Lone Lion: Kopa's Story (Lion King Fanfiction)

Chapter 13: Fire

"Fire," echoed Kopa as he darted to the edge of the rockface. He then leaned forward with his claws scraping against the edge as he looked into the edge of the pridelands as he saw the glowing orangeish glow.

Nala let out a gasp before she looked around. "Milik, Hulis, with me," she yowled as the two lionesses bounded forward and joined their queen's side.

"Mom," whimpered Kiara.

Nala turned her head and narrowed her eyes. "You two stay here, I mean it," she growled sternly with her fur bristling along her spine. "Kapro, watch them. Er, you know what I mean!" With that she darted forward with the two lionesses following.

Suddenly, the blind lion came forward as he stayed beside the two cubs. He certainly wasn't a lion that could hunt, but he helped with the healers usually. But, he also did anything that Nala and Simba needed, including babysitting the cubs when they needed it.

"Alright, let's go inside," meowed Kapro as he nudged Kiara's flank as he pushed her toward the den.

Kaira shook her head. "No! What about mom and dad," she nearly wailed.

"They'll be fine," reassured Kapro. "But we need to get out of here. The smoke can travel here in a heartbeat."

Kopa couldn't help but narrow his eyes as he bunched his muscles and shook his head. "I have to help them," he breathed to himself.

"What," asked Kapro as he turned his head to fix Kopa with a blind stare.

Kopa didn't wait for Kapro to say anything else. He surged forward from priderock as he heard Kapro yowl. He darted forward and felt the wind whip past his fur, bringing the smoke toward him. He coughed heavily and shook his head to clear it as he darted forward once more.

He continued into the pridelands as the smoke began to overwhelm him. He began to nearly gag as the fire continued to burn around them. He nearly squeezed his eyes as he walked forward. He knew that he had no idea where he was going and how to get back. This wasn't a good idea.

"Dad," Kopa tried to call. "Sarabi!"

He was about to leap forward before a flash of fire rose up and blocked his path. He drew backwards as he cowered backwards in fear as he realized that there was no way out. He coughed and hacked as he drew backwards in fear. His ears plastered against his head with his head lowered into his shoulders.

"DAD!"

The smoke burned his eyes as tears began to stream from his face. He lowered down slightly as his muscles throbbed in exhaustion. He slumped down as his vision swam in front of him.

Before he could completely lose consciousness, something nudged him. He looked up and saw Sarabi. "You have to get up."

"I'll wait here," he mumbled tiredly.

Sarabi sunk her teeth into Kopa's scruff and nearly threw him forward. "You must if you want to survive!"

Kopa managed to thrust her paws under her and rose to his paws. He coughed again as he struggled forward. Sarabi sunk her teeth into Kopa's shoulder and threw him forward. Kopa screamed as he felt a rush of adrenaline as Sarabi darted forward and forced him forward.

They continued through the fiery pridelands before a tree suddenly fell, blocking their path. Sarabi drew backwards with his ears plastered against his head. She then growled as she sunk her teeth into Kopa's scruff and leaped over it in a massive bound. Kopa felt his stomach rise in his throat as he closed his eyes so tightly that he prayed that when he opened them up it would all be a dream.

Sarabi set him down as she turned and her ears twisted on her head. Kopa's did as well as he heard a whimper, or more like a cackle.

Sarabi bunched her muscles as she readied to leap forward. Kopa lunged forward and skidded to a halt in front of Sarabi. "Sarabi, wait," he exclaimed as he reared on his hind legs to try and stop her.

Sarabi narrowed her eyes as she nudged Kopa. "There's someone in there! We just can't let them die. We have a right to protect them," she pointed out before she licked Kopa's ear and darted forward, back into the blaze.

Kopa was about to leap forward, but the fire pulsed once more and he was thrown backwards. He closed his eyes and lost consciousness.

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Kopa groaned as he opened his eyes. The light made his entire head throb as he turned away as he slumped the other way. He shook his head as he felt something wet press against his forehead. It seemed to cool him to the bone and he couldn't help but smile.

"Kopa, open your eyes for me," meowed the kind voice of Taylani.

Kopa did as he was told, even though it was painful. He grunted as Taylani forced his eyes the rest of the way open. He drew away as his eyes burned, letting out a soft growl that showed that he didn't like anyone touching his eyes like that.

"I'm sorry, little on, but I have to make sure that there isn't any damage," Taylani explained as she ran a paw over the tuft of fur sticking up from his head. "I think that you're good. You've just been out for a little while."

Kopa raised a paw and touched his burning ear tip. He then cringed in agony as he realized that part of his ear was missing. He nearly jumped before Taylani came forward and pressed against him to keep from thrashing around. "Easy, easy," she chided gently. "Part of it burned off. The flesh was badly damaged. I kept as much as I could."

Kopa even sure what to say. He just managed a nod as he looked around. "W-Where is everyone," he asked.

"I thought that it would be best if you were alone in here for a little while, at least until you woke up. Everyone else is outside, preparing a vigil," Taylani explained.

Upon hearing, vigil, Kopa darted to his paws. He felt a rush of dizziness, but he was able to shake his head to clear it. He then pelted forward, ignore all logic not to. "Kopa," called Taylani.

Kopa leaped out of the den, his paws numb in pain. He then continued forward, before he skidded to a halt when he saw the lions and lionesses sitting around the dead form of Sarabi. Her pelt was stained black with smoke with her eyes were closed as if she was sleeping. Her body was rigid and cold from the amount of time she was dead.

Kopa's eyes filled with tears as they began to pool out. "Sarabi, now," he wailed, causing everyone to look back at him.

Before Kopa could lunge for Sarabi, Kapro came over and sunk his teeth into Kopa's scruff and nearly pushed him against the ground. "No, Kopa, you can't. She's gone," he whispered in Kopa's ear.

Kopa shook his head madly as he curled his claws into the ground. "No! She can't be gone. She was fine! She's not dead," he panted madly as he bunched his shoulders and kicked his hind leg against Kapro's chest. Kapro released him out of instinct as Kopa pelted forward.

He crumpled at Sarabi's side and buried his head into her neck fur. He was trying to find a pulse, but after a few moments of trying, he couldn't detect anything. He began to sob against her fur as he pushed his head against the fur, letting out quiet sobs that shook his entire flank.

"Oh, Kopa," whispered Kiara from under her mother's paws.

Simba then came forward as he strode forward with his paws pressing against the ground and his claws digging into his pads. "What did you think you were doing," he bellowed.

Kopa sniffed and looked up at his father. "I-I-I," he stammered in fear. He had never seen his father so furious.

"We specifically told you not to go! You were to wait here with Kapro and you deliberately disobeyed me and now Sarabi is dead. She risked her life to get you safely back and now look what happened," spat Simba as he arched his back at his son.

Nala came over and rested her tail across his shoulders, "Simba, calm down. It's not all Kopa's fault," she breathed comfortingly in his ear.

Simba let out a growl before he stormed around. "You are not to leave priderock under any circumstances for at least a moon. Maybe that will curb your selfish actions!"

Kopa turned back to Sarabi and licked her fur. "I didn't mean what I said about not needing you. I wish that you were here!" He turned his head up and let out a scream. "Sarabi, I'm so sorry!"