The Lion King Chronicles: Vitani's Vengeance

Chapter 8

"Vitani!" Zira's voice echoed in the cavern to wake me from my fitful sleep at Nuka's side.

About a moon has passed since we became Outlanders. We led a very different lifestyle from when we lived in the Pridelands. Our main source of food came from the termites that infested the caverns but, if we were lucky, we'd eat the occasional mouse or lizard. Everyone became incredibly skinny to the point that our ribs and hipbones protruded from our bodies. This caused Kovu and I to remain small for our age.

Well, actually Kovu ate very well despite the circumstances. Whatever food the Pride scavenged went primarily to him and Mother. Kovu was beginning to outgrow me. His mane was beginning to come in, raven black like Father's. Zira always doted on him, ignoring Nuka and me. But we got used to it.

I rose to my paws and stretched before trotting towards Mother. She sat impatiently at the mouth of the cave with a frown plastered to her face. I haven't seen her smile since Father died. When I approached her, a grin spread across her face that left me unnerved.

"Ah, my only daughter!" Zira drew me closer with her paw which came as a surprise. But I wasn't about to turn down attention from her. "My, my you're completely skin and bones! Why don't you eat, Vitani? You look completely ghastly."

"It's not my fault," I argued, flattening my ears in embarrassment. Did I really look like skin and bones? If I had a puddle in front of me, I might've examined my reflection with distaste. Ghastly? What did that word even mean?!

Mother lifted her paw to clout me across the ears. "It is your fault, Vitani! Why can't you be more like your brother, Kovu?"

I wobbled a little with unease at her words. Why would it be my fault that I was skinny? She was my mother, the one who was supposed to provide and take care of me! All she cared about was Kovu!

Suddenly, her demeanor changed. The look in her gaze softened and she wrapped me in an embrace. "Oh, Vitani. You cannot let the opinions of sheep change you. Love is weakness, my darling. Sooner or later, you'll see that I'm simply trying to harden you. The world is an unkind place for someone like you."

"Like me?" I wondered, staring down at my paws. Someone like me? What was that supposed to mean?

Mother swept her tail underneath my chin to lift my eyes to hers. "Power, Vitani. That is what defines you. Your brothers don't understand this like you do. Do you know what your name means?"

I shook my head no. Scar told me once that my name was given to me by the Great Kings of the past. He never had the chance to tell me what it meant.

Mother lifted her head proudly as a smirk spread across her face. "Vitani means 'I am war'." She reached out her paw to pull me closer to her. "Kovu may have been named Scar's heir, but you are the one with fire in your belly. With you at Kovu's side, he cannot fail."

I pondered this for a moment, wondering why I had not been named Scar's heir. If Zira thought I was the most obvious choice, then what had made Scar chose Kovu? My brother didn't have the same determination and ambition that I did. He relied too much on what other's told him before making a decision. If I were caught in the heat of battle, I wouldn't need affirmation from another before acting.

"If that is my destiny-to stand at Kovu's side no matter what-then I'll abide by the wishes of the Great Kings." I answered confidently, lifting my head.

Zira appeared pleased by my answer because she merely nodded before walking towards the cave mouth. I stared after her, longing to join her outside the cavern. Every day I wasted away inside the cavern, hidden from the rest of the world. Just yesterday, Ramla and some other lionesses returned bloodied from a skirmish with the Pridelanders. Seeing their wounds made me blood-thirsty. I wanted to fight!

"Rawr!" Out of nowhere, Kovu leaped from the shadows and pounced on me. He had used my distraction as an opportunity to ambush me. Very clever.

We tumbled together, kicking up dust as we each tried to gain the the upper-paw. Kovu aimed a blow at my face, but I easily dodged him. He may be bigger than me, but I was far quicker on my paws. I slashed at his tendons which caused him to stumble to the ground. In the blink of an eye, I had him pinned underneath me.

"Pinned ya!" I growled with a victorious gleam in my blue eyes.

Kovu groaned with frustration. "One day I'll beat you, Vitani!"

I threw my head back with a mocking laugh. "Maybe when I'm dead!" I taunted him. In that moment, I didn't care about Mother's harsh words towards me. She idolized Kovu because he was chosen by Scar, but I was better than Kovu. Sooner or later she would realize the truth.

We spent the rest of the day practicing combat. Nuka joined us for a little while before his lazy butt went to sulk in the shadows. I didn't let Mother's words go to my head. If she couldn't see me for the strong lioness I was, then I'd just have to prove it to her.