Here's chapter ten and please review.

Meanwhile, the cubs were exploring the gorge. Kali looked around and then realized that Amani wasn't there.

"Amani?!" Kali called.
"Where did she go?" Vitani asked.
"Let's go find her." Nuka said and the three cubs ran on ahead to search for Amani.

Meanwhile, Amani had found herself inside a cave.

"I wonder why all the adults say that we can't come here." Amani murmured to herself.

Suddenly, Amani heard footsteps.

"Kali?" Amani called. "Nuka? Vitani?" But she couldn't hear her friends.

"Amani..." Came a murmur. She felt a warm wind go by her.

"Amani...leave...now!" This time it was another voice. More masculine and firm.

"Who are you?" Amani whimpered. She was terrified. Why was she hearing voices but she couldn't hear anyone?

"Leave now little one. Now!" This was a different voice. It sounded like it belonged to a lioness but not the same on as before.

Amani began trotting out of the cave but she couldn't remember where she had squeezed in from.

The footsteps outside for louder. Amani didn't know what she was scared of the most.
The footsteps or the three different voices she had heard. One male voice, one female voice and another voice that had belonged to another female.

Suddenly, the rocks that she must have squeezed through began to crumble. Amani whimpered. Who was outside?

The rocks were cleared and Amani saw the figure of a lion. When she got a closer look, she gasped when she saw who it was.

It was Ari!

"Uncle Ari!" Amani gasped.
"What are you doing here?" Ari snapped. "And where's Vitani and Nuka?"

Ari didn't care if Amani got lost or not. He didn't care about Kali either. He wanted to make sure that Vitani and Nuka were found. They were cubs of his followers and his future Pride. He had to make sure that they were safe.

"I don't know, "Amani whimpered.

Ari glared at her. Again, this was his chance to kill her. A couple blows and she would be dead. But just as he tried to raise his paw to strike her, a new voice called out.

"Ari!"
Amani saw a lioness entering the cave. She realized that it was Nuka and Vitani's mother, Zira.
Zira growled at Amani.

"Where are my cubs? What danger have you put them in?" Zira snapped.

Tears filled Amani's eyes.
"I didn't do anything...and...I don't know where they are." Amani said, her voice shaking.

Zira growled at her and stormed out of the cave. Ari was still staring at her.

Why couldn't he bring himself to kill her? He just couldn't. Besides, he remembered Rayna telling her that she may need Amani for her plans with Nala and Kiara. It would be better that way.

"Let's go!" Ari barked at her and Amani followed him out. Ari was mentally cursing himself that he couldn't be more like his father and kill easily.

"Amani!" Amani turned around to see Kali running to him. Nuka and Vitani followed with Zira walking behind them.

Immediately her friends began questioning her.
"Where did you go?"
"Why didn't you tell us?"
"We were looking for you!"

"Sorry, but I found this cave I wanted to check out." Amani said, sheepishly.

"Let's go!" Zira snapped at them. The cubs followed her out of the gorge.

TLKTLKTLKTLKTLKTLKTLKTLK

Meanwhile, the Pride had formed search parties to look for the missing cubs. Kiara, Nala, Danyssa, Tama, Kula, Jasiri and Shari were in one. Kovu had gone with some other males.

Kiara's heart was pounding with fear. It was dark already and the moon was almost out fully. What if something had happened to Amani? She only had one cub. Sure, she could always have more, but she wouldn't be able to live if something happened to Amani.

"Kiara," Nala stepped forward and embraced her daughter. "It's okay, we'll find her." Kiara enjoyed her mother's embrace for a minute, taking in her scent and security. That was something that she had always done since she was a cub.

The lionesses continued their search and began going west of Priderock. Kiara knew that Ari's followers were in the search parties as well, but she and the rest of her Pride knew it was only because of Nuka and Vitani that they were searching.

"Wait…what's that? Is that Ari?" Jasiri asked stopping and looking ahead. Kiara followed her sister in law's gaze. She realized that it was Ari and Zira. She saw Nuka and Vitani behind them. But where were Amani and Kali? Had Ari and Zira done something to them?

"Amani and Kali are there as well!" Kula sighed in relief.

Kiara looked again and realized that Kali and Amani were there as well.

Kiara closed her eyes, silently thanking the spirits above for protecting her cub.

Amani trailed behind Zira and Ari. Her feet felt heavy and she was tired. But even more than that, she was scared. What would her parents say?

"Amani! Kali!" Amani and Kali both looked up to see their mothers running up to them.

Kiara's eyes were relieved as she pulled Amani in closer covering her with licks and nuzzles.

"Thank the spirits above you're alright!" Kiara said, cradling her in closer to her.

Amani opened her mouth to apologize when Jasiri approached her. Amani let go of her mother and turned to Jasiri who scooped her up and gave her side a lick.

"You're alright," Jasiri murmured in relief, licking the top of her head. Nala and Kula approached their granddaughter and each of them took time in lovingly greeting Amani.

"Amani, Kali, where have you been?" Tama asked,

"We…we…" Kali began but he couldn't find the words to finish his sentence.

"I'll tell you where they were!" Zira growled. "You're cubs, and mostly Amani influenced my Nuka and Vitani to go the gorge!"

Kiara shot her head up, narrowing her amber eyes at Zira, "Are you saying that this was Kali and Amani's fault?"

"Yes!" Ari snapped. "And most likely Amani's!"

"Enough Ari!" Nala growled, stepping up beside her daughter. "None of the cubs will be blamed for this. It was only cub curiosity that led them into this!"

"Of course it was," Zira growled. "If something had happened to Nuka and Vitani you wouldn't care! But if something had happened to Kali and Amani, this would have been Nuka and Vitani's fault!"

"Zira!" Kiara growled, "Enough! Nothing happened to them, and if something had, none of the cubs would have been blamed!"

"And all of them will be punished evenly," Jasiri said. "No cub will be favored."

Zira growled, and stormed past them with Nuka and Vitani trailing behind her.

Kiara turned to Ari, "They were at the gorge?"

"Yes," Ari said, "That's where we found them."

Kiara and Danyssa turned and gave the cubs a stern look. Both Amani and Kali looked at their feet, ashamed.

"Both of you know that you're not allowed to go to the gorge alone." Danyssa said her dark blue eyes serious as she talked with the cubs.

"But Mom, I wanted to see what's in there." Kali protested.

"You will." Kiara said. "When you're older you can go as much as you'd like. But for now, you are still too young and we forbid you from going there. Understand?"

"Yes," Amani said, nodding. Her ears folded down.

Kiara then pulled her closer and licked the top of her head. "Don't worry. Someday you'll be able to go anywhere without an escort. I'll make sure of that!"

Ari rolled his eyes at Kiara's comment and then stormed past her.

"You won't live to see that." Ari muttered under his breath and then continued his way to Priderock.

"Let's go," Shari said, and the lionesses began walking back to Priderock.

Kiara however was frozen. She had heard Ari's comment to her.

"You won't live to see that." Ari's words echoed in her head. Did he mean her, Amani or both of them?

"Mom, come on!" Amani said, pulling at Kiara. Kiara forced a smile and then followed the others to Priderock.

To everyone, Kiara's seemed perfectly calm. But really, her heart was pounding madly inside her chest while her head was still echoing with Ari's words.

When they arrived at Priderock, the other search parties had already returned.

Kovu felt all the worry ease when he saw his mate returning with Amani trotting in between her legs.

"Amani!" Kovu rushed down to his cub and pulled Amani into his embrace.

"I was so worried," Kovu murmured, licking the top of her head.

"Amani!" Simba, Kopa and Chumvi came down and embraced Amani.

"Amani, where were you?" Chumvi asked, after giving her a nuzzle.

"I heard that you were at the gorge." Tojo said, licking the top of Amani's head. "Is it true?"

"Yes," Amani said, lowering her head.

"Amani, let's go into the den. Now." Kovu said. Amani nodded and followed her father into the den. Kiara knew that her mate would be lecturing Amani, but her mind was still on Ari's comment.

"Kiara?" Tojo nudged her. "Are you alright?"

"Yes," Kiara said. "I'm fine."

"Kiara…" Alex said. "Don' try lying to us. What happened?"

"I'm fine really. I guess it's just from worrying about Amani." Kiara said.

Simba, Alex, Tojo, and Kopa gave her a look to tell her that they didn't believe her. Even Haru and Hofu raised their eyebrows at Kiara, and Kiara knew that she couldn't get away with this.

"It's Ari." Kiara said. "I told Amani that I'd make sure that she'll be able to go out on her own whenever she wants when she's older, but Ari walked past me and I heard him say that I wouldn't live to see that."

Simba felt a growl escaping his throat. He could tolerate Ari being rude to the Pride and his other action, but he wouldn't tolerate any threats towards his daughter or granddaughter!

"Kiara, are you sure you heard correctly?" Shinda asked, giving her god daughter a nuzzle.

"I'm sure, Auntie." Kiara said. "I know what I heard."

"We can't exile him for this," Kopa sighed. "Kovu and I can't just exile anyone for one verbal threat."

"He's right," Nalia said, coming up to the group. "And he might have just said it because he was tired. I remember ever since we were little, Ari would say things that he didn't really mean when he got tired from training with Akila. He probably didn't mean is for real."

"Nalia, who's side are you on? "Jasiri asked, narrowing her eyes.

"I'm loyal to you!" Nalia exclaimed. "But I'm just asking you to consider before you take action."

Kopa nodded, "I'll talk to Kovu and see what he says."

Everyone nodded and they went inside the den.

Hope you enjoyed and please review.