New Beginnings

Chapter thirty nine

After the lionesses hunted a quick breakfast everyone headed out. They left the rock formation and kept moving.
Kurusha was a dense forested area, home of many leopards who lived there for years. It was cool and had waterholes in every corner of the territory. The alpha leopard Wazimu lived high in the clifftop with his mate Kichaa and  brother  Hifadhi.

"How many more miles Kovu my feet are killing me," Marisa complained as they walked through across a large log that was directly over a large river with sharp, pointy rocks at the bottom.
"Just a few more Marisa, Kurusha is just beyond that desert," Kovu said as he gazed ahead.
"Be careful this log is slippery, one wrong move and a person can fall to their death," Muuaji warned.

"Heights, I hate heights," Kiara whimpered as she clung to Kovu, terrified of looking down into the dark, precarious ridge.
"Baby it's okay just keep on moving and don't look down," Kovu reassured. "The log is stable enough to walk on, just keep on moving
Then suddenly as though to contradict his words, the log shifted abruptly and Kiara screamed.

"Kovu the log is moving! We're gonna fall, we're gonna die!" Kiara wailed as she clung to the log for dear life, not moving completely still.
"Kiara the log is stable, it's not going to fall," Kovu said patiently.
"Nala, Simba, Marisa walk slowly off the log and wait on the other side, Muuaji, Mkali, Siri, Nia,  Haraka, you five will go next. I'll come with Kiara."

Following Kovu's instructions precisely, everyone moved in a timely manner off the log leaving just Kiara and Kovu there.
"Honey, the log isn't moving, come to me. Come on sweetheart, you can do it, come on baby, come to me," Kovu said soothingly as he beckoned for Kiara to come to him.

"But..but.. the log-" Kiara said frantically.
"The log is stable, just move slowly and you'll reach. Come on baby," Kovu tried again to get Kiara to come but she refused.
"Baby do you trust me?" Kovu asked her.
"If I trust you? What kind of question is that? Of course I trust you baby," Kiara said.

"Do you trust me with your life?"
"Yes I trust you with my life," Kiara whispered.
"Then come to me. I won't let you fall," Kovu said.
"I won't let you fall, trust me on this, I won't let anything happen to you and our cub, just take a deep breath and while you're walking, keep your eyes on me, all eyes on me baby."

Kiara did as she was told, took a deep breath and kept her amber eyes focused on her husband's emerald green ones. She took a first step, then another then another and slowly started to move towards Kovu.
"Yes that's my girl, that's it, just like that love, oh you're doing so well. Just a few more inches," Kovu said smiling as he reached his paw out for Kiara to take.

With a nervous giggle, Kiara grabbed Kovu's paw and he pulled her towards him and she buried her face in his fur.
"Good job sweetheart," Kovu whispered as he stroked her fur lovingly.
"You see honey? Kovu didn't let anything happen to you," Nala said as she rubbed Kiara's back.
"I know Mom, he would never let me or our baby get get hurt, will you?" Kiara looked up at her mate and smiled tenderly at him.

Kovu smiled back and kissed her on her nose.
"Never. You and our cub are the most important things in my life, I'd never let anything or anyone hurt you. Ever," Kovu vowed as he placed a paw on Kiara's stomach and squeezed gently.
"Awww that's so sweet," Nia and Siri said in unison giggling at the cuteness Kiara and Kovu displayed.

Everyone chuckled at this and after a few minutes continued on their way. They crossed the desert without much effort and soon came across a thick, shrubby, forested area with tall fruit trees, a waterhole that was visible beyond the trees and a few impala, zebra and wildebeest roaming in small groups- Kurusha. They'd finally made it.

"Finally we're here, those bastards won't have any idea what hit them! Oh this is gonna much fun! The thrill, the mayhem, the delicious sound of sweet, sweet revenge!" It's almost too good to be true!" Kovu said gleefully as he turned around and began to laugh and shiver, making everyone raise their eyebrows and look on in horror.

Kiara, Muuaji, Mkali, Siri, Nia
and Haraka seemed to be the only ones unaffected by Kovu's- mad, twisted, deranged mentality.
"Baby calm down, you'll catch a fit if you don't relax yourself," Kiara said rolling her eyes.
"Calm down? Please, this is the calmest I've been in a long, long time," Kovu said still laughing.
"If this is calm I'd hate to see him when he's not calm," Marisa murmured.

"Alright fun's over, let's get moving, we need to reach the heart of the forest by nightfall. Muuaji do you have the black plums?" Kovu inquired.
"Yes my lord, they're strapped onto my back with some vines and wrapped in a figleaf to keep them firm...and not mushy," Muuaji replied.

"Good. We'll deposit them in a secluded corner and come back for them when we're going for Wazimu," Kovu said as he turned and walked on ahead pushing some shrubs and branches aside as he walked.  Kiara followed, then behind her was Nala, Simba, Marisa and Kovu's five lionesses.

They walked for several hours, blending in with their surroundings when they heard someone coming. By sunset they reached the heart of the forest and just beyond a few more trees, was a cliff. And on that cliff was the cave where Wazimu, Kichaa and Hifadhi resided.

"One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten...ready it not here I come," Kovu said darkly as he watched the entrance of the cave.
"How're we gonna get up there Kovu?" Kiara asked. "Lions aren't the best climbers you know."
"I am aware of that. We're taking the back entry," Kovu said.
"What back entry?" Nala inquired.

"You see that tamarind tree up ahead?" Kovu pointed at the large sprawling tarmarind tree to the far left and everyone nodded. "Well we're going around it. Then there's a slanted slope that we can climb up. Once we're at the top, we jump on the ledge and work out way in."
"What if they see us?" Simba asked.

"That's where Nia comes in. Right at the back of the cave there's a crack, she'll peek through it and let us know if they're asleep," Kovu said.
"You've got to be mighty sure of yourself if you're so accurate in your estimations. How many times have you been here before?" Marisa asked suspiciously.
"I've been kidnapped and kept here against my will, I've observed my surroundings enough times while I was here to memorize the perimeters," Kovu told her.

"When do we start moving?" Kiara asked.
"Now," Kovu said as he turned and made a direct beeline to the tamarind tree with Kiara, Marisa and Kovu's five lionesses following. While they were walking, it was arranged that Nala and Simba would stay behind and keep an eye out. Plus they really didn't want to be around when Kovu was exacting his revenge anyway. They'd seen plenty of that.