Lone Lion: Kopa's Story (Lion King Fanfiction)

Chapter 7: Rescuing Tabockie

Kopa was about to charge out of the den, but Nala leaned forward and lowered his head to block Kopa from darting out. "And where do you think that you're going," asked Nala.

Kopa drew away from his mother and lowered his head into his shoulders. "Mom, please, I'm just going out to play," he answered with his head lifted up to try and meet his mother's eyes.

Nala let out a sigh. "Will you at least take your sister?"

Kopa turned his attention to Kiara. She was barely a moon old and walked like a lopsided elephant. She was in no condition to walk all the way to the watering hole with him to meet Tobockie. Besides, she probably wouldn't even like him because he was a hyena. He doubted that he even wanted to mention Tabockie in front of Kiara.

"Mom, just let me go," pleaded Kopa with a roll of his eyes.

Nala thought about it before she licked Kopa's nose. "Alright, but be careful. We're eating as a family tonight. Don't go too far."

"I won't," called Kopa before he bounded out of the den with his fur bristling along his spine. He then shook his head as he licked his paw and drew it over his ears. He then plunged forward in search of Tabockie.

He headed to the watering hole, since it was their favorite place to meet, and lowered down to drink. That was their ritual. Kopa would come and drink while Tabockie brought the grub. It was a nice friendship; at least Kopa thought so. He didn't have a lot of experience with hyenas, but he was liking it so far.

However, Kopa drank a lot more than he usually did as he raised his head with water dripping from his chin. But, Tabockie wasn't there. Confusion lit in Kopa's eyes as he looked around for his friends. Usually he was always there. He had never missed one day, even when a crocodile tried to take a chunk out of his leg.

"Tabockie," called Kopa as he looked around. "Tabockie!"

Worry showed on his face as he looked everywhere near the watering hole for his friend. Tabockie was still nowhere to be found. Kopa let out a little whimper of fear as he continued to look around. "Where are you, Tabockie?!"

Before panic could truly set in, he lowered down and opened his mouth to scent the air. He gave his head a much needed shake as he tried to focus only on Tabockie's scent. He had followed a scent trail before that was unfamiliar when he was hunting; this shouldn't be any different.

He trekked forward in a stalking position so that animals didn't hear him passing. He continued forward with his head lifted as scent continued to waft through his mouth. He licked his chomps to stop from drooling until Tabockie's scent nearly overwhelmed him. He changed his direction immediately and nearly pelted forward in readiness.

"Tabockie, where are you," he called as a squawk sounded. Kopa looked up and saw vultures hovering all around. His heart leaped into his chest as tears threatened to fall. "It's okay. It's okay!"

He pelted forward and saw that he was about to cross the border, but he didn't care. Tabockie was in trouble and he wasn't about to just leave his friend there.

He sailed over the border and landed in the Outlands. He shook out his pelt in fear with his eyes flickering as he strode forward with his paw nearly pointed forward as he licked his paw and continued forward.

"Tabockie," he whispered as he looked at the dusty clearing.

There was a sudden nervous cackling that could have only come from a hyena. He picked up and pace and pelted forward. He stopped dead as he saw a dusty colored lioness with glowing eyes. She was about Kopa's age and she had Tabockie pinned under her, baring her teeth in his face. Tabockie let out a nervous cackle as he closed his eyes.

"Hey," bellowed Kopa as he pelted forward. "Why don't you mess with someone your own size?!"

The lioness turned away and came toward Kopa with her teeth bared in a snarl, before it turned to almost a sneer. "You're one of those Pridelands' lions, aren't you," she taunted.

Kopa gulped with his throat nearly bulging. "Y-Yes," he stammered as he tried to make himself seem proud. "And that's my friend, so leave him be!" He leaned forward and extended his claws, trying to think of everything battle move that Tabockie had shown him in such a brief time.

The lioness licked her lips before she drew back with her ears plastered against her head. "Fine! Take that pathetic piece of fur back! We don't need him," snorted the lioness. "He's useless anyway. Stupid hyenas always stealing for food. One day my mother is going to make you pay for that!"

With that she turned and bounded away. Kopa was still in awe of her striking eyes and no fear when he realized why he was there; Tabockie.

"Tabockie," he exclaimed as he bounded over to his friend. He kneeled down and licked him between the ears. Tabockie lifted his head slightly and groaned. "Are you okay?"

Tabockie lifted his head slightly as he began to lick roughly at his shoulders where the lioness had struck him. "It's okay. It's just a scratch," reassured Tabockie as he rolled over onto his paws as he rose to his paws. He gave his pelt one more shake before his back arched with his claws jutting out a little. "She was feisty, wasn't she?"

"Yeah, she was," breathed Kopa in almost awe. He let out a breath before he slumped down, smiling despite himself.

Tabockie came over and gave him a harsh nudge in his shoulder. "Do you have bees in your brain? We have to get out of here! This is Outlands territory!"

"Right," grunted Kopa as he darted to his paws with Tabockie following. Together they safely crossed the border and landed back in their own territory. "What happened?"

Tabockie looked away from his friend as he licked his paw and drew it over his ears. "Well, what you might expect. I was looking for food and accidentally crossed the border and that's when she attacked me. Didn't even ask what happened. I thought that she was going to kill me."

Kopa shook his head, suddenly. "Was what she said true?"

"About what," questioned Tabockie.

"About everything," spat Kopa with his fur bristling along his spine. "Did you try to steal their food?"

Tabockie lowered his head into his shoulders before he passed Kopa. "Well, yeah, I suppose." Kopa gave him a hard look. "Hey, it's not my fault! Besides, those lions never finish what they catch. Either I would finish it up or the vultures would."

Kops continued to shake his head as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing. His ears were ringing because of it. "You would steal food and not wonder about the repercussions? That's warthog-brained!"

Tabockie drew backward in surprise with his eyes flickering slightly. Kopa had never spoke to him like that and he hadn't spoken to Kopa like that either. "Is that how you really feel," asked Tabockie with a bit of a snarl.

Kopa thrust his nose an inch from Tabockie's muzzle so that their noses were almost touching. "Yes. It. Is."

With a humph, Tabockie took off without another word. He pelted across the ground and Kopa swore that he could hear his cackling cries even from there. But, Kopa knew that he couldn't be friends with anyone who stole from others, even if it was Outlanders. He thought that Tabockie would be different, but he turned out just to be the same hyena that he had hoped never to meet.