CHAPTER THREE: DECEPTION

In the early morning of that same day, while Simba and Kovu were still running through the desert, Vitani was making her way through the tall grass. Preying was never a problem for her and she settled down in the Pride Lands very easily. Yes, she did think about Zira sometimes, but Kovu and Kiara were right. It was time for a new beginning and Zira was too unstable to be a proper ruler. Realistically, if she was a capable ruler, they would have settled down a lot sooner somewhere, anywhere but the Outlands. But she couldn't let go of Scar and that destroyed her.

Living in the Pride Lands was the best opportunity Vitani had ever had in her life and if that meant giving Simba a chance it was only fair enough since Simba did the same compromise, which proved to be the best for all. Having spent quite some time there at this point, she settled down pretty nicely.

As Vitani carefully sneaked, moving with the grass unnoticed, she saw a shadow. Something was ahead. It was big. And it was sneaking too. She thought it might be Kovu, but she remembered what Nala told her. Simba and Kovu were away for that day. It did look like another lion, but where could another lion come from? Were there more in the Outlands? But then they would have encountered at some point before. She wanted to jump him, but realized it wasn't in her best interest, so she carefully started backing away. The lion did seem pretty strong from what she could see. About as strong as Simba, but this one was darker like Kovu. She couldn't see all of him, though. He was too far ahead and too hidden.

Careful not to get noticed, she slowly crawled out of the grass and ran to the Pride Rock as fast as she could.

...

"Are you absolutely sure?" asked Nala.

"Yes, he was right ahead of me," Vitani responded.

Nala stood still, trying to think of what to come up with.

"We will stay here for now," Nala announced after a few seconds. "It's the best if we stick together and if we do it here. We still have food supplies. If he causes trouble, we will split up. Some will stay here, some will go after him. Any questions?"

"Mother," Kiara started "you think someone is trying to invade the Pride Rock?"

Nala nodded remorsefully with a look that, on the contrary, gave away that she was ready for anything. "It's possible. But he could also be just passing by and we're fussing about nothing. Everyone just stay calm, we're not in danger until we know for sure."

The rest of the pride split up around the rock, chattering about the current situation.

"Mom," Kiara said as she got closer to Nala. "You think dad and Kovu are in danger?"

"I hate to say it, but they could be. This is all too suspicious."

"Let me go after them, maybe they are still not too far away," Kiara pleaded.

"If the danger escalates, you're allowed to go, but you'll bring back-up," Nala replied after a few seconds of thinking.

Kiara nodded. "Okay."

...

The sun was in its zenith by now, but nothing was happening. Nala still sat on top of the Pride Rock waiting for Zazu to come back from the look-out.

The pride seemed relatively peaceful. There was, of course, some underlying tension, but by now everyone began thinking it was a false alarm. Kiara and Vitani were still a little tense, but they were fine overall.

Kiara couldn't stop thinking about what could be happening to Kovu and Simba, but she needed to protect the pride now. She couldn't bail. She was soon to be queen and that meant she needed to put her pride's needs in front of her own. Besides, Simba wouldn't want her to go looking for him. And Kovu, well, he would just be happy to see her as always. But that was her personal life. Now, she had to act like a queen she would one day become.

"I just hope they are okay," Kiara said to Vitani.

"I think they are. They are not so easy to beat. At least Simba isn't. Trust me, I tried both," Vitani tried to brighten her up.

Kiara chuckled. "Who would say we would make jokes about it one day?"

"No one," Vitani replied. "I'd probably be the last."

Zazu suddenly flew to Nala at the speed of a flying arrow and all the heads turned towards the two of them.

"What is it?" Nala asked.

"There's a stampede around the gorge again. There was a lion attacking the wildebeest and they started running," Zazu said in a panicked tone.

"Where is he now?"

"I don't know, I couldn't see from the dust that rose."

"Alright, good job, Zazu."

Zazu finally landed. He looked like he would faint, but that was normal for Zazu. He freaked out at the smallest of things. But tension heightened in the air.

Nala felt conflicted. If this was a plot, then going to see what's happening was probably just the thing that was expected of them to do. They could fall right into a trap. But she couldn't just let someone run around causing trouble.

"Vitani," Nala finally decided. "You can go check it out. Imani, Gana, you can go with her," she said to the other two lionesses.

"Wait, that's it?" Vitani asked.

"You can bring someone else if you consider it necessary, but no more than two. This whole thing seems too much like a distraction plan. Expect the Pride Rock to be attacked today."

Some small gasps were heard in the pride and quiet chattering, but everyone quickly reassured themselves. They've all been in this type of situation before.

Vitani looked doubtful at first, but after a few seconds of processing what Nala said, she nodded. "Alright, two more then. Just in case."

Nala nodded back. "Very well."

...

On the back side of the Pride Rock, Warithi couldn't see anyone keeping watch. They probably didn't want to split up any further. That was a good decision for them, but there was no way the lionesses would stand a chance once they are finally attacked. They created the perfect diversion. For once, Damu finally proved useful. They couldn't ignore another lion causing trouble, no matter what they thought could happen. He did feel some sort of sympathy for the pride, but this was what his father wanted. And this was what he would give him.

However, in the moment of getting carried away, Warithi didn't notice a hornbill flying high above.

...

A little while later, Vitani was already on the cliff looking at the gorge and the other four lionesses followed. Stopping to take a look down, she thought of stories Zira always so eagerly told her, Kovu and Nuka. How Scar became a king. And how it all happened at this very place.

At that time, the story sounded like something great and heroic. At least that was how Zira made it sound. Vitani always found it a little bit disturbing, but never wanted to show it. Especially not to Zira. Now, looking down, knowing how everything actually played out, she felt nothing but sorrow when thinking of the story.

"There's no way we're getting down there," she said. "Only through the cliffs. We have to find that lion. Move carefully."

...

"They are sneaking over here," Zazu panicked, anxiously fluttering in the air. "There are a lot of them, both males and females, all coming here. We are outnumbered!"

The pride started to murmur as the tension increased.

"Quiet!" Nala ordered with a loud whisper. "Into the cave."

The lionesses immediately got themselves together and obeyed, knowing panicking won't be of any help, Nala getting in last right after Kiara.

"Lionesses cover the sides of the cave. They won't be able to see you from the outside unless they get deeper inside. That's why, Kiara," she turned to her daughter. "We will stand at the corners, waiting to get them from behind once they start getting in."

Kiara nodded assertively and the lionesses arranged themselves around the cave, waiting.

After a few minutes of tense silence, someone could finally be heard sneaking up the Pride Rock, along with some quiet murmurs. The murmurs died down quickly, but the steps were getting closer and closer. At some point, Kiara couldn't tell if the steps were getting louder or if it was just her heartbeats giving off the impression.

Nala focused intently on the blinding golden light of the sun lighting up the entrance. Standing right behind the corner of the entrance, she eventually saw the shadows of a big lion, another, slightly smaller lion following him and some other lionesses behind him.

"Warithi..." one of the lions quietly spoke.

"Shut up," the bigger one interrupted gruffly.

They proceeded to carefully sneak inside and in that moment, Nala knew this was it, glancing at her daughter on the other side of the cave's entrance. Nala nodded and Kiara nodded back.

...

"Vitani," whispered Gana. "Look at that tree on the right."

Vitani looked at a lone tree in the middle of the grassland and saw there actually was something moving behind. Her adrenaline suddenly jumped after the crushing disappointment of not finding anything down in the gorge and having to go back to the Pride Rock with nothing. But there was no way to sneak up on the place. The grass was too short for it and the tree was too far away from all the taller parts. They could crouch, but they would be seen easily and they would have to move very slowly.

"We have to run," Vitani concluded. "But do it as quietly as possible, in line with the tree, and one by one."

The other four lionesses nodded in agreement.

Vitani could hear her own heart pounding, but she always knew how to sneak up properly. After all, she and Kovu were often learning it together when they were cubs. Measuring it would take around 10 leaps until she reaches the tree, she deduced it was the best to start slow. Crouching and taking leaps as big as possible.

She started off steady, moving faster and faster, looking not to make a sound. Finally, halfway there, she started running, so focused that she completely forgot about the other four lionesses. As the tree got closer, she turned farther right so she can jump out of the corner properly. Finally getting there, she jumped right into the shade of the tree.

The lion indeed was there, but he seemed to look right in her direction as if he was expecting her, in a pouncing position, ready to jump. And as Vitani was jumping at him, he made the jump right towards her.

...

Warithi expected the attack behind his back, so he quickly turned around and pushed the blue-eyed lioness away. He supposed that must have had been Nala. He almost smirked at their predictability. However, Nala unexpectedly bit into his paw as she was falling. Warithi let out a roar. Judging by the stories, he should have expected her to be a fighter. With Nala's jaws still biting into his paw, he pressed her down and wasted no time in pulling himself together.

But as soon as he turned around, a younger brown-eyed lioness with a more yellowish fur slapped him hard across his face and jumped at him.

Nala wanted to go to her daughter's aid, but another lion, the slightly smaller male, tried to jump at her. She rolled over and he missed her, but she quickly stood up in a fighting position, trusting her daughter with a tough task she's been given.

Warithi scratched Kiara hard on her ribs and she let out a roar, but nothing was broken. Kiara felt more and more tired, but she couldn't let them win.

The smaller lion and one of the lionesses ended up cornering Nala way in the back of the cave. Nala was growling in defense, waiting for the attack to happen. The lion started his jump, but suddenly fell on the ground when something passed by his eyes and went away in a flash. Nala used the moment of confusion of the lioness, jumped at her, pinned her down and scratched her face. The fallen lion was growling in pain. No one yet understood what happened to him until Zazu showed up beside Nala.

"No one attacks the rightful rulers while I'm here," Zazu said, looking more than satisfied to pick someone's eye out. Untypical of him, but a helpful surprise in such a crucial moment. However, he snapped back into his anxious state quickly. "You have to leave. There are more of them coming."

"We are not leaving Pride Rock," Nala said as she kept pressing down the neck of the lioness.

"You have no choice. You're all split up and there's too many of them."

"Where's Vitani?"

"They managed to capture one lion. They are coming, but they need to be careful with him. I don't know how long it will take them."

Nala exhaled, accepting the voice of reason. "Tell them to go straight to the shelter. We'll be on our way soon. When Simba and Kovu return, we are taking Pride Rock back."

...

The lion on Vitani's back was heavy, but she could manage. Besides, if he starts to wake up, she was safe. The other four lionesses were walking each on every side of hers and Vitani was in the center, carrying the captive. The lion did seem grown, but he didn't look very strong. He looked almost starved. The lion had golden fur, like Simba, but his mane was very large and pitch-black. His eyes were green. Even though he came at Vitani prepared and knocked her over at the start, she managed to knock him out as soon as Imani came to her aid. Right now, seeing Pride Rock in the distance made her pick up the pace, but even after a few more minutes it felt disappointingly far away.

After a little while, she felt the lion trembling and coming to his senses, immediately dropped him off her back and pinned him down on the ground within a second.

"Ow!" the lion muttered as he slowly opened his eyes. They reminded her of Kovu's eyes, but with a colder, more distant gaze.

"Don't you dare try anything," Vitani threatened to his face. The lion stood still, but proceeded to stare into Vitani's eyes as if he knew all of her deepest, darkest secrets.

"Who are you and what do you want?" Imani sharply asked.

"I really don't need to answer anything to you," he replied in a calm, sarcastic tone.

"You do if you want to live," Vitani threatened.

"And what if I don't want to live?" the lion spitefully said.

Vitani stopped for a second. She didn't expect that answer.

"Vitani, we can't kill him. We need answers," Gana spoke out.

"Vitani!" a voice was heard from above. Vitani slightly raised her head up while keeping her eye on the lion. Zazu settled on the ground. "Get to the shelter. There are more of them coming."

"We're retreading?" Vitani asked in shock.

"Yes."

"But we're almost there, maybe we still have a chance," Vitani protested.

"Well, you're not close enough! It's not safe. We will wait for Simba and Kovu to come back."

"Yeah, well, what if they don't come back?" Vitani groaned.

"They will come back," Zazu said as he worryingly looked away.

"Yeah, but what if they don't?" Vitani persisted.

"They 'will' come back," Zazu said in a strict tone, looking Vitani right into her eyes.

"Look, I don't like that idea any more than you do!"

"If you're so convinced they won't, we still need a good plan and that's not exactly something we can think of in a few minutes," Zazu continued harshly. "We won't lose anyone if we don't need to. Now off to the shelter. It's the queen's order. I don't want to hear another word of protest."

Vitani quietly growled in frustration, but finally stopped resisting.

"Get in the middle!" she yelled at the lion who seemed completely apathetic to the entire situation. "And don't try anything."

...

It was another beautiful starry night, but Simba and Kovu couldn't soak in its beauty this time as they carefully walked near the gorge, waiting for any suspicious shadow to pop out and attack them.

Coming in a little further into their land, they grew increasingly more tense, but a sense of relief came over them as they noticed a familiar silhouette fluttering in the dark.

"Zazu?" Simba called out.

"Oh, thank goodness you two are okay," Zazu said as he got down to them, letting out a sigh of relief. "Are you hurt?"

"A few scratches here and there, but we're fine. What happened?"

"We were attacked by another pride. There's too many of them. We had to go to the shelter."

Simba sighed. "So they took over Pride Rock."

"Yes and we need to work on getting it back."

Simba turned to Kovu. "It's just like we thought."

Kovu stared into the ground, afraid and ashamed.

"What happened?" Zazu worriedly asked.

"Scar is back. And this is all his pride," Simba responded.

Zazu's eyes looked as if they got two times larger. "What? It can't be, are you sure?!"

Simba nodded. "I saw him, I talked to him, time made its mark on him, but it is him. No question."

"Well, where is he now?" Zazu asked.

"Probably not too far behind us, we need to move," Kovu finally spoke out.

"Right. Rafiki didn't save us for nothing," Simba quietly muttered.

"What are you talking about?" Zazu wondered.

"I'll tell you when we get there," said Simba and ran, avoiding eye contact with anyone.

...

After a bitter disappointment of not finding Simba and Kovu, Scar treaded towards the Pride Rock with quiet anger as the lionesses followed after him. However, upon seeing his son Warithi waiting for him on top of the Pride Rock, his face lit up in satisfaction.

"Father!" Warithi called out, noticing Scar right down below and immediately running down to meet him.

"Well done," Scar congratulated Warithi when Warithi got down in front of him and in the end just passed him by, Warithi running up by his side after a moment of waiting for something more, maybe some display of affection, not even noticing his mother coming to greet him.

"What about your mission? Have you been successful?" Warithi excitedly asked.

"We lost them. But they are here somewhere and we will be ready to defend ourselves. This was also an open option," Scar responded a bit absent-mindedly, looking around at the other lions and lionesses in his pride, noticing Wafa, his majordomo, staring at the ground. One of his eyes was missing. Scar connected the dots and his tone went from absent-minded to a lot more menacing.

"Wafa, where is Damu?"