Here's Chapter 10! Enjoy! :D

Chuma and Zira dug their claws into each other's side.

"When I kill you, I'll bring up your little brat the way I brought you up," Zira spat. Chuma growled as he remembered how she had treated him once Zira had taken over Pride Rock.

=FLASHBACK=

Chuma was sobbing. Sauda and Kondo were gone as well as his brother, and Adimu and Yamileth hated him. He'd screwed up big time for sure. Suddenly, Zira appeared over him.

"What're you crying about?" she hissed, and struck him. Chuma tumbled away, tears falling now because of the sting of the blow.

"REAL LIONS DON'T CRY!" she screamed, and struck him again and again. Chuma soon had enough; she struck him once more and he bit down on her paw. She forced her paw back, and Chuma growled. Satisfied, she grinned and pulled the cub close to her.

"You know if your parents really loved you..." she started. Just then, the hyena named Akida appeared by her shoulder.

"They could make you king even if you weren't born first!" he hissed. Chuma looked at them in shock. After a moment, he felt an intense anger burning in the pit of his stomach.

"Enzu was their favourite because he was born first. You're just a loser..." Zira whispered.

"You weren't even planned, kid! You just happened, an unwanted mistake!" Akida continued. Chuma immediately felt his heart breaking; his parents did love him...Didn't they? They gave him attention and told him they loved him all the time, but he got scolded more than his brother ever had. They told Enzu about being king, and wouldn't tell him. What made Enzu so special?

"W-Why was my brother s-so special?" Chuma squeaked.

"Because he was the planned one, that's why! They actually wanted HIM," Akida explained, grinning like a mad man. Chuma stared at his feet. He didn't know if he believed Zira and Akida or not. Enzu seemed to get treated better...But his parents wouldn't lie to him.

"They kept stuff from you, right? What kind of love is that?" Akida sneered. Chuma realized Akida was right. "They kept stuff from you...Because you're a loser. The King and Queen of the Pridelands can't love a loser," Akida babbled on.

"I don't wanna be a loser anymore! Help me!" Chuma exclaimed, somewhat panicked. Zira and Akida both grinned.

"Why, we'd be delighted," Zira purred.

=END FLASHBACK=

"You lied to me! You told me my parents didn't love me...But they do! They told me so!" Chuma roared, the delusion finally clearing from his mind and heart. "I didn't know what love was, but since my son was born...I was stupid and blind for listening to you, but this ends NOW!" he screamed, knocking Zira away from him.

"Why bother? Everyone already hates you for what you've done...You'll never be forgiven...King," Zira spat in a mocking and bitter tone.

=FLASHBACK=

The cubs were now in their teens. Chuma was lying by himself, lazing on a rock, when Adimu approached him.

"I hope you're happy. The whole pride hates you for what you've done," she growled. Chuma just looked up at her.

"No they don't. They can't hate the king," he reasoned.

"You will NEVER BE KING!" she roared. Chuma rose to his feet. Adimu growled at him, and he swatted her in the head with the back of his paw, hard. She stumbled a little, but caught herself. She glared at the lion, and he could clearly see the hate for him living in her eyes. She simply turned and walked away from him.

Chuma laid back down. Soon, he noticed some lionesses walking past him. Each time they looked at him, they looked at him with the same look in their eyes that Adimu had. Chuma felt uneasy; everyone really did hate him. He determined he no longer cared; no one in the pride had loved him anyway.

Yamileth had watched the scene between Chuma and Adimu unfold. She sighed. She wished she could help Chuma see that the pride really did care about him, but there was simply nothing she could do. She remembered the old days, when Sauda, Enzu and Kondo had still been alive...The days when Yamileth had had a crush on Chuma. Maybe if she had told him how she felt...

Tears fell as she began to feel responsible for Chuma's personality check. If he'd known she liked him, he wouldn't do what he was doing, the orange lioness was sure.

Chuma then looked over in her direction. Seeing the tears, he jumped up and walked over.

"What do you think you're doing, crying? Real lionesses don't cry!" he exclaimed. Yamileth looked at her paws.

"I'm sorry..." she mumbled. She dried her tears, and forced the rest back.

"Well, that's better. If I catch you crying again, I'll beat you soundly," he threatened, and went back to his original position.

=END FLASHBACK=

"My son doesn't hate me," Chuma said calmly, before pouncing at Zira. He knocked the old lioness down, pinning her. She struggled under him with all her might, but Chuma was younger, and he had his weight as well as his strength. Zira hissed as she continued to struggle but couldn't break free. Akida simply watched and waited; any moment now the hyenas would have a meal. Even Intisar didn't bother to try to stop the unfair fight; Zira was an annoying old hag now, and Intisar wanted her gone.

"Think of what I did for you!" Zira hissed angrily. "I trained you!"

=FLASHBACK=

Zira was practicing fighting with Chuma. She rushed at him, not holding back, as he jumped to the side. He landed on his feet and growled, then ran and headbutted the lioness. She leapt away before contact, then jumped forward. If her claws had been extracted she would have cut into Chuma's face. As it was, her paw just knocked him back.

"Get up!" she roared. "You're not good enough yet!"

Chuma rose to his feet. No matter how tough it got, he would fight until he was good enough and could be king. It was all he had wanted since he was small anyway.

He went through the training every other day. After weeks and months, Zira deemed him good enough. He'd been proud of himself.

=END FLASHBACK=

"Maybe so...But I think I would have rather learned to love than fight quite as well as I do," Chuma answered, his voice trembling with rage. "I can see what I've missed now...Though I suppose because of you...I'll be able to do what I'm about to...Though I hope I never have to do it again..." he added. Zira just glared at him, and tried to bite him. However, she failed.

Chuma bit down on her throat. Blood squirted into his mouth, and out around his teeth. He could feel the evil lioness gasp and struggle even harder. Chuma closed his eyes.

He pulled his head up like a rocket. Zira's throat still in his mouth, blood pulsed wildly and messily. He moved away from the body, dropping the throat. Zira's eyes rolled back into her head, her body already starting to cool. The hyenas roared with laughter and ran forward. Unable to watch, Chuma walked away. He walked off into the grasslands, away from Pride Rock. He stood at the edge of the dried watering hole. He couldn't believe he had just killed Zira; but she had deceived him practically his whole life.

He sighed, and then began to clean away the blood. There was no way he would go back with his muzzle covered in blood. Despite how young he was, Chuma wasn't about to let his son see him like that. Once he was sure the blood was gone, he headed back slowly. He went into the cave as soon as he got back.

Fumo was sleeping, cuddled up to his mother. Chuma sat down beside her, looking down at his son. Yamileth looked up at the lion.

"I...I'm s-sorry...I never meant to do those things!" he exclaimed. "I was lied to and deceived and they made me believe...They made me believe what I was doing was right," he explained. "I see now that they were wrong...The moment I saw my son...OUR son...I knew," he rambled on. Yamileth looked down at the sleeping cub, then back up to his father.

"I...I can't say I forgive you...yet. It's going to take a long time for us to forgive you...If we forgive. You've hurt us so much...We have no trust in you..." Yamileth told him. "But I'm glad you've seen the errors of your ways. Now the healing can start," she added with a smile. Chuma nodded.

"I didn't expect you to say you forgive me. I would never expect anyone to say they forgive me, or to have any trust in me now...I've been a monster..." he replied. Kiara and Kovu were watching him from across the cave. "I think...I think I'd better go talk to my parents," Chuma added.

"I think that would be best."

Chuma shuffled slowly, afraid. He wasn't sure if his parents would believe him. When he was in front of them, he sat down. He hung his head, avoiding eye contact.

"Mom...Dad...I was lied to. Zira and Akida...They told me I was a loser and you never loved me...They convinced me everything I've done was right as I went...But when I saw my son, I found out what love is. It helped me see that I was horribly wrong...I'm sorry," Chuma rambled. Kiara and Kovu looked at each other, before Kiara rose to nuzzle her son.

"We've always loved you, Chuma. You were never a loser. However, for what you've done to the pride and us..." Kiara trailed off.

"You can't give forgiveness," the brown lion stated. Kiara and Kovu both nodded, looking depressed. "It's okay...I understand," he murmured.

He made his way, apologizing to every lioness. Half refused to even listen to him, understandably. Suddenly, two shadows once again blocked the light. Everyone looked at Akida and Intisar. The two grinned evilly.

"Zira's dead...So we're taking over now," Akida announced. Chuma growled, but didn't move.

Meanwhile, Adimu was leading Sauda, Enzu and Kondo up the path. It got a little difficult at times and loose rocks almost caused them to lose their footing a couple of times, but they kept going. This was the only way the group could get in; they weren't about to give up just because it got a little hard. Soon, they managed to get out beside the cave, behind a few large rocks that hid them from view.

"This is it..." Sauda whispered nervously. The others nodded, anxious about what was to happen next.

Whoo, PLOT TWIST! Now that Zira's dead, the real villians are Akida and Intisar (though you might not remember her, she was in the chapter Simba died as a very loyal new follower of Zira. She's strong) Chuma's FINALLY coming to his senses, and the friends make it back to Pride Rock! What's in store for the next chapter? STAY TUNED!

Also, one more chapter and an epilogue to go! I'm going to be sad when this is finished!