Title: Rhythm of the Pride Lands

Author: Meru Makai (Yup, changed it. I got sick of Caldera.)

Pairing: CloudxLeon

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Notes: Kovu, Nuka and Kiara don't exist in this story.

I got the title from one of the Lion King CDs.

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Chapter one

A Sordid Matter

"Our plans are complete then," Zira Said. "Leon will enter the Pride Lands pretending to be from the jungle and gain Simba and his pride's trust. When he has it, he'll strike, killing that fraud of a king and opening the way for our take over." All of Zira's teeth became visible in a particularly Vicious grin. "We will set our plan into motion tomorrow when the sun sets." \

Zira led the pride of Outlanders, a group of mostly lionesses that had been exiled from the Pride Lands for supporting Scar.

Cloud, a brightly colored lion with a golden mane snickered beside his mother. "How appropriate seeing as the sun will soon be setting on Simba's rule, and will rise on yours."

Cloud was one of Zira's two children and one of the only two males in the pride.

"Very true," Zira said with a laugh. Her eyes fell upon the only member of her pride that wasn't grinning ear to ear. "That is, if Leon doesn't screw it up."

Leon sat, unfazed by the nasty way Zira spoke to him. He was the other male of the pride. In appearance he was almost the complete opposite of Cloud. His fur was dark brown, his mane chocolate brown and he had a scar that ran across his forehead and over the bridge of his nose.

"He won't, Mother," Cloud said, even though he himself wasn't so sure the other male would come through for them. Leon wasn't like the rest of the Outlanders, he didn't have the same drive to take back the Pride Lands. In fact, he didn't seem to have any drive to take the Pride Lands at all.

Leon looked up to where Cloud stood with Zira on a ledge of stone raised from the floor level of the pride's den. When their eyes met, he could see the faith Cloud was putting in him, but he could also see the uncertainties the other male was feeling too.

Zira jumped down from the ledge and walked to Leon, all of the Lionesses moving from her path. "There are only two reasons I've put up with you thus far, Leon. For some reason I'll never understand, Cloud chose you as his mate and unfortunately, you're best suited for this mission."

Zira's words were no surprise to Leon. He had felt the lionesses hateful gaze on him many a time. The fact that her precious son was in love with him didn't help at all. In fact, it made things worse at times. Zira loved to talk down to Leon, and she took pleasure in how hurt he would become when Cloud did little to defend him. "Why me?" he asked, not flinching when Zira moved to sneer in his face. He remanded sitting on his hindquarters, unimpressed.

Leon's indifference to her wrath only fueled Zira's anger. "Because you are the only one the Pridelanders won't recognize as one of us. I was personally exiled with the other lionesses. And Cloud and Vitani have been seen by the king's mate before. That leaves only you."

Leon said nothing.

"Believe me," Zira continued, "I would never trust you with such a crucial matter unless I absolutely had to."

Cloud jumped from the ledge and moved to stand by Leon's side. "Don't worry, Mother. Leon can do this." He sat, putting his arm around the other male's shoulders and smiling at his mom.

Zira stared hard at the picture the two of them made for a few moments. "I don't know why you put so much faith in someone as pathetic as him, Cloud." She made a low displeased sound in her throat and turned to walk away. "I will not accept failure on this mission of most importance, Cloud. If he fails, I will kill him myself." She walked out of the den, her lionesses fallowing.

Leon made a small sound of discomfort. The arm Cloud had around him had tightened and was now squeezing him tightly against the other male's side. "Cloud," he murmured, trying to wiggle out of the vice-like grasp.

Cloud seemed to come out of a trance and released Leon at once, an apologetic look crossing his features. "Sorry, I'm just nervous. We've wanted this so long, and now it finally seems within our reach and...," he trailed off.

"And you're afraid that I'll ruin everything," Leon finished for him.

"I wasn't going to say that," Cloud said.

"But you were thinking it," Leon said. Something flashed in Cloud's eyes and Leon knew he was right.

"I was," Cloud admitted. "But can you blame me? So many things depend on you succeeding, Leon."

"Like our relationship?"

"Like your life," Cloud said quickly.

"You fallow your mother blindly, Cloud. Would you immediately turn your back on me if I failed?"

"I would try to convince mother to let you live."

"You would try?" Leon asked darkly. "Would you even try to stop her if she attacked me? Will I ever be more important to you then her in any matter, or will she always come first?" Emotion had flooded the darker lion's voice.

"She's my mother, Leon!" Cloud shouted, almost roaring. He took a step forward, his stance stiff. "You said you would never make me choose between you and her."

Leon didn't dare make Cloud choose, knowing he'd be on the losing side. And he felt he always would be. His eyes begun to sting, much to his dismay. "So our relationship can only continue if I do this, if I kill someone I've never even seen?" he looked down to hide his rapidly watering eyes. "Love isn't supposed to have conditions like that, Cloud."

"It's not a condition." Cloud leaned down so he could see his mate's eyes. He hated to upset Leon, but he had to draw the line. Until she obtained her dreams, his mother would always have to come first. "This is just something that will make our lives easier." He put one paw over Leon's. "Please do this for me, Leon. Then we can live happily together. Mother's just frustrated, and sometimes she takes it out on you. But she'll stop when she's queen cause she'll be happy, all of us will be. You, me, mother, Vitani and all the lionesses, we'll all be happy."

"Okay." It had taken a lot of effort on Leon's part to keep his voice from shaking.

Cloud's face instantly lit up. He rubbed his head affectionately against Leon's. "You don't know how happy that makes me."

The dark lion stared into the eyes of his mate. He had never seen the other lion's ocean blue eyes so vibrant. He decided then that if this was what he would have to do to make Cloud happy then he would. He would do anything just to make Cloud look at him like that again.

"Come on, let's go tell mother," Cloud said, grinning.

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Leon and Cloud were laying on their sides together in a secluded part of the den, away from the rest of the pride. Leon was going to leave the next day and he and Cloud had wanted some time alone before then.

"I'm going to miss you so much," Cloud said, stroking his paw down Leon's side.

"I'll miss you too." Leon stroked Cloud's golden mane with careful paws.

"We'll never have to be apart once we take over the Pride Lands."

Leon had his doubts about that, but said nothing. He didn't want to start a fight and ruin what was most likely their last moment alone together for a while or maybe even forever, if Leon failed.

"Are you nervous?" Cloud asked.

"Of course."

Cloud flipped them over so he was on top of the other. "Are you scared?" He bent his head down to nuzzle Leon's dark mane.

Leon wiggled on his back a little. "No, I trust you."

Cloud laughed, his amused smile flashing sharp teeth. "You know what I mean."

Leon laughed lightly. "Yeah." He gently held Cloud's head between his paws and rubbed their noses together. "I'm afraid I won't be able to do it."

"Why wouldn't you be able to?"

"Well, I'm supposed to gain the king's trust, but what if I start to like him?"

"Just remember what he's done to us."

"That's just it, what has he done to us?"

Cloud looked at Leon as if he were crazy. "He killed Scar and exiled us."

"No, he exiled your mother and the other lionesses that fallowed Scar. He's never done anything to you or me."

Cloud got off of Leon and stood beside the still laying lion. "Isn't that enough for you? He killed the king and took his throne."

Leon rolled onto his stomach and stood up. "But,... Scar killed his own brother to take the throne that wasn't rightfully his."

Cloud gasped. "How can you say that?" Scar hadn't been Cloud's father, but he still respected the deceased lion.

Leon stopped himself before he continued. He was treading heavily on dangerous ground. Plus, he had already decided that he would do anything to make Cloud happy, even if it meant killing a king that had been justified in his actions. "No, never mind. I'm sorry I went on like that. It's just my nerves. But I know I can do this."

Cloud smiled and playfully bumped his head against his mate's. "I can hardly wait."

"Either can I," said Leon, his voice drastically lacking the excitement Cloud's had.

TBC.

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Thank you for reading.