New Beginnings

Chapter forty eight

Kovu stood on the edge of the bank watching downwards where several large Komodo dragons were lying around, drinking water or sparring with each other. Several lions and lionesses were walking around, on guard duty no doubt.
Standing beside Kovu was Kiara and standing behind them was Muuaji, Mkali, Siri, Nia and Haraka. The rest of Kovu's pride was standing behind.

Nala, Simba and Marisa stood next to Kiara and Freya and Hekima stood next to Kovu. Their leopards on standby.
"It's time. Three years I've waited for this moment. Kisasi is about to die," Kovu whispered.
"You've waited long enough. Kisasi, Scar and Zira separated us, they've ruined our lives, and now, it's time they've paid their dues," Kiara said coldly.

"Yes. They took you away from me, you've suffered purgatory. We both have. Are you ready for this baby?" Kovu asked turning to his mate.
"I'm ready when you are my love. I'll stand by you. United as one we are deadly! I can't wait any longer, when Kisasi sees us together like this, I can't wait to see his face!" Kiara giggled.
"Easy baby, calm down. We have to get down there first, then we'll focus on Kisasi's priceless expression," Kovu chuckled.

"Can we hurry up! I'm desperate to have that bastard's blood on my paws!" Muuaji said irritatedly.
"Excuse me? Kisasi is mine, you all can have anyone else," Kovu said sternly.
"Of course...my lord," Muuaji said meekly.
"You all know the drill, don't let the Komodo dragons see you, try to eliminate as much lions and lionesses as possible without being seen and no-one is to touch Kisasi. He's mine to deal with," Kovu ordered.

A chorus of  "Yes my lord," was heard from everyone. Then they ran down the slope, some ran to the left, some ran to the right and the leopards took to the trees.
Kiara, Kovu, Marisa, Nala and Simba also ran down the slope and hid behind a large rock. About twelve Komodo dragons were situated on the rocks, the lions and lionesses were walking up and down, the Komodo dragons weren't bothering them and vice versa.

Kovu picked up a small stone from the ground and threw it downwards. It landed on the snout of one of the Komodo dragons. It awoke with a start and looked around. It caught sight of a lion who was closest to it and growled.
"What do you think your doing!" he asked in a loud voice.
"What are you talking about?" the lion asked questioningly.
"You hit me!" the dragon said.
"No I didn't," the lion denied.
Yes you did!"

Without waiting for a reply, the Komodo dragon crawled up to the lion and hit him with his massive tail.
"Why you insolent reptile!" the lion growled as he lunged at the dragon and started to attack him.
Several other lions and Komodo dragons saw the fight and joined in. Soon a huge fight broke out and everyone began attacking each other.

"Great job babe," Kiara said giggling.
"Thanks babe. Now let's go, the sun is starting to rise, Kisasi will be up at any minute and I want the place completely surrounded by the time he does," Kovu said as he hurried down the hill with Kiara, Marisa, Nala and Simba following. The large cave which was being guarded by two lions was the one where Kisasi resided in.

Kovu looked around and saw Muuaji and Mkali on top of the cave, watching downwards.
He waved his paw to get their attention and when he had it, he made a motion with his paw and they nodded  understandingly. Kovu scratched his claws against a rock, attracting the lions attention. They looked behind them and saw Kovu standing there.

"Kovu! What are you doing here?" The one with the brown mane asked aggressively.
"I'm here for Kisasi. He and I have some matters that needs to be dealt with," Kovu said coldly as he walked up to them.
Before they could reply however, Muuaji and Mkali jumped down on their backs and covered their mouths with their paws.

They struggled against them but then two more of Kovu's lionesses cane from around the corner and assisted Muuaji and Mkali in killing the two lionesses.
"Well done ladies," Kovu said once the two lions were dead.
"Dispose of the bodies immediately, we can't have anyone suspecting anything. Where are Siri, Nia and Haraka?"

"My lord they are monitoring the  Komodo dragons and the lions and lionesses that are fighting," Mkali reported.
"And what of Roman, Jace and the others?"
"They are scouting the perimeters as we speak,"
"Okay and how many lions and lionesses have been terminated so far?"
"Five lions and eight lionesses,"
"Excellent. Everything is going exactly according to plan," Kovu said.

"Kovu! Kiara! Muuaji! Mkali!"
Kovu glanced up and saw Hekima up in the treetops with Freya and three other leopards at his side. They descended from the tree and landed next to Kovu.
"What's wrong is everything okay?" Kovu asked concerned.
"I was just on the other side of the cave, I looked in through a crack in the cave wall. And saw something that you won't be too pleased about," Hekima said hesitantly.

"What is it?!" Kovu demanded.
"Kisasi-"
"What about him?"
"He's gone,"
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN HE'S GONE?!" Kovu shouted.
"I mean he's gone. The cave is empty," Hekima said shaking his head. "I'm sorry but we checked and he's not there."
"No. No, no, no, no this can't be happening! We could never have come this far, only to find out the plan failed. There has to be some mistake," Kovu said as he paced up and down.

"It's possible he's hiding somewhere,"  Kiara spoke up.
"No he can't be hiding somewhere. He could never have known we were coming," Kovu said frustratedly. Then he stopped and thought it over.
"Unless someone tipped him off."
"Tipped him off? But who could have possibly done that?" Nala asked. "No one said anything to anybody, everything you told us remained confidential."

"That's not a problem. No-one could've possibly known anything and had time to tip him off. Unless they already knew and had planned to sabotage me from the very beginning," Kovu said coldly.
"What does that mean?" Simba  inquired.

"It means that someone who he was aquainted with had planned to betray him from the start," Muuaji collaborated.
"But who? All your lions and  lionesses are loyal to you and would never betray you," Marisa objected.

"Yes. That's because betrayal runs on their blood. I know exactly who the traitor is," Kovu said through clenched teeth.
Without saying anything more, Kovu turned around and ran to the scene where the lions, lionesses and Komodo dragons were fighting with everyone else following closely behind.
None of Kisasi's lions and lionesses were dead, but they were sounded to some extent.

The Komodo dragons were on one side, the lions and lionesses were on another.
"Give up yet?" a Komodo dragon yelled angrily.
"Never!" a lioness shot back.
They were just about to start fighting again when Kovu emerged from behind the cave and stood in the middle of them.

"That is enough!" he growled.
Everyone grew silent as they caught sight of Kovu, standing there, intimidating as ever.
"K...Kovu?! Wh..what are you doing here?" one of the lions asked stuttering slightly.
"Nevermind that! Where is Kisasi?!" Kovu snapped.
"We don't know," one of the lionesses who was in the front said in a scared voice.

Her pale blue eyes were cast down and her body was quivering. All over, the mere mention of Kovu's name sent shivers  down anyone's spine. They knew of his reputation, of his heartless mentality and the gruelling way he managed his pride. And the lions and lionesses that belonged to Kisasi's pride was no exception.

"I want to know where Kisasi is. Tell me where he is and I'll think twice about sparing your lives," Kovu said loudly. "Deny me the information I seek and every single one of you will be drowning in your own blood! Excluding the cubs that is."
"We don't know where he is! He's been gone for weeks, no one has had any knowledge of his current whereabouts, he left without a trace," another lioness said crying her eyes out.

"We're telling the truth, please spare us," a lion begged.
"Yes spare us!"
"We have nothing to offer you, please let us live. We have families to date for!"
"I beg you Kovu, spare our lives,"
"SILENCE!" Kovu roared.
Not a sound was heard after that.
"I do not want to hear your pathetic grovelling! I have no time to listen to any of this...this nonsense! I asked where Kisasi is, no-one is telling me where he is, I demand to know where he is! WHERE IS KISASI!"