I do not own The Lion King.

"Imara, Jaali, come here!" I ordered. They sheepishly dashed out of the grass where they had been playing and raced towards me, skidding to a stop and stirring up dust near my forepaws.

I looked at my son and my daughter. They were both three months old now. Imara was a little sweetheart. She was light brown with green eyes, while her brother Jaali, was golden with blue eyes and a black tuft of his future mane.

"Yes mother?" they asked in unison.

"Where were you?" I asked.

"We were playing with Kopa and Nuka." they replied, in unison once again.

"I have to go. You are to stay here, and keep out of trouble. I will be back, but later." I told them.

"But Mommy," Imara whimpered.

"Why do you have to go?" Jaali asked.

"I will come back. Nala will care for you until I return." I told them.

Imara began to sob. She was very attached to both Jaali and me. She was not as strong as her brother, and it would be awhile before she would be. She needed to become less attached to the both of us. I knew that.

"But..... mother...." Jaali began.

"If you were both older, I would take you, but the journey is too much for you both. I won't be away very long. Only a few days. You will be here with Kopa and Nuka." I explained softly.

I nuzzled my cubs lovingly, and went to tell Simba and Nala that I was leaving. As I bid them farewell, a panting lioness raced up and stopped before them. She was choking out words. I listened as I started away from Pride rock.

"Zira," she panted, "Killed – Kopa. Tried – to – stop – her."

"Bring me Zira!" Simba roared angrily.

"Simba! You are frightening Imara and Jaali!!" Nala cried. My son and daughter were hugging Nala's legs, looking for comfort. They were very afraid.

I began to jog. I wanted to get away. I didn't want to see my best friend exiled. She had killed Kopa, Mufasa's descendant. Mufasa's grandson. Simba's son. I had no feelings for Kopa.

"She is exiled!" Simba roared to his pride as the lionesses scurried down Pride rock, following Zazu, who had just returned with a heavy heart. He was sure that Kopa was dead.

As soon as I was twice the distance from Pride rock to the watering hole, I began to race. I didn't slow down until I reached the Out lands. I was so used to making this trip in one night. No other lioness would have the stamina.

I hurried down into the massive termite mound that was Scar's den. I looked for Scar, but could not find him. Then, I saw a shadow.

I looked up. I could see the outline of a shaggy black figure on a ledge above me. I knew instantly that it was Scar. I joined him on the ledge, and greeted him by rubbing my head on his. He pulled away angrily and jumped down from the ledge.

"Scar, what's wrong?" I asked, confused by his actions. I jumped down off of the ledge after him.

"You left me. You didn't come back." Scar growled.

"You don't know why." I replied.

"You couldn't be bothered with an old lion. You couldn't be bothered with the dethroned king." Scar snarled, cornering me.

"No. I was too busy with your heirs." I growled.

"My heirs?" Scar asked.

"Yes. Jaali and Imara. Your son and daughter." I answered.

"My son and daughter?" Scar gasped.

"Jaali and Imara." I replied. I looked into his green eyes.

"Jaali and Imara. What do they look like?" Scar asked, still in shock.

"Jaali is gold and he will have a black mane. He's got blue eyes. Imara is light brown. She's got your eyes." I told him.

"Why didn't you bring them with you?" Scar asked.

"They are too young. They can't handle the journey, but I will bring Jaali as soon as I can. You must train our son, and I will train our daughter." I answered. "Nuka and Kopa are good friends of Jaali and Imara."

"Nuka and Kopa?" Scar asked.

"Kopa is the prince. Simba's son. Nuka is Zira's son." I explained.

"That makes me even farther from the throne." Scar growled.

"No it doesn't. Not anymore." I said suddenly, remembering the event that had happened before I left. "Zira killed Kopa right before I left."

"That means Simba will exile her." Scar said, his voice hinting panic.

"Yes. He already declared that he was going to." I told him.

"We must leave! We can't stay here!" Scar gasped.

"Why?" I asked him.

"Come with me!!" Scar ordered, racing out of the giant termite mound. I followed him back into the Pride Lands. We raced into the jungle where Mufasa had chased me into before he had told me that he loved me.

We raced into the jungle. There was a small pathway down to the clearing that I had seen by the waterfall when I had been running from Mufasa. Scar had found the pathway to it. We sat there panting for a long time.

Suddenly, I remembered something Zira and I had talked about. We had spent much time together, talking mostly, sometimes even hunting together. Zira always seemed to forget my heartbreak, for she always told me of her love, Scar.

Zira had said that she loved Scar, and that she would have been his queen if he became the King. It always upset me when Zira talked of Scar. Mufasa had left me for Sarabi. Zira had found love in her first try.

"What about Zira? Shouldn't your mate be told that you're alive?" I asked. I wasn't sure whether I was sad or angry. I looked up. "In fact, I'll tell her for you!" I stood up to leave.

"No!" Scar cried, jumping in front of me.

"Why can't you're beloved Zira know that you're alive??" I asked curiously.

"Beloved??" Scar gasped.

"What is Zira to you then, Scar?" I asked angrily.

"Zira was – is nothing to me!!" Scar growled. "Zira is – was in love with me, yes, but I did not return the feeling. She promised me that she'd leave me alone if I gave her a litter, so I gave her Nuka. She kept bothering me. I found her a mate. I told her that her being with him would be the only way that she could prove that she truly loved me."

"You gave her Nuka to get rid of her?"

"It only fueled her desire for me." Scar replied sadly.

I looked at the dark lion. He was still breathing heavily from our run from the Out lands. He lay down on the thick green grass. I just looked at him for a long moment, wondering what to do next.

"Nala suggested that Imara and Kopa be betrothed. Then a young lioness ran up and told them that Zira had killed Kopa. I didn't know how to say no. Kopa and Imara are cousins. Nuka is Imara and Jaali's half brother." I said, slightly disgusted.

"Its a good thing he's dead." Scar growled.

"His death was probably the worst time to leave my cubs." I said. "Jaali and Kopa were very close. And Imara liked Kopa very much."

"His death has relieved us all." Scar sighed.

After flicking a cricket off of his paw, he stood up again. Suddenly, I pounced on him. He didn't expect it, but I hadn't expected myself to pounce on him either. I had pushed him down a low fall and off a low ledge and into the river.

I gasped as I sprang up from the water to catch my breath. The water was lovely and warm. Scar burst up in front of me, splashing me. We climbed out of the water, and shook ourselves dry.

We discovered that the clearing was much larger than could be seen from the hill. There was a lot of it that was shaded and covered completely in branches and vines. It would make a nice cozy den for us. There was plenty of space to run in, and you could see all intruders who were coming from the Pride lands.

After chasing and being chased by Scar around our little clearing, I pounced on him again, we rolled on the ground with the force that I'd put into it, and I pinned Scar to the ground.

It was unlike Scar, but he laughed and licked my cheek. I started blushing, and I let Scar up. We started walking towards the waterfall. There was a stone path that lead to the top. It was covered in vines, but that provided us with cover if we wanted to leave the little valley.

"This will be a lovely place to raise Jaali and Imara." I told him, rubbing my head against his as we sat down together. I looked around at our tropical paradise.

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