The Lion King: The Retold Continuation

Part I, Chapter V: His Suffering

Zira pinned Kopa down firmly with one paw fastened on his chest. He struggled to breathe under the pressure put on him by Zira's strong hold, frantically trying to land a strike on her with one of his unsheathed claws. Zira placed another paw on his face, forcing Kopa's head to the side against the dirt, muffling his screams.

"For years, I waited for this moment, little prince. Now it seems that your father's wrongs have all caught up to you." Zira sank her claws slowly into Kopa's chest. The cub opened his eyes wide. He felt his heart racing.

She then released Kopa's body of both paws, letting her victim catch his breath. Only to swipe at him, as if he was a fly. The cub soared through the air, then slammed back to the ground, out of air, feeling pain throughout his entire body. He still gathered all the strength he could and began crawling. Kopa tried to yell, but all that came out were weak noises from his open mouth. "Help..."

Zira caught him by surprise again, dragging the cub back with her paw. "Now, now, young cub, not so fast." she taunted. "We've only just begun."

He desperately struggled under Zira's heavy weight. The lioness placed a paw under Kopa's neck, unsheathing a claw, and positioned it at his throat threateningly. "Remember I said it was only going to be a prick and it would be over? Hmm?" Kopa held still above her claw below his throat. "I lied, little prince. Your agony will last a while. Maybe even too long for you to handle..."

Zira removed her paw from under the cub's neck, giving him another chance to gulp in air. Kopa coughed. Zira only taunted him more. "Any comments to our little game?"

"Why..." Kopa croaked. "Zira...why?"

"Because your father was responsible for a death that my dear Scar never deserved." Zira began whispering into her prey's ear "So why not give him what it feels like. I want the Pride Lands back under the rightful ruler's legacy. So I'm attacking that ruler's murderer-in his weakest spot."

Kopa drew in a breath. "If you kill me, you'll be just as bad as my father then, Zira..." he rasped.

The lioness snarled, then flipped the cub on his back, pressing a paw on his neck. Kopa's breathing only got weaker, and he knew that Zira had no intention of letting him live. But he also knew that she wasn't going to make it a quick end either. "Oh, shut up stupid cub. You know NOTHING!" The lioness spat out the last word as if it was a curse. Kopa closed his eyes and braced as Zira raised her paw, claws extended.

Several minutes continuosly went by. Kopa was forced to endure multiple strikes, each one making him bleed faster.

"THIS-"

Zira clawed at his back.

"WILL-"

Kopa was thrown into a tree.

"LAST-"

Zira pinned him against the trunk as she slashed at his side.

"AS LONG AS I PLEASE!"

Zira cackled as she held her victim against the wood. She leaned her head forward, towards Kopa's face. The cub's eyes were half closed now, as he was struggling to keep them open. They were noticeably full of fear, but also a spark of unexpected determination. Seeing this, Zira dug her claws into Kopa's chest.

Unable to scream out his pain, the cub threw both front paws, claws unsheathed into the leg that she held him down with. In doing so, Zira only forced down on him with more strength. Kopa felt his breathing cut short.

The lioness them let him go, giving him air. "I think I toyed with you enough, now." Her prey's breathing was slow, almost completely silent.

As weak as he was and feeling severe pain throughout his entire small body, Kopa still gathered the strength to rasp out what he was certain to be his last words. "Zira...you won't get anything out of taking me...Scar was never a good ruler, and you won't get him back by doing this..." He felt his life slowly fading.

Zira felt the offense that her victim just spoke in his words. As infuriated as she was, the lioness only got more motivation to finish the job. "Trying to be smart are you, eh? Well, you're about to pay the price, little one." Zira grined before giving her final sendoff. "Good night, little prince."

The lioness' jaws clamped down around the cub's neck. Kopa couldn't breathe now, and felt the end coming closer as his heartbeat slowed. Zira raised him from the ground, giving him a harder chance to draw in a breath. Her prey's struggles slowed down and then stopped.

This is it..., Kopa thought. And almost an instant later, he felt the jaws around his neck release. His body fell to the ground again, taking in a great deal of air. In his blurry vision, he saw two figures, one who he knew was Zira. But unable to gather enough air to stay awake, he passed out on his own blood, sure that he wouldn't wake up ever again.