Summary: After the events of Scar pass over it seems peaceful, Queen Sarabi continues to raise her son and Nala is trained to be the queen of the pride rocks. Deep down Simba's worried he can't be a good king little does he know the dark secrets his loyal followers have sworn to take with them to their graves. When a rouge lion threatens the pride lands and Nala falls ill Simba must find a way to protect both his kingdom and his mate. (Sequel to Nala's story)

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters, places, or things from the movies the Lion King I am a mere obsessed fan

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(Flash back)

"It will be a cross of good and evil raised in the wrong ways she could be a truly evil child." He warned before Nala felt tears flood her eyes she shook her head slowly before she laid back down, choking back the sobs she stared at Rafiki who could only gaze back sympathetically before he walked over to her slowly. Putting a red liquid across her head as he had done Simba

"The cub is Scars child..."

(Flasback ended)

"Simba had been right to worry" Nala thought as she ran across the Pride Lands and into the outlands, barely keeping her balance at the speed she was going, she had to hurry. She had to reach her daughter and make sure she was all right, she couldn't lose her cub. Not again, after everything they had gone through, Nala dodged the fire as she tried to look around.

"Kiara! Where are you?" She called over the crackle of the flames as she dogded and skidded left and right avoiding the falling tree branches, please by some miracle let her daughter be alive....

(Flashback)

"Okay Okay can I go now please?" Kiara chimed at her father, he scoffed amused before he watched Nala glide her way over to them and sit by him, she had grown to be more regal he decided, in the past few months she was calmer, quieter and firmer in her manner. In an odd way it was as if she became a full time mother.

"Mind your father Kiara." She said calmly while showing a hint of amusement with her youngest daughter, Kiara giggled a reply and Simba sighed finally relenting and letting her run off on her own. As he called her a warning Nala let out a slight chuckle confusing him.

"What?" He asked almost feeling ready to whine, he was just looking out for their cub, she didn't have to mock him on top of everything else.

"She's just like you were when you were young." She replies nuzzling him as Simba smiled..

(Flashback ended)

Which meant she had a knack for dangerous situations, Kiara was on her first hunt and for this to happen was, Nala shook her head and skidded again feeling the sting as burning parts of the tree hit her fur, Simba appeared by her side to lead her away

"Zazu found her!" He called as Nala nodded and ran with her mate looking up she barely made out Zazus form above the smoke, the leap over a burning tree branch and out of fire and ran towards the borderline of the Pride Land, Simba picked up his speed and Nala slowed down choking on the smoke before she raced towards Simba when she heard him roaring. If anyone was attacking her daughter or mate she wouldn't give them the mercy of a quick death, she sighed relieved and happily ran over to her daughter smiling.

"Kiara, you're all right." She said over overjoyed as her daughter took the time to nuzzle her back before glaring at Simba

"Father how could you break your promise!" She exclaimed angrily as Nala just looked confused, what had Simba done now? Her mate looked at them intensely still in his defense position before he cast another distrustful face in Kovus direction

"It's a good thing I did, I almost lost you. No more hunts for you not ever!" Nala restrained herself from making any comments, she too was scared to death for their daughter but Simba was jumping the elephant with this one. She needed to hunt, needed to learn how to fight and protect herself, perhaps later....Nala would explain this to Simba gently while suggesting SHE accompany Kiara on the hunt...

"But I was doing just fine! Even before Kovu...." Nala and Simba thought the exact same thing, Kovu? Though Simba began roaring and Kovu roared back causing Nala to blink surprised at her mates hostility towards the younger male

"Simba!" She chastised him gently though he glared at her and back at Kovu when a crackling noise caught their attention,

"You! How dare you save the Kings daughter!" Again it was if they shared the same mind in in many ways Nala was sure they did. He saved their daughter? This was...twice now? Once when they were younger if she remembered Kiara telling her correctly and again this time, Simba and Kovu were talking. Though when he mentioned he was a rouge Nalas ears perked up, he had left his pride? Wait...his pride...did that mean he knew how she could get to Vitani?

"....I have to know." She thought desperately and as she prepared to voice her question Kovu said something that made her head spin

"I have left the outsiders. I'm a rogue, judge me now, for who I am. Or am I to be blamed for a crime I didn't commit?" He was right, while she knew Simba had reason not to trust this lion he was right. He didn't set the fire and now, two times he had rescued their daughter. They couldn't just ignore that fact!

"Simba you owe him your daughters life..." She reminded her husband gently and firmly as he continued pacing obviously confused, it always pained her to see him distraught in anyway and she prepared to walk over to him with Zazu landed, reminding Simba of protocol and what not. Simba looked over shoulder at Kovu, disdain clear on his face.

"My fathers law...will prevail for now. I reserve judgement....we'll see who you really are." He spat coldly walking away, Zazu looked back at Kovu and scoffed

"Rift-raft..." Before flying after Simba, Kovu looked at Nala and Kiara with what she had to assume was almost a slight smirk, she smiled before he walked off and she began walking with Kiara, waiting only a moment to nuzzle her again before she ran up to walk by Simba, upon reaching the Pride Lands she walked into the cave and laid down. She smiled to herself when she felt Simba lay his head on her, and drifted off into an easy sleep.

The next morning she awoke to Simba already gone, with a slight sigh she walked out of the cave and down the side of Pride Rock, the events that had transpired yesterday weighed heavily on her mind. Kovu had left....maybe, just maybe she could convince Vitani to do the same, she had to try...that was her daughter...her own mothers had died trying to save her....she couldn't waste that...

"I have to try..." She said to herself quietly before running off in the direction of the outlands, she would be all right. She didn't need back up. At least she was hoping she wouldn't it wasn't hard to figure out when she crossed the boarder, the ash kicking around her along with some of the still burning plants around her.

"Vitani....Vitani?" Nala called quietly as she looked around she couldn't run any further, Simba would be furious alone for her coming this close without someone to watch her, she sighed again. A cracking got her attention and Nala whirled around to find herself face to face with Vitani who had just barely avoided getting crushed from the looks of it by a now burned tree branch....

"Vitani!.....Vitani.....are you all right?" Nala asked concerned as the lioness growled at her, Nala rolled her eyes. This was becoming redundant, she needed to find a way to get through to her without fighting her

"Vitani...calm down, I'm not here to fight you." She said sincerely as Vitani leap over the branch and they circled each other. Her daughters electric blue eyes were cold and hard, narrowed as she stared at Nala. Her eyes filled with hate and distrust, it pained her to see her once so gentle and sweet cub turned into some...fighting twisted blood lust filled creature.

"Where's your mate Na-La....hmm? He might be a bit angry if he knew you were in the OUTLANDS, talking to an OUTSIDER." She said mockingly, Nala just tightened her expression. She was in between a rock and a hard place, on one paw...she knew she needed to be patient in order to get through to her daughter...on the other...NOW her cub was just getting out of line with her!

"Vitani...you're confused..." Nala said gently

"I'm not confused...YOU'RE confused in fact you're SENILE." Vitani hissed running off, why she continued to spare the Queen she didn't know but Nala was making her feel strange. Nala sighed as she watched her daughters fleeting form, the hole in her chest felt larger somehow...even though she knew she was alive...the pain just...twisted into something else, with one last look Nala walked home.

To her surprise Simba was waiting for her, she had been sure he was going to watch Kiara all day to keep him away from Kovu, her mates eyes scanned over her as she just blinked before he sniffed her and tilted his head. She smiled at him innocently and he circled her giving her a full examination

"His majesty isn't pleased with his Queen?" She asked arching an eyebrow as Simba rubbed his head along her back and over her head affectionately

"No he is." He replied as she nuzzled him back and he tugged her ear playfully before giving her a knowing look and trotting off, Nala looked around before chuckling slightly and running after him, Zazu watched the two from a distance knowingly. They wouldn't be back for a while he mused before flying off to keep an eye on things in the Pride Lands, he swooped down and picked flowers holding them in his feet. He continued to fly until he reached the gorge...that ill fated gorge....

"....Hello Sire." He said quietly laying the flowers down where he last saw Mufasa alive. A sadness filled his heart, he assumed Scar knocked him out but when he awoke he heard the news that still made him hang his head today. Mufasa was dead....dead, gone...the great King was dead. Zazu knew...that death was a part of life...but his best friend? His king....the lion he had grown up with? No Zazu had always been prepared to go first....because he always figured it was easier to leave then it was to be left....

".....We need you...All of you." He said quietly leaving the flowers and leaving, he never really said much. Mufasa always had a way of knowing what was needed and when, Sarabi and Sarafina had died near Pride Rock but Zazu figured since they were all together it was only appropriate to leave the gifts somewhere private. He ignored the lump in his throat, Sarabi had been so proud and strong...Sarafina so meek and quiet. But beautiful...gentle...they didn't deserve the death they had received....they didn't deserve any of the terrible things that happened.

"You sentimental bananna beak...." Zazu could almost hear Sarafina mocking him as he flew back to the Pride Lands...away from the memories.

The light so faded from the sky and the stars filled the dark black blue, Simba stared at them and Nala watched him concerned and amused before she walked up to him. Stopping for a moment only when she heard him speaking to his father before she walked up to him

"Simba?" She questioned affectionately sitting down by him as he cast a rather sheepish face at him before he sighed, an amused look on his face.

"I was....seeking council from the great kings.." She smiled at him

"Did they help?" She asked

"Silent as stars...my father would never..." She nuzzled him cutting him, here he went again. Assuming he had to be just like his father in order to be good king.

"Oh Simba, you want so much to walk the path that is expected of you...perhaps Kovu..does not." She replied as he looked at her surprised before looking down at his daughter and the rouge before looking back at Nala

"What? How do you what..." She chuckled slightly before staring down at them knowingly and casting a look at Simba

"I can seem them down there just as easily as you can....get to know him and see." She advised lovingly before turning around and walking back down, Simba cast one last concerned look before following his mate home. Much to Zazus amusement the two had indeed returned late. They days eased by and Nala was pleasantly surprised to see Simba had taken her advice even going so far as to allow Kovu to sleep inside the cave with everyone else, though she had a few questions of her own for the young male she would wait until the time was right...

"...Kovu?" He jumped when he heard an un familiar female voice call him as he moved away from the watering hole, he hadn't even heard the young Queen approach him. He blinked as he really looked at her for the first time, she had the skills of an out lander...his mother would probably want to know that.

"I'm sorry your majesty..." He replied backing away as she cast an amused smile at him, he saw where Kiaras beauty came from now. Though he was surprised...beauty was not a word his mother ever applied to the Queen, in fact...she had often been described as down right ugly...

"No reason to apologize, have you eaten?" She inquired as he blinked surprised before she bent down to get a drink of water from the pond though she hadn't looked at him Kovu knew she was watching him, he most certainly couldn't attack her now....he didn't really want to kill Nala anyway...even if that would hurt Simba deeply, Simba had been...nice, the world left a strange taste in his mouth. And worst of all it would hurt Kiara...and...he loved Kiara....so attacking her mother was out of the question.

"Kovu?" She inquired again as he blinked again, visibly confused

"...Have you eaten? Are you hungry?" She said slowly

"Oh, no your majesty." He said as Nala looked at him amused

"Very well...are you all right?" She asked as he nodded, she was unnerving him. Going out of her way to be kind, was she planning on attacking him? Did she know his secret and if she did was she planning on having him executed for it? Of course she would! Simba was her mate, his own mother had done all this for the very same reason!

"You seem nervous, I'm not going to hurt you." She said seriously as Kovu dropped the tense stance and looked visibly embarrassed as she laughed amused

"Thank you for everything your majesty." He said as she arched an eyebrow before nodding to him, Nala stared at him for a few moments before sighing mentally, well...this was her chance, her only way to know about Vitanti...

"Vitani...your sister...how is she?" Kovu blinked, the need to run overcame him again, why was Simbas mate asking about his sister? How did she even KNOW his sisters name? Kovu tried to read her, she was composed calm...though she had a...slight look of concern on her face confusing him.

"Vitani....is good. She's....well...kinda..like you....." He could have slapped himself, she was just like you? Kind of like you? If Nala attacked him right now he deserved it, what in the world possessed him to think of THAT? Nala just seemed to have a thoughtful smile on her face as she smiled at him appreciatively

""Thank you Kovu, enjoy your day." She said politely walking off as he just stared, what in the savannah was going ON with these Pride Landers? Half of them hated you, the other half acted all.....nice towards you and then...whoever was left pretended you didn't exist! Kovu just shook his head confused as he darted off to find Kiara, his mother had been wrong about so many things...but he needed to talk to Kiara he would tell her today, tell her about everything...and if she shunned him....it was better then spilling her blood and the blood her kind mother...and Simbas too...

A/N I cut it off here, I hope you enjoyed it. Sorry again about the wait, read and review. Happy Reading Princess Starfire!