Hello everyone. I wanted to both thank you for being here, waiting for more chapters and well.. reading them. It means a lot to me. I am sorry for not updating as recently as I did in 2019, but things happen. And now the COVID-19 outbreak got the situation for me even worse. The story is almost finished. There will be 2 or 3 more chapters and it's done. I can't promise that it will happen this month, but I think I can get one more till the end of it. Enjoy!

Chapter 16

"Till the Pridelands end..."

Next day. Very early morning at Pride Rock.

Roars could be heard from the royal den. Kifo was furious. He had no idea what happened with his brothers. Now it was only him, Maumivu and Taji.

"Where are they!?" - he yelled.

"Kifo I don't know..They went to hunt last day and they haven't come back. Something must have happened. Perhaps-"

Taji tried to speak more but they heard roaring and other sounds coming from the outside. The 3 brothers left the cave and they couldn't believe what are they seeing. An army of elephants was marching right towards them. Maumivu scanned them thoroughly and noticed that there are lions with them.

"Brothers.. I don't meant to sound scared, but it seems that those lions we defeated have joined forces with the elephants. There is no way we can defeat them"

Kifo turned around to face his brother and lashed out with his paw, claws unsheathed.

"Shut up! Do you really think we are going to surrender this land?" - he yelled.

As the two were arguing, Taji saw a white lion coming with the army. He roared to gather the attention of his brothers and pointed with his paw.

"We have a traitor! Mateso has joined them!"

"Impossible...there is no way he could have done that.."

"Kifo what if it's true?"

"Then he's good as dead" - He said and nodded them to follow. They descended the rock and decided to ambush them as they would approach. They knew that they don't stand a change against an army of elephants, but maybe they will take some lions with them to hell.

Earlier this morning, Scar's den.

"You're out of your mind! Of course I am going with you!" - Sarabi yelled at her husband, dissatisfied that she was told to stay behind.

"Sweetheart you can't...We have cubs, someone have to watch over them. Nala is pregnant. And remember that I promised you something.. I promised you a daughter" - Taka answered, nuzzling his wife. He knew that this should work just fine.

"Yes I remember Taka… I just don't want to lose you again"

"You won't. This time we have elephants with us. I will take some of our lionesses with us, just to be sure."

"Sire, Aminifu and his elephants are here!" - Zazu flew into the cave and announced the arrival of their allies.

"Good. Let's get our home back. See you later Sarabi." - he kissed her muzzle one last time and left her. She followed and was looking as both lions and elephants are marching towards Pride Rock.

"What's the plan uncle?" - Simba asked as they were all approaching their home.

"We try not to kill them that's for sure. And judging by their previous behavior and the leader's name, they will try everything to kill us. So be ready for an ambush."

Just as Taka was telling the plans, Kifo jumped onto one of the elephants and pounced from it, landing in front of the King.

"What did you do to my brother?!"

"Stop this Kifo!" - Mateso yelled, seeing his brother.

"You shut up. I am not talking to you. We will talk when I am done with this idiot."

"No, young lion. You will be quiet here. Leave our home or fight. The choice is yours" - Taka grinned.

Kifo roared signaling his brothers to join in. They leaped from trees and pinned some lionesses to the ground. All hell broke lose. Taka started fighting with Kifo, while Simba went to help lionesses with the brothers.

He didn't wanna kill Kifo so his swipes, tho with claws unsheathed, weren't lethal. Taka managed to strike at his face, leaving a nasty scar across his nose. Kifo was overwhelmed and started running back at Pride Rock.

"Think you can manage here?"

"Yes uncle go after him!" - Simba yelled, pinning Taji to the ground.

Taka went further, and climbed up to the royal den. He saw Kifo climbing further. He followed and saw him standing at the cliff.

"Stop this now Kifo. You've lost!"

"Never you fool!" - he yelled lashing with his claws at Taka. Fortunately, the king was skilled and avoided everything. Then Kifo charged at him, so Taka used that and flipped him over. Tho before he could fall to his demise, Taka caught his paw.

"Come on Kifo! Climb up, I don't want you to die" - he yelled, trying to get some common sense into him.

"I'd rather die than surrender!"

Kifo used his other paw to scratch Taka's. He flinched from the pain and dropped him. Somehow there was an elephant under them and he bounced from him and was greeted by Taka's pride. Taka saw that and roared from the cliff, signaling that they have won. The roar was then backed up by others. Even the elephants trumpeted. Nobody got killed. Maybe minor bruises but that's just it.

The joined roars were so loud that even Sarabi and Nala heard them. They knew that it's time to go home to their heroes.

The king slowly descended and saw as the 3 brothers are kept closely by the elephants. He came by them and Mateso joined him.

"Thank you King Taka for not killing them."

"All life is precious. Even if the enemy doesn't see that.."

"Mateso why did you join them?!" - Maumivu asked.

"Because I am done hiding my true self."

"More like you are afraid to kill, haha"- Kifo added, laughing like a true maniac.

"That is not true. The problem lies with you. You just kill for sport. You take way more than you need. Can you even comprehend how the balance is destroyed by that?"

"Pff… who cares. Kill us already."

"No. We are not like you here." - Taka nodded.

"Then what are you gonna do!"

Taka nodded to Aminifu.

"You're gonna leave the Pride Lands, and never return. Now get up and walk"

They did just that, in silence followed by Taka and some of the elephants in case they attack again. Once they reached the borders of the shadowlands they stopped. Then they looked back.

"One day Taka… we will return, and kill you?"

"Can't wait."

"You too Mateso. You are not our brother."

"Sorry that you feel that way. Goodbye brothers.."

And they left them. Mateso started crying. Taka saw this and just came closer and hugged him.

"It's okay. I know it's hard to let go, but there is nothing we can do. We tried to help them, but you can't help those who don't want any help."

With that they traveled back to Pride Rock. There Taka thanked the elephants for standing with them and ensure they in the future they will always be with them. As he was letting them go to their groove, he was that his wife is back with his cubs. Taka ran straight at them taking them all into a loving embrace, and licking Sarabi's cheek

"See? Told ya everything will be fine!" - he chuckled.

"I am glad to be back at home. Let's celebrate!"

Pride landers were back at their rightful place. For now they were at peace. But as everyone knows, evil never sleeps. Taka somehow knew that Kifo will be back. So he will train, and always be prepared. The celebration was huge. Hunting party went and got some gazelles. Everyone feasted and cheered. But as everything, it ended. All the lions went to sleep, along with the royal couple and their cubs. Peacefully sleeping curled up together in the royal den.