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Zina was beyond furious. Dark wasn't on her side and with him left a bit of other young lions and lionesses. She knew that Tanabi had a plan but she couldn't wait anymore. She wanted...needed to attack now and reclaim what was stolen.

"I know that look." The pale brown lioness growled before turning her hazel eyes to the source of her irritation. "You want to attack now, don't you?"

Zina rolled her eyes before sneering, sarcastically at the apporching tawny lion. "What gave it away."

Tanabi chuckled before looking towards gathered of four lionesses. "Have patience, my queen. Before the days out, you'll have a prince to manipulate."

Zina was doubtful but watched as Tanabi walked towards the Pridelands with the four waiting lionesses following. This better work, Zina growled silently.

"Mama!" A whitish-beige cub cried out.

The scheming lioness looked and smiled ruefully before she licked the top of her son's head. A cub that Tanabi didn't sire and knew better to question her.

"Oh, dear Gage. What is it, my darling boy?" Zina asked, her hazel eyes kind upon looking at the boy.

"I… I just w-wanted to…" the month old cub tried talking. Zina still smiled. Her son was shy and and bit jumpy, but he still was her boy.

And she would kill anyone who tried to take him from her.

"Slow down, what is it?" Zina asked her son.

"I w-wanted to s-s-s-say I-I-I-I l-l-love y-you." Gage stuttered causing his mother to chuckle.

"And I love you, too. You and your sister are the most important things in the world to me, and soon, you will have a little brother." Zina stated with a grin.

"Y-you're ha-having a b-b-baby?" Gage asked with bright, innocent greenish-blue eyes.

"Well, not quite pregnant, sweetie. You remember that evil step cousin of mine, that I told you and Milah about?" Zina asked.

"Q-queen Kiara?" Gage stuttered.

"Yes, she stole my son from me. And it's about time I have him back." Zina stated with a fire burning in her eyes.

"Th-th-that's h-ho-horrible!" Gage cried out, his brownish rimmed ears flat against his head.

"Isn't it, my dear prince? She also murdered my mother, your grandmother. She is a terrible lioness." Zina said as though if it was the truth. But in Zina's twisted mind it was.

"Wh-When w-w-will I-I-I s-s-s-see m-my brother?" Gage stammered.

"Gage, dear, slow down." Zina said. She wasn't at all concerned, her Sherman lioness told her that he'll outgrow it. She also knew that with a firm raising her son won't be whimp.

"I-I'm t-trying." Gage said softly.

"I know you are. And as for seeing your brother, your step father is working on that." Zina informed with a grin.

"H-he is?" Gage asked. His greenish-blue eyes were looking up at his mother with question.

"Yes. So don't you worry." Zina said nuzzling her weary son.

"O-Okay." Gage said. Zina smiled and licked the top of her son's head.

"In the meantime, it is bath time, young man." Zina purred motherly before she lied down and placed Gage between her forepaws.

"M-Mama?" Gage asked.

"Yes, my darling son?"

"Wh-what i-is m-my b-brother's n-name?" Gage quickly asked.

"Oh," Zina paused for a moment, "Kiara named him Jiro. But I named him Gizmo."

"G-Gizmo?" Gage quickly asked.

"Yes, my sweet boy." Zina smiled lovingly causing Gage to smile at his mother.

"I-I-I l-l-like i-it." Gage mused thoughtfully.

Zina grinned as she continued to bath her son. If things worked out well, then she'll have Gage dispose Kiara's useless brat and her son will take his place as king.

...

The sounds of children laughter nearby made the watching siblings smile in content. Kiara and Kion sat on a small hill near a small creek watching Jiro and Kion's new cub, Nyota swim and play in the crystal water. Cool water splashed on the creek's banks causing the royal siblings to smile.

"They're so much like us, aren't they?" Kiara asked her golden yellow brother.

"Set aside the bickering," Kiara giggled along with the leader of the Lion Guard before Kion continued. "They most definitely are. Remember that time when we came home covered in mud?"

Kiara laughed at the fond memories and the timeless expression on their mother's face. "Yeah. But mother wasn't too please with our new appearance."

Kion shook his head with a laugh. "No she wasn't. But at least Jiro hates mud."

The golden orange lioness let out a frustrating sigh. "Yet, it's Raiden I have to clean mud off of. She's such a tomboy. And Kaidan isn't no help."

Kion laughed at his sister's misfortune. "I'm glad that I don't have to go through that just yet."

Kiara frowned before looking at her brother with confused brown eyes. "What are you saying?"

Kion slowly turned his own brown eyes from his daughter and nephew. "Raiden has a crush on Kaidan. It's actually pretty cute."

Kiara frowned as she tried process the new information but she was interrupted from those thoughts when she heard rustling in the grass. Kiara flickered her right ear before flickering them both backwards to listen more firmly. Kion saw his sister's expression and did the same, scanning for any potential dangers.

Then the siblings heard a deep, growl. They shot up and stared intensively into the swaying blades of grass. Soon brown met amber.

Kiara roared with fury. "Tanabi!"

Kion went to attack but two lionesses blindsided him. Kiara quickly and on instinct turned to her son and niece.

"Jiro! Nyota! Run! Now!" the queen yelled to the dark brown and golden yellow cubs. The young prince and princess saw the danger and exited the creek before they started running.

Tanabi growled before giving chase. Mighty roars were heard causing the four lionesses to retreat. Kiara took deep breaths before dashing off after her older brother. But the queen didn't get far before she started to feel dizzy.

"Kiara!" Kovu called as he ran over to his mate. "Perhaps, you should rest."

Kiara glared at her mate. "Our son is in danger!"

Simba decided to make a appearance. "Kovu's right. You just swayed. You're still exhausted from your trip from the Netherlands. Stay put, I along with Tojo, Kion and Kovu with go after the cubs."

Kiara reluctantly agreed. She was exhausted, the reason why she came out here with the cubs and her brother. She was grateful now that Raiden tends to spend time with Kaidan like today. Her mind couldn't handle the stress of the danger her daughter would be in again.

Kiara watched as her mother's half brother, her mate, father and brother run off with the company of her mother and Tiifu. The three lionesses waited a while until finally the lions returned with little Nyota dangling from Kion's muzzle. Kiara's heart instantly stopped.

"Where's Jiro?" Kiara asked hoping that there was a logical reason to why her son wasn't with his cousin and the returned males. "Where's my son?"

Tojo looked at his niece with hurt blue eyes. Kiara saw the brown tuff on fur in the dark gold, russet mane lion's muzzle. Tears filled Kiara's eyes as she fought back a sob.

"No..." Kiara merely whispered. Tojo set the tuff of fur down and sadly watched the queen sniff it. Instantly recognizing the prince's scent. A lone tear ran down the queen's face followed by the rest as the golden orange lioness held her head low.

"Oh, Kiara. I'm so sorry." Nala said nuzzling her daughter. She knew actually how her daughter felt, two times over. Since she lost her two oldest cubs then lost them again only this time to the darkness.

Kiara suddenly felt dizzy and wasn't light like last time. Her whole world started to spin around her.

"Kiara!" the gathered group cried out with worry as the black spots started to enlarge and engulf Kiara in a dark abyss as she fell to the ground, Kovu barely catching her.

"Oh kings! Kiara!" Tiifu said with fear in her pale green eyes.

"We need to get back to Priderock. Now." Kovu instructed, lifting his mate onto his back before running off towards the kopje.