Simba's eyes flooded with tears. Nala stood beside him, doing her best to maintain her composure in such a wretched emotional state as hers. The king and queen slowly walked out onto the ledge of Pride Rock, with the stars of night shining brilliantly. As they did, they saw through their tears that the space below them was also being illuminated. On both sides, they saw hundreds of animals; zebras, giraffes, antelope, rhinos, birds, among countless others. They saw that many of them were tightly holding sticks that were lit to act as torches providing a candlelight that illuminated the ground beneath them. Every single one of them looked truly miserable. Giraffes bowing their heads in sadness, zebra calves leaning against their mothers for comfort, antelope refusing to look up. Not since the death of Mufasa had the Pridelands ever experienced this level of widespread grief.

Simba quivered as he and his mate finally stepped up to the ledge of Pride Rock silently. His composure nearly failed him while his kingdom gently wept before him. Taking a deep breath and wiping away the dense moisture in his eyes, Simba began to speak. His voice was shaky and soar, as though he had just got done screaming at the top of his lungs.

"The… the only thing we f-found of the royal prince was… t-…the scent of his b… blood. Our prince… Kopa… Is n-no more."

With that , a great, vast outcry of despair broke out amongst the animals before him, with animals weeping and staying close together more than they had before. This died down quickly when Nala began to speak. She too sounded as though she had been screaming over something. It didn't take a Great King to figure out what.

"My son… was… a strong boy. He was kind, h-happy, loving, adv-….venturous, friendly… and he always put everyone in a great mood. But…. It seems like… He's found his place in t-the Great Kings to… to early."

Nala's eyes clenched shut, fighting against her very soul to avoid sobbing any further before her kingdom. Simba continued for her now.

"We've… gathered you all here tonight to… to honor our son's memory. He's looking down on us from the stars as we-… we speak."

The heavy feeling in front of Simba's throat intensified dramatically.

"Tonight, we l-light beacons of fire for him… so he may see us from above, and… know that we all loved him."

Listening to the painful resonance of grief and sobbing amongst her subjects, Nala mustered up the strength needed to raise her head up and speak once more.

"We can't lose hope. Si-Simba and I are expecting… another cub any day now. They w-will be Kopa's heir. We… have to be strong and ready in time for his or her arrival. They… must be born into the b-best world we can make for them."

Simba cleared his throat.

"As king… I swear on m-my father's spirit that I won't let this h-happen again. Nala and I will never make the same mi-mistakes we made again. The mistakes I made…"