New Beginnings

Chapter fifty eight

"How will we infiltrate the territory my lord? Kisasi clearly has the place surrounded and there's no way of knowing where the are," Muuaji said to Kovu as they hid behind the thick shrubs and bushes, waiting, watching, listening. Several of Scar and Zira's lions and lionesses were patrolling the area and despite Kisasi having lost all of his own lions and lionesses, Scar and Zira had plenty of them to spare.

"First we have to create a diversion, one that will scatter all of the lions and lionesses and provide a cover for us to get in the cave," Kovu replied.
"I spotted a herd of buffalos a few yards away from here on our way in. If we can spook them, they'll come directly here since the only other direction is across the Upweke River," Mkali told Kovu.

"Excellent. Mkali take Siri and Haraka to wait with the buffalos I'll give the signal and you'll send them here," Kovu ordered.
"Then I'll go in with Marisa, Muuaji and everyone else. Once Roman and Milana comes with Freya, Hekima and the rest of the pride, they'll wait our here and once they hear the fighting, that'll be their cue to move."

"Once we get in what will we do?" Kiara asked.
"We? Not we Kiara, you're staying here. I can't risk you getting hurt," Kovu told her.
"But why Kovu? I want to help. I'll be careful," Kiara protested.
"Sweetheart it's not about being careful, it's about being safe. You need to stay here to protect yourself and our cubs also," Kovu said patiently.

"You're right. I'm sorry, I'll stay here. Our cubs are the most important thing for me, I won't let anything happen to them," Kiara said as she gently caressed her stomach. "I'll keep you safe my little ones, I promise."
"That's all I need for you to do," Kovu said as he pressed a kiss to her forehead. Then he bent down and kissed her stomach in several places.

"Daddy will be back soon okay? Don't give Mommy any trouble alright? Daddy loves you so much," he said softly.
"Will Nia be staying with her majesty my lord?" Muuaji inquired.
"Yes she'll be staying with Kiara," Kovu replied.
"Where's Mpole? And Khan also? I haven't seen them," Kiara said looking around.

"Khan has been put out of his misery and Mpole has been knocked out and tied up and placed somewhere. Once this whole thing is over and Scar, Zira and Kisasi are dead, she'll be free to go back to Neema," Kovu said.
"Shall we leave my lord?" Haraka asked as she stood up.
"Yes go. And remember to wait for my signal," Kovu warned.
"As you wish my lord," Mkali said bowing. She then took the lead with Siri and Haraka behind her.

"Nia stay with my wife and do not let her out of your sight," Kovu told the lioness.
"Yes my lord," Nia said.
"I'll be back soon sweetheart. I love you," Kovu said as he nuzzled Kiara affectionately.
"I love you more. Be safe," Kiara whispered with tears in her eyes as she threw herself on her husband and hugged him tightly.

When they separated, Kovu kissed Kiara once more on her lips and he crept through the shrubs with Muuaji, Marisa and the rest of his lions and lionesses until they came as close to the cave as they could without being seen. Several of Scar's lions and lionesses were patrolling the area and didn't notice Kovu there. Just what he wanted. Picking up a small sized rock, he held it in his paws, aimed it to the spot where Mkali, Siri and Haraka were and threw it. The signal.

"Okay ladies there's the signal, you know what to do," Mkali said smilingly. Siri and Haraka sported devious grins and moved into position. They pounced out of their hiding spot and growled fiercely at the buffalos. They were spooked instantly and started to run away, directly where the cave's entrance was.
Scar and Zira's lions and lionesses heard the stampede before they saw it.

"Stampede! Run for your lives!" a lioness cried out.
"Stampeders on the loose! Every lion for himself!" another lion shouted frantically.
Then there was an intense rush of panic and discord as the lions and lionesses pushed each other out of the way in an attempt to get out of the way of the lion crippling stampede. The buffalos rushed around the corner and a dust cloud blew up, the perfect cover for Kovu and his lions to get in without being noticed.

Kovu took the lead and Muuaji and Marisa followed then the rest of them. They slunk into the cave and hid behind a large rock. Kisasi was nowhere to be seen and neither Scar nor Zira.
"Spread out. Most likely there may be a few of their lions and lionesses in here for extra security measures. Kill anyone you see and hide their bodies," Kovu ordered.

"It shall be done my lord. And if we happen to bump into Kisasi, what will we do?" Muuaji asked.
"You'll have to get through us if you want Kisasi," a sinister voice chuckled from the shadows.
Kovu turned around and saw Bínwa emerge with his leopards behind him.
"Oh wow Bínwa? What are you doing here? Did Kisasi drag you into his little game too?" Kovu asked sarcastically.

"Kisasi? Oh no, he didn't drag me into his little game, I dragged myself into it. And the game isn't even Kisasi's," Bínwa cackled.
"Yes I know it isn't Kisasi's. He's far too incompetent to come up with a brilliant plan such as this," Kovu said dropping his sarcastic voice. "Now Bínwa, I'm not here for you. Get out of my way now and leave here immediately with your life while you still have it."

"Are you threatening me boy? Tsk, tsk, tsk. Rude. Didn't your mother ever tell you to respect your elders?" Bínwa taunted.
"Get. Out. Of. My. Way!" Kovu said through clenched teeth.
"Why? Am I not good enough for you to handle?" Bínwa asked in a sickeningly sweet voice.
"Fine, you're not getting out of my way? Fine. Attack!" Kovu commanded his pride.

And they did so without a moment's hesitation. Bínwa and his leopards rushed forward and the fight between them began. Kovu's lions and lionesses were brutal and attacked every single leopard they saw, clawing, biting and scratching them. Marisa too engaged in the fight and to her own surprise, she hadn't lost her touch. She hadn't forgotten the fighting skills she learned in the outlands and they proved to be just as effective as the fighting skills that Kovu's pride used.

"When will Freya and Hekima get here? I just want this whole thing to be over with," Kiara groaned as she laid on the ground behind the shrubs with Nia.
"Don't worry your majesty, they'll be here," Nia said reassuringly.
"I can't wait for my cubs to be here, Kovu and I are going to be parents Nia, can you believe it?!" Kiara said excitedly.

"Yes your majesty, that's wonderful," Nia said smiling as she scratched behind her ears.
"Motherhood, it's such a wonderful thing. In four months time I'll give birth to Kovu's cubs, they'll have my pride lander genes and Kovu's outlander genes. What a precious little thing," Kiara said with a sigh as she rubbed her stomach.

Snap!
"Who's there?!" Nia heard a twig snap behind her and was on instant high alert. "Your majesty don't move." she whispered.
"Why what happened? Is it Kovu?" Kiara asked loudly.
"No I'm sorry to disappoint you princess, it's not your precious mate, it's me," a dark male voice that oozed evil said.

Kiara screamed and turned around and her eyes widened when she saw who it was. Nia growled and lunged at the intruder but he ducked her attack and she made a head on collision with a tree and blacked out instantly.
"Nia!" Kiara shouted rushing to the unconscious lioness.

Before she can however, the male grabbed her and hit the side of her temple hard with his paw. Kiara groaned and staggered slightly. The place was spinning, her eyes were closing and the sounds around her were getting softer and softer with each passing second. Then her body went limp and she dropped on the ground at the male's feet.

"Oh Kovu, you think you're so smart. You assume you have everything under control. Wrong. You are so predictable my boy," the male said with a snicker as he manoeuvred Kiara's body until it was on top of his back. Then he sauntered slowly into the cave with his leverage.