The Lion King: Legend of Kopa

Chapter Fifteen

   Nala raced down the gorge toward Kopa's corpse. "My baby!" She cried, laying down with Kopa's motionless body between her front legs. "My precious...my Kopa...ohh! He's gone!"
   Simba was on Nala's heels. His face was a mixture of rage, horror, and intense grief.
   Zira took a step back, her heart pulsing faster than a gazelle running from a cheetah. She hadn't given much thought to what Simba might do to her before, and now that it was clear Zira had killed Kopa, she feared for her life.
   "You," Nala snarled at Zira, every hair on her spine sticking up in rage. "You...you killed my son!!!!"
  "No, I didn't," Zira replied calmly and casually, licking her paw. "The little brat was playing with the hyenas again."
   Obviously Nala didn't buy it. She lunged toward Zira and scratched her cheek. Zira let out a pained yelp and staggered backward, blood dripping from her face.
   Simba galloped up to Zira. "You are a disgusting murderer!" He roared. "You will pay for this, Zira. You killed my son."
  
   Dark, stormy clouds had covered the sky by the time Simba, Nala and Zira returned to Pride Rock. Zira wondered if the darkening sky was Mufasa grieving his grandson's death, or Scar congratulating Zira on avenging him. Or possibly even both.
   Nala hung her head. She was carrying Kopa's dusty, bloody body in her mouth. Zira heard a faint grumble of thunder in the sky overhead.
   At Pride Rock, Simba called for a pride meeting at the front. All the lionesses were shocked to see Kopa's dead body laying at Simba's paws, and blood around Zira's mouth. Out of the corner of her eye, Zira saw her daughter Vitani come out of the den to see what was going on. Vitani took one look at Kopa's corpse and there was more pain and grief in her violet eyes than Zira had ever seen in her before.
   Zira had almost forgotten about Kopa and Vitani's close friendship.
   "My pride," Simba began loudly so he could be heard amongst all the lionesses, "As you can see, my son, Kopa, the future heir to Pride Rock, has died in the paws of one of us."
   It seemed like everyone else had already guessed who was responsible for Kopa's death. The lionesses started whispering to each other and shooting Zira very cold, dirty looks.
   "Zira has murdered my son," Simba continued sadly. "I don't know why." He turned to Zira. "Zira, do you have anything to say in your defence?"
   Sudden rage surged through Zira. "You or Kopa were never the correct heir to the Pridelands!" She yowled angrily. "These lands have always belonged to Scar, and they always will belong to him. You murdered my dear Scar, and so you will pay for it."
   Simba bared his teeth. "Zira, I have no choice but to banish you to the Outlands. You have been exiled, and if you ever set paw in the Pridelands again, I will have to kill you. Now, go. And take your cubs with you."
   Nuka and Vitani looked shocked and devastated. There was actually pain in Simba's reddish-brown eyes when he said Zira had to take her cubs along with her. It was like Simba didn't want to exile two innocent cubs, but he had no choice.
   A low growl rumbled in Zira's throat. "As you wish, your majesty," She sneered quietly with a snarl. She slowly prowled over to Nuka and Vitani and nudged them forward with her tail. She looked back at all the other lionesses. "Does anyone want to come with me?" Zira asked. "You wouldn't want to follow this weak excuse for a king, would you? I will be a strong, fearsome leader. The leader Simba nor Mufasa ever was. I will be the tough leader Scar was."
   The lionesses glanced around at each other. All of them seemed to refuse to go with Zira.
   Then, a moment later, a few of the lionesses did step forward. They said they wanted to go with Zira. Zira smiled with satisfaction.
   "Take your followers and scram," Simba hissed. Zira could hear Timon and Pumba in the background, sobbing over Kopa's death.
   As soon as Zira, Nuka and Vitani, and Zira's followers left Pride Rock, it began to rain.

Author's Note: This isn't the end!! There's an epilogue, so read that too!!!!