Hello all, and welcome to the chapter! I'd like to thank everyone who left a review for the last chapter, and when y'all are finished reading, PLEASE DO NOT FORGET TO KINDLY LEAVE ME A REVIEW! On another note, for all wanting a quick laugh, I have a parody one-shot titled Simba, You're Fired! Feel free to check it out if you wish. Well, I have done enough blabbing, so without any further ado, here is the chapter!

DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING!

Steele was lying down at the peak of Pride Rock, absentmindedly listening to the pained screams of Kiara. The lioness had begun the awful process of labor about an hour before, and since then, Steele's headache had not subsided in the least.

As Steele's thoughts began to wander, he rubbed the small tuft of black mane that was beginning to grow on his head. He had now been a lion for seven months, and his attitude about his predicament had changed little since the beginning.

However, there was one thing that had indeed changed significantly. Steele's relationship with Justin had only become more and more strained as time passed, and their last conversation had ended particularly badly…

Two Weeks Earlier…

"Steele, you are making a massive mistake by wanting to leave this cub alive! I say kill the mother in her sleep. That'll solve the cub problem."

Steele growled in anger before running one of his paws down his face. "You really don't get it at all, do you? There are thousands of other options besides just killing."

Justin narrowed his chocolate brown eyes. "No Matthew Steele, it is you that doesn't understand! You're too patient. You fail to see opportunities when they present themselves, and you are too arrogant, and stupid to see when you are simply in the wrong!"

For several moments, neither lion nor hybrid said or did nothing. It wasn't long until Steele felt his right forepaw clench into a fist. With a massive hook, Steele furiously punched Justin right on the nose. The wolfdog yelped in pain, before clutching on to his wounded nose.

"Damn it Steele! If you broke this, there is going to be absolute hell to pay!"

The former human smirked in dark amusement. "We will just have to see about that threat won't we?"

Since that incident, the cub had not even considered going back, and he was beginning to wonder whether he would actually go back at all. The former human was suddenly drawn out of his thoughts by a loud scream from Kiara, louder than any scream that she had ever screamed before. No more sounds came from the den for several minutes after, and Steele began to feel emotions he never thought he'd have swell up within him.

Concern? Worry? Fear? No…He wasn't supposed to care about these lions. He would be their emperor, their ruler, and they were not his family!

However, as much as he tried, Steele could not deny that he was feeling these emotions. It was a very foreign feeling for Steele. He did know why he was feeling this way, but he decided to accept it as fact and try to forget about his emotions.

As soon as that thought was finished, Kovu walked out of the den, and exhausted and pained expression on his face. His emerald green eyes were drooping, and it appeared that the future king wanted to do nothing more than just lie down and nap.

"Well, it's over Unio. You may go see your mother and your sister now."

Steele's eyes widened. "Sister? The cub is a girl?"

Kovu chuckled lightly. "Yeah, when we say sister they generally refer to a female."

Steele rolled his eyes in annoyance and walked inside the den. Kiara was now sleeping peacefully, tightly holding her little daughter in her arms. She awoke once she noticed the presence of Steele. She grinned widely.

"Hello Unio. Would you like to meet your sister?"

The cub nodded, and approached the small bundle of fur in Kiara's paws. Her fur was golden, the exact shade as his own. Her facial structure resembles Kovu's more than that of her mother. A small tuft of auburn fur was visible on the edge of her little tail.

Steele had to admit that she was quite cute. "What's she going to go by?"

Kiara's bright, happy grin only grew wider at that question. "Her name is Athena."

As if that was her cue, Athena took the opportunity to open her eyes for the very first time. Steele's own orbs widened in shock when he saw their color.

Her eyes were a deep, sapphire blue, the exact same color as his. Steele suddenly began to feel like that he was staring at a female reflection of himself. She was so…innocent. The executed convict wondered whether or not he was ever in a similar position, so cute, small, and fragile.

Then, came one of the main revelations in Steele's life. So many other beings, lion and human, lived happier, more productive, and safer lives doing things that were completely good and legal. What the hell had possessed him to be so different, to be so…cruel?

Steele had no inclination as to what the answers to these questions were, but there were two things Steele felt he knew with absolute certainty. He knew that it was too late for him, but he also knew that he could never allow his sister to be like him.

He now knew why he had been given this second chance. He finally knew what his purpose here was.

And with a final revelation, Steele began to grin.

He might be a corrupted soul, but his sister wasn't, nor would she ever be. Not on Steele's watch.

Well, that is going to be all that I am going to write for now! I'd like to thank all of y'all very much for taking the time to read this chapter. As I mentioned previously, PLEASE DO NOT FORGET TO KINDLY LEAVE ME A REVIEW! Well, I believe that I have babbled far too much, so take care and thanks again for reading!

-Tex-