NUKA

"Any word from Alpha?" I stood outside the den, watching the overcast of shadows. it looked like a storm would be coming this way. well, I guess that means I have to get my ball rolling faster. With the dry season nearing an end, any added water from the coming rains would make things more difficult. The air was cooler than this morning, and cooling still.

"yes sir, the word is he and Batuu have located your sister. They are just trailing her for now, keeping their distance so she won't suspect anything." Bones had been. Keeping me updated on everything, while I've been staying here planning everything. He's been charged with keeping tabs over the lionesses and the incoming new numbers of hyenas from the pride lands.

Since the mountain pride isn't big, he's had to be very selective by word of mouth whom hell tell. He's been choosing only a pawful to come through over here and fight for me. They need to be battle hungry and ready.

"Good." I replied, getting up.

"Anything else I can do for you Nuka?"

"No, that's all."

"Yes sir." he bowed, before leaving. ready back to one of the many duties he's been assigned.

"Oh, don't look like that." I voiced, the face my sister met me with was, repulsive. I could see the disdain for me in her tried red eyes.

"Stop this Nuka, you've gone far enough, please... you have everything." I sat down next to her, she was still being looked after my two other hyenas. I could tell by the added bit and scars on her legs she's been trying to be... difficult with them.

"Not everything, the world is everything, the whole of Africa is everything. I've only made a little dent." I informed her "you're starting to look better, at first I thought you might have been at death's door for a second, you sacred me for a little bit."

" Why my death would be the greatest thing to happen to you." she's more or less right. and believe me, I've weighed the options in my head many times already.

"Hmm, Second " i corrected. "I don't really have an order for these things. Eventually, I plan on being the only one standing." I heard her suck her teeth and breath heavy. "Why did you send Shia over there?" I asked the question that had been playing in my head for the two days she had been gone. Clearly my sister knew something I didn't. and I am not one to be out of the loop.

"I don't' know what you're talking about, she ran away Nuka. she could have run in any direction." sure, tell me that. I got up, and nodded for the hyenas and give me and my sister some privacy. having extra ears around can be fucking annoying at times. Especially when they try to put in their two cents. they left, only moving around the corner of the den. Ready to spring into action at any call.

"She could" I began eying her" but you see this direction is unique. It's the same one Nala and your son scent was found in before they...vanished so it would seem." I watched her eyes follow me intensely "So you won't tell me?" i sat comfortably right in front of her. we could play the waiting game all day if she wanted. "No? fine by me-"

"What are you going to do with Shia?" well that wasn't the answer I was looking for... she was avoiding the obvious, but that's fine, I would find out soon enough.

"Hmm?"

"Don't fucking hmm me Nuka...what you said about Shia, does it mean nothing... you're going to kill her along with everyone else involved in your mess."

"Tani, I've turned over a new leaf believe it or not." after having a very...insightful conversation with Shanti last night, I believe I've had a change of heart. " I'm not the same lion as yesterday."

"What fool would believe that."

"Fine, suit yourself." I could care less if she believes me or not, I know in her heart she's already set in her ways of how she feels about me." so now here's my question for you, who's the current king and queen of the Valley pride?" the top of her cut ear flinched, for a second she really did look like mother. But only for a second...

"I don't know."

"Lies, weren't you Queen? Were you not suppose to know the neighboring pride? Especially one that's been to war with your pride no less?"

" I'm not telling you a damn thing."

"Whatever you say Tani, I did some digging last night and found out for myself. His name is Malikah and his mate is Nri. Nri's the daughter of the king you had the war with the mountain ride those seasons ago, when this pride nearly lost everything."

"...and what about them?"

"Nothing, I was just telling you their name, but I knew you already knew that."

"I'm guessing Shanti told you then, right?"

"Yes, she's been very helpful to me lately. and good news Turns out the king and queen have a daughter!...Rhenna, a young heiress to the thrown with no male betrothal."

"So..."

"So, don't you see how great this is?"

"Nuka no..."

"So you do see where im going with this. Just picture it Tani, me strolling up, introducing myself as the new king of the Mountain pride, after our current king, meant his...untimely dismiss."

"No No that would never work!"

"Course it would, because you and I both know this current treaty means shit to them and everyone here. It's bound to fail with any wrong move, causing another pride war to erupt. But for me, you see I'm providing a solution to their problem. I'll purpose marriage, unit the pride, kiss their ass give them what they want, and then everything will willingly be given to me, no bloodshed...well non on their pride parts and daughter."

"Nuka are you fucking crazy!"

"and brilliant, I might add-"

" That plan is a fucking joke and you know it! it'll never work, you think they're going to hand over their daughter to you, just because you're a king-"

" Vitani, that's EXACTLY how it works. Don't play dumb to how you get over here? Kijivu was a king and what were you? A fucking princess." she bit her lip.

"...they won't willingly give you anything, they won't trust you."

"Please, since when is it hard for me to convince someone of anything? I got your beloved mate to even call me, his brother. Playing with the mind is my specialty. "

"It won't happen!"

"To keep their daughter safe, it will happen." her brows furrowed as she looked at me, trying to understand what I had just told her. my sisters not dumb, I know she's on track, right with me.

"What do you mean?" oh, im so glad you asked.

" Word has spread that a massive pack of hyenas is invading the territory. The valley pride numbers around what... 10-12 lionesses plus the king? My hyenas I'll gather will be 15 strong, not to mention the back backing me. But I digress. Their land will become a swamp once the rains start to come, all that valley grass with be like a water death traps. Their borders will be difficult to defend. We all know swimming threw filth and shit is a specialty for hyenas. That's when my pride comes in, added number and experience to help with the ...sudden invasion."

"...they-they can defend their lands themselves." fine, come up with ways to rebuttal me.

"Tani, we all know how it's damn near impossible to stop a hyena attack once it starts. Once those jaws shut on you, it's pretty much over. The valley pride has ZERO experience with hyenas. But you see I will be avoiding all that drama when I take their daughter as my queen."

"Nuka in what fucking world would this work-"

"In my world! don't fucking deny it. it's fool proof-The add of any outside threat during a change of seasons would cause any pride to make sudden changes. And hell let's just say they don't take my offer, that still doesn't mean I can't take their daughter. Tell me what was it like when dad forced you and Kijivu to be alone and try to...talk to each other. When he came and courted you? Hell, the shit was awkward for everyone. No one can interrupt a potential king and queen courting- not even the king and queen themselves. All I need is a little time, The hyenas will have her snatched in minutes."

"...they will come after her, this will be a suicide mission- you'll be causing the next pride war! Don't you see that Nuka!"

"If they want their daughter returned alive, they will surrender."

"...and what if they don't. If they fight back."

" then it would be a real shame to kill off an entire pride, but if that's what they want." I watched her shake her head, I was curious about what was she thinking. " They will do what they have to do to save their daughter. They willingly surrendering everything to me, and I won't kill her."

"...and did Shanti help you come up with this?"

"Yes, genius isn't she."

"Kings...you're going to kill us all."

"Well, you'll be along for the ride. I suggest you sit back and enjoy it while you still can."

*I had a slight panic attack because I thought I had already named the king of the valley pride and I was like shit, I have to go back and if it- turns out I didn't. and I can't believe I actually posted lol too I thought I was going to pass out after work. Also if any of you all are back in school, I'll be changing my post time to later in the day like around 6-7 pm. Because I would hate when my fav fanfic would post when I was in class.

+RyanSquad, that crazy a 365 later and here we go again lol

+Guest , yea seems to be, but it won't end all on bad terms for them. It will get dealt with soon, and Kye will be there to mediate. and for Nala you're right, she's known Nuka to be a monster. But he was predictable to her at least, she knew what would trigger him. He was a monster she 'understood' and im sure understood isn't the right word to use. But now he's just unpredictable to her if that makes sense. When they have a sense together I will flush it out.

+ExGeneration35, glad you're liking it and literally *post the next chapter a few hours later.