First chapter of the New Year. Sorry for being late. Like I keep saying I have real life issues to handle.

Chapter 20

"So…let me get this straight…you want to tell Simba the truth…now?"

Nala had arrived late that morning, just before the Great Circle reached the middle of the sky. Having volunteered to be the one to check on Zuri and the cubs, Sarabi had wanted to do so, but the lionesses had talked her out of it. They weren't safe with the thought of Sarabi visiting so close between days and neither was Simba it seemed. The lionesses though had a valid reason; they had taken notice that Zira's lionesses had become more vigil as of late.

And Zira herself, well none of them really seen her much around Pride Rock to begin with, but more so over the days and none were sure of what to think on the matter nor were they sure where said lioness disappeared off too when she wasn't around Pride Rock or her cubs. But something in her gut, told Nala it was nothing good that caused the lioness' disappearance during the day.

When she arrived it at been to find Zuri waiting at the entrance, the cubs further behind her in the cave where Kopa was as of the moment watching them. She could hear the young prince grumbling about how he wished they would open their eyes so that he didn't need to have them keep following his voice and stumble away from him.

"Yes…I know I should have done it sooner Nala, but I'm been in a bit of predicament…on one paw I keep myself and my cubs safe…and on the other I risk sending three young cubs off into the wilds with only their mother and a handful of lionesses to protect them…that and they are my sons only friends…" Zuri sighed and hung her head, it had been a difficult decision to come too one she secretly hoped that she was making the right move for.

"But they're not his only friends anymore Zuri…Binti told us when she took him to the Eastern Pride. He made friends with the cubs over there…and I'm sure he would want to play with them again…yes, I know he wants to play with Nuka, Vitani and Kovu here…but if they're gone he won't truly be alone…he'll have his siblings and new friends…Zuri…it's time you thought about yourself and your little ones. I know that's difficult for you but…"

"I know Nala…but I just couldn't…and right now…" looking back at her cubs, Zuri sighed knowing there was no other way. She wanted to bring her new cubs back to Pride Rock; she didn't want them to live out in the back ends of the Pridelands. She wanted her cubs for when they opened their eyes for them to peer down from Pride rock and look over the majesty that is their home.

She wanted to watch them run through the grasslands and play together. And if she continued to hide out in the caves, she wouldn't get that chance and still may not get that chance if she continued to let Zira remain in the pride. She had to make a choice…and she made hers.

Eyeing the lioness before her, Nala thought that Zuri was finally coming to her senses. Since the day she had almost come out to blurt her affections for Simba, and the day the cubs were born. She been struggling to tell Simba about what Zuri and the others weren't telling him. Some part of her was feeling that Zuri wasn't doing her job by showing her mate she trusted him to rid any threat that might come to her and their offspring.

But Zuri wasn't her, Zuri was a lioness that thought about others not just her own safety, she thought about the safety of three other cubs as well…but Nala was happy it seemed the Queen was finally coming to her senses and seeing what the others had been telling her all along.

She watched Zuri's face showed how conflicted she was of the situation and stepped forward and rubbed her head against her friends in an attempt to reassure the Queen that what she was doing was the right choice. "It will be fine…"

"Yes…I know…I will speak with him as soon as he comes for his next visit…" said Zuri.

Thinking, Nala spoke "I'll speak with him when he returns to Pride Rock tonight I'll tell him that there is something you want to speak to him about. When he comes to you, I'll rally the others…have him and you bring the cubs back as soon as you're done telling him. We'll hide the cubs in the den and from there we'll go and confront Zira before she and her lionesses can do anything…we'll out her in front of her cubs, give them the choice of where they want to go…" she knew that might help the Queen in knowing they would give the cubs a choice to leave the Pridelands or stay in the only home they've known.

Eyes slipping shut, Zuri let out a soft sigh and could only nod her head. "Alright, tonight…" she looked back at the cubs and smiled softly as she watched Kopa give a small cheer when Kiara crawled over to him after he called for her. She fought the temptation to go and tell him they would be returning to Pride Rock that night, better not give her son false hope for her would just be too excited thinking he would be seeing his friends again.

Reaching down, Zuri picked up half of what Nala had brought from the hunt while Nala grabbed the other and both lionesses made their way to the back of the cave where the cubs resided so that Kopa could get his fill as well as the smaller cubs seemed to be tiring out from their game with their older brother.

Unknowns to those within the caves, another had heard their conversation. Zira from her place hidden above the caves had heard everything that the two young lionesses had spoken about. For days she had snuck out to the eastern borders, hidden upon the rocks above, she had made sure to roll in dirt and anything that would cover her scent to keep those within and those who visited from catching her scent within the area.

For days she plotted the best ways to kill the Queen and her cubs. Many times she was tempted to slip within and kill them herself. Zuri was alone, she but one lioness, she wouldn't stand a chance not when she had four cubs to defend as well. Then she would take care of the cubs themselves, it would be all too easy to slaughter them, they were too young and defenceless to do anything against her. But to the misfortune of Zira, Zuri was not often always alone not for long, one lioness, a new one; everyday would come and check on her, as well as the King himself.

One lioness was easy…but Zira could not risk going up against two.

Claws unsheathed, Zira gritted her teeth while she listened to the two speak about what they would do. She anger rising with each passing word. How dare that outsider try and turn her cubs against her. She listened how they would tell Simba of their plan that night and she knew she had to act before then.

Climbing to her paws, Zira sneered and carefully backed away from the caves then ran along the rock formations to a safe place she could climb down without leaving any trace of herself within the immediate area that any others could pick up upon. Making her way toward a small watering hole nearby, Zira took a quick dip in the waters to wash the dirt and that from her furs. Then climbing out, she shook the access water from her body then made her way toward Pride Rock.

As she made her way home, her mind was reeling with ideas in how they would execute the plan that night. She knew the King made it back to Pride Rock just before the great circle would set, or so that is what her lionesses always told her from their reports on their watches. Turning her head to the north she could see the clouds of an approaching storm, if they were lucky they would hit the Pridelands…what a perfect way to distract the King from visiting his beloveds. And a perfect way to mask their scents for even if the King were to come he wouldn't be able to catch their scents in the area.

Grinning from ear to ear, Zira quickened her pace when she saw Pride Rock coming into view. Taking her time to make it to the back dens where she and her pride had been forced to stay in since the usurpers had come she spotted Dotty sitting at the cave's entrance her eyes watching Zira's three cubs wrestle back and forth before her.

However her head raised up when she smelt Zira's scent coming closer and scoffed when she saw the lioness was still drying from her dip in the watering hole. For days Zira had been stalking the royals while leaving her cubs in their care. Not that Dotty and the others minded, they loved the cubs, but they knew it was drawing suspicion among Simba's lionesses when it was noted that Zira was absent from Pride Rock for too long.

She was brought back from her thoughts at three different shouts of:

"MOM!"

MOMMY!"

"MOTHER!"

From the three cubs she been cub-sitting since that morning, she much preferred this duty then watch duty like the others did. She watched them break away from their previous wrestling match and run toward their mother who stopped letting them come to her. For a brief moment she could see a hint of the old Zira in the lioness' eyes as she gazed upon her three cubs. But what was there didn't last long.

"Where were you mom?" Kovu asked as he and Vitani rubbed themselves against their mother's legs. Nuka stood back with a large toothy grin on his face as he looked up at his mother, but he too wondered where their mother ran off too during the day. She returned earlier then she normally did. Not that he minded, he like his brother and sister wished she was home more and would play with them more.

Even for a cub he noticed the large difference in his mother from the lioness he knew from the moment of his birth. Sure she wasn't as attentive as others but she was much more attentive then she was over the growing months since his father's death. Dotty and the other lionesses just said it was because she still mourned for his death that made her act the way she did. Which often made him sad; he didn't like seeing his mother sad. His mother should be happy, he thought.

"That is none of your concern Kovu," Zira answered her cub looking down at them. For a moment she felt her heart lighten at the sight of her cubs and how they greeted her but that feeling didn't last long. She would have time for her cubs as soon as her revenge was completed, then and only then would she feel free of her hatred, she thought.

"We missed you mother," her eyes fell on Nuka whose grin broadened when her attention fell on him. Nuka…he reminded her so much of Scar. Though Kovu had Scar's colouring, and his green eyes, Kovu was not Scar's cub but only a few knew the truth. But Nuka, Nuka was Scar's cub, and Zira had wished so much that Scar would have taken their first born as his heir. In the beginning it seemed the King was doing exactly that. He had been elated when Nuka had been born, happy that their first born was a male so that he may be King one day after him.

And Zira had been in bliss. She had given her mate and King what he had wanted. A male heir. Though she could not understand why Scar had insisted that his heir had to be male, but she was happy she had given him exactly that. She had been a happy mate and mother while she watched Scar interact with their son. Though as the months went on and food became scarce, and she was unable to provide enough milk, Nuka to Zira's despair began to become thinner and thinner and sickly that she often cried as she worried that her beloved cub would die. She been angered the day that Scar denounced Nuka as his heir saying he would never be fit to be King.

That had been when Scar had demanded a new heir from her. Zira had fought him for days saying he was being unreasonable that Nuka was still a perfectly good heir for him; she knew how much it had upset her son when Scar had publicly announced that Nuka would no longer be his heir. That he couldn't have such a weak cub.

It was when she noticed Scar starting to take an interest in the only other male cub in the pride, Sarafina's little son who been sired just before the end of Mufasa's reign and born just months into Scar's ruling. He was months older then Nuka. But it seemed he was healthy. She could not understand how Sarafina had managed to keep the cub healthy while she could not do the same with Nuka. It had angered her that Scar would dare try and take another lioness' cub for his heir when he had a perfectly good one in Nuka, she had thought.

But it was that interest in Mheetu that had led Zira into allowing Scar to impregnate her again. But her pregnancy was not easy, not only did she need to make sure she had enough food for herself but also for Nuka who seemed to grow thinner and hungrier everyday. She had felt helpless when Nuka would come to her and cry that his stomach hurt from hunger.

It had been the lionesses, the ones that had come into the Pridelands one day when she was pregnant with Nuka, the ones she had convinced Scar would make excellent addictions to the pride for they would be loyal to him if he allowed them to stay by showing them this they would be loyal for they would be grateful. And it seemed that way, for many of them sacrificed portions or even whole of their own meals for their Queen and prince.

But not even that had helped her, when she had given birth to Vitani a month earlier then she would have. She had been so scared for her little cub. Scared that it wouldn't survive, scared it would be stillborn and that she would have failed to give Scar the heir he was craving. Vitani though had been small upon birth, but healthy, much to Zira's relief but also despair. Vitani was female…and like Scar expressed he would not have a female for an heir. He claimed that Zira had failed him for not being able to provide him with a suitable male heir and that he would be forced to take another for his Queen or take young Mheetu who seemed to be showing promise as his heir.

It's what really caused her to kill Mheetu. She had claimed it had been for she would not let another cub take her cubs portions of food. That the royal cubs were more important then that of a cub sired by a rogue. She killed Mheetu to get him out of the way. She would not allow a cub that was not hers and Scar's to take her beloved cubs places as future rulers of the Pridelands.

It had taken her some time after that to convince Scar to try again for another cub. She pleaded and promised that this time she would give him exactly what he wanted. But that wouldn't be, they had tried a few times but Zira never became pregnant again, she had began to become frantic thinking if she didn't become pregnant again and bare a male that Scar would surely take another for Queen and cast her out.

In a very desperate attempt, she had approached Spotty and the others and had begged for them to find a male rogue for her. They had been uncertain for they feared what the King would think if he found out his Queen had run to a rogue and gotten sired by him and tried to pass the cub off as Scar's. But much like Zira had thought, they were loyal to her and had done exactly that. It had taken almost a month when they had found a male rogue passing the borders and had run back to inform Zira.

And when the lionesses distracted the hyenas, Zira had slipped off out of the Pridelands to intercept this male. Leaving Nuka and Vitani in their care. She was disgusted with herself that she would ever try something like this against the lion she loved, but she was desperate to please him and it seemed she was not conceiving from him any longer. Though much too her surprise the rogue the others had found for her, was almost of exact colouring as Scar was. Even down to his green eyes, though the rogue's eyes were a much darker green then Scar's were.

She spent days with the rogue. Only when she had felt she had conceived did she attack him and run him off from the borders making sure he never came back. Then she returned home, and like she has suspected, Scar had been furious with her. But he reigned that anger in when she announced that she was indeed pregnant. Some part of her had suspected that Scar had, had his suspicions and if he did, he never really said anything. Especially when Kovu been born. Dark brown of fur, and when he opened his eyes days later green eyes shown up at the two that stared down at him.

She had done it. She had given Scar the heir he had wanted. Though it was not his by blood. It did not seem to matter, for she did not have to tell him the truth, he had declared Kovu his heir the day the cub was born and they found that it was male. She knew it had upset Nuka again that his father had declared another his heir but Zira figured he would get over it. She was too happy that she had made her mate happy. She gave him the heir he would raise to be King with him none the wiser that the cub he was raising was never truly his.

But her happiness had been short lived. For days later, Simba had shown up with his mate, Nala and another male as well as a group of foreign lionesses. Spotty and them had fought to keep the battle outside the den where she inside had stayed to protect her cubs. It had only been when Baya had come rushing into the den that she knew something terrible had happened. It was written across the other lionesses face as fear as the suns reflection on the calm flat surface of the watering hole. When she had been told of Scar's fate she had tore from the den as quick as her paws would allow her to run, all around her she could smell the scent of death as make hyena corpses laid about. Fire was everywhere, its smoke clouding the air.

It had not taken her long to find Scar's body…and the scent of hyena in the air. Shenzi's, Eds and Bonzai's were all in the area and all over Scar's body. She could see the shapes of the hyenas being run off by her lionesses. Clouded with grief she had wept over her fallen mate's body before Asma and Kumai had come for her and dragged her away from his body. But it wasn't to the den that they brought her too. But the caves in the back of Pride rock where she knew Scar had resided shortly before his brother's death.

It was just as they were entering the cave that the sky had opened up, shocking them all at the first rainfall that the Pridelands had seen in nearly two years. The rain had seemed to wash away Zira's tears and pain as it was replaced with anger, her anger only growing when she heard her cubs who Dotty and Spotty had transported to the cave for safety were crying scared of the lightning outside and the thunder but also it seems they had heard of the loss of their father. The grief of her cubs only seemed to build the anger inside of her.

It had been that day when she had promised she would avenge her Scar and make sure the heir he had chosen would indeed become King of Pride Rock and all the Pridelands. She would teach her cubs to hate those who had taken their father from them, but that seemed harder then she had thought. For that outsider, the brown lioness that Simba had brought back with him claiming her as his mate and carrier of his cub, had corrupted the minds of her cubs. All three of them loved the Queen. And it sickened Zira that they could love such a lioness, the mate of the lion who had taken the throne away from them and their father.

A low growl slipped from Zira making the three cubs step away from her and eye their mother warily. Ignoring them, Zira made her way toward Dotty who climbed to her paws as soon as she drew near. Stopping beside her, Zira lowered her voice and growled softly.

"Gather the other's…tonight is the night…"