The Lion King: The Forgotten Son

Returning To The Tree Of Life

Kopa POV
I woke barely able to open my eyes. The mud had dried to our fur and hardened. I looked at Vitani who was still sound asleep against me. I tried to stand but I could Vitani and I were stuck together. I noticed that Rein and Snow weren't there. I decide to wake Vitani.
"Psst Tani". She continued to silently snore, it was cute but I had to wake her.
"Vitani wake up" I said. I unsheathed one of my claws and poked her in the back. She shot awake.
"Ouch Kopa what are you..." she tried to move around. All her flailing started to crack the dried mud and clay but it began to rip at my fur.
"Ow don't move Vitani".
"What's wrong Kopa".
"I think the mud on our has hardened and turned to clay, now we are stuck".
"Well how do we get out of this without ripping our fur off".
Rein and Snow came back.
"Ah I see you two have the similar problem we have Well to loosen it you will have to go to that geezer over there and let the steam loosen the clay". said Rein.
"Thanks Rein okay we move together Vitani".
"Alright let's go".
We slowly began to walk to the geezer.  We stood over it and we could already feel the clay breaking.
"Ugh I hope no body sees us like this" said Vitani. She was attached to my left side and I had my front left leg stuck to her back and my back left leg was attached to her back right leg.
"I thought you said that you weren't Tiffu" I teased.
"Very funny Kopa".
We laughed as we began to separate. We weren't completely clean but we could move alone now.
"Now just to get this heavy hard clay off".
"Yeah but the only water source near by is at the tree".
"Well let's get a move on this stuff is weighing me down" she said.
We went back to Rein and Snow then headed to the tree. I didn't realized that it wasn't that far to walk there because by mid day we reached the tree valley.
"Wow I haven't been home in a long time" said Snow.
"Yeah me either" said Rein.
"Alright let me do the talking Kopa, Kion and the others will recognize me".
"Okay you lead I follow".
We neared the entrance.
"Stop" called some voices above.
On the rocks above us stood a large older brown lion with a poofy mane, a smaller brown lion who was young with a large tuff hanging over his face. Then there was a cheetah, and hippo.
"What is you business here" said the older male lion.
"My name is Vitani and we have a message for the tree of life".
"Vitani" said the Cheetah and Hippo".
"You know her" said the older lion.
"Yeah she is from the pridelands What's wrong Vitnai".
My friends I have come to warn you about a wolf attack on the tree I hope it hasn't happened yet".
"No it hasn't well come you must speak to Kion and Rani". The Cheetah and Hippo left.
Rein and Snow stepped closer to us. The older lion noticed.
"Rein, Snow".
"Surak is that you it's been awhile" said Rein. Surak hadn't changed much he was just older.
"Surak you know them" said the younger one.
"Well Baliyo this Rein and Snow they were a part of the night pride before the attack I talked about".
"This is Baliyo" said Snow and Rein "He has grown a lot since we saw him last and what about Rani"
"Well she is queen now it's a uh long story".
"Well you should look at Kopa over there he has grown too".
Surak looked at me.
"Hey Surak" I said.
"Wow is that you kid you sure have grown and I see you made it home is this your friend you talked about so much".
I smiled at Vitani.
"She sure is".
The Cheetah came back.
"Well they are busy right now but come in you can wait there and maybe clean off your fur".
Right Vitani and I were still covered in dry mud. Vitani and I left the group to go clean off.
"Well we made it in time" I said.
"Yeah luckily".
"I wish it only took that long to get home but I was lost after being lead on a goose chase".
We stepped into the river and the dirt began to fall off. I rubbed up against a rock to scrub more of the dirt off. Eventually I was clean of the dirt. I noticed Vitani struggling to stay a float. I guess I swam a lot more than I remember on my trip so I was a master swimmer. I swam to her.
"Her Vitani let me help you before you drowned" I said.
"Okay" she said. She had always been afraid of water but this river wasn't all that deep. She turned around to face me. I put my front legs underneath hers .
"Okay now moved your back and legs along the rocks to scrub the mud".
She did that and soon her dirt was gone.
"Alright now let's..." we began to be pushed by a sudden current and pushed down river.
"Oh gosh what's happening" said Vitani shakily.
"We are being carried down stream".
We floated down stream arms still interlocked. The currents became more rapid and the water became deeper.
"Okay Vitani of I remember correctly there is a small waterfall ahead it will lead us into a lake, from there we can swim ashore".
"Okay" she said.
I nuzzled her.
"You will fine Vitani as long as you hang on to me". We began to near the waterfall.
"Okay here we go". We fell down the water fall. Once in the lake the water put us on the shore.
"Woo we made" I said with my mane in my eyes. I flipped it out of the way to see a shivering Vitani.
"You Okay Vitani".
"Yeah just want to dry off".
"Alright follow me I will show you how to dry off". I lead her to a near by hill.
"All you have to do is roll down there a couple of times and it should dry you off".
"That's it" I nodded "Alright then".
We began to roll down the hill over and over. Vitani seemed to brighten up after that tumble down a waterfall.
"This is fun isn't" I said.
"Yeah I guess so" she laughed "But I think I am dry enough"
"Oh really because I still a wet spot on your back"
"Where" she said as she turned around.
"Right here" I ran up to her and pushed us both down hill tumbling together at until we hit the bottom. Vitani landed on top of me. We laughed and she looked me in the eyes.
"Yeah that was fun way better than that waterfall".
"And now we are dry".
We stopped laughing and justed stared at each other, both smiling. It was a few seconds before she realized she was sitting on me.
"Oh sorry Kopa".
"No problem Vitani".
She seemed embarrassed and looked away. I became more serious.
"Vitani are you okay" I said.
"Yeah, we should get to the tree and see if Kion and Rani are back".
"Okay Tani".
I followed her to the tree.