His True Destiny

by IxoxoheartoxoxNuka

Squeal to To Face or Forget. "Mom" he called, his small frame shook in fear as thunder rumbled over head. His fur soaked with rain and mud, "MOM!" he continued to call out into the stormy night, but there was no signs of his mother...

25. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

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Oh what a sweet taste it was.

The fresh taste of blood.

The taste of blood was nothing to Zira for blood always came with the meal. But this blood was different and yet familiar all at the same time. The ever familiar taste of innocence clung to the blood that flowed in her mouth as her teeth clamped down tightly upon the ear of the struggling cub in front of her. Few more tugs and she would have her jaws around his neck and his life would be hers to end.

She remembered the last time she had tasted such blood that held that of the innocence of a cub…when she had killed Mheetu that time she had tasted it. And what a taste it was to her…for it meant victory on her part. And like that pesky cub she would kill this one as well to assure that HER cub would be King and not that of another's.

Pleasure coursed through her very body at the sounds of the young prince's cries of agony as she clamped down harder on the ear she held in her mouth her teeth tearing at skin and muscle until she felt it…the ear give way as it broke apart from its previous owner. As it tore away blood splattered up onto her face while the cub tumbled away from her leaving her standing there.

She watched as blood soaked the male cubs face despite how much rain there was more blood just seemed to flow from the wound. She grinned in satisfaction taking in the damage she had caused, she was quite tempted to leave him there and let him bleed to death though it might be slow it would be painful and she would take pleasure in knowing she had caused it. But no, she wanted to kill the pitiful prince herself.

Spitting the remnants of the ear from her mouth, she growled, the young prince's blood dripping from her mouth she made her way slowly towards him. She would have it, her revenge, oh yes she would have it. First she would kill this one off, and the when she had the Queen in her clutches she would kill the other three cubs when Dotty and Kumai arrived with them.

"How does it feel young prince…to lay there in your own blood…like my mate did when he died…and soon to have your mother look upon your dead body and weep as my cubs had when they looked upon their father's corpse!" the image of her dead mates body flashed in her mind, the blood from his wounds, the lifeless look in his eyes that she had been forced to close so that her cubs could not see them. The images of Nuka throwing himself across Scar's body begging his father to open his eyes and say something as he cried openly. The images of little Vitani just barely out of her spots, clinging to her mothers legs not fully understanding death but crying all the same.

Her anger reared as she thought of these things, and approaching the prince she raised her paw she could hear him whispering but she paid no attention to what the cub had to say for all she knew he could be begging for his life. Well, no amount of begging would make her spare him.

"Goodbye little Prince….say hello in the after life for me…" laughing she began to bring her paw down when she heard a growl. But this growl did not belong to any of her lionesses, for a moment she thought perhaps a group of hyenas were still in the area though she could not smell any. Her head turned to the side when something rammed against her side in a shocking blow that sent her and her attacker to the left.

A flash of brown soon told her whom exactly it was that attacked her. How did she get there so fast? How did she know where they were? She shouted inwardly while growling and snarling outward she squirmed beneath the brown lioness aiming her paw to strike for the Outsiders face when Zuri clamped her jaws around her paw.

Zira yowled in pain as the Queens teeth sunk in low through her skin till they nearly grazed the bone of her arm. She tried desperately to get her arm out of the lioness' hold but the more she moved her arm the more she felt her skin tear. From above her, Zira watched while the Queen raised her paw claws extended prepared to strike her when Zira saw the perfect opening.

Just as the Queen shifted her body, Zira adjusted hers so that she was completely beneath the body of the Queen and with her back legs she pushed up against the other lioness's stomach her claws tearing at the Queens skin, causing her to causing her to gasp enough to release Zira's arm and once she thought her arm was completely free Zira used every bit of her strength to push the Queen up and off her at the same time her claws embedding themselves in the Outsider's skin.

Ah, the scent of blood again.

Only this time it belonged to the very Outsider Queen she was aiming to torture mentally and physically.

That new scent of blood sent shivers down her spine. Made her want to spill more of it and only when it was all bled out of the outsider would her revenge against Simba be fulfilled and he would suffer the same pain she did and then and only then would her son be the future King when Simba would have no choice but to allow Kovu to be the next and true heir of Pride Rock.

Rolling carefully onto her paws she growled low at the pain in her leg that bled from the puncture wounds it had received moments ago. But gritting her teeth she placed her paw down and stood straight despite the pain and watched while the brown lioness climbed to her own paws and placed herself in between Zira and Kopa. A large grin spread across Zira's face when she heard the fierce growl come from the Outsider.

"Lay one more paw on my cub and I'll tear you're throat out!"

Both lionesses stared each other down. Zuri made sure to place herself right in between Zira and her son. Despite the rain she could smell the blood of her cub and just how much of it worried her, she needed to get Kopa somewhere safe…somewhere he could get his wounds healed…She wanted to look back and check on him but she wasn't going to risk taking her eyes off Zira.

She bit the inside of her cheek to keep from showing any true pain when in fact the pain from the cuts on her stomach and sides stung badly but she could tell from looking at them that they weren't so deep but that didn't stop the blood she felt coating the bottom of her mixing with the rain that poured down upon her.

"I do not think you are in such a place to make such a demand!" Zira smirked as she took a step closer to the two in front of her trying to show that she was in no pain whatsoever when in fact pain shot throughout her leg when she stepped on it but she would not show weakness in front of his outsider.

"I am your Queen Zira! And I order you to back down!" Zuri roared out a warning to keep the other lioness from coming any closer to her but Zira's smirk only seemed to broaden and she took yet another step closer to the two royal lions.

"Oh but you forget, I too am a Queen…so I think your orders do not mean anything for me…" Zira mused taking another step forward only to stop when her eyes caught the sight of movement behind the two royals but she relaxed when she saw it was only her three lionesses that had come running when they had heard the confrontation.

"You may have been Queen once Zira…but you are Queen no longer…Scar is dead and Simba is now King and I his Queen and Kopa is your Prince! Your acts right now are that of treason and you will be surely punished for it when the King hears of your treachery!" Zuri held her ground her head high to try and show Zira that she was not afraid of her.

Deep inside she was cursing herself that she never came right out and told her mate of the threat that Zira was from the beginning. Another part of her was regretting that she had ever stood up for Zira and her lionesses, she should have backed up Sarafina, Nala and the others when they wanted them kicked out of the Pridelands. But no, Zuri's soft spot for cubs made her go against all that and she supported her mate's idea of allowing the small pride two stay with them in the Pridelands.

"Those pitiful old lions may see you as Queen…but unfortunately for you…they do not…" Zira stated nodding her head to Spotty, Baya and Asma who came up along side Zuri and Kopa. From her peripheral vision she could see them and once again she wondered why there were only three of them…were the others back at Pride Rock watching Kovu, Vitani and Nuka?

Or where they back at Pride Rock to make sure her mate and the others didn't come to their rescue?

Her heart hammered in her chest…did Zira plan to kill all of them not only her and the cubs?

"Can't do your dirty work alone can you Zira?" turning her attention fully to Zira, the young Queen continued to stand her ground but she felt uneasy with the arrival of the other three lionesses and something deep in her gut told her something was very wrong.

The laugh that came from Zira sent chills down the brown lioness' spine and made her fur wan to stand on end. "Oh, I could have easily come and killed you in your little cave all on my own but then where would the fun be in that that. How could you possibly suffer like I had watching my mate die if I just killed you on my own and let the death's be quick?" Zira responded. "I am not so foolish as to not bring back up…you forget Outsider, that these lionesses are loyal to me and only to me. They will do as I bid them too…even to kill you and your precious little ones. You are the one who shouldn't have come alone Outsider…"

"I know how to fight without the assistance of another!" Zuri hissed tensing her body while she watched Zira brave yet another step in her direction and not once did she dare herself to look away from the lioness in front of her to look at the others but instead kept the other three within eyesight from the corner of her eyes.

Carefully feeling back with her back paw, Zuri stepped back until she was stood directly above her son shielding his body with her own. Prepared to take any amount of attacks from these four, she wasn't going to allow them to lay another paw on her son. She fought the urge to flinch when she heard yet another laugh come from Zira, the laughter she often heard often in her dreams but unlike her dreams where she would hear the laughter of the other lionesses, here all she heard was Zira's.

The other three lionesses were as silent as the grave. They stood off to the sides of her none making a move toward her like Zira was. Her mind went to the times that they had come to her to congratulate her on her pregnancy and all the times she had defended them saying they were nothing like Zira. How pride sisters shouldn't be divided…and most importantly how she was going to defend them when she would have told Simba about Zira…she had planed to save the three cubs and these lionesses from suffering the same fate as Zira.

But if they were working with Zira on this…she knew she had no choice but to speak against them to her mate…and only save the three cubs.

There was no chance whatsoever she would ever allow Vitani, Nuka and Kovu to leave the Pridelands with Zira. Even if she were their mother…the Pridelands would be a better home for them…and she would see it that they were raised properly along side her own cubs.

"It matters not how you know how to fight or what strength you have…for you see none of that matters here…I have you outnumbered…your first born is as wounded as are you…and being the irresponsible mother that you are…well, you left your newborns defenseless and at the mercy of my lionesses!" Zira mentioned a menacing smile creeping its way onto her face that was still lined in red from the ear she had torn from Kopa.

The young Queen felt as if someone had pinned her and stomped down hard upon her chest for she suddenly found it hard to breathe all the while her stomach suddenly felt heavy…

Her cubs…

She left her newborns… defenseless…

Now suddenly it made sense as to why all of Zira's followers were not present…when she had guessed that they were at Pride Rock to stop her mate she been wrong…but she wasn't wrong about Zira wanting to kill all of them…her and all four of her cubs.

How could she have been so stupid?

How could she have left her cubs alone?

Why didn't she just wait until Simba arrived?

It was the small whimpering groan that came from beneath her was all the answer she ever needed. It was Kopa being in danger was what made her leave the cave and her other cubs. For she knew if she had waited any longer for Simba and the others of the pride to arrive that Kopa could have been killed by the time they found him. And she had been right for the wounds he had received already were evidence of how determined Zira was to kill them.

But the amount of blood she smelt at the moment made her worry about whether or not her cub would really live even now with his wounds. "They are just innocent cubs Zira! How can you hold cubs responsible for anything that happened? Especially when none of my cubs had been born when Scar died! They had nothing to do with it!" the Queen yelled. "You are a mother…why Zira? Why would you do this to cubs?"

"Why?" Zira cocked her head, "Why you ask?" she repeated a snarl in her tone. "I do this for my cubs as much as I do it to avenge my mate!" the former Queen stalked forward once more until she stood a foot from the wounded royals. "My Kovu should have been made the heir as Scar had chosen him to be, it is his right. He was born before your damned cubs but did you and Simba ever give him the chance to prove that he is the rightfully chosen heir for this Kingdom?" Narrowing her eyes, Zira's claws scraped the ground beneath her paws. "No you did not!"

Zuri stared at the opposing lioness and shook her head "Is that your argument? You want to kill to put your cub on the throne?"

"I've done it once…I can do it again!" Zira laughed causing the Queen to stare at her in disbelief. "Oh?" Zira smiled, "Did you honestly believe I killed that pathetic Mheetu to just make sure my Nuka survived during the drought? I will admit that was only a tiny bit the truth…but not the entire truth. For you see, Scar, he wanted a strong heir and my poor Nuka was so sick from what little food we had that he did not fit my mate's ideal of an heir. So he started taking an interest in that pathetic cub Mheetu…I could not understand how that cub did not become sick like the rest…but I could not allow Scar to take a cub that wasn't his nor mine as his heir…so I killed him." Holding her head high, Zira sneered as memories of the past crept their way into her mind. It had to be done, as did this. She would see her cub on the throne if it were the last thing she ever did.

The brown lioness stared at the lioness in front of her with disbelief on her face as she heard what was being said in front of her. If she lived through this she wondered silently to herself if she would ever have the courage to tell Sarafina the truth as to why her young son had died just because of Zira's jealousy that Scar would take another for his heir.

"You're a monster!"

Facing the Queen Zira watched her with interest as the lioness growled at her. "How so? Isn't that how it's always done? When rogues take over a pride, they murder the cubs of their rivals so that their own will become the new heirs. How is this any different?" she calmly posed.

"You are not a rogue! You are a member of this pride and it is a forbidden crime to kill those of your pride!" Zuri argued squaring her shoulders. Beneath her she heard her cub whimper once more while Kopa tried to push himself up onto his paws as he listened to Zira and his mother banter back and forth. He rubbed his head against his mother's leg wrapping his paws around it clinging to her afraid if he let go she would be gone.

"If that is how it is done in your own pride, then you should have stayed here where you belonged!"

"That is how it is in ALL prides Zira. You care and love your pride sisters. My mate even went against what is considered the norm, he could have killed your cubs like he should have but he never did because Simba is not a cub killer." Zuri retorted but suddenly she found herself wishing her mate had, much to her own horror that she found herself wishing innocent cubs had been killed, but she silently wondered whether or not it would have made a difference. But staring across at Zira whose muzzle was stained with her sons blood and paws stained with her own blood from the wounds that Zira had inflicted upon her.

She knew right then it wouldn't have made any difference for Zira would still have inflicted her revenge upon them one way or another.

Zira wanted revenge for her mate and if her cubs were killed then it would have only made her even more bloodthirsty although just staring at Zira made her think that the lioness was as bloodthirsty as they got.

"We even let you stay when others wanted you gone!" Zuri added to what she previously said.

"Then that was your biggest mistake…kill them!"

For Zuri the world suddenly seemed to freeze for a slight instant the moment the command came bellowing out of Zira's mouth. Then in a single moment, Zuri reached down grabbing her son by the nape of his neck turning just as Zira lunged for her from the front only to get kicked back when Zuri's hind legs connected with her. The Queen bolted, carrying her wounded son the best she could with her own wounds sending pain throughout her body each time her legs moved to get her away from those who were now giving chase.

From his mother's mouth, the young prince dangled and swayed as he was carried. From time to time he felt his lower half hit against the ground covering him further in mud. Behind them, the two royals could hear Zira's angry shouts for the three lionesses to catch them not wanting them to get too afar away for none of them knew whether or not the King had come looking for them yet.

Kopa just wanted to close his eyes and wish it all away, to open them and find out all of this was just some sort of nightmare like the ones he heard his mother often having. Deep down him was feeling ashamed of himself and hatred for his actions;

He was so foolish to think his friends were really his friends.

He was foolish enough to venture out of the cave against his mothers wishes.

And worst of all for what he done, he had ended up getting his mother hurt.

And he knew she was hurt for he never seen her move as slow as she was.

His mother was always very quick all the times he witnessed her hunt with the group. Sometimes he thought his mother was the fastest of them all. When he had told her that one night she had laughed and said that it just wasn't true that she was just as quick as any lioness would be in the hunt while his father would join in laughing saying it was from all the running Zuri did in the jungle that made her quick.

The cub suddenly felt confused as he thought of his father. Where was his father? Why wasn't he there helping them? Didn't he know they were in danger?

Kopa jolted when he felt his mom stumble a bit he looked up a bit confused only to see the look of pain on her face. "Mommy?" he whimpered questioningly when suddenly he felt himself hit the ground when his mother released him from her hold as she roared out in pain.

From behind the royals, Zira and the others were giving chase and quickly gaining on the pair. The former Queen could almost laugh as she watched the royal lioness in front of her slowing from her wounds but never seemed to stop only pushing herself further. "Spread out and bring her down!" she ordered her lionesses.

Spotty, Baya and Asma spared each other a quick glance then quickening their pace they bested Zira while the three of them spread out to all sides. Asma coming up along side the Queen first the lioness braced herself as she sprung at the brown lioness who didn't seem to notice her coming up from behind until Asma had her paws hooked to Zuri's backside claws digging into her.

The Queen roared in pain the moment she felt those claws go into her flesh but in her moment of pain she had caused herself to let go of her son who fell in front of her causing her paws to get tangled up with his body sending both her and Asma to the ground.

The prince let out a startle cry as he felt his mother almost crash down upon him and for a moment he felt a jolt of dizziness go through him fogging his vision but when he cleared he saw what had caused his mother more pain. All thought of his own pain and how much blood he already lost seemed to vanish in an instant as the young prince let out a small roar. Jumping at Asma he bit down into one of the paws the lioness had hooked into his mother.

Yowling in pain, Asma let go of the brown lioness and swung her paw at the young prince who appeared reluctant to let go of. "Let go!" she ordered but the cub just glared at her and sunk his canines deeper into her paw. The lioness shook with all her might until making the prince finally let go sending him tumbling across the muddy wet ground. But that was the least of her problems when she felt a paw swipe out connecting with her head sending her down to the ground once more with Zuri standing above her growling.

"I'll never let any of you hurt my son anymore!"

Asma stared up at the Queen who glared down at her with such hatred she hadn't yet to ever see displayed upon the younger lioness' face. "And here I let you all live and be welcomed in this pride as pride sisters because I didn't want to split this pride apart anymore than it already was. Pride sisters looked out for one another NOT kill each other…but it seems that I may have made a mistake allowing you to stay…" what the Queen didn't know was just how deep those words cut into Asma.

This Queen much like Zira had, welcomed them into the pride and allowed them to live there despite how the other Pridelanders felt about them. But Asma knew her loyalty laid with Zira but for a brief moment she wished she hadn't remained loyal to her but to the Queen standing above her who looked down at her with a mix of distain, sadness and hurt. "I am sorry sister…but I cannot let you all kill my cub or anyone in my pride…" Asma watched while two tears slipped down Zuri's face.

Zuri felt a mix of emotions run through her, here was a lioness she allowed live and stay in the Pridelands for she felt sorry for them. She had heard the stories of how they been found and welcomed into the pride after loosing their own and she wanted them to stay in the home they had found. But here they were trying to kill her and her cubs…her life she didn't care for but the life of her cubs meant everything to Zuri…sadly even more then the life of the lioness lying at her paws.

With two tears running down her face, a growl erupted from the Queen who raised her paw prepared to finish off the lioness in front of her who did nothing but watch her confusing the Queen as to why she wasn't fighting back but that didn't matter anymore as she brought her paw down to the lionesses neck in a single sweep when she felt someone ram into her sending her back to the ground.

Baya had come running the moment she saw the Queen about to strike Asma.

And with enough force she rammed her body into the brown lioness sending them both sprawling to the ground. Two of them trading blows of their own each trying to best the other. Though Baya wanted nothing to do with this in the beginning when she saw Asma about to be taken out her instinct to protect kicked in and she knew she had to do something to protect her cousin.

Groaning Kopa laying his paw on his head that ached terribly, his ears were ringing from where he had hit it against the ground when Asma had managed to make him let go of her. In his chest his heart was racing so much he sure felt like his heart was about to jump its way out of his chest. "Mom…" lifting his head off fully off the ground, Kopa blinked his eyes to clear the haze and stare through the rain to where he heard loud growls sounding clear enough through the storm that raged above them.

"Mom!"

The prince stumbled to his paws in shocked to see his mother wrestling upon the ground with Baya with neither lioness giving in the other. Both were sporting wounds from one another, Baya sporting claw marks along his sides, front necks and one long cut down the side of her neck but it was his mothers wounds that worried him more…among the wounds she had received from Zira and the puncture marks that Asma's claws had caused. The Pridelander Queen was now sporting multiple cuts across her chest and front legs and her muzzle scratched from between her eyes to her nose.

"Leave…leave my mom alone!" shouted the young prince as he watched in horror as his mother took blow after blow while delivering her own upon Baya. Squaring his shoulders, Kopa rushed forward only to feel something or rather someone step on his tail causing him to loose his balance and fall flat on the ground.

"Oh, don't you worry young prince. Your mother will be well taken care of soon enough."

A chill ran down his spine when the cub heard Zira's voice from above. Turning his head he gazed up at the lioness who stood above him, her nose still bleeding from where he had precious scratched her in his attempt to escape. "You…you leave her alone…my father will be here soon…you'll be sorry!" yelled Kopa. But deep down the prince was also having doubts on what he just said, for he wondered why his father hadn't shown up yet…why didn't he come to save them.

It seemed Zira picked up on the doubt in the cubs voice when she smirked and laughed using her paw she grabbed the cub under the chin and pulled his upper body off the ground to face her. "What makes you think your father is going to save you?" she purred in delight at seeing the fear on the cubs face. "What makes you think he actually wants you to live?"

"Because he's my…"

"Because he's your father?" Laughing, Zira smirked at the cub in her hold "What father leaves his cubs and mate out alone in the wilds somewhere?" leaning her face close she pressed her nose against Kopa's. "You want to know why…because he doesn't care…that's right…if he really cared about your safety he would have kept you close to Pride Rock right under his nose…but did he do that?"

The lioness's vile words sunk deep into Kopa's mind. Did he father really not care? No! He told himself, of course his father cared. Simba loved his mate and cubs; he would save them he knew he would. Glaring at Zira, Kopa spat at her making her rear back. "My father does love us and he'll be here to save us and you'll be sorry!" growling he wretched his head out of Zira's hold and slumped to the ground.

Glaring down at the cub, Zira scowled then smiled sweetly "Believe what you want Prince Kopa. But you are alone out here…for your father is never coming to save you." Turning her head to Spotty she ordered "Watch this one!" stepping around Kopa she made her way toward where Baya and Zuri were still brawling neither seemed to take notice of her arrival.

Spotty quickly came up behind Zira stopping at Kopa's side, gazing down at the cub who appeared to be fighting back tears at the thoughts that perhaps his father really didn't care about them and wasn't coming to save them. Being right beside the cub, it allowed her to for the first time to really take in the wounds the cub had already received. Shock coursed through her at the sight of the cub's half missing ear. All that appeared left of it was a tiny stumps so close to the head that it looked like he had no more ear at all. 'Poor thing…' she fought the urge to reach out and comfort the wounded crying cub but rather stood still watching him not daring to do a thing to risk her life or more importantly her sisters life by doing something that Zira would punish them for.

Zira approached the two fighting lionesses and from behind pounced and grabbed Zuri sinking her canines into her back causing the lioness to roar in pain and not have time to block the blow to the head she received from Baya sending her into the mud. Zuri felt her vision got black for a few mere seconds from the blow until the haze lifted and found herself staring into the face of Zira.

"Did you really think you could get away?" Zira smirked down at the lioness before her who glared back with hatred burning in her eyes.

"I won't let you win Zira. You're a monster. I don't care what you do with me just leave my cubs alone!" The Queen demanded. Zuri truly did not care if she died, but she would die seeing her cubs live. No mother should ever have to bury a child. She knew just how much it affected her own mother when the cub before her had been stillborn from all the stories she heard from the lionesses back in the Rasheda's. Zuri wasn't sure how she would feel if she lost one of her own…and she didn't want to find out either.

"You silly lioness. Don't you see, I have already won!" Zira mused turning her head she nodded in the direction of two shadows that were approaching the group behind where Spotty was now pinning Kopa to the ground with her paw so the cub could not escape when he had tried to run to his mother when she had been knocked down.

Lifting her head, Zuri squinted her eyes through the pain taking in the approaching figures. The heaviness of her stomach sunk deeper and she suddenly found it hard to breathe once again as she noticed the figures approaching were that of two lionesses and they both appeared to be carrying something. That's when the faint sounds of mewing reached her ears…

"No…" she breathed softly, trying to get to her paws only to be slammed back down. "No!" tears came to her eyes when she saw the figures were indeed Dotty and Kumai and in their mouths they carried her youngest three little cubs who were mewing in distress from being carried by these strange females and the storm raging overhead.

"No! No, please! No!" tears poured from her eyes as the young Queen pleaded desperately. "Please, have mercy!"

"You shall receive no mercy from me your majesty" Zira spat out, scowling down at the pleading lioness at her paws. For a moment Zira thought she saw a reflection of herself in the brown lioness of when Zira herself had begged the Kings of old for mercy and bring her mate back to her. But that would never be and for that, she would make the ones who took him away pay and suffer similar pain that she had. "You shouldn't have left them unprotected…Baya!" she turned to the lioness who limped forward from her dislocated shoulder but still managed to stay on her paws. "Keep an eye on this one…you too Asma!" she ordered turning to the lioness who still hadn't gotten off the ground but had scrambled to her paws the moment Zira laid her eyes upon her.

"Y…yes!" The lioness stuttered quickly making her way over to Baya and Zuri. She eyed her cousin's wounds and gave her a look of sympathy which Baya waved off as she stood behind the young Queen holding her down with her paws as Asma soon did the same as the Queen struggled to get to her paws with no avail.

"Leave them alone!" Zuri cried out, sobs building in her throat for she truly felt helpless as she looked upon her eldest cub who was calling out for her and being held back by Spotty to the two lionesses carrying her youngest cubs to their death.

Flashing a smile full of malicious at the young Queen, Zira turned making way to the approaching two who stopped upon reaching the others. Kumai and Dotty had come as quickly as they could having followed the Queen to the elephant graveyard where they knew Zira was planning on driving the royals too. They had arrived just as they watched the Queen dart from the graveyard carrying her wounded son and had quickly hurried after the others who were soon giving chase. The entire way there the cub's mews of distress only got louder and louder as the three of them cried out for their mother, none the wiser of what was happening to them or about to happen to them.

The two stopped when they came upon the scene. Their eyes taking in what had happened when they were gone. They took in the sight of the Queens torn up body, but still seemed to be alive as she was crying out desperately for the safety of her cubs. They briefly glanced toward the prince who in turn was calling for his mother from where he was being held down and they saw that he was in just as bad condition as his mother but the Queen seemed far worse then the cub.

"Is this all of them?" Zira's voice brought their attention back to her.

Bowing her head, Kumai set the two she was carrying down on the ground. "Yes Zira, these are the three that were there. There is no scent or sign of any other," she answered as Dotty beside her laid down the one she been carrying beside the others upon the ground.

"Excellent…you two did a fine job…" smirking, the former Queen laid her eyes down upon the cubs on the ground. Her eyes taking them in, from the brown and tanned female to the…her heart stopped in her chest just a bit at the dark male that laid before her. Whose colouring for a brief moment, reminded her of her little Kovu…but scowling and shaking her head she cleared the thought from her mind.

Reaching out she ran her paw along side each cub watching them squirm and listening to them mew for their mother. "How precious…when was it that the royal family ever had so many cubs…oh right…when I was Queen." Growling, Zira narrowed her eyes as she looked back over her shoulder at the brown lioness who was watching her and the three cubs with wide fearful eyes. "How does it feel to see your loved ones in danger my dear?"

The fear in the Queens eyes disappeared for a moment as they glared toward Zira once more with hatred that rose inside her. "I heard of Scar, your mate could have killed Nala and Mheetu when they were born but he did not. Not even he was a cub killer Zira! And yet here you are with the blood of one cub's life already on your paws and have no remorse for killing more! They are the great nieces and nephews of your mate…your great nieces and nephews!" the Queen tried once more to get to her paws but the strength she was loosing from blood loss and the weight of two lionesses holding her down she could not move more then a few inches. "They are the cousins and best friend of your cubs!"

Throwing her head back, Zira let out a loud bark of laughter. "Oh, this is precious…you like your pathetic cub really think my cubs were his friends…but all they were was spies. They been in on this all along…especially after you told them what would happen when they grew up. They despise you as much as I do. You who took their father away!" she took satisfaction in watching the shock and disbelief come over the lioness's face.

"That's a lie!" Zuri hollered. Those three cubs she taught and protected they were too sweet to be behind all this with their mother. She refused to belief it. She couldn't belief it. They were far too innocent for something like this.

"Is it?" Zira purred "Well…I guess you really won't live to find out whether it's the truth or not…" she turned her attention back to the cubs at her paws who mewed when they sniffed the scent of the lioness touching them. She felt anger rise up inside her as she gazed upon the cubs. The brown coats of two of the cubs reminded her of how she should have given Scar similar cubs but no, the brown cub she bore was not her mates true son but he never knew that and had taken him for his heir.

Eyeing the male cub, she grabbed him in her teeth and picked him up. Turning toward the Queen whose eyes widened further in horror at the cub Zira had chosen to be the first that she would kill. These cubs were too small to torture in front of the Queen without lasting very long. She would kill them off first and then she would move to Kopa. The young prince would last long enough through her tortures before she would finally kill him in front of his mothers eyes taking away everything the Queen loved till Zira took her life as well.

"No!"

Smirking inwardly, the former Queen carried the cub until she was a foot away from Zuri who was pleading louder then before for her cubs life. Opening her mouth Zira let the cub drop and hit the ground with a loud thud causing the cub to let out a cry of pain from the force of the hit jostling his small bones. Zira pressed her paw against the small cub who cried even more as the lioness continued to direct pressure crushing his tiny body into the muddy ground.

"No! No, stop it!"

The Queens cries were like music to her ears blending in perfectly with the distressed cries of the cub beneath her paws.

From all around her, the lionesses loyal to her, felt nauseous to their stomach as they watched what was unfolding right in front of them. But none dared to look away. For looking away would do nothing if they could still hear the cries of the poor defenceless thing that was being crushed upon the ground.

"Stop it, please!" Zuri cried out, her heart breaking that she could not move to help her precious cub who cried only louder in pain each time Zira added pressure.

"Stop it! Leave him alone!" Kopa's own shouts soon mixed with his mothers as he watched in disbelief as the mother of the cubs he thought to be his friends was attempting to kill his own little brother. Guilt rose in him, he had promised his brother and sisters he would protect them and here he couldn't even do that. "Leave my brother alone! Take me instead!"

Looking back at him, Zira smirked "Oh, don't worry young prince. You shall receive the same fate all the same just in a matter of time." Turning her attention back to Zuri who was watching her with a mixture of fear for her cub and hatred for the lioness before her. Zira smirked and lifted her paw off the cub that mewed and whimpered in pain but attempted to drag himself blindly toward where he could smell a faint scent of his mother. Mewing out for her, wanting to get to her, so that she could protect him.

"Musa…" the Queen breathed watching her tiny cub try and drag himself toward her. She reached out with one paw desperately wanting to touch him, to shield him and protect him. "Here Musa…mommy's right here…mommy's here my little one…" tears coursed from her eyes.

Musa was just inches from her paw which Zuri reached harder to try and wrap around him.

When Zira suddenly struck.

Lunging down at the cub, she grabbed the poor thing in her jaws sinking her teeth into him and shook her head back and forth causing the cub to jostle in her hold. His cries echoing into the night.

Paw still out stretched, Zuri watched in horror her eyes widening more and more as the scene unfolded before her. The pain filled cries of her beloved cub, her baby boy, echoing in her ears stopping her heart.

But as quickly as the cries sounded, the sooner they died away.

The new taste of blood filled Zira's mouth and washed down her throat from the cub whose body was now limp in her jaws. His blood dripping down her jowls to the ground below. She stood there for some time till she opened her mouth and slowly released her hold on the cub that rolled limply from her mouth to the ground where he crashed in a sickening thud.

Silence filled the area.

Nothing but the storm could be heard.

While all eyes were on the now dead cub lying at Zira's paws.

But it wasn't long until a heart wrenching cry of a heart broken mother echoed out across the savannah as the Queen of the Pridelands took in the sight of the mangled body of her youngest cub that laid just inches from her still out stretched paw.

"No…no…no…no…"

Disbelief seemed to echo in her every word till it finally sunk in and in one loud wrenching cry let out her sorrow.

"MUSA!"

---

A young lioness sat at the entrance of the main den as thunder rolled overhead and lightning streaked across the blackened skies that had long since opened up and poured its contents down upon the Pridelands. Behind the lioness, the pride sat or lay comfortably together as they enjoyed the warmth the cave gave them from the miserable weather outside.

Nala stared out through the rain and the wind as she awaited the arrival of Simba. All afternoon she had gone over in her mind, what Zuri said she was prepared to do. And it made the tanned lioness both happy and relieved that the Queen was coming to her senses. She had secretly hoped by sending the Queen and Prince into hiding far from Pride Rock, that it would give the Queen a reason to wanting to come back to the Pride rather then stay out there alone with her cubs.

And it seemed to have worked much to Nala's relief.

When she had arrived back at Pride Rock earlier that afternoon when she left the eastern caves, she had hunted down her mother and Sarabi to confide in them about the plan. Both seemed equally pleased that the threat that Zira held to the royal family and their pride would finally be dealt with. But none was more pleased than Sarabi herself who wanted nothing more then for her grandcubs to be brought back to Pride Rock. Sure she saw the cubs once more since their birth but the old Queen felt as if the cubs needed to be at Pride Rock and with the safety of the entire pride.

She had missed out on Simba growing up. Sarabi would be damned if she missed out on watching her grandcubs grow up as well.

It was Sarafina who told the rest of the pride of the plan.

Now all there was left was to tell Simba. But the King hadn't yet to return to Pride Rock. Nala had suspected he would return before the storm hit but when the rains started to fall there was still no sign of the King. She had contemplated on going out to find him herself but her mother had reassured her that Simba would come home when he was finished his patrols and that a storm wasn't something to just stop his duties for mid-day her mother had also said that it wasn't like Zira knew where the royals were and would attack while they waited Simba's return.

But deep down in her gut Nala had a strange feeling that something wasn't right as she watched a streak of lightning light up the sky.

The sound of paws approaching from behind made her turn and watched Sarabi coming her way. "He'll be home soon I am sure." Sarabi smiled sitting down beside the younger lioness she had helped raise over the years they had gone through the drought that had come during Scar's reign. Nala was like the daughter she never had gotten the chance to have with Mufasa before his death. She had filled the small void of Simba's disappearance and possible death as Sarabi helped her best friend raise and protect the one cub who had lived throughout the years after Mheetu's untimely death.

She remembered the day she, Mufasa and Sarafina discussed the betrothal of their son and daughter. Both she and Sarafina had been ecstatic when the decision had been made for they were equally excited that their families would be united with the mating of their cubs.

That was why she been shocked when she had found out that Zuri had been Simba's mate when he returned home. But nonetheless she had welcomed the new lioness for she seemed a sweet lioness and made her son happy and that's all that really mattered to Sarabi. Her son's happiness. Plus, Zuri gave her wonderful grandcubs that she loved and she too came to see Zuri as a daughter much like she saw Nala. The brown lioness was a wonderful Queen for the animals Sarabi had spoken too told her whenever the Queen handled a matter it was always fair. They loved her as subjects should.

Eyeing the old lioness Nala let out a sigh "I know…it's just…"

"I know what you are trying to say Nala…but Zuri and the cubs are still safe at the moment. We need to just tell him that Zuri has to speak to him about something. If we tell him ourselves he'll just go off running half-cocked with worry before we even get a plan together on how to handle the situation. He's much like his father, it's why I always like to say I was the reason that kept Mufasa so level headed," the old Queen laughed as she compared her son and mate together in her mid.

In truth Mufasa and Simba were much alike but very much different at the same time. Where Mufasa was playful at times he was very much more serious then their son was. That's not to say Simba wasn't serious when the times called for it, he was still very young and new at being King that he needed his time in learning what it truly meant to rule over an entire Kingdom.

She often remembered listening to him yammer on about all the things he was excited about being King for when he was a cub before he had disappeared. He had been so happy and looked forward to the position but now that she looked upon her son she could tell he was wary of it for he wanted to be a lion that spent all his time with his family rather then patrolling the borders and handling matters in the Pridelands.

Watching the softness come over the older lioness's face at the memories she was reliving for a moment Nala turned her attention back out into the storm. "I know you're right Sarabi…but I feel deep down, that something is wrong…very wrong…" she whispered but it reached Sarabi's ears that looked at her with confusion.

Reaching out Sarabi laid her paw on Nala's making the younger one look back at her again. The old lioness just smiled and said "What happened before will not happen again…the royals aren't cursed to always end in tragedy" bumping her head against Nala's the old Queen turned and made her way back further inside the cave where many of the pride were settling down to nap and wait out the storm.

Royals cursed to end in tragedy.

The words seemed to echo in Nala's mind. She wasn't alive to know what became of the other Kings and Queens but stories she been told said nothing oh anything terrible happening to them. But the fate of the last two Kings made her think of how fate could change at any moment. First Mufasa was killed by his own brother and then Scar who was killed by those who were said to be loyal to him. Was the royal family truly destined to end in tragedy now…would the royal Queen and cubs be the ones who would suffer this time around?

No! Nala shook her head. No, that wouldn't be the case this time, she told herself.

Sarabi was right.

Zira couldn't possibly know where the royals were now hiding out. They had been extremely careful what to say when the lioness and those loyal to her were around or when the cubs were around.

Lifting her eyes to the sky Nala silently prayed to the Great Kings that the plan would unfold neatly and they could save the royals AND Zira's cubs. After getting to know them herself, Nala didn't know how she felt about casting them out into world so young when all they had known as the Pridelands as their home.

The flapping of wings made her look to the right of the sky and she watched as Zazu came flying down flapping his wings tirelessly from the howling winds and rain. But soon enough Zazu arrived in the cave and sputtered water from his beak and with a good shake of his wings managed to get some of the water off of them. "You look like a drowned rat there Zazu."

Lifting his head to look at who addressed him, Zazu gave a small scowl as he continued to shake the water off him. "Yes well madam, a majordomo's work is never done even when a storm approaches!" tilting his head the hornbill started to clean his feathers missing the rolling eyed look Nala gad given him. Even years later Nala still thought the bird took his job too seriously.

"Have you seen Simba?" she asked.

"The King should be arriving in a matter of moments." The Majordomo shortly seemed to give up on his cleaning job and flapping his wings once more he went seeking out his nest.

Feeling relieved by his words, Nala turned and faced the rocky slope that led two and from the top of pride rock to the bottom to await the Kings arrival. And Zazu did not disappoint for three minutes later, a large mass figure climbed over the edge and trod toward the den. Stepping aside, Nala let Simba pass and had to bite down on her lower lip in order to keep herself from giggling at the appear Simba felt.

His fur was soaping wet and dripping from having been out in the heavy downpour. His mane clung to the top of his head, face and body.

The tanned lioness raised her paw to block her face when Simba shook his body to try and get the access water off but the sight that befell Nala and the rest of the pride had them soon bursting out in fits of laughter as the Kings mane seemed to stand on end from his attempt to shake the water out of it.

"You know son, not even I messed up your mane that much when I bathed you as a cub." Sarabi called playfully to her son from where she was laying beside Sarafina who was laughing softly into her paw at the memory of which Sarabi was hinting at.

Using his paw to get some of his mane out of his eyes, Simba gave his mother a small glare but the old lioness just smiled at him not affected by it in the slightest. Then cracking a grin himself, Simba laughed and shook his head again then attempted to use his paw to smooth down his mane. This would not be the first time it ended up as messed as it did.

The first had been when he had started coming into his mane and ended up getting dirty after a rain shower and a wrestling match with Jaali that had resulted in his mane getting caked with mud, and twigs. He could still remember the lecture Zakia had given him that night when the lioness had settled down to bathe him he still laughed at how she grumbled about why it was better to have a daughter for they didn't seem to get as dirty as having a son. The thought made him sigh a little for he was still saddened over the lioness's death; she had raised him after all when his mother wasn't around to do so.

"Yes well…you try being out in that downpour and see how your fur ends up mother." Grinning he approached his mother and nuzzled his head against her which the old lioness gladly returned licking her son on the cheek.

Clearing her throat, Nala stepped forward as the others in the cave had all gone silent. "Um, Simba?" she waited till the King actually looked toward her before she said another word. "There's something I wish to discuss with you about…it's about Zuri…" she watched a wave of emotions run across the Kings face until worry was the only emotion in his eyes.

"What is it? Has something happened? Is it one of the cubs?" Simba inquired stepping toward his friend. Suddenly he thought that perhaps something had happened to his mate or one of his cubs and he felt the sudden urge to run to them.

"No…" relief flooded Simba for a moment as Nala reassured him that nothing had happened. "She just told me earlier then I brought her a portion of the hunt that she wishes to speak with you about something."

"Speak to me about what?" Simba approached Nala further sitting down in front of her.

"She…she never told me…she just said that you wanted to speak to you about something important…" Nala stumbled on her words a bit.

This caused Simba to become suspicious thinking Nala knew exactly what it was that Zuri wanted to speak to him about. And it brought to mind the reason as to why Zuri was out there hiding with their cubs to begin with. Something he knew both Zuri and Nala had been keeping from him but never pressured knowing that someone would come and tell him sooner or later. "What does she wish to speak to me about Nala?"

"I told her, she could talk to you about it…"

"If you both know then I think it's just fine that you tell me right here and now!" Simba began to feel himself getting angry. Why were his mate and friend keeping this from him?

Nala felt conflicted. Part of her wanted to let Zuri talk to Simba about what she needed to tell him, it really was the Queens place to tell the King about what threat there was and who it was coming from but another part of her, the part of her who held feelings for the lion in front of her wanted to come out and confess all she knew. Her eyes darted back behind the King to Sarabi who quickly climbed to her paws and made her way over to them.

"Simba…I'm sure Zuri would really like to be the one to tell you about this…" Sarabi fell silent as Simba turned toward her.

"You mean you know the truth to this as well?" Simba questioned staring at his mother in disbelief not wanting to think that she was in on everything.

Guilt came over the former Pridelander Queens face and Simba felt that he knew what her answer would be. "You knew who the threat to my mate and cubs were all this time…"

"We all did." Durra spoke up from where she had woken from her nap when she noticed raised voices in the den.

Simba turned toward said lioness, he remembered her from his youth she was much older than his mother and two years older then Binti herself. "Let me get this straight…everyone here knew about the threat and WHO it was AND didn't tell me!" The King shouted his voice bouncing off the cave walls.

The pride fell silent hanging their heads not sure what to say to their King. All felt guilty for keeping this from him but they all respected the Queens wishes as well.

"It was Zuri's wish that you not be told until something could be handled…" Sarabi explained looking her son in the eyes. "But she was secretly hoping you would have figured it out for yourself." She gave her son a stern look that told him that he should have known what the answer of the threat should have been all along.

She knew Simba had his suspicions but didn't know how to act on them. And she could tell he was thinking the same thing at the moment by the look of conflict that flickered across his face. Almost like he didn't want to belief the lionesses he had allowed stay in the Pridelands at the request of his Queen would really be the ones that wanted to cause harm to her and the cubs.

Turning his head towards the entrance and the rain for a brief moment he then turned back to his mother and scowled. "I do not wish to wait to speak to my mate about this. Given you all know I'm betting one of you can give me the answer…I have a suspicion of what you will say…but lets hear it from one of you…" he stared directly at his mother with a hard stare then focused it on the others who lowered their heads under his stare avoiding his gaze. All feeling ashamed they had kept this from their King and didn't handle the situation when it first arose rather then send their Queen and royal cubs into hiding.

"Well?" he demanded his voice once again echoing off the cave walls.

"….Zira, my King…it is she…"

Simba turned his head to gaze at Ita who stood from where she was laying beside the sisters Ajia and Aufa. "She has threatened the Queen on many occasions, but had never tried to attempt something. We have been waiting until she did to stop her. It was Zuri's wish your highness that nothing be done right away for fear of Zira's three cubs that she had taken a liking too." The lioness explained bowing her head.

"But Zuri had come up with a plan…she had hoped that by speaking with you on the matter that you might spare the cubs and allow them to stay and only rid the pride of Zira…" stepping toward him, Nala looked Simba in the face to see the King looked conflicted on the matter.

While Simba himself was debating on the emotions running through him with the many thoughts that suddenly plagued his mind. He knew deep down that the threat that his mate spoke of was of Zira. He had seen on many occasions how his Scar's mate looked at Zuri and he was not deaf to the things he heard about how Zira despised the both of them but at the same time.

They were family in a way.

Those cubs were his cousins.

And no matter what his uncle had done, Nuka, Vitani and Kovu never did a thing.

Zuri on many occasions tried to prove that the three were nothing like their parents and after spending some time with them himself during their hunting training he could see exactly what his mate meant. Sighing, he wanted to be angry with Zuri for keeping this from him rather than come out and tell him what the true threat was.

But now that Simba knew…he couldn't let it go on any longer. He couldn't let Zira get her paws on his family.

"Mother!" turning towards his mother he continued "Take Kana, Merah, Binti, and Asali and go out to the Eastern Caves. Bring Zuri and the cubs back as quickly as you can. Tonight is the night we handle this and I want the cubs home where I know they will be safe in the back den."

Furrowing her brow, Sarabi looked toward each lioness that Simba had named who had gotten to their paws and approached the royals. Looking back at her son, Sarabi studying his face and after a moment nodded "Of course my son." Sarabi didn't waste another moment as she hurried around her son with the four lionesses following behind her.

Though Sarabi wanted to be the one to stand beside her son when he faced Zira, she accepted the task of fetching her grandcubs.

The group quickly disappeared out of the den and into the storm, taking the quickest way from Pride Rock to the Eastern caves.

After they left, Simba turned to those who remained "Ajia, Aufa, Kali…you three are to collect Nuka, Vitani and Kovu when we confront Zira. I want them brought to here to the den to await the arrival of my mother with Zuri and others….they will be happy to see them."

"What if Zira puts up a fight?" asked Sarafina. "She may not be the best of mothers but she's a mother nonetheless. She isn't about to let her cubs go with them if she can stop it."

"I suspect Zira to put up a fight nonetheless. I plan on driving her from the Pridelands but the cubs I will have stay here. They may be against their mother leaving without them. But if we were to tell them what is going on they can be given a choice…" Let's just hope they choose the right one, he added silently to himself.

Discussing more of what they would do to handle the matter the group stepped out of the cave into the storm with Simba leading them taking the path to the back of Pride Rock where Zira occupied since Simba had taken the throne.

Approaching the cave, the lionesses spread out flanking their King. Sarafina and Nala sticking the closest to him. Both lionesses were inching to get their paws on Zira for what she had done to Mheetu but they would wait until the King gave the order.

It was Kali and Durra who reached the cave first stopping when they stared on inside…

Then Kali turned to hurry back and meet up with the others approaching. "My King! The cave it is empty for all but the cubs…"

Quickening his pace, Simba hurried into the cave he once knew to be one of the many his uncle once slept in when he was a cub, stopping when he saw that Kali had been correct. The cave was completely empty save for the three cubs that were resting at the back none the wiser of those who had entered. Growling Simba turned to the others "Ajia, Aufa and Kali…do as I instructed before…take the three cubs and hold them in the main cave…the rest of you come with me at once. We need to find Zira and quickly…" but as he said this a chill ran down his spine.

Something's not right…Simba thought, something was terribly wrong. "Hurry!" turning the King ran from the cave and back out into the storm heading firstly toward the Eastern borders with hope that his mother and the others had already arrived and more importantly hoping his mate and cubs were still alive.

---

Hawa gazed upon the three sleeping cubs that lay beside her with softened eyes. Chuckling softly now and again whenever Nuka's paws would shuffle across the floor of the cave as the cub was locked in a dream of sorts. But the older cub would calm down once Hawa would nuzzle him and give him a few licks of her tongue across his head messing up his blackened tuft of mane on his head which she would fix with a simple stroke of her paw.

Thunder directed her attention to the front of the cave where the rain only seemed to haven gotten heavier since the time it started.

Kumai…

A sad smile came to her face as she thought of her sister who was out there with the others.

We should have run away…why didn't we run away…

Looking down at the cubs again, Hawa wrapped her paw around them licking Vitani's head this time as the cubs whimpered a little in her sleep from the roaring thunder outside but still never fully woke.

If only she knew the truth…if only any of these cubs knew the truth…

They wouldn't be here sleeping soundly if they knew the truth of what their mother was out there doing right now with the others. She was happy they were asleep. Because she didn't know what she would tell them if they woke to find that the others truly hadn't returned yet.

Closing her eyes, she listened the storm rumbling overhead. Her inner conscious was fighting her about what she should do.

She wanted to keep her sister alive. And if she betrayed Zira and said lioness found out.

She knew Zira would either kill her or Kumai.

Or perhaps she could kill them both.

Also she wanted to be there for the cubs…but…

Opening her eyes again, she looked down upon them. Could she really bare to see the pain they would all feel when they found out the Queen they loved and respected equally as well as their best friend was dead once morning arrived?

Closing her eyes, Hawa knew the answer…

She knew she would never be able to look neither of the cubs in the face ever again once they heard the news.

But what could she possibly do?

Run to Simba?

No, she thought. If she had Kumai and the others with her then perhaps that would have been the more reasonable answer.

But she didn't and they were already out there working with Zira.

If she were to go and tell the King now, then Simba might possibly do something to the others for participating in the plan.

No, she had to do something herself.

But what?

Glancing again at the cubs, she sighed and after several minutes climbed to her paws and padded her way to the entrance stopping just short of stepping out into the rain. Perhaps it wasn't too late to find Kumai and run away with her sister…but something told her that wasn't to be so. Sighing, she took one last look at the cubs and smiled sadly.

"I'll try and save them…for you dear cubs…I'll try…" she whispered tearing her gaze reluctantly away from them and with a deep breath stepped out into the rain and began hurrying off in the direction of the Elephant Graveyard completely unaware of the group of lionesses making their way towards the Eastern border.

---

Everything around her just seemed to stop.

Her pounding heart beat wildly in her chest but it was laughter filled her ears.

Laughter of the very lioness that had just stolen the life of her newborn son away from her.

Only a week old.

She hadn't even gotten the chance to see what colour eyes he would have.

Would they have been amber like his fathers…like his grandmothers?

Would they have been brown like her mothers?

Would they have been green like her cousins?

Or would they have been blue like hers…?

But now her little cub's eyes would never open. Forever shut as all trace of life had left him.

He was just out of reach of her paw. She could have saved him. But she didn't…

Zuri felt as if her heart was breaking as she looked upon the lifeless body of her youngest son. Her little Musa. Who now would never get the chance to live the life she had been hoping to give her cubs.

Her sorrow soon was mixed with anger, as Zira's laughter continued to fill her ears hardening her heart. Whipping her head upwards she glared angrily up at the lioness who had taken her sons life and spat "Monster!"

"Yes, yes dear. You've already called me that many times tonight…" Zira smirked gazing down at the Queen not bothered in the slightest about the way the young lioness was staring at her. "But whatever you say, will never bring him back."

The other lionesses' eyes were on the dead cub, each one feeling sorrow for the little thing that was so innocent in life that he hadn't done a single thing to deserve what had just happened to him but none still dared not to say a word on the matter in fear of Zira's anger to be directed at them.

Kumai clenched her jaw tightly as she looked upon the cub's mangled body just laying there in his own blood. Guilt rose in her that she had delivered the cub to his fate and that was something she knew she would have to live with for the rest of her life.

Kopa, who was still trapped beneath Spotty's paw, stared in disbelief at his little brother's body. Tears threatened to spill from his eyes. He had failed as a big brother to defend Musa like he had promised. Now he would never get the chance to see his brother's eyes, to hear him talk, to teach him to walk and teach him all the ways to pull off pranks on the other lionesses.

His mother's tearful sobs made his ears lower to his head. This is all my fault. He thought. If I had just stayed in the cave…

The Queen continued to glare at the lioness in front of her who just continued to smile so sweetly at her like what she had just done was the justice she felt was deserved. Pushing her paws under her, Zuri attempted to get up but found herself once again forcefully pushed into the ground by both Asma and Baya.

"I will see you die for this Zira! If not tonight then one day…I will see you die for this!" The Queen vowed.

"Such words," Zira purred "To bad that after tonight you'll be the one who will be dead along with the rest of your bastard brood and with your Kings grief I shall bring Kovu to the throne. And then I shall be the victor and my family, SCAR'S family, shall rule these lands as they should have done from the very start!" Looking down at the small cub at her paws, Zira hooked her paw around him lifting the lifeless body up and with a flick of her paw she sent the cub's body flying across the ground.

"There…something for the buzzards to eat…they'll have their fills after tonight with all of you…now…I do believe I have more I have to do…hm, who should I choose this time…" pondering it over, Zira turned to where the two female cubs were mewing loudly having heard the cries of their brother they were calling out for him as well as for their mother whose voice they could hear.

"NO!" Zuri cried out, digging her claws into the ground she pushed herself up. Managing to throw the wounded Baya and Asma off her and lung for Zira catching the older lioness in the side with her claws causing her yowl in pain. Whipping around, Zira struck out with her paw striking the Pridelander Queen in the head as at the same moment Zuri struck out and caught Zira across the chest leaving two deep claw marks.

Growling, Zira stared down at the Queen who glared right back up at her. Zuri felt helpless that she couldn't do more. Blood loss was beginning to take its toll and she was completely outnumbered. But she wasn't about to allow this lioness to harm anymore of her cubs not if she had any breath left in her body.

Gritting her teeth she pushed herself up and moved to strike again her blows countered by Zira whose wounds were only minor compared to the Queens and had energy to spare while Zuri did not. But that was not something Zuri was about to let get the better of her.

With a roar, she lunged managing to wrap her paws around Zira's neck and drag the lioness down with her. Opening her jaws, Zuri prepared to bite down when from behind she felt herself get grabbed and pulled forcefully from Zira and back down onto the ground by Baya who placed her paw down on her neck claws extended to show if Zuri tried to move that her throat would be cut and she would loose blood faster and die quickly.

"Why are you helping her?" Zuri choked out. "I let you all live…I tried to help you!" she watched as each lioness quickly averted their gazes from her.

"Foolish Outsider. Don't you see…they belong to me!" mused Zira who carefully climbed back to her paws. Reaching up she rubbed her neck where Zuri had gotten a hold of enough to bring her down. "I saved them from a meaningless life. It was I, who allowed them to come into the Pridelands for I knew how beneficial they could have been. To have lionesses loyal to the grown. I knew if they could prove themselves worthy in Scar's eyes that perhaps he would allow those who were disloyal like Sarabi and her little band of lionesses to be killed! Why would he need them when he had me…and a pride of his own?" heading her head high, Zira gazed down at Zuri who glowered.

"They are the foolish ones. To be loyal to someone like you. What Queen dares to kill the cubs of another? Of her subjects over something as pitiful as jealousy?" Zuri mocked them.

"It's simple. A smart one does." Zira smirked turning she made her way toward the small female cubs.

"Hear me now Zira, I mean what I say, I will see you pay for this. One way or another. I will see you get what you deserve, if not in this life then if you kill me I shall wait in the afterlife for when you come to join me. There I will make sure your soul burns for this!" The Queen declared as she watched helplessly as Zira approached her two daughters.

Please no…mother…Mufasa…great Kings please…help them…

Why was this happening? Why wasn't anyone coming to save them? Where was that two-legged creature from before…why couldn't he stop this?

Approaching the two female cubs, Zira let her eyes look them over. The two continued to mew out for their mother. Reaching out, Zira ran her paw over the both of them when she heard the young prince calling out to her.

"Only cowards kill the innocent…" words he once heard Durra from the pride speak about. Kopa was now struggling in Spotty's hold wanting to get to his sisters. He failed in saving his brother he wasn't about to let his sisters die. Twisting his paw enough he bit at Spotty's paw making the lioness yowl as for a brief moment let him go from the pain but it was that brief second he took making a dash at Zira and his sisters.

Knocking Zira's paw away from them. Kopa positioned himself upon both Eshe and Kiara much like his mother had stood over him when she had tried to protect him from the very same lioness standing before him.

He held his ground even when Zira threw her head back and let out a laugh. "Oh, this is priceless. The young prince really thinks he can fight me off. It seems the wounds I have already given you Prince Kopa isn't enough to teach you that you don't stand a chance against someone much bigger then you." Raising her paw, Zira swiped at the prince catching him in the side knocking him to the ground beside his sisters.

"Kopa run…please!" his mothers pleading words sounded in his ears and lifting his head he stared toward her catching her eyes that pleaded with him to run. If one cub lived that would be enough to know she didn't have to die knowing they all would perish. But Kopa wasn't about to leave his mother and sisters to die alone…what would his father say if he found out…

Kopa's heart hardened once more as he thought of his father.

Where was he?

Why wasn't he there saving them?

Musa was dead and he wasn't there to help them!

Was what Zira said about his father right? Did he really not care about them? Did anyone really care about them? Did they betray them like his friend did?

Musa was dead and the rest of them were going to suffer the same fate and his father was no where in sight to save them. His eyes darted to his mother again, taking in her teary eyes and blood stained and rain covered face. He couldn't help but think despite the blood, the mud and the wounds on her face she was still one of the most beautiful lionesses he ever seen. He always thought his mother was the most beautiful and no one could outshine her.

"Oh, yes Prince Kopa. Do run; let us see just how far you get on your own." Zira's voice directed his attention back to her and he saw that she had already had her paw wrapped around her next victim. Little Eshe who was mewing loudly at once again being held by some strange lioness that wasn't her mother.

Smirking, the former Queen turned with the cub and dropped her on the ground in front of her causing Eshe to squeak in surprise.

Zuri watched in fear and in sorrow that she could not help her cub. If she were too move Baya's claws would cut her throat and she would bleed out far too quickly. She turned her eyes toward the lioness holding her down by the neck and whispered to her "I hope you all burn for this…you're all just as guilty as her…"

Baya looked down at the lioness beneath her. She felt sorry for the Queen despite what she was doing to keep her from stopping Zira. But what anger she had felt when she saw Zuri about to kill Asma was still there and she feared letting the Queen up not wanting any of her pride sisters to suffer from this as well.

"This is justice Outsider. The nature of our kind. We kill so that the others may survive it just happens that you and your cubs are in the way of my owns future. And for that you must die so that mine can live and achieve what Scar wanted my little Kovu to do!" Zira declared holding her head high to the heavens above. She was doing this for Scar and for her cubs…their family would prevail and Scar's heirs would forever rule the Pridelands.

Turning her attention to the squeaking brown female cub before her, she scowled. Brown…much like the colour of her outsider mother. Oh, this cub would die next and she would take as much pleasure in killing her much like she had done the other cub. Rather then crushing the cub this time, she raised her paw prepared to strike and kill the cub with as much blows as the little things body could take.

Zira estimated the cub wouldn't last with more then two blows.

"Eshe!" The Queen cried out for her little daughter.

Watching as Zira prepared to strike the innocent cub, Kopa sprang back to his paws rushing forward reaching out with extended claws he gripped onto Zira's leg and then clamped his jaws around it biting deep into the lioness's leg just as Zira was bringing her paw down to hit the female cub.

Roaring as pain shot through her leg, Zira's paw missed its target, but not completely. A small cry of pain came from Eshe as the ends of Zira's elongated claws caught her across her right eye and the top of her muzzle leaving long bleeding claw marks.

"Let go you little pest!" Cursing Zira shook her leg hard enough to knock Kopa free once he released his hold seeing he had achieved what he was hoping for. Though Eshe still received wounds they were minor least she was alive that's all that mattered. The Pridelander Prince barely had any time to think of what to do next when he found himself crushed beneath Zira's paw her snarling face looming just above his.

"I was going to leave you for last so that your mother would witness all her beloved cubs die before her eyes. Leaving her to watch her precious first born die the last and more slowly then his siblings. But it seems you are awfully determined to die…ugh!" Zira reared her head back when Kopa spat in her face.

Using her free paw to wipe it off her she glared down at the cub who smirked smugly up at her. "A Prince does not go down without a fight!" Kopa declared proudly.

From where she laid, Zuri watched her son with pride and a mixture of fear. Pride that her son was standing up to defend himself and his sisters while she could only feel herself growing weaker by the minute. Zuri knew she would not make it through the night. Even if Zira did not deliver the killing blow herself, the amount of blood she had lost in the amount of time they been out there she knew she would not make it.

"Please…Zira…spare my cubs. Kill me but spare them…they are only innocent…" Zuri choked out again from the pressure on her neck.

"All shall die tonight dear Queen." Zira snarled, turning her head toward Zuri "And your first born shall be the next to die…but fear not. You'll all see each other in the afterlife. Where you and your dirty family belongs outsider!" looking back at Kopa Zira added pressure with her paw to his ribs making the cub wince and give a little cry of pain but that did not stop him from attempting to claw and bite at her to get her off of him.

"Goodbye sweet Prince!" Opening her jaws Zira quickly lowered her head to clamp her jaws around the prince's neck in the killing blow.

"NO!"

A new voice cried out.

A familiar voice.

Whipping her head up, Zira turned her body just in time to watch Hawa come running out of the darkness head down in a ramming fashion. With all her strength, Hawa rammed into Zira's stomach headfirst knocking the wind out of the other lioness who gasped in sudden shock and anger as her body was sent flying to the ground away from the cubs.

Hawa had come running the moment the sounds of a fight had reached her ears. The whole time she been running from Pride Rock she had prayed that she wouldn't be too late. But when she had come across the scene she had caught sight of one cub who laid a distance from the group. Bloody and mangled…and dead.

The sight of the dead cub had both saddened and angered her. Seeing just how tiny he was showed just how horrible this act truly was.

When she saw Zira about to kill another she spurred herself forward digging her claws into the wet ground to keep her from falling as she charged faster then she ever thought she had run before to have enough momentum to knock Zira away from the cubs.

Which she quickly stood above in a protective fashion watching Zira who scrambled to her paws staring at Hawa in disbelief.

Hawa had never been one for bravery. Whenever something arose she would always be the ones to hide behind her sister. Even during the night that Scar died, Hawa had been the one to stay behind many of the others. She knew how to hunt, but Hawa had never been a fighter. That was Kumai's job not hers.

And she could see by the disbelief in Zira's eyes that seeing her there was not something she had expected. Nor had Zira expected one of her own to turn on her. She knew her lionesses were against the plan but none dared to defy her and yet standing there in front of her was the one lioness she counted above all yes to be nothing but a coward and yet she stood there above the cubs of her enemy with hardened eyes that bore into her daring her to try something.

And it wasn't only her that felt disbelief. Kumai stared at her sister with wide eyes suddenly fearful for her life. Why was Hawa there? She was supposed to stay back at Pride Rock with the cubs. Kumai did not want her sister to be apart of this in anyway. She wanted to spare her sister the horrors of what they would witness. All the others around her felt the same…all but one…

Zuri stared at the lioness with wide eyes filled with tears and relief. She knew this lioness well. Behind Zira's back Zuri had spoken with Hawa on many occasion, she thought the lioness was sweet and innocent and didn't deserve how Zira treated them. She had hoped many times to offer Hawa a place in the pride away from Zira but she knew the lioness would never dare go against the tyrant lioness for fear of her sister's life. When she saw that Hawa was first missing she had been hoping the lioness would get help for her.

But it seemed that even though Hawa had come to stop Zira. She had come alone.

A foolish and dangerous thing to have done. Brave. But still foolish and dangerous.

"Hawa!" Snarling, Zira approached the lioness only to stop when Hawa let out a low menacing growl to warn her to stay back. "You pitiful lioness, I bring you in and this is how you betray me?"

"You may have brought us into the Pridelands and I may have once been loyal to you. But that was when you were Queen…but you are Queen no longer. But still I served you…but not because I wanted too or loved you as a leader. I stayed to serve you because I loved those cubs. We all do!" Hawa's voice rose with every word she spoke.

Swallowing any nervousness and fear she felt facing the lioness she knew could kill her in a single fight she stared at her with determination. "And more importantly I stayed for my sister…" she spared a quick glance at her sister then focused her attention back on Zira. "But any love I had for you as a Queen died the night Scar died. The Queen I should have served is lying behind you…she is a far better Queen than you ever were Zira! For a Queen does not kill innocent cubs or those who simply disobey her."

"Only the weak ones don't…and she is weak. But I can see why you want to follow her…you Hawa have ALWAYS been weak." Taking another step forward she stopped again when this time Hawa swiped at her with her claws.

"I may be weak but I will not let you kill these cubs…" twisting her body Hawa glanced at Kopa who was watching her uncertain of what to do. Was this all a trick or was Hawa really trying to save them?

"Grab your sister and follow me…" looking forward, Hawa lunged at Zira swiping with her paw enough to knock her down once again then in a twisting motion she darted at Kumai who still had one cub at her paws. Picking up the darkly tanned cub up in her mouth, lifting her eyes to look at her sister who stared back at her challenging Kumai to try and stop her.

Looking at Kopa who after looking at his mother grabbed Eshe by the back of the neck and quickly took off after Hawa who took off running from the group heading in the right direction of Pride Rock. She knew she could not save the Queen…but she would save the cubs…where she failed in one she would make sure she succeeded in another.

"What are you all waiting for?" roared Zira, climbing to her paws she glared at the others around her. "Follow her! Catch her and bring back those cubs!" she commanded but none of the lionesses seemed to move to give chase to Hawa.

"It seems…you have…disloyalty in your ranks Zira…you are no Queen…and hence they will not follow you…" Zuri breathed out. She wanted to cry as she saw her cubs running away with Hawa. To cry from joy and sadness that she may never see them again. But least they would be safe…

Run my little ones…live…please Great Kings save your heirs…

Snarling Zira whipped around to face Zuri who was smiling at her… "My cubs will live after all…you may have killed one…but the others…they will live…and rule this land as it is their rightful place…" Zuri found it getting harder to breathe what strength she would gladly let go now that her cubs were getting to safety. Through hazy eyes she watched Zira approach her with anger shinning in her own eyes.

"You will loose…and when I see you in the afterlife…I'll make sure you burn for your deeds…" the Queen laughed watching the anger rise in the lioness before her. She felt Baya's hold on her neck disappear as the lioness quickly stepped back as Zira approached and went to stand with the others who were all struggling about what to do. Each thinking whether they should follow Hawa and the cubs but none dared to move…all they could do was turn their heads away as the Queen who once stood up for them was to die at the paws of the lioness who first allowed them to live.

Zuri though with no one holding her down, didn't move from where she laid. Even if she had the strength she knew she would not win. But least her cubs would live…

"I will find those cubs…and I will make them join you in the afterlife where you will suffer for all eternity knowing you brought death upon them. You should have stayed in the Jungles your highness." Raising her paw, Zira met the blue eyes of the lioness beneath her who did not look away. She would die looking into the eyes of her murderer and show no fear.

It was the look in the Queen's eyes that stayed Zira's paw but only for a brief moment as her anger rose. She would make her see fear and feel death with it she thought angrily as her claws extended and with one single blow she brought her paw down upon the Queens head with a force that knocked the brown lionesses head down upon the ground while Zira's claws cut her from face to neck.

Not once did the Queen close her eyes. Not once did she look away from her murderer. Not once did she give Zira the satisfaction of showing fear in the last moments of her life.

Nor did she close her eyes as her life drained away from her. Staring up at the one who took her life.

And as her vision faded…so did the reign of the Queen.