Reviewer Response:

- can'thinkofasuitableusername: I'm sure she will. :) But not only Kovu, practically everyone else that's been through the wrath of this a-hole. Lmao.

- TLK Nerd: It's a mom's thing. :P And heck yes. There's LOADS of drama in this chapter and future ones. Stay tuned.

- comicfan209: I laughed at that last statement. You can say that again. xD

Enjoy, guys!

By the way: This chapter has a lot of cursing and one pretty racy scene in it. So if you're under 13, shield your virgin eyes—NOWWWWWW! :P

~11~

"I know you had something to do with this!" Vitani spat in a fiery tone.

Vuta had just broke the news that Jelani and Jabari were killed by 'passing rogues'. Kandi was too distraught at the loss of her son that she couldn't even form words. She and Fola were huddled together, sobbing in the corner of the den.

"Vitani, what are you talking about?" Vuta responded with a smirk. "I had nothing to do with your son's death. It's unfortunate, but it happens. Nothing can bring him back."

"I'll find out what you did to my son, and when I do, you'll be sorry!" she rued in a voice filled with immense hatred and sorrow.

She quickly ran away when she could feel her own tears fighting to come out. The other lionesses tried to stop her, but she didn't listen. She fought her way through the lionesses crowding her and found a quiet place to set free the many emotions that overwhelmed her. Nobody had ever seen Vitani cry in her life. All the misfortunes that took place in her life were bottled up and stored, but Jelani's death was the straw that broke the camel's back.

"Why didn't they take me instead?"

Jabari woke up, his head spinning. He groaned in pain and his vision shifted from left to right in a blur. His life was spared after he was caught in a tangle of vines that was a few feet above the ground below. He immediately gnawed himself out of the vines and fell with a thud to the ground. His mind was a bit jumbled up, but he was alive.

"I can't believe it!" he cackled victoriously. "We're alive! I told you we'd be alright, Jelani!"

He turned around to see if he could find his friend. But he was nowhere in sight. He began to fear the worst when suddenly, he heard several loud snaps and then a shrill scream. Before he knew it, a tan feline fell on top of him and the two were on the ground.

"You alright there, buddy?" Jelani laughed as Jabari got up, a bit disoriented.

"Yeah, yeah," Jabari scoffed, shaking his head. "Let's just get out of here."

"But we have to go back! We can't let Vuta—."

"Don't you remember what he said? If we go back there, we'd be goners."

"But what about our families?"

"The bastard's probably told them we're dead anyway. We might as well start a new life,"

Jelani reluctantly looked up at him. But after considering what Jabari said, he agreed to go with him.

"Where will we go?" he inquired.

"Who knows?" Jabari responded nonchalantly. "All I know is we can't go back, as long as Vuta, Zira, and that stupid cub are around."

Weeks passed, and many things were happening in the Pridelands. For one, another ceremony—the third ceremony, in less than two years, was held for Jelani and Jabari. So much loss in so little time was too much for the Pridelanders to handle, and many broke down crying at the thought of losing two more valued members of the pride.

"It'll be alright, Aunt Tani," Keisha insisted, slinging an arm over Vitani's trembling body. "He's in a better place now."

"He was my only child, Keish." Vitani wept. "He didn't deserve it. I hope his children—if he has any, suffer the same fate mine did."

Kiara, who overheard Vitani's words, had a sick feeling in her stomach. She looked down at her own belly, which began to gradually swell with life. She wasn't ready to tell them what happened, especially with this news out. She ran away from the ceremony and looked for Vuta.

"Vuta!" she cried out, trying not to put too much attention onto herself. "VUTA!"

"Why, if it isn't my little, royal pet?" he said with a smirk as he jumped from behind into her face.

Their muzzles were only inches apart.

"Now what is it, lovely?" he asked suavely. "Have I been neglecting you lately?"

"No, this is a serious matter! We need to talk."

"Make it quick, doll. I have other things to do."

They quickly rushed to the back of Pride Rock. Not a soul was there and Kiara was free to tell Vuta her horrifying secret.

"Vuta," she started in a shaky voice. "I'm…I'm…pregnant…"

His eyes widened in shock, but then, a malicious grin swept across his sandy colored muzzle.

"Looks like your skeletons are out now," he chuckled sinisterly. "It was about time they found out about our little secret. How will little Keisha feel knowing that her half-sibling was fathered by the same man who killed her family?"

"Shut up!" Kiara roared. "SHUT UP!"

"And Kovu." Vuta continued with a smirk. "He's probably disgusted by the fact that his beautiful, young wife was violated by his murderer."

Kiara in the heat of the moment, scratched him in the face with a paw. Enraged, Vuta slammed her to the ground. Kiara emitted a weary moan as she looked up at Vuta.

"Do that again and I'll kill you and the little bastard," he warned before turning away.

Kiara steadied herself and hung her head below her shoulders. She sobbed quietly as she feared what everyone would think about her. She could only hide this pregnancy for a little while. Then, the symptoms would kick in, and then everyone would know. She padded away sadly, not knowing that Zira was eavesdropping behind the walls.

"That bitch!" she hissed furiously as she clawed the walls of the cave in rage. "How dare she mate with my king?"

She jerked her head towards the golden lioness, who was talking to a few other lionesses.

"I won't kill her, no," she said to herself, contemplating the punishment necessary for her wicked doings. "That's too easy. I'll turn the whole pride against her. She'll be all alone in this reign of terror."

Before she turned away, she glared at Kiara for a few more seconds.

"You'll pay for what you've done, harlot!"

The next morning, Kovu slowly walked back to the den after a long and exhausting training session with Raisa. She chose not to come along and instead, hang around with her older siblings, gloating about the colossal wildebeest that she'll catch when her first hunt comes around. Kovu walked in, not knowing Jamilla was in the cave. She slipped behind him, a seductive smile on her face.

"Hello, Kovu," she said in a soft, feminine voice that made Kovu's spine shiver.

He swiftly turned back.

"I'm sorry if I disturbed you," he said apologetically. "I didn't know you were in here, I was just going to rest for a bit."

"Don't worry about that," she smirked. "I'll make sure you get a lot of rest after we're through."

Kovu's eyes widened as he backed away from the sultry lioness.

"Jamilla, y-you don't know what you're doing!" he said, trying to convince her to stop what she was doing.

"But Kovu, ever since the cub's father died, I haven't felt the touch of a man. I've been in love with you since you first washed up on our shore those few years ago, Kovu."

The young cubs and female lioness that drifted in and out of his head began to buzz around as Jamilla's body inched towards his. He had a feeling that this was his own family and committing this act with Jamilla would put a strain on his own life.

"So what do you say?" she purred, weaving her fingers into his dark brown mane. "Do you want to make me the happiest lioness alive?"

"I-I'm sorry, Jamilla." Kovu apologized. "I can't go through with this."

"Well why not?" the lioness whimpered. "Am I not pretty enough?"

"No, it's not that," the brown furred lion insisted. "It's just that—."

"You ungrateful piece of crap!" Jamilla snapped violently. "I saved you from certain death, fed you, sheltered you, and this is how you repay me? Get out of here, NOW!"

"Jamilla, please," Kovu begged. "Reconsider what you're saying. I have nowhere else to go!"

"Well frankly, neither does our relationship—so get out you narcissistic shrew!"

Kovu sadly turned away, ready to head out on his own. As he turned away, he could hear Jamilla sobbing from the insides of the den. He felt bad for hurting her like that, but he knew that there was someone else, and now that he was all alone, he could finally find them. He walked off to the river to lap up some water before he started his journey when a panicked scream caught his attention.

"Raisa!" he said aloud before he ran off to find the distraught cub.

After a few minutes of searching, he found her cornered by a man about six feet tall, with a gun pointed right at her.

"Leave her alone!" he roared before he pounced onto him.

He shook in fear underneath the burly lion and ran off once he miraculously let go.

"Where are Latifa and Taj?" Kovu asked her once the man was out of earshot.

"They're looking for a hiding spot!" Raisa said, on the verge of tears. "I was right behind them, but then one of them cornered me and I was so scared, Kovu! And there are others out there too!"

"Do your best and find some refuge," the brown male ordered as he consoled the crying cub.

She obliged and ran off, while Kovu got into a fighting stance and looked to wipe out any more of the foreign intruders. Without knowing, two of them ganged up on him with their rifles pointed at his body. He growled at them and slammed them down, while managing to secure the rifle in his mouth and throw it aside. He bit one in the arm, refusing to let go despite the man's howls of pain.

"For Christ's sake, kill this goddamn thing!" he bellowed in utter pain.

The other hunter faltered as he tried to get the gun that Kovu had swiped away. Instead, he thought of another idea. He lit a match and threw it into the ground after adding kerosene. Kovu immediately let go once he saw the blades intensify with each second that went by.

"Yeah! Flee you bastard!" the hunter cackled as he grabbed hold of his injured partner.

Kovu escaped before the flames could engulf him. By the time he caught his breath and looked up, he realized Jamilla was still in the caves. He quickly ran back, despite the huge fire to the cave.

"Zira, why did you bring us out here?" scowled Fola as her eyes followed the pacing queen.

"Just to share some wonderful new with you," Zira responded with an evil smirk. "It's about your beautiful Kiara."

"What did you do to her?" Keisha said in rage.

"What did I do? You mean what did Vuta do?"

Keisha backed away.

"W-what are you talking about, Zira?"

"Oh, haven't you heard, my child?" Zira continued, her voice raising a few decibels with each word that came out of her mouth. "In a few months, you'll be the older sister of a bastard cub!"

"No…she'd never do that!"

The lionesses talked amongst themselves, some scorning her actions, while very few felt pity for her. Kiara walked out soon after, surprised as to why every lioness seemed to hate her guts.

"What's the matter?" she asked, her ears flattened against her head.

"Mom, it's not true—is it?" Keisha asked in a faint whimper. "Please tell me this is Zira playing one of her sick games. Are you really having Vuta's cub?"

Kiara's heart sank once Keisha uttered those words. All the lionesses stared at her, awaiting an answer. Zira quickly left the scene and watched the drama unfold from the ledge.

"It's true," she wept. "I'm so sorry, I—."

"What the hell's wrong with you?" Vitani roared in the heat of the moment. "Do we mean nothing to you? If you had ANY respect for all of the lives that bastard cut short, you wouldn't have mated with him!"

Everyone gasped as they turned their heads towards her. Her face grew a fiery red, her breaths were ragged, and her eyes had a deadly glint of fire in them.

"Mom, how could you?" Keisha spoke softly, on the verge of tears. "Does Dad mean nothing to you?"

"Keisha, I did it for you," Kiara insisted, tears rolling down her face. "I didn't want to do it, but I did it to save you."

"Kiara, he killed our children!" Vitani roared in defense. "I can't believe you'd lay with that monster. And to make matters worse, you're carrying that sicko's child. I have half a mind to rip that little bastard out of your stomach and—."

Before she could leap and attack the expecting lioness, Nala as well as a few other barricaded her. Vitani had time to recollect herself. Her voice became frighteningly calm.

"I've lost all respect for you," she muttered. "Kovu's probably turning in his grave as we speak."

She as well as her supporters turned away, giving her one last cold glare before they followed her. By the time the group disbanded, only Nala and Fola remained by her side. Keisha stood in front of her, too shaken up to even react.

"Keisha, please," Kiara wept. "Mommy loves you. I didn't mean to hurt you, but—."

The mortified adolescent narrowed her eyes in anger and turned away, running from the trio of lionesses.

"It'll be alright," Fola said, brushing her paw against Kiara's as she sobbed.

"We'll help you," Nala said, nuzzling her daughter lovingly.

Dang! Some family drama just took place! Leave your feedback. Do you think it was right of Vitani and the others to react like that? Now, I'm off to take my Trig regents. Wish me luck!