Chapter Fourteen

Simba's POV

Late that night, Nala gave birth to our firstborn cub. "It is a boy," Rafiki grinned as he placed him on Nala's forepaws.

Tano was tiny, with Nala's blue eyes and my tan fur. "He looks like you, Simba." she whispered, smiling up at me warmly.

I noticed the resemblance as well. "Yeah, but he has your eyes, Nala," I said, as two curiosity-filled sapphires looked up at us.

He rolled over and let out the tiniest attempt at a "mew". I laughed softly. "Sounds like he'll be giving my roar a run for its money before you know it!" I winked, and Nala chuckled. Almost as if to agree, little Tano swatted at my paw, and Nala and I both had to laugh again.

She turned back to our newborn cub, who was settling down and beginning to fall asleep. I watched as she gently licked him clean, and he purred softly as he drifted off to sleep. It was easy to see how much she already loved him. I now understood the old saying, "there's nothing in this world like the love a mother has for her cub". When he finally was fast asleep, she looked up at me, and her smile matched mine.

"How are you feeling?" I asked. It had been a long day for both of us, but especially her.

She sighed, "Don't worry about me, Simba. I'm fine," and she smiled up at me again. "I wonder what he'll be like? I know he'll make us proud, but I just wonder what he'll do to better the pride?" she asked.

I thought about this for a moment. The possibilities were endless for our happy family. My father would've been so proud.

I smiled and nuzzled Nala as I replied, "He'll do great things, I'm sure of it." She nuzzled me back. Neither of us could contain our joy.

Sarabi's POV

New parents are always refreshing to watch. It always starts out the same: the uncertainty in their interactions with their newborn cub and with themselves, coupled with the joy of the brand new addition to the family.

Simba and Nala were only partially different than all of the rest; where other new parents would likely fight and argue, Simba and Nala never raised their voice or made one insensitive comment to one another. It pleasantly surprised me how they would try to talk their way through their problems instead of arguing.

Tano wasn't your average newborn either; in fact, he rarely cried, and he was seldom upset, a fact that didn't really strike me as odd.

Looking back on little Simba and how bad he was, I figured he was having it easy with his little one.

Oh, how I wished Mufasa could be here to see how happy his son was; then, I thought, Mufasa would have been happy too. Knowing him, he'd even probably offer to help raise Tano.

And if they didn't already have him under control, I would've helped too.

Usheja's POV

I didn't see Zira at the presentation of Tano. If she wanted to look as if she wasn't planning something, then not showing up for the presentation of Simba's firstborn probably wasn't the best course of action.

"Zira." I called to her as I entered her den.

I heard a small voice reply, "Mother isn't here." It sounded like little Nuka.

Then where was she?

"Nuka? What are you doing all by yourself? And where's little Vitani?" I asked.

There was a brief pause, "Vitani's asleep right here. Mother is out on a hunt." he replied.

I frowned, Zira wasn't a hunter, or at least she hadn't been for a while.

"Tell her that not going to the ceremony a few days ago has made her look bad, and if she wants to keep this plan going, she'd better start conforming and blending in. Can you remember all of that, Nuka?" I asked.

Nuka's voice sounded unsure, "Uhh, sure, I'll tell her all that." he replied.

I frowned, "Are you sure you can remember all of that?" I asked in an insistent tone.

"She looked bad by not going to the presentation, and she needs to start blending in, I heard it." Nuka said

I reluctantly left the small cave. I didn't want to leave little Nuka and Vitani alone, but I had more pressing matters to address.

Zira's POV

I awoke, opening my eyes slowly in the low-light conditions of the cave to allow them to adjust, and I looked to the male who slept almost on top of me with a smile.

"Hey, you're awake." he said, opening one of his eyes slightly.

I nodded, "I see that you are as well, Nadugu."

Nadugu had come to visit the pride when he heard of Tano's arrival. Simba had allowed Nadugu to stay with the pride for the duration of the rainy season, and I had introduced myself to the somewhat familiar-looking lion right off. We began talking soon after, and through a bit of questioning, I figured out that Nadugu was actually Mufasa's youngest brother. I hadn't known that Scar had any other brothers.

He favored Scar more than Mufasa; he had Scar's dark mane and almond brown fur, but he was strong and thickly built like Mufasa. His lazy brown eyes had caught mine from the start, and he had kept my attention for the past 7 months now.

Nadugu stood and stretched, "You said you wanted to talk to me about something this morning, Zira?" he asked with a yawn.

I rolled over and stood slowly, "Yes I did, it is a bit of a...touchy subject though." I answered.

He gave me a strange look, "I'm all ears, darling." he said.

I took a minute and thought about how to ask Nadugu to join my cause and help take Simba down in the name of Scar.

Here went everything. "There are those in this pride, myself included who think that Simba came to power unfairly. Now you don't have to give your answer right away, but will you consider joining us in...removing him from power?" I asked, fearing his reaction.

Nadugu didn't seem to think it over for very long, "Let me get this straight, you want me to help you kill Simba, who has been nothing but nice to me ever since I came here?"

Huh, he put up a pretty good defense.

I smiled at him, "Don't think of it like that, he did kill your own brother." I said, maintaining my cool while wondering how Nadugu didn't share my same anger and need for revenge.

Nadugu seemed to be disgusted with me as he retorted, in a tone that told me he was not on my side anymore, "Scar deserved to die, if half the stuff I've heard about him turns out to be true, then the world is better off without him."

That's when I lost it.

"I should've known you were a spineless coward! Get out of my sight before I kill you!" I shouted at him, with all the anger and hurt he had caused me by rejecting not only me but my cause.

Nadugu didn't move, "Simba should know what you are plotting." he said, with a smug smile on his disgusting face.

Let's just say I didn't give him the chance. With one quick strike to the neck with my razor-sharp claws, Nadugu went from being my mate...

...To being dead.

A/N: Let me start off by once again shouting out to my best friend and co-writer/editor out in Monterey, California.

Before everybody starts upping arms over this, yes I realize that Kovu being fathered by Scar and Mufasa's brother would make Kiara and Kovu bloodline relatives. Yikes...

Chapter 15 coming up soon friends, be sure and tell me how this one went though.

Thanks!