NALA

"Hey," I turned to see my mother walking towards me. I was just standing outside of the Moutain lionesses den. I was trying to figure out what I was going to say to them. I knew telling them they were summoned would be enough. I don't know...i had a small nervousness in my stomach at the thought of what was about to happen. I guess that was why I was standing here twiddling my paws. "you've been standing there for a while, everything okay?"

"I'm here to the summon the lionesses"

"The Mountain pride?"

"Yes, Vitani wants to speak with them about Kijivu." I watched my mother read my face, and then turn to look at the random lionesses in front of us.

"oh..." Her voice was still, I couldn't read any emotion apart from being hesitant. "And what is she going to say?"

"what exactly and how? I have no idea, I know she whats to tell them the truth." again my mother gave me the same look, just as before."Why do you look like that?" it wasn't like she didn't know. I know she doesn't agree with it, I get it, but we can't just wait and do nothing. He's gotten away with two many murders already, and nothing has happened to him.

" I know what kind of trouble will come from telling that truth."

"What trouble mom, everyone will be on her side." I protested " To think they would turn on her...for Nuka is crazy."

"Who's to say they won't turn on the both of them?"... I know Vitnai talked about that previously. But what was the likely hood of that? and more importantly, it wouldn't make any sense because Vitani herself had nothing to do with it. Her only fault is being his twin, which is something she couldn't control.

"They won't, the love her here...besides she has to do this, you know that."

"Of course I know that. but given how everything has played out with this pride losing its leaders so recently. This might be an overload." a breaking point for them...it's a possibility. But I'm not going to think of that slim chance.

"I know, but I told her I support her, and im going to help her get rid of him when it's all said and done."

"Done?" that's was right... I don't think I fully told my mother about our plans. She just knows the culprit who started all this madness. "What exactly do you two purpose you're going to do?" I watched her raise an eyebrow, waiting for what I had to say.

"Stop him. " to put it plainly. " Vitani's more of the side of killing him. I'm still thinking of a way-"

"Killing him-"

"Mom...seriuosly?!"

" Well please tell me if you're serious then." was...was he serious right now?

"I am." I retorted confidently, I had nothing to hide about anything.

"Nala, do you know how foolish you both sound?" What? so we can plan to get rid of him, but not kill him? The bastard deserves it!

"Foolish...mom he-" but before I could say anything, she had to cut me off. damn... I don't believe her right now.

"I know what he did, we all say what he did to Sarabi." Sarabi...just hearing her name aloud...I wanted to claw into a dark hole and forget her. Her last moments. her son I couldn't protect. I could feel a nervous sweat start to break over me as I relived my most pained memory. Why did she have to bring her up? " We couldn't rush into action and save her, it killed us watching her, destroyed me..." I could see the pain in my mother's eyes. Pain I ignored because I was dealing with my own trauma. I never thought to ask about how she doing...coping.

"Sarabi didn't want us all to get hurt."

I bit the back of my tongue to suppress my emotions...my anger. Why would she want to bring her up here and now...and at the time like this. what could she gain...was I going to become afraid and change my mind. I'm fine with dying. I have nothing to live for really, so why not die doing something that will change the lives of everyone else.

"No, she didn't want us to all die in vain! Which is what would have happened if we let our emotions get the best of us. She was my best friend, she knows I would have gladly sacrificed myself for her in a heartbeat. But couldn't leave you behind and she knew that too."

"So what are you saying, we're doing this in vain?"

"What im saying is this, you two are going after the lion that killed a queen, her innocent son- hell both sons if for all we know, and a powerful king of a different pride. Nuka is very tactical. You think he's going to let you get the slip-on him?"

"He doesn't know anything about this." I voiced wiping the tears from my eyes.

"He doesn't need to know about it at all. Vitani is still competition for him, so regardless he's been planning on doing something with her. Which makes him ahead of you both."

"So what...when we try to attack him you and the others won't help us?"

"Of course I will, we all will. But you don't know what he has planned in-stored. You think he thinks he's doesn't have some backup? As much as I hate that lion, you can't deny that he finds ways to make things happen for him." ...what back up, besides this mother he has no one!

"He left the hyenas in the pride lands. the only lions who would remotely help him are his mother or sister. And she's on our side."

"Your side?" I could hear the scoff in my mother's voice.

"yes! our side, is that hard to believe?"

"A mother doesn't have sides when it comes to her cubs Nala."

"Vitani told her mother she had to come clean about Nuka."

"and did she?" I paused... I haven't heard a thing from Zira yet. and it been three days since Vitani told her. "Well?"

"With everything going on, she's waiting." that was the only thing I could think of. and it was a good reason. I know, I could never be in Zira paws and understand what she has to- is going to do. The decision will be tough for her regardless but as a mother, she should want to make the best choice, for her two other cubs.

"So...and what if she did. You think at the end of the day she going to let them kill one another?"

"That's up to Vitani and her mother mom-"

"But you said, Vitani plans to kill her brother. Are you sure she even has the heart to do that-"

"Of course she does, she has a lot a stake here. She already lost her mate to him, she's not going to lose her son too!"

"Nala being a killer isn't for everyone. Especially killing your own family member. I know being in the heat of the moment you can say the things you want to do-hell I say it all the time. I know myself Nala, I know I'm a lioness who couldn't take a life, but I will surely give mine for the cause. It's not until you're placed in that very moment, with someone else's life in your paws that you'll be able to actually make that call. It's nothing you can think about...imagine. Murdering a murder doesn't make you better off for it, it only makes you like them."

"I have to go." I said walking away, I didn't have the time for this. For her to try to make me rethink my decision. To doubt me, I was more than capable of this, and I didn't need her to make me think otherwise.

* I didn't think I would like Sarafina poking holes in Nala's and Vitani plans like that but I do. You have to love the older generation.

RyanSquad, yes we are... finally right, I still have drama on the way.

KawaiiCutie12, I'm going to find writing the convo with Simba and Kenya, interesting. we all know Simba loves to avoid his past. I feel the night sugarcoat things. I can't wait to write it either!

Guest , yes things are about to get real rocking in Simba relationship. He is emotionally unstable but will deny. Pushing the trauma to the back of his head can only help him manage to avoid a blow out for so long until he's forced to face it head-on, which will be happening. How he will react then...idk

the moment with Nuka and Vitani will be a needed moment I feel. They are closer and understand each other more than they would like to share. So this conversation can either help or hurt the remainder of the situation that is to come.

Im currently outlining the sequel, and these two will be together. But my AU famous for its darkness. so the relationship will be complicated, they will love each other, but love doesn't fix everything. So more personal development will happen. Nuka might be done, but a lot of things had to happen before we get there.

and for him leaving his current relationship, it'll be for the best for everything in the end...don't know if he'll see it that way when the time comes.

Shiranai Atsune, glad you enjoyed the last chapter!