AUTHOR'S NOTE – Thanks again to my wonderful reviewers for your kind words and for being patient. I'm really glad you like this story that much! To LMDGlUVR4EVA: I'd never stop this story, it's a promise. So, have no fear if it takes a little longer for my new chapters to come. ;) Talking about new chapters, here's chapter 4 of my story! :) Enjoy!

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CHAPTER 4: Discovering new and disturbing things

Vitani was silent for quite a few moments thinking about what she should tell them about the Outlands. Kiara and Kovu haven't told their cubs of Zira yet. She wasn't even sure if they already knew about Scar, she only figured that Kovu would tell his son about the line of the Great Kings at this very moment. But Vitani felt not in the position to talk about the Pride Land's history. She didn't want them to ask too many questions that were best to be answered by their parents. So she had to find a way to formulate what happened without mentioning too many names.

"There were times of trouble in the Pride Lands which caused some of us to leave," she began. "I was born shortly before or some time after part of the Pride left for the Outlands. So I've never known anything else when I was just a cub. In the Outlands, food was very scarce, because the hyenas used to live there before. But they..."

"What are hyenas, Aunt Vitani?" Lina interrupted.

"Oh, hyenas are very dangerous creatures and very sneaky. When you hear their hideous laughter, you already know they aren't good. They take away our prey whenever they get the chance to. And young cubs like you are in extreme danger when they get close to hyenas. The hyenas had left before we arrived in the Outlands, but sometimes, especially in the first few months, some of them snuck in again and caused some trouble. And I think even today, they come back every now and then."

"Really?" Takita asked with a fearful expression, and Lina added: "They must be really bad."

"Yes, they are indeed," Vitani confirmed. "This is why you're never supposed to go there. Promise me you'll never go to the Outlands." Lina and Takita both nodded.

"But tell us more about the time you were in the Outlands, Aunt Vitani, please!" Lina exclaimed. "What was it like to play there?"

"It was rather boring. You wouldn't have had any fun there, I assure you. All one could do was climbing on rocks and things like that. We barely ever played. Your father and I had play fights sometimes, that was all."

"What about your parents?" Takita asked.

Vitani sighed at the thought of Zira who was less than a mother to her, but all she had ever known. She never knew who her father was and wasn't even sure if Zira was her real mother. In her heart, she hoped that she was not the daughter of Zira, though the thought of not knowing who her parents were made her sad. Takita and Lina noticed her mournful glance. But Vitani finally answered: "I've never known my father. And my mother didn't really care about me. That's all I can say about them. Now, do you know where you wanna go play?"

With that, Vitani didn't give them the chance to pity her, and that was good. "Let's just run around in the fields," Lina suggested.

"Yeah!" Takita shouted and tipped her friend's shoulder with her paw. "Tag! You're it!" And so she ran down the rock, letting Lina chase after her.

"Not so fast, you two!" Vitani shouted and ran down as well to keep up with the two cubs and have an eye on them.

-

Meanwhile, Kovu and Ari had also left the majestic Pride Rock and were marching through the wide lands of their Kingdom. Kovu had told his son of the duties and rights of a King and everything he knew about the line of the Great Kings. He just finished informing him about the cruelty of Scar and Zira's hatred for Simba. He didn't leave out one detail of the war between the Pride Lands and the Outlands. Ari was amazed by all the things he heard and beheld this morning.

"So, when you all came back to the Pride Lands, are the Outlands now empty?" Ari asked when Kovu had told him all about the Pride's past.

Kovu said: "Yes, they are. Only some rogues and hyenas can be found there sometimes. But they mean no harm, as long as they don't enter our Pride Lands. As King it is one of my duties to make sure no intruder comes into our Kingdom."

"And when they come in, you fight them?"

"Yes, but only if necessary. Every conflict is to be solved without violence. A Pride Lander and especially a King never attacks, unless he's been challenged."

Ari sat down and looked to the ground. "Oh boy," he sighed. "Those are many tasks I'm gonna have when I'm King."

Kovu frowned. "Hey..." he said, drawing his little son closer to him. "You're my son. You'll be a fantastic King when the time has come. Now, is there anything else you want to know or to see?"

Ari looked up at his father with a rather bored expression on his face. "No. I think I wanna go back and play with Lina."

"Okay," Kovu said and let go as he was still hugging his son. "Then let's go back. I can tell you everything else whenever you want."

Ari nodded and started to smile again as they headed back for Pride Rock. On their way, Kovu began to worry a bit. Ari seemed no longer as excited as before he told him about the royal duties and rights. But maybe he was just a little exhausted, as he has gotten up pretty early and they've been wandering around the whole morning. On their way back, Kovu tried to talk to his son a little more, though, but Ari barely said anything. Only when they reached a field about half a mile from to Pride Rock, Ari cheered up as he saw his Aunt Vitani lying in the grass and his sister Lina walking about.

"Daddy, I'm gonna play with Lina now," he shouted and ran towards them.

Kovu approached them as well and smiled at his sister who had just noticed them. "Good morning, Vitani. I see you're doing fine babysitting Lina."

"Good morning, brother. Of course, we're fine. She's just playing hide and seek with her friend Takita. So, let me guess, you wanna ask me to look after Ari as well?"

"Exactly. Thanks, sis. Have Kiara and the other lionesses gone hunting?"

"Yes, they have. They might have returned by now."

"Okay. I'm gonna go look for them and then check if everything is alright at the borders." Kovu paused. "Ari," he called then. Ari, who was just about to make his sister notice him, turned to look at his father. "I'll be on my way now. Have fun!"

"Bye, Dad!" Ari said. Just now, Lina noticed him. She looked up and also shouted: "Bye, Daddy!" But Kovu was already out of sight. Lina sighed in disappointment.

"Hey, Lina, wanna play..." Ari started, but Lina shushed him and ducked in front of the tall grass. All of a sudden, she jumped and landed somewhere in the field. "Gotcha!" Her triumphant scream was heard, followed by loud giggling of two different voices.

"Oh no..." Ari rolled his eyes and trotted back to his aunt. "Takita is there, too!"

Vitani chuckled. "You don't like Takita?"

"She's such a girl!" Ari complained. "She's no fun."

At that moment, Takita had run towards him and stood at his left side. "Who, me?"

"If anyone of us is no fun, then it's you!" Lina stated, standing at her brother's right side.

As they both fixed an angry gaze on him, Ari gaped, looking from one to the other. But when he wanted to say something, all three of them suddenly froze. Vitani got on her paws, startled. There was a rustling noise behind the three cubs, not a loud one, but audible at once. And it came closer.

Vitani approached the tall grass and whispered: "Get behind me." Ari, Lina and Takita did so, staring at the grass with frightened looks. Vitani extended her claws and gritted her teeth, ready to defend the cubs from whatever was hiding there. They were all trembling, even Vitani a little. What kind of an intruder might that be? Maybe just another member of the Pride, of another clan perhaps? Or would it be something dangerous? The rustling stopped, but Vitani was not relieved. Suddenly, the grass in front of her was pushed aside, and everyone at the scene was startled: Vitani stood face to face – with another lion. They all stared.

Vitani was the first to find words: "You startled us. Who are you? You're certainly no member of our Pride." There was a trembling in her voice, getting more intense with every sentence. Something about that lion's looks confused her. He was very tall, but rather thin, with dark golden fur, tan belly and muzzle and a rust colored mane. There were also some tan spots above his nose. His eyes were brown with a little touch of red. Didn't he look familiar?

The lion looked at her the same thoughtful way. He slowly answered: "That's right. I'm a rogue looking for a Pride to stay with. Say... don't I know you?" Suddenly, he smiled: "Vitani, is that you?"

The three cubs stared at the scene. Vitani wore an irritated look. "How do you know my name?" She inquired. But then it hit her: "Wait a minute... Mitauro? Oh my God, it's been years! You left the Outlands when you were just an adolescent. How have you been?"

"I've been fine, thanks," said the lion called Mitauro. "So, the rumors I've heard about the reconciliation with the Pride Lands are true, otherwise, you wouldn't be here. You look great!"

"Thanks," Vitani smiled. Lina and Takita began to smile as well.

Mitauro looked down at the three cubs and asked: "Are they yours?"

Vitani gave him a short confused look, but then said: "No..." She smiled embarrassedly. "No, they aren't. This is Takita, Roho's and Kinja's daughter, if you remember them. And those are Prince Ari and Princess Lina, son and daughter of my brother, King Kovu, and Queen Kiara. I'm their babysitter."

"Oh!" Mitauro was quite stunned. "Do I... have to bow or something?"

Vitani chuckled: "I think that's not necessary."

"Okay." He cleared his throat. "So... you... you don't have cubs yourself? I mean... don't... don't you have a mate?"

At that moment, Lina nudged her aunt: "Aunt Vitani? We'll play a little more, alright?"

"That's fine, Lina." Vitani said almost breathless, looking at her only shortly and right back at Mitauro again. She seemed pretty shy when she began: "Well..."

The three cubs walked a short distance away from them to continue their own conversation. "So, you say I'm no fun?" Ari said. "Well, I'll show you what's fun! Dad told me about this really cool place in the North. He said when I'm King, I'll have to make sure there aren't any intruders coming from there. So, let's just go there, that's fun!"

Lina gasped when he was about to run off. "No, Ari! Aunt Vitani said it's too dangerous. We can't go there! Didn't Dad tell you?"

Ari laughed: "Pah! He said I'll have to go there every day when I'm King, so why shouldn't I go there now? Come on!" And with that, he sped away, heading for the Northern border.

"We have to get him back!" Lina said and ran after him, followed by Takita. Neither of them thought about Vitani who was too distracted by Mitauro to notice. Ari ran very fast for his age, so the two could hardly keep up with him. Both shouted after him, but he didn't bother to slow down or even stop. Their pulse rose to a heavy pounding from the strain, their legs began to ache, but they ran as fast as they could, almost out of breath from running and shouting. They just had to stop him!

Meanwhile, Vitani had told Mitauro almost every detail of her life. They remembered the times they spent together in the Outlands when they were cubs. Vitani was just about to ask him what he had been doing all those years, when Mitauro said excitedly: "I'm so happy I found you, Vitani. I've missed you so much! I'd do anything to be a member of your Pride and stay here with you."

Vitani smiled and shortly touched his nose with hers. "That's no problem. We'll just ask my brother and Kiara if you can join us. I'm sure they'll agree. Let's go. Lina, Ari, Takita, we –"Vitani gasped. She looked all about her in panic – oh no, where were the cubs? She lost them!

"Vitani!" came a voice, both of them looked up to see Zazu flying above their heads in a frightened manner. "Ari, Lina and Takita are heading for the Outlands! I will try and find the King to inform him." The hornbill shortly gazed at Mitauro in a surprised way, but then just flew ahead.

"Oh no!" Vitani shouted. "I told them not to go there!" With that, she ran off as fast as she could, leaving a confused Mitauro behind. The lion decided it was best to come back some other time...

-

By now, Ari had almost reached the Northern border of the Pride Lands and stopped to catch his breath and to behold the astonishing sight. This shadowy landscape looked even way cooler now than it did from the top of Pride Rock. He was simply fascinated, unable to move because of his amazement.

Then he suddenly heard a hoarse voice behind him: "Ari!" He turned to see his sister and Takita who finally caught up with him and collapsed to the ground, completely out of breath.

"So, you still think I'm no fun?" Ari started again laughing.

Lina struggled to get up on her paws, still breathing heavily: "Ari... you CAN'T go there. Aunt Vitani said... we mustn't. It's full of... danger."

"You're just too scared, li'l sis. You could never ever do anything without me!"

"WHAT?" Lina hissed. "Of course I could!" And so one of those typical "could so, could not" arguments started. None of the two cubs would give in – until...

"Lina! Ari! Takita!" Vitani had finally reached them. "Thank God I found you. How could you just run off?! What were you thinking?!"

Takita also got on her paws now and squeaked hoarsely: "We only wanted to get him back!"

"Yeah, that's true!" Lina confirmed. "Ari just ran off on his own. I told him not to go there, but he wouldn't listen."

Vitani shook her head and couldn't help but smile. "Oh, that's just too familiar. Believe me, Lina, I know what little brothers can be like."

"Yeah," Lina chuckled, but then she suddenly gasped. "Wait... did you say 'little' brother?"

Vitani gaped as she realised what she just said. "Uh... come on, let's go home now."

Takita and Ari slowly followed after her, while Lina still sat there, thinking hard. "When Ari is younger than me..." she said to herself, "...and I'm older... then why is he the next King?"

"Lina, come on!" Vitani called, looking back for her. Lina got up and followed very slowly, looking to the ground lost in her thoughts. With this new and disturbing fact on her mind, she trotted back to Pride Rock with the others, piercing her brother with a jealous gaze...

End of Chapter Four

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AUTHOR'S NOTE – Alrighty, I told you this would be a long chapter. I tried to shorten it a bit, so I hope it wasn't too rushed and you enjoyed it. Please leave a review and tell me how you liked it – if you liked it at all. The next chapter won't be that long, I think, but it might take some time, though. So please be patient. See ya around! :)