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The world spun around in circles as I felt my legs tremble from trying to hold up my weight. All of my senses seemed to have stopped working as a weird, indescribable feeling gripped my heart.

I couldn't form a single coherent thought in my mind, just a weird sort of buzz in my head. As my vision slowly swam into focus, my eyes focused on the broken, battered body of my mother.

I didn't cry. I couldn't. I was shocked beyond the point of tears. My mother, the strongest lioness I knew, the most unbreakable, was lying defeated on the ground. She had been my only family member, my sense of closure whenever I had felt sad or scared. She had been my favourite playmate whenever I was bored. She had been the one to hold me tight, to lick the dirt off my fur, to help me stay strong in the darkest of times. And now she was no more.

I barely registered the thunderous roar of anger my brother had emitted. At some point my attention focused on the huge male lion brutally attacking the wiry female. The rage on his face was terrifying. So much so, that Zira's face was full of fear.

It wasn't long before all of Zira's lionesses came and attacked Simba. A brutal fight took place as the rest of the pride leapt forwards to protect their king. I, however, couldn't move a muscle. I just watched the battle without quite comprehending what was going on.

Before it had properly started, the battle had ended with Simba on top of Zira, pinning her to the ground, a look of fury on his face.

The two prides separated, each with a look of loathing and fury. Simba growled at Zira as she pushed him off her. The two leaders faced each other, hatred burning in their eyes.

I looked around at the lionesses standing behind Zira. Soon I noticed Nuka standing between two lionesses, looking scared and confused. He looked at me as though I could provide him with some comfort or explanation, but I didn't dare approach him out of fear.

Trying to ignore the pangs of guilt, I looked back at my brother, wondering what will happen to Zira now. Simba glared at her. "I want you and your lionesses out of the Pridelands," he growled. "If you ever return, I will show you no mercy."

Zira glared at him, then turned to the other lionesses. "Let's go," she commanded. She began to walk in the direction of the Outlands as her pride followed her. Before she left, she paused and turned around to look at Simba. "I will leave now, but know this," she snarled. "This is far from over." With that she turned around and disappeared from sight.

Simba stared in the direction that Zira had gone with his back towards us. Nala took a tentative step towards him.

"Simba?" She called, softly. Simba didn't turn around. Instead, he ran off into the savannah and out of sight.

I turned around and approached the still form of my mother, lying on the grass. I bent my head down and nuzzled her, tears streaming down my face. Nala pressed her head against mine, comfortingly.

The whole pride sat down and bent their heads respectfully to the queen that had guided them through the tough times.

A funeral was held for mother the next day. Many animals were gathered to pay their respects to her. I sat as far away from the crowd as possible. I wasn't brave enough to be near her, surrounded by many, to say goodbye.

A few lions had said a few words of farewell, but I didn't pay attention. Those words were meaningless to me. None of these animals had seen mother the way I had. To be comforted by her when I'm feeling frightened, to have her lick my wounds or to settle me to sleep.

Nobody, except one.

And he wasn't there for the worst of it. I scanned the crowd for him until I saw him. He was kind of hard to miss. Simba's back was towards me, so I couldn't see his face.

Suddenly, I felt a rush of anger surge through me directed at my brother. Zira had killed mother because she hated Simba. This was all his fault! Maybe if he hadn't been so stupid to trust Scar, father would still be alive. And the Pridelands wouldn't be in ruins.

Almost as quickly as the anger came, it evaporated. I knew I couldn't blame him for what had happened. Zira had made her choice on her own. And Scar would have gotten the throne one way or another. It was unfair to blame him for things he couldn't control.

Simba was soon called up to speak. As he spoke his words of farewell, his voice shook. He tried to keep the speech as short as possible. I felt suddenly guilty that I had even thought angry thoughts towards him. All those years he had spent in exile thinking he would never see mother again must have been hard for him. Especially since he was only a little cub all on his own.

Simba had also seen father die as well as mother. To me, it felt like I had lost one parent, while he had lost two. Although I would have liked to meet my father, I had never really known him in order to properly mourn him.

It wasn't long before Simba finished speaking and the funeral was soon over. The lionesses headed into the den while the other animals made their way back to their homes.

I stayed outside for a bit, before turning around and walking down an empty path. The sky was dark and clear with thousands of stars dotted everywhere.

I came to a small clearing and lay down on my stomach, my eyes on the stars. I remember mother telling me about the Great Kings of the Past during the nights that were long and frightening.

I lay curled up in the hole that had been my bed during my first months of my life. The distant sound of hyenas cackling and howling made me curl up tighter in fright.

Mother was still on a hunt that was taking longer than usual. It was already dark and I was terrified.

Eventually, the hunting party returned. I crept out of my hole and approached mother. She was worn and exhausted, but she smiled warmly when she saw me.

Laying down on her side, she pulled me in closer so that I could feed. After I was full, mother pulled me into her arms and proceeded to clean me.

Suddenly, I heard a particularly loud hyena howl. Giving a small squeak of fright, I buried my head into mother's chest.

Mother put her paws comfortingly around me. "Shani, dear," she spoke tentatively. "Are you okay?"

"I'm scared, mother," I whimpered. "Those hyenas are so big and scary!"

"Oh, Shani. You don't need to be scared of them," mother said. "I wont let them hurt you."

I looked up at mother, who smiled gently at me. "Let me show you something," she said. She picked me up by the scruff of my neck and carried me towards the mouth of the cave. She lay down right at the entrance and placed me in between her paws.

"Look up there," she said pointing up to the night sky. "What do you see?"

I looked up. There were tons of little stars shining like diamonds dotted against the inky sky. "I see lots of stars," I replied.

"Should I tell you something your father once told me?"

I nodded.

"He told me that the Great Kings and Queens are on those stars and are watching over those on Earth," she said. "So whenever you are feeling alone or scared, just know that they are always up there to guide you. Including your father. He would never abandon his family when we are in need."

I looked up at the stars, my eyes wide. "So, father's up there?" I whispered. The stars twinkled merrily as I snuggled down in my mother's paws. The fear I had felt, disappeared as a light breeze blew through my fur.

I looked up at the stars above me. A gentle breeze blowed through my fur. I might have imagined it, but I could almost smell a scent. A familiar scent of a lioness.

I breathed in deeply, the scent calming me down internally as it washed away my pain.

The breeze shifted as a new scent took its place. This one I didn't recognise, yet it was still strangely familiar. This scent was one of a lion.

As my eyes focused on the sky, two forms appeared above me. A lion and a lioness, closely snuggled together, were smiling down at me. I didn't wonder who they were. I recognised the lioness. And I didn't need to question who the lion was.

I felt better knowing that my parents had found peace and where now together after years of being apart. They were now watching over my brother and I amongst the other great Kings and Queens.

Because I knew they had been the greatest.

I'm sorry I took long in updating. I was rather busy. I hope you enjoyed this chapter.