Chapter 7 – Forgiveness
Vitani suddenly became very still. She looked into Kopa’s eyes and he lowered his with guilt. She fled the scene feeling betrayed, letting out her emotions like she had on the night she found Kopa. Now she found out that he had another cub and hadn’t told her about it. It didn’t make her feel cross at the fact he had been with another lioness as Zira had cubs with two different lions. Nuka and her were only half siblings. But she felt angry at the fact he hadn’t told her.
Meanwhile, Siri ran up to her father who had started to cry.
“Why are you upset father? I’m home!” she said.
“Because I had kept you a secret from everyone and they now feel like I’m untrustworthy.”
“But my mother helped to heal you! Surely they should be thankful!”
“But I have a mate now, the lioness who confronted you. She probably hates me now. We have two children!”
“That lioness, was she Vitani?” Asked Siri.
Kopa nodded and Siri grimaced. Her mother had warned her that Vitani was her father’s true mate, but Siri had just ignored her. She wanted to be part of her father’s family!
“So Kopa, how come you came back if you had a family?” Asked Kiara.
“Because Zira had tried to kill me and I had a feeling in my heart that the evil was about to go. I only arrived after Zira’s death, remember.”
“So Siri’s mother…”
“Healed me, yes, and I fell in love with her. It wasn’t as strong as the love I felt for Vitani, but it was there.”
Kabili and Dafina felt outraged at their father’s behaviour and left Pride Rock. Kopa’s head fell and Siri had to comfort him.
However, Nabii was busy thinking. She knew how to fix this.
A few weeks later, things had improved. Nabii had talked to Siri a couple of days after she arrived and told her that she needed to win Vitani, Kabili and Dafina’s trust. Siri took Nabii’s words to the heart and set about bringing new paints and stones to Kabili in his story cave, bringing flowers to Dafina and hunting with Vitani. Slowly, but surely, the family grew back together and accepted one another.
But just like everything that had happened before, their happiness was short lived. Kovu got attack by rogues whilst patrolling the borders and died from his injuries. Kiara felt like all the power she had had desert her, so she said Chimalsi and Nabii were fit to become the next rulers. Also, Zazu said he wanted to spend his last few months with his family, so Chimalsi chose a new Major-domo. He chose a cheetah called Busara and his mate Moyo.
Chimalsi had to tell his family how he knew the two cheetahs very well. All through the story Nabii kepts thinking ‘secrets, secrets’ disapprovingly, but actually, she quite liked his story.
When he was in the cave during his lovesick months Chimalsi slept most of the time. That meant he was awake at night, so he crept out and went exploring. One night, he came across the two cheetahs having a late night drink at the waterhole. They quickly became friends and Chimalsi learnt that Busara was very wise and his mate Moyo was very honest. The two of them made a great pair and Chimalsi would sneak out every night. One time, they ambushed him with mud and turned him into a cheetah, which he wasn’t too impressed about and another night he and Moyo pretended to fall in love to annoy Busara. Of course, Moyo’s honest nature meant that when he ran away she had to go to him and say that they were just joking.
Kiara approved of the cheetahs, as did Nabii and they were welcomed into the family.
A few days later, Dafina approached Vitani complaining of feeling weird. She described her symptoms and Vitani smiled.
“What is it mother?” She asked, slightly panicked.
“I’m going to be a grandmother.” She said softly.
Dafina gasped. “Does that mean..?”
“Yes, you’re pregnant!”
Dafina could hardly believe the good news. She ran up to Ajali and whispered it in his ear. His eyes widened and then he cheered and licked Dafina’s stomach.
“We’re going to be the best parents in the world!”
The rest of the Pride found out quickly and the congratulations didn’t stop. Nabii went up and congratulated the pair, although a tiny voice in the back of her mind just went ‘the prophecy.’