on the edge of the stony area, before the grass started. She could now tell the lion was male and an adult. Kalifa jumped down onto the grass, surprised by the coolness. It seemed cold compared to the sun-warmed stones of Pride Rock.
Kalifa now realized that an adult male might pose a threat to Kovu's leadership, so she turned back and jumped onto the boulders. Her paws burning, she bounded up to the cave. She immediately spotted her father, sitting beside Kiara and Chimalsi.
"Father! Father!" Kalifa gasped, startling the whole Pride. Kovu's bright green eyes flicked up to his daughter, alight with alarm at her tone. Chimalsi had scampered over to his sister.
"Father! There's a lion out there!" Kalifa burst out, pointing with her tail towards the savannah.

Two lions hadn't been in the cave during this event. Runako and Taji were sleeping undisturbed, lying under a spreading acacia tree near Pride Rock. The shade and breeze seemed better than a stuffy cave to them.
Runako jolted awake, hearing the uproar from Pride Rock's den. His paws flailed for a moment as he scrambled to a standing position. Beside him, Taji was shaking his head. "Something's happened." Runako commented, spotting Kovu emerge from the cave. Strangely enough a paw pulled him back inside, and loud calls and confused yowls rang through the air. Runako gazed around, wondering if the cause of the commotion was around somewhere in Pridelands.
As soon as he spotted the lion advancing, he guess it was that. It was much nearer now, and Runako watched, feeling like it reminded him of someone....Simba! The stranger looked like their former King. Runako trotted forwards halting beside a bush. He watched the lion walk closer and closer.

[Hope that is ok. I was also thinking that maybe Kopa could talk with Runako and Taji before the rest of the Pride, maybe? Just an idea.]

[Nitro]

[It's alright! And okay, that's a great idea!

Kopa swiveled his ears forward as he heard the cub's shouts. He had noticed her from a distance a few moments ago, but only now realized that she looked a lot like him. Odd... he thought, eyes narrowing. He shook his head. Must be a descendant from Mohatu or something... He refused to believe his parents had another cub to replace him.

He padded slowly on, the heat from the hard ground still burning his paws. His mane felt like it was on fire as it almost shimmered in the bright light as it ruffled across his chest with a slight breeze. The commotion ahead of him was growing louder by the second and the closer he got. He could vaguely make out another lion in the midst of it, and his pelt bristled in anger. They did replace him! How could they? His fangs bared in a silent snarl as his stride became even more determined.

His gaze soon fell upon two more lions (There are too many new lions here! thought Kopa angrily. Where are the good old babysitters and other cubs?) and a grin adorned his face as he recognized the trademark black mane and dark fur, as well as the red mane and golden pelt that belonged to Scar and Mufasa, respectively. "You are Scar's children, yes?" he asked. After all, Scar had many cubs. It would not surprise Kopa if he had even more cousins he did not know about.

Meanwhile, Vitani was slumbering peacefully inside the den near Kiara and a few other lionesses exhausted from the heat. That is, until she heard her niece's shouts. "Lion?" she asked groggily before full realization hit her. "Lion!" She scrambled to her paws, eyes wide as she ran through possibilities in her head. "Can't be Outlanders, no other pride around here for days, maybe a rogue?" she muttered to herself as she trotted over to Kovu, Kalifa, and the crowd forming in front of them.

"Where are Taji and Runako?" she asked.

[TheLionQueen]

Kovu hopped to his feet, and ran out of the cave and looked at the lion, "That lion looks like Simba!" Kovu thought in his head, "No Simba's dead." Kovu thought. He felt the heat burning his paw pads but trotted down to the grass to approach the lion. Before the lion could really do anything Kovu started growling at him and keeping his ground.
Kiara followed Kovu but stopped at the bottom of priderock and watched her mate growling at the lion. "Who is that?" Kiara said to herself. She studied the lions face a little "Looks a little like my father," Kiara thought, "But his mane is so much darker. His fur is so matted and full of dirt." Kara thought. "I defendently don't know him." Kiara thought to herself once again before trotting to Kovu's side and growling at the rugged lion.

[changa]

"Who is he? I'll... I'll kill him for you, if you want, dad. Just so you don't have to." Chimalsi giggled, a slightly cruel giggle, that set everyone's fur on end. He stared at the lion and growled menacingly. "Look out," he said, "I'll kill you!"

[TheLionQueen]

" You don't need to do that." Kovu said, "at least not yet."
Kovu looked at the lion, "Who are you?"
Kiara stood a little behind the others and was still looking at the lion wondering who he was too.

[Zoketi]

Kalifa stayed near her mother at first, wary. She hoped her father would handle it easily. Then she followed Kiara towards Kovu. Slowly she crept to stand beside her daring brother, attempting to be brave. She could feel the tension, and fear too. The cub looked back at Pride Rock, where a group of the Pride had gathered on the ledge, watching nervously. Kalifa quickly turned her attention back to the newcomer.

Runako's eyes widened. This lion knew about Scar? How could he, not being a Pridelander? Runako flicked his tail, sensing Taji moving up beside him. He gazed evenly at the lion, stil hidden from the rest of the Pride. "We are Scar's descendents. Not directly his children." He replied, showing no sign of surprise. "Our mother was Scar's daughter." Runako stood proudly beside his brother. He could hear the Pride coming closer. "And how do you know of our grandfather?" He then asked. "You do look a lot like our former leader, Simba."

[Decided to post now, though I was gonna wait for Kopalover to be Taji...hope they won't mind.]

[TheLionQueen]

"Leave. These lands belong to us." Kiara sad to the lion. "Yes. So just leave or else this might more difficult than it needs to be." Kovu said standing tall.
Kiara looked at Runako, "He does doesn't he," Kiara said before looking at Kopa and continuing, "Again who are you, and why are you here?"

[Nitro]

Kopa nodded, and understanding shone in his auburn eyes. "Vitani..." he murmured, barely audible. He turned lazily to face the Pridelanders, his gait arrogant and comfortable in Kovu's lands. "Relax," he said, chuckling with a shake of his head. "My name is Prince Kopa, eldest son of Simba and Nala, and rightful Lion King." He grinned as gasps echoed throughout the crowd. "And I have returned.

[TheLionQueen]

Kiara gasped and ran up to Kopa. "Wait I didn't know Kiara had a brother!" Kovu said shocked.
Kiara nuzzled Kopa, "I missed you Kopa. Eww but why are you so dirty?" Kiara said pulling away from Kopa.