A/n Hello all I'm back with another chapter ladies and gentlemen! Hope the wait wasn't to long for you but I was on vacation and couldn't update. Here's ch 9. Enjoy.

Ch 9 Talking Things Out

The next morning Kion woke up feeling refreshed. He had gotten a good night's sleep and was feeling really good. Getting up Kion stretched and shook out his small red mane. He then went down to the watering hole and got a drink. Once he had gotten a drink Kion saw Simba and Kovu heading his way. "Good morning son," Simba said, head bumping his son.

"Morning Dad," Kion said with a smile. "Morning Kovu." Kion smiled at his brother-in-law when he said this part.

"Morning Kion," Kovu said flatly. "Simba and I were just heading off for some more lessons. Its a thing just he and I do since I'm going to be King one day."

"Well don't let me keep you," Kion said with a smile. With that Kion began to walk away.

"Kion wait!" Simba called out. Kion stopped and turned towards his father. "I actually was wondering if you'd like to join us? I'm sure that you could learn somethings as well. And it would also give us a chance to catch up."

"Sure Dad I'd like that," Kion said. "Sarak has been getting on me about my lessons. This way I won't fall behind."

"Damn it," Kovu thought with a growl. "Of course Kion has to butt in. That's what he does." But out loud he said, "Great the more the merrier." Kovu even forced himself to smile at his brother-in-law.

"Then lets get to it shall we?" Simba said. With that the three lions left to do the Kingly lessons.

TLKTLKTLK

A little while later the threesome were enjoying the beautiful day. Or at least Kion was trying to. Every time he tried to talk to Simba Kovu would interrupt either by asking a question or by changing the subject completely. Kovu and Simba were currently talking about Kovu's upcoming fatherhood. "I can't wait to be a father," Kovu was saying. "Its going to be great."

"Yes it'll be wonderful to hear the sounds of cubs playing again," Simba said with a smile. "And I'm sure it won't be long before you and Rani have cubs."

"Huh?" Kion said, his amber eyes wide. "Cubs? Me and Rani? Ah Dad I think it's going to be a long while before that happens. Plus me and Rani aren't exactly getting along these days."

"What happened son?" Simba asked, going to walk beside Kion.

"We had a huge fight," Kion informed his father. Kion explained to Simba and Kovu what had happened in the last few days between Rani and him.

"So you just left your Kingdom with Makucha and his minions still running around?" Kovu asked, his voice having a slight edge to it.

"I needed to get away from everything for awhile," Kion said, raising an eyebrow at his brother-in-law's tone.

"Puh ok whatever," Kovu said, rolling his emerald eyes.

"Kovu what the Hell is your problem?" Kion demanded, glaring at the brown coated lion.

"You Kion," Kovu spat out. "You are my problem. You act like you're so perfect but in reality you're not perfect. You just abandoned your mate and your Kingdom at the first sign of trouble. A true King wouldn't do that."

"Oh and I suppose you're the expert on this?" Kion snapped, rolling his own amber eyes. "You're not even King yet Kovu! You have no idea how stressful it is! Plus Rani and I just got married so I have to deal with that on top of not having my Roar anymore. You have no right to judge me when you have no idea what its like to be me!"

"Alright that's enough you two," Simba said, stepping between his furious son and son-in-law. "Kovu you need to apologize to Kion."

"Not happening," Kovu declared, causing Simba to blink in surprise.

"Kovu," the golden King began. But he was cut off by Kovu's angry voice.

"I'm not gonna apologize for telling the truth Simba," Kovu snapped, glaring at Kion. "And by the way Kion you are dead wrong about what I know. I know far to well the stresses you're going through. When Kiara and I first got married it was rough for me. It took a long time for the other lions to except me and not view me as Zira's son. That was stressful. But I got through that. And I didn't run away the first time me and Kiara had a fight. I dealt with it and talked things through with her."

"I tried that," Kion said. "I tried talking things though with Rani but she can be really stubborn sometimes. And she really hurt me with what she said. I mean if Kiara said that to you wouldn't it hurt you too?"

"Well yeah it would," Kovu admitted. "And I guess if someone insulted my family I'd be pretty pissed too. So I guess I can see your point."

"I'm not perfect Kovu," Kion said softly. "Far from it. But I'm trying to be better. But its not easy."

"I know its not," Kovu said with a sigh. "Believe me I know. And I'm sorry I was hard on you."

"Hakuna Matata," Kion said with a smile. "No worries." Kovu smiled back at his brother-in-law.

"Now that's better," Simba said with a smile of his own. "Now lets finish our lesson for the day shall we?" With that the three lions began to walk together again, not knowing someone was watching from the bushes.

TLKTLKTLK

Meanwhile Makucha had received word that Kion had left the Tree of Life. "Perfect," the leopard thought with a grin. "Now's the perfect chance to strike."

"But I thought we were gonna take down Kion," Fahari said with confusion.

"We are dummy," Chuluun hissed. "Now shut up and let Makucha talk."

"Don't tell me what to do Chuluun," Fahari growled, glaring at the snow leopard. "And if you call me dummy again I'll rip your damn head off!"

"Shut up you two!" Jiona hissed. "Makucha is speaking." With that the group was silent.

"Now that everyone is done being rude I'll continue my plan," Makucha said. "Now as I was saying now that Kion's gone it give us the perfect opportunity to take over the Tree of Life."

"But Makucha," Jiona said. "Kion may be gone but Sarak and Baliyo are still there. Not to mention most of Kion's friends stayed behind too."

"Which is why we're not taking all of them on at once," Makucha. "We attack them and take them down one by one. It'll be way less work that way."

"So who do we target first?" Ora asked.

"I say we take Fuli down first," Chuluun said. "I hate that bitch real bad."

"No you fool we need to take down Baliyo first," Fahari declared. "He's a young male and he's really strong."

"No we need to take down Azaad first," Jiona said. "He's just as fast as Fuli and stronger." The three animals began to argue amongst each other about who should be taken down first.

"Enough!" Makucha roared, causing everyone to stop arguing. "I'm in charge here so I decide who we take down first got it?"

"Yeah we got it," Chuluun muttered.

"Good," Makucha said. "Now as to who we take down first the answer is easy. We take down Sarak first. He's the oldest and not as strong as Baliyo."

"Good thinking Makucha," Jiona said with a grin.

"Of course it was idiot," Makucha said, rolling his yellow eyes.

"When do we strike?" Ora asked, anxious to get some action.

"Tonight," Makucha declared. "We take down Sarak tonight we they least expect it. It'll be glorious." With that Makucha let out an evil laugh that was echoed by his minions as they thought about their upcoming revenge.

A/N well folks there you have it. Chapter 9 complete. Hope you all enjoyed ch 9 and as always please review.