Unraveled Prince

[Kopa]

Kopa was staring at Kion intently, processing exactly what his little brother was saying. "It's ok, you don't need to explain your nightmares, not until you want to," he said. He then looked only slightly surprised as Kion tried to yell at him. He frowned. Anger did not show, surprisingly. He was genuinely concerned. This again wasn't a common feature on Kopa. He placed a paw on his brother's shoulder softly, having no anger or menacing feelings towards him. He didn't want to further hurt his brother or anyone else for that matter. He realized at that moment how arrogant he had been acting, but it would not fully settle until later.

"Look, Kion. I'm sorry, ok? If you don't want to sleep, I can't force you, but I think it would help you, and give you energy. I..." he trailed off for a few moments. He was not known to ever apologize, even to his father, who he idolized more than anyone else. He was getting more and more surprised with himself each time he spoke. He realized he had drifted off topic. He shook his head and continued. "I know you're not a baby anymore, but you still are my little brother, and I want to protect you as long as I can,"

Again, Kopa had no idea where all this was coming from, but all of the events that had transpired changed him in a way. He saw what his arrogance and hatred and anger and rage had done. Sure, he had taken that Blackblood's eye out, but that was because he was very angry. He was filled with hatred. But that hatred and anger and rage and arrogance also cost himself a family. He winced as these thoughts muddled his mind.

His blue eyes returned once more to Kion's orange ones. Kopa sighed. "I've had nightmares too, ok? Ones... about what happened, of course. But others about... nevermind." he said, suddenly turning very closed off and angry. There he was! The Kopa everyone knew and hated. Closed off and angry. But not towards Kion. It was towards many things, but never Kion, or any of his family. Those who were still alive, that is.

[Afua]

Afua steps closer to the older male pressing against him in a effort to try and calm or comfort him. “You need to let this out, just talk to us. Tell us about the nightmares-both of you” he glances down at Kion his expression a mix of concern and yet something else. “It will help you both in the long run”

[Kopa]

Kopa turned on Afua. "Afua, I don't need to let it out, there is nothing wrong with me, nor is there something wrong with the nightmares. They're just nightmares." he chided.

Kopa felt a warmth from Afua as the other lion pressed up against his side. He was almost comforted. He leaned into it for a few moments, before pulling away abruptly.

Afua's words affected him, however, in a way he couldn't explain. He looked at him with hard blue eyes, but his anger and rage and arrogance were slowly, very slowly, but surely fading away. His gaze softened slightly and he looked away from Afua. He looked back at Kion, waiting for him to answer, or make any movements.

[Kion]

    Kion felt bad at yelling at his elder brother now, since Kopa was responding to him kindly and warmly while he was acting like a young cub throwing a tantrum. He also felt a little touched that Kopa wasn't the only one affected by the whole thing, though he knew that rationally, everyone was affected by it one way or another. The young lion sighed, looking downcast towards the ground, then towards his brother's blue eyes. It was time to start to be less of an ass and more like a normal lion.

    "Sorry, Kopa..." He responded to Kopa. "I guess... Some sleep wouldn't be a bad idea. If it'll make you feel better." He just watched for his brother's reaction to his agreeing to actually getting some sleep, but watched Afua nuzzle onto Kopa in an attempt to comfort him or something. The cub turning teen couldn't help but to suppress a giggle and raised a paw to his mouth to muffle the noise. It was amusing, sure, but hey, he didn't judge. Kion himself was pretty affectionate towards those he cared about, so if that was how Kopa and Afua were, that was their thing. 

[Malik]

Many of the soldiers within the army were nocturnal by nature. Some enjoyed the touch of snow and the crystal cold of nightfall, even within the last grips of winter. Such was a one as Malik. He had been alerted by the sound of yelling near the barn as he'd patrolled; his paws crunching soft squeaks from the fresh powder as he'd kept watch over their tentative perimeter. Without much in the way of hesitation the saber-toothed male's course had diverted towards the source.

Upon coming within earshot of the cub trio Malik slowed from trot to walk, allowing himself a pause. Beneath the cover of brush and tree he could wait for a moment, letting their camouflage blur his image. He was not so quick to interrupt what was quite obviously a personal matter for the children before him, but... Brows furrowed as Malik's chest clenched.

Rafael had informed him of the events at Pride Rock, of course. The lion cubs stripped of sleep and plagued by nightmares could only be some of the royal family's children. Sympathy came quick from Malik. He too had lost those who were precious to him... Though he was the parent missing their lost cubs, the polar opposite of these three. How could he not sympathize with them?

As the voices slipped to a lighter note Malik allowed his own paws to slide from the cover of the trees, breaking his bulk free of the shadows. Across the clearing the tiger brought all five-foot-odd of himself to bear over them, an imposing figure despite the open warmth in gleaming eyes.

"Even if sleep is your adversary this night, resting the body may give your mind the strength it needs to ease your demons. Is the crowd in the barn too much for you, younglings?"

[Kopa]

Kopa smiled at his brother. Smiles weren't commonly seen on Kopa. But he was happy Kion wasn't trying to act like a jerk, which Kopa had been for several months, and quite frankly, didn't want to be a jerk anymore. At least, not fully.

"Thanks, Kio-" he wasn't able to finish as a freaking giant feline appeared behind them. He almost falls back in shock. He regained his bearings, however, and got back up.

"Erm hello?" he said or more grumbled out, reverting back to his closed off self again. He wanted nothing to do with this person. As he didn't know them very well.

[Kion]

    Kion would have said something like his brother, but the appearance of a gigantic... saber toothed feline interrupted any thought of that. Hevi kabisa, this guy (maybe? he couldn't tell) was huge. The large sabers of canine teeth didn't help his rather imposing figure, and his eyes radiated something that Kion couldn't place at the moment. Warmth, maybe? The lion teen wasn't sure, but he was rather scared at the sudden appearance of Malik. Kion did what any smaller feline would probably do... and that was hide behind his brother and Afua, just barely poking his head out from behind them.

    "Who are you?" Kion asked Malik. He was genuinely curious about him, but also cautious. But could anyone blame him? The golden lion was probably being a bit overly paranoid about it, but you could never be too careful. 

[Afua]

“It’s not that it’s too crowded, it’s just that we need some privacy, uh well-my friend did” he glances towards Kopa having pulled back from nuzzling under his chin. He eyes the massive sabertooth for a moment turning to watch Kion move to hide behind Kopa and himself. “Leader of the lion guard eh?” Afua chuckled at Kion clearly joking with him about his shyness and cautioned behavior.

[Malik]

Malik's gaze sealed itself for a moment in a long blink as he regarded the startled youths, a bit of puzzlement on his broad features. Not being a large specimen of his own species Malik was unaccustomed to causing a stir with his presence alone. Point of fact was that it was odd for him to be around so many smaller creatures... After a moment it clicked visibly in the great cat's expression as to what the most obvious cause of distress was.

With a shift of his weight Malik eased himself down into a crouch that tucked all four of his massive paws safely beneath him. He didn't resemble a feline silouhette as much as a large loaf of fur and mixed hue, but at least now his head was level more with where an adult lion's would be for the cubs. He couldn't erase his bulk completely -- not without a lot of dieting and a great deal of time -- but he could make what attempts remained possible to appear nonthreatening.

"Hello," he echoed with a hint of a smile, "I am Malik, leader of the Rag Tooth Clan." Sensing more that the cubs might be more curious about what he was rather than the immediate who the tiger continued, "I'm a saber cat, cousin to you lions on this continent. Pleasure to meet you all officially."

[Kopa]

Kopa stood to his paws. Unnerved, yet calm. He came forward. Before he could talk to Malik, he heard Kion. He glanced at his younger brother. "Thanks, that means a lot Kion," he told him. His attention then turned on Malik again. "Do you want something?" he asked, not trusting Malik right away.

"The crowd in the barn is way too much, and besides, I only came out here to think..." he grumbled. He glanced at Kion and Afua once more. He was tired, to be honest. Very tired. He had been through to much. He hadn't been this tired since he fought Kula in Australia. He hated the Blackbloods with a burning passion. It never seemed to go out. They ruined his life and killed so many people... He wanted to hurt them in some way so badly.

He shook his head and blinked. "Um, so yeah, we're fine, right guys?" he looked over at Afua and Kion. He wondered if everyone hated him. Did everyone dislike him? He figured as much. Kopa was angry. He couldn't understand. Why did everything go so wrong? Was it because of him? He really wasn't sure.

"I'm not going to sleep, though, I just can't," he told them, a shudder going up his spine. He hadn't gotten much sleep at all. Nightmares and visions plagued his mind all the time. Some about the events in Africa. Some of his parents, his dad mostly. Even some of that turd Kula. All nightmares in some way. He wished these nightmares could go away. They were all different. 

The nightmares always seemed to change to a memory. A dark memory. Or they are random, but still have haunting images in them, of all events that have happened to him. Bad events. He shook his head of these thoughts.

Why did these thoughts keep popping up in his head?