The Prince and the Scout (Kopa)

[dwdruid]

Along the ridge of the Gorge, a site known for its tragic past in the Pridelands, a young lion rested upon a raised boulder, his dark pelt clashing with the deep tan color of the surrounding rocks. Lounging on the rock he groomed the remaining blood stains on his paw, wincing whenever his rough tongue grazed the tender flesh of his still open wound. Kovu's training today had been even rougher and harder than usual, and Zira's lessons were already tough to survive. She claimed that he couldn't be allowed to 'get soft' and that he would have to be as strong and as hard as stone if he was even to achieve his destiny. She had even gone as far as cutting into his neck, if it wasn't for his mane Kovu didn't think he could have recovered from such a wound. He would almost begin to hate her for these moments, but he understood it was all for the best for him, his family, and the rest of the pride. Anything to win back the Pridelands from that murderer, Simba!

Satisfied with the cleaning of his wounds, Kovu looked down into the great depth of the Gorge. Mother had always told him that it was here that Scar won the throne of the Pridelands. She never mentioned how he did it but it must have been a great deed to have earned the right to be king. Kovu was expected to follow his example and perform such deeds himself, among them was going to Simba's death. That's what his training was for, the reason why he was attacked, wounded, maimed, and by some definitions, tortured by his own mother. Just the murder of one lion, one king, and the Pridelands would once again belong to Scar and his chosen heir, himself!

[җ K.opa]

Kopa

======

The sun was at its setting point when he got to the Gorge, his chest heaving and his eyes shut tight in an attempt to ignore the pain. Along his bodice, the marks of claws and the wounds of fangs could be easily seen, a sign of what had happened recently. He'd stepped out of line and ended up on the receiving end of Zira's claws, along with a few other lionesses who the leader had called in to help deal out his punishment. She didn't allow them to kill him though; the wounds were deep but not fatal, and the only reason for that fact being was that she needed him. From cubhood, he'd been trained as her scout in the Pridelands, using him to bring back news of what was happening, and then modifying her plans to fit into any new event. Limping slowly to the edge of the Gorge, the young lion let himself fall to the earth, his front paws hanging off the edge as he took in some deep, shaking breaths. He didn't bother to clean his wounds, he'd not the energy at the moment. Opening up his brown hues, he gazed out at the land in front of him, the land across the great chasem in front of him; the coveted lands of the Outsiders, the Pridelands, laying just ahead. This area, the Gorge, used to be part of them, he had heard before on one of his scouting trips, but they'd been abandoned after a great tradegy had happened here. What that tradegy was, he wasn't certain, but it had to be aweful in order for the Pridelanders to give up part of their territory.

Sighing deeply, he shook his head to clear his thoughts; now wasn't the time to think on such things. Forcing himself up into a sitting position, he raised a shaky paw to his maw and ran his tongue over the deep wound there, received by an over-eager lioness' swipe. He was slow in his work, making sure to clean it and trying not to aggrevate his other injuries as well. Zira might not have let them kill him, but she didn't hold them back. Once the slash on his paw was done, he moved to the six slashes that moved up his leg, three from a set of claws of one lioness, two from another, and one from scraping himself against the ground in his haste to try and escape or fight back against them. All in all, he looked as if he'd been in a big battle, but he most certainly was not the victor. Anyone could've said they'd just leave this place if something like this happened to him, but it wasn't that easy. Zira's grip around his will was strong, and besides that where could he go that he could escape her? The Pridelands? Yeah, right, like they'd accept him, a full grown Outsider lion. What about the nomad lands? Nope, Zira would probably find him there too. And then there was the fact that this was the only home he ever knew... either way he looked at it, he knew he was stuck here, and that was that.

The wind shifted as he finished with the last, more shallower cut along his front leg, and with it carried the scent of an Outsider lion... and blood. Going on alert, the Scout forgot all about his own wounds and stood up, forgoing his own pain. An Outsider was injured, a fellow Pridemate... one more important than he. What could've done so, a Pridelander maybe? Lifting his nose into the atmosphere around him, he saught out the telltale scent of a Pridelander, but all he got were the faint scents that were brought over from the other side of the deep Gorge. Okay, no Pridelanders... but then who's injured and why? he wondered to himself, his body still alert to any sort of danger that might be around. Almost on impulse, almost on second nature, he began to move in the direction of the scent, holding up his more injured hind leg to relieve it of the pain he experienced if he put weight on it, moving at the fastest pace he could manage. Even if he was treated like this, even if he was the lowest thought of in the Pride, he was still part of the Pride, and as such he cared about the wellfare of its members, most of which were his attackers. It was strange for everything he'd been through, but that was his way of thinking.

However, as he came closer to the scent, he began to put a face and name to it. The stronger it got, the more urgent he became. There was no mistaking that the scent that was mixed in blood was that of Kovu, Zira's son and the Pride's chosen heir. Adding a little more speed to his gait, the injured lion moved forward with more conviction, almost forcing himself to run on three legs. He stumbled for a moment, nearly falling to the terras below him, but got right back up and kept going. Besides Zira, Kovu was one of the most important members of the Pride; everyone respected him, some even idolized him. Those thoughts were what gave Kopa the energy to keep up his pace, even though it was exhausting him and he still had his own injures to deal with. Finally, he found the young Prince sitting on the surface of a large rock, and relief swirled through the Scout to see that he wasn't under attack... but still, he was injured! Prince Kovu! he called out, coming to a stop next to the rock and gazing up at the darker shaded Prince, panting and still bleeding slightly but strangely more concerned about the younger lion.

Kopa wasn't a fool, he knew he wasn't allowed to come within talking distance of Kovu, let alone speak with him. He'd probably be receiving more punishment for this, perhaps even harsher than the one before, but he didn't care at this point. All that mattered now was that his Prince was hurt, and the attacker could still be around. I smelled blood in your scent and came running. Were you attacked? he asked, trying to keep his tone from sounding concerned and more alert and curious, but failing somewhat in his pain and weariness from the run. And he even seemed like he'd still be up for a fight even despite his current state... if it meant protecting Zira's son, the Pride's heir, then so be it; he could take a couple more slashes and bites.

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[dwdruid]

Tired from the training and slight blood lose, Kovu decided to take a short cat nap under the hot savannah sun. Settling himself into a comfortable position that didn't grazed against any of his wounds, gave a great yawn, and closed his eyes. It seemed to be only a moment later when he was startled by the sound hundreds upon hundreds of hooves striking the earth. Opening his eyes and stretching his head to see better, Kovu witnessed the most amazing sight he had ever seen. Down at the bottom of the Gorge, the largest herd of wildebeests were stampeding through the dusty valley. Looking at both ends of the ridge, Kovu was surprised to see that the herd didn't appear to have a beginning or an end.

Suddenly his attention was focused at the other end of the Gorge, where he could make out two lion figures. One, a very large and proud looking lion with a golden pelt and a full reddish-brown mane, was barely grasping the rock wall by the edge of his claws. The other was standing on a ledge directly above him. He was a smaller looking lion with darker fur, a sleek black mane, and a cruel smile that directly reminded Kovu of his mother, Zira. With a start Kovu realized that even though the pair was far away, he could make out a bright pink scar over the left eye of the black-maned lion. Remembering his mother's stories, he instantly recognized him to be Scar, the great ex-king of the Prindlands! But what was Scar doing here? And who was the other lion calling up to him. It was both Kovu and the dangling lion's shock when Scar reached down and pinned the other's front legs with his own, claws extended. Scar then spoke in a low whisper that, though impossible, Kovu could hear over the expanse of the canyon, "Long live the King!" And with those words, he threw the lion off the cliff in one fluid motion, letting him fall into the mass of the still stampeding wildebeests, to be pounded into the ground by their hooves. With the same smile, Scar turned his head up to look directly at Kovu, their matching green eyes connecting, and laughed. The cold laughter kept getting louder and louder, ringing in Kovu's ears and down into his very soul until..."Prince Kovu!"

Kovu was startled awake up the unfamiliar voice calling his name. Shaking the disturbing images from his head, and gathered dust from his mane, Kovu that newcomer. He instantly recognized the face and frame of the lion before him, though his name didn't come so fast. It was that scout his mother was always using, and more often than not abusing. In fact, he was covered with many wounds and injuries that made Kovu feel lucky about his own modest scratches. He didn't recognized his voice because he had never heard him speak before. Zira had forbidden him from speaking with the other male, though she refused to say why. He had also seen him around the pride, usually being sent on missions by his mother or being punished by her and others. "I smelled blood in your scent and came running. Were you attacked?" Kovu almost wanted to laugh at the other male's concern, but he decided to cease his worry. "That depends on your definition of 'attacked'. Worry not, for my mother Zira always causes me injuries such as these in our lessons, but your concern is comforting. You are, Kopa, right?"

[җ K.opa]

Kopa

======

As he approached the young Prince, he took notice that he'd not been awake moments before. To this, the Scout wasn't sure whether to be alert or wary. The darker shaded lion could've just passed out from the battle, or been knocked unconscious by whatever enemy he'd been battling. Taking a sweeping glance across the immediate area, making sure that they were alone and that any possible enemy wasn't in nearby range. He wasn't going to take chances with the Prince's life. Not only would Zira have his head for not doing anything about it when he could've, but the Outsider Pride could fall into disarry. Kovu was the chosen heir to the throne of the Outsiders, the one to take over after Zira, and the one who was suppose to kill the current King of the Pridelands and take them back for the Outsiders. If something were to happen... Kopa didn't even want to think about it. Yes, even in spite his ill treatment from the other members, it was still his Pride, and he'd help and defend it for as long as he had to. He was taking a huge risk of tempting Zira's fury just by coming up to Kovu and asking him if he was alright, but considering the situation, he figured it was worth it for now, and if Zira found out, he'd just explain the best he could; hopefully it would be enough to sedate her...

"That depends on your definition of 'attacked'. Worry not, for my mother Zira always causes me injuries such as these in our lessons, but your concern is comforting. You are, Kopa, right?"

As the young Prince rose up into a seated position and explained, Kopa felt a tremendous weight be lifted off of his shoulders, a relieved sigh escaping him silently. As the tension left his body, he sheathed his claws, although he didn't remember unsheathing them in the first place, and lowered his injured body to the ground in a sitting position, careful not to jarr his pain-ridden leg. The running he had done to get to the Prince wasn't something he should've done in his current condition, and now without the adrenaline rush and worry, it was coming back on him. Still, he managed to look dignified either way, keeping his posture straight even in spite of his injuries. He couldn't look like a fool in front of the Prince, now could he? It was then that he finally seemed to hear Kovu's question, and turned his brown gaze back to the dark shaded lion. Yes, sir, my name is Kopa. I'm sorry to have disturbed you, but... I jumped to conclusions. he stated, finally realizing that if Kovu hadn't been knocked out or fallen unconsicous, then he must've been resting.

At this realization, a wave of guilt crossed over the young lion. Kovu was resting from a training session with Zira - something Kopa knew too well about from his cubhood days - and here he had come in and awoken the younger lion. Yes, he had been worried about the Prince's welfare, and concerned there could be an enemy in the area, but he knew that Kovu trained with Zira almost daily, everyone did, and if he'd taken the time to sniff again, he would've notice there wasn't another enemy scent for miles, so why did he just immediate jump to the conclusion that Kovu was under attack. Probably the pain and blood loss... yeah, that sounds right. he thought to himself as he rose up to his three good legs, raising his injured one up from the ground. I'll leave and let you rest, sir. with that, he began to turn and limp off, and hoping beyond hope no other Outsider was around to tell Zira he hadn't obeyed her direct order of staying away from her cubs...

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[dwdruid]

Kovu continued to study the older lion as he was explaining himself. From his mother's warnings to never speak to him, he always assumed he was a no good trouble-making flith who didn't even belong among the Outsiders. But from what he could tell so far, this Kopa character was a loyal and trustworthy meber of the pride, someone who would put the good of his own people before himself. His readiness to protect Kovu from an unknown threat, especially while he was injuried so much himself, proved his comitment to Kovu and the rest of the pride.

As the Outlander scout turned to leave, Kovu could easily sense the pain of his wounds that almost radiated from him like an arua. Disregarding Zira's orders for the first time in his life, Kovu spoke again, "Wait, you are badly injured. You shouldn't move around until you at least clean and manage your own wounds. I was resting yes, but feel well enough now." He then laid hiself down on the rock and watched his fellow pridemember, hoping he would stay instead of retreating and hurting himself. Whether he was a lowly scout or not, he was a memeber of the Outlanders. And it was his duty as future king to take care of everyone in his pride.