Hey, guys. I figured most would be upset with me for what I did in the last chapter, but that's part of the story. But anyways, sorry it's been awhile since I last updated. College is a real pain in the tail, and the adjustment period is rough to get re-used to. I'm nearly done with the story, so just bear with me as best as you can. It's time to bring this story back to Simba's side. Enjoy the chapter and get back to me.

The Pride Lands were stirring with talk all from all herds, packs, and individuals. It had only been an hour when Simba was brought to the cave, but already everyone in the Pride Lands and their brother knew about the king's condition. An attempt to take his life had happened near the edge of the Pride Lands, and Zazu was quick to do damage control. He knew the queen was in no condition to talk, with Kiara and Tanabi not much better off. But sooner or later, the queen would have to shore up her responsibilities and tell the people. In the meantime, Zazu would do what he could to keep the people calm, but informed.

Timon and Pumbaa were still not back, mainly from having to travel a long distance to inform Rafiki of the king's wounds, and Nala was getting worried. She could tell Simba was in great pain, but she didn't know if his injuries were life-threatening. He had woken up from his coma, at times. But he was not aware of her or the others. He would go in a delirious talk or rant before slipping back into unconsciousness.

Nala sat at Simba's side, keeping her paw on her mate. If Kovu was right, and the Outsiders attacked, then they would need all the help they could get. Zira had probably not given her pride any mercy in her training them, and they would be fighting to the last breath. Simba, I hope you recover soon, because we're gonna need you in this fight.

She heard footsteps and turned to see her son come up to her. She smiled and bumped heads with him. "Tanabi, I thought you would be outside with your sister and brother."

"Kiara is with Kovu right now. I didn't want to disturb them." He ducked down to reveal Kopa on his head, holding onto his mane. "As for little bro, I've been having a difficult time getting him off my back." The little cub jumped off of Tanabi. "No pun intended."

Kopa walked up and placed his paws on his father's mane. He looked up at his mother. "Hey, Mama. Is Dad okay?"

Nala pulled him away from Simba. "Yes, honey. He's just very tired, so he needs his sleep." She gave him a reassuring smile, but she was thankful he couldn't see the worry in her eyes. She didn't want him crying at the fact that his father was seriously hurt. She nudged him towards the mouth of the cave. "Why don't you go play with your friends? They might want to have some fun with you."

Kopa jumped for joy and ran out of the cave. Tanabi watched him sprint off like a blur. "If he keeps that up, he'll be hunting with the lionesses."

"Yeah, he gets that from his mother's side of the family," Nala teased. "I'd say the same for you too. But Kiara definitely inherited a lot of your father, which makes her the most challenging of the three of you. Of course, if it wasn't for challenging, raising children wouldn't be fun."

Tanabi forced a laugh. "Yeah, I'll keep that in mind when I get married."

"What do you think of Tavira?" Nala asked. She was sure what his answer was, but she wanted to hear it out loud. Since they were on the subject, she thought it best to clear the air right now.

The look on her son's face told the story: he wasn't interested. "She's too high maintenance for me. I couldn't see myself with her at all. Granted, she's attractive, but she gives me that 'serve the queen' impression."

Nala sighed in relief. "That makes two of us. She doesn't seem to be the best choice in the world. Have you found anyone at all interesting?"

Tanabi's thoughts were directed on Vitani, the lioness who attacked him earlier. He wasn't sure how he felt about her, but he did seem to be much more at ease with her than the other young lionesses in the pride here. However, he wasn't going to reveal that the one he was interested in was one of Zira's pride. "I've found two or three, but I'm not in any rush right now. I'd just prefer to wait and get settled back in. You gotta remember, Mom, that I've only been back here for a few days."

She held up her paw. "Okay, okay. I was just curious." She looked back at Simba. "I wonder how he's doing…"

"Yeah, he's been coming in and out. It's like he's in another world. But I'm sure he'll pull through just fine. Pops took quite a fall into the gorge, from what Kovu told me. If he didn't get up and keep running, then I'd be worried about the old guy."

Nala arched an eyebrow. "You know, in many cases, that's disrespect to talk about your king and father like that. You might want to be a little more formal about him."

Tanabi shrugged. "What's he gonna do? Exile me?" He chuckled. "Mom, I've got most of my informality from both him and Uncle Danny. You can't blame me for my upbringing and survival-of-the-fittest lifestyle I've been living the last few years."

She popped her eyebrows up for a split second. "Good point. Even when he tries to be formal, your father still can't get rid of that other side of him. Danny probably wasn't much help either." She smiled and shook her head. "It's so hard to believe that your uncle was around just before I was born, and yet I'm considered older than him in maturity. Not that he's immature, or anything like that."

"Yeah, I know what you mean. He says humans have a longer lifespan than us and that lions generally don't have as many males in a pride as we do."

"What else did he tell you?" Nala said, sounding amused.

The young lion let a smug grin surface on his expression. "He also said that lionesses do the majority of the work, while the pride lions do the equivalent of watching television and drinking beer, whatever that means. But I'm sure he means that we do nothing by that."

"Well that's certainly true," Nala said. "Aside from decision making and patrols, you lions just sit around and sleep."

"Now, that's not true. We lions patrol the borders for rogues and defend the pride from danger. Not to mention that Dad makes decisions for the people. That's not an easy job."

"That's what she said," Nala remarked, having the satisfaction of seeing her son's jaw drop. But it did help ease the tension she was feeling about Simba. She was worried about him, but all she could do was wait. Having a good conversation with her son helped her immensely. But even a good conversation couldn't make the worry go away completely, just her mate's full recovery.

Kovu sat outside of the cave. He was glad that he had finally gained Simba's respect and trust. However, a wave of guilt settled over him. He could've avoided this entire fiasco by simply admitting the whole thing to both him and Kiara in the morning. They never would've gone out to the borders or even the gorge, not without escort anyways. If anything happened to Simba, he would never be able to get rid of the guilt, and nothing anyone else could say or do would help.

He slapped himself mentally. "Why did I agree to walk out that far? Why was I the one to escape okay and Simba got injured?"

"Who are you talking to, Kovu?"

Kovu turned to see Kiara walk up to him. She had a smile on her face, but her eyes held concern. Not just for her father, but for Kovu as well. She already knew what the deal was with Kovu, that he was a spy whose mission was to infiltrate the pride and kill her father. She knew he had a change of heart, mostly because of his love for her. Kiara sat down beside him. "You gonna answer or just give me the silent treatment?"

Kovu didn't smile; he just hung his head. "Just to myself, I guess." He closed his eyes. "If I had just told him about the whole plan right away, he would be just fine and not laying in the cave in a coma."

Kiara licked his face. "Kovu, you can't beat yourself over this. It happened and there's nothing you could've done about it."

"Kiara, a lot of things fell apart in the gorge."

"Tanabi told me, I know," she was starting to sound a little edgy.

"But I don't think you know how much. You were here, and not there with me and Simba."

She rolled her eyes. "Why can't you just believe you did everything you could?"

Kovu looked down at the ground. He didn't like where this was going, but he had to make her understand his side as best as possible. He wasn't as sure as she was, but part of that was because she wasn't at the gorge when the attack happened, and he was. "Did I? I don't know." He walked over to the side of the promontory arch. "Maybe I shouldn't have let him take us out there. Maybe I was afraid he would exile me if I confessed. Maybe I panicked."

Kiara looked at him with bewilderment. I can't believe he just said that. "From what I heard, you were the one lion who didn't panic. So why don't you do us a favor and quit hording all the guilt?"

The dark lion sighed. Why can't this be an easy explanation? "Kiara, what you hear and what you experience are two different things. If you were there, you would understand."

"I've experienced how calm you are. You saved my life from the fire, remember?" She returned and nuzzled him softly. She didn't want to raise her voice, but it was the only way to get through to him right now. "You just need to accept it for what it is, Kovu. Because it's not going to get much better. Best case scenario is that Father recovers and things will be back to normal."

"It doesn't get much better?" Kovu repeated. "That might be the case, Kiara. But it can get a lot worse, much worse than you think. I highly doubt it'll get back to normal anytime soon." He focused his gaze from her ruby eyes to the borders, the border where the Outsiders were.

Kiara looked that way and back to Kovu. "You're not just worried about Simba, aren't you? You're worried about whether or not Zira attacks now."

Kovu managed a mirthless laugh. "Oh, I know she's going to attack. I'm just worried about the lives that will be lost in the process, especially my sister, Vitani." The very thought threatened to rip open his heart. "If anything happens to my sister, I'll never be the same. I just wish there was some other way of resolving this."

He felt the soft, feeling of Kiara rubbing her head into his mane. The warm feeling made him feel much better, but it didn't alleviate his concern. Still, he was very grateful to have a lioness who loved him and sympathized with him like Kiara. "Thanks for listening, Kiara. I love you."

"That's what I'm here for, Kovu. I love you too."

They remained close to each other, until the sound of the people stirring loudly caused them to look out. In the distance, they could see three figures coming in at a quick pace. Once they could make out the mandrill, they knew it was Timon, Pumbaa, and Rafiki. Kiara broke from their embrace. "Rafiki's here. I need to tell Mother."

Kovu followed suit, but not before taking another look at the distant border. He sighed. "Vitani, I pray you are safe and sound. I hope nothing happens to you."

Rafiki tended to Simba. The family remained distant to let Rafiki concentrate on Simba's wounds. Everyone was letting anxiety get the best of them, wondering if the shaman would be able to determine his health status. Rafiki had brought many gourds, spices, and herbs with him. However, the look on his face, before his back was turned to them, was lacking the confidence he bore in the past. Right now, it would take a miracle.

He could easily see the dislocated shoulder. There was nothing he could do about that. It would have to heal on its own. The chest had some bruising and he placed a large amount of gourd juice on Simba's midsection, hoping that it would be enough. After feeling his head and looking at Simba's eyes, he was certain he had sustained a concussion. He placed a handful of gourd juice and herbs on his nose and eyelids.

It wasn't going to be long before he would have to report the king's health to the queen. The mandrill only hoped that the queen would be able to handle duties for a while, at least until the king was much better. He was glad Kiara and Kovu were brought together, but he wondered how this fit into the Creator's plans.

He finished with a prayer and headed outside. Nala was waiting expectantly for him, hoping to hear some good news. Rafiki sighed and bowed before the queen. "My lady, I am finished."

"Is he going to be okay?"

"He has taken a concussion and has a dislocated shoulder. Der is nothing I can do for dat and his chest also is bruised. Other dan dat, he is going to be fine." He tried to think of how he was going to say his final portion of his report. "For reasons I can't explain, he won't wake up."

Nala's slowly forming smile faded at the last statement. "What?"

"I don't know wat to say. I am truly sorry, my queen. He is wit da kings, for da time being."

As hurt as she was, there was nothing more that could be done. "Thank you, Rafiki. You may go home now." She watched as the mandrill began his long walk back to his tree, and looked at the others. Kiara was already showing her emotions and even Tanabi sniffed a little. Kovu simply dipped his head in sorrow. They were all hurting just like her, but as queen, she had a duty to do. She looked at the two lions of the group. "I need you both to begin drawing up a battle strategy. If Zira does attack, then I want us to be ready…" It took her forever to get the words out. "…with Simba or without him. I will address the crowd. You gather the lionesses and tell them what to do."

"What are you gonna do, Mom?" Kiara asked.

"I'm going to inform the people. They have to know what's going on."

As Nala walked up the promontory arch, Tanabi waved all of the pride's lionesses over to him. They all formed a circle around them, while Tanabi and Kovu quickly conversed among each other, keeping their voices low. Kiara told the lionesses what was going on and they simply waited for either of the two lions to say something.

Tanabi shook his mane and idly pawed the ground. "So what do we do here? Do you want to give the strategy or should I?"

"Maybe I should. I know how Zira thinks, how she acts, and how she fights. I will give a good defensive strategy to anticipate the Outsider's moves, you teach them something on the offensive side and how to shake them off. You seem to do a good job at that."

"Yeah, I guess I do," Tanabi said with a laugh. "Get to it."

Kovu turned and face the lionesses. All of them looked at him expectantly. Some were a little surprised that Kovu was giving out the strategy. Others were just focused on what was going to happen. This was one thing Kovu was confident in what to do. He didn't feel nervous to the point of stuttering, but it was there. "You all know me, so I'm going to be straight to the point. Zira is most likely going to attack, and it's probably going to happen at night."

He extended his claws and began drawing in the sand. "Since I've been living with the Outsiders for almost my entire life, I know how they will attack, how they will move, and how they will evade. I need you to gather closely and listen, but make sure everyone has a decent sight." They all obeyed as he began his strategy.

"The Outsiders are very aggressive in their attacks and defense. Their fundamentals are unbelievably sound, so any sloppiness in ours can lead to casualties. The best way to counter this is with an agile attack. We're most likely going to attack each other in a line, so the front line is going to charge. As we charge, everyone is going to shift at the last second. Everyone will take the lioness to their left. Whoever our lioness is on the end of the left side of the line has the most difficult. She will have to run behind the line of lionesses to the right side. She will take the enemy lioness on that side. Otherwise, our lioness on the far right will be vulnerable to attack."

The lionesses talked amongst each other and nodded. Xolani, one of the few veterans still here, agreed. "It's going to have to be one of our faster lionesses. Anything else, Kovu?"

"Yes, there is. Once we've engaged them, they're going to go for key points of our bodies. The eyes, the jaw, legs, just some of many spots they'll go for. They especially like to hit their opponent low, so we need to get lower. Whoever gets the lowest will have the better leverage, but another option is to duck out of the way and go for a wild swipe. It doesn't always work, but when it does, it leaves them in great pain. They'll think twice before they try a low shot again."

"What else?" Another lioness asked.

Hmmm…they tend to try to tackle and roll their opponents to quickly pin them. Don't let that happen. You must use your balance and momentum to counter that if you end up in that situation."

Kovu recalled the events of today to remember how they attacked him and Simba. "Another thing that they will try to do is jump on your back. This may seem like a bad position to be in, but believe it or not, they are the most vulnerable in this position. If they jump on you, roll with their momentum. They'll either jump off or go slamming into the ground, so I'm pretty sure they're smart enough to jump off." A few laughs could be heard among the pride. "If you see a fellow lioness in this predicament, then help them out. Usually the best way I know how is to spear the other lioness while their on top of our own. I'll let Tanabi explain that."

Tanabi stretched his legs and paws and cracked his neck. "Now, my methods for attack can be somewhat unorthodox, but they are very effective. Spearing is obviously the best attack there is, but it's a high risk/reward attack. If you connect, then it will dole out great pain. If you miss, you're eating a faceful of dirt. Swiping is your best bet at keeping them at bay and causing damage."

"That's where ferocity and fundamentals come in for you," Kovu added in.

"The Outsiders may be tough, but that difficulty finding food and water might be a big factor in this battle. They will be fierce and using their survival instinct to their advantage, but they can't last forever. The best offensive plan is a defensive one: we wait and let them tire themselves out. We wait for an opening, and when that happens, we take them out."

Numerous lionesses roared their approval. Kiara was one of the few who didn't like where this was going. She wanted to bring a peaceful solution to this whole matter, but that seemed very unlikely. With what the Outsiders did to her father, payback was looking to be the high priority for the pride.

Zira and the Outsiders discussed the battle plan outside of the termite mound. They had left Nuka's body back in the gorge, and retreated to their territory. The last thing they all wanted was to be ambushed before they were ready. A few lionesses were on patrol to keep watch for attackers, but most of them were gathered around Zira. Vitani was there, but at the same time, she was not there.

Her thoughts were focused on Tanabi, the lion she was supposed to ambush and kill. Now, she couldn't help but think of how merciful he was. In another time, when she was extremely naïve and cocky, she would've taken that for weakness. But there was something in his eyes, something she couldn't quite place. He had showed her compassion, and spared her life. He has such cute ey-wait, what am I thinking? He's the son of the king who banished me. Why should I like anything about him? And why did he let me live?

Those questions couldn't be asked now, but she had lost some of her fight. Part of that was due to her fatigue and injuries, but she knew that the reports from Kovu and Tanabi's kindness had taken their toll on her meanness. That was always her edge in battle, and now, she wasn't sure she could carry it out. At least, not on Kovu or Tanabi.

Zira was busy rousing the Outsiders. "Simba has cost us plenty over the past few years. First, he banishes us to the Outlands. Hardly any food or water for ourselves, living in a termite mound during scorching days and ice cold nights. Now, he has corrupted Kovu and killed Nuka. I have had my fill of Simba and plan to rid the Pride Lands of that infestation. He usurped the throne from our beloved Scar. It's time we take the fight to them."

The entire group of Outsiders roared in approval of Zira's motivating words. They were itching for a fight for years, and now they had their opportunity. They would triumph over the Pride Landers, kill the three males, and wait for a rogue to take up the reigns of a new era. Kovu had failed them, and Nuka was dead. They had no males left, so a dark rogue was their best option.

One lioness stood out among the Outsiders. "What about Kovu, Zira?"

Zira stared darkly at her. "What about him? He's no longer one of us."

"I understand that, my lady," the lioness responded. "But he knows our tactics, our signals, and battle plans. He will, most assuredly, inform the Pride Landers of this to help them gain an edge."

The matriarch smiled. "Then maybe we need to change our own battle plans. It may take adjustments for us that we'll have to learn quickly. But if that means victory, will you do it?"

"To the bitter end!" A lioness shouted.

"For Scar!" Another lioness chanted. "For Scar! For Scar!" A few lionesses began drawing it up into a cheer. It spread rapidly to the entire pride, and soon, the entire termite mound was shaking. The loud noise echoed along the lands outside, causing a noticeable disturbance to the animals along the borders of the Pride Lands.

Zira let the cheers continue for a while before quieting them down. They needed to begin working. "Alright, we need to get ready for the upcoming battle. The sun will be down in a few hours, and it's going to be a very busy night."

The Pride Landers had finished their on-the-go training from Kovu and Tanabi. It was hard to digest everything both lions had taught them, but they all felt confident they could handle the fight in the upcoming battle. They no knew that no matter who won tonight, this battle was going to be an absolute bloodbath. A lot of them wanted to avoid this, but knew that playing the wishing game was pointless. Any chance for a peaceful solution between the two forces was now gone after the ambush to Simba.

The people were growing anxious for the battle, hoping the pride would swiftly defeat the Outsiders for good. They were absolutely furious at the Outsiders and wanted them taken care of immediately. However, they knew that time could not be rushed. The pride was hoping for Simba to recover in time to lead them into battle, and they still needed as much time to practice their new moves and techniques.

As the hours passed, Nala knew that she would have to lead the pride into battle with the current situation. Simba was still in and out. There were times when he would come to and talk, but no one was sure if he was delirious or not. Lord, I sure could use some help right now.

She was glad that Tanabi and Kovu were here. Having her son and future son-in-law with her made her feel comfortable, but having Simba conscious and able to fight would be even better. They were sure to be outnumbered with Simba in a doubtful condition and Danny gone to save the other part of the Pride Landers. As queen, she would have to lead them.

Nala came to Xolani, who was laying down next to the entrance of the cave. Xolani had trained her so much when she was young, and with Sarabi gone, she was one of the few remaining lionesses Nala looked up to. Xolani quickly rose and bowed when she noticed Nala approach. "My queen."

Nala waved her down. "Please, Xolani. Not so formal, especially now. I need a chance to relax for one final time."

The senior lioness shrugged. "Nah, you got plenty more times to relax in the future, Nala." She looked out at the people, who were gathered around, waiting for news on Simba. "We're gonna be in for it tonight, but we'll still pull off the victory."

Nala arched her eyebrows. She was clearly amused by her former teacher's words. "You think we'll win?"

"Honey, we've been through much worse. We've seen a lot of strange and tough situations, but I strongly believe we will win this fight. Zira is a lot of things. She's smart, she's tough, but she's also very cocky and emotionally driven. Anything that gets under her skin will cause her to lose her poise and leadership abilities."

"I hope you're right," Nala replied. "I just want this to be over with."

"You sound as though you've lost confidence."

The queen laughed. "No, just shaken a little bit. I know what's expected of me, but it just hasn't happened often where I've had to take complete reign of the pride right now."

"Danny believed in you, Nala," Xolani said, placing her paw on Nala's. "He believed in both you and Simba, not just Simba alone. That's why he left to go find his family, or even when he went to rescue Sarabi when there were already problems with Zira. He knew you could handle the issues in the Pride Lands."

"You really think he believes in me?" Nala asked.

"If he didn't, he probably might've considered staying until he was sure things would be smooth."

Nala nodded, looking caught off-guard. "Hmm…you could be right at that. I never looked at Danny's departure that way."

"He's seen how you stand up to Zira, especially during Scar's reign. You attacked her when Scar reigned with all the hyenas running about. That was a much worse time then. Now, it's not so bad…even in spite of Danny and Simba not being here." Xolani looked down the slope and back at Nala. "I think you have visitors."

Nala turned around to see seven male cheetahs walk up to her. She recognized the leader as Hakimu, the older brother of Haraka. They had been in the lands for roughly three years, but hadn't come to Pride Rock that often unless it was to check on their brother. They all bowed instantly. Hakimu spoke. "Your Highness, we have come to you to offer our services in the fight to come."

The queen frowned. She had an idea as to what they were asking, but wanted to be sure. "You may rise. How so?"

The cheetahs rose and Hakimu stepped forward. "We wish to assist you in your fight against the Outsiders."

Nala was stunned. Did I hear correctly? The seven cheetahs were volunteering their service to help fight alongside the Pride Landers. She regained her composure. "And why do you want to aid us against the Outsiders?"

The coalition leader pawed the ground idly. "Our brother has gone with King Danny to fight against a far superior enemy. Even though he is the youngest of us, his bravery and loyalty to the king has inspired us to make a stand as well. We haven't had much chance to do so until now. We may not be very strong, but our speed will help wear them down. We do not want to experience the dark reign our mother did during Scar's time, and would rather die than live to see that happen again."

Nala watched as the entire coalition bowed once again to her, keeping their heads low in respect. Hakimu, with his head low, said, "Queen Nala…we, your humble servants, pledge our support to you."

The blue-eyed lioness couldn't help but smile. These seven cheetahs were willing to risk their lives for the sake of the continued peace under Simba and Danny's rule. She had never seen such a pledged support from the people like these cheetahs. Nala wished she could take them up on their offer. "I'm very proud to have people who are willing to pay the ultimate price for victory, and the rest of the people should be as well. Sadly, I must decline this offer. By royal protocol, we cannot have assistance by other species in a takeover battle, even if they're fellow felines. Danny, if he were here, would be the exception because of his title, but no others."

Hakimu, though disappointed, kept his voice firm. "We understand, but if you need us to, we will gladly give our lives for our kings."

"I appreciate the vote of confidence."

Nala's jaw dropped, as did Hakimu's and Xolani's. Tell me I'm not hearing things? All three of them were stunned to hear a familiar voice come from behind them. They all looked as a red-maned lion stepped out. He had a little bit of a limp, but he seemed to be fine. His once-dislocated shoulder seemed normal, which meant he probably popped it back in himself.

Simba smiled. "You guys weren't planning on having a picnic without me, were you?"

Though she was extremely relieved and elated that her mate was alright, Nala walked toward him. "Simba, you should be inside and getting some rest."

"I'm rested and I'm as healthy as can be. Zira is going to attack soon and I need to be in the fight if we're gonna win. There's no point in me sitting in the cave while the rest of you fight."

Nala shook her head. "No, you can re-injure yourself in the battle, maybe worse."

Simba nuzzled her. "I appreciate your concern, love. But as king, it's my duty to fight off rogues. The Outsiders are the rogues that threaten my kingdom, and I am going to see to it myself that it is protected. Besides, if I'm going to risk my neck, it's my business." There was definitely something different about Simba. He seemed more confident, more determined, and acted as though he already knew the outcome of the battle.

Knowing that there was no winning this debate, Nala smiled. "Well, Simba. You are the king and I've already said my piece. But I'm with you all the way to the end." She furrowed her brow. "I would like to know, though…why do you seem so sure of this?"

The king looked up at the sky and looked back at her. His smile seemed to glow. "Let's just say I have some incentive from the other side." He looked at Hakimu and smiled. "I appreciate your faithfulness and will to fight, but this is a matter among the pride. Stay here and ensure the people remain calm and safe. Afterwards, come back here. We're going to need someone to protect our cubs."

"At once, my king." After bowing, Hakimu and the coalition left to head to the people. They would make sure the king's orders were carried out.

No sooner than they left, Zazu came flying in at full speed. He slowed down and stopped in front of Simba. The panic on his face was as evident as the setting sun. However, seeing the king walking and unconcerned about his condition helped relieve him somewhat. "Sire, it's good to see that your health has returned to you." His smile disappeared immediately, as the reason why he flew as fast as he could to Pride Rock returned to the top of his mind. "Simba, the Outsiders are on the attack and heading this way. It's war, your Majesty."

Simba nodded and his expression became a serious, commanding face. "Zazu, remain here. A coalition of cheetahs will be here in a few minutes to help protect the cubs. Give them some direction. Nala and I are going to assemble the pride."

He looked out at the distant sky. "There's a storm approaching, and we're going to need to be ready. Let's move…now!"

The Outsiders left the termite mound and began moving towards the Pride Lands. At the front were Zira and Vitani, spearheading a V-formation of lionesses. They had spent a long time practicing new techniques and strategies because of Kovu's betrayal. Their first stop, was a nearby mud pit. To have a better defense, they would need to take away the Pride Landers' grappling advantage of their claws by making their entire bodies slick with mud. It would also make them able to recognize each other.

All of them entered two-by-two, going in up to their heads before walking out. They had the advantage in numbers, but the lack of male strength was a challenge they would have to overcome. But if each male became isolated, then it would be easy pickings.

Now, clad in mud and water, the clique of lionesses moved towards their target. Dark clouds covered them and rumbling of thunder was soon accompanied by heavy rain. This would be an advantage they would so desperately need in order to win the fight against Simba and his pride.

No matter the weather condition, fights in defense of the Pride Lands celebrate a love affair between a pride and its people. With one battle separating them from life and death, the people of the Pride Lands hoped the sun would not set on a spectacular pride of lions, and a legendary reign.

Simba had never lost in the Pride Lands, and he had already beaten Zira three years ago, on a day where Zira had the elements of surprise and diversion on her side. Now, she didn't have the element of surprise with her, but what Simba wasn't sure whether she would have a diversion set or not. His gut instinct said she didn't have one. The Pride Landers would be grouped together, so dividing them by diversion wouldn't work. If Zira sent the other half to attack the people, that would be foolishness. Hakimu and the rest would make short work of the Outsiders and make things twice as difficult. No, she would commit her entire force to Simba's pride.

Simba looked to his left. Tanabi had taken on section of the lionesses and formed a small squad. He had three lionesses, which was all he wanted. He preferred to have a small group to be more nimble and move more faster. Simba let his son have his way and form a small squad. The part of him that was the overprotective father was beginning to dim with the return of his son from the dead.

Off to his right, Kovu and Kiara commanded an average group of four lionesses, five including Kiara. They were more of the all-around group, ready to do any task necessary in this battle. Simba didn't want Kiara to get involved in the fight, but felt more at ease with Kovu at her side. He'll never let anything happen to her as long as he's breathing.

As for him, he and Nala took the rest of the lionesses, including Dembe and Xolani. As senior lionesses, they were vital to the younger lionesses' fighting spirit. They were looked up to by many, especially the king and queen. They had been around more than anyone else, and the only other senior lionesses were the ones that were abducted: Sarabi, Ebere, and Berhane. Their presence as mentors and fighters would be invaluable in the coming fight.

Another group that joined was the dynamic duo of Timon and Pumbaa. Though the royal law had made it clear that a battle of a pride takeover was only between lions, the meerkat and warthog had no royal code. So they tagged along regardless of the law because as far as they were concerned, the law didn't apply to them. They were going to help their friend, despite Simba's protests.

The clouds that were once distant were now rolling over them, and with them came lightning, thunder, and rain. That was going to make things a bit tricky, but in a fight for their lives and the Pride Lands, courage counts. There could be no place for nerve and excuses, no margin for error.

Simba looked into the distance. Even in the darkness and sudden flashes of lightning, he could make out the shuffling outlines of the Outsiders. Simba lowered his ears and dropped his head, readying himself for any surprising attacks. This is it. No turning back now.

The Outsiders stopped at an arching rock. Zira walked to the top of the rock, looking out as if she was the queen of the Pride Lands once again. Two lionesses, including Vitani, flanked her as the rest of the Outsiders formed a loose formation of a line. They had a slightly inverted V-formation.

The Pride Landers moved into position, taking on a two-line formation. They formed with precision and even spacing, showing mental discipline and bearing. Of course, the Outsiders could've cared less about their formation. The only thing they cared about was how the Pride Landers' fighting skill was.

Zira saw Simba walk in front of his pride like an officer inspecting his troops. She smirked. "So Simba, how are you feeling right now?" The lionesses below her snickered evilly.

Simba narrowed his eyes. "Well enough to kick your sorry hides from here to the other side of Africa." He shook the water from his mane. Even though this was a battle, he had an ulterior motive to all this. What he experienced during his time being unconscious had made him decide to change tactics. He wasn't sure if he was going to beat the Outsiders, but he wanted to at least stall out for a while. That was a reason he wasn't going to share with anyone yet. He smirked. "You're the one who really lost. You failed to kill me and now Kovu has realized what the rest of us know about you."

"I'll remedy both mistakes myself!" Zira snapped. "It's over, Simba. I have dreamed of nothing else for years." She growled, bearing her teeth.

Simba could hear Timon speaking to Pumbaa. "Boy, does she need a hobby."

The king fought to keep the smile off his face and looked back up at Zira. "I'm going to give you one, final chance. If you deny it from this point, you will never have the chance to get it again. Go home, Zira."

"I…am…home." She responded, giving him her most wicked smile. She raised her voice so all her pride could hear. "Attack!"

Simba shook his head. That's it. No more chances for redemption. He roared and the pride began slowly moving forward. Kovu and Tanabi replied by ordering their groups to begin moving. All of them began moving as one, ready to clash with the other. At first, the two prides seemed to inch closer and closer. Then the Outsiders initiated by charging towards their enemy, with Simba and his pride retaliating by an equal charge.

Then Kovu shouted his command audible. "Shift! Shift!"

Tavira, who was the lioness on the far left, heard him clearly. She slowed down a bit and began running behind the line of Pride Landers, running at an angle so that she was able to keep close to them while moving towards the Outsiders. They came closer and closer to each other, and she knew that she needed to time this perfectly. Half her attention was on her running path; she had to make sure she wasn't too far or too close from the line. The other half was on the Outsiders. Tavira needed to time this in a small window in order for it to work. The two sides were only ten feet away.

Then Kovu called the second part of his audible. "Left! Left!"

Just then, all lionesses on the Pride Lander side jumped and attacked the Outsider to their left. The sudden shift caught the Outsiders off guard, and they hesitated. The one free lioness on the Outsiders was about to attack when she realized that no one jumped her, but that quickly changed when Tavira speared her in the side.

Even though the initial attack sputtered the offense of the Outsiders, they quickly recovered. In the last huge fight between the two, the Outsiders had displayed more power attacks in the past. Zira had boldly cast aside her regular battle plan in pursuit of victory. It wasn't their power, but rather their finesse that blindsided the Pride Landers early.

The Outsiders kept backing up and moving from side to side while the Pride Landers kept moving forward. It seemed that the Outsiders were slowly retreating, but the tips of their lines began moving backwards and were re-focusing on the center of the lines. Simba didn't realize it until he saw some of Zira's lionesses were not attacking, only moving. He frowned, not knowing what they were doing. If he was a dumb king, he would've thought the Outsiders would've given up, but he knew Zira better than that.

"Spear them now!" Zira shouted.

Then it happened. The center of the Outsiders began charging, backed by the tips of their lines that had formed up behind them. The result was a spearheaded drive that managed to divide the Pride Lander's forces in two. Now, they had the advantage.

Tanabi and his three lionesses managed to keep close and formed a defensive diamond, with each individual lion having their backs to each other. The form worked as far as keeping the Outsiders at bay, but it wouldn't do any good offensively. Thankfully, they were making it difficult for their enemy to find a hole to attack, and they wouldn't attack the four bluntly without exposing themselves.

Kovu and Kiara were having a harder time, though. While Kovu could handle his own, Kiara and the other four lionesses were relatively inexperienced in battle, and it showed early on. One lioness stepped too far forward and was rewarded with three Outsiders attacking her, forcing the others to come to her aid. They were getting clawed and torn up, but they still were alive, and as long as they were alive, they were still in the fight.

It only did so much good, as the majority of Outsiders worked at isolating Simba's group away from Simba. So far, it was working, and Simba was becoming more and more isolated. He fought with great intensity, and the Outsiders had to wait until they found an opening. Simba didn't give them long enough of a hole to take it, and those that did ended up receiving a clubbing from one of his powerful paws. Nala and the other lionesses held their own, but even with the veteran lionesses in the group, it was becoming increasingly difficult to reach their king.

A lioness from the Outsiders broke from the fight to head towards the Pride Lands, knifing her way through to the gorge. Beyond that was the Pride Lands, and with the rainstorm, most animals would be hiding in the bush or dens and caves. That included the cubs, who were being guarded by Hakimu's coalition. Even though there were seven cheetahs, no lioness wanted to take the chance of losing their cubs.

The breakdown in protection led to all of the Pride Landers running back to chase the enemy lioness down and regroup. Nala ran faster than the others. She, having a two month old son in the cave of Pride Rock, didn't want anything happening to him. It was evident who had cubs because they ran with more energy and with a sense of urgency. Nala managed to tackle the lioness and make short work of her by strongly and swiftly strangulating her.

But the damage was done. It was more than enough to put the Pride Landers on their heels and on full defense. This was exactly the way the Outsiders wanted to start out and it was exactly the way the Pride Landers did not want to. They would eventually run out of room, as the gorge was in the direction the fight was heading towards. The Outsiders began pushing and pushing, but more importantly, Simba was becoming more and more isolated from the others.

For a moment, the Outsiders appeared to be in control of the fight.

That moment did not last long.

As Simba became more and more isolated, Zira had been noticing that he was beginning to tire. With the rest of his pride being held at bay, this was her chance to tackle him when he was off-balance and kill him. She slowly began moving towards him, stalking ever so carefully at her prey. Then when she saw a hole, she made her break.

Another lioness saw this happening as well. She had been able to escape the wall of Outsiders and noticed the isolated Simba and the unspotted Zira heading his way. It was Xolani. "Oh, no. I've got to stop her before she gets Simba." She charged at a spot where she predicted where Zira would be. Zira had reached her point and dove for Simba while he was busy with the other lionesses.

The problem with airborne dives was that your balance was lost; momentum could be shifted by any outside object that came in contact with you. Another thing that needed to be accounted for was for anyone gunning yourself. Zira never accounted for a lioness lurking in the area, and paid the price. Xolani speared Zira and knocked her off course with Simba. Xolani followed through by driving Zira's face into the ground, and her head absorbed most of the shock from the hard landing. The blow left the Outsider leader disoriented, and every Outsider seemed to notice. That gave Nala and the other Pride Landers time to regroup and form a solid defense, as well as aid Simba to keep him from getting isolated.

Xolani's hit changed the course of the fight and stemmed the momentum. The Pride Landers did not allow anymore ground for nearly another full hour.

Hope this was entertaining to read. I am trying to have one or two chapters written by the time I update Heart of a Champion. I have to do it to keep flexibility and for emergencies, so bear with me. Stay tuned, people.