The Lion King 3: Calling

Disc.: I own NOTHING from this wonderful series, save for the plots used in this story revolving around characters that aren't mine.

A/N: Welcome to Ch.3, glad it's come this far! I realize now that I forgot to mention the ages of our lovey dovey couples and other characters at the start of the fic, so here's an age chart that I hope everyone out there can make sense of!

Kopa- 35

Nala- 33

Kiara- 16

Simba- 16

Sarabi- 44

Zira- 33

Vitani- 18

Nuka- 24

Ishani- 28

Sarafina- 26

Kula- 25

Kovu- 17

Also, I neglected to mention that Kovu was 11 and Simba was 10 when they first met and it's been 6 years since they saw each other in the marsh. Hope no one's confused, if you are then I'm sorry! Well, here's the chapter, enjoy!

Ch.3- The Sun Reconnects With The Moon

6 years.

That's how long Kovu had been subjected to his mother's 'training', but it had been fruitful in the end. He was now a well-oiled killing machine, ready to end a life at a moment's notice or even at his mother's command to do so. He had also spent that time thinking of Simba, the boy was strange but Kovu found that he liked that about him. He was the sun whereas Kovu was the moon, cold, dark, and unfeeling. He found himself thinking especially of his eyes, deep pools of red that reflected warmth and love. However, he couldn't think of such things anymore…he had a mission to complete, and nothing would stop him- not even those soft red pools of warming light.

"You are ready…nice, very nice. You have the same darkness in your soul that Scar had, Kovu. What is your destiny?"

Kovu was no stranger to this rundown, so he went with what he'd been told several times over the last 6 years.

"I will avenge Scar, take his place in the Pridelands."

"Yes…what have I taught you?"

"Kopa is the enemy."

"And what must you do?"

"I must…kill him!"

At seeing his resolve so strong, the other lionesses roared in anticipation of the mission's initiation, the sounds echoing off the walls and extending over the whole of the Outlands.

(Pride Rock)

Today was a very special day for all the residents of Pride Rock, Simba and Kiara were now of age and ready to each find a mate, but that wasn't the reason why the King and his subjects were gathered around the Rock.

No, this day was definitely special but for a whole other reason altogether.

Today, Simba was going to go on his first hunt all alone. Kiara was already a great hunter and didn't need to go out as often to catch prey for everyone, but this was Simba's first time going it alone. Kiara appeared on the top of the downward path and went to sit beside her parents as Simba appeared next. He had taken on most of their father's looks, the beginnings of a red mane on his head (imagine Nuka's mane appearance before his comes in full when they set the Pridelands on fire) and golden tan fur that could easily rival the sun in color and brilliance.

As he walked down towards his parents and sister, the other lionesses all complimented him as he passed them, a smile settling on his face at their kind words.

"Look at you, Simba."

"His first ever solo hunt."

"My, how you've grown!"

When he finally reached his parents, he was hugged by his mother and sister.

"You'll do just fine."

"Yeah, mom's right Simba. You're gonna do great!"

Simba smiled at his family, but then his gaze drifted to his father Kopa. The King was always being overprotective of his only son, almost to the point where Simba couldn't even do anything on his own. He only hoped that his father would let him just do something for once in his life on his own.

"Dad, you have to promise you'll let me do this on my own…promise?"

Kopa was already worried about Simba going on a hunt, but going on one alone was terrifying to even think about. He was about to say no when Nala looked at him with eyes that said 'he's grown up, let him make his own decisions' and finally gave in.

"Alright…I promise."

At his father's agreeing to let him do this on his own, Simba ran up to his father and rubbed against his face, purring happily before he ran to the edge of the cliff and smiled at the grass below him. He then turned back to look at his father with a smile on his face, jumping down and running off when Kopa nodded at him with his own smile. After all the other lionesses, including Kiara and Nala, had left Kopa looked over at Timon and Pumbaa and whispered a single order to them.

"Make sure he doesn't get hurt."

They both nodded at him before taking off into the grass, Simba unaware of his father breaking his promise.

(Sulfur Caves)

Nuka and Vitani were both standing in the caves where sulfur geysers were going off one at a time, Vitani holding sticks in her jaws and Nuka complaining about how creepy the caves were.

"Eww, this place is even creepier since the Hyenas took off."

"Ugh, shut up Nuka."

"(scoffs) I'm not scared, ok?!"

Vitani walked down towards a geyser and set the sticks at the edge to light them on fire while Nuka jumped down fearfully and wandered around, complaining this time about how their mother stuck them with a shit job like this one.

"I just don't see why we have to be here, that's all…if Kovu's so special then why does he need us? I never even had a chance-" Nuka yelped loudly as the geyser he was standing in front of erupted, his paws going over his ears and his eyes screwing shut as he lay in front of the one Vitani was standing in front of. She rolled her eyes in annoyance at her brother, he acted so macho but at the end of the day he was just a big scaredy cat.

As she contemplated leaving him behind, the sticks had caught on fire and Vitani smiled. She grabbed one in her jaws, careful not to let the flames touch her face.

"Well come on, Simba's already started his hunt…we have to move quickly."

Nuka hesitantly picked up his own stick and ran off to catch up to his sister, both eager to get the plan under way.

(Pridelands)

Simba wasn't faring as well as he'd hoped, he had tried catching antelope 3 times and failed. It didn't help when he found Timon and Pumbaa were stalking him. After they'd told him that his father had sent them to watch him, he felt betrayed that his father didn't trust him enough to let him do anything on his own and took off into the heart of the grass, knowing full well that they'd never be able to find him. Simba gave up on the hunting for now and spent his time wandering around the Pridelands, his thoughts drifting to Kovu.

Since that day that they'd first met, Simba couldn't even get a chance to see him again. He missed the other male cub immensely, at first he just thought that it was because he'd wanted to be friends with the dark Outsider cub…but as time passed, Simba found himself noticing the more attractive features of Kovu, like his eyes. They were sharp pools of teal that seemed to be able to hold you in place with no chance of getting away, his dark fur that reminded him of trees in the first days of spring, and his black as night mane that was probably full by now.

Simba thought it odd at first that he was thinking of another male cub in the way one would think a lioness attractive, but was the years went by Simba found the thoughts to be normal and welcomed greatly by the Prince's mind. His mind then came to the conclusion that he was falling in love with Kovu, but his heart felt it would never work because they wouldn't see each other again.

His mind, however, was torn from its musings when he saw the smoke on the horizon and the frightened animals charging at him…Simba joined them in escaping from the fire, unaware that they had witnesses to the whole spectacle.

Zira smiled evilly down at the destruction before them, it was time to put the plan into action.

"Yes…the plan is in motion, now go!"

(Pride Rock)

Kopa was pacing back and forth nervously, his thoughts straying to Simba and the hunt he was currently on. He was scared that something would happen to him that he had started pacing back and forth for the last few hours, and even though it was annoying the shit out of everyone else, no one could bring themselves to stop him. Zaira (she's Zazu's daughter, btw) chose this moment to land on Pride Rock and try to reassure her friend.

"Don't worry Kopa, he'll be fine. What could happen?"

Kopa was about to answer her question when his eyes caught the smoke rising up into the sky from the grass, and horror seeped into his entire being as he realized that Simba was hunting out near that area.

"No! Simba!"

Zaira saw the smoke and a worried look appeared on her face.

"Zaira, fly ahead and find him! Ishani, Sarafina, Kula, search the Pridelands- Nala, you and Kiara come with me and help me look for Simba!"

The entire pride nodded and took off to do their jobs, only one thought crossed their minds.

Find Simba before the worst happened to him.

(Pridelands)

Simba was currently running for his life through the fire consumed grass, he was running out of breath and breathing in the smoke that had covered the sky like a dark cloud. He finally managed to make it up a cliff, but passed out as soon as he landed on top of it. The last thing he saw before he blacked out was another lion, and his mind hoped that this lion wasn't here to kill him.

Kovu looked down at the young prince, from what he could see through the smoke Simba had grown up beautifully. He had a small red mane that had yet to develop into a full head of hair, and he still had that same golden tan coat that contrasted against his own dark brown.

In short, he was still very much the sun that Kovu saw when he thought of him.

But now wasn't the time to think of how beautiful Simba had grown up to be, he had a mission to complete. He grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and hauled him up onto his back, making sure that he wasn't gonna fall off as he made his way through the burning grasslands. After spending the next hour or so running through the fire, both lions fell off a cliff and landed in the water below. Simba had slipped under the surface, which made Kovu panic and dive under the water only to surface seconds later with the golden Prince in his jaws as he swam backwards to get them both to land. Neither noticed that Zaira was watching them, fear on her face as she flew off.

"I must tell Kopa!"

That was the last thought she had before she was out of sight, Kovu had by this point managed to get Simba out of the water and set him on dry land. Relief washed over him as the Prince began coughing up water and letting air come into his lungs.

"Where am I?"

"You're safe…in the Pridelands."

Simba felt his eyes widen, he was back home?

"The Pridelands? No! Why'd you bring me here, who the fuck do you think you are?!"

At Simba's obvious anger, Kovu answered back with his own angry glare.

"I think I'm the one who just saved your life, you ungrateful asshole!"

"Look, I was doing just fine on my own!"

"Not from where I'm standing."

"Then move downwind."

Simba moved to walk off, but Kovu jumped in front of him and barred his path. Growing annoyed with this, he tried a few more times to get away from the lion in front of him…but for some reason this all seemed really familiar to him, but that was impossible, this lion couldn't be…

"What are you doing?" Kovu asked Simba, and a smile came onto the Prince's face when he realized that this was indeed who he thought it was.

"Kovu?!"

Both lions smiled at each other, but before they could say anything more Kopa chose this moment to step in with a loud roar that scared Kovu.

"Simba!"

"Simba, you're alright." Nala said as she nuzzled her son worriedly, Kiara also nuzzling him affectionately.

"Brother, I'm so glad you're safe."

"Father, how could you break your promise?!" Simba said angrily, while Kopa just glared at Kovu lividly.

"It's a good thing I did, I almost lost you. No more hunts for you, not ever!"

"But I was doing just fine, even before Kovu-"

Kopa's eyes widened at the other lion across from him, then narrowed again in anger.

"Kovu!?" both lions began roaring at each other, Nala trying to find some way to stop the fight between her mate and this young cub. They were about to go at each other's throats when Rafiki showed up, and what he told them all was a shock to everyone.

"Hey you, how dare you save the King's son?"

"You saved him?! Why?"

Kovu knew this was his only chance to move the plan into the next stage, so he used the excuse he'd gone over with his mother.

"I humbly ask to join your pride."

"No! You were banished along with the other Outsiders."

"I have since left the Outsiders, and have gone rogue. So judge me now for who I am, or am I to be blamed for a crime I didn't commit?"

Kopa was still angry at Zira for her threats 6 years ago, how could he trust her son not to turn against them like he knew all Outsiders could do?

"Kopa, you owe him our son's life." Nala said firmly, she didn't want to make them enemies but rather she wanted to foster peace between them. She was still wary of the cub, but she was more willing than her mate to give him a chance to prove himself to them.

"Yes Sire, clearly we are in his debt…and Royal Protocol demands that all debts be paid, though in this case you might want to make an exception." Zaira said matter-of-factly.

Kopa then smirked towards Kovu, who was standing stock still and awaiting the King's decision.

"My father's laws will be upheld, but for now I will reserve judgment. We'll see who you really are."

Kopa turned and walked off towards the Pridelands, never even noticing his son smiling at the Outlander and the smirk appearing on Kovu's face at Simba's warm smile. The rest of the pride started heading back to Pride Rock, Kovu following behind Nala and Kiara, an evil smile showing on his face.

Everything from here on out would go according to plan, or so Kovu thought.

T.B.C.- Wow, lots went on in just 8 pages huh? So, read and review please!