Other Fan Fiction ❯ The Lion King 3: Royal Journey ❯ Tempest ( Chapter 14 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
Hello, just for an FYI: Jana and Tome were newlyweds.

Chapter 14: Tempest
It rained hard the rest of the day and it didn't let up all through the night. The storm was merciless. Lightning struck trees, either knocking them down or turning them in strange angles. The lightning scared the little ones. They hid themselves by their mother. Vitani laid miserably by herself. When she had returned the night before, Simba had cornered her and asked her where she had been going. She hadn't realized he had noticed. Fortunately, Simba was too busy to talk to her that night, so he had to postpone the conversation. Simba still hadn't gotten the chance to talk to her so she had time to make a decision: To lie to him, or to tell the truth. She knew what she should do. She should be truthful to her king. It was the right thing to do. But what about Tome? How will he feel when he goes to the spot, and she's not there?
"No," she thought, "I will not show him up. I'll be there, Tome, don't worry."
By late morning, the storm still had not let up. Simba told Kovu to brave the storm and see if the animals in the pride lands had found shelter. It was the kind of duty he would have to do regularly as king.
"As king," Simba explained, "And in hard times, you must always check on the herds out there. They are an important part of our lives; they deserve utmost respect."
Kovu nodded in understanding.
"If it's too dangerous, don't feel bad about coming back. I don't want you to get hurt."
Kovu smiled and after a short bow, he sped off into the pouring rain. After he was gone, Simba thought to himself,
"Kovu looks so much like Scar, and was trained to be him, and yet he chose this life. He'll eventually become king. He will be a good one; I can tell."
Simba took one last look at the far-off image of Kovu running up to a family of giraffes under a large tree. He then turned back into the warm, welcoming den.
Kovu spotted a family, shivering under a tree. There were three adults and one child. He ran over to them, panting.
"Is everyone alright?" Kovu had to yell over the loud rain.
The giraffes nodded.
"Be sure to run if this tree is struck by lightning!"
"Thank you, Price Kovu!" the little foal yelled.
Kovu nodded and then ran off to find more herds. Lightning clapped over Kovu's head. He jumped, but it only made him run faster. He was determined not to let Simba down.
The time for Vitani to meet Tome was at hand. Vitani wondered how she was going to escape unnoticed. She noticed no one was watching her. Maybe it wouldn't be too hard. She could probably stroll right out. Vitani moved towards the cave's exit. She pretended to just be looking out at the rain, just incase there were any eyes on her. She looked at the others, but no one seemed to notice her. She gathered her courage, and walked out. Quickly, she scaled the stair-like stones leading to the ground. She didn't get very when she heard someone calling her name.
"Vitani!" the voice yelled.
The panicked lioness turned her head. It was Kovu.
"What are you doing?" he yelled over the rain.
"Please, Kovu, let me go!"
Kovu knew where she would go. He figured she was going to run away with that lion. Would he ever see her again? He hesitated.
"…Will you come back?"
Vitani looked to the horizon and then at Kovu again.
"I will always return to here."
Kovu nodded and closed his eyes in pain. Vitani sped off. Kovu knew it would be a long time before he would see his sister again.

Tome's family was looking for shelter. They didn't have a huge rock like pride rock, but they did have a large rock that jutted out from the ground and they also had several large trees. Jana and Tome found a tree to hide under. Jana insisted on them being alone.
"Now that we're alone..." Jana said rubbing her head on his mane.
Tome had no reaction. He was looking off in the distance, no doubt in the direction of the place where he needed to be.
"Hold me, Tome." Jana said seductively. Tome again didn't react. Jana moved her body very close to him and she started purring.

-meanwhile-

When Vitani arrived at the spot, Tome was not there.
"He's just late. He'll be here." she told herself, sitting down. Hard and ferocious rain pelted her fur. It also didn't help that her paws and legs were covered in mud. Vitani shivered.
"I sure wish that fur-ball would hurry."
Suddenly, a loud crack of lightning boomed overhead. Vitani yelped and ducked low. She put her paws over her head like a child.
"Tome! Where are you?"
Half an hour of cold storm went by, and Tome had still not come. Lightning crashed repeatedly, and it scared Vitani every time. She felt tears come to her eyes. Her love for him was standing, even though she wasn't.
"Why isn't he here?" she croaked.

-meanwhile-

"Come on, Tome, let's cuddle like we used to." Jana said pleadingly.
"Jana...I don't really feel like-"
"Do you want cubs, Tome? Let's have cubs." She rubbed her head under his chin. He pulled away. She looked at him. Only the sound of dark rain could be heard. A worried look formed on Jana's face.
"What's wrong? It seems like you want to be somewhere else."
"Vitani." Tome thought. "I'm sorry. I want to be there, but I can't leave…"
"Tome! Look at me."
Tome looked at Jana. Her eyes were narrowed angrily. This was his wife. He would be exiled if he left her. That is why he wouldn't.
"I'm sorry, Jana, I was only thinking." he put an arm around her. She hugged back.
"I'm glad nothings wrong." Jana said lovingly.
Tome saw Vitani's face as he hugged Jana. She was sad, lonely and crying.
"I'm sorry, Vitani. I'm sorry." he thought.
"Mmmm...Tome, I love you so much."
Tome didn't say anything. He felt low. He felt dirty.
"Let's have cubs." she continued.
He felt so cruel that he crushed Vitani's heart. He felt it was his fault that Vitani would be lonely for the rest of her life. He had promised he'd be there. He couldn't do that to her. He couldn't be that cruel. What he had felt for both Jana and Vitani had changed too much to ignore.
"I have to go to her." he thought. "But how?"

"Tell me you love me." Jana whispered.
Tome looked at her.
"Jana." he said.
"Yes?" she said sweetly.
Tome thought of Vitani again. She was alone, scared and cold in the rain. He couldn't do this to her.
"Jana...This isn't working out."
Jana's first reaction was one of confusion. Then after seeing the seriousness in his expression, Jana's eyes went furious, but yet calm, like she knew this would happen.
"Then why did you even marry me?" she asked dryly and as if she saw this coming.
"I'm really sorry Jana…but..." he stammered.
"But what?" she said forcefully. "I thought you loved me. Why are you doing this?"
"I'm sorry." He repeated, looking at his paws. "..Things have just..changed. ..I'm leaving the pride."
"What? You can't do that..what would your father-"
"I don't care! I'm going. I'm not your husband. Good bye." He said frankly, then spun around, dashing into the night rain.
"What was I this whole time!" he heard Jana shout after him. "NOTHING?"
Tome lowered his head as he ran. "Nothing." He whispered.
Jana's voice echoed throughout the lands and in Tome's thoughts as he raced to Vitani.

-meanwhile-

It had been almost an hour since Vitani first arrived. Had he really done this to her? She cried in the pouring storm.
"He showed me up… I've been played! Thrown in the dirt! I'm just a toy to be played with. He's slashed my heart...I can't even bare to live..."
"Why?" A voice asked behind her.
Vitani jumped. She turned around. It was him!
"Don't do that!" she sobbed, and then embraced Tome.
She rubbed her head under his mane. He smelled so nice, even through the rain. A tear went down Vitani's cheek. She was finally happy with her special someone.
"I love you." he whispered.
Vitani's heart leaped.
"I'm so happy." she muttered with a smile.
"Let's run away together. We can start our own pride. I'll be king, and you'll be my queen."
Vitani smiled.
"I'd like that."
"Lets go." he said breaking the embrace and starting to run. Vitani went beside him.
"Where to?" she asked him.
"Wherever our hearts take us."
Vitani smiled as they left their old lives behind.