Chapter 15: Standing Together

The three young lions gasped and stared back at their pride. Then they looked at each other confused and became nervous.

"What's going on?" Siva spoke up nervously.

"Yeah," Niru stepped closer to her.

Suvo looked at the two and then stepped on the other side of his sister. "The time is right for what?" he asked, turning towards his father.

Kunta took a breath and began to explain. "Rafiki and Reekyo have received serious news from the great kings that King Kovu and Queen Kiara along with the rest of the Pridelanders have been held captive in Uvok's jungle kingdom."

The trio's eyes widened.

"What?" Suvo gasped.

"Mom, Dad!" Niru yelled.

"Oh no!" Siva cried.

Kunta roared to silence them. Then he spoke in a calm voice. "Now, you must not panic. You three have learned most of what you need to know as being an adult. But, unfortunately, there are some things you must learn on your own. If you confront your fears and tackle your problems from when they first start, you will succeed," he turned to his son, Suvo and nodded at him, to emphasize his point. "You've been taught, now you need to take that knowledge and use it. You have grown so much since you came to me almost 2 years ago as 4-month-old cubs that had no training in anything yet. Now, you have grown up, inside and out," Kunta smiled proudly as he gazed upon each of his students. Then his face grew serious. "You realize now, you are our only hope of getting your pride back and restoring the balance of the Circle of Life. Be strong, believe in yourselves, and most of all, stand together," he concluded.

The young lions forced themselves to stand up straight, tall and proud, although inside they were scared to death.

"Now, it's almost noon, get some food to eat and then come back to Pride Rock, because the remaining members of your pride want to say 'goodbye'," Kunta nodded to them and then turned to Simba.

"Yeah," Simba added nervously.

Nala smiled to try to calm them. "Go on now, you'll be alright," she comforted the young lions.

The now young adults nodded to their predecessors and looked at each other, nervous. Then they turned and swiftly walked into the tall grass.

Each of them parted in separate directions to hunt.

Siva crouched down in the grass and panted rapidly for a moment, thinking about the sudden journey to the jungle they were to embark on this afternoon. She became light headed, and then a voice inside her told her "You can do it, you'll be alright." Maybe Nala was right; they would all be OK -at least for right now. A wave of relief came over her and she breathed deeply. Then she gathered herself up and focused on the meal that was only feet away from her.

Niru tried to hunt, but found himself plagued with the thought that Suvo had talked to him about earlier: separation. What if they all did fall apart? He didn't want them to. He realized he had to apologize to Suvo and tell him that he didn't want himself and Siva to drift apart from him. That they would always be best friends and nothing could change that. Then he tried to get back to hunting, without much success.

Suvo was determined to fight for his pride and protect his sister and best friend. He took his emotions out on his prey, which proved to be quite successful in his hunt. Back at Pride Rock, the three of them appeared about the same time with their prey. Suvo and Siva had to drag their full-grown antelope while Niru appeared carrying a baby gazelle in his mouth.

Suvo and Siva's eyes widened at Niru's catch.

"Whoa, Niru?' Siva asked.

Suvo remained silent, but stared in confusion at his best friend's catch.

"I was nervous, OK? I don't hunt well when I'm nervous," Niru admitted embarrassed.

"Oh Niru," Siva trotted over to him and nuzzled him and licked his cheek. "It's OK, I'm nervous too, but you're not alone," she smiled.

Suvo watched the scene and became choked up. "Yeah, we're all together in this," he managed to say with a smile and moist eyes.

Niru started to go over to him. "Suvo."

Suvo stared at his best friend.

Just before Niru could say anything else, Simba came over to all of them. "You three should eat up," Simba said a bit nervous and stood there for a minute.

"OK, we are," Niru replied.

Suvo and Siva gave a small nod in response.

"OK uh, I'll just be-waiting," Simba nodded, nervous and turned and quickly walked to the front of Pride Rock.

The trio ate quickly in silence, groomed themselves, and headed to the front of Pride Rock where Simba, Nala, Sarabi, Sarafina, and Chaka were waiting. They all stood when the trio arrived.

Rafiki and Reekyo were at the top of the hill on a flat boulder to guide the trio down the hill. Zazu, Timon, and Pumbaa were watching from the bottom. Pumbaa hugged Timon nervously and sadly.

"Prince Niru," Rafiki announced as he smiled proudly at the young lion. Reekyo smiled as well, nodded at him, and pointed to the bottom.

Niru nodded and smiled, as he grew more confident and felt proud. Then he slowly descended down the hill, stopping at each lioness as they congratulated him and bid him farewell. The same was done for Siva and Suvo.

"Be safe, fight real well, we'll miss you!" Timon cried as he and Pumbaa hugged each lion.

Then Simba came over and cleared his throat. Timon and Pumbaa released the lions from their grasp and sniffled.

Niru smiled at them. "Thanks you guys. Don't worry, we'll be back before you know it."

"You better be," Simba said in a stern voice.

The cubs turned to him with worried facial expressions.

Simba's face softened and he smiled. "Because we'll miss you a lot," he said, and nuzzled each cub lovingly.

"We will," they replied in a relieved voice.

"Good luck everyone. May the Great Kings be with you," Simba concluded as the three almost grown cubs turned to head into the fields as their mothers and pride had done almost 2 years ago.

Simba, Nala, Rafiki, Reekyo, Timon, Pumbaa, Zazu, Sarabi, Sarafina, and Chaka watched proudly as the three cubs disappeared into the horizon.

For most of the way to the jungle, the trio walked in silence. Although their bodies were next to one another, each of them felt cold and alone as if they were surrounded by darkness. They hid their fear from one another by putting on a brave look, and concentrating on what was in front of them. The first few hours were the hardest as African desert sun beat down on them. As evening approached and the sun sank low in the sky, the young lions nearly fainted from the temperature drop. Niru tried to fight the urge to lay down, but one of his front paws dragged against the ground and as he put his other front paw forward, he tripped over it and fell hard to the burning sand. He winced as his vision blurred and a curtain of spots blinded him and he closed his eyes.

Siva and Suvo stopped abruptly and spun around at hearing the thud. They were taken aback by the sight of Niru's fainted body on the ground.

Siva immediately raced over to him and licked his face in an attempt to wake him up. "Oh no, he's fainted! That small meal he ate before wasn't enough to sustain him out here!" she cried.

Suvo stared worriedly at his sister and best friend still in shock, not knowing what to do.

Siva looked frantically into her brother's eyes. "Well don't just stand there, Suvo! Please go find water, hurry!"

"But what about you?" he asked terrified of the situation he was in.

"I'll stay here and watch over him. Now go!" she roared, startling both Suvo and herself.

Suvo got a pained expression and fled from the scene. He didn't know where he was going, just that he was away from his sister's harsh tone. "She didn't mean to yell like that, she just scared like I am about having to fight Uvok. I really am scared right now. Oh, I wish Mom was here," he thought to himself. As a picture of his mother came into his head, his eyes stung with tears as he remembered how much he loved her and missed her. She would want him to stick together with Niru and Siva and protect them and watch over along the way. Yes, he had to be strong now more than ever. He wiped his tears away and inhaled the sweet, cool desert night air, which smelled of water. He gasped as a smile spread across his face and ran in the direction of the smell. He was so focused on the water; he didn't realize he had entered the jungle as he could think about nothing except his sister and best friend. As he prepared to make a sharp turn around a tree, he smacked right into a young adolescent lioness. Suvo fell backwards, but quickly sat up and rubbed his head to looking at what he ran into. He saw a lioness, younger and smaller than himself. She shook her head to make sure it was Ok before leaping to her feet. She focused on Suvo and snarled fiercely.

Suvo's natural reaction was to do the same thing as he studied the lioness's features. He angry expression softened as his eyebrows rose up in disbelief. Cub-hood memories of "that day" flooded back to him. That reddish-brown coat that glimmered in the sun, dark green eyes, tan paws- King Kovu's sister!

"Nahara!" Suvo cried.

Nahara stopped growling and gasped. She backed down a little, wary of the stranger. "How do you know my name?" she asked. Her voice was clear and higher-pitched than Siva's, showing that she was indeed younger than they were.

"It's me, Suvo!" he yelled overjoyed.

"Shh, keep it down, King Uvok will hear you! Then you'll really be dead," she hissed at him.

"Sorry. Wait Uvok? I've gotta tell Niru. Niru! Oh no, I almost forgot, he needs water! Oh please help me, Nahara," Suvo plead.

"Niru? Kiara was talking about him! I must meet him, he's the one that protected me when I was a baby she told me!" Nahara exclaimed.

"I'll take you to him if you get me some water, Niru's fainted," Suvo explained.

"Fainted? Why didn't you say so? Okay, I'll tell my father I'm uh, I'll think of something. Wait here, I'll b back in a flash!" she whispered quickly and ran swiftly away through the jungle trees.

Suvo paced for what seemed like hours, which in reality was only a few minutes before Nahara returned without water.

Suvo gaped at her. "Well, where's the water?" he panicked.

"There's a safe place away from my father's kingdom where you can bring Niru to a shallow stream. It's the only way," Nahara panted, still recovering from racing.

"How can I trust you?" Suvo glared at her.

"Do you want to save Niru or not? I know I do, now take me to him!" she growled sternly.

"You've really changed since we last saw each other I can see," Suvo said to her as he ran back to where he had left his sister and his best friend.

"Suvo!" Siva cried happily upon seeing her brother return. Then she noticed Nahara behind him and became wary.

Guarding Niru, she gave a warning growl to Nahara, causing her to turn her attention to Siva and stand her ground.

"Siva it's OK. She found water for Niru, come on," Suvo said lifting the front half of Niru onto his back.

"Suvo, who is she?" Siva demanded insulted by the way that Nahara had just run up to Niru without introducing herself.

"Siva?" Nahara's eyes widened remembering her.

"Yes, that's my name. Now what is yours?" Siva growled.

"It's me, Nahara!" she smiled excitedly.

Siva's mouth fell open and she gasped at hearing Nahara's name, as she too remembered the day they found her in the Pridelands.

"Nahara?" Siva whispered.

The young lioness smiled and then grew serious as she looked at Suvo struggling to support Niru's limp body.

"Come on, we've got to hurry now!" she spoke in a mature voice and helped Suvo lift the other half of Niru onto Siva's back. Once situated, Nahara walked in front of them and motioned for them to follow her to the stream.

Niru awoke feeling cool, wet and refreshed. He looked up at the sky and saw the tops of trees hiding the majority of the sky. Through the spaces in the treetops, he saw a midnight-blue sky sparkle with stars.

"Are you Ok, Niru?" Suvo asked.

"Suvo! Where am I?" he asked, happy to see his friend.

"You're in the jungle," Nahara replied from the shade of a tree a few yards away.

Niru gasped at the unfamiliar voice and sat up immediately, facing the lioness. The drooping leaves of the tree mostly hid her face and body.

"Show yourself stranger! I am Prince Niru of the Pridelands," he growled standing up and extending his claws as he got into defense mode.

The lioness stepped into the moonlight, revealing her face and body.

"Niru, you turned out just as brave as your mother said you would," Nahara giggled walking around him.

Niru gasped and his eyes grew wide. "You know my mother?"

"Yes, she's been living under the rule of my father for almost 2 years now," Nahara said solemnly and looked at the ground.

Niru cocked his head at the young lioness and his jaw dropped. "Uvok! Nahara! You're alive!" he exclaimed.

"Shh, keep it down, you want him to find you?" she growled.

His smile faded. "Wait, so are you on your father's side, or ours?"

"I'm on no one's side! My father took me in after my mother disappeared, seeing how I used to live with only her. He's raised me in his jungle kingdom since I was a baby. All my life, I've just done what he's told me to. Sometimes work mostly play by myself and stay out of his way while he spent time training my brother to be king of the jungle. I was still a princess I guess, just a forgotten one, ignored one," Nahara explained, her eyes beginning to tear.

Siva, Suvo, and Niru listened attentively, and gave her a look of sympathy.

Nahara blinked, drew another breath, and continued. "One day I was curious to know more about my long-lost brother and I started talking to him while my father was off ordering around the other lionesses. We've really gotten to know each other, and pretty soon, he introduced me to the others. I talked to his mate, Kiara, and his sister, Vitani, and a few others that I've become close with. I guess I remind them of you three, because they constantly talk about you and compare you to me. I guess it's their way of coping with not being able to see you. That's why I wanted to help you, and to thank you for finding me and being my friend that day," she smiled at them all and sighed.

"Wow, Nahara. You're welcome?" Niru smiled and chuckled softly.

"Yeah," Siva and Suvo nodded, speechless about Nahara's life story.

"So, you came here to rescue your pride, right?" Nahara asked softly after a few moments of silence.

They all nodded simultaneously.

She smiled. "You can rest here tonight. You'll be safe. I need to get back or my father will get suspicious. I'll come back here at dawn tomorrow, OK? Good night, and it was great to see you all again!" Nahara flashed them one last glimmering smile before sprinting away into the dark jungle.

The three of them watched until she was out of sight and they couldn't hear her anymore. They were alone now. They all lay down and huddled close for warmth and protection in their regular formation-Niru in the middle, and Siva and Suvo on each side of him.

"Suvo?" Siva asked.

"Yeah?"

"I wanted to apologize for earlier today. I didn't mean to yell at you, I was just scared. Not just for Niru, but all of us and this journey and Uvok!" Siva sniffled, tears welling up in her eyes.

Suvo embraced his sister.

"It's alright, I understand, sis. I feel the same way, and I'm sorry I was jealous a little of you and Niru," Suvo confessed, and turned red with embarrassment as he looked at Niru.

"You were jealous, Suvo?" Siva asked, looking from Niru to her brother.

"I just didn't want our friendship to fall apart, I'm sorry," Suvo sighed, feeling relieved.

"Oh Suvo, I'm sorry. I didn't know, you're should have told me sooner! You know I'll always be your sister and love you. All three of us will always be friends and nothing can change that, right guys?" she smiled to each of them.

"Yeah!" they exclaimed and laughed happily as they squeezed together, nuzzling each other until they fell asleep.

Nahara burst through the trees and skidded to a stop in front of Kovu.

"Whoa there, Nahara. What's wrong?" Kovu smiled.

Nahara's eyes widened and a rush of excitement flowed through her veins. "Kovu! I have to tell you something, I-

"Nahara? What's going on?" Uvok came over and asked sternly.

She gasped at her father. "Nothing, I was just going to tell Kovu about this cool monkey I saw in the trees!" she quickly lied.

"Oh? What did it look like?" Uvok asked suspiciously.

"Well, uh, it had a blue butt and a colorful face!" Nahara nodded enthusiastically with a fake grin on her face.

"Oh Nahara, you didn't see a monkey," Uvok began.

Nahara panicked and gritted her teeth. "I-

"That was a baboon! Silly cub," Uvok laughed and harshly patted his daughter's head.

Nahara winced at his action, and sighed, relieved that he hadn't figured out about Niru, Suvo, and Siva.

"Come on, son, let's go check up on those lionesses," Uvok beckoned.

Kovu looked sympathetically at his little sister, and back at his dad. "Uh, can I get a drink of water first, please?" he asked in a nervous voice.

"Son, you're voice sounds scratchy. You OK?"

"Yeah, I just haven't drunk enough water lately," Kovu chuckled weakly.

"Ah, well you know in the jungle you have to keep dehydrated. But don't worry, you'll have a long time to adjust, OK? I'll be over by the lionesses. Hurry now," Uvok taunted.

"Ok," Kovu replied sadly. He would never adjust to this place, because it wasn't his home. These days it became more difficult each day to remember the Pridelands. He thought about how his son and Vitani's cubs looked. It was almost two years since he had seen them. They had grown into adults without him. This made him angry, but mostly sad that he had missed out on teaching his son how to hunt and he had missed watching him grow up and mature. He wondered how Niru looked now. In his mind, he could only see a fading picture of a beautiful, playful, brave, 4-month-old cub that was eager to learn how to be a good future king.

He walked over to the pool where the waterfall was; the same one his mother had been killed in. He felt it was only right to visit the place of his mother's death, to remember her.

Nahara looked at her father, who was gone now, and ran over to her brother. "Kovu, I have to tell you something very important, but you can't tell Dad," she whispered in a pleading tone.

"Ok I promise. What is it?"

"I couldn't tell you before because he was around, but last night when I asked Dad about getting water in a shell and he said he didn't have one-

"Get to the point, Nahara, before he comes back!" Kovu said in a sharp whisper.

"Your son and his friends are in the jungle! They were sent to come rescue you and your pride from Uvok!" Nahara said in a louder whisper.

"Shh, he's going to here-Niru! My son, Niru, and his friends?"

Kovu's eyes widened and his jaw dropped. Adrenaline rushed through him for the first time in almost two years, and Kovu grinned at his sister.

Nahara's face brightened as well.

Kovu began jumping up and down in jubilation.

Nahara looked around nervously and shoved her brother in the pond.

Kovu cried out.

"Shut up, you want to blow their cover and get them killed?" Nahara said through clenched teeth.

Kovu grinned and started to speak, but then his smiled faded. "Wait, what if Dad finds them?" Kovu panicked.

"Don't you think I thought of that? They're downstream in a safe place where Dad never wanders," Nahara whispered.

"Are you sure?" Kovu asked nervously.

"Positive," she smiled confidently at him.

"You're a great little sister," Kovu smiled, licking his sister's cheek.

"You're a great big brother," Nahara nuzzled him.

Then Kovu jumped out of the pond, shook off, and ran to the fields to find his father.

Nahara watched her brother run off and admired him for his strength and how he put up with being forced to rule with her Dad. She smiled and sighed happily, when she felt someone behind her. She turned to casually greet whoever it was.

"Oh hi-

She was knocked off her feet and fell hard on the ground. She felt her tail yanked and was pulled again by a fairly large, powerful arm. She groaned, and growled, looking up into the face of her attacker. Much to her horror, it was her father!

She gaped in shock and fear at her powerful, upset, violent father. "Dad?"

"Don't give ME that 'Dad' crap! You knew those cubs were in the jungle and you didn't tell me? More than that, you helped them? You mean to say you're siding with them and betraying me? Just like your mother," he snarled fiercely, baring his teeth at the young lioness.

Nahara's face was now filled with fear and confusion.

"Oh that's right, you don't know the truth, do you? DO YOU?" he pressed his muzzle against her face forcefully.

In a split second, she remembered what Kovu had told her that Niru had done to protect her from the lioness that yelled "Surprise!" at them one day, which, unbeknownst to her, was her mother. She lifted her arm, bared her claws, and swiftly with all her might, smacked her father's muzzle.

He jumped back immediately and roared enraged.

Nahara scrambled to her feet, shaking violently, and ran away as fast as she could, screaming.

Kovu's ears flew up at her cries and knew it was serious. He raced after her. She fled past him, heading to the place where she had left Niru, Siva, and Suvo.

Niru sniffed the air and frowned. "Smells like rain," he observed.

"I wonder where Nahara is," Suvo asked.

Just then, her cries reached them.

They leapt to their feet, wide eyed.

"That sounds like her!" Suvo yelled.

"Let's go!" Niru instructed and they ran towards the cry.

They hadn't gone far when they met up with Nahara, followed by Kovu. They both ran past each other, and then skidded to a stop, and turned around to meet up with each other.

"Nahara! What's wrong?" Suvo asked, arriving to her first, since he was at the end of the line. He stopped before Siva and Niru. Then he saw Kovu behind her and gasped in disbelief.

"King Kovu?" he asked, and fell to his knees.

"Suvo, is that really you?" he nuzzled him affectionately.

"Dad!" Niru breathed.

Kovu looked up instantly and his gaze met Niru's. He thought he was dreaming as he looked upon a young adult, brave, and strong version of his son. His soft, kind expression with bright green eyes, light brown nose, and golden orange coat, were beautiful to Kovu. That's what he had missed so much that day he awoke intoxicated in the jungle. Even intoxicated with a mild concussion, his love for his son prevailed and could not be taken from him. Tears welled up in Kovu's eyes and streamed down his face.

"Niru!"

"Dad!"

They ran and tightly embraced each other while they cried joyful tears.

"I missed you, dad," Niru sobbed.

"Shh, it's Ok, son, I'm here now. I missed you too, but I knew I'd see you again," Kovu said lifting his head and gazing at his son again.

"And I knew I'd see you again too," Uvok's sinister tone rang out.

The small group turned and saw Uvok with his pride and the Pridelanders behind him.

"My, look how you've grown, Prince Niru. Haven't seen you in almost 2 years, right?" Uvok said walking closer to him.

Niru got in the same defense position he had when he was a cub and growled, baring his teeth.

"How cute, didn't you do that the last time I saw you? Hey, speaking of old times remember that day? You never did get to show me what a good pouncer you were. Just like your dad you said," Uvok taunted.

Niru's heart raced.

"Well, now would be a good time, don't you think?" he glared at him, unsheathing his claws.

The sky above them grew dark with storm clouds, and a raindrop fell to the ground in front of Niru and Uvok.

"Don't tell me you're not warmed up, Niru. You know you can practice by pouncing on me," he snarled.

Just then Nahara leapt at her father from the side, claws and teeth bared.

"Leave him alone!" she roared and bit down on her father's arm.

He cried out and threw her off.

She flew to the side, where Suvo leapt and caught her in his arms. They both landed at the foot of a tree.

"Suvo!" Siva and Niru shouted.

"That's enough!" Kovu prepared to strike Uvok, when Uvok knocked Niru to the ground and pinned him.

Uvok flexed his claws an inch away from Niru's throat. "If anybody moves, the Prince dies instantly!" he roared moving his claws closer to Niru's throat.

"No!" Kiara screamed.

Niru's breathing increased, expecting to die at any second. He was trapped every way. If he moved a muscle, Uvok would dig his claws into his throat.

Thunder crashed above them.

"No, don't! Take me instead and let Niru go," Suvo stood up.

"What?" Nahara cried.

"No, my baby!" Vitani protested in a hoarse voice.

"Suvo no! Take me instead!" Siva yelled.

Uvok turned his attention to the twins. He loosened his grip on Niru. "Hmm, an interesting offer. Two lives for the price of one," he got off Niru and glared at Siva and Suvo. "Deal," he said coldly.

Niru gaped in shock as his best friends offered to give their lives to spare his. No, they couldn't die, this wasn't right; this wasn't the way it was supposed to end. He wouldn't let it happen. He prayed for an answer. Suddenly, Rafiki's drawing of himself with Siva and Suvo on each side of him flashed in his mind. Ever since they were cubs, they did everything together. They always stuck by each other, and they had accomplished so much together. Kunta's final words to them before they left were "Be strong, believe in yourselves, and most of all, stand together." That was it! That was what they had to prove! Standing together!

"Let's see, who dies first?" Uvok chuckled sinisterly.

"No one!" Niru roared, charging at him.

Uvok was knocked to the ground, startled, with the wind knocked out of him.

He groaned at sat up, gasping for air.

Niru ran over to Siva and Suvo and got in-between them. "You guys, I love you, you're my best friends, but I know we have to do this together," Niru said.

"But Niru, you were going to get killed!" Siva yelled.

"Listen, you remember that drawing of us together on Rafiki's tree? Kunta told us when we left to stand together. That's what we've got to prove to each other and ourselves," Niru explained.

Siva and Suvo gasped and looked at each other and nodded. "Let's do it," Suvo said.

"We're with you, Niru," Siva added.

Uvok had now regained his breathing and was ready to attack when Niru, Siva, and Suvo faced him.

"No problem, I can and will take down all three of you!" he laughed insane.

"No you won't, Dad!" Nahara said standing next to Suvo.

"It ends now," Kovu growled, and was joined by Kiara, Vitani, Bally, and the rest of the Pridelanders.

"Not if we can help it!" Shetani and three other lionesses in Uvok's pride leapt to guard their king.

"Ah, my faithful lionesses," he chuckled, snarling at the trio, who in return snarled back and tensed their muscles.

"Take them down," he growled lowly.

At that moment, the sky let loose a powerful streak of lightning. It struck Uvok, electrocuting him, and his 3 faithful guardians to their quick, yet painful deaths. Uvok roared as the lighting came down and flowed through his body, shutting off everything he used to survive. Everything went black for him, as he struggled to save himself, but all he could see was black. After a few seconds, he couldn't even see, feel, smell, hear, or taste anything. Nothing was there. He was no longer. He was gone. Everything faded for him and his faithful lionesses as well.

Fortunately, no one else was struck by the lightning. The force of the lightning striking the ground threw them back. They got up, and looked upon a lifeless, black clump of fur that was once the mentally disturbed jungle king, Uvok. The rain continued to pour down, and a tree crashed nearby. They ran out of the jungle in silence, and into the open, where they huddled together as a pride once again, and waited for the clouds to break.