A/N: Hey everyone, this chapter is one I think many of you have been waiting for, so I'm just going to say read and enjoy!

Kiara was chasing another butterfly when I found her.

"You thought you could leave me with the babysitters?" I called to her.

Her ears dropped when she was me, "Sorry Lee. "

"Just don't leave my side, or Simba will never let us leave Pride Rock again."

"He probably would let you, just not me." She countered.

"How do you know that?"

She raised her eyebrows, "Have you met our dad?"

I laughed," Yeah, he can be a bit overbearing."

"I don't get what his problem is, even with you here; daddy still sent Timon and Pumba after us."

"Beats me too."

She started to walk off in the distance, only to fall off a barely visible incline. Yelling out her name, I ran to see her in a stretch of sand next to a watering hole, and she wasn't alone. Down there with her, was a male cub with a dark brown coat and the start of a jet black mane on the top of his head. His attitude didn't strike me as friendly as he growling at her. She was cowering and making sure to stay in front of him. Apparently she took Simba's words about not turning your back on them to heart.

"Who are you Pride lander?" the cub hissed in a nasty voice.

Not wasting any time, I jumped down and landed a few feet in front of them. Immediately, I rushed to get between them, telling the cub to take it easy. At first he looked surprised, like he had never seen a human before. And seeing as how I was well known all throughout the Pride Lands, and the fact that he refer to Kiara as a 'Pride lander'; I can only assume this cub is from the Out Lands. When he got over the shock, he looked almost intimidated. He lost that look in his eye like he wanted to hurt Kiara, his ears sort of dropped and he quit baring his teeth. Seeing him look so afraid made me feel a strong amount of pity for the poor kid. I kneeled down and reached my hand out.

"It's okay little guy, I'm not going to hurt you."

Kiara whispered, "Careful Lee, don't forget about what dad said about not turning your back on an outsider."

"If he bites me, I can just bite him back."

The cub got more relaxed as his posture got cocky again. He wore a smirk like he was about to say something smart alike. Sure enough, he looked at Kiara and said just that.

"You always do what daddy says?"

"No!" She yelled"

"Bet you do," the cub said, "bet your daddy's little girl."

He laughed and started walking off, towards the lake.

"An outsider doesn't need anybody. I take care of myself!" he said as he took a seat on a log on the lake.

"Really? Kiara asked as she followed him over.

I was watching from a distance. Even since my run in with Makuu Nala has always told me to be extremely careful around the watering holes, especially if I had any of the cubs with me. She claims that Makuu is one of the crocks of the Pride Lands that doesn't respect the circle of life, and would easily get a chunk out of me if given the chance. Preferably when their wasn't a two ton hippo acting as my personal security guard. It's true I wouldn't always have Basi or Pua to back me up, and I totally believe if he had the chance Makuu would eat me. Truth be told, I almost hoped he'd try something so I could prove I'm not worthless like he thinks I am. Also, there can't be any croc here, since all of them are swimming in Big Springs with the hippos today.

That hope lasted for all of two seconds when I saw a large pair of jaws rise up out of the water.

I screamed, "Kiara, get out of the water!"

She turned just in time to see the jaws rise right above her. Screaming, she bolted to the side and ran with the other cub to what looked like a stretch of land sticking up in the middle of the lake. They started laughing, thinking they got away. Only for all three of us to realize those were even more crocs they were standing on! Making their way to a log using the crocs as stepping stones, they seemed to be in a safe spotted for the time being. The other cub started to run off the branches and back onto the crocs heads.

Kiara called out to him, "Hey, what about me?"

"I'll distract them, run!" he yelled.

Several of the crocs took a snap at him, just barely missing. Running on the side of the river, I got ready in case I needed to make a split second decision. He eventually fell into the water, only to find a massive pair of jaws heading straight towards him. Thinking I was out of my mind, I ran up a rock that was just above where they were, and jumped. I landed right on top of the croc's mouth and wrapped my arms around him, telling the cub to get moving. Another pair of paws ran across my back, knowing it was Kiara. Relief washed over me as I knew she was okay now.

Kiara screamed my name as I felt my head being dragged underwater. The croc was so strong, it actually managed to make me lose my grip and release his mouth. Shear agony ran up my left arm as his jaw bit down. Miraculously, I managed to find my knife and plunge it into the crocs right eye with everything I had. The second it let go, I kicked to the surface. Immediately spotting where the cubs where once I came up for air, I swam for all I was worth. When I finally reached them, I heaved myself up and collapsed with an enormous 'huff'. My sister was in tears as she nuzzled my face. She tried to make out words, but all that came out were agonizing sobs. I petted her head and kissed her, trying my best to stay calm while in reality fighting an agony that knock cauterizing out of the water! Kiara's crying got so loud, I was seriously wondering if Simba and Nala could hear it all the way up in Pride Rock. I had to yell to be heard over it.

"Kiara, it's okay. We're all safe, you don't need to worry."

"Bu- But Lee, yo- you- your ARM!" She shrieked

I looked down, and only then did I realize why she was almost losing it. An enormous chunk of my flesh was gone from my arm. You would literally see the bone where the skin once was. On top of that, it was bleeding like a stuck pig. Nala would most likely take a good portion of my other arm when she saw this. Any hopes of hunting or even being let out of Pride Rock were now a distant memory, for both me and Kiara. The worst pain wasn't the physical; however, it was I did the one thing I said I wouldn't do. I let Simba down. Maybe he was in the right for sending Timon and Pumba to watch us if I failed to protect her. I couldn't bear the thought of losing another sister again, and this time there would be no question that it was because of me. She nearly became croc food today all because I wasn't quick enough. Why was I so stupid!

My self loathing was put on hold when I felt Kiara's tough run across my arm. Fresh tears sprang from her eyes as she licked the blood off my numerous open wounds. Having none of it, I gently nudged her head away.

"Kiara, don't do that, you're going to get sick."

So she continued to nuzzle me until her crying reduced to sniveling. All the while the cub watched in confusion. Wondering why a lion cub would show this much affection to a creature that looked like it was from another planet. He cautiously walked over to us and sat down next to Kiara.

"Thanks for saving me." He said.

"No problem, just watch were you step the next time you're near a river."

He actually started laughing. At first, Kiara looked like she wanted to tear him to pieces. She must of thought it was selfish for him to get so much enjoyment when he got off scot free and I nearly lost a limb. But it was at the interruption of my laughter that her mood changed. Before we knew it, we were all laughing so hard we almost couldn't breathe. When we finally had enough, Kiara turned to address the young male.

"You were really brave." She said

He smiled, "Yeah? You guys were pretty brave too. My names Kovu."

"Nice to meet you, call me Lee."

Kiara stepped up to him, "I'm Kiara."

There was something in the tone of her voice that suggested she was trying to do more than just introduce herself to him. It could have been the way she flattened her ears, not in a threatening way, more like a calming, gentle way. Perhaps it was that slight twinkle in her eye when she looked at him. Or maybe it was Kovu's totally freaked out posture that it finally dawned on me. Was Kiara trying to flirt with this guy? Tiifu and Zuri would have a field day with her if they ever found out. I could already see them trying to give her a makeover so she could go on a date with him. And Simba, he would probably eat this kid before letting him go anywhere near her.

That moment finally passed as Kiara playfully tagged his paw twice, each time saying 'your it'. Only for him to scowl and look like she just did something completely creepy. She eventually got the idea that he wasn't playing along.

"Hello, I run, you tag, get it?" She tried.

He only starred at her blankly

"What's the matter, don't you know how to play? Oh."

Crouching into a pouncing stance, she bobbed and circled him in a playful manner I have seen her do many times with the girls back home. Kovu immediately recognized this game and crouched down low with a growl of his own. What followed was a booming roar that could only belong to one creature. And by God I wished it wasn't him.

Sure enough, I turned to see Simba standing over Kiara, staring daggers at Kovu. I was about to intervene when a second roar came from behind me. This one belonged to a lioness that stood right behind Kovu. Alarm bells immediately rang in my head when I saw her, why? Because she looked like something straight out of a zebra's nightmare. A long body, menacing looking claws that always seemed unsheathed, and a small piece of her right ear was missing, forming almost a crescent moon type shape. The thing that really topped it off though, was her eyes. This lady had a pair of eyes that would make any serial killer in the world piss themselves. Yellow eyes with red in the middle and not anything like Simba's or Sarabi's. There was just something in the way she used them that made you thing she would kill you at any second. Thankfully, she was too busying staring down the five hundred pound Goliath to pay any attention to me.

"Zira" Simba hissed

"Simba" the lioness said.

A smile crept across her face as she prepared to pounce. This chick must have been either really brave or extremely stupid to want to tussle with a cat that's twice her size. Maybe even more so due to the fact that she looked so malnourished. Parts of her ribs were showing and her stomach looked completely empty. Were the outlands really that low on food?

Several other roars erupted just before Zira could pounce. Nala, Sarabi, and Sarafina stood beside Simba. Each wearing a look like they wanted to tear Zira to shreds. Even Timon and Pumba where there, and looked just as sickened by the sight of this lady.

"Nala" Zira spat.

"Zira." Nala said with disgust I never heard her use before.

"Timon, Pumba, Sarabi, Sarafina, Lee. Great, now that we all know each other, GET OUT OF OUT PRIDE LANDS!"

"Your Pride Lands?" Zira said.

She roared at him, Timon immediately coward behind Pumba's hair, Zira than stared daggers at Simba.

"These lands belong to Scar!"

"I banished you from the Pride Lands! Now you and your young cub, get out!"

Zira almost looked amused as she spoke again

"Oh, haven't you met my son, Kovu. He was hand chosen by scar to fallow in his paw prints and become king."

She said the last word with just a bit of edge to it, like it was a threat. Simba let out a growl as he bared his teeth at the cub a third his size. Kovu shook as his knees buckled. The fear he felt towards me has probably quadrupled when faced with Simba. Timon scoffed with amusement as he addressed Kovu.

"That's no king, that's a fuzzy maraca!" he yelled.

"Kovu," Zira continued, "was last born before you exiled us to the outlands. Where we have little food, less water."

Her posture shrank as she said the last two lines. As if she wanted to get pity out of all of them. She should try going to New York and act on Broadway. Simba doesn't bat an eye however.

"You know the penalty for returning to the Pride Lands!"

"But the child does not! however, if you need your pound of flesh, here."

She pushed Kovu forward. Was she seriously willing to sacrifice her own cub if it meant she could go home? This chick makes the hyenas look halfway decent! I kept my eyes on Simba. Hoping he wouldn't do what this crazy lioness wanted him to. Preparing for the worst case scenario, I reached to my side and pulled my python out of its holster. Obviously I wouldn't shoot Simba, but I wasn't going to let him kill a cub just because he a successor of some sociopath.

Thankfully, the worst never happened as Simba turned away from him.

"Take him and get out. We're finished here."

Simba made his way over to Kiara. She sunk down when he towered over her and picked her up in his jaws. Zira didn't take the hint, sadly and made her way over to Simba.

"Oh no Simba, we have barely begun." Finishing it off with a cackle that would make the wicked witch of the west shudder.

All the while she was gazing down at Kiara. Her laughter was short lived when she felt something press against the side of her head, that something being my python. She turned to face me, her expression still maintaining that neutral look. As if she had no emotion at all. Never the less, I still had something to say to her.

"Do you know what this is?" when she didn't answer, I continued, "This is what I could use to bring down a Zebra with one shot. With the aiming I have, this thing could drop you from ten yards away. I could definitely put you in the ground right here and now, but I'm feeling generous. So do as Simba says and hit the road."

She actually smiled before answering me.

"So it's true. You really have adopted a human into your Pride? Well I guess I shouldn't be surprised, every family needs a pet."

"Pet?" I asked

Nala stepped up, "Lee is our son Zira. A rightful prince of the Pride Lands and he just told you too leave."

She scoffed, "How could you be so naive Nala? What did you think? This creature is a second chance for you? Well, he may be impressive. But from what we know about humans, even they have limitations. Limitations that, if reached, could prove disastrous."

Nala was about to respond when Sarabi charged at Zira and got in her face with a menacing growl. Sizing them up, Sarabi is without a doubt the larger of the two, even with her old age. And you could instantly tell Zira was at the very least taken aback by this swift action.

"We grew up together Zira." She began, "There was a time when I gladly would have called you my sister. A large part of me wishes you didn't cross over to Scar's side, and some of that is unquestioningly my doing. But let me make one thing clear. If you ever so much as hint to threatening either of my grandchildren again, lion, human or otherwise. You won't be making the journey home"

I honestly never thought I would ever be legitimately scared of Sarabi, but I was dead wrong. The way she said that whole speech, especially the last sentence, sent a chill down my back and goose bumps up my arms. Even though she wasn't directly speaking to me. It also filled me with this sense of security and gratitude to see Sarabi speak up for me in that way. I'm sure anyone else would have done the same thing.

Zira finally took the hint and made her way over to Kovu. He immediately cowered as her shadow cast over him. That was a look I knew all too well, because I had warn that look whenever I faced my father's wrath. Who knows what was awaiting Kovu when he finally returned home. Zira picked Kovu up by his stomach as opposed to his scruff, and you could tell it hurt by the loud grunt he let out as her jaws nabbed him, poor kid.

"Lee, what in the name of the Great Kings happened to your arm?" Nala demanded.

"It's a long story." I tried

"Well, you are going to tell me everything as soon as Rafiki patches you up! Honestly Lee, that could get infected! Was it Makuu? Did he do this to you?"

"No, it wasn't him. I didn't recognize the croc that chomped down on me."

Now you might think I'm crazy for defending a guy who nearly killed me when we first met. And while on one hand I would love to see Nala tear Makuu a new one, it still wouldn't be right for him to get the blame for something he didn't do. With all that said and done, I, along with my family made my way back to Pride Rock with that crazy lionesses devilish laugh still ringing in my ears.

A/N: Hope you all enjoyed chapter 14! Please leave a review and I'll see you next time!