+Dark-Cupid-25, yea poor Vitani having that feeling of being unwanted, you're right no one wants to feel that way.

+Redwalllover28, Im glad you liked the interaction with Vitani and simba, more is soon to come!

Chapter 23

Scar had looked down at his dark furred tiny cub. She rested peacefully in her mothers' arms, unaware of the look that her father was giving her. "She has his eyes." He commented, referring to the cub royal red orbs that was dominate in his family. The same eyes his father, and his brother Mufasa had. It irritated Scar slightly like he was being mocked or taunted in a way by his dead brother. Even when he thought he got rid of him, somehow, a piece of Mufasa is always still there.

"Yes…she does." Voiced the cubs mother. Then with a nervous voice Zira spoke. "look Scar, I know she's small, but she is strong, I know it. She will make a great heir….and if not. When can always try again and-" Scar stopped her right there.

"There's no need to talk of such things now, Zira." It didn't sound mad or irritated, he sounded more or less at ease. And that scared Zira, this sort of attitude was not like her mate. Usually, he would show his dissatisfaction with something she had done wrong, but now…now it was like, it didn't matter to him anymore. And that scared her. Did he stop caring? "You need your rest Zira, I'll leave you then." Scar slowly got up, not making eye-contact to her or the other lionesses in the room. As he disappeared back into his outside world, leaving her behind, again. Zira pride sisters were there at their queenside, placing a shoulder on her back and adding comforting words to ease her pain.

"This isn't fair!" she voiced thought tears. Zira thinking to herself, how this was all her fault…she had lost Scars love, which meant she had now lost everything. She might as well dismiss herself from his kingdom while she could still have some dignity left. "He hates me…he hates me…" her voice quivered as she began to hyperventilate. With an overwhelming feeling of guilt and abandonment.

"Zira, calm down, you're stressing yourself out!" voiced Jama as she saw her queen start to turn red in the face.

"no…NO…." her body began shaking, fearful her pride sister took the cub from her mothers' arms. "H….he.." be mouthed, her tongue growing dry.

"we…we need t get Rafiki…" she voiced coming to an obvious conclusion. They knew their queen was stressed from what Scar put her thought, but they did not know it was to this degree.

"Saada!"

"Right…" the lioness voiced in a rushed tone, taking off into the coming night.

Nala walked back to the prides side den cautiously, she arrived later than she had hoped or anticipated. but she couldn't help it, she felt terrible thinking about Simba and how she had told him he can't come see his mother…more or less, he shouldn't come see her right now. And again, she was the one who told him he could come visit her or the pride anytime….and now, he can't. Wow what a bummy move, huh. Nala stopped in the entrance way of the small den, where she watched Sarabi saw resting on the inside. It was nice when to see her queen sleeping so peacefully. Nala walked up slowly, as he got close Sarabi eyes stirred.

"Oh, sorry did I wake you…I'm sorry, I just wanted to say hi to the cub." She voiced in an apologetic manner.

"Ha, no you didn't I was just resting my eyes."

"Oh." Chimed the blue-eyed lioness, as she placed her small paw on the lioness large belly. "Hi little one, can you hear me?" Nala voiced in a cooing baby tone.

"Oh, he can hear you."

"haha, he?"

"Yea."

"How can you tell?"

"I have a feeling." The older lioness sat up.

"haha, I see, well" redirecting her attention back to Sarabi swollen belly "hey little guy, I can't wait to meet you!"

"Zira had her cub today." Her information was so sudden, yet said so clam, Nala had to rethink what Sarabi had just told her, Zira had her cub? Now?

"w-wait…really? How do you know?"

"I heard."

"oh…she is okay?"

"I assume so, if not, then we'd be hearing about it."

"Do the others know-my mom and everyone I mean?"

"Probably not, they've been gone all morning."

"Wow…that just…happened out of nowhere."

"Yea, it can happen like that."

"Did it sound bad?" Nala began, but she could tell her sudden sentence didn't make much sense to the older lioness so she explained herself. "I mean…did it sound like she was in a lot of pain? But this is like her third cub technically, so, it shouldn't have been that bad, right?"

"Oh no dear, it still hurt."

"Does it?" curiosity all in her voice. Nala didn't have the time to speak with her mother about such things, particularly because she was embarrassed and then mainly because her mother was always gone, and never home. She didn't want to pester Sarabi about her….growing up questions either. Well her mother told her not to bother Sarabi with them, so she didn't.

"Yes…"

"But it's worth it in the end, I know." A smile on her face. "I'm excited, I can't wait for you to have the cub, it'll be like I'm an older sister! Or an aunty…or both…"

"Haha, you'll be excited for the both of us then."

"You're not excited?"

"I am, but you know it's complicated Nala."

"I understand…well I'm going to go outside and wait for my mom, call me if you need anything, okay?"

"Okay." The lionesses shared a caring nuzzle before they parted. Sarabi back to resting, and Nala finding some creative time until her mother and the rest of the pride came.

As the duo of lion and lioness continued their walk, unaware of the situation back at home, Vitani had finally got the chance to ask Simba the question was she dying to know the answer to.' The heck has he and her dad been doing these past week' if they thought they were being sneaky, they weren't. Well her dad was…Simba on the other paw wasn't. when he's half asleep, he's a very heavy walker. She could hear him stumbling and bumping into things from his sleeping peak outside of the main den. The question none the less took Simba off guard. "Huh?" was his only reply as he thought of a good excuse to tell her.

"Don't huh me?" she said rolling her eyes. "You heard what I said, what have you been doing with my dad. Waking up at stupid hours in the morning?"

"Um, nothing, that just when we hang" Vitani raised a neat eyebrow, really that when they…hang?

"Please, he doesn't even 'hang' with his own kids."

"It's nothing-"

"Don't tell me it's nothing, and honestly it's not like a care- but I care, so tell me." He voiced throwing a paw over his larger shoulder " And if you think you are doing to lie to me…"

"Serious Vitani its' nothing."

"Well if it's nothing, you can tell me. C'mon, I'm just curious, and I besides I just spent like 30 minutes of my life, confessing my feelings about my mom, and who really wants to hear that crap?"

" and what makes you want to listen to my crap then?"

"Easy, it's not my crap I have to deal with, it's someone else's. It makes me feel better on the inside." She chimed with a smile. "soooo c'mon." she was going to have at it all night pestering him if that's what it took to get Simba to tell her what she wanted to know. She was impatience, but then, who isn't?

"Fine, I guess…I don't know." Dam was this the right thing to tell her, to be honest, Simba had been feeling quite a bit of weight carrying this secret… for some reason he had this feeling he would get found out and would be…punished for it, it not by Scar when definitely by Zira. But no one wants to keep a secret, secrets are meant to be told, and share with others, that how they work. And not like Simba had a wide pool of friend to talk to, and share his problem with anyway. There was no way he would tell Nuka about this, he's whine and cause drama for sure. And then there was no way that Nala would support this decision of hanging out and being trained by Scar. She hated the lion, so that meant he only had Vitani really. And she was always indifferent about most things, if not everything, because it wasn't like she could control the situation. And her situations sometimes seem more messed up than his, so in a sense, they were both in a pickle together. "Um….dam how do I say it?"

"Well spit it out, I don't have all night. I mean I do, but I'm really tired and would like to get some sleep sometime soon haha." She teased.

"Okay fine, but you have to promise me you won't get mad."

"Why would I get mad?"

"I don't know- but you have to promise me that you won't get mad."

"Simba? I'm not going to get mad. And what would it matter if I did, I mean you're still going to do what you're doing right." true, but still.

"Yea but your hits hurt, so if I know you'll get mad I want to prepare myself."

"kings, you lions are some babies….fine I won't be mad, I promise." Simba gave her a side-eyed look, saying, 'you better to be lying to me.' "Dude c'mon!"

"okay okay, the reason why ' been spending time with Scar…your father is"

"I know who he is…" Vitani shrugging her shoulder, when did he feel the need to explain their family relationship, just get to the point, duh. "dam sorry- continue please."

"He wants me to be king, after him….at least that what he told me." Wow, finally saying it, did lift a great weight off his chest, wow, no wonder everyone's like, just tell your truth you'll feel better. "huh…Vitani?" she was still and silent for a moment with her head down. Oh damn, he knew it, she had to be pissed about it, after all, he's stealing something that rightfully belongs to her brother… and then her if Nuka didn't succeed. Simba is better off smacking himself in the face now. " vit-"

"That some crazy shit!" she exploded, but not angry. "I mean, good luck for you when you have to start ruling this dump." he pushed him on his side.

"Wait, you're not mad?"

"Simba why would I be mad?" she voiced her tone at ease. "I'm not going to be the one ruling so."

"But what about Nuka aren't you upset for him?" Vitani gave Simba a look.

"You and I both know, Nuka and I have a very…special relationship. I love him, but I'm not blind to his faults. He's a spoiled brat who used to getting anything he wants, and when he doesn't, he manipulates you until he gets what he wants….basically my dad. And if you ask me, being honest they are both royal jackasses."

"oh….right."

"Yea don't tell my brother this…and probably not my mom." Like he'd ever dreamed of doing that, please no one wants a death wish.

"But you're seriously not mad?"

"For the last freaking time, Simba no, I'm not. I'm perfectly fine this it. In fact, I'd think you be a better ruler than my brother anyways."

"Really?" she shook her head.

"Yup."

"Well…I guess that makes me feel better."

"I'm glad I did my job. My only thing is, don't let what my dad says get to you, he has a very good way with words. And you're a nice guy Simba and nice guys don't last long."

"Don't worry I don't plan on anything happening to me."

"Okay, just thought I tell you." They stood still for a moment. Vitani looking at Simba calm features he had never noticed how relaxing it was to look into his face, and those red orbs…weird. "C'mon, lets head back. It's getting late."

"Right." Voiced Simba following behind.