The Lion King Chronicles: Vitani's Vengeance

Chapter 17

A chill settled within me to the bone. I scanned the horizon with my blue eyes but failed to find any sign of Mother, Issa, or Armani. Did we not understand fully what Zira was asking of us? Were we meant to travel back to the Termite Mounds on our own in the cloak of night? This was obviously some kind of test all in itself to test our resilience.

"Vitani, I'm nervous," Dotty murmured in a shaky tone as her eyes darted in every direction. "What if a Pridelander finds us?"

At that moment, I realized that all eyes were on me, even my brothers'. I was the one they trusted to get them out of this situation, the one who could lead them home. Neither Nuka nor Kovu argued about who would be in charge-they knew I was the natural leader of the three of us. It didn't matter what Mother said or even our deceased father. When it came down to it: I was the one meant to lead us.

I flicked an ear before rising to my paws to address them. "Clearly, Zira intends for this test to prolong, so we must show her what we're capable of. We won't be able to do that by just sitting here." With that said, I motioned for them to follow me back towards the Mounds.

I spoke brave words to mask my fear. At any moment, Simba and the Pridelanders could appear and kill us all without much effort. Zira trained us as warriors, but none of us were fully grown. Even Nuka still had the awkward body of a half-grown cub and he was nearly a year old. Not to mention his brain was comparable to that of a nightjar's.

One step ahead of the other, I led our small group off of the trail the Pridelanders used. Traveling off the trail was our safest option since we'd be more likely to run into a Pridelander there. This way, we could remain undetected if we were careful and quiet enough. That was our only chance to return home safely.

I kept my head and tail down, even flattening my ears. Our lives depended on remaining silent and unseen. Kovu trotted to my side, a hint of fear flickering in his green eyes. He didn't do much to hide his uneasiness unlike me.

"Why would Mother do this to us?" Kovu wondered out loud in a slight whisper. "Does she even care that we might get caught?"

My instinct was to tell him no, Zira didn't care. But I remembered the words she spoke to me some time ago: "sooner or later, you'll see that I'm simply trying to harden you." Everything Mother did to us held a purpose. We may not understand what it is, but we simply must trust her that there is a reason.

"She's training us, Kovu," I answered my brother with careful words. "We need to be warriors in order to avenge Scar."

Kovu's shoulders heaved with a great sigh. "I know that, but don't you think this is a little extreme? If a Pridelander finds us out here, we're dead."

"Then we just can't get caught, can we?" I replied with a slight smirk. Again, brave words to help with my fascade.

We began climbing the hill that I had used to get a layout of the land. Kovu and Nuka kept up easily, but Spotty and Dotty began to fall behind. Sometimes I forgot that they were a couple moons younger than me. They both participated in battle training and Spotty always seemed wiser beyond her years. But this long trek was taking a toll on them, something that inspired my irk at our predicament.

At the top of the ridge, the waterhole and the rest of the Pridelands could be seen. In the far distance, standing proudly silhouetted against the night sky, was Priderock. My home. The place where I was born and my father before me. All the way back to King Mohatu, first King of Priderock. I wondered what Mohatu felt about Scar's descendants being forced to endure this hardship away from our homeland.

My pelt bristled with indignation. Scar's descendants wouldn't be kept from Priderock much longer. We were getting stronger, my brothers and I. With each sunrise, the day neared to when we would bring war upon Simba and Nala to take back what was rightfully ours.

"The Outlands are north of here," I explained to the others as I tore my longing gaze away from Priderock. "If we keep a steady pace, we'll be back before dawn."

~*~

Just as the Termite Mounds came into sight, the first rays of morning sunshine pierced the darkness. Nuka walked at my left flank while Kovu trailed a little behind me. Further back, the twins struggled to put one paw in front of the other. We all wobbled from exhaustion.

Zira emerged from the cave mouth with Ramla and Issa at her flanks. Her amber eyes brightened with surprise at our appearance. Clearly, she hadn't expected us to find our way back so early...or at all. From the shadows, Armani appeared to run to her daughters. She spoke kind words to them before leading them into the cavern to rest.

Nuka and Kovu simply eyed Mother before following their lead and disappearing into the cave. They would probably sleep most of the day after they stuffed their bellies with whatever they could find. My tired paws moved to follow them, but Mother blocked my path.

Zira stared down at me with a gaze like petrified amber. I held her stare carefully as to not disrespect her, but held it all the same. Something passed between us without any spoken words. We understood each other.

She commended me on leading the others back safely. I questioned her intentions. She assured me there was a rhyme to her reason. I backed off, deciding to trust her rationale. But still, I questioned her love.

For naught was for me, and all of it for Scar.

~*~

A/N
I'm so sorry this took so long! I was struggling with writer's block so bad, but I think I have it figured out. Remember to like and comment!