Chapter 13

The Outlands were nothing but a barren wasteland, a place where unlike the Pridelands that flourished once again after Simba's return, the outlands had remained the same since Scar's reign and his fall. Nothing but barren ground, dust and dead trees for miles around. Dust kicked up from under the exiles paws as they walked, their heads bent as the wind picked up, trying to shield their vision from the dust that picked up and blew around them.

Vitani coughed, her paws covering her eyes and mouth from the dust. Nuka couldn't really bend his head completely or he would drag her along the ground, so the greyish lion was trying his best to see through the dust storm. His eyes, though struggling to stay open, were focused on his mother ahead of them, in her mouth dangled Kovu who was spiting out the dust that collected in his mouth from the wind.

"Zira, we can not continue in this condition. We'll get lost!" Dotty shouted through the wailing winds.

Zira turned her sharp gaze toward the lioness, placing her cub down she growled, "And what do expect we do?" she asked in a calm voice which sent a chill up the newly small pride.

"Find…uh…shelter?" Spotty suggested shrinking behind Dotty when Zira's eyes narrowed. "And what shelter should that be!?" Zira demanded, "We are in the middle of a wasteland"

Nuka rolled his eyes, thankfully he was behind Zira so she couldn't see, his mother was complaining about their situation when she had caused it. Scuffing at his mother's words, he flinched when she turned her heated gaze on him, "Got something to say my son?"

Nuka with Vitani in his mouth shook his head making the younger cub swing back and forth. "Nuka!" the yellowish cub whined. Placing Vitani down, he stood above her; he kept his gaze down away from his mothers.

Zira huffed, picking up Kovu in her mouth once more she continued on her way ahead of her pride. Nuka began to walk with Vitani staying under him and behind his paws to block herself from the wind and dust whenever it picked up.

The Pride had walked for two days, with Zira pushing them on until they had come across termite mounds. Termite mounds did not seem to be the perfect home, but neither Nuka nor the lionesses complained it got them out of the blazing sun and dusty wind. Nuka collapsed just as he entered. "Are you alright Nuka?" Vitani asked pressing her nose up against her older brothers, grunting the older lion nodded, "Just fine 'Tani"

Both lifted their heads as Zira passed them. Walking along side her was Kovu who stopped and sat down beside his twin and older brother. All three watched in silence as their mother pondered on their new home with an irritated look on her face. Nuka pushed himself up onto his paws where he sat, turning his head to look outside the termite mound out at the barren land, a aching pain in his chest as he longed for his old home…and an old friend. At the thought of Sakina his eyes narrowed a little, huffing he turned his attention back to his mother who was proclaiming the termite mound as their new home.

"Nuka?"

Tilting his head down, he looked at the two cubs before him, "What?"

"We're hungry!" they whined together.

Nuka rolled his eyes and pushed them away from him with his paw, "Well go and complain to mother about that. It's not my fault you're hungry she's in charge of feeding you not me" he walked past them and past his mother to go further into the mounds.

Both cubs watched him go, sitting down Vitani looked at her twin, "Why are we here? I want to go home," she whispered.

Kovu shrugged and rubbed his head against his sisters; neither cub knew why they had to leave their home. And Kovu every time he asked would be told that Simba had banished them for being loyal to Scar. But why would they be banished now? Why not when Simba had first become King?

Both cubs sat back turning their attentions to the barren land outside where two lionesses began to venture out in, in hopes of finding food for the small pride of outlanders.

Back at pride rock, the pride mourned for the death of their prince, Nala never left the den. With her second cub due any day, Sarafina had restricted her to the den, but the queen did not care. The death of her first-born cub was heavy on her mind, and if it weren't for the cub growing inside her she would have refused all bits of food that the lionesses brought her.

Outside the cave, Sarabi and Sakina sat. Sakina hadn't spoken much since Kopa's death. Only to apologize to the royal family, saying it was her fault that Kopa had died. That if she kept a closer eye on him instead of going off with Nuka then maybe Kopa would have still been alive. The younger lioness was staring off into the distance where she spotted the outlands in the far distance, the tuft of hair on her head falling into her eyes; her ears were flat on her head.

"I'm sorry Sarabi…" she whispered.

"Stop saying that Sakina. This was not your fault. You did not know what would have happened…" Sarabi began but was cut off by the young lioness.

"I should have known. Zira has always had it out with this family. I should have escorted Kopa to Simba then went off with Nuka but no…and too have Nuka apart of this…" sadness dripped off her voice hanging her head. "I hate him yet I love him too…how could this be Sarabi?" she asked turning her head to the older lioness.

Sarabi shook her head, "I cannot say Sakina. You loved him for so long that it's hard to find yourself to completely hate him," she said softly. The older lioness turned her head as Simba approached them, "They gone from the Pridelands. Every last one of them. Mother I want a watch on the borders, tell the lionesses that if they ever see one of them entering the Pridelands to hold nothing back" Simba stated matter-of-factly.

Sarabi sighed and nodded, she looked at Sakina who was beginning to walk away from them. "How is she?" Simba asked.

"She will get better. It's just too soon for her" Sarabi stated shaking her head sadly. "Though I still often ache because of your Fathers death. But she is still young. This is her first love…she will move on" though there was doubt in her voice as she said this.

Simba nodded, "There will be more lions out there for her" he said missing the doubt that clung to his mothers every word.

The two sat there as they watched the young lioness take the winding path up to the very top of Pride rock. When she reached the top, Sakina stared up at the sky, "Mufasa…mother…I need guidance. I'm so lost right now I don't know what to do…I also need you to watch over Kopa up there. He's a good cub. He shouldn't have been cut down so early in life…I promise that the next heir will live. Nothing will happen!" closing her eyes she felt the sun shine down on her basking her in its warm glow as the wind picked up and blew around her. She felt the presence of the past King around her enough to calm her nerves just a bit.

Opening her emerald eyes once again, she stared up at the clear sky. She made her vow to watch over the heirs of the Kingdom. She had failed the first time. But the second time she won't.

'I won't fail this time. That's a promise.'