A/N: Hello my lovely readers, I'm so sorry that I haven't been able to update, school is back in now and I have a several AP classes and a VERY demanding choral and student advisory group, so I've had a lot on my plate. I have really missed this story and now that I'm settled into school, I hope I can update somewhat regularly! Those of you who are in school, good luck with this year and I hope you find it rewarding, I'll be a junior in high school, so I'm excited...and nervous...wow, only one more year to go. Hope you enjoy this chapter, it will be the last "long" chapter. And so on with the story! I don't own The Lion King!

Chapter 26: Unexpected Ties

Uru had fallen asleep, and though Jolina couldn't see anything but the interior of the cave, she knew that it was probably sometime after sunset. Jolina looked at her innocent little daughter, and the sinister shadows that played across the cave wall reflected her mind, as she wondered if she was going to be able to keep her promise. Then the three lionesses that had escorted Jolina into the cave appeared before her. One of them dragging a scrape of meat.

"We thought you might be hungry." the light tan one stated.

Jolina eyed the elder lioness suspiciously, but she answered,

"Why are you trying to help me?"

The lioness sighed and said,

"Because you are our only hope."

Jolina stood in shock for a moment, then slowly answered,

"Uh..Excuse me?"

"You are the only one that can help us escape the servitude that we have been enslaved in for so long." the lionesses said.

"You mean, you're slaves?" Jolina asked.

The lioness slowly nodded her head, casting her eyes to the floor of the cave.

" I don't understand though, how do you know my parents? And how am I the only one who can help you?" Jolina asked.

The lioness exchanged glances and the tan one spoke again,

"Because I was once a member of your parent's kingdom. We all were." and she gestured to the other lionesses.

"Wait, how do I know this isn't some kind of trick? I wouldn't put it past Sinjun to do something this treacherous." Jolina said.

The older lioness sighed and dropped her head,

"I don't know how to answer that, all I know is to tell the truth and pray that you will understand."

Jolina heard the sincerity of her tone, her harsh facade melting, and she said,

"Alright, I believe you. But if you were a part of my parent's pride, then how are you alive?"

"Now that is a very long story. Is it true that you have been reunited with your father?" the lioness asked.

Jolina nodded her head, and the lioness continued,

"So he has told you about your past?"

"Yes." Jolina answered.

"And so you are aware that your parents were the king and queen, and that you my dear, were born a princess?" the lioness said.

"Well, yes he did tell me all those things. But he also said that everyone was killed, and only a few managed to escape when Rondo attacked the pride." Jolina replied.

Just as the tan lioness began to speak, one of the others interrupted her,

"Don't you think it best if we introduce ourselves?"

"Oh yes, of course, I'm so sorry. My name is Holly, and this is Mona and Chaka. They are sisters." Holly said.

"Twin sisters to be exact." Chaka piped in.

"My name is Jolina and this is my daughter Uru." Jolina said.

"My what a unique and beautiful coat she has." Mona said.

Jolina smiled warmly and then Holly spoke,

"Your mother and I are actually cousins, her mother and mine were sisters."

Jolina politely interrupted,

"Wait, you're my cousin? Is that way your eyes seem so similar to my mother's?"

Holly smiled,

"Oh yes, it runs in the family. Though I can see you got your looks from your father."

Jolina smiled, and Holly continued,

"I was always very close to your sister, we grew up together in fact. Life was wonderful for our pride after your parents were married. But then Rondo came back, I was actually with you during the initial attack, before your mother managed to escape with you. She felt horrible for abandoning the pride and Azir, and the only thing that would convince her to leave was your safety, so we said our farewells and she left. By the time I rejoined the others for the battle, it was all but over, the bodies of my friends, elders, and even little cubs littered the ground. So many were dead that I assumed your father was among them. Only about six of us remained alive. Oh Jolina, Rondo went on a rampage looking for you. He even tortured and murdered two young lionesses for your whereabouts, but of course they did not know. The remaining four of us were taken captive and forced into slavery for Rondo and his gang. One of them was Leila, a good friend of your parents. She was forced to be Rondo's mate and she is Sinjun's mother. After she gave birth to a son, Rondo had little use for her, and when she saw how twisted and brainwashed her child had become, she just... withered away. Poor dear. But the three of us have been serving Rondo's gang since. When Rondo was still around reports came in about a lioness and her adolescent cub living in a nearby jungle. Rondo believed it to be you and was once again possessed by the obsession of killing you. In spite of the advice his lieutenants gave him, he left for the jungle, but never came back. No one ever knew what became of him." Holly finished.

"I do." Jolina said with a coldness she'd never known before. She swallowed the grief of her mother's senseless murder and said,

"He did find us. But my mother killed him."

"Oh Aza, she always was a fierce fighter. Where is she now?" Holly said excitedly.

Jolina sighed as one small tear-drop slid down her cheek.

"She did kill him, but she-she gave her own life in doing so."

There was a pause among the lionesses, as all remembered the dear friend, queen, and mother that Aza had been.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. But she would be very proud of you." Holly finally said.

"Thank you." Jolina replied warmly, she didn't take the praise of her mother's relative and close friend lightly.

Holly continued this time assuming an authoritative and more serious tone,

"But now that you know our story, we must explain to you Sinjun's plan, at least what we've been able to piece together of it."

Jolina nodded as Holly began to explain.

"So now that I've acquired his mate and daughter, that fool of a king will surely come for them, and when he does, he and that pathetic pride of his will fall right into our trap." Sinjun explained.

"This had better work Sinjun. I will not tolerate failure. Do not disappoint me as your father did." a large lion said, extending a sharp claw to Sinjun's chin.

"I won't." Sinjun replied coldly.

A/N: Okay, I have changed my mind about how much of this story there is left. I was going to combine the next three segments of scenes into a mega chapter. Well I've realized how irrational that was now that I have no time. So instead of you guys having to wait forever for a mega chapter, now you can enjoy the more broken down and frequent updates. Thank you for your patience and I hope you enjoyed this chapter. *Nantsingonyama*