Author's Note: I've had this idea in my mind for a while. There's a few changes with the original story line. Like, Zira is not actually Nuka and Vitani's mom. She adopted them. Also, Kopa is Kiara and Tanabi's older brother. Kiara and Tanabi are twins. Imara (Immy) and Gemara (Gem) are Dotty and Spotty, and they're twin sisters.
I do not own Lion King or any of the characters. If I did, then I'd be extremely happy.
Read and review! XD
~Silvie
Prologue
Kovu roared at the top of Pride Rock. It was the day after his marriage to Kiara, and Simba and Nala told him that to truly be the heir to the crown, he had to roar in front of all the African animals. He was nervous at finally being prince, but he was glad that he didn't have to kill Simba to become king. He was content to wait until Simba died from old age to take the throne. He knew that he wasn't ready to be king just yet, even after all his mother's training. Kovu glanced down at his sister, who he just found out was not his sister at all, but his adopted sister.
Vitani watched as her adoptive brother took his place with the royal family. She loved him as though he was her birth brother, but she had always been closer to Nuka, her true half-brother. Their mother, Tama, had abandoned them when Vitani was just an infant, and Nuka a young adolescent. She had always wondered why Nuka didn't talk about Tama as their mother, but instead called Zira "Mother." Vitani hadn't found all this out until she and her pride joined Kiara's pride.
x.x.x
Her mother had padded up to her and licked her ear. "Vitani…" Tama had murmured. She was the same age as Nala, and she had had Vitani only a little before Nala had had Kiara. Vitani was surprised at the affection of another lioness, besides Kiara, Imara, and Gemara. The twins' mother had passed away right after Zira took over the Outlands Pride, under mysterious circumstances, and Imara (Immy) and Gemara (Gem), had become fast friends with Vitani. It didn't hurt that they were the three best hunters in the Outlands. Anyway, Vitani had been surprised, and a little suspicious, when an older lioness, about Nala's age, licked her ear.
"Who are you?" she growled, backing away from Tama. She saw the hurt in Tama's eyes as she backed away.
"Vitani, I'm your mother," Tama said, pleadingly.
Vitani shook her head. "Nuka always said that you abandoned us. Are you saying that that was all a lie?"
Tama hung her head. "I couldn't look after you two, and Scar never liked the fact that I had Nuka, a male cub, in his pride. He forced me to hand both of you over to Zira just before Simba came and dethroned him. In a way, I did abandon you, but it was for your own good. Plus, I knew that Nuka would look out for you. Speaking of Nuka," Tama looked around. "Where is he?"
Vitani avoided her mother's gaze as she muttered: "Nuka died…trying to prove himself to Zira. A log fell on him and crushed him."
Tama gasped with pain as tears filled her eyes. Her only son…gone. Forever.
Vitani looked up at Tama, and murmured, "Zira loved us like we were her own. Maybe not as much as Kovu, but she still loved us. She was a good mother."
"Better than I ever was," Tama said bitterly. "Zira was a good friend to me, before she went mad, that is. She was great fun to be around. She always knew how to cheer up the younger cubs, including Mheetu."
At the sound of his name, Nala's little brother padded out of Pride Rock and sat next to Tama. The lion had his father's lean build, and black mane and tail. He had his mother's pale coat, and kind personality. His eyes were a pale green, and he looked at Vitani with interest. "I've heard a lot about you, Vitani," Mheetu said, smiling.
Vitani curled her lip teasingly, and turned away.