Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts or The Lion King. These belong to Disney and Square Enix.

Chapter 7

Roxas decided not to mention meeting Axel to Sora and Demyx for fear of getting in trouble. A few years past and Roxas had grown. He was now sixteen. He was currently searching for some grubs to snack on. A pair of jade eyes watched him from the bushes as he pulled up a log and licked his jaws at the crawling maggots beneath.

A deep growl rumbled behind the teenager. Roxas paused with his feasting and turned, searching for the threat. "I thought I told you to stay out of my territory cub?" a voice rumbled as Axel stepped out of the bushes. Roxas sighed "Oh, Axel, it's just you, I thought I had disturbed a mongoose's feeding ground." Axel's scowl didn't wane "what?"

"Leave" Axel commanded.

"Why?" Roxas asked, "It's not like you eat grubs"

"What makes you think I don't?" Axel questioned.

"All right, here" Roxas lifted up a maggot with a claw.

Axel gulped "I'm not hungry" Axel brushed off.

"Oh c'mon it's just one," Roxas pushed, "surely you can't pass up a light snack"

Axel frowned but grabbed it anyways before quickly popping it in his mouth and choking it down. He swore it tried to crawl back up "satisfied?" Axel sneered.

"Very" Roxas smirked.

"Good, now leave" Axel growled.

"Nah" Roxas shook his head "I think I'll just finish my meal first" Axel growled and leapt, knocking the youth off his paws. He jumped to his feet "Hey! What was that for?"

"I told you, this is my territory" Axel snarled.

"And I told you, I will leave after I eat" Roxas reminded. Axel roared making Roxas turn as he met Axel head on.

They tumbled and scratched until they reached a cliff. Roxas felt the ground give away and he clung on. He looked down and his vision was clouded with dark memories of the stampede. "H-help!" Roxas called, closing his eyes in fear. He felt jaws lock around the scruff of his neck and pull him up. Roxas landed by a set of familiar paws but he couldn't stop shaking as his mind replayed hi father falling off the cliff.

"Hey kid, you all right?" a voice asked, but Roxas couldn't trace it. "Roxas!" the voice shouted. Roxas gazed up into emerald eyes and felt a soothing lick on the top of his head. "You're all right kid, you're safe" Axel reassured. Roxas nodded, more to convince himself.


When he had pulled Roxas up, he had expected a thank you, not a cowering cub. He called the teenager but the lion seemed to be trapped in an awful memory. He continued to call the cub and decided to lick him in an attempt to calm him.

The young lion looked up to meet his gaze and Axel was stunned to find the golden lion's eyes filled with guilt, pain, and sadness. What could have happened to this young cat to fill his eyes with such emotions? "I'm sorry Axel" Roxas apologized "I'll leave now" he stood up on shaky legs and began to walk away.

"Roxas!" Axel called, the golden lion looked back, "If you want I have some antelope back at my den" Roxas's eyes widened and he smiled in gratitude.

"Thanks but I really should be getting back, Sora and Demyx will be worried, I didn't exactly tell them where I was going" Roxas explained.

"Maybe next time then," Axel suggested with a smirk "got to work on your fighting skills"

Roxas nodded; glad to be on the redhead's good side now "Count on it" Roxas agreed before running home.

Axel smiled but it soon fell. What was he doing? He swore he'd never get close to anyone again. Not after what happened in his pride.

"Come on Axel!" a dark cub called. He was well built and had a spiked, brown mane; "you don't want to be late for the twins do you?"

"I'm coming!" a young Axel called back "man Terra, the way you're acting you'd think the twins were dying"

"Don't even joke like that," Terra scolded. They reached a small pond where tow young cubs rested. One had a blond, spiked mane that was swept to the side and golden fur. The other had a black, wildly spiked mane and black fur. Hey Ven, hey Van!" Terra called.

The two cubs looked up and smiled, "Hey Terra!" Ven called, jumping to his paws to greet his betrothed. Terra was the son of the alpha lion, as was Axel, however, Terra being the eldest son, was meant to lead when his father got to old or died. Terra was meant to mate with Ven when they were older; Axel was to be with Vanitas however Axel disliked the black lion. Vanitas was malicious and always got the cubs in trouble. Sadly Axel had fallen for the wrong twin and had set his sights on Ven, but he knew he could never have him and the love was one-sided. Ven's eyes always lit up when he saw Terra, as did the eldest son's. Today they were going to play in the pond to cool off. As they swam around Axel was jumping across some logs with Vanitas. "Hey Axel, why don't we play a prank on Terra and Ven?" Vanitas offered.

"No way Vanitas" Axel shook his head "you're ideas always get us in trouble"

"Aw c'mon Axel, loosen up" Vanitas whined. Axel knew if he didn't help Van would still do it and then no one could stop him if he went to far.

"Fine, but only if you promise no one will get hurt" Axel conceded.

"Promise" Vanitas swore holding up his right paw. Axel nodded; "Okay here's the plan" Vanitas began to explain.

Terra and Ven were splashing in the water as Axel and Vanitas pushed a set of old logs towards the pair. "Terra! Ven! Look out! Crocs!" Vanitas shouted. The two turned quickly and Ven screamed swimming as fast as he could to the shore, Terra close behind. Unfortunately the two pranksters had been heard by a group of elephants drinking nearby and as the logs hit their snouts one panicked sending the rest charging away from the water towards Terra and Ven.

"Terra! Ven!" Axel shouted racing towards them but was blocked by Vanitas. "Van? What are you doing?"

"I've seen the way you look at my brother" Vanitas spat "What I'm not good enough for you? Fine if I can't have you neither can he" Axel gazed down in shock before looking up to watch Terra and Ven fall into the stampede. Axel called out in fear and bit Vanitas's front paw to knock him out of the way. He rushed towards the stampede. As the elephants passed a lone lump of fur lay in the dust.

"No" Axel gasped watching as his brother moved towards the form and gently nudged the still cub. Axel shook his head.

Vanitas limped over "Ven!" he called in fake concern. Terra glanced up and glared. "Axel how could you?" Vanitas accused.

"What?" Axel asked.

I tried to come help" Van lied "but Axel wouldn't let me and when I tried he bit my leg"

"That's a lie!" Axel snarled.

"Oh come on Axel, we all know you were jealous of Terra and figured if you killed him you could have Ven and the pride" Van supported himself.

"That's not true!" Axel defended "Terra you can't believe him!"

"Leave" Terra growled.

"What?" Axel asked.

"Get out of here!" Terra shouted, "Never come back!" Axel shook his head in shock, his own brother, believed that scum over him?

"Fine!" Axel shouted and ran off.

A/N

I'm sorry but tragic backstory over. So no homework this weekend so I finally have some time to post my stories. Again still no beta reader and sad to see all my followers gone although it's only been two days. I'm still going to finish posting this though for myself. I hope that whoever does read this enjoys what I write.

Please R/R