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

Chapter 21: It Can't Be

Kiara pelted across the pridelands quicker than she had ever run before. She wasn't even sure entirely where he was going as the blood roared in her ears and tears continued to stream from her face. She gulped as she continued forward, struggling to breathe as she cried.

She managed to see priderock as she surged forward. She staggered up priderock with her muscles howling in protest. She clawed her way up the rockface.

"Mom! Dad!"

Nala and Simba were laying at the base of priderock, sharing tongues and talking quietly. But, when their daughter spoke, their heads darted up immediately.

"Kiara, where have you been," asked Nala.

Kiara panted as she struggled to breathe. She then shook her head and rubbed a paw at her eyes. "Dad! You have to come to the Outlands," pleaded Kiara. "It's an emergency. It's Kopa!"

"Kopa," murmured Simba with alarm showing in his eyes. He rose to his paws and nearly rocketed forward. "Nala, watch Kiara!"

Nala leaned forward and curled around her daughter as Kiara began to sob into her fur.

Simba pelted forward and across the pridelands. He was barely breathing and barely knew that he was walking. He darted forward and across the border.

He skidded across across it and gasped when he saw Kopa's body laying behind a small rock. He came forward and lowered down before his son.

"Kopa," he gasped as he pressed his head against Kopa's body. Blood was still trickling from his back and his eyes stared ahead and were blank. His body was cold to the touch and other scent clung to it, Outlands scent.

Simba began to nudge his son before he pulled Kopa toward him. He half expected Kopa to spring to life and nudge against him, but he didn't. He began to cry as he pressed his head against Kopa's body.

He sobbed before he lifted his head, turning his muzzle upward and roaring as loud as he could. He couldn't believe that this had happened. He hadn't felt this much pain since his father was killed. Now it felt like it was happening all over again.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?"

Simba growled as he turned as he saw Zira coming toward him. Zira licked her lips with her claws tips showing blood. She smiled and blood showed once more.

Simba immediately knew what Zira had done. "You," he spat as he rose to his paws with his ears flattened against his head with hsi fur beginning to bristle everywhere.

"Yes, it's me, and I believe that you're on my territory," meowed Zira silkily.

Simba lowered into a crouch and narrowed his eyes. "You killed my son! I can smell him on your pelt. You will pay for this," he breathed under his breath before he leaped into the air.

Zira saw it coming from a mile away as she turned and Simba landed on the ground as if it was nothing and purred. "You have to do better than that."

Furiously, Simba swiped at Zira's face. Zira growled a bit in pain before she turned back to Simba as she smiled slightly at him as she licked some of Kopa's blood from her mouth. "Better! I'm impressed."

"Shut your muzzle," roared Simba as he launched himself at Zira once more, this time able to pin her under him. He sunk his teeth into her neck, but she kicked her hind legs against Simba's stomach and she flipped him.

He gasped in agony as he landed on his back and felt the ground vibrate as Zira lunged forward. She slashed her claw against Simba's face, splitting open his nose. He snarled as blood dripped from his nose and onto the ground. He wiped a paw against his nose before he bunched his shoulders and turned back to the fight once more.

Simba plowed into her before the two reared on their hind legs and began to thrust blow after blow after blow with their paws. Eventually, Zira managed to land a blow just right, under Simba's jaw. He staggered backwards and fell against the rock, his head snapping against it.

A jolt surged through his entire body as his back arched. He whimpered before he rolled next to Kopa, coughing slightly. He looked up at Zira and expected her to finish it. He then noticed that Zira was slightly off balanced and was favoring one of her paws. He knew that she could use this.

Before Zira could make her move, Simba made his. He launched himself into the air and kicked a paw against her cheek, sending her reeling against the ground.

Simba then lowered down and sunk his teeth into Kopa's scruff. He bounded forward and skidded to a halt across the border. He turned and faced Zira as she limped forward, favoring her paw more than ever.

"Even you wouldn't be fish-brained enough to cross the border," mumbled Simba through his son's fur.

Zira folded her ears against her head. "This isn't over, Simba. It will never be over until you're dead!"

"Not if I beat you to it," growled Simba lowly before he turned and made his way back to the pridelands, with his dead son hanging from his mouth.