Disclaimer: I own nothing in this story. All Lion King characters belong to Disney. The OCs in this story belong to me.

The next morning, Kopa had woken up early and stepped outside of the den to see that skies were foggy from last night's rain.

"Whoa…" He commented in amazement.

Kopa quickly ran back into the den to get his siblings to check it out.

"Kiara, Kion! You gotta check out this fog!" He whispered to them.

Kion groaned while Kiara muttered, "Kopa…go back to sleep…"

Awww, they're no fun…Kopa thought in disappointment.

"I guess I'll check it out myself. Hopefully, mom and dad won't be mad at me." He shrugged before running out of the den and into the savannah.

As he explored the savannah, he noticed a chameleon walking nearby and decided to work on his pouncing a bit by chasing after him. Unknown to the cub, some of Scar's old followers were busy hunting nearby.

"Shh! Naba, I think I hear some rustling from the bushes!" One of the lionesses hissed.

"Jamila, do you think it's our prey?" Naba asked her.

"Yes. We have to attack now!" Jamila answered with a nod.

Kopa was still unaware of what was going on until he heard some rustling in the grass which caused him to panic slightly. Suddenly, a paw smacked him across the face so hard, it gave him a scar on his face.

"Who?" He questioned while bumping into a nearby rock which his blood and a few tuffs of his fur landed on.

"So, did you get it?" Naba whispered to Jamila.

"I think I did." Jamila shrugged.

Whatever's going on…I need to get out of here! Kopa thought urgently.

With that, he got up and ran for it with Naba and Jamila chasing after him.

"It's getting away! We can't let it get away or else we won't have food tonight!" Jamila exclaimed.

"I can still hear it trying to run. We have to attack it!" Naba nodded at her friend.

Kopa kept running until he felt something scratch his leg, causing him to quietly yelp in pain. He then continued to run away from whatever was attacking him.

"We lost it!" Naba groaned in disappointment.

"At least we got it by the legs. It's a shame it was moving too fast." Jamila sighed.

Back at Pride Rock…

Simba, Nala, Kiara, and Kion had just woken up when Simba's eyes widened upon seeing an empty spot near him.

"Nala!" He exclaimed in shock.

"What's wrong, Simba?" She asked with a worried expression.

"Kopa's gone!" Simba answered.

"Where is he, dad?" Kion questioned with a confused expression.

"I don't know, Kion! I have to find him!" Simba replied before dashing out of the den.

"Dad! Where's Kopa?!" Kiara called out.

"I'm taking the other lionesses with me." Nala told her cubs. "Kiara, watch Kion. You're in charge of making sure that he and the other cubs don't get into any trouble."

Kiara nodded as Kion looked at his mother running off with a worried expression. Where WAS Kopa?

Several minutes later…

"No…Kopa…" Simba gasped in shock as he saw some of Kopa's fur and some dried blood on a nearby rock. "I'm so sorry…"

"Oh no... KOPA!" Nala shouted, running over to Simba who was staring at the rock.

"Our son's dead, Nala. He was supposed to be the heir…" Simba sighed in disappointment.

The other lionesses hung their heads in sadness, except for Zira and the other Scar followers who were mildly amused by this. Nala began sobbing over the rock as Simba glared at Zira angrily.

"YOU did this!" He snapped at her.

"I had nothing to do with it. I was merely on my way to join the others on the hunt, but I was only running late." Zira explained.

Simba then roared and attacked her, ripping a chunk off her left ear.

"Zira, I knew there was something wrong with you!" Nala shouted at her. "Don't you see what you've done to my son?! His blood and fur is on this rock!"

"MURDERER!" Simba screamed before tackling her. "I knew it, you're just like HIM..."

Zira chuckled evilly as Simba's claws began piercing her fur, "Go on, Simba. Kill me. It would be a shame to leave three cubs, one who is a coward that can't even fend for himself, as orphans!"

Simba just glared at her and got off her, his claws going back in.

"I knew it! You're just as soft as your father once was!" Zira laughed.

"Panzi, get her cubs and the other lionesses' families here NOW." Simba commanded his sister in law.

"On it!" Panzi nodded as she ran off.

"Well, what's that for?" Zira questioned with a sly smirk.

"Zira, I have a fate worse than death in mind for you! You, your cubs, and the rest of Scar's followers are now exiled!" Simba snarled.