Author's Note: The main reason I believed that Kovu was younger than Vitani was because of something I read once, that Scar was the father of Nuka and Vitani but not Kovu. Ah well, it's not that important. Enjoy chapter two!

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What was once a clear, brilliant day evolved into a storm-filled, dreary night. A thick blanket of black clouds engulfed the midnight sky, casting a shadow over the stretch of the pridelands. Flashes of lightning split the sky continuously, emitting what seemed a murderous intent to strike down at whatever may fall in their path, soon followed by their moans and roars of thunder. A heavy gust of wind overtook the humid atmosphere, whipping twigs and other various objects here and there. All Hell seemed to break loose in was once a gorgeous sky, a sign of great misfortune from their powerful ancestors in the eyes of some, such as that spiritual baboon, Rafiki, who now sat atop a Baobab tree, nibbling absentmindedly on a melon as he gazed at the sky in deep worry.

Zira could be found not far off, Kopa's unconscious form dangling limply from her powerful jaws. Swiftly and silently, she maneuvered her way through the thick savannah grass that lay near the outskirts of the pridelands. Her deep scarlet-brown eyes blinked rapidly as dirt from the floor of the savannah blew into her face menacingly, the heavy wind howling at her what seemed to be taunts and mockery as it whipped her fur in every which direction. Simba defied her, the pride defied her, now even nature defied her.

At last, she approached her destination; the narrow end of a long river that stretched all along the pridelands, then reached beyond the border. The heavy, continual downpour had caused it to flood slightly, and the lioness found herself standing in a shallow puddle of water. She stared into the river's depths for what seemed like ages, studying her face and how much she had changed from her childhood; back when things had been casual and easy, back when her beloved Taka had been alive and thriving. A deep sigh escaped her heaving chest and, at last, she scowled and dropped the unconscious cub into the river, watching his body drift out of sight.

Time for phase two of her master plan. She made her way beyond the borders, stepping softly to avoid forming tracks in the mud.

Nearby, a group of hyenas fought bickeringly over a wildebeest carcass. The hyenas, though idiotic and senseless, had managed to just survive life outside of the pridelands. Merely two had managed to survive the era created by Scar, though others had no business with the deceased King and had made their homes just beyond Simba's rulings.

"Back off! I killed it, I'm eatin' it!"

"But… but I saw it first!"

"You snooze, you lose!"

"First come first serve!"

Zira rolled her eyes. These bickering hyenas would suffice for her plan, but they took stupidity to a whole new level, even for their kind. Snorting, she crouched silently, unsheathed her claws, and easily picked off the two scavengers.

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Meanwhile, back at Pride Rock, Simba dreamt vividly, his body jerking as he moved in his sleep.

An echoing roar could be heard from the distance. Simba kept running, though unsure of why, as his pride fell before him, one after another. The once-golden sand of the pridelands was now stained with scarlet and reeked of death. Nearby, he spotted Nala, fighting against a lion about half of her size. Long, hooked claws dug into her muzzle, promptly followed by a roar of pain from Nala. Noticing an opening, the opposing lion raked his claws along her muzzle again, then, wasting no time whatsoever, clamped his bloodied jaws around her throat Simba desperately tried to reach them, though found that his paws wouldn't budge. Simba watched in horror as his mate fell to the ground, eyes wide, dead.

"Simba! Simba!" Nala's frantic voice interrupted his nightmares, thank goodness. He awoke with a jolt to find himself staring into the mortified eyes of his mate.

"Simba, it's Kopa… he's-!"

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Zira carried the hyena carcasses to the riverbed, rubbing their mangled bodies every which way, then dragging their bodies along the ground further towards Pride Rock. Finally, she found some of Kopa's blood that had flecked onto her paws and rubbed it along the claws and jaws of the deceased hyenas and carried them back to the den, where Simba and a panic-stricken Nala stood awaiting her return. Quickly, she put on the expression of a horrified lioness that had just seen the death of a close acquaintance.

"Zira… you wouldn't happen to know what has happened to our son, would you?" Simba questioned, trying desperately to keep a steady voice. His claws flexed as he impatiently awaited her reply.

Zira dropped the dead hyenas at his paws. "Oh… Simba, it was awful! I woke up in the middle of the night to feed Kovu, when I happened to look over at Kopa's resting place, and saw that he was gone. Worried, I left the den and tried to search him out. I managed to find these mangy cretins with his frail body in their jaws, but by the time I arrived, it had been too late. They released him, and the river washed his body away. I killed them to avenge your son, and tried to find his body further downstream, but my efforts were I vain."

Simba narrowed his eyes. He was a bit skeptical of whether or not this story was legitimate. A logical strategy played out his mind. "So… Kopa really is dead."

The pride shook their heads, some cried, others gazed down in mourning. Vitani's eyes were glazed over with tears, and her legs were shaking. Kopa… her best friend, Kopa… could he truly be dead? Depression overtook her suddenly, and she cuddled close to Nuka's leg as she wept.

Simba turned to the pride. "Well, I suppose we are going to need another heir then."

Zira's eyes flashed. "This is most unfortunate… are there any other lions who could possibly suffice?"

"Well…" Simba began. "Do you think Kovu would make do?"

Zira's expression transformed from one of sorrow and remorse to one of eagerness and satisfaction. "I-"

Another lioness spoke up, just as she and the King had planned previously. "No, I believe my Vlieg would be a much more substantial leader."

Zira's lips turned up, revealing her sharp fangs, stained with the blood of the hyenas. "What? You would never question the laws of the pridelands!"

"And you would never have a son worthy of leading this pride!"

"I didn't plan all of this for you to screw it up!" Too late did she realize the words that had escaped her lips.

Simba snarled unexpectedly. "That settles it. Zira murdered the prince."

An uproar of shock and disbelief rose up from the lionesses, most of which had never thought of Zira as a killer, though many had wondered how she could have ever fallen for a lion like Scar.

Zira's eyes widened and her heart seemed to skip a beat. "What on earth are you talking about? Why would I murder your son? I wanted Kovu to have the crown, but wouldn't any lioness want her son to be destined for greatness?"

"Zira, Nala's pregnant. I would never have asked."

The plans that Zira had made crashed around her and shattered to pieces. Only Zira would be desperate enough to actually kill the prince to get her way. Vitani looked up at her mother, no longer sure of what had just happened. "N-Nuka? Did… did mother really…?"

Nuka shook his head. "No, of course not. By "plan", she merely meant her plan to help Kovu grow into a strong enough lion to challenge Kopa. She respects the laws of the pridelands too much to commit an illegal crime."

A murmur rose around the pridelanders, unsure of who to believe; Simba or Nuka.

"Zira," Simba growled. "I banish you to exile for slaughter of the prince."

Zira unsheathed her claws, gritting her teeth. "You… you'll be sorry!" she roared, eyes frenzied and wild. "Kovu will steal the crown from your sorry hide, and your blood will be on my paws." She whirled around to face Nala. "Along with your other precious child."

"Leave, Zira!" Simba crouched, ready to strike if necessary.

"Not without your life!" She attacked, biting deep into his shoulder. Simba whipped around and caught her flank with his claws. A strike of lightning split the sky. It was clear that this would be a fight to the death.

"Mother!" Nuka called, forcing himself between Zira and Simba. "Leave him be. He deserves to experience the death of his beloved mate and cub. We'll come back someday and take our revenge. For now, let's gather a pride and leave."

Zira snarled at her eldest son, then nodded, turning her back on her former pride, along with Nuka and Vitani. Nyuni, a lioness who had been watching over Kovu, followed Zira obediently, along with about a third of the pride.

Simba gazed out at the pridelands. He had lost a chunk of his pride and his own son in the course of one night.

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