Chapter Five

It was midafternoon within the Pridelands, Kiara, Nala, and Simba trotted happily along towards the outlands hopefully they could meet their new friends again and have some fun. They were very excited especially Kiara as she couldn't wait to see a certain outlander cub again. "I can't wait to see them again!" The tawny golden cub giggled as she bounced up and down in excitement. Nala and Simba laughed as they watched her. "Yeah me too, I really enjoyed playing with Vitani." Simba grinned. Nala and Kiara stared at him, "Oh really, or do you like her?" Nala teased making Simba's cheeks flushed. He frowned over at the pale beige princess, "No! I don't like her." He growled slightly making the girls giggle. "Vitani and Simba sitting in a tree," Nala began singing making Simba frown and narrowed his eyes at her. "K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" The princesses sang in unison making Simba even madder as they continued poke fun at him.

"I don't like her!" Simba growled and pounced on Nala, only for his attack to be reverse and for him ended up flat on his back. He stared up at her in shock, "Ha pinned ya!" The pale beige princess laughed at how his face look in disbelief at what just happened. His golden ears flickered at the sound of Kiara's giggling only frustrating him more. Simba frowned and pushed Nala off him, "Let me up!" He huffed as he rolled onto his side after pushing Nala off him; his angered seemed too ebbed as he quickly lunged at her again. Her eyes closed as a satisfied smirked spread across her lips, Nala opened her lips to tease Simba but only to feel something heavy knock her over and could hear Simba's growling on top of her. Allowing her instinct to take control, Nala once again flipped Simba but to her amazement she felt him reverse her move with a move of his own. The pale beige cub did another move of her own, only to feel the both of them roll down a slope. Neither Simba nor Nala cared, the only thing the cubs were worried about was trying pinned one another.

Kiara rolled her reddish-brown eyes as she watched them, but couldn't help herself but laughed at their antics and followed them down the slope. She was careful not slip or fall as she began sliding down the slope. Her claws slightly gripped the dirt making her keep her balance on the way down. She leaped landing perfectly on all four of her paws, Kiara looked around to see if she could see Simba or her sister.

"Ha pinned ya again!" The sound of Nala's triumphing voice made Kiara whipped her head around only to see her sister pinning Simba. Kiara laughed and bounded up to them. "Ha! Girl power rules!" The golden cub giggled making Simba frowned at both of them. "That's because there's two of you and one of me." He snorted and pushed Nala off of him. With an agitated flick of his tail Simba stood up grumbling to himself.

"You guys really like coming here, huh?" A voice made them all gasps in surprise.

A familiar group of cubs appeared in front of them, making the pridelanders cubs sigh in relief. "Hey guys!" Simba said with a smile as he walked up to the three cubs, with Nala and Kiara followed closely behind him.

"What are you guys doing here?" Vitani asked with confusion in her voice.

"We wanted to see if you guys wanted to play with us again like yesterday," Nala grinned.

"I don't know…" Adui said unsurely. "I don't think it's a good idea for you guys to be here." Adui was right, if any of the outlanders, his brother or even worse…their parents saw them, they would be killed in a second. The dark-tan cub eyes widen at the thought of being caught talking to the pridelanders.

After hearing what Adui said, all the cubs were silent for a couple of minutes just staring at each other. Kiara looked down at her paws, she was a bit saddened that it would be a possibility that she didn't get to play with her new friends today. Then suddenly an idea popped into her head, "Hey I got an idea!" She yelled in excitement making the cubs turned their attentions towards her, listening attentively to her idea. "How about we go into the Pridelands and play!" The golden cub giggled going into playful crouch, her tail swishing eagerly in the air.

"That doesn't sound like a bad plan at all." Vitani said slightly impressed by the golden cub's idea. Kovu, Nala, Adui, and Simba nodded in agreement also.

"So what are we waiting for?" Nala bounded up to a log that led towards the Pridelands. "Let's go!" She giggled hopping up the log and running towards her home with the rest of the cubs following closely behind laughing with enthusiastically as they made their way to the Pridelands. As the cubs disperse into the outlands, they failed to realize there were two large lion silhouettes standing closely behind them. A low growl immense from one of them as they followed the cubs trail to the Pridelands.

The group of cubs ran towards a clearing in the Pridelands getting further and further away from the border of the Outlands. The outlanders seemed to forget their fears as they ventured deeper into the territory, and away from their home.

Kiara begin a game of chase with Adui both cubs laughing and running around circles with the group giving much amusement to the others. As they stopped, the golden princess crouched down getting ready to pounce on Adui; the cub's red eyes brighten with playfulness as his copied her stance and hissed playfully at her…

"Oof!"

The dark-tan cub landed backwards on his back, his eyes widen in shock as he looked up to see two powerful golden paws pressing down on his chest. "Ha!" It was Simba as he smirked playfully down at the pinned cub. "Hey! What was that for?" He squirmed under the more bulky cub's weight struggling to get him off. Simba just laughed watching him struggle against his weight, "Come on Adui don't be such a girl!" He laughed. Just as Simba was about to tease the young dark tan cub some more he quickly cut off by something more stronger knocking him off Adui. He landed with a soft thud and looked to see Kovu smirking at him, "Who's the girl now? Ha!" He grinned. "Hey, let me up!" Simba swiftly pushing Kovu off him, rolling to his side pouting. But that quickly turned into a mischievous glance towards the brownish-auburn cub and he swiftly pounced on top of him.

It doesn't take long for them to start tussling around the others. Kiara and Nala laughed while Vitani rolled her eyes muttering about boys being dumb, and Adui laughed cheering them both on as they continued wrestling each other. Kovu and Simba stopped and separated from each other, adding some distance between each other crouching growling playfully at each other getting ready to pounce on each other once again…A large golden broad paw stomped angrily in front of Simba.

The fun was over in an instant…

The cub's ears rang and ached at the sound of Mufasa's thunderous roar echoing in the Pridelands, sending Kovu tumbling back, nearly white with fear. Vitani and Adui gasped in shock as they quickly ran over to help their brother.

"Daddy!"

"Dad no!"

The sounds of their pleading were drowned out by another roar, this coming from behind Kovu and the others. Nala watched as a lioness slunk out of the tall yellow grass and strode into the clearing—but she was unlike any lioness any of the pridelander cubs have ever seen. Her ear was chewed and both were mangled, with different scars trailing her back and sides. Her pelt was scruffy same color as Adui with the addition of a dark brown stripe starting at her head and down her neck. She was thin and coarse, and she radiated anger like a blazing sun, glowering at Nala's and Kiara's father with all the venom of a viper.

Deep down in Nala's gut she knew who this lioness was, but the terrified whispers and mutters of "mother" coming from the outlander cubs told her she was dead right.

The grass rustles on the either side of Mufasa, parting to reveal Sarabi, Sarafina, her uncle Taka, and Zazu, with some of the lionesses from the pride. One look at her parent's faces, and Nala knew she, Kiara, and Simba were in serious trouble.

But things seem to turn even worse than before…

The grass on the side where the lioness the grass begin rustling as well to reveal another lion. He pounced into the clearing next to the lioness and released a powerful roar that was just as strong and just as dangerous as Mufasa. Nala looked over and never have she seen the cubs as afraid as if now, then she was afraid that she made have guess it right. She could hear the faint sound of Vitani whispering "Father"… As spunky as the dark tawny outlander cub was, Nala has never seen her so terrified in her life. And she could see why.

The lion was a dark brownish-auburn the same color as Kovu but darker. He was the same size as Mufasa, but more outrageously muscular than the golden king himself. The male's face was broad with almost square like chin like Kovu's. He's mane was long, thick, and notably curly with a few pieces of it falling almost naturally over his forehead and left eye. His eyes were sharp and pin point almost similar to the ones of a snake. His mane was a dark brown almost dark enough that seemed black as Taka's, its length stopped at the mid of his stomach with elbow tufts, tail tufts, and a bit of chin hair matching his mane in color. The lion's eyes were different than any lion the Pridelander cubs has ever seen before, they were two colors. On the right his eye was an emerald green color like Kovu's while on the left it was electric blue like Vitani's. His nose was angular just like any outlander; it was the same color as Vitani's. His black claws were unsheathing long and razor-sharp with long fatal incisors that look like that could pierce through anything. Nala shrunk back farther against her father's leg eyes widen in fear.

The cubs never have seen Mufasa look so…so…

"Obayana…"

"Zira…"

Appalled…Intense…

"Mufasa…" The large male dragged out the name like a snake's hiss.

"Zira…" There was a bit of hurt and caution in Taka's voice as he mentions the lioness's name.

"Taka."

Nala gulped thickly and watched the following exchange between the adults like a game of catch baobab fruit, huddled next to Kiara and Simba struggling to understanding what was happening between her parents and the strangers that enter the territory.

"Leave my lands or suffer the consequences!" Mufasa roared taking a step forward this triggered the grass to rustle more behind the two outlanders. A low growl formed deep within Mufasa's chest as three more lions appeared on Obayana's side. The dark brownish-auburn male smirk as two other lionesses and another male appeared into the battle field now. The new male wasn't as big as the other two Nala noted he didn't have a full mane either, judging by his appearance he was between adolescent and teenager years same for the one lioness—While the others were full grown adults.

Obayana chuckled in a way that made Nala's fur stand up on end. "Kicking us out so soon Muffy," He was interrupted slightly by a threatening growl from the golden king. "I mean we just got here and I was so hoping to catch up a little."

"How's your family, how's your…," The darker male drew himself up as a menacing grin appeared on his face. "Mother and father…" His voice dripped like venom of a poisonous viper.

Mufasa open his mouth to respond back but it was interrupted by a thunderous roar everyone's head jerked to see a charging Taka come forward. Mufasa quickly leaped blocking his brother as he notices the lions behind Obayana were preparing to attack…And he knew that if a fight were to break out it would put the cubs in danger.

"Taka no…don't be provoked by them." Mufasa quietly calmed him down. The brown lion sighed looking at his brother slightly giving a brief nod, Nala has never seen her uncle so fumed before…he was always the mellow and calm type never had she seen his eyes burn with flaming rage it was almost like he wanted to…

"Get out…" Mufasa said again this time his tone was firm and critical.

In response to Taka's sudden outrage, Zira chuckled as she smirked over at the two brothers. She turned and walked over to her children. "Oh? But Mufasa I wanted you to meet my children-"

Nala's eyes darted over to the cubs that were cowering behind their father's forelegs, they were paled when Zira mention each of their names. But she noticed Kovu cowered the most when she mentions his name specifically. Nala couldn't tell who they were afraid of, Mufasa or their own parents.

"-Kovu, Vitani, and Adui. Especially my son Kovu, he was hand chosen by Obayana himself to follow in his paw prints to not only become King of the Outlands but to become…King of the Pridelands as well."

Mufasa frowned as he stared down at the cub below him; his bared his teeth growling at the dark cub causing him to shake in fear.

King? How could Kovu become king, if…?

"You know the penalty for returning to the Pridelands!"

"But the children do not!" Obayana intervened countering sharply. He almost looked terrified, before he could quickly cover it up smoothly. "However Mufasa, if you really need your pound of flesh…" The large brute walked behind his cubs and glanced over at Zira, the lioness quickly nodded and stood next to him. They lowered their heads and pushed the cubs forward slightly towards Mufasa.

There were whimpers and sniffles heard from the three as they were pushed forward Mufasa's feet, the fur beneath Adui's red eyes were matted with tears, while Kovu and Vitani stared up at the large lion in pale white fear. It was so different from their boasting act before Nala and the others would've laughed, if they weren't so confused.

"Mom," Kiara nervously breathed, beside her. "Mom, what's happening? Why?"

"Hush Kiara." Sarabi said sternly making the golden princess shrink against Simba and her sister.

Nala's guts curled at the way her father was staring at the outlander cubs, so unlike the way he looked at others in his own pride, at Nala, Kiara, Simba, or the others. There was no warmth, no softness.

No he looked at them like they were a threat that needed to be exterminated permanently.

Eventually, Mufasa turned around away from the frighten cubs, shaking his head deplorably. "Take them and get out," He demanded as he walked over towards his own cubs. "We're finished here." He bends his head over and picked up Nala by the scruff while Sarabi and Sarafina hurriedly came over and collected Simba and Kiara by the scruff's also. They all turned around facing the outlanders.

Obayana's smile grew and hardens into the one of triumph. Nala swore she could see herself, Kiara, and Simba's reflection glisten in every last outlander's fangs as they grinned down at them menacingly, each of them chuckling darkly. "Oh, no, Mufasa. We have barely begun." The darker lion chuckled one last time before turning around walking back towards the outlanders.

He snatched up Kovu in his sharp jaws while Zira picked up Adui the same way. Vitani was carried by the older female in the same position as her brothers. Nala winced at the sight of the older lion's teeth digging harshly into her friends' underbelly.

"Bye…" Kiara whispered sadly. Kovu's reply was barely a breath.

"B-bye…"