Kiara ran towards pride rock, determened to learn the truth. "Kiara! Wait, Just forget I said it!" Kovu called after her, but Kiara didn't stop. She reached the base of the rock just as Kovu cought up with her. He jumped in front of Kiara, "Stop! You can't ask him. Please, just let it go." Kovu pleaded. Kiara started to speak when she heard a voice behind Kovu. "Let what go?" said Simba. Both lions turnned to see the king approaching. "Daddy" Kiara said, and went to hug him. Simba smiled as she cuddled agianst him. Kovu looked nervous, "Nothing sir, it's nothing." He slowly backed up and started to turn. "Daddy, Who's Kopa?" Kovu froze. Simba's smile faded and Kiara Backed away from him. Simba was staring off into the sunset, with the saddest look Kiara had ever seen. "Who told you about him?" Simba asked, not caring to look at eighter of them. Kovu turnned back to Simba, "Well, sir, you see..." Kiara stepped towards her father, "It was my fault. We were talking and-" "It doesn't matter now." Simba interupted, "Please sit, I have alot of explaining to do." Kiara and Kovu exchanged nervous glances. Both of them silently sat next to Simba. The king paused before starting, "Kopa, how long it's been since I've said that name. He was your brother. He died when you were only little, so thats why you dont remember him." Simba let Kiara take it in before he started a story he spent so long trying to forget.
Kopa looked out to the beautiful sunrise, watching as it spread light to the kingdom that was soon to be his. He turnned back to the small cave that his pride slept in. "Dad!" he shouted, "Dad! DADDADDADDADDADDAD!" he chanted while jumping on Simba. "Dad! Wake up it's morning!" Not only did he manage to wake up Simba, but the whole pride. Nala kicked Simba in his side. "Ouch!" Simba said, "I'm awake! Kopa, get off me, and was that really necessary?" The whole pride shouted "YES!" In responce. Nala Just smiled and rolled over, "Someone had to do it." Simba rose and yawned. Kopa stopped to admire his dads masive size, then resumed jumping around as his father exited the cave.
Simba watched as Kopa ran ahead of him to the top of pride rock, remembering his first time being brought up here. Kopa sat looking out over the pride lands as Simba sat next to him. "Kopa, do you know why we are up here?" Simba asked. Kopa thought a moment. "Every king is brought up here to be shown the responsibilities and duties of being a king, like how to treat everyone equally. they are tought about there role in the circle of life and how they keep order in the kingdom." Simba looked stunned. The little child who jumped on him just moments ago had matured and grown so fast. "Right, thats exactly what you are about to learn. When i was little, like you, my father showed me the entire kingdom. He said 'everything the light touches, is our kingdom.' As king you need to protect it with your life, to defend those you love." Kopa smiled, he looked out to his kingdom. Simba suddenly saw himself the same day he was brought up here. He and his father had planned to spend all day with eachother, but the kings duties never rest and he had to save the kingdom from intruders. Kopa looked over to the Outlands. "What about that place? Is that our kingdom too?" Simba sighed, "No, thats where all the bad lions go. Don't ever go there, ok?" Kopa looked down, "Oh, ok." Simba stood, "Come on, let's go.." Simba and Kopa left pride rock and walked down to the water hole. On the way, Simba told him of the importance of the circle of life. Kopa stayed quiet, enjoying the time he was spending with his dad. "So when I die," Kopa said, "My body becomes the grass?" Simba laughed at his sons confusion, "Yes, and then the grass feeds the other animals." Kopa looked even more confused, "So...OOOH!" Kopa jumped with excitement, "I get it now." Simba laughed agian, "Now, where was I? Oh yes, now as king you-" Simba stopped. He saw a small bird flying towards them supprisingly fast. Kopa turnned to see what it was that Simba was looking at and frowned. "I guess that means you have to go, huh?" Simba looked at Kopa with a sad look. "I wont be gone long, then we can finish." Simba gave Kopa a quick hug and ran off to meet Zazu, leaving Kopa with nothing to do. Kopa left the water hole and went to find someone he knew would like to play with him. "Hi Vitani." He said as he approached a young cub. She looked at him and smiled, but something seemed different today. "Hi Kopa." She replied, "I thought you would be with your dad." Kopa looked down, "No, he had to go somewhere agian." Vitani stood, "Thats too bad. Well, what do you want to do?" Kopa smiled, "What about we play a game of hide-n-seek?" Vitani smerked, "So i can win agian?" Kopa jumped on her, "Hey, i let you find me that last time!" Vitani rolled over laughing, "What? don't want to admit you got beat by a girl?" Kopa shoved her playfully, "Shut up. lets go, I'm board." Kopa turnned and left. Vitani smiled to her self, then frowned just as quickly. "Hey! Wait up." she called after him.
Kopa led them to the river that flowed through a deep canyon. "So, what do you want to do?" He asked. Vitani laughed, "Hey, thats my line!" Kopa laughed as well, "Normaly, but I'm out of ideas." Vitani thought for a moment, "Well i liked your hide-n-seek idea." she sugested. Kopa sighed, "Fine, but your it first!" and he took off. Vitani sat down and started counting, "1...2...3..." Suddenly she heard movement behind her, "Mom, do we have to do this?" From behind a large rock, Zira walked out of the shadows. She took one look around before she said, "Vitani! don't let your childish friendship cloud your thoughts. This must be done, Simba must pay." Vitani looked away from her mother. She silently resented her mother for holding this grudge for so long. "No... please mother, not him." Zira looked taken aback, "How dare you question me!" Zira raised her claws to swipe when she heard Kopa shout, "I dont here you counting!" Zira hunched down. "Vitani, you wont stop me. I must avenge him." With that Zira crept into the tall grass. Vitani felt horrible, what would she do? Could she betray her own mother? Or would she allow her to kill her only friend? Vitani thought for a wile before running after her mother.
Kopa laughed to himself, she would never find him up in the tree. He felt so shure that he even decided to doze off. He had only slept for a few minuets before he herd a branch break. He opened one eye to see something moving in the grass. Kopa closed his eye and tucked tighter into the tree until, "Kopa! Look out!" Kopa instinctly rolled over to get out of the way, sadly he forgot he was in a tree. He hit the ground and looked up to see a large lioness standing over him, "Well hello, Prince Kopa." Vitani ran between Kopa and the other lioness. She crouched into a defencive stance, "NO! Leave him alone!" she shouted. Kopa stood and jumped next to Vitani, "Yea," he said, "Don't make us hurt you!" The lioness smiled, "Oh dear, I wouldn't want that now would I?" Kopa felt chills run down his spine, something about her made him scaird. Vitani moved infront of Kopa, "No Kopa, run, she wants to kill you!" she said. Kopa looked back between the lioness and Vitani. "Your her mother! Vitani, what's going on?" Kopa backed away. Vitani never took her eyes off her mother, "She wants revenge for Scar's death. She wanted me to lead you away from everyone else so she could... she..." Vitani Started to cry, "So she could kill you. Kopa, she's going to kill you. RUN ALREADY!" Vitani jumped at Zira. Zira expected this and jumped to the side. Vitani reached out and gouged the corner of Zira's ear. Blood trickled down her face as Zira swiped Vitani away. Kopa turnned and ran, but he saw vitani hit the tree he was hiding in and fall to the ground, she didn't move. "Vitani!" He cried as he ran through the tall grass. "Yes! Run little prince, that makes it all the more fun." Zira called after him.
Simba had just returned to Pride Rock when he herd Kopa shout, "Vitani!" Simba looked out to the feilds where he herd the voice when Nala came up behind him. "Did you here that?" she asked. Simba nodded, "Do we know any Vitani?" Nala opened her mouth to respond when they both herd "DAD!" Without speaking both jumped down and ran to help Kopa.
Kopa ran faster than he has ever before. "DAD!" he shouted. Zira laughed behind him, "No one can here you little prince! Your father can't help you now!" Kopa cried louder, "DAD! Help me please!" Kopa broke out of the grass line to see a cliff. He had ran into a bend in the river and was trapped. Zira slowly walked out of the grass, "Well, well ,well. What do we have here?" Kopa hunched down, "l-l-leave me a-a-lone." he said, shaking with fear. "Oh, how little you know." Kopa felt trapped, "DAD!" he shouted agian, "DAD! HELP M-" Zira laughed, "You really think he'll help you? He can't even here you." Kopa felt determend to prove her wrong, "DAAAAAD!" he shouted, this time roaring slightly. "Oh, growing up are we?" Zira mocked, "Too bad you wo-" Zira stopped and lifted her ear. "KOPA! KOPA WHERE ARE YOU?" Kopa felt releaved, "DAD! OVER HERE" Zira looked at Kopa with pure hatred, "NO! He wont stop me this time!" Zira ran at Kopa and drug her claws through his fur. Kopa screamed out in pain and was flung closer to the cliff. "KOPA!" both Simba and Nala shouted. Kopa lifted his head weakly, "Dad, hurry." he strained to look up at Zira who had raised her paw for another strike. "Nala get the others!" Simba shouted as he jumped out of the grass. "Dad!" Kopa shouted weakly as Zira swiped at him for the last time. Kopa's body flew over the cliff. "NO!" Simba shouted and slammed Zira out of the way. Kopa mannaged to find a grip on the cliff, Simba was inches away When Kopa's grip gave out and he fell into the rushing water below. "KOPA!" Simba cried. Zira laughed, "I couldn't have planned this better my self. The great king of the Pride Lands watched his son die! Scar has been avenged!" Simba turnned to Zira with so much rage and hate in his eyes Zira was unsettled. "HOW DARE YOU!" Simba shouted. He waisted no time and jumped on Zira. Zira laughed as they fought, only adding to Simba's rage. Finally Simba had pinned Zira and raised his paw to deliver the final blow when Vitani jumped onto her mother, "NO! STOP!" she shouted fearing to not be herd, "Please stop!" Simba hesetated. "Simba!" shouted Nala from the feild, "Simba were here!" Suddenly, seven lionesses jumped out from the grass and formed a circle around the king and Zira. "Would you take away her mother Simba?" mocked Zira. Simba lowered his paw and jumped away from her, "No, Zira. Unlike you and your family, I'm not a killer. You however, will be punished." Simba paced, thinking of the worst punishment possible. "You and your cubs are banished from the Pride Lands. If I ever catch you here agian I'll-" Simba stopped as Zira stood laughing, "Oh Simba, you have much to learn. These lands are not your to keep me from, I'll be back." with that she turnned and left. Once she was no longer visable, Simba collapsed in tears. Nala walked over, "Simba whats wrong? Where's Kopa?" Only then did Nala understand. She looked at the cliff that had small ammounts of blood covering the edge. She walked over to the edge and laid down. "Oh, my baby." Nala joined Simba in mourning. The other lionesses sat silently, not shure how to comfort them about the loss of there first child.
Simba stood and sighed, Kiara stayed quiet for the entire story. "Thats terrible, how did you ever manage to go on?" Simba smiled, "You." Kovu looked over at the King and his daughter, "Your family has been through so much pain, because of mine." Both Simba and Kiara looked at him. "You forget, Scar was my uncle too. So we are all related." Simba said, "Of corse, that means our own family..." Simba fell silent. Kiara moved closer, "Oh, daddy. That was so unfair, that she would take revenge on a poor defenceless cub. Not to mention my brother." Simba sighed, "Zira was always angry at our family, Kovu is proof of that." Kovu looked down, "As much as that pains me, it's true. Zira kept her promise to return, and I helped her." Kiara hugged him, "Oh, don't think on it for a moment, you saw you were wrong and helped us. That took courage, the type very few have." Simba smiled as he watched Kiara comfort Kovu. "It's late," he said, "lets go inside." Simba left to go inside. Kovu turnned to follow, but noticed Kiara wasn't following. "Are you comming?" he asked. Kiara sighed, "In a minute." Kovu nodded and left her alone. Kiara replayed the story in her mind, something felt wrong. Kopa had fallen off the cliff, but was never found. When Zira fell they found her a few days later. Kiara wondered if Kopa was still out there, and if he was, why he hadn't returned.