The Lion King: Time of Kopa

Chapter 19: A New Plan

•Two Months Later•

Zira was pacing in front of her den once more. She dragged her feet across the dusty ground, leaving claw marks in the dirt and scratches on the rock. Her entire pride watched her as she walked with malice.

She was almost unbearable to watch. One could only guess what she was thinking. She mumbled between bared teeth and her tail swished back and forth in major frustration.

Nuka and Vitani lay in the den entrance, watching their mother with rolling eyes. Vitani was now six months old, and with the last two months came a nasty attitude. Zira's evilness was finally influencing her.

No longer a playful and bright cub, Vitani was more venomous in her words and had the independence of a young adult. She was forced to grow up fast due to Zira wanting nothing to do with her. Vitani, despite her changed nature, still wanted to leave the Outlands and her abusive mother.

No matter how much Zira's darkness got to her, Vitani would always hate Zira as much as Zira hated her. And that was that. The only difference was that Zira loved Vitani at least a little bit. Vitani followed Zira with her eyes until her head hurt. She rolled over onto her back and looked up at the morning sky.

She felt Nuka breathing beside her. She looked over at her older brother and found his eyes following Zira. He seemed almost hypnotized. Nuka and Vitani became almost inseparable. Fights between them were still common, but most of the time they got along quite well.

" I can't wait to get out of this hellhole," Vitani whispered the Nuka.

Nuka shifted his weight to a more comfortable position.

" Why don't you just run away if you want to leave so badly?" He questioned, his eyes still following Zira.

" Are you kidding me? Where am I supposed to go?"

Nuka shrugged," The Pridelands?"

" You think I haven't thought of that already? Where would I go from there?"

Nuka shrugged again and sighed. He seemed exhausted just from watching Zira. His eyes slowly closed as Vitani stood up. She stretched and yawned before sitting down.

" Besides, Mother watches me like a hawk, despite her hatred toward me. She'd surely send out a search party for me if I suddenly disappeared," Vitani added.

Zira's actions confused Vitani. She hated her daughter, yet wouldn't do anything about it. She wouldn't kill Vitani or let her leave. The truth was Zira's motherly side took over when it came to Vitani's protection. She just showed that love in an odd way, making it seem strongly abusive.

Suddenly, a loud thud brought Vitani out of her thoughts to focus on the source of the sound. She looked in front of her to find that Zira had worked up enough anger to lift her upper body and stomp heavily on the ground with her front claws. Her nails were stuck in the dirt, but she didn't seem to mind. Dust flew everywhere.

Zira was breathing hard. Her sudden outburst took a lot out of her old body. The pride watched with fear as their leader struggled to keep herself under enough control. Everyone refused to speak up. They feared a smack to the ground if they dared to talk.

" Six moons," Zira growled, nearly inaudible.

Still, no one spoke. Zira roared and started pacing again. Her red eyes scanned the pride with utter rage.

" It's been six moons since that little hairball Kopa was born and I haven't done anything about it!"

The pride now understood how angry she was with herself. They had no doubt she would take it out on everyone else.

" Kopa is getting older by the minute! I need a new plan. Something that will rid him once and for all..." Zira looked at her pride, hoping for an answer.

When none came, she roared louder than before," Answer me!"

" Per- perhaps you could ki- kidnap Kopa like you did with Simba?" Imani, Zira's best friend, bravely spoke up.

Zira approached her friend, calmer than before.

" But what about Simba?" Zira spoke slowly  through bared teeth as she tried to keep her anger contained the best she could.

" What about him? If you kill Kopa, Simba and Nala would be much too depressed to fight back. Although, it's also likely they'd be so angry they'd fight stronger than ever," Imani suggested.

Zira considered the idea. It wasn't all a bad plan. If she went through with it, she would have a 50/50 chance of taking back the throne and avenging Scar. This chance was better than none, and Zira would take the slightest chance.

Zira crookedly grinned, liking the plan more and more as she thought about it.

" Thank you, Imani."

Imani bowed. Zira turned around and walked toward the den, mentally simulating the new plan. She walked between Vitani and Nuka, ignoring them.

" Mother? I heard that Nala is taking Kopa on a hunting lesson near sunset," Nuka confessed.

Zira only nodded before entering the den, allowing the darkness to consume her lanky body.