The Lion King: The Lost Prince

Gone

ZAZU: "Simba! Simba! King Simba!" he cried frantically as he entered the den on Pride Rock.

       Simba awoke to Zazu's frantic cries.

SIMBA: "Zazu, what is it?!", he asked in a concerned manner wondering why his royal messenger had woken him up so early and in such a frantic manner.

       By this time all the lionesses and Simba's cubs were awoken by the commotion all inching closer to see what was going on

ZAZU: "Sire, it's Kopa, no time to explain, edge of Pride Lands, Zira....", he frantically squawked out of breath.

       Simba and Nala turned immediately to look at the spot where Kopa usually slept which was empty.

NALA: "No!", Nala screamed falling over only to be caught by her fellow lionesses.

SIMBA: "Everyone! Follow me! Now!!!", Simba roared as he charged out of the den with the Lionesses following him.

NALA: "Ohhh no, not you two", Nala said as she blocked her two other cubs from following.

KIARA: "But mom...", she protested.

KION: "We wanna help!", he protested.

NALA: "No, no you two are staying here with Zazu while I and your father fetch your brother.", she ordered her cubs.

       And with that she gave Zazu a nod and ran out of the Den, Zazu flew down to the two cubs and put his wings over the two. The three looked out at where the king and his army had gone from. Meanwhile, Simba and Nala reached the hill near the great ravine. They stopped in their tracks as they were greeted by the gut-wrenching sight of a limp bloodied Kopa being tossed carelessly into the ravine. The scene was made even worse by the grey clouds building in the sky.

SIMBA: "Gahhhhhhhhh!!!!!", he cried as he let out a roar with the most anger, hate, and distress that anyone had ever heard him muster.

NALA: "No...NO! NO!", she muffled then screamed in agony and disbelief at what she witnessed.

       Zira heard the two lions and swiftly plucked her cub up and ran to the log crossing the ravine. Simba and Nala, followed by the lionesses who had just caught up to the scene charged at Zira, but she had already crossed and knocked the fallen log into the ravine cutting any access to her off.

SIMBA: "YOU OR ANY OF YOUR KIND STEP FOOT HERE AGAIN, YOU WILL DIE!!!!!", he roared in both agony and hate.

       Thunder rumbled as the sky darkened.

SIMBA: "And that goes for every generation of your offspring alike!", he mumbled angrily to himself.

       What was worse to Simba was the fact Zira didn't even care about killing a cub, his cub, Kopa. She just smiled and turned, running off. She really was the mate of Scar after all. Simba turned around to see Nala who was crying looking down at the ravine, lionesses trying to comfort her. Tears poured down Simba's muzzle as he made his way to Nala and embraced her as the rain began to fall.

       When the King and Queen returned with their lionesses the royal family revealed Kopa's death to their cubs and to Zazu. It poured as the king and queen broke the devastation to the Pridelanders, with Kiara and Kion crying by their side. The animals joined in, bleating and crying in agony at the news of the young Prince's death. Later, Simba, Nala, Kiara, Kion, and Rafiki stood at the memorial rock where all the royal family was painted when they had completed their journey in the circle of life. Rafiki had just finished the newest painting of a cub, Kopa, shaking his head in sadness. Meanwhile, the royal family was lost in their thoughts as they embraced each other in utter sorrow.

SIMBA: "I am sorry I couldn't protect you, son. I will protect your brother and sister with my all." 

NALA: "I will miss you greatly, my son. I will never forget you nor forgive that evil Zira for bringing you to your early end in the circle of life."

KIARA: "Kopa, being the second in line, I was not prepared enough to be queen but I will be the best queen, for you."

KION: "Kopa, I will never let what happened to you happen to anyone else, ever. I will protect all life in the pride lands to the best of my ability."

       When Zira made it back to the den in the outlands the two were soaked from the rain, Vitani saw the shape of a lioness on the ground while the rest of the pride headed back into the dry den. When Zira got closer and put Vitani down, only then did the young lioness realize who was on the ground.

VITANI: "Alu!", Vitani cried only to be stopped by her mother.

ZIRA: "You will not disobey me again! Look at what you did to Alu! Look at how she died because of your actions!", she shouted.

       Vitani sobbed as she approached Alu. Alu cracked one of her swollen eyes open at Vitani.

ALU: "Vitani... I- I'm.... sorry.....", she mumbled as her body went completely still. 

VITANI: "Alu.... no....", she sobbed.

       Zira approached Vitani from behind. 

ZIRA: "Alu is gone, so you will need to be our head hunter and fighter Vitani!", she said coldly yet in a fake sad tone.

       Vitani looked at her mother in utter loss.

ZIRA: "It is what Alu would have wanted. Simba, his little runts have infected you and Kovu.", she said almost too empathetically.

      Zira continued to twist Vitani's vulnerable state of mind in her favor. Vitani nodded taking the bait, while only really half listening. Vitani failed to realize and grasp what her mother had done to Kopa, now distraught at the death of Alu in front of her.

ZIRA: "Now come, you should rest, you must be exhausted from today.", she reasoned with her daughter.

       Vitani followed Zira into the den and lay down. Vitani closed her eyes as she continued to feel tears welling in them. Kovu approached Vitani and lay next to her. Vitani cracked her eyes open as Kovu stared at them in an understanding sort of way. 

KOVU: "Vitani, I am sorry...", he said quietly.

       He nuzzled next to her to comfort his grieving and distraught sister. She closed her eyes, tears still rolling down her muzzle.

VITANI: "Thanks", was all she was able to mumble quietly.

       She knew he too had been ripped from a friend, and that he had felt the same way weeks ago. Of course, Vitani was worse off since she saw both Alu and Kopa die, two of her closest individuals.  Still, she had her brother. Vitani fell asleep alongside Kovu as her mother's words drifted into her mind. She knew she needed to become the lead hunter and fighter. She needed to make Alu proud. She needed to have a purpose. No matter what her mother said, she needed Kopa...