The False King

[Deleted]

Rage throbbed in Kanzi like a heartbeat. They bared their teeth in a snarl. "That does not make it right! I never knew my father. I was a baby when he died. And he's not exactly around to give his side of the story! What am I supposed to think, Shani?!"

"Our father was killed in an ambush by the Blackblood Legion. Explain that."

The young cub felt a flicker of hope. Maybe Shani was mistaken after all! "Yes," they agreed. "I would like to know that too."

[Kopa]

Kopa had to do all he could from pouncing on Shani right then and there. He turned to Afua and snarled. "Why did you that?" He said angrily. He wasn't mad at Afua. He was mad at the fact that Afua threw him off Shani.

[Afua]

"Why did you that?"

“You attacked Shani! What type of question is that?!” Afua growls, claws out now ready to slap some sense into his best friend at any moment. His ears pin back against his skull before his head snaps over to look at Kopa’s siblings who were seemingly confused at whatever the heck was going on.

”What happened Kopa?” The blonde growls 



Mega gives a low growls as he approaches the group listening to everyone speak, he casts a glance at the young prince who was currently pinned down. “Tell me it’s a lie, tell me what you said wasn’t true. The Simba I know would never send us to our deaths” Mega begs, trying to swallow the sizable lump in his throat.

[Shani]

Everyone was asking questions, and it seemed like despite her attempts, nobody wanted to believe her. She couldn't blame them honestly, Simba had done his best to come off as normal to everyone. But she knew the truth, she only wished they weren't blind to it.

"Our father was killed in an ambush by the Blackblood Legion. Explain that."

Kiara's sharp voice made her flinch, but she stood her ground. Regardless of if they wanted to believe her or not, she was going to tell them what happened. To try and explain that Jasper had good intentions in trying to save the lives of the freedom fighters.
"Jasper... he went on neutral ground, asked the Blackbloods to do it."

“Tell me it’s a lie, tell me what you said wasn’t true. The Simba I know would never send us to our deaths”

Shani shook her head, "It's not a lie. His mind was deteriorating, he wasn't thinking straight anymore. All he cared about was sending the freedom fighters into battle, he didn't care if the entire army and pride died in the process. I don't know what, but something made Simba snap, and he was a danger to everyone. Jasp... papa didn't have a choice."

---

Not far from the gathered group, Nala stood in the shadows, watching and listening with increasing grief and anger rising in her chest.
She slowly walked away before any of the others could notice. 

[Kiara]

Ever since her father's death Kiara had felt as though her chest laid empty, stripped open and kept bare with the weight of her grief. Something crept in that cavity now, something hard and frozen. It lodged itself beside her heart like a shard of ice, spreading anger like snowmelt through her veins. Kiara's rage wasn't the hot tempest that her brother portrayed, nor the cool-headed anger of her sibling Kanzi. It was frost, it was rigid.


It was dangerous.


Betrayal burned through the lioness' blood like an ice boil, though her expression remained unchanged. "I see. How long have you known this, Shani?" Despite her anger Kiara's voice remained... Deceptively passive. Perhaps that made it all the more disconcerting.

[Kopa]

Kopa almost exploded with anger. "How dare you!" he snarled at Shani. He threw Afua off him and got to his feet. He was to angry to answer his friend's question. He stepped towards her and sidestepped his sister and pushed Shani so she could feel it. He was beyond mad. He was furious. His hot tempered anger seared through.

"It's not true," he snarled. "It can't and it won't. I won't believe it."
He had passed his sister and had stepped closer, as he could barely keep his claws in.

[Shani]

Shani quickly backed away from Kopa as she felt the sharp shove to her chest. She realized there was no way they were going to believe her, and even if they did, she had a feeling they might end up "shooting the messenger".

As she backed up, she shook her head at Kiara and Kopa's words, there was no reasoning with any of them now.
"Fine, believe it or not, it doesn't stop it from being true," she growled under her breath. Before any of them could come after her, she turned and ran to find Jasper, abandoning her medic bag.

- - -

Teal eyes narrowed at the cub as she fled. With a low growl, she changed her direction and followed her, knowing she would lead her right to who she was looking for.

To Be Continued...