by Hatari05 » September 13th, 2018, 4:57 am
: Finale 5:
Reunions
Hatari sat near the remains of Pride Rock staring out at the wasteland that used to be the Pride Lands he could hear the remaining animals all cursing his name with hatred and venom, at least they were acknowledging him. Hatari took in their venomous cries he had never heard anyone speak about him with such passion only disregard yet it wasn't as soothing as he thought it would be. Hatari had lived his whole life being nothing but an object to others he was abandoned by his mother and forgotten by his home he was raised as if he were an object rather than a person he ate only what he needed to survive and then was sold into slavery while he was still a cub the things he experienced as a slave the things he was forced to do only to be left for dead the moment he couldn't do them and they always referred to him the same way, you, rat, while his owners literally called him a product. After being regarded in such a way he would think being regarded with any emotion good or bad would be rewarding but their cries didn't satisfy him.
Hatari began wandering the wasteland of ash taking in all the sights many animals had perished during the fire some of them were still laying on the ground others just burned to ash. Hatari crushed an antelope skull under his paw before paying it no heed.
"Monster!" a zebra cried out.
"Murderer" a leopard shouted.
"Devil!" an antelope screamed.
Hatari stopped, considering if he would kill them or not he then continued walking who were they to judge him they didn't go through what he went through and only a few days ago they were prepared to murder a pride full of innocents as far as Hatari was concerned he just rid the world of a bunch of selfish murderers that's all people were that's all they ever were.
Hatari finally stopped and sat near the smoldering pit that used to be the water hole.
"You seem down I would've expected you to be celebrating" Kecila said having literally appeared out of nowhere.
"What for I didn't accomplish anything" Hatari replied.
Kecila looked around the scorched kingdom, "you burned down the home of thousands of inhabitants isn't that the kind of suffering you wanted to visit on the world" Kecila asked him.
"I don't feel any better" Hatari told her.
"If I burned down this entire place for nothing I'm going to be a little annoyed" Kecila told him.
"No you did wonderful mother" Hatari said he hated disappointing her.
"Once again you stayed by me regardless" Hatari told her.
Kecila could tell Hatari was having one of his emotional moments which were to be expected when you lived a life like his, "hm go ahead" Kecila told him.
Hatari buried his face on her chest it felt so comforting.
"I told you when I found you I would never leave" Kecila told him soothingly while running her paw through the top of his head.
This act came to her almost as easily as extracting her claws she had done for so long not to mention she had also done it repeatedly while she was alive, mimicking affection she had spent so much of her life doing it that it may as well be instinct. Hatari brushed himself against Kecila's chest desperately trying to hold the tears back.
"Thank you mother I don't know where I would be without you" Hatari said on the verge of tears.
Kecila knew where he would be a rotting corpse on a tree and then some random scavenger's meal which was to put it bluntly a waste Hatari would give her the most thrilling moment in either of her lifes and she would thank him for that.
Hatari removed himself from her making certain that he wasn't crying anymore, "I'm alright now mother" Hatari told her.
"Good inform me when it's time for our next battle oh and Hatari" Kecila asked softly.
Hatari turned to her only to be knocked to the ground, "don't lie to me" Kecila demanded.
Hatari held his cheek where she struck him, "apologies I know you don't like dealing with this" Hatari told her sorrowfully.
"Then just deal with it don't tell me you did when you most certainly didn't" Kecila said coldly.
Hatari prepared to turn away when Kecila placed a paw on his shoulder.
"You don't have to hide anything from me" she told him her voice filled with affection once more a second later she was gone.
Hatari smiled she may of struck him but not without reason he was wrong to lie, "I love you mother" he whispered.
Hatari heard the animals shouting again, "how could you feel anything for that monster?!" they asked.
Hatari growled at them, "that monster treated me better than anyone else ever did" he told them seething.
He then paid them no heed he didn't know if mother loved him or not probably not but she certainly cared about him more than anyone else did which really wasn't saying much, besides he had to be realistic from the moment he was born it was clear that he was never going to find any genuine love or compassion.
Yatima was closing in on his prey a prey that would surely go a long way in feeding the pack he had been tracking it for some time alongside a female hyena who just wanted to get the hunt over so she could get back to her son Yatima wanted to wrap this up he prepared to strike when he heard a sound coming the zebra looked up it was all the opening Yatima needed he jumped out and immediately went for the throat while his partner took the legs it was over in seconds. Yatima held the kill before turning to the female.
"Get this back to our pack I'm investigating what that sound was" Yatima told her.
"Okay" she told him while taking the kill and leaving Yatima didn't say anything else he just immediately proceeded to his next mission he never was the social type.
Nala, Kovu, Kilbali and Kurongu were struggling to even move yet alone walk,
"How much further is it" Kovu asked.
"Not far only about an hour we should rest" Taka replied.
"No we're so close now" Nala said determined.
"No you've pushed yourself enough too much actually" Kilbali told her.
"Any more and your body will give out" he finished.
Nala wanted to challenge his statement but couldn't she tried to will herself to move but couldn't she hadn't eaten or slept since her home's destruction as well as the death of the her entire family she had pushed her body to it's breaking point and now she literally couldn't even twitch she had no choice but to rest. Kurongu and Kovu also decided to rest.
"It is wise we all regain our strength" Kilbali said.
"So when we reach this place how do you intend to make them trust us great one" Kurongu said completely mocking the last two words.
"Oh I'll have nothing to do with that and by no means could I my job was to get there you'll have to win them over" Taka told them.
"What is this secret" Kovu asked him.
Taka was about to answer when he was cut off by Yatima calling out to them.
"Hey who are you?!" Yatima demanded.
Taka immediately allowed himself to fade if the hyenas saw them their mission would go from difficult to impossible.
Kovu, Nala and Kurongu turned their attention to Yatima, "we are not your enemies" Kurongu told him.
"Kurongu, Kovu, Nala you're alive" Yatima said he then turned to Kilbali.
"I am not familiar with you" he said.
"Just a humble old lion" Kilbali told him.
Yatima ignored him "how are you here?" he asked.
"We escaped the pride lands before they were destroyed" Nala said in pain.
"Destroyed the pride lands are gone" Yatima said in confusion.
"Yes we lost so much we were hoping to find Vitani" Kovu told him.
"I can't trust you with the secret follow me I will then tell Vitani of your presence we will speak then" Yatima told them.
"I will give you two hours to rest then we move" Yatima told them.
He wasn't sure about this the pack was a secret of the highest magnitude and even if Vitani agreed he wasn't certain he would let them in his home.
Vitani was sitting in the cave giving a silent prayer, the pup's mother had returned with the kill and the child was ecstatic to see her Vitani was pleased to see her back as well. Vitani finished her prayer for the hyena family and went back to monitoring the pack she noticed Yatima had returned as well he was much later than his partner.
Yatima caught sight of Vitani and made his way to her cave he noticed the lit torches in it, "any of those prayers for me" he asked.
"Yeah right you don't need nor do you want them" Vitani told him.
"True, we have a situation" Yatima replied.
"hm always business, okay what is it" Vitani asked.
"There are four lions wanting to see you Kurongu, Nala and Kovu and an old lion I don't recognize" Yatima told her.
"They're here how?" Vitani wondered.
"I don't know but they were very close they likely would've found us even if I didn't find them" Yatima said his voice showing a hint of worry.
"Did you let them in?" Vitani asked him.
"I'm not sure I can trust them" Yatima replied.
"Kovu is Kiara's mate and Kurongu is my father while Nala has always been reasonable we can trust them let them in but clear the entrance first I agree that it's best the pack not know they're here" Vitani stated.
"I agree I'll guide them in" Yatima said before leaving.
Vitani was intrigued, what were they here for something was happening and Vitani could only wonder what it was.
Yatima led the four lions lions into the jungle they all took in the sight and were left in complete shock at the sight there were hyenas here they weren't extinct how was this possible? Yatima guided them to the cave where they saw Vitani, she couldn't believe her eyes it really was them, Vitani ran up and embraced Kovu along with her father she then hugged Nala as well.
"My daughter I have feared for you ever since Hatari's crusade" Kurongu told her.
"I'm alright father and I'm happy to see all of you are how did you find this place?" Vitani said.
"Its complicated sis" Kovu told her Kilbali didn't say anything he didn't really know Vitani so this reunion belonged to the other three.
"You wouldn't believe us if we told you so what is this?" Nala asked.
"I'll explain as much as I can but know this what you are about to hear you must never repeat except maybe to family" Vitani told them before explaining.
The three lions couldn't believe what they just heard a secret pride of hyenas hidden away for thirty five years Taka wasn't kidding they were in for more surprises though this didn't surprise Kilbali nearly as much.
"So the hyenas have survived I always considered the possibility it is a joyful revelation" Kilbali said.
"So you're going to lead them?" Nala asked.
"I suppose Yatima and myself" Vitani responded.
"Can you handle this Vitani?" Kovu asked her.
"Don't doubt your sister she is much stronger than you realize" Kurongu said.
Vitani smiled at that comment she just caught them up now it was their turn.
"So what happened after Hatari's crusade did Kiara kill him did Umoja and Uhuru get away safely where's Simba" Vitani asked.
Nala and Kovu looked down sadly, "you don't know" Kovu said sadly.
Vitani took in her brothers words what did he mean, "know what, what happened" Vitani asked dreading the answer.
Kovu tried to speak but couldn't find the words so Nala stepped forward.
"This is going to be a lot for you to take in Vitani. Kiara, Simba Umoja and my mother are all dead" Nala told her sorrowfully.
Vitani felt like she had punched in the gut she couldn't believe that it couldn't be true, "they're all dead, no, no they can't be" Vitani said struggling to grasp the reality of it all.
"There's more Vitani" Nala told her.
"More! How could there be more?!" Vitani cried.
Nala could feel her own heart shattering as she was once again forced to accept the reality of her situation.
"I saw all of them die, right before the Pride Lands were reduced to ashes" Nala said in pain.
"What are home is gone too what happened?" Vitani said in a broken whisper.
"The demon came" Nala said quietly.
"The demon what do you mean?" Vitani asked.
"The destruction of the pride lands were the beginning of the apocalypse" Kovu said.
"Wait you mean it was all true we really are facing the end that demon came burned the pride lands to the ground and killed Simba, Kiara, Umoja and Sarafina" Vitani said tears falling from her eyes.
Vitani struggled not to collapse on the floor in grief she then turned to Kovu who was struggling not to cry he lost everything in a single day.
"Oh Kovu I'm so sorry" Vitani told him while comforting him.
"I'm alright Vitani" Kovu told her beginning to sob.
"No you're not you can't hold this in let it out Kovu" Vitani said tears streaming down her face.
Kovu tried to fight it before falling onto the ground sobbing, "K i a oj a Si m ba" Kovu sobbed their names nearly choking on every syllable.
"My wh o le my fam i ly" Kovu struggled to say.
"eve ry th ing I lo ve" Kovu couldn't even speak complete words anymore.
Vitani tried to comfort him but there was nothing she could say, to lose that much was enough to kill someone.
"Kovu, oh Kovu" Vitani sobbed she hated seeing him like this she turned to Nala who she expected to be breaking down herself but instead she merely looked down in sadness how could she control herself after such a loss.
Nala watched Kovu sob into Vitani's shoulder she understood his pain.
"It is unhealthy to hide your pain" Kilbali told her.
"I'm not hiding it I'm just not letting it consume me" Nala replied.
"After what you lost how is it not consuming you?" Kilbali asked her.
"I feel it but now I must be strong like any warrior would be" Nala stated.
"A warrior isn't heartless" Kilbali told her.
Nala ignored him turning her attention back toward Kovu and Vitani she felt their pain and she would cry for it but only after she had avenged them.
"I can not be weak" she said silently.
Kurongu watched as his children wept in sorrow he wanted to say something to them but he didn't know what to say he couldn't help them because any comfort or hope he said would be a lie there was no hope the only hope any of them had was the simple fact they'd be joining them soon. Kurongu could hear weeping coming from somewhere else as well he followed it and was shocked to see Scar sitting alone in the darkness what was he sad about.
Taka hadn't felt pain like this in ages he had never imagined this so many deaths but not hers.
"I shouldn't be sad you lived a long life and I'm dead what's it matter" Taka said struggling to say the words.
"But how can I not be, a part of me still regrets it losing the life we" Taka said painfully.
"Sarafina my Nala" he finally managed to say her name.
"I hope you are at peace you would've waited after everything I did you would've waited" Taka said tears filling his eyes.
"After e everything I did you still loved me" Taka said sorrowfully.
"I know it's way too late but I still love you and I'm sorry for everything" he told her.
He couldn't fight it anymore tears fell from his eyes.
"I know I'll never be worthy of you I never was father was right but I hope that heart of yours purer and kinder than anything I could ever imagine can someday forgive me" Taka said.
Taka bowed his head, "I'll never forget you Sarafina, my Nala" Taka said he then hung his head and sobbed.