The Lion King: Time of Kopa

Chapter 8: Innocence

^Art is not mine^

Vitani crouched low to the ground, stalking her older brother, Nuka. Her breathing was still and her tail curled up into the air. A small tuft of fur on her head shifted in a slight breeze. Her lavender-blue eyes focused intently on Nuka, who was sitting with his back facing her.

Vitani burst out of some dead bushes, head-butting Nuka's lower back. She fell back and giggled loudly. All lionesses nearby jumped from the sudden burst of laughter.

Nuka turned around with a growl. Vitani, despite her hard first few months of life, was a happy cub. Zira's darkness hadn't reached Vitani's mind yet. She was still innocent.

" Play with me, Nuka!" Vitani giggled as she lay on her back.

Nuka ignored her and walked away, rolling his eyes. She was annoying. Vitani rolled over onto her stomach as a frown appeared on her face. She watched Nuka's scrawny form limp away until she heard paw-steps behind her.

She turned her head to find Zira approaching with a small grin on her face. Vitani smiled at her mother.

" Mother! Come play with me!"

Zira walked right past her daughter, ignoring her completely. She approached a group of lionesses. Vitani frowned again and walked the opposite way with her head down.

Zira stood tall above her pride members. They all stood to attention. Most of them could tell Zira was thinking about something.

Zira started speaking to them about something Vitani couldn't comprehend. A few minutes later, five lionesses broke from the group and quickly left. The rest of the lionesses went back to whatever they were doing before.

Vitani ran up behind Zira, who hadn't moved.

" Where are they going, Mother?" She asked innocently.

Zira growled at her nosiness. She refused to look at her daughter. Looking at her would only instill anger. Vitani kept her eyes locked on Zira, waiting for an answer.

" That is none of your concern, Vitani," Zira spoke through clenched teeth.

She tried to remain calm. Vitani was only a cub. Despite her hatred toward her own daughter, Zira resisted the urge to use violence. At least, as much as she could.

" Well, can I go with them?" Vitani cautiously asked.

Zira whirled around and snarled in Vitani's face.

" No!"

She then stormed into the den with her tail thrashing behind her. Vitani's head drooped low to the ground as tears filled her eyes.

A pride member, by the name of Imani, came up next to Vitani once Zira was out of earshot.

" Is everything alright, dear?" Imani looked at Vitani with concerned brown eyes.

Vitani looked up. Imani had a dull, brown coat. Everything about her looked unhealthy. But by the tone of her voice, she seemed nice.

" Why is my mother so mean to me?" Vitani asked in full seriousness.

Imani looked around for Zira before answering. She would surely kill Imani for speaking to her daughter about such a thing. Luckily, Zira was still in her den. Imani looked back down at Vitani and frowned.

" Your mother is mean to everyone. She's just like that."

Vitani looked at the ground.

" I feel like she's meaner to me than anyone else."

Imani wouldn't dare tell Vitani the truth. Zira hated Vitani more than anyone in the pride, only because she was a useless girl. Zira wanted a male, someone strong enough to replace Simba as king. Sure, she had Nuka, but he was born into famine. He was born weak due to Zira's lack of food during Scar's reign. He never changed.

Imani didn't know how to reply to Vitani's words. She didn't want to lie to her.

" Listen, Vitani. Your mother loves you. She might not show it very well, or at all, but trust that she has love for you deep in her heart," Imani gave her best, honest answer.

Vitani only shrugged her shoulders.

" Has mother always been this way?"

" Not exactly. I grew up with your mother. She didn't use to be constantly angry."

" Then what happened?"

Imani was even getting irritated with Vitani's questions. She considered telling Vitani about Scar, and the Pridelands. It wasn't like Zira was going to tell her. She could barely look at Vitani, let alone teach her a history lesson.

" Your mother wasn't like this until she met a lion named Scar," Imani began.

Vitani's head shot up in interest. Her eyes begged Imani to continue.

" Who's Scar?"

" He was her first mate, but not your father," Imani was struggling to find the right words.

" Then who was?"

" Some rogue was your father, but that's besides the point. Scar used to be the King of the Pridelands, until a lion by the name of Simba killed him and took back the throne. Your mother has been seeking revenge on Simba for killing Scar. That's why she's always so angry."

At that moment, Imani was smacked to the ground by a large paw. She lifted her shocked face to find it belonged to Zira. She charged and stood over Imani, roaring as loud as she could. Imani had never seen her so angry.

" How dare you tell my daughter about the past!" She lifted an unsheathed paw and scratched the side of Imani's face.

Imani grew angry at Zira's actions.

" You're the one stuck in the past!" Imani roared back.

Zira snarled and snapped a warning bite centimeters from Imani's muzzle.

" Never speak to my daughter again!"

She then lifted herself off of the pinned lioness. A deep growl continued to throttle in her throat.

Imani stayed on the ground and watched as Zira picked up Vitani by her middle and carried her away into the den. Imani's legs shook as she struggled to stand. Fresh, warm blood seeped from her four-clawed wound.

She limped away from the den as other pride members stood, shocked from the scene. Back inside the den, Zira dropped trembling Vitani.

Vitani, too scared to speak, watched as her mother began to walk back outside.

" Don't you dare leave this cave," Zira warned.

Vitani silently nodded before resting her head between her front paws to cry.

Imani- "Faith"