Why hello there! Tis the black and white one come back to annoy you with the stupid stories :D Now, firstly, as the title suggests, this story isn't Kah's sequel. It wasn't working, so I decided to leave it for a bit and concentrate on the royal family and my beloved Kota! This story is about his son.

You will find it possible to read this one without my first, although I do encourage you to read it, as it will give you a better insight in Kahllynn and Amase, especially, and the strange ralationships going on here! All that disregarded though, have a happy read, keep your arm and legs inside of the vehicle until is grinds to a complete halt, and here we go!

kah

The sun was barely up, and the red-maned King was already on his usual morning patrol. Every morning, he rose before the golden beams tipped the trees that resided within his land, and he walked his lands in the still, cool morning.

Who would have thought that trouble happened before the sun rose? However, more than once, the dark lion with the brilliant red mane was forced to chase out predators, or to solve a conflict that had been raging for hours of darkness.

Not always, but often, the dark King was joined by his friend, a white lion with a deep black mane. The two had a strong connection, not only forged from rising so early, but through the past four seasons they had spent together. It had been a long time, with many hardships, but they were alive, and they were friends. The past wet season had been a trying one, but the King had done well, and the herds were safe, and his lands were safe. He was intelligent and wise, and was known as the "Peaceful King". His name was Kota, and his white friend was Kahllynn.

King Kota had succeeded the Prideland's last King, King Simba. Simba was still alive, and sometimes would travel with Kota to help and instruct him. However, Simba had made so many mistakes in his time as King that the animals seemed to trust the younger lion more. Kota was patient, patience being a trait that the older lion did not own. Kota was kind and caring, and did not make decisions quickly. He bore his title with an expression of thoughtfulness, and did not use his standing above the others to his advantage.

Of course, the King had a mate, and she stood by him through thick and thin. She would often travel with him, talking with many of her subjects along the way, enjoying her standing. She had come very far in her life. She was once a part of a rebel pride, intent on taking over the Pridelands and killing King Simba; however she had soon seen the mistake she had very nearly made and repented, joining Simba's Pride. Now, mate to the old ex-King's half brother, she was Queen of the Pridelands, and also handled her duties well.

Today, the sun tipping gently over the rolling mountains that made the borders of his plentiful land, Kota was joined by his white friend. The two lions joked a little before walking to the still waterhole to have a cool, refreshing drink. Kahllynn lifted his muzzle and smiled, some water dripping from his broad chin.

"How is Vitani?" he asked gently. Kota smiled and raised his eyes to the heavens.

"She's doing well, Kah. Complaining, as usual, that she can't hunt, however she's happy. She tells me she feels like a pregnant hippo."

Kahllynn laughed, and looked down as he did so, seeing his rambunctious daughter between his front legs.

"What are you doing up so early, 'Zurah? You should still be asleep with Mum," he chided gently. The little cub looked up at him with her playful green eyes.

"She's still sleeping with Aunt 'Tani. She says that she feels like a pregnant hippo too!" laughed the cub.

Kota and Kahllynn glanced at each other, amused.

Kahllynn sighed.

"Well, you might as well come with us, now that you're early. Would you like to come and see the sun when it rises? Uncle Kota might even take you to the top of the rock, today."

The cub wrinkled her nose and then smiled.

"Sure, Daddy!" she laughed. With that, she dashed away into the morning mist.

The two lions bickered themselves into walking again, and trailed after the energetic cub. Kahllynn narrowed his eyes and looked at Kota out of the corner of his eye. "So…" he began.

"Oh, no, not this again!" groaned Kota. "I'm telling you now, shut up, or I will kill you. Exile you! I'll throw you to the hyenas!"

Kahllynn pretended to take offence to what Kota had said and jumped on his friend, playfully biting him. The King and his pal wrestled for a while, biting, kicking, and then stopped as Azurah leapt upon Kahllynn's head. "I can beat you all!" she cried.

Kahllynn played along. "No! No, Azurah! Get Uncle Kota – he started it!" The black cub leapt on Kota, "wrestling" him to the ground. Satisfied, she sat upon his chest, and dropped one eyelid.

"See, Daddy? I can beat even a lion. Wait til I grow up! I'll be able to beat everyone! I'll be the strongest lioness in the Pride!"

Kahllynn nodded, smiling at his daughter. She looked into his eyes, and noticed a sadness creep into them. Drat, she thought. He always does this. "What's the matter, Dad?" Kahllynn shook his head.

"Nothing, 'Zurah. Daddy just…gets lost in his mind, sometimes, that's all. Why don't you keep going with Uncle Kota and I'll meet you back at home?"

He bumped noses with Kota and nudged his daughter gently, and walked off.

He felt a small pang of sadness as he remembered his firstborn daughter. Quite a few seasons had passed since then – his journey to kill Simba, his friends, his dear dead mate. Laihn. Sometimes, he would wake up in the middle of the night, sleep stealing away from him, and he would long for Laihn. He never told Amase this, but he felt sorrow. He never told Azurah that she was not his firstborn.

Vitani was indeed pregnant, and Amase again, too, and the promise of love and new life made the Pride happy. Vitani was pregnant with the future King or Queen, and perhaps Kota would choose to betroth his child with one of Kahllynn's. Surely the old King, Simba would agree to such a betrothal.

Simba's daughter, the Princess Kiara and her mate, Crown Prince Kovu were away from the Kingdom. After the fight of the last few seasons, many loyalties had been tried and tested, and some lionesses had not known which was to turn. Simba hoped that when the Princess returned, she would see the intelligence of his decision to crown Kota, instead.

Kota, the son of Mufasa, the half-brother of Simba, and Kovu's cousin, had won the trust of his subjects. By being thoughtful and intelligent, the wise young lion had earned great respect and a name for proven bravery. He often led the hunts, not participating, but going along and applauding the lionesses for their strength and teamwork.

This was unheard of in a King, in a lion, and the animals of the Pridelands sometimes puzzled over this. When he was asked, Kota would shake his light, short mane and laugh.

"Why, I enjoy the wind in my mane and my whiskers, and I like to see real work in action!" he would exclaim, heartily.

He bore himself with the manner of a King, not a Prince, with heavy responsibility weighing firmly on his strong shoulders, and stepping up to it.

As the King walked softly about his lands, on this misty, sun-dappled morning, he would gaze upon everything in his line of sight. He greeted the early risers, he checked the waterholes, and the zebra, who were grazing, and he smiled; only when he was satisfied that everything was as it should be.

He enjoyed strolling with Kahllynn's active cub, who asked questions in her blunt, forthright manner. Azurah was strong for her age, and curious as all cubs are. She had an independent personality and enjoyed spending time with her Uncle. Kota, likewise, found Azurah entertaining, and he and Vitani would often laugh that she would make a fantastic Queen, if she were not so tactless.

Turning his thoughts to Vitani, the King decided to cut his morning stroll short to hurry back to Pride Rock and check on her. Calling to Azurah, he turned around, hearing her lithe footsteps scamper behind him.

She came to stand beside him, panting a little from her exertions, and he cast a lowered eyelid down at her.

"Care to race the King, Azurah?" he grinned.

"You're on!" she shot back, and took off. Kota laughed, loving his life, loving the wind in his paws and mane and whiskers.

He found it was actually difficult to catch up to the cub, but soon did, and overtook her, laughing.

His life was great, happy, maybe not carefree, but the rewards were worth it!

As he bounded up the rocky slopes of Pride Rock, Azurah by his side, lionesses were fanning out to greet him happily.

"Sire, a cub has been born! A male, Sire!"

Kota increased his speed to the top of the slope before sliding to a halt. Cub Azurah, suddenly shy, peered around his front legs.

"Born to whom, Dotty?" Kota asked eagerly addressing the closest lioness, a former Outlander with a personality unbefitting her breed. She was sweet and eager to please her King, and sported a ring of dots under her right eye.

"Amase, Sire. She has given birth to a fine young male. He is very unusual in colour! The Queen is excited for her new nephew, and feels as if she too will give birth. It may be shortly now."

Kota nodded, smiling gently. His excitement was great, but to appear wise and in perfect control, he simply rose to his feet and thanked the lioness warmly.

"Thank you, Dotty. I shall go and see Amase now."

Amase and Kota were close. One rainy night, seasons ago, Amase had been sent to find Kahllynn, under Kota's orders. She had felt that to do so was to seek out her mate, and thanked Kota for this. She had grown to affectionately regard the lion as an older brother, which, she supposed, was perfectly adequate. Kahllynn would often refer to Kota as his brother; and Stormy too. They were a family. Amase felt close to them all, and loved them. They were her brothers too. She guessed that even if Vitani had not been Kahllynn's sister, her daughter Azurah would still have been taught to regard the dark lion as "Uncle Kota". She chuckled softly, as she licked her newborn son gently on the head.

She turned to her mate, who was sitting behind her, his shaggy, short black mane resting softly on her head. His eyes were flashing with quiet delight and she gave him a quick lick on the nose. He regarded her lovingly.

"Kahllynn," she whispered. "What shall we name him?" Kahllynn stared at his new son. He was sleeping, resting gently in his mother's paws, breathing softly. Kahllynn turned, as he heard footfalls behind him. The snarl that automatically had planted itself upon his face was wiped off as he saw his friend, accompanied by his daughter, walk softly over to him. He bumped heads with Kota, who sat down next to Kah.

"A son, and a daughter," breathed Kota. Azurah walked forward, and was coaxed by Amase to kiss her baby brother. Azurah wondered how this small ball of fur could ever grow to be like her, but she smiled and felt a small rush of love filter through to hr proud heart.

She smiled at her mother and backed away again, still smiling.

Kahllynn turned his stare fully on his son. He lowered his head, and whispered into his daughter's ear.

"What do you think is a nice name?" He asked, gently.

She tilted her head. "Well, the strange monkey was telling me the other day that names are important. He said that if names are incorrect, or stupid, then the person will not have a soul, and they will wander the lands being lonely forever. He said too, that a lion must live up to his name. It's important."

Kota lifted an eyebrow into his shaggy mane – for his name, meaning 'dream' certainly did not apply to him, although he did often think a lot. But that wasn't dreaming. He was a thinker, a problem solver, and a negotiator – not a dreamer.

"I think, Azurah, that Rafiki – and what have I told you about Rafiki?"

Azurah looked down at the rocky cave floor.

"Rafiki isn't a monkey and he's not strange." She mumbled.

Kota nodded, grinning. "Very good. As I was saying, I think that Rafiki says things, sometimes, that you must take exactly as he says. Remember how Timon said that Rafiki told him to look beyond what he saw?"

Azurah nodded.

Kahllynn nodded, and nudged his friend. "Well, 'Zurah's name doesn't have a meaning…we just made it up," he said, through the corner of his mouth.

Kota looked back t him, slyly.

"So, it shouldn't kill her, then," he joked.

"Kill her…" murmured Kahllynn.

"Killher…Killer…Keilor." Keilor. The name sounded good, and strong, and brave. Kahllynn lifted an eyelid to his mate, and she nodded.

"Keilor." She whispered.

"Sleep, young son. You will be a lion someday…" she breathed.

A noise came from the mouth of the cave, and a tawny lioness strode forward. She did not move with her usual light-footed grace, she was heavily pregnant and lurched a little as she made her way to the lions.

This lioness was Vitani, proud, strong, leader of the huntresses, daughter of Zira. Daughter of Scar. Vitani was the Queen of Pride Rock, and she had adapted extremely well from being a lowly lioness in her Outlander Pride, hated by all and trusted by none, to now the feisty and intelligent Queen. Her eyes were partly obscured by a heavy fringe and this she blew from her vision with a quick upwards breath of air.

Vitani was carrying the heir to the Pridelands, Kota's son or daughter, and all of the lands were eager to hear of the birth. Vitani was not far away, and she longed for her dear friend Sarabi to assist her in birthing.

Vitani had experienced mixed emotions when Simba announced her succession over Sarabi. Vitani did not desire to be Pride Mother; she felt that it was Sarabi's place in the Pride, and one that should not have been amended. To be Pride Mother was not necessarily one destined for the Queen – Nala had not asked nor had been offered to replace the elderly lioness and none did expect her to. Sarabi had held fast onto her position, until she met the young lioness. Vitani and Sarabi had gotten along well from the moment of meeting, despite their differences in family. It was Sarabi, who had left Kovu's coronation to find the young lioness. Vitani remembered.

"Mother… Mother where are you?" Vitani called from her heart, aching and hurting. She felt as is she had betrayed her mother. The lonely lioness sat with a sigh on the edge of the water-filled gorge that now held two deaths of royal lions. Everyone else had gone back to Pride Rock, happily laughing and celebrating Kovu's new position as future King. The Crown Prince had not missed his sister, and had roared his Princehood to all who could hear. But no-one noticed Vitani.

None, that is, except the old Queen, Sarabi.

Vitani huddled against the slightly stiff body of what had once been her mother, and allowed a small tear to slide down her cheek.

"Mother, I'm so sorry…" she whispered. Almost hoping for a vision, perhaps like the one that Simba had experienced of his father, Vitani listened hard for a faint murmur of her name.

There was no sound, just her own pain angrily thudding at the walls of her chest.

Vitani flopped down in the icy water, and rested her chin on her mother's side. The lioness Zira was a long, lean lioness, and in her coldness of death, Vitani felt even more alone that she had ever felt before.

She pricked her ears and raised her head as she heard footsteps.

"Mother?" she whispered.

The black rimmed ears of an older, muscled lioness came into view. This lioness had lowered her dark-furred head in sadness.

"Madam." sighed Vitani, recognising the outlines of Sarabi. She lowered her head again.

"No, no, Vitani, it's alright," soothed the older lioness. "I came to find you."

Vitani raised her eyes.

"You came to find…me? You noticed I was gone?"

Sarabi nodded, still with great sadness gleaming in her ruby eyes.

"I'm sorry to see it's been this way, Vitani. Zira was a friend of mine, in my cubhood. We enjoyed each others company. It was not until Scar's reign, that she allowed her need for power to override her love for her friends."

Vitani nodded.

Sarabi began again.

"But come, dear, there is much you must learn. And the first you must learn, is how to say goodbye."

Vitani began to sob properly, her tears running down her face. She threw herself away from her mother and sloshed over to Sarabi, burying her face in the older lioness's fur.

Sarabi stroked her back and shoulders, feeling the long sinewy muscles and the tightness of her tension, buried deep within her body.

After a time, Vitani slowly ceased to sob, and the sun was a little way down into the sky. Sarabi spoke quietly.

"You are my niece, my dear. Are you aware of this?"

Vitani was a little shocked, and looked at Sarabi with wide blue eyes, although her mouth remained pressed in a thin line.

Sarabi nodded and continued slowly.

"Mufasa – my dear mate – was the brother of your father. So we are all really family, and don't forget that. Your mother was really fighting her own nephew, when she designed to take over our Pride. Our Pride, Vitani. My Pride and yours. I do hope that they will become a true Pride, as Kiara has suggested. What do you think?"

Vitani had started, no-one had ever asked her opinion before. She thought carefully, before giving her true, honest response. She thought of Simba's face when he first saw the grown Kovu, the look on her mothers face when Nuka died. The look on Kahllynn's face, when he returned home. Could everyone put that behind them?

"I don't know, Pride Mother." She respectfully and truthfully answered.

"I don't know."

Vitani stared into space before snapping to attention.

"I can't wait until this cub leaves my body, brother. You're damn lucky you don't have to carry cubs."

Kahllynn smiled.

"I do suppose you are right," he agreed.

Vitani began to smile back, but felt a twinge at her belly. In surprise, she bent her neck to scratch the place where the twinge had occurred, but she found she couldn't itch it properly. It took her a moment to realise that the twinge was occurring on the inside of her belly.

"Uh, Kota?"

She took a step forwards, dropping her right eyebrow over her eye.

"Can you go get Sarabi?"

Kota boggled his eyes at her before jabbering a string of incoherent babble at her, nearly falling over himself as he scrambled out of the cave. Amase cocked an eyebrow at Vitani, who, although in slight pain was watching her mate with an expression of exasperated annoyance, tinged with deep love that was only visible on the surface of her face.

Amase shook her head.

"Males."

Vitani's labour was not as painful as Amase's first. The skinny female had filled out, under seasons of hunting and good food, and thus her hips and pelvis were not as narrow as they once had been. Her cub seemed to quieten down immediately after it had been born, and this gave the members of the Pride to examine it.

Kota's firstborn was a male. This was the new future King of the Pridelands, and he was beautiful. His kind, gentle eyes, when first opened, brought a gasp from all who were present, for they were a deep vibrant blue, ringed with a tinge of orange around the dark black pupil. This was not the pure line of the royal kings – the young cub showed no sign of ruby red eyes that bestowed themselves upon Mufasa, Simba and his daughter Kiara. This cub was not a golden hue, either. He was a tawny creamy colour, not brown, not cream, not grey, but a mixture of Vitani and Kota's pelt's. His front paws had high markings like his father's left white leg – instead the cub's markings were cream. His left back paw was cream like his mother's, and his right back paw wasn't cream at all. He had a red tail tuft like his father's father, and a small sprout of tufty black mane resided upon his forehead, like his mother's father.

He was the Prince of Pride Rock.

Vitani gasped from her lying down position.

"What shall we name him, Kota? You can choose the name. I have to agree though."

Kota puzzled for a second, and remembered a small white cub he had met, who came from his homeland.

"How about…well, I know the name isn't very…I don't know, I just liked the name…"

Vitani cut in over him.

"Get on with it," she growled.

"Darien," said Kota, with a strong voice.

Vitani nodded.

"I like it."

And so it was the royal family, Rafiki mused, as he busied himself with painting on the Tree.

Kota, the strong King who was the last of Mufasa's line, (here he stroked long, bold fingerprints of red), Vitani, the daughter of Zira and the daughter of Scar, (here it was a thinner, yellow line, yet unbroken and still strong) and their young son, Darien, the one who would bring the Outlanders and the Pridelanders truly together.

Rafiki puzzled, for a second, bringing a ripe fruit to his lips and taking a small bite from its juicy flesh.

He glanced down at the coconut gourd with dark red mixture that had painted the marks of the young King, and then turned his glance to the bright yellow mixture that the Queen was represented with. No, he thought, neither is suitable.

Rafiki took a little of each colour and mixed them together in a separate gourd. Here, the two paints refused to blend together, although each took on separate colours. Mystified, Rafiki took a fingertip full of each, and painted one over the young Prince's head, and the other fingertip he painted next to him. Glancing over his previous paintings, Rafiki turned his head to the side as he regarded the Princess Kiara's painting, and the fresh one of the Prince Darien.

Why was the colour next to Darien's head so similar to Kiara's own?

Happy reading, everyoneness! I love you all, and hopefully will see you on the next!

kahllynn