Phases of the heart Movie: Lion King Characters: Vitani and OC Rating: K+ _
This was inspired by many things, my friends obsession with this movie, my love of Vitani, and a few stories on this website i read. _

Vitani couldn't sleep, it was third day in the pridelands, and she still felt like an outcast. All the other lionesses has adjusted easily, taking the food, and forgiveness in their stride, never looking back. But she, she had spent every minuet of her life training, preparing, stalking prey, and never resting. She would get up at dawn and catch a mouse or two, the biggest she could find in the famished land they lived on, then she would hunt, keep watch, or tend to precious Kovu until midday. In the evening she would train with kovu and nuka, then Kovu would go to bed as the sun would set so 'he could get some rest' as mother would say 'he is the only important one, he needs to sleep.' So Nuka would stay with him and sleep. Zira would sleep somewhere around midnight, while Vitani would run around and hunt. First she would satisfy her hunger with maybe 10 rodents, then she would carefully venture into the very edge of the pridelands, and wait for the game. She would sit there maybe to the wee hours of the morning then she would find some food attack it, eat her fill and tell her mother she found some animal eating it and she scared them off and took the animal. Then, instead of rewarding her, her mother would give the animal to, Kovu, because he was 'the important one' and Nuka because he was 'the body guard' and then eat the rest while telling Vitani to find some more meat, or a different animal next time, which would make her blood rise and she would start to put out her claws when she remembered the punishment for THAT. Then she would sleep until it was dawn sometimes giving her 20 minutes of sleep.

Now after her first three days she had eaten more and gotten more rest than he had in the last four months. Even after her first day as a pridelander, she had eaten a antelope with Kiara and Nala, in the morning. Taken a cat nap at noon, then woken to a strange lion, around her age, big buff, and handsome. He was golden tan, the same color as her coat would have been if it weren't for all the stress. He had unusual hair it was barely any different then his coat, a hint darker and a bit redder. He had the little patches of hair on his elbows that she liked and he had a strong face, with piercing blue eyes, like her own. He had at his feet a zebra freshly caught and not a bite taken out of it. This is what he said.

"You are Vitani, correct?" His voice was a raspy purr which made Vitani's skin itch with pleasure.
"Yes, I am Vitani, and who are you?" " I am Tafari "
"He who inspires awe"
" Yes that is my name's meaning, and yours is 'I am war'"
"we do not choose are own names" she said testily,
"No we do not" he said softly "I am sorry for the outburst Tafaru. But my name is, for me, a sensitive matter. Now tell me about yourself" "How bout you tell me first."
"fine... I have no idea who my parents are, and i was adopted by Zira and Scar. Then when Scar died i was sent to the Outlands with the rest of the Outsiders. There i was raised poorly and given few meals, my golden coat turned dusty, my blue eyes lost their softness and grew intensity, and my body slimmed, my face curved and i looked more like an outsider, though i have a pridelander nose, and blue eyes, ear rims, and a hair tuft which lead me to believe that one of my parents was a pridelander and the other was an outsider. I was raised by Zira and today is my first day in the Pridelands. And now your story Mr. Awe inspiring.

"My father is Lencho the cousin of Simba, and the son of Scar and Shani. Lencho mated with my mother, Shasa, and produced 3 cubs, me and my brothers, Alorus, and Diallo. I have lived here my whole life but i have never seen the outlands-"
"-count yourself lucky then, the outlands are no place for anyone, no matter what their crime."
"I am sorry your life was hard, but maybe it will be better here. Now why i came. I just killed this zebra and wanted someone to share it with, when i saw you laying here and realized you were the new girl, so i asked your name came over here and here we are now, talking about our pasts, presents and futures."
"Well thank you for sharing, now i think of it, I am rather hungry."

The two lions ate until they could eat no more and then left the meat there for some other animal to find. Then they decided to go on a walk, they walked to the watering whole and on the way Tafari showed Vitani around, and introduced her to many people. She met Sarabi, Simba's mother and Sarafina, Nala's. She met Timon and Pumbaa. And finaly she met Rafikki. Rafikki and her got off to a good start, which is rare for the baboon, who usually confuses the heck out of people or annoys them. Vitani immediately took a liking to him and had a long winded conversation that even if i wrote it out you would never understand.

They days turned into weeks, which turned to months and in the blink of an eye it had been a year. Kiara and Kovu were married and Kopa had decided to run away and start his own tribe, but keep peaceful with the Pridelanders. And Simba was in the need of a King. Kovu did not want to be King, because of all the things he had been taught to him about being king, and Kiara was fine with that. So Simba held a contest for a Lion and a Lioness pair to complete many tasks and the winners would be the next King and Queen.

Vitani thought that Tafari would be a great King, and he said he would enjoy being King as he had many ideas for the Kingdom but that he didn't have a mate. Vitani found the loophole and told him it didn't specify mate just a lion and a lioness not HIS lioness. So Tafari could pick whatever lioness he wanted. Vitani recommended Shun for her speed, Etana for her strength, Shakti for her ability, Akina for her bravery, or Toril for her overall strength, power and conquerer status. But Tafari didn't want Shun, for she was much too slow, Etana was too weak, Shakti had no loyalty, Akina was a wimp, and Toril was a looser. He wanted another lioness, one that had strength speed, loyalty, courage, and was a natural winner, who was battle hardened but yet could be loving and caring. Once he said this Vitani guessed Aris, the best hunter, and the most sought after Lioness in the pridelands. And again Tafari said she was wrong, he gave her three hints. She has a Pridelander nose, this ruled out all Outlanders. She has long hair, that ruled out 75% of the lionesses, and she had blue eyes. "Nala?" she guessed astounded. And he rolled his eyes saying "No who else has blue eyes?" "That cub Selene" she said confused "NO i'm not crushing on a cub, and there is one other lioness with blue eyes."
"The only one i can think of is me" she replied carelessly.
"and..." he looked at her and it finally clicked.
"No, no, no, no, no, no. You don't want me."
"Why not?"
"For many reasons.
1. I am an outisder 2. I am the adopted daughter of scar 3. I am not pretty 4. I am harsh and insensitive 5. I am not-''
"- Vitani stop, you are all of those things and more."
"Yes I'm an outsider and an adopted daughter of scar and more thanks, I am not pretty and more meaning i'm downright ugly"
"VITANI" he said starting to get angry " You are now a pridelander, You are the adopted daughter of Scar, you are beautiful you can be more sensitive than a bunny, and more gentle than the wind."
" Do you really think so Tafari?" " Do you think i would say it if i didn't?"
" No i guess not but still?"
" Yes i think so Vitani, I have thought so since the day i met you"
" Well then, Tafari I would be honored to enter the competition with you"
"YES!"

They were up against Five other lion pairs, all okayed by Simba. They included. Toril and Sanjaya, Etana and Mandla, Shun and Taifugo, Shakiti and Hukai, and Eris and Ares. The first competition was awarding people for their deeds. They had five lioness come back form the hunt with elephants, Toril and Sanjaya gave them and their families part of the elephant and kept the majority. Etana and Mandla took the elephant for themselves. Shun and Taifugo gave them a very small portion. Eris and Ares gave them an equal amount. Vitani and Tafari debated it, and Vitani said they should take as little as possible then give they hunters a big chunk while sharing the rest with the tribe. Etana and Mandla were disqualified.

The next competition was a fake majordomo would fly up to the 'King and Queen' and tell them that someone was in danger.

Shun and Taifugo sent two lionesses to investigate. Shakiti and Hukai took the whole of the lions over to see what happened. Toril and Sanjaya went by themselves as not to put anyone else in danger. Eris and Ares didn't do anything and said if they were lions they could whole their own. Vitani and Tafari took two lioness with them for back up but handled it themselves.
Eris and Ares were disqualified.

The next competition was hunting. Shun and Taifugo caught a antelope ate part of it and left the rest. Shakiti and Huka caught a antelop, zebra, and a hyena, they disposed the hyena, ate the zebra and shared the antelope. Toril and Sanjaya caught an elephant and shared it with their friends. Vitani and Tafari caught a Elephant, an antelope, and two zebras. They ate the antelope, shared the Elephant and zebra's with the whole tribe and kept the leftovers for later. Shun and Taifugo were disqualified.

The next competition was honors. A meerkat and a hyena saved a baby cub, what do you do to them? Shakiti and Huka killed the heyena for crossing into their territory and rewarded the meerkat with a pound of flesh. Toril and Sanjaya rewarded the hyena and the meerkat with hyena having a pound of flesh and the meerkat having land. Vitani and Tafari rewarded the Hyena by letting him and any loyal to the kingdom to live in the kingdom. and the meerkat the same. Shakiti and Huka were disqualified. The last test was that both of the couples ruled for a day.

Toril and Sanjaya's day was fine, nothing went wrong until night when they both decided to skip the evening patrol because nothing had happened. Then rouges passed through easily and Simba had to deal with it.

Vitani and Tafari's day was better, they ruled excellently the people loved them and they followed all the rules and they went on all the patrols giving Simba a peaceful night.

Simba said that he would decide and tell everyone the next. That night Vitani was nervous, she was going off on how she messed up for Tafari, who was watching her with an amused look on his face. "- and i should have caught another elephant instead of a zebra, I could have done better with the honors, we could have given each something for their bravery like the humans do, i could have done better leading the hunt during our day, and i could have kept out a sharper eye on patr-" "- Vitani stop" Tafari said " Why should i I messed everything up and now you won't be King." " I don't wanna be king," '' WHAT?'' ''Not if my queen isn't you" not hearing him she continues '' You're just saying that to make me feel less pressure so when we loose it won't be that heartbreaking, but it will when i look over and see your sad fa-" she was cut off with Tafari licking her muzzle. The lion form of a kiss. " Vitani, you are everything i want, will you please be my mate, you worry so much about making me happy. The only way you could possibly make me unhappy is to say no.'' ''Why would i ever say no, i love you'' ''And i love you too Vitani'' That night they fell asleep cuddling with him behind her, their limbs entangled, and paws locked.

They woke up and got ready, On pride rock stood, Simba, Nala, Kiara, Kovu and Rafiki. They all looked on as Tafari and Vitani, stood together behind simba, and next to them was Toril and Sanjaya. Then simba announced "Me and Nala, along with the help of my daughter, Kiara, and her mate, Kovu, have decided who are going to rule, the pridelands, when me and Nala are dead, gone or have just stepped down. The new leaders are going to be..."

Vitani sucked in a breath, and Tafari put a paw on hers. "... Tafari, and the lioness of his choosing, it can be his partner or he can pick any other lioness."
Vitani knew it was all over for her now, he would never pick her to be his mate. He would probably rather have Toril. Then he opened his mouth to choose.
" I choose.." he sent a glance her way which made her even more crestfallen thinking it was a last, sorry glance. "...Vitani." She gasped and strode up next to Tafari, and knew she was even more in love then previously. Then Simba roared. Nala followed him, then Kiara and Kovu, and Simba nodded to the two of them, and they roared, with all their subjects following them.

All right its up to you if you want a sequel, i'll need 10 reviews saying yes to have it happen. And if you read this end bit, I don't know who does, please comment with your favorite disney movie.