Ch. 6- Kings Champion
Rushing in with sharp claws drawn
No enemies can withstand my might.
They tremble as I rush on forward
The very earth shaking beneath my feet
The sun was half-sunk below the horizon when Vitani spotted Simba and Kiara returning to Pride Rock. The princess was still in trouble for sneaking off and playing with an outlander, so the king had grounded her from leaving his side where he could keep an eye on her. Vitani watched them approach with eager blue eyes, all afternoon she and Maiz had been stuck in the crèche with the baby cubs as punishment for sneaking up on top of Pride rock. Tawali had escaped with Hiate and his mother on an outing to the elephant graveyard, and Vitani still felt the envy that had boiled inside of her when he had stuck his tongue out at the girls before dashing off. She wasn't used to being cooped up in one spot, hopefully Kiara would want to play and help relieve some of her boredom.
"I won! I won!" the princess screeched in delight as she raced forward and reached the base of Pride Rock several paw steps ahead of her father.
"Yes you did," Simba grinned down at her, a knowing smile on his face. Proudly Kiara pranced over to Maiz and Vitani, twitching her tail with an air of superiority.
"Do you guys wanna play?"
"Not now Kiara, it's time for lessons and then bed." Simbas' voice washed over the cubs before Vitani or Maiz could answer the princess.
"Aww daddy!" Kiara whined, looking pleadingly at him over her shoulder. Sternly he jerked his muzzle in a 'come on' gesture and Kiara sighed before padding dejectedly after him.
"Lessons?" Vitani asked, curious and wondering if she might finally have something to do besides lie lazily in the sun.
"About ruling the kingdom." Maiz supplied, yawning and stretching out her back as she explained. "Since Kiara's going to be queen someday she has to know a lot more than just how to hunt and care for cubs. Simba teaches her a lot of stuff, sometimes Kiara tells me what she learns. Some of it's cool," the brown cub admitted, licking a spot of dust off her chest before continuing. "Like how our bodies turn into grass and the antelope eat it so life makes a circle. But a lot of the time she can't play because she has to be studying stuff or practicing royal protocols or whatever. She can get really trapped sometimes. It makes me glad that I'm not princess."
"I dunno, I think it'd be cool to learn everything about the kingdom." Vitani replied, eyes wandering up the path where the golden king and his bouncing daughter had disappeared.
"Yeah, but I still wouldn't want to be princess." Maiz replied. "Mom may not always be able to spend the entire day with me and Tawali, but she's got a lot more time to spend with us then Simba or Nala have for Kiara. They're either out leading the hunting party or settling some stupid problem between the hippos and giraffes or something."
"I guess so," Vitani agreed quietly, a flash of her mothers familiar face crossing her mind.
"Hey, Tawali's back from the graveyard!" Maiz exclaimed, jumping up and racing Vitani to reach her brother. "Did you get to see elephant skulls? Where there any more hyenas?" she began bombarding the male cub with eager questions.
"No, Hiate's mom wouldn't let us see the bones. But we did see some spots on the ground that spit up fire!" the dark brown cub chatted, eyes glittering in excitement. "What did Meeka call them…" Tawali screwed up his face as he tried to remember, "Geysers, that's what she called them, they were really neat!" The young cub was so excited that he couldn't stand still and kept bouncing from paw to paw until Maiz and Vitani laughed at him.
"Bedtime kids!" Jarelles' voice ordered before Tawali could snap at the girls for laughing.
"Aww, come on!" All three chorused, looking at the lioness with pleading eyes.
"Nope, the suns almost down. It's time to go." Without another word she led the three cubs into the shelter of pride rock for the night.
It was dark when Vitani woke up hours later, the night lit only by the silver stars drifting through the sky. Restlessly she slipped out of the cave to stare at the shifting constellations, the cool wind blowing ruffling the slightly longer hairs on top of her head. Vitani settled herself down at the end of the rock shelf, staring aimlessly around at the darkened Pride Lands.
A solitary tear dripped from her whiskers, sparkling briefly with starlight before it shattered noiselessly on the stone at her feet. "Vinal?" Maiz's worried voice made Vitani start. "What are you doing out here?" Her gentle friend padded over and sat down next to Vitani, her face full of concern.
"I was just thinking," Vitani murmured, trying to hide the roughness in her voice caused by suppressed crying. She could tell the other girl was burning to ask what she was thinking about, and was grateful when Maiz kept silent. The cubs sat quietly at the end of pride rock for several minutes, watching shadows drift across the savannah and the river throw back the light from the stars as it flowed between its banks.
"I don't think I belong here Maiz," Vitani finally broke the silence, unable to keep her voice from quavering this time. She was completely surprised when Maiz rubbed against her with a gentle purr.
"Yeah, I kinda felt that way." The pride lands cub replied softly, meeting her friends blue eyes. "I really liked having you here but you're right, you're too…" she struggled to find the right word to explain. "You're too restless," she finally decided on. "It's like you're not a cub, like you're a full grown lioness who can take care of herself and enjoys being able to." Maiz finished, and looked awkwardly over the dark landscape again.
For several moments Vitani could only stare in disbelief at her friend. Maiz had managed to pin down exactly what Vitani was feeling and couldn't find the words to. "Thank you," she murmured gratefully, blushing a little though Maiz couldn't see it in the dark.
"Where will you go?" the other girl asked, concerned. Vitanis' mind froze momentarily, she couldn't tell Maiz that she was part of the exiled outlanders—it was too dangerous.
Overcoming her surprise Vitani shook her head and replied, "I don't know. But it doesn't matter where." She paused and looked down at her paws, a bit ashamed, "I just don't feel right here. It's a wonderful place," Vitani continued, eyes glimmering as she took in the lush grassland below them, "but the way you were talking about Kiara being trapped into learning to be a princess…that's how I feel staying here. It's so frustrating."
"I guess I understand," Maiz replied softly, a little sadness in her voice. With a noisy swallow though the brown cub got to her feet and said determinedly, "You should go now, before the lionesses wake up and cause a scene."
"Right," Vitani agreed, pushing herself up from the cool stone. "Thanks Maiz…you're a good friend," she told the other cub, rubbing her with her head, then pulling back, feeling slightly embarrassed.
"No problem," Maiz grinned impishly. "Now get going!" With an identical grin on her face Vitani raced silently down the stone ramp to the savannah. A short ways from the base she looked back up and saw Maiz watching her leave from the point. She flicked her tail in a goodbye wave and then raced off through the dark, heading homeward.
It was still dark when she reached the termite mound and crept past the drowsing sentry that was supposed to be keeping watch. On her way back Vitani had literally stumbled over a young antelope, and after killing it had dragged the body back to the termite mound with her. She hadn't been gone long, only two days, and hopefully her mother wouldn't have thought that her daughter had actually run off, but the meat wouldn't hurt to calm Ziras' temper.
Exhausted from the long trek Vitani slipped noiselessly around the sleeping members of the pride and flopped down near Kovu, careful not to wake him up even though she knew that her twin brother usually slept like a rock. However it was Nuka, not Kovu, that was awakened by his sisters' entry. Silently he watched her curl up on the red sand of cavern, and fall asleep with a sigh of contentment. A brotherly smile stole across his face as he watched her drift off to sleep.
"G'night 'Tani, I'm glad you're back." he whispered so softly that his voice made no more noise than the flutter of butterfly wings. Though he would never admit it, he had missed his sister during her adventure, but there was no way he could have denied her the chance at another life—especially one that he had tasted and still wished had not ended. As Nuka curled up into a tight ball to keep warm the memories of the Pridelands he knew from childhood drifted through his mind and finally shifted into dreams as he fell asleep.
"Tackle him!"
"Take her down!"
"Claw em to pieces!" The encouraging roars of the lioness drove Vitani forward in a lightning fast rush. She snarled savagely as she launched herself at Kovu, claws ripping at his flowing mane. The golden lion darted off to the side before he could retaliate, and the brother and sister circled each other warily. Though not yet full grown they were both solidly built, muscles pumping smooth as liquid under their dusty coats. Kovu was gasping slightly for air, their battle had been going on for nearly half an hour and he was tiring rapidly. Vitanis' breathing was also fast, her ribs appearing and disappearing as she panted.
With a roar Kovu leaped at her, and Vitani ducked her head and threw herself to one side to avoid the attack. But Kovu was prepared for her tactics, and he spun his hindquarters around to kick at her the instant his front paws hit the ground. Vitani hit the ground with a surprised grunt and in an instant Kovu was there, a heavy paw resting on the base of her skull.
"That's it!" Zira called before Vitani could even think of retaliating. "Kovu is the winner!" The other lionesses roared in approval, coming forward to congratulate the red lion as he removed his paw and helped Vitani back to her feet.
"Good fight, 'Tani," he said, still panting a little. Then wincing he added, "I'm going to hurt tomorrow."
"Any time little bro," She replied, taking deep breaths to recover from the kick that had knocked the breath out of her. As the admiring lioness surrounded Kovu Vitani melted back from the crowd, searching for her mother. She spotted her, watching the pride from the same perch she had surveyed the fight from. Vitani trotted over, anger growing on her face.
"Why did you call the fight?" she growled, glaring at the older lioness. "I could have slipped out from under his paw no problem." Ziras' eyes glinted angrily to be spoken to so harshly by her own daughter, and for a moment it seemed like she might attack Vitani. The golden half-grown felt a little shiver of fear, but stood her ground. Then the angry look passed, replaced by one that made Zira look old and tired.
"Come with me Vitani." Confused, the young lioness followed her mother across the barren wasteland. For several minutes they walked without speaking, and Vitanis' mind began to wander as she accepted that her mother was not going to punish her. As they walked side-by-side she realized how easily she fell in step with her mothers shifting gait, and it shocked her to realize that she no longer needed to trot to keep up.
"Vitani…" Zira finally spoke, her tone more gentle than Vitani had heard it in ages. "I didn't let you keep fighting because…" her mother paused, she seemed almost afraid to finish the sentence. "Because I knew you would win," Zira finally spat out, glancing over her shoulder as though checking that no one else was around.
"But, then why stop the fight?" Vitani questioned, confused.
"Because your brother cannot be beaten," Zira said simply, she turned to look at her daughter and she too seemed surprised at how much Vitani had grown; she no longer needed to crane her neck to look down and meet her blue eyes. "I have trained the two of you to be the best possible warriors that you can be," she continued speaking while pausing her steps and looking back in the direction of the pride. "But it is Kovu who must be the strongest! They can never see him beaten in a fight!" She growled with conviction. "A pride is led by lions, not lionesses. Never mind that it is the lionesses who bring in all the food, and fight to the death to protect their cubs."
Zira struck angrily at the ground with a paw, and Vitani suddenly realized how hard it had been for her mother to keep the pride together this long in such a barren land, and how she had trained Kovu, not just for the sake of beating Simba, but to link the outlanders together into the single, united pride they had been at the time of exile.
"Vitani, I'm very proud of you," Zira continued, shocking her daughter with the blunt praise. "You have become the champion fighter that I always knew you would be." A smile stole across the mothers face as she looked at her wide-eyed daughter and repeated, "I'm proud of you Vitani. While Kovu is the one we will rally around you will be the force in battle that gives others the courage to go forward and fight!" Ziras' voice had grown in fervor and pitch as she spoke, and her eyes acquired a glint of what was almost madness. But the exiled queen took a deep breath to calm herself before continuing, "And when we win, though it will be Kovu who takes the throne, it will be you who is the champion. Do you understand what I mean Vitani?"
The young lioness didn't answer for a moment, blue eyes gazing across the sand filled landscape that was home. Vitani thought hard about what her mother had said, and wondered if she really did understand. It was lion nature to be led and protected by a strong male, and from fighting Kovu for so many years she knew that because sheer size and weight he was the only one who stood a chance against Simba in a battle for the throne. She could accept that, what she had never really given thought to was her own role.
'It will be you who is the champion,' her mothers' words played over and over in a loop through her mind, until Vitani could almost taste the sweetness of victory. Yes, she did understand she realized, staring into the blue sky above. Kovu was the leader but she, Vitani, was the one who would give him strength. Her skill and loyalty in battle would draw others to his side until they were an unbeatable force; able to attain any heights they sought.
"Yes, mother," Vitani replied, voice steady and full of resolve. "I understand. I will be the King's champion." With those words the golden lioness bowed her head, accepting the fate handed to her.
Zira smiled softly, the little used expression coming slowly to her face. "You're a good daughter Vitani. Let's go home." Both lionesses rose to their feet and walked sedately back to the rest of the pride without another word. They knew their duty to their pride, there was no need to speak—only do.
A/N- Well that's it, I hope you liked the story. This last part was hard to figure out how to write so please let me know if it doesn't make sense. I also kind of wanted to explain how it's when Vitani turns her back on her mother in the movie that all the other outlanders follow her and not Zira. Hopefully that comes across. I would also appreciate it if everyone read my poem that inspired this story, (http://w ww.fanfi 92250/1/Vit anisGha zal just copy the link into your browser and take out the spaces) I think they fit together well, and please review on both! Until next time!