This is my own story and crap. It probably won't follow what you'd find at The Lion King Fan Art Archives. But I don't really follow them. This is just what I did.

I crouched in the tall grass. It was high enough to hide me, with its tans stalks waving in the dry breeze. It was hot today with the wind only cool if you stood at the entrance of the den in Pride Rock. If I stood on Pride rock and looked out into the distance I would little waves of heat floating to the sky. Animals were hidden in the shade or bathing in the water hole just to escape. That's why Ibada wasn't aware I was behind him.

I could see his tail, golden with the dark red tuft at the end, twitching as he sat in the den, panting and talking to Duni. The lionesses were spread out on the rocks absorbing the heat which is why they weren't always supposed to be listened too. The heat made them think funny. But my sisters and cousins were smart enough to hide inside. I didn't know where Simba or Kovu were but they would always be back.

I zeroed in on my target. Yesterday, Ibada thought he could tackle me without repercussions. I don't care how much older than me he is he deserved this. I had to be fast because Zuberi would instantly come to Ibada's aid when I landed on him. As brothers they were pretty close. But I was quicker then Zuberi and could easily escape his paw swipes.

I swung my hips gathering my strength and pulled my ears back keep them safe from the soon to happen fight. Sure a scar here and there made me dashing to the lionesses but I needed my ears. They would help me seek out enemy lions that would someday invade the Pride Lands. With a growl, I launched myself at Ibada.

I connected perfectly, smacking him right in the back of the head with all four of my feet. Duni squeaked with surprise and two cubs scooted out of the way when I landed. I swiftly turned around, flicking my tail and baring my teeth. He growled and swatted at me with his golden paw. I ducked and ran at him butting him with my head, then jumping out of paw range. While he paused to take his breathe again, I glanced around for Zuberi. He wasn't any where I could see.

I wasn't expecting Ajia to bite my tail. It stung a little but I kicked out with my back feet and caught her in the jaw. Whirling I pushed her side knocking her down. She hissed at me but I was gone jumping back at Ibada. He was expecting me and knocked my head with his larger paw. I couldn't see for a moment, shapes blurred. I shook my head and blinked.

Kanai had joined the fray. Her golden body was weighing down Ibada as he tried to come after me. I saw Ajia nip Kanai's tail, trying to tug her off Kanai's brother. I wasn't having any of that. I leapt over Ibada who was still trying to shake Kanai and again managed to bowl Ajia over. She snagged my ear and rolled pulling me under her and stepped on my chest. She was heavy. I pushed at her face but she just squeezed my ear harder. Somehow, I managed to push my back feet under her stomach and heaved. She went flying across the den and out into the sun, causing the lionesses to look up. I stood fast and made a scan for Zuberi. Nothing. Where was he?

I felt a paw connect with my haunches and I tumbled over again. Using my momentum, I rolled back to my feet and growled at Ibada. He narrowed his eyes and charged. I waited until the last moment and scooted to my right, pushing him past me with a paw. He skidded and almost smashed his face into a rock. I huffed in amusement. My attack was going well.

I could hear Ajia pin Kanai. I glanced over to them. Kanai sat up purring seeming not to mind her defeat. Obviously she wasn't a real fighter. A real fighter never gave up a fight. I turned back to my fight with Ibada. I heard paw steps and assumed they had left the den. I was so so wrong.

Zuberi tackled me. He was so much heavier then Ajia had been, I almost couldn't breathe with him on top of me. There was no way that I could push him off like I had her. Instead, I tried to push from his shoulders, trying to squirm out from under him. He tried to go for the killing bite on my throat. I let him, coming up with a last minute plan. His teeth closed around my windpipe and instantly I snatched his ear and rolled. The pain made him follow his ear under me.

And I was seized by Ibada. That was the problem with fighting brothers. They tended to look out for one another. With a hiss I batted at Ibada's face. He stepped on my tail and I morrowed with pain. Zuberi's face appeared in my vision, directly over my head only his face was sideways. He leant down and dealt me the killing blow. Elephant dung, I'd lost.

Ibada stepped off me and my tail and went to sit by his brother who flicked a tail in greeting. I rolled over and glared at them. It was obvious that they were brothers. Both had the same strong face and blue eyes. Ibada was slightly darker than Zuberi and smaller. The beginning of Zuberi's red mane was more filled in then Ibada and slightly more red. Other then that, they looked exactly alike.

"Not bad, Cuz." Ibada congratulated me. It didn't seem to me that he really could do that. I was only four months younger than them. It wasn't like they had more experience fighting. "But you lost."

"Yeah." Zuberi agreed. "You should have been looking for me more often. You know you can't beat us."

I rolled my eyes. Yes I knew that. But I had come very close today and soon they wouldn't be able to handle me. It was because there were two of them that still threw me off now. I would learn more tricks when my father decided I was old enough.

Shaking off my disappointment, I stood and gazed around. "Where are Ajia and Kanai?"

"Oh. They went to get their baths." Zuberi answered. "I just finished mine and Penda has finished hers. I sent them over."

"I can't believe they like baths." Ibada groaned. "Like it's bad enough you have to keep your mane looking all nice but to be clean as well is just wrong."

"I know." I agreed. "How are you supposed to take baths when you're worried about invading lions?"

"Or making sure the lionesses have caught enough food." Zuberi chimed in. At least we all agreed in this subject.

I was getting bored with the conversation. It was fun and all to whine about baths but you had to take them until you were too big to be caught by your mother. It seemed I would never get that big anyway so I might as well endure them. My cousins were happily chatting about the worst part of it.

I padded out of the den blinking in the bright sunlight. The rocks were warm with the day. I could go down to where the lionesses were sitting in the shade under the trees that managed to survive in the rocks. That was the way I'm supposed to go. But the other way would take me up and up until I was at the top of Pride Rock. Once there I could pretend I was king and rule over my obedient subjects. I could see the elephant graveyard Simba talks about sometimes. I wasn't supposed to go there because Mom worried that I would fall but I thought I was slightly more intelligent then to do something that stupid. Maybe Ibada would but not me.

I snuck a look at the lionesses. They were wrapped up with whatever they were doing. Perfect. I huddled against the rock hoping my darker golden coat was adding camouflage and started to creep up the path. I felt the thrill of breaking the rules shiver up my spine. I couldn't wait to show Kovu that I wasn't afraid of being King. It would be so fun to rule. I could stop making bed time at sunset and make it a midnight. I would let cubs run all over the pride lands and personally escort them to the elephant graveyard. Best of all, I would put a ban on all baths. Forever.

With one last quick look over my should, I started to trot faster. The incline was getting steeper and there was a turn up ahead. I turned the corner and ran into something. Something that was covered in golden fur and was larger than a cub. It was a leg; I could see the paw. Attached to the paw was a very tall lioness. Rhino's toenail.

Dhakiya blinked down at me. She was older then Mom but the same color though she was prone to be slightly less forgiving when I broke the rules. Especially when she was babysitting.

"Going somewhere?" Her tone was dry and bored. Her voice was soft and strong always ready to be heard. She never yelled but could somehow make me feel really bad without it. I hated it when she did that. "Did you think your mother would just let you sneak up here?"

I looked down at my paws. "Not really. But can you blame a cub for trying?"

"Why didn't you just continue playing with your cousins?"

"You saw that?"

"Of course I did." She nodded but kept looking past me. Like she wanted to end this conversation and go check something out in the Pride Lands. "Answer my question."

"Mom would have made me take a bath."

"Is that all?" She didn't wait for my answer just plowed forward with her little discipline speech. "Well you're in luck, little Fahamu. Simba and Kovu have brought someone home."