I was still in shock, and didn't know what to reply. Nala ran up past and headed to Tanabi, with Mtifu in hot pursuit with her two cubs. The rogue looked up, "They OK?" she asked.

"Yes, fine thank you," replied Mtifu, with barely concealed anger, joy and curiosity all mixed into one.

Curiosity got the better of her, "Who are you?" she asked, "I'm sure I recognise you…"

Nala looked up. "Rogue…" she murmured, breathlessly, with a hint of a thank you.

"Yes, it is I," replied the rogue.

The four of us stood looking at each other for some time before someone spoke. When the moment came, three of us tried to speak together.

"What are you…"

"Why are you…"

"Hey, I remember y…"

I looked at the three of them tolerantly. "One at a time?" I suggested.

Mtifu cleared her throat and clutched her two cubs closely to her side, "I remember you," she began, "you're the Riverlander… I've seen you around before."

"Around?" I thought.

"Well, on the border," Mtifu corrected herself. She paused. "Talking to you, Simba," she finished finally.

Nala sighed, "Yes, we all know about that one."

The rogue looked surprised, "We do?" she questioned. "No, surely it cannot be? Am I infamous in these lands?!"

"Afraid so," I said.

"Ha!" she laughed. "I'm hated wherever I go, what a life!"

Nala put on a pained expression. Something seemed to be troubling her. Finally, she opted to say it.

"If you live on the Riverlands, what possessed you to visit the Pridelands anyway? We're not that near the border here. Why did you come?"

The rogue looked down. "For no reason in particular."

"No?" I followed. Nala had a point, she had been trespassing, and, now that the united moment was over, I was remembering about her murder a few moons ago.

"Not really," she said, backing off, looking slightly worried.

I growled, quietly, "And I have another question to ask of you, about a dear friend of ours."

Now she seemed really worried. She continued edging backwards, ever more quickly, til she backed against a rock.

"Not by choice!" she said, rather hysterically. It was the first sign of weakness I'd ever seen from her. It confused me. She'd never been scared of me before. Why should she show fear now? It didn't make sense.

"Choice?!" cried Nala, "are you suggesting you were forced into it?!"

I put out a paw to silence Nala and slow her down, who for her part had begun advancing on the rogue also. The rogue seemed to admit defeat for the first time. Her voice wavered as she stared at the ground, mumbling her confession.

"It's so hard, you see. They hate me, they want me dead."

"Who? The Riverlanders?"

She nodded, "and they'll kill me, murder me. But they don't while they think I remain loyal enough to follow orders."

I encouraged her onwards. "They test my loyalty by forcing me into things I don't want to do," tears started in her eyes, "and if I refuse, they hurt. Hurt me bad."

"That doesn't seem right," thought Mtifu aloud, "you don't have a scratch on you, apart from the recent ones."

"Bah, pain is not superficial!" growled the rogue, "they know me. I can live with injury, but pain? They know how to hurt ME alright!"

"And how's that?"

"Haven't you worked it out, King of the Pridelanders? THEY killed my last cub! They hate me! They can't stand me! But they won't let me leave or they won't kill me, for they know the thing that hurts the most is having to continue service to the tyrant who killed my darling son!"

"But that's horrible!" said Nala, her maternal instincts at full flow, "how can anyone do that?"

"Don't ask me to fathom how someone's mind works," she continued bitterly, "but its done, and its continued. I try to get back at them any way I can. Oh believe me I do. But there's only so much a single lioness can do to upset the balance. And this is where you come in, Pridelanders."

Nala's ears pricked up, as Tanabi stirred in the grasses to our left.

"You are a useful tool in upsetting their balance, for they don't like you, I understand. And you yourselves aren't keen on them."

"Indeed. Carry on," I urged her, eager to get to the bottom of the situation.

"Well, they became aware of my visits to their Western border, eager to meet some of your folk. And they weren't happy with them, as I'd hoped. And I befriended a lovely wise lioness named Yaya."

"Yaya?! But you killed her!" cried Mtifu, clearly distraught.

"Yes, for my part. I was tricked into it by the River Prides wicked ways. They knew it would hurt me, and oh gods it did. It left an empty hole in my heart. For I'd grown to love that kind old lioness. From that point on, I vowed to get close to no one again, to save me the pain, though I continued my visits to the Western border."

"Why was that?"

"I don't know. Perhaps I saw some hope in it."

I shrugged and looked at Nala. She returned a worried look and asked, "But how does this lead you here today?"

The rogue looked up and said simply, "Cubs. I love them. Adore them. I knew Simba here had one – he'd so beautifully confided in me before. And I confess I… rather wanted to meet him. So I snuck over, more in hope than expectation. It was rather an irrational wish, when I didn't even know whether Simba would be out with him. I wondered if something had happened because he hadn't been to visit me at the border for a while. So, anyway, visit I did."

"And?"

"And I met the three cubs, but smelled a male stalking them. My natural instincts as a mother drove me to protect them."

"And it worked!" smiled Mtifu, with a smile of admiration than had been missing before, "Thank you so much!"

The rogue looked shocked at being spoken to in such friendly terms. I looked over at Nala seriously, and she at me. It was clear we both had the same question. She asked it.

"And, er… What is it you plan to do now?"

She sighed and shook her head, "Return and face the consequences," she said sadly, "that is, if your majesty doesn't kill me for trespassing."

So again, I was faced with another difficult decision. It seemed whatever I did, I would be damned – kill her? In cold blood after she'd saved my son? No, that wasn't an option. And I couldn't send her back, not now I knew the persecuting rule of Jimbala, the River Pride leader. Reluctantly, without consulting either Nala or Mtifu, I spoke aloud, "Rogue, the offer I made before still stands."

I knew it was silly at the time. How were the other members of the Pride going to react if I brought home a Riverlander? Especially the one who had murdered our greatest friend. If I was worried, it was not without reason. I didn't even know what Nala and Mtifu thought. I raised my head to each side to look at them. Nala looked worried, but saw me looking at her, and gave a sad smile, before nodding as if to agree with what I'd done. Mtifu stared at me, though her expression was not of distaste, more of confused amazement.

"And why would you do this?" asked the rogue.

I shrugged. "Maybe I'm just compassionate. It doesn't sound like you've met too many lions with that quality – perhaps you should take advantage of it while you can."

She thought for a while, looking at me, Nala, Mtifu and finally the surroundings.

"I'll help to make you welcome. I'll be your friend," said Mtifu. So she did agree with my proposal.

"But the others?"

"Well, they could take time," said Mtifu doubtfully.

"But, for now, we could use you. For certain, if you hunt like you fought that lion, you'll be a welcome addition to our hunting party."

The rogue perked up, "Really? I can help you there – I've learned some things over the years. Techniques that are lost from memory." She beamed.

"If this is the case, Simba, I would be delighted to join your Pride, though I must request one thing."

"But of course," I replied.

"If they come after me, let me go to them. I will not put your Pride in trouble. It seems you have been through enough trouble, I do not wish to add to that."

"Understand, that when you join our Pride, we offer our protection, regardless of whether you would take it. We would protect you to the end, if needs be."

She didn't look altogether happy, but conceded for the moment. Then added, "I prefer it already – 'our pride' – why doesn't anyone else see it like that?"

We knew what she was getting at. Nala held her head high, and spoke.

"And I have one request of you."

"Whatever it is, you may ask it."

"Tell us your real name. I dislike 'rogue' and 'Riverlander' is no better."

The rogue looked taken aback. She smiled sadly, and said "Usiku."

"Beautiful," breathed Nala, "it means night."

Usiku smiled again. "My mother always said my eyes were as dark as night."

"I like it. And night time is the only time you can see the stars. Tani will love it."

At that, I walked over to Tanabi and nuzzled him with my nose. He stirred again and looked up groggily. "Hey Dad. What happened? My head hurts."

"It's ok, son. Everything's fine. He's gone."

He gave a contented growl, "Was I brave Dad?"

"Ever so brave Tani. I was proud." And I picked him up and placed him on my back where he lay and purred while we returned to Pride Rock, but this time, an extra figure among us.

How would the others react? I didn't know. I had a good feeling which I hoped was wrong, but I wasn't confident in their reaction being positive. I wondered whether I should hold her back and explain her presence before the pride saw her, but I thought that might seem as though I had something to hide from them. I deliberated as I was walking back, and, once Tanabi had fallen asleep, Nala came alongside me.

"That was a brave and noble thing you did back there, my Simba."

"It was?"

"Yes. You know how much pain and suffering this could cause. But you also know what's right and what's wrong. And it's wrong to send her back somewhere she hates. Mtifu agrees with me."

"Is it wrong to bring her back when the rest of the pride hate her with a passion?"

"I say no, not now I know the full story. She's done no real wrong, but she's been caught up in all the wrong places. And the world hates her for it. You've extended you paw and offered her your courtesy, and that will be repaid, you see if it isn't."

"But what of the Pride? Will they offer their paws too?"

"They should do, if you are King and you order it of them."

"But that feels like I'm disobeying their trust."

"So deal with it. Much as I hate the phrase, you are King, you can do whatever you want."

I frowned at her. "Please don't say that again. I hate it."

"Sorry." She looked crestfallen.

"Hey, it's ok," I told her, "but with an attitude like that, it won't help matters at all. I need to earn their trust, not turn them against me."

"I know," she said thickly, "and you will earn their trust. You'll have mine and Mtifu's help for a start."

"Thank you."

I paused, and she made to turn back to walk with Mtifu and Usiku.

"Stay walking with me please Nala. I need you right now. Just you, me and Tani."

"By all means."

And we wandered back to Pride Rock as one happy family, wondering what fate might befall Usiku in the next few hours.

[Author's Note:]

Thanks to beekay84 for their reviewing, much appreciated, you seem to be the only one who's read it and reviewed!! (Must be cos the story's too long, ah well!) I took some of your ideas on board and amended some other chapters where you suggested things weren't quite right (I agreed with you to an extent) except for the 'Simba seeing Scar' bit in ch3 - that was meant to be Simba putting himself in a situation like a bystander, rather than being his actual memory, though I dunno if that came across or not.

Anyways, there'll be more soon, I've written it, I'm just taking time to add it because it makes i so more exciting for the readers!! (In theory, that is!!)