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

Chapter 14: Meeting Vitani's Family

It was a full moon before Kopa was allowed to leave priderock. He was conflicted if he should go and see Vitani, but she seemed to be the only one that wasn't angry at him. The rest of his pride was treating him different and in a way that he didn't like. So, he decided that he would go so that he could at least take his mind off of everything that had happened with Sarabi.

He rose to his paws and bounded across the pridelands. He could usually take the run in his sleep, but things were different now. The fire had destroyed nearly everything and it was a real struggle to figure out where the border was to the Outlands. He finally managed to find it and he couldn't help but smile.

He crossed the border and smiled when he saw that Vitani was waiting at their usual spot. He couldn't help thinking about how many days she probably did that, just waiting for him to come. He half hoped that she hadn't for that moon, and the other half hoped that she did. Maybe it showed how much she cared about him.

"Vitani!"

She turned and purred when Kopa approached. "Kopa! I've been so worried. Where have you been?"

"I'm sorry. I wasn't allowed to leave priderock for a moon! It was torture," he exclaimed with a roll of his eyes.

Vitani's eyes filled in fear. "I thought that the fire had gotten you. It was awful the way that it lit the sky and seemed to engulf everything," she meowed with a shiver.

"Yeah, I know. The flames killed my grandmother," explained Kopa as a new wave of grief washed over him like a wave. He hadn't said her name since that night.

Vitani leaned forward and licked his cheek affectionately. "Oh, Kopa, I'm so sorry," she exclaimed. "I know how close you and your grandmother were."

Kopa nodded. "Yeah, well, it was my fault anyway. I thought that I could help, but I couldn't and I ended up killing her indirectly," he confessed as he felt hi chest twist as if he was about to cry. He lifted a paw and pressed it against his eyes to stop the tears.

Vitani wasn't really sure what to do. She didn't know what it was like to lose someone like that. She didn't really remember her father, so that didn't really count. But, she usually knew what it was like to cheer up Kopa.

"Hey, you've spent a long time here, yet you've never met my family. Come on! I want to show you where I live," she cheered as she pounded her paws against the ground and wiggled her haunches.

Kopa smiled. This might be just what he needed to take his mind off of everything. "Okay," he decided with a nod. "That sounds good."

"Follow me," she offered as she strode forward with Kopa right at her side.

They made their way through the heart of the Outlands. Kopa had never been this far in and he wasn't sure how he felt about it. He was about to suggest to Vitani that they should maybe go back, when he saw some lionesses at the edge of a space. They were laying together, sharing tongues, and whispering to each other softly as if they had nothing else to do.

"Just follow me and don't talk to anyone at first," whispered Vitani over her shoulder. "They don't always trust someone new coming in."

Kopa gulped as he strode forward, well away that lionesses and lions were looking at him. He kept close to Vitani's hindquarters and gulped when he saw some cats hissing and giving him some odd looks.

"Vitani!"

"Mom," exclaimed Vitani as she smiled and bounded up to a darker lioness with a chunk missing from her ear and a few scars littering her muzzle. When Vitani came over, she licked her between the ears and Vitani purred as she arched her back and brushed her head against her mother's chest. "I missed you!"

The lioness lifted her head and licked her lips as she looked over to Kopa. "Who's that," she asked.

Vitani waved her paw and motioned Kopa forward. Kopa gulped with a lump rising in his chest as he forced his paws forward. He struggled not to shake too much as he met Vitani's eyes. Vitani nodded as she threw her head to the side, offering him forward to meet her mother.

Kopa gulped as he dipped his head. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Vitani's mom."

The lioness laughed and Kopa nearly jumped at the sound. "Hello. You can call me Zira. And what is your name?"

"K-Kopa," he stammered as he dipped his head once more in nervousness.

Zira's eyes glowed. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Kopa. Who are your parents?"

"Simba and Nala," answered Kopa proudly as he thought about his parents. He licked his lips as he thought about them. He hoped that Zira knew who they were.

Zira's eyes lit in excitement as she nodded. "Oh yes, I know who your parents are. Wonderful lions, they are. Now, what brings you here?"

"He's my friend," exclaimed Vitani as she wiggled into a haunch and pushed her head against his shoulder. "We've been playing for a long time!"

Kopa nodded enthusiastically. He felt a little bit better that Vitani was enthusiastic about him being here. That was the only thing that gave him hope at the moment that Zira would like him.

"In that case you're always welcome here," breathed Zira as she licked her lips.

"Thank you, Zira," meowed Kopa before he turned to Vitani, nudging her a bit. She laughed as the two began to wrestle and roll around. The other lions and lionesses looked at them, but they didn't pay the two tumbling cubs too much mind. They probably had enough of that without him being there and they were used to it.

Vitani managed to pin Kopa under her and she panted in relief. "Looks like I'm getting pretty good," she boasted.

"Oh yeah," challenged Kopa as he sunk hi teeth gingerly into Vitani's paw and she jumped. He managed to pin her this time and he let out a yowl of excitement. "You have a lot to learn from a prideland lion!"

He then leaped from her shoulder as a younger lion came forward. He was darker male with a black mane that kind of spiked up like a tuft. He just stared at them and licked his lips.

Vitani narrowed her eyes. "Stop staring, Kovu! That's rude."

The lion drew backwards as he shook his head and lowered his head into his shoulders. "We don't usually get visitors," he meowed softly. "Why now?"

"He's my friend," answered Vitani smartly. "Do you have a problem with that?" She bared her teeth a bit and Kovu leaped backwards.

Zira leaned forward and scooped up Kovu and began to groom him. "Leave Vitani and her friend alone, little one. This isn't of your concern."

Zovu frowned smugly, but he listened to her. Vitani turned back to Kopa and they continued to play long into the day. It wasn't until the sun began to set that Kopa realized that he should get back.

"I have to go," he meowed. "But, I hope to see you tomorrow."

Vitani touched her nose to his. "See you then, Kopa. Thanks for coming."

He blushed and nodded before he bounded forward and out of the Outlands. All in all, it had been a good day.