R E C U P E R A T E

[Nala]

March 13th, year 1

Nala followed the rest of her pride into the cave of pride rock, four lionesses led the group, surrounding Jasper, then her children followed, with the queen herself bringing up the rear. She ordered two guards to stand outside, before turning to her children, or rather, one child in particular.

"Kopa," she growled, towering over her eldest son with an icy glare, teeth bared slightly, "You are in big trouble. Regardless of what happened today, attacking another pride member will not stand. Especially not one that isn't able to defend herself. I don't care what your excuse is, attacking a blind child is a cowardly move. You could have killed her!"

Shaking her head, she turned away from her eldest, but not before saying, "You're grounded to pride rock for a month."
Turning to Kiara this time, her snarl turned to a frown, a look of disappointment clear on her face,
"Your actions aren't excused either missy. Though you might be next in line, that doesn't yet give you the authority to give orders like that. You overstepped your bounds. You are not queen yet."

Finally, she turned to Jasper. The former leader, now prisoner, and murderer of her mate. Her stomach twisted in knots, and she fought to keep calm composure, when she wanted nothing more than to rip him to shreds.
"Now... what do you have to say for yourself?" she spat, taking a tone that was much like a parent scolding their misbehaving child.

[Afua]

Afua has plopped himself on a large rock behind Nala as he watched in silences as his “aunt” disciplined his best friend and his sister. Afua wouldn’t get in between this little argument, he knew that Kopa would probably argue back, it was just personality. He turned to frown over at Jasper as Nala speaks to him, golden tipped tail flip flops as he listens , ears perked forward to listen to what Jasper would say to try and save himself.
~~~~~~~
Mega places himself slightly outside the cave entrance unable to even look at Jasper, he stares out at the Pridelands fighting the mixture of feeling that we’re currently churning inside him of grief and anger.

[Deleted]

Kanzi was quiet. The cream cub sullenly sat next to their mother, head drooping. Kanzi would not even look at Jasper. Unsurprisingly, Jasper and Shani's betrayal had dampened their spirit. They could not remember ever feeling so low. 

Mom had scolded Kopa for pouncing on Shani, but Kanzi thought Shani deserved it. Shani had said a wicked thing, so they felt Kopa had every right to do something mean back. It was only fair. But Kanzi did not dare say so. Kopa just got grounded, and Kanzi did not want to join him.

Kiara was also reprimanded, but Kanzi hardly paid attention to their mother's scathing words. It was getting increasingly hard for them to focus on anything else when their father's murderer was standing right there - breathing their air.

"Now...what do you have to say for yourself?"

Still refusing to make eye contact, Kanzi grimaced. They did not want to hear what Jasper had to say. Nothing he said would bring Dad back. This was just a waste of time.

[Kopa]

Kopa almost stiffened when his mother started to rant about what he did to Shani. The little twerp deserved it! How could he not attack the person who hid the fact that her "papa" ordered his father to be killed from him for so long until he had to upright interrogate her.

Then his eyes went wide when Nala told him he was grounded. "But, mom! Grounded? Shani deserved it! She held something as important as who killed our father for who knows how long! And never told us as to fear of what?" He was almost seeping in rage. He failed to control his temper and was absolutely livid. He glanced at his friend and sibling before turning back to Nala.

But all he did was glare at the man who had sentenced his father to death.

[Jasper]

Silence waned heavy over the used to be Leader of the Freedom Fighters, he could still feel the betrayed stares burn into his back from the lions behind him and in front of him as well. Yet somehow despite some guilt, he did not lower his head, he had nothing to be ashamed of anymore, what he did was out in the open. It had finally come to tilt and now everything had finally toppled over into the abyss. Surprisingly, he was dealing with it well, even though he now felt uneasy in the presence of so many hostile figures. He silently longed for the comforts of his friends and family.

The Royals marked him as a murderer, a traitor, possibly even a monster and despite all this somehow he kept a cool exterior. Expression never changing, even amongst the bickering. As Nala turned her attention to him though, his expression changed. Some dark anger flaring in his eyes as if some ancient god bubbled in his very soul. His body appeared guarded and it was clear then that whatever trust that had been there was gone, diminished. Their relationship, their friendship was now ashes at their feet.

"I have nothing to say other than what you already know. You knew Simba was going mad Nala. You knew it and you didn't say anything to your children. That's on you, but don't you dare even pretend to lie and act as though it never happened. Not only for your sake but for the sanity of your own cubs, I know what I did, and I did it with a heavy heart. Simba was my friend but I knew the costs..." His voice dissipated in volume, his gaze on the floor for a few long lingering moments. Though suddenly a sound erupted from him like an earthquake.

"But you, you are worse than me. You stand in front of me painting me as a villain to save your own cowardly skin. You call yourself and queen and yet you are no lioness of honor. You are no valiant warrior on the arch of a battlefield ready to defend her people no matter the cost. You're just as much a traitor as I am!" His eyes narrowed almost dangerously but he did not move from his spot, he did not want to risk the group of lions surrounding him to lunge. "Tell them the truth Nala, tell them everything. Tell them what we swore to one another under the Great Spirits and the Gods of Old, tell them or let the spirits strike you down right where you stand and breathe; or does the oath you promised in blood mean nothing to you, Nala?"

[Nala]

Nala let out a growl as Kopa argued back, and swiftly cuffed him on the side of the head, not bothering to keep her claws sheathed. She could only handle so much right now, and her children misbehaving was not one of those things.
"ENOUGH Kopa!" she snarled.

"I have nothing to say other than what you already know-"

The queen turned her head back to Jasper, her teal eyes narrowing as he spoke. A feeling of dread wormed its way into the pit of her stomach however as he continued talking, defending himself. He wouldn't.
He did.

"Tell them the truth Nala, tell them everything. Tell them what we swore to one another under the Great Spirits and the Gods of Old, tell them or let the spirits strike you down right where you stand and breath; or do the oath you promised in blood mean nothing to you, Nala?"

Nala stared at Jasper, eyes no longer narrowed, but widened in shock. She was frozen to the spot, the feeling that had been in the pit of her stomach now rose in her chest into her throat. She couldn't speak, she couldn't think.
She felt the eyes of all her pride members, as well as her children, move from Jasper to her, questioningly.
She couldn't lie to them.
It wasn't that she didn't want to either, she physically could not lie to them.
She had taken an oath.

Slowly her ears drew back, her head lowered slightly, though her teeth were bared as she spoke nevertheless,
"Of course I knew," she spat, "When your loved one starts to lose his mind, how could you not notice? Something had changed in him, something got in his head and messed with his mind. He wasn't the Simba I once knew."
She let out a breath, feeling shame prickle in her chest, along with guilt,
"The Simba I knew wouldn't have led half his people into a death trap with no remorse for anyone that died. The Simba I knew was already dead. Killing him was mercy."

[Kiara]

During the walk back into Pride Rock Kiara had grown silent. A bit contemplative, a but sullen, a bit subdued. Thoughts chased one another around the young lioness' head like a starving hyena after a meerkat. So much had happened in so little time. There'd been no breath for consideration. No hesitation between action and reaction. Many of the thoughts could be boiled down to a simple question, a pursing of lips in a unique syllable.

Why?

Why had Jasper killed her father? Why had he gone to the Blackbloods? Why were so many so quick to jump in defense of his betrayal? Why did they hate her family?

I've been blind for too long, she decided, keeping to Pride Rock. I can't even tell who's telling the truth... And who just believes that they are.

An ear flicked towards her mother as she was berated, but rather than cower back or respond the teen merely lowered her gaze for a moment, eyes half-lidded. Kiara didn't hide that she'd heard but for the moment... It didn't seem to really matter. There were bigger concerns to deal with. What she did react to however was Nala striking her elder brother -- that brought a shocked gasp from the younger lioness. Her eyes widened and ears flattened back. Mom had never hit any of them before... Maybe cuff them playfully, but she was sure she'd seen the gleam of claws in that strike. If there was to be any evidence for young Kiara that something was dreadfully off about her mother, that was it. She didn't dare shrink back, but her posture became stiff and uneasy.

Then Jasper began to speak.

Kiara had been fully prepared to deny any words that came from his mouth only a half hour before, but now... Seeing the crowd that had gathered about him... She wavered, watching with questions in her furrowed brow. Every now and then those crimson eyes would flicker and waver towards Nala, silent questions seeking an answer. An unfortunate, horrible answer.

In the silence that followed there was a single squeak, choked out in the barest of breaths.

_"What?"

[Afua]

Afua steps back reeling in horror as Nala strikes her own son and his best friend. golden ears fold back against his skull as Jasper speaks and he turns to the ex-leader in confusion.

"What are you...." he trails off as Nala answers and his orange colored eyes widen in horror and disbelief. Ears managed to catch the faint murmur of Kiara as she to questions this, although she verbalizes it. Mega had whirled around at the Queen's sharp roar and listens just as dumbfounded. "You...You sent the king to his death? your husband.... Rafiki could of... he could of helped him if he was sick... he always knows what to do" Mega chokes out, staring right at Nala begging her to tell him this was some lie.

[Kopa]

Kopa reeled back as his mother struck his ear. He put his paw to his ear and noticed scarlet liquid on his paw when he pulled his paw back.

Blood.

Kopa looked at in horror then looks at his mother in shook. He completely forgot about Jasper and just at his paw. He heard what his mom said and his eyes widened. "WHAT?!" He exclaimed, forgetting that his mother just hit him. He forgot that drops of blood dripped from his ear.

"I can't believe this... This can't be true!" But in his mind he knew it was true. He backed up to where Afua was. His anger faded and was replaced by intense sadness. He sat down and looked to the floor not saying another word.

[Deleted]

Kanzi and Kiara gasped in unison. Kanzi whimpered and backed away slowly, ears pinned to their skull, eyes wide with fear. Mom had never hit them before. Kanzi could have sworn they saw Mom's claws. Sure enough, berry red blood dripped from their brother's torn ear. "He's bleeding!" Kanzi exclaimed. "Mom! He's bleeding!"

But Mom's attention was on Jasper now. Kanzi sniffled.

"But you - you are worse than me. You stand in front of me painting me as a villain to save your own cowardly skin. You call yourself a queen, and yet, you are no lioness of honor. You are no valiant warrior on the arch of a battlefield ready to defend her people no matter the cost. You're just as much a traitor as I am!"

Kanzi felt their fur grow uncomfortably hot as the fur on their neck rose. Kopa was forgotten. What was even going on? What was Jasper getting at? "M-mom," they whimpered. "What is he talking about?" Icy terror coursed through their blood. Mom was no longer frowning. Instead, she looked surprised. But why?

Then, she said:

"Of course I knew. When your loved one starts to lose his mind, how could you not notice? Something had changed in him, something got in his head and messed with his mind. He wasn't the Simba I once knew. The Simba I knew wouldn't have led half his people into a death trap with no remorse for anyone that died. The Simba I knew was already dead. Killing him was mercy."

Kanzi listened, dull with shock.  Mom was in on it? It hit the cub like a punch in the dark. They tried to fight down a rising feeling of terror, but it was no use. It washed over Kanzi in an inescapable tide. It had been said, and there was no taking it back.