Chapter 28: And Now it Begins

Alright everyone, it's time for the Pride Lander-Scarred Lander War to truly begin. Call the banners, prepare the horses, beat the war drums. We're going to war.


Ni was surprised when he saw that Nala, Simba, and other members of the Pride Lands had come to save Kiara, Kovu. and the others. The only thing that surprised him more was when Wraith attacked Scar from behind and killed him by snapping his neck and then ripping out and eating his still beating heart. Ni never thought Wraith would flip and betray the Scarred Pride, or at least not as extreme as that.

"Ni, what are we gonna do?" one of Ni's hyenas asked.

Ni looked at the hyena and back to Wraith, who had just finished eating Scar's heart. Anyone who would think that Scar's death would progress the Ni's resistance's goal was wrong. Scar being the Scarred Pride's thing was actually a good thing. Scar's mind had deteriorated with age and from when he first saw his mutilated appearance years ago when he escaped the Pride Lands and he couldn't thank as straight as he use to anymore. Even when he suspected any of Ni's resistance movement, he never put much thought into it.

Wraith was however a different story. He was just about six-and-a-half years old and still strong in both body and mind. He often suspected that Ni was up to something suspicious and often talked to Scar about. Scar however never looked in on it and told Wraith not to believe in rumors. Wraith becoming king was the worst thing that could happen for Ni's resistance.

Ni looked back at the hyena.

"Ni what are we going to do?" the hyena asked.

"You see Simba, whatever it is you do, no matter what, you do not mess with the new world order and the new world is very, plainly simple to understand, even if your stupid, which you very may well be. That new world order is this: join the Scarred Pride, or I will kill." Ni heard Wraith say.

That made Ni think back to his old pride. Of his wife, his son, his two daughters, their cubs and his other pride mates. He was their king, husband, father, grandfather, friend, brother in all but blood, and protector, and he failed as all seven.

"I could kill you. Zira has told me all about you. You are a strong fighter, even better than your lands' own king and that you've never been defeated in fight. That gives all the reason to kill you, no counter argument, but do I want to kill you more than all these other lions and that one hyena at the end?" Ni heard Wraith say.

Ni looked and saw that Wraith was looking down at Nala. Ni thought back to when he first met Nala. She may have been almost 10 years old now, but she looked only half that old. She was still that cute, brave little cub that he met in the pride Lands. Ni looked at the captured Pride Landers, trying to spot Chumvi and/or Kula, but he couldn't spot them.

Ni remembered those two cubs very well to. In his mind, he saw a young dark brown lion with a pale brown muzzle and underbelly along with a messy patch of fur on his head, and reddish-brown eyes.

"Little Chumvi." Ni thought.

Ni hadn't really seen it, but from what Nala said, Chumvi was arrogant, boastful and didn't really listen to reason, but he was a kind, playful little cub deep down who cared about his friends very much.

"Nala, I'm sorry I teased you. It was a crummy thing to do to a friend. I was so worried about you." Ni heard Chumvi voice play over in his mind.

Ni had even taught Chumvi a few fighting tricks back then before he left to form his own pride. Ni then began to think of Kula. A young caramel brown lioness with a tan brown underbelly, dark brown tail tuft and her chestnut colored eyes. She was also a little fat cub when Ni met her.

"I wonder how much fatter she is now?" Ni thought.

Nala told Ni about how Kula never got up before dawn. She told him that Kula's daily routine was sleep until breakfast time, play with her and Chumvi a little bit, nap until lunch time, wake up for lunch time, maybe play with her and Chumvi a little bit more, nap until dinner time, wake up for dinner time, and then go to sleep just to start the routine again in the morning.

"I hope dinners don't become even skimpier then they've been since Scar let the hyenas into the Pride Lands." Kula said.

That little lioness may have only been interested in talking about food but you just had to love her. He remembered his few days of staying in the Pride Lands, hiding right under the hyenas and Scar's noses. He remembered playing and exploring with Nala, Chumvi, and Kula. It was hard for Ni to leave the Pride Lands because of how close he'd gotten to the three young cubs but if he stayed Scar would eventually notice him and he wanted his own pride. He remembered his last conversation with Nala before he left.

"You're one of us, you're a Pride Lander." a young Nala's voice said inside Ni's mind.

FLASHBACK:

Ni and Nala were coming close to one of the Pride Lands' borders.

"Thanks for bringing me to the border Nala." Ni said.

"Yeah, you're welcome Ni." Nala replied.

The two young lions had just come upon the border line. Ni playfully ruffled Nala's head before he began to turn and leave. After a few steps Ni turned to look at Nala. He saw her looking longingly at the Pride Lands. Ni walked back towards Nala.

"You okay Nala?" Ni asked.

Nala looked up at Ni with a sad look in her eyes.

"This place just hasn't been the same since Simba and his dad died. It's been over half a year since they died. I should be over it now, but I'm not." Nala said truthfully.

"It's okay, that could take a while longer than you want it to. You won't hurt this bad forever." Ni said, placing a paw on Nala's shoulder.

"You know, Simba and I were betrothed, which means we were going to marry each other one day." Nala said.

"Oh." Ni exclaimed.

"Neither he or I liked it when we heard about it but now I'm kinda starting to think that it wouldn't have been so bad to marry him. I mean, we were best friends and I will admit he was kind of cute, and he may have been all 'me, me, me' most of the time but he wasn't selfish, even though he seemed it at times." Nala explained.

"I see." Ni said, understanding what Nala was saying.

"Having you here just kind of reminded me of the good ol' days." Nala said.

"Ha. I don't know if your trying to flatter me or trying to convince me to stay." Ni said.

Nala couldn't help but laugh.

"Hay, Ni is it okay if I tell you something?" Nala asked.

"Sure, what is it?" Ni asked.

"You're one of us, you're a Pride Lander now." Nala said.

"Yeah, and it was good to be one while it lasted." Ni said.

"No really, you're one of us. Things may be going bad in the Pride Lands now, but I know that it will get better someday and when that day comes I'll try to find you and our prides can become allies." Nala said.

"I'd like that." Ni said.

"Yeah, and if you're pride is ever in trouble and needs help, just send a messenger bird or something and we'll come help you, or at least I will." Nala said.

"And I'll return the favor and do the same one day if I can." Ni promised.

Nala put her tiny paw out towards Ni.

"Our pride is your pride Ni. So, Pride Landers forever?" Nala asked.

Ni took Nala's small paw in his large one.

"You got it kiddo, Pride Landers forever." Ni said.

END OF FLASHBACK:

"Pride Landers forever." Ni said to himself.

Ni felt a small tug on his mane. Ni looked and saw his hyena with an impatient face that said he wanted an answer on what they were going to do now. Ni looked and saw that Wraith was beginning a game of eeny, meeny, miney, moe to decide which of the Pride Lander leaders he was going to kill. Ni quickly lowered to whisper into the hyena's ear.

"IT begins now." Ni said.

The hyena gave a nod, knowing what Ni meant by 'IT.' As the hyena rushed to get everything ready, he turned towards the Pride Lander leaders. Ni looked towards Nala.

"I failed my old pride but I won't fail my new pride." Ni promised.

Ni stalked his way towards the lionesses who were holding Taka and Bluu. When Ni gave the signal, he was going to have to react quickly in order to save the two young cubs. After a tense minute of Wraith playing eeny, meeny, miney, moe, Wraith came in font of Simba, with him being 'it.'

"Don't worry Simba, you're going to be alright." Ni thought to himself.

Ni watched as Wraith began to raise his claws. Ni looked down at the two lionesses and got ready to pounce. Ni pounced on the two lionesses as Wraith brought his paw down. Ni roared as he landed on the two lionesses holding Taka and Bluu. Wraith's paw stopped just as he was about to strike Simba.

Everyone turned to see Ni rescuing Taka and Bluu. He quickly pried the lionesses' jaws off Taka and Bluu. He succeeded and slit one of the lionesses' throat for good measure. The second lioness pounced at him, but some of Ni's hyenas pounced on the lioness and quickly killed her.

"What is the meaning of this?" Wraith demanded.

"A new world order!" Ni announced.

As Ni said that, more of his hyenas along with lions and lionesses of his resistance began to fight against the Scarred Pride.

"And now it begins." Ni said.

Wraith looked around in shock as lions, lionesses, and hyenas began to fight amongst each other. Wraith looked at Ni and the two cubs he saved. The cubs were running off, having been instructed to hide by Ni. Wraith decided that he would deal with them later, but he had more pressing matters to deal with at the moment. Wraith turned his attention back towards Simba.

Wraith raised his claws once again and went for the kill. Simba cringed back, waiting for Wraith's claws to dig into his face.

"WARTHOG BODY SLAM!" a voice shouted.

"What the?" Wraith exclaimed before a brownish-red blur tackled into him.

Simba looked and saw that Timon and Pumbaa, mostly Pumbaa had body slammed Wraith before he could succeed in striking him.

"You guys!" Simba shouted with relief.

"Hay pal, looks like we're just in time to save ya'." Timon observed.

"Indeed so." Simba said as he and everyone else got off the ground. "But I told you to stay put."

Pumbaa got up and jumped off of Wraith.

"Haha. Sorry." Pumbaa said to Wraith as he jumped off the creamy white lion.

"We heard a couple roars and we were really starting to get worried, so we came to see what was going on." Timon said.

"Yeah, and by the looks of things, we and the others arrived just in time to save ya' to." Pumbaa said, shuddering from when he saw Wraith about to attack Simba.

"Seriously Simba, you're lucky that me and Pumbaa haven't died from old age yet. I mean do you know how many times you would have died without us?" Timon asked.

"Uh, Timon." Simba said.

"Hold on a sec Simba, I'm in the middle of a speech here. So, like I was saying, do you know how many times you'd be dead without u…" Timon said before Wraith got up and closed his jaws around him.

Pumbaa screeched and ran over to Simba. Who looked on in shock.

"Oh, not good, not good, not goo…" Timon screamed in fear before Wraith sucked the rest of the meerkats body inside his mouth like a noodle.

"He's dead, he got so ate." Pumbaa said with fear and shock.

Simba growled in anger and began to advance on Wraith.

"You are going to wish you never did that." Simba growled in a low angry voice.

"Hay, save a few punches for me." Pumbaa said, coming up to Simba's side.

Wraith was about to start advancing on them as well, but suddenly stopped when he felt a slight pain in his gums. Wraith poked at the area with his tongue. Suddenly a loose, rotten tooth was ripped from Wraith's gums. Wraith screamed in pain and Timon jumped out of Wraith's mouth, miraculously unharmed.

"You're never eating me! I'm gonna bust you're face up!" Timon said as he jumped onto Wraith's face and began stabbing his face with his own rotten tooth.

"Get off me, you filthy little rat!" Wraith said as he swiped at Timon with his paw.

Timon jumped off Wraith's face before Wraith's claws could get him. Wraith ended up clawing himself in the face.

"Nobody messes with Timon Berkowitz!" Timon shouted as he landed on the ground and looked up at Wraith.

Wraith glared down at the meerkat and snapped at him again. Timon narrowly avoided Wraith's teeth before running over to Simba and Pumbaa.

"I really showed that guy, huh?" Timon said.

"Timon, you nearly gotten eaten again." Pumbaa pointed out.

"I know, I guess it's a day for close calls." Timon said.

"Guys." Simba said.

Timon and Pumbaa immediately went into a saluting position.

"Privets T and P reporting for duty sir, uhh, your majesty." the meerkat and warthog said at the same time.

"You two run after Taka and Bluu, keep them safe. I'll take care of Wraith." Simba said while glaring over at Wraith.

"Kick his butt Simba." Timon said before he and Pumbaa ran off after Taka and Bluu.

Simba turned towards Wraith, who was bleeding from the mouth where Timon had pulled out one of his teeth, the tiny puncture marks on his face where Timon stabbed him, and the small gashes where he accidently clawed himself.

"Fine, I'll make that meerkat pay later, for now, I'll take care of you." Wraith growled in his ghostly voice.

"You're not going to be hurting anyone ever again after today." Simba said.

Simba and Wraith began to circle each other.

"You know, ever since your uncle told me about you, I've always dreamed of this day. The day where I kill King Simba of the Pride Lands." Wraith said.

"You're not going to be killing anymore kings today or ever." Simba said.

Wraith lunged at Simba, who immediately jumped back and swiped down at Wraith with both paws. Wraith rammed into Simba's chest before he could do so, sending him to the ground. While Simba was stunned Wraith tried to bring his claws down onto his face but Simba rolled out of the way just in time. Simba got up and punched Wraith in the side of his head. Wraith quickly recovered and clamped his teeth down on Simba's paw before his could pull it back.

Simba connected his other paw to Wraith's face, claws extended. Wraith let go of Simba's paw, which allowed him to uppercut him. Simba shoulder charged into Wraith, sending him to the ground. Wraith quickly recovered and threw dust into Simba's eyes, temporarily blinding him. Taking the advantage, Wraith pounced on Simba.

As Simba was stunned on the ground Wraith stood on his hind legs and brought both front paws together. Wraith brought his paws down onto Simba's side, nearly breaking his ribs. As Wraith stood back up for another pound, Simba used one of his back legs to kick Wraith in his stomach. Simba rolled out of the way as Wraith fell. Simba stood back up and stood on Wraith's side.

"It's over Wraith, give it up." Simba said.

In response, Wraith used one of his back paws to rake Simba's side with his claws. Simba winced in pain and got off Wraith. Wraith than pounced on Simba, pinning him.

"Enough of this, it's time to finish what I started!" Wraith said as he extended his claws


As the fight started Kopa/Siri immediately went after Zira, who had run back to cry over to Scar's dead body.

"It's time to make you pay for what you did to me." Kopa/Siri said to himself as he ran towards Zira.

Kopa/Siri was about to reach her but a lion jumped in front of him.

"Remember me?" the lion asked.

Kopa/Siri looked at the lion and he for sure remembered him. The lion had grey fur so dark that it was nearly black, a mane the color of the dying embers of a fire, dark blue eyes, and he was missing his nose and part of his lips.

"You again!?" Kopa/Siri exclaimed.

The dark grey lion pounced onto Kopa/Siri, pinning him to the ground.

"I don't have time for this!" Kopa/Siri growled.

Kopa/Siri clamped jaws onto the dark grey lion's face and pulled his head back. The dark grey lion roared in pain and jumped off Kopa/Siri. As Kopa/Siri got up, he could see that he had torn off the rest of the dark grey lion's upper lips.

"I'll make you pay for that." the dark grey lion said.

Both lions circled each other. The dark grey lion tried to charge at Kopa/Siri, but Vitani rammed into the dark grey lion, sending him skidding a few feet across the ground.

"Room for one more?" Vitani asked.

"The more the merrier." Kopa/Siri said.

Vitani jumped to Kopa/Siri's side. The dark grey lion recovered from Vitani's attack. The dark grey lion winced as he stood and clutched his side.

"I must have really hurt his side when I rammed him." Vitani observed.

"Well, then what are we doing standing here for? Let's bring him down!" Kopa/Siri said.

"Yeah, let's." Siri said

Kopa/Siri and Vitani each raked the claws of their front paws on the ground to sharpen their them. The dark grey lion recklessly charged at both of them. Vitani and Kopa/Siri jumped to the side at the last second and rammed the dark grey lion in his upper and lower body. Kopa/Siri than grabbed the dark grey lion's ember mane and flipped him.

"You retched fools, you mock me! I am a scar…" the dark grey began to say before Vitani scratched his right eye.

The dark grey lion screamed and clutched his right eye, which had been destroyed by Vitani's claws. Kopa/Siri grabbed the dark grey lion's neck in his jaws while Vitani held him down. Siri than than quickly snapped the dark grey lion's neck.

"That wasn't so hard." Vitani breathed out.

"Now we do away with Zira." Kopa/Siri said.

Siri turned around to face Zira, but she wasn't there, nor was Scar's body.

"No! Where did she go?" Kopa/Siri tought to himself.


Kovu and Kiara teamed up together and ran over to Sarabi and Sarafina. They had to get them away from the battle, they were too old to fight in a battle, especially one this large and intense. They were about to reach them but a lion jumped on Sarabi.

"Grandma!" Kiara shouted with fear.

Sarafina tried to help Sarabi but the lion easily batted the old lioness away. Sarabi struggled underneath the lion to get away but she was too weak to do so. The lion went for the kill but stopped when he felt something land on his back. He, Kiara, Kovu, and Sarafina looked to see that Zuri had jumped onto the lion's back, biting at his shoulder and raking the claws of her back paws against his sides. The lion tried to shake Zuri off but she stubbornly stayed on.

Another lion came to help his fellow Scarred Pride member against Zuri. Zuri saw the lion coming and side kicked him in the face, sending him back to get attacked by some of Ni's hyenas. The lion Zuri was attacking before reached for one of her back legs, grabbed it, and slammed her into the ground. Zuri shook her head free of stars just in time to see the lion's claws coming down towards her. Zuri quickly rolled to the side where she was directly underneath the lion's jaw.

Zuri quickly stood up, uppercutting the lion's jaw with her head. The lion went falling on his back. Zuri pounced on and pinned the lion. Zuri than drove her claws deep into the lion's lower jaw and raked down, slicing his throat open. Zuri turned back to Sarabi and helped her up. As Sarabi got back onto her paws, Kovu and Kiara came up to join them along with Sarafina.

"Good one Zuri." Sarabi said.

"I'm done being useless in our fight with the Scarred Pride. I'm going to start truly helping now." Zuri said as she looked at the four standing in front of her.

"Well it looks like you've done well for start." Kovu said, glancing at the lion that Zuri had just managed to kill.

Kovu than turned to Sarabi and Sarafina.

"Sarabi, Sarafina! We got to get you two out of here." Kovu said.

"You're not going anywhere." a lion said as he and a group of lionesses and hyenas surrounded the five.

Kiara, Kovu, and Zuri stood protectively in front of the two old lionesses.

"This isn't going to be easy." Kovu observed.

"Not as easy as it was last time." Kiara said.

A hyena charged at the five but Dalia jumped onto the hyena from hyena from behind. Dalia grabbed the hyena by the neck in her jaws and threw it into another hyena.

"You doing okay Dalia?" Kiara asked.

"As okay as can be expected." Dalia said, huddling together with them.

Kovu looked around the fighting. He saw his mother grieving over Scar's dead body, Simba was fighting Wraith, Siri was fighting a dark grey lion, but there were a certain few he couldn't see.

"Where's Nuka, Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed?" Kovu asked.

"Who cares about them?" Zuri said.

"Kovu, I think Zuri is right. We have more important things to worry about." Kiara said.

Kovu had seen Taka and Bluu run off when the lion that had saved them told them to run and he didn't like them being alone with his brother and his hyena friends being around. Kovu looked and saw the lions, lionesses, and hyenas closing in on them. Kovu would go to find Taka and Bluu later, for now he had to help keep his grandmothers-in-law safe. A hyena jumped in front of Kovu. Kovu tried to swipe at it, but the hyena jumped back, and another hyena clamped it's jaws onto Kovu's fore leg.

Dalia bit onto the hyena's ear, which caused it to let go. A lion tried to attack Dalia, but Kiara pounced onto the lion. Kiara got off the lion and tried to swipe at his face with her claws. The lion rolled out of the way and tried to jump onto Kiara. Zuri quickly rammed into the lion's side.

A lioness tried to attack Kovu from behind, but he horse kicked her. A lion made it to Sarabi and Sarafina and tried to attack them but Tiifu had come up and grabbed the lion's tail in her teeth and pulled him back. The lion tried to swipe at Tiifu but she kept her distance. Three hyenas jumped onto Tiifu and tried to go and snap her neck but Mheetu and one of Ni's lionesses came to Tiifu's rescue. Kiara, Kovu Zuri, and Dalia looked over to Tiifu and Mheetu.

"Are you okay Tiifu?" Kiara asked.

"After that save, yeah." Tiifu assured them.

Kovu looked and saw that the rest of the lions, lionesses, and hyenas were dragged into other fights.

"We need to get Sarabi and Sarafina to safety. They'll be killed out here." Kovu said.

"I can take care of that." the lioness who ahd helped Mheetu save Tiifu said.

Kiara looked saw that the lioness was Imepigwa, the one who had snapped at her when she asked Ni what a will-O-the-wisp was.

"Just keep them save. They're the only grandmothers I have." Kiara said.

"I will." Imepigwa said.

"And I'll help you." Mheetu offered.

"We have a cave as our hideout a mile south from here." Imepigwa said.

"Alright Let's go." Sarabi said before turning towards Kiara and Kovu. "You two stay safe and protect each other." Sarabi said.

"Don't worry grandma, we will. See you soon." Kiara said before giving each of her grandmothers a quick nuzzle.

Kiara, Kovu, Dalia, Zuri, and Tiifu turned towards the battle.

"So, what now?" Dalia asked.

"We go and find Taka and Bluu." Kovu said.

"No need, I saw Timon and Pumbaa running in the direction they did earlier. They'll keep them safe." Zuri said.

"Then what do we do?" Dalia asked.

"Then we either help my dad or we find Zira and deal with her." Kiara said.

"Oh no, Simba!" Kovu suddenly shouted out.

Kiara looked where Kovu was looking and saw Wraith on top of her father, ready to strike him.

"Dad!" Kiara shouted.

"Come on, we got to help him!" Dalia said as she, Zuri, and Tiifu began to go to Simba's rescue.

Kiara and Kovu quickly followed close behind. If Wraith killed her father, Kiara would never be able to forgive herself.


Nala stared at the lion that had saved her grandcub and his friend. He looked familiar, like she had seen him before. As the fight broke out around her, Nala got up and ran towards the lion. As she ran towards him a large hyena tackled Nala to the ground.

"You want to see purtty boy over there, you gotta kill me first." the hyena growled.

"No problem." Nala said.

Nala drove a paw deep into the hyena's gut, sending him flying a few feet. Nala circled the hyena as it recovered. The hyena laughed and fliped his hair look like some cool guy.

"Come on babe, join the Scarred Pride. It's not all butterflies and unicorns at first, but it can be a pretty cool place after a while. When we get use to it, it's like a party every other day." the hyena said.

"I assure you, that parties in the Pride Lands are way better than this, and it's not if butterflies and unicorns there either sometimes." Nala said.

"Ugh, then your just another boring one that I'm just going to have to put into the ground." the hyena said.

The hyena pounced at Nala, but she does her signature move to where they roll around a little bit before she slips the hyena and pins him.

"Oh crap!" the hyena screamed.

Nala went for the hyena's throat but it rolled out of the way. The hyena stood up and drove both of his front paws into Nala's head, pushing her face into the ground. Nala used her paw to grab the hyena's mane and throw him to the side. Nala ran up to the hyena and put her paws on his head and shoulders. Nala sank her teeth into the hyena's neck, suffocating it to death.

When Nala pulled herself away from the hyena's corpse, she looked to see that Zuri, Tiifu, and everyone else who stayed behind had just came into the battle to help them.

"What are they doing here, Simba told them to stay put?" Nala said to herself.

As Nala turned to looked towards the lion who saved Taka and Bluu, she saw Zira with Scar's body, she was quickly dragging him off somewhere as Siri/Kopa and Vitani were fighting a lion. Nala got the thought to go after Zira and finally make her truly pay for killing her son, Kop years ago but she felt too curious about that lion that had saved Taka and Bluu. Nala looked back at the lion and saw that he was having trouble a lion.

"Time to find out who that lion is." Nala said.

Nala resumed making her way towards that lion. A lioness came and tried to pick a fight with Nala but she quickly used her shoulder to shove him aside. Nala was about to reach the lion until a voice made her stop.

"Enough of this, it's time to finish what I started!" a voice shouted.

Nala looked and saw that the lion Wraith was on top of Simba and was preparing to kill him.

"Oh no, Simba!" Nala shouted with fear.

Nala abandoned her current objective and ran towards Simba and Wraith. Just as Wraith brought his claws down, Nala tackled him of Simba. The lion and lioness landed a few feet away from Simba. Nala got up, ready for a fight against Wraith. However, that was a fight that would never happen one way or another.

Wraith recovered from Nala's attack more quickly than she thought he would. Wraith roared in anger and swiped his claws at Nala. Nala gasped. She put a paw against her throat and pulled it away. Her paw and very front of her neck were now covered in something sticky and red; blood.

Nala stared into Wraith's ghostly blue eyes. Wraith seeing the damage he had done caused him to laugh.

"I've heard the stories." Wraith said. "I've heard that you Pride Landers always win. The Hyena Rebellion during the reign of your great king, Mohatu. I've heard of Simba's return where just a small number of lionesses took on an army of almost 100 hyenas. I've heard of the war between the Pride Landers and the Outlanders and how it was ended by your pretty daughter. You Pride Landers always win." Wraith stated.

Nala couldn't say that Wraith was wrong. The Pride Landers always won. Wraith leaned forward and whispered to Nala.

"But that fact will soon no longer be true and do you know why?" Wraith asked.

"Why?" Nala found herself asking in a gurgled voice.

"This is way. In time, you will know what it's like to lose. To feel so desperately that you're right, yet to fail all the same. Dread it, run from it. Destiny still arrives." Wraith said.

Dizzy from the loss of blood, Nala fell to the ground.

"Nala!" a voice that wasn't Simba' voice shouted.

"And I hope they remember you." Wraith said.


Kion saw his mother running towards Ni. Ni was having trouble with fighting a lion much younger than him. Kion decided to help the both of them. He ran towards Ni and his mother, knocking easily aside any hyenas that tried to attack him. A lion had suddenly attacked him from the side.

Kion wrapped his fore legs around the lion, under his fore legs and flipped him onto the ground hard. Kion than began to run towards Ni and his mother again. Just when Kion was about to reach his mother, he saw her run in another direction.

"Where is she going?" Kion wondered.

Kion was about to run after his mother until he heard a grunt. Kion looked and saw that Ni was down on the ground and the lion he was fighting against was about to pounce for the death blow. Kion quickly surveyed the area, it was clear. Kion unleashed a Roar of the Elders, which sent the lion flying to who knows where. Kion ran up to the old lion.

Kion reached his paw down towards Ni.

"Need a paw?" Kion asked.

Ni took Kion's paw in his and stood up.

"Thank you, lad." Ni said.

Kion saw that Ni was the one who saved his nephew and his friend.

"Where are Taka and Bluu, the cubs you saved?" Kion asked.

"I told them to run as far away from here as they could and to try and make for the south. That's where the lions, lioness, and hyenas of my resistance are." Ni explained.

"And you let them go off alone!?" Kion exclaimed.

"Those two are better off on their own. If somebody went with them, they'd only slow them down." Ni said.

Kion had to admit that Ni was right. Taka and Bluu's best chance at escape was by themselves.

"Your roar was very impressive there my boy. You think you can do it again?" Ni asked.

Kion looked over the battle.

"Everyone is too jumbled up, if I use the roar I could end up killing someone." Kion said.

"I can fix that. If I command my followers to retreat and your father does the same with his, we can run from the Scarred Pride and with everyone out of the way you can…" Ni began to say before something caught his eye.

Ni saw that Nala was standing in front of Wraith, a few feet away from where Simba was getting up from. Wraith and Nala seemed to be talking. A few seconds later Nala fell to the ground.

"Nala!" Ni shouted.

"Mom!" Kion shouted, seeing the same thing.

Kion and Ni made a run towards Nala and Wraith. The two came across Kopa/Siri and Vitani.

"Kion, what's wrong?" Vitani asked, seeing Kion's worried expression.

"It's my mother. I think Wraith might have killed her." Kion said with fear.

"What!" Siri/Kopa shouted.

Kopa/Siri and Vitani ran towards where Nala and Wraith were. Kopa/Siri was probably the most scared of them all. Kops/Siri had just found out who he was and that Nala might be his mother and if she was and he failed to protect her, he wouldn't be able to forgive himself. Kiara, Kovu, Dalia, Zuri, and Tiifu were with Simba, helping him up. Simba, seeing what Wraith had done, immediately ran towards Nala when he was back on his feet.

"Oh my god, Nala!" Simba shouted.

Simba rolled Nala over and put his paws over the gash at her throat. The fighting stopped and the Pride Landers and Ni's resistance fighters gathered around. Simba was doing his best to cover the gash but blood kept gushing out.

"Oh my god! It's not stopping, it's not stopping, IT'S NOT STOPPING!" Simba yelled.

Simba felt Nala's paw grasp his shoulder. Simba looked down at her.

"Don't add me to the weight you carry." Nala said

Flashback suddenly happened through Simba's mind. The gorge, the stampede, his father falling, Kiara when she nearly died in the fire, and when she almost fell into the river along with Zira, and most of all, Kopa, as well as all the nightmares of those events.

"No… NO!" Simba screamed before punching his fist/paw on the ground once, nearly breaking it.

Simba looked to Wraith and growled.

"You will bring death to all who follow you." Wraith said.

Kion took a look around. The Scarred Priders were all in one area with none of his own pride mates or any of Ni's resistance fighters mixed in. Kion turned around and in anger, unleashed a Roar of the Elders at the Scarred Priders, sending them somewhere away from them. Kion than rushed past his father and unleashed another roar at Wraith. Wraith braced himself and to everyone's surprise, he didn't get sent off like the others.

Wraith took slow strained steps towards Kion. Kion screamed from the strain of keeping his roar going, he had never kept one on for this long. Just as Kion felt like his head was going to explode, the Roar of the Elders finally sent Wraith flying somewhere that Kion hoped was the pit of some active volcano. Kion fell to the ground exhausted. Kion forcefully dragged himself towards his mother and the rest of his family.

"Oh my god, mom." Kion said, looking down at the gash in Nala's throat.

"How, how the hell did this happen?" Kovu frantically asked.

"Some needs to help her!" Zuri said.

"She got her throat slashed open, how can somebody help her?" Kiara asked.

"Rune can.' a lion said

Everyone looked to see Ni walking over to Nala. Simba growled at Ni.

"Dad, it's okay, he's a friend. He saved us back in the jungle oasis." Kion said.

"Than why is part of the Scarred Pride?" Simba asked.

"I saved you grandcub and his friend. I promise I'll explain everything later but right now, Nala needs help. If we don't get her to Rune quickly she will die." Ni said.

"Will this Rune be able to help?" Kiara asked hopefully.

"He's fixed slashes to the throat before, so yes. IF we get her to him quickly. Gather her up and everyone follow me, we're heading South." Ni said.

Some Pride Lander and Outlander lionesses carefully gathered Nala up to carry her. As they walked off, Kovu was doing his best to comfort Kiara and Kion as well.

"Don't worry Kiara, everything is going to be alright." Kovu said.

"It wasn't supposed to be like this." Kiara said, tears falling out of her eyes.

Kopa/Siri came up to Nala and looked at her with worry. Dalia came up to Kopa/Siri and placed a paw on his shoulder. Kopa/Siri looked down into Dalia's blue eyes, they looked a lot like Nala's.

"Mother." Kopa/Siri thought, looking down at Dalia.


Within half an hour everyone got to the cave in the South that Ni mentioned. After three minutes of walking through a tunnel entrance, everyone came into a vast underground cave chamber with many tunnel networks. Many colorful rocks twinkled in the walls and ceiling, and there was a small medium-sized lake in the center of the large cave chamber. Everyone looked around and saw dozens upon dozens of lions, lionesses, and hyenas, who were all members of Ni's resistance.

"Rune!" Ni shouted.

An old lion with blue-grey eyes, dull greyish yellow fur and a mane peppered with black, grey, and white came up to them.

"Yes Ni?" the old lion asked in a voice that sounded like a whisper.

Ni gestured Simba's pride mates to bring Nala to him. Simba and his pride mates walked over and showed Rune, Nala.

"Her throat was torn open by Wraith. Can you save her?" Simba asked in a pleading voice.

"I'll see what I can do but I might need some help since my apprentice is off doing God knows what. Do any of you know anything about medicine, anything at all?" Rune asked.

"I do." Dalia said, walking up.

"Good, now come on. Bring her over here." Rune instructed as he walked over to a little overhang of rock in the cave close by.

Vitani, Kopa/Siri, and Simba helped the lionesses get Nala onto a large pile of leaves. As Rune and Dalia got to work Simba stood over them. Rune looked up to Simba.

"I'm sorry my boy but can you give us a little bit of room? Other than my apprentice, I work better without an audience." Rune said.

"Just please save her." Simba begged.

"I can't make any promises but I'll do everything I can." Rune promised.

As Simba was walking off to find Mheetu, his mother, and his mother-in-law to tell them what happened, Kovu, Kiara, Vitani, Kion, Kopa/Siri, Zuri, and Tiifu were discussing their next course of action.

"So, what are we going to do now?" Vitani asked.

Kiara looked around.

"Taka and Bluu aren't here. We have to go out looking for them." Kiara said.

"And what about Jasiri, I don't see her anywhere." Kion said.

"I didn't see her during the battle either." Tiifu said.

"Than it's decided, we go out looking f…" Siri said before a voice suddenly rang out.

"Let me go you Scarred Pride freak!" a voice said.

Everyone looked to see a lion whose black mane reached to his shoulders. He was holding Bluu in his jaws

"Easy kid." the lion said.

"Who's that, and what's he doing to Bluu?" Kovu asked, ready for a fight.

A passing by hyena answered Kovu's question.

"That's Andika, Rune's apprentice." the hyena said.

The lion let Bluu down, who immutably ran to Kovu and the others as soon as she saw them.

"Kovu, Kiara, Siri, everybody. Boy am I glad to see you guys." Bluu said.

"Bluu, where's Taka?" Kiara asked.

"I don't know where he is, as we were running from them, we hid and he..." Bluu began to say before Kopa/Siri cut her off.

"Running? Running from who?" Kopa/Siri asked.

As so as Kopa/Siri said that, Timon and Pumbaa, accompanied by Jasiri came walking into the cave chamber. Taka was cradled in Pumbaa's tusks, his face hidden from view. Everyone, now worried for Taka, ran over to the trio.

"You three what's wrong with Taka?" Kiara asked.

The three tried to speak, but their tongues were all tied up. Kovu turned Taka over in Pumbaa's tusks and everyone gasped at what they saw. Kovu's mouth moved, but no words came out until he got his senses back.

"What the hell happened out there?" Kovu asked.

Pumbaa set Taka gently on the ground.

"You three what happened?" Vitani asked.

The three just shook their heads in disbelief, unable to speak about Taka.

"Jasiri, Timon, Pumbaa what happened?" Kiara asked, tears forming in the corners of her eyes.

The three just looked at everyone, pale as ghosts. Kovu had lost all his patience and finally snapped.

"Dammit you three, tell us what happened! Why does Taka have that scar over his left eye!? Kovu demanded.

As Kovu said that, white lighting flashed outside and then the black rain began to fall.


Alright everyone, it's time to ask a serious question: Who do you think will kill Wraith?: Simba, Kopa, Kiara, Kovu, Kion, Vitani, Zira, Ni, someone else entirely, or is old age going to kill Wraith because you for some reason think the Scarred Pride is going to win this war? Please tell me who you think is gonna kill Wraith in the review section, and what happened to Taka will be explained in the next chapter. As for names, Rune's apprentice, Andika means 'writing' in Swahili according to google translator. Have fun waiting for the next chapter but until than, good day/night, have a happy summer, and God bless.