A New Life

We are all in danger

"Kovu getting angry and snapping at everyone won't help us find Kiara. And in doing so, you're only hurting yourself," Simba said firmly as he stood in front of an enraged Kovu who had just swiped at an old tree, causing its rotten bark to scatter across the grass. Simba and Nala, along with Kovu's parents, Tasha, Vitani and Marisa were gathered at the edge of the gorge where they had just finished searching for Kiara.

Since morning the pride had been scouring the Pride Lands leaving no stone unturned as they searched for the lost lioness. Kovu in particular had ordered everyone to search in all the likely places where he thought Kiara could be. He had even sent ten lionesses to the jungle where Simba grew up, in hopes of his beloved being there. Fortunately they had more than enough lions and lionesses to spare in which to search for Kiara to which Kovu was entirely grateful.

But now he was anything but grateful. It was already past noon and still Kiara was nowhere to be found.  Now seated on the grass, Kovu took deep breaths and tried to calm his frazzled nerves. He closed his eyes and tried his very hardest to keep his anger intact; but at the rate things were going, it wasn't long before he had yet another outburst.

The last outburst he had involved he and Simba getting into an intense argument as they blamed each other for Kiara's disappearance, even though they fully well knew that Maana was responsible for the whole thing. Diana walked up to her son and placed her paw on his shoulder and he glanced up at her, anguish in his emerald green eyes.

Bringing his head close to her chest, Diana rubbed his back with her paw and tried her best to comfort him. Just like a mother was supposed to. Just then two lionesses came running up to the group and skidded to a halt in front of Kovu, panting hard as they tried to regain their breaths.

Both of them were former outsiders, one was named Kaia  and she had aqua blue eyes, grey fur and had a tuff of fur covering her right eye. The other was named Mona and she also had grey fur, but unlike Kai, Mona had orange eyes and no tuff of fur on her face. After their breathing reduced to normal, they both bowed respectfully to Kovu and he addressed them saying, "Mona, Kai what do you have to report?" 

"Your majesty while we were at the Northern border searching for the Queen, we saw a lioness emerge from the outlands. We couldn't distinguish her features very well," Kai said efficiently. Kovu growled loudly causing everyone to back away, fear in their eyes. Rising slowly, Kovu walked up to them and asked in a low tone, where the lioness was headed, to which they replied, "She was running to  Pride Rock."

Without another word Kovu turned around and ran in the direction of Pride Rock with the others following closely behind. Not much conversation was exchanged between them as they raced across the savannah. When they arrived at Pride Rock shortly after, they all stopped and stared at the scene before them.  

Alisa stood there and faced them, her blue eyes held a fair amount of wariness as she gazed at her father's enemies. Her eyes held neither malice nor hatred, but she was wary still the same. She gingerly approached them and sat down, wondering why they hadn't made a move to attack her yet. She thought wrong.

Vitani stepped forward and glared at Alisa, her violet eyes penetrating and cold.
"What are YOU doing here?" she asked threateningly. Alisa flinched and stepped back a few inches, not wanting to be so close to Vitani, for fear she'll get hurt. Not that she faulted her, after all they were enemies. 

"I asked you a question answer me!" Vitani shouted.
Alisa whimpered and opened her mouth to speak only to have Vitani pin her down and hover over her in a deathly manner. With a viscous snarl, Vitani raised her paw to strike Alisa to make her talk, but was stopped by Kovu.

"Hold on Vitani, let her say what she has to say. She wouldn't have dared to step foot in the Pride Lands if she didn't have a legitimate reason for trespassing; am I right Alisa?" he asked lowly. When Vitani had stepped to the side, Alisa stood up and sighed in relief.

Taking a breath to calm her nerves and prepare herself for what she was about to say, Alisa waited a moment before she spoke, her voice even.
"I have come to warn you all. I have some grave news to deliver and I am led to believe that you, as well as everyone in the Pride Lands is in great danger," she said.

Kovu straightened and requested Alisa to say no more. Turning around he motioned everyone else over and when they came, Alisa continued.
"After our pride left us to join you, my family and I left the outlands and went to stay in a secluded cave away from prying eyes to... live amongst ourselves. This morning my father and I had an argument and I ran away to the outlands to reflect and be by myself."

Alisa didn't mention what the argument was about, realising that her mate leaving her had nothing to do with the subject on hand. She then proceeded to tell them everything. Seeing Cougar and his pride in the cave, seeing Kiara being restrained, their plan to use her as leverage over Kovu and their vast numbers. Kovu listened to this and his lips curled into a bitter smile.

"So that's his game. To use Kiara as leverage over me to get what he wants. That sick bastard," he said in a humourless voice as he paced the platform in agitation. Vitani turned to face Alisa, her eyes narrowed as she surveyed her up and down.
"You came here to tell us about Cougar and you also gave us Kiara's location. What do you want in return for the intel?" she asked harshly.

Alisa bristled in indignation as she looked at the hostile lioness, trying to remain calm. 
"Cougar and his family aren't exactly best friends with my family just as much as he isn't best friends with you all. Surely you haven't forgotten the reason they left the outlands in the first place," she said as she tried to show Vitani that she had no ulterior motive other than warning them of Cougar's evil plans.

"Of course we haven't forgotten the feud Alisa, but that doesn't mean we've forgotten what you and your family did to us. You kidnapped Kiara, Chad forced himself on her and you've had so many of our lionesses killed. How could we forget that?" Vitani scoffed.
"You aren't the only one who's suffered losses Vitani. I too have suffered a loss and I'm just as hurt as anyone should be if it were them in my place," Alisa snapped abrasively surprising everyone.

Marisa stepped up and looked sadly at Alisa. "No loss could be as bad as a cub losing its father. The lion who's cub I'm carrying left me and he also said he didn't want to raise the cub with me,"
Alisa stiffened and ran her paw over her stomach where her own cub lay nestled in her womb.
"My mate left me too. He said he didn't want me anymore and he had no interest in raising cubs," she said softly.

Marisa felt tears sting her eyes. Alisa had lost her mate and also the father of her unborn cubs just like her. On impulse, Marisa stepped up and embraced Alisa.
"I'm so sorry for what happened to you," Marisa said softly as she stroked Alisa's fur with her paw. Alisa inhaled sharply and fought back a rush of emotion as she returned Marisa's embrace. "Thank you Marisa. It means a lot to me," she said in a choked voice.