The Lion King: Time of Kopa

Chapter 54: Insanity

Zira opened her eyes to see the dark sky turning into a morning gold. She hardly realized through blurry vision that she had been laying in the same place as before, where she thought was going to be her deathbed. She could vaguely remember the fight between her and Simba. Her most prominent and haunting memory was the look of disappointment in Imani's eyes as she stood over her. It was then and there that Imani finally lost Zira's control over her, where she found her own. It was the first time someone had been able to stand over Zira. Her words still echoed in Zira's ears as she struggled to lift up her head to look up into the sky.

You're pathetic.

You're pathetic.

You're pathetic.

Zira's eyes began to gloss over with hot tears. Her inner monologue with Imani's voice became louder and more torturous until it boomed with a twisted version of the same message, but in a deeper, much more masculine voice. A voice she recognized so well, it pained her to hear it.

You've disappointed me.

Zira's head hurt from all of the voices in her head, and it made her dizzy. Through her kaleidoscoped vision she could make out Scar's headed outline in the clouds. Her heart jumped with excitement for a second, until she focused in on the disappointment in his eyes and in his deep frown. Her head began to throb and her heart pained her even more.

" I'm so sorry..." her voice came out raspy and barely above a whisper.

Scar's eyes only hardened on her. His frown didn't twitch, so Zira assumed he didn't hear her.

" I'm so sorry! It won't happen again... I'm sorry... my beloved Scar... please... forgive me..." her eyes never left his as saliva dripped from the sides of her mouth.

Zira was on the brink of insanity as she stood in the storm that she created. Her obsession with Scar brought her to this point. She struggled along the way with many failures, but this one left her broken and bruised, mentally, emotionally, and physically. The temperature around her felt as cold as ice. The pain she felt in her head and heart spread to her whole body. She groaned in agony between sentences. She tried to stand on wobbly legs, but could only get into a sitting position. She continued to scream apologies to the clouds that held the face she both loved and hated to see at the same time.

The sky got darker as her own emotions got more intense. The clouds began to cry with her, soaking her thin fur and touching her skin like acid. The clouds that created Scar's mane began to swirl faster and faster, and Zira screamed louder and louder with desperation. She stared into Scar's face. His eyes pierced into hers and somehow hardened even more. Soon she was no longer screaming apologies, but putting herself down in a pool of self-hatred.

She didn't know that her eldest son was approaching her. Nuka had woken up and noticed that his mother still hadn't returned from the day before. He grew worried and ventured out to find her. He could hear her screaming incomprehensible sentences, and when she came into view a lump formed in his throat. He stopped in his tracks to analyze her before calling out. She was sitting in the middle of a dirt field. Dried blood colored the ground a dark red color, and the hundreds of cuts on her lanky body caused Nuka to wince from phantom pain.

He wanted to rush up and help her but the simple sight of his mother finally reaching her point of mental exhaustion left him frozen in shock. He looked up and down her body, his mouth dropping slowly. She was covered in sweat and Nuka could only imagine the stinging pain that she felt through her cuts as the salty liquid infected them. He heard her mention Scar multiple times, followed by apologies. He traced her gaze and looked up at the clouds, but to him there was nothing there.

Nuka took a deep breath and closed his eyes so the sight of her would stop locking him in place. He started walking up to her, yet the closer he got his heart beat faster and harder. Soon, he was standing at her feet with his heart pounding in his ears. He choked on his own saliva when he hesitated to speak. He was scared that she was going to snap at the first word spoken.

" Mother?" he bit his tongue to prepare for a scolding.

But instead, her voice got softer. She stopped screaming, yet she continued to mumble the same apologies and self-loathing words. At this point, Nuka knew his mother was in a state of mental paralysis. She was struggling with her inner demons. He tried to reassure her when she once again mentioned Scar.

" Scar isn't here, Mother. You're hallucinating."

She stopped looking at the sky and looked at Nuka, yet she didn't see him. She stared right through him with bloodshot eyes. She stopped mumbling nonsense, but she still groaned in pain.

" The rain hurts," she whispered.

" It's not raining either. You're sweating," Nuka felt terrible for her.

" The rain hurts," she repeated, louder.

Nuka sighed, knowing he wouldn't get through to her. After a moment of silence she looked back to the sky and screamed again. Nuka knew he had to get her back home. He went around and nuzzled her back to get her to move.

" Let's get you out of the rain, then," he went along with it.

She obliged easily and the farther they limped away from the bloody battlefield, the more she calmed down. Soon, she was looking at the ground, crying silently. Nuka could hear her sniffles as he walked beside her. He had never seen his mother so low in life, and it pained him so much.

" I'll take care of you," he promised her.

Once they got back to the den, little Kovu ran up to them with a large smile.

" Mama! Play with me Mama!" he giggled loudly, awakening the whole pride.

Nuka nudged Zira into the den and growled to himself as Kovu attempted to get past him to meet with their mother. He stopped the cub with his large paw and pushed him away. Kovu playfully growled and tried to nip at Nuka's back legs. The older lion whipped around and growled roughly in the cub's face.

" Go away, you little termite! Mother needs lots of rest for a long time. So take your annoying little antics and go somewhere else!" Nuka stormed off into the den, leaving innocent Kovu in the dust.

That was the first time the Chosen One felt anger, and the many moons following that day was filled with neglect and ignorance while Zira was recovering. This fed Kovu's evil Outlandic nature, and without Zira's teaching, he grew up to be a hateful lion on his own. Zira's goal for him was to avenge Scar by killing Simba, but Kovu eventually made his own:

Kill Simba for hurting his mother.

This is probably the last "Outlands" chapter. This situation fuels Kovu's evil nature in my story. It was months of neglect and ignorance from Zira while she recovered that created his nature.

Also this is my first chapter since my super long break. Sorry about the wait, I'm at the end of the story so it's getting boring to write. I wrote this chapter before, but it didn't save so I lost it. This is the rewrite and it's much better than before but you guys won't know that.

What do you think?