Chapter thirteen. Not much to say. I'm just happy to be writing again! n.n Now onto the story.

Once again in the now barren, almost haunting Pride Lands, the mournful cries of the pride were heard. "Gunab's body had been found that morning, already torn down to mainly skeleton from vultures and other predators, so identification of the cub was difficult, but they recognized the slight scent of Gunab and cried.

Kovu was completely grief stricken at the news of his son's body found. It had only been two days since Gunab had run away, and he was already dead. A grave was put next to Simba, Nala, and Kiara's in hopes that Gunab's soul would join the great rulers. Kovu was extremely numb, and couldn't even finish the ceremony for Gunab and Vitani had to take over.

Vitani seemed to outrank Kovu in the Pride's standing, now. She received more respect from the other lionesses and cubs than Kovu did, most likely because she worked as hard as she could to provide for the pride while Kovu mourned constantly over his whole family's death, except for the older sister who he now shadowed.

The young lioness, Falai, was the only one who seemed to follow any of Kovu's words anymore. She trusted Kovu completely, and knew that even though he was deeply depressed, his mind still worked over plans to rebuild the Pridelands as best as they could. That morning, after the short ceremony and all the other lionesses and cubs turned to Vitani for support, Falai turned to aid Kovu. She padded into the cave, as quiet as a mouse, but Kovu's ears still twitched up to the sound of her steps, "Falai, why don't you just go with the other lionesses." He turned to look at her, his body was as skinny as Nuka's was, just like all the other lions in that pride, "They've all turned on me, why don't you. I think it's been agreed that I'm no longer fit to rule here."

"That's not true!" The amber colored lioness looked up at him with worry, "Kovu, you're fit to be king! It was meant to be. You were raised under Zira's evil rules, but broke free of her mind control to save this pride. If you let us go down now.."

Kovu cut her off, his words weak, but slow, getting through to her, "I can't be a king. For one thing, look what's happened after my rule began. Kiara died. Simba and Nala died. And now my only son died. My only heir to the throne. Vitani has no cubs, so she doesn't have any heirs either. We're hopeless without that. No successors to take our place. Pride Rock has already fallen, Falai. We're not going to survive much longer, not even Vitani."

She looked at him hard, trying to think of what to say, her head pounding. Finally, she took a step forward, her head held low but proud in front of Kovu and she spoke just as slow, but strongly to him, "I will be queen, then."

Blinking for a moment, Kovu stood up to face her, "What?"

"I said I'll take place as queen. I'll be your queen." She looked into his eyes, more serious than she had ever been. "I'll be your queen. I'll help you rebuild Pride Rock. If you go down, I'll go down. I know I'm young, but I am strong, and I know I could bear you cubs if needed."

He gave her a hard look, his fangs clenched together in thought, then he finally spoke, "I accept your offer. You will be my new Queen, and I will be your King."

Falai tried to hide her delight in her new status in the pride, but she couldn't help but grin and rush to Kovu, rubbing her forehead against his in gratitude. She knew she was still young, barely an adult, but she knew it would help Kovu a lot. Kovu gave a small smile at Falai's reaction. He did need a queen, and why not the only lioness who still stood by him? The goal in both of their minds was to rebuild the Pridelands, but for the coming day and night, the two spent time together, separated from the unknowing pride to talk and learn as much as they could about each other.

.-.-.-.-.-.-

The fourth morning Gunab was gone, all the Liba cubs had a very rude awakening. It was Obassi, of course, who woke them with a loud roar in the cub's smaller den. Qua snapped awake and was already half way out of the den before he realized that it was Obassi, who was watching all the cubs wake up, closely. Boteshu and Gunab lifted themselves up slowly, tiredly, but Ibzimai just yawned awake and looked around for a moment, then joined Qua outside the cave.

One all four of the cubs were awake and out of the den, a word still not spoken, they lined up and realized that the sun wasn't even up yet, and they looked to Boniko and Obassi in question. "It took you four too long to wake up. The rest of us have been up for almost an hour. Tomorrow, that will not be tolerated."

Before any of the cubs to open their mouths to speak, Azazsi separated them, "Ibzimai, come with us, now." She said sternly, then looked to the boys, "Go with Obassi and Boniko, and hurry up."

The cubs did as told, still not able to say anything to each other. Ibzimai looked up at Dekala while they walked to a far part of the outlands, wondering exactly what was going on.

Boteshu, Qua, and Gunab, on the other hand, whispered quickly to each other behind Obassi. After they had walked for almost twenty minutes, they stopped quickly, and Obassi turned to face the cubs and they stiffened up at his sharp glare. Qua's ears twitched up as he heard faint footsteps from behind and he twirled around quickly to see Boniko in midair, jumping to catch one of the cubs in his fangs. Qua screamed and ducked, causing Boteshu and Gunab to dart in opposite directions. Obassi smirked to himself as Boniko landed swiftly on his feet right in front of the little Qua, who was scared half to death, "What..was..that for!" He stared wide-eyed at Boniko.

Gunab and Boteshu returned to Qua's side and looked skeptically up at Obassi and Boniko. "Like I said last night, you're going to be trained the same way we were." Obassi began, "I promise you, we won't be easy on you, and you won't get to eat or sleep until you've finished your exercises or lessons."

The Prideland prince lowered himself to the ground a bit, his ears pinned against his head, "What kind of exercises are you talking about?"

Boniko looked at Gunab, then to a huge dead tree, which stretched on the other half of the outlands, "You will run twenty times from here to that tree." The cubs' eyes' grew huge. "Without stopping. If you stop, you have to do five more runs."

"You'll do this every day until your manes are halfway grown." Obassi continued, "But, of course, it'll increase five or ten runs every few weeks, according to your performance."

Boteshu opened his mouth to talk, but Boniko's long black claws were less than an inch from his face before Boteshu even made a sound, "No complaining or whining. That'll earn you eight runs." The cub swallowed hard and lowered his head like Gunab. Qua was looking at the tree in the distance that they had to run to, but didn't say anything.

"Ready?" Obassi looked at the cubs quickly, and Boniko darted out quickly to reach his lookout on a tall mound near the middle of the running trail. The cubs watched Boniko run off and hardly heard Obassi's sharp voice shout "Go!" but their feet led them down the trail anyway.

Qua and Boteshu led neck-and-neck for the first five laps, but Boteshu was beginning to tire out quickly and he fell back beside Gunab, who was starting to weaken, himself. Obassi and Boniko watched them closely, making sure they never stopped to rest, "Come on, Gunab! Boteshu! Catch up with Qua! Boteshu, you're stronger than him, you're supposed to be ahead!" Obassi began shouting

At the eighth lap, Boteshu whispered to himself under breath as Obassi shouted again, "Shut up! Just shut up!" He panted, his legs already feeling like jello. Qua kept his quick pace, using his lean and long structure to his advantage against Boteshu and Gunab's more muscular bodies.

After an hour, the cubs had finished nine laps and were slowed down to a quick jog. Qua panted, but still held the lead, pushing himself as hard as he could. Boteshu was better than him at everything, but Qua persuaded himself to beat Boteshu at running. Still trying to keep up with Qua, Boteshu mumbled under his breath about how he wouldn't come behind Qua and Gunab gave him a sideways look, but stayed quiet.

Obassi's sharp eyes watched the three cubs carefully, his mouth thin and impatient. He didn't enjoy watching the cubs run back and forth, back and forth, but he had to do it for the good of the pride, and Boniko knew that, too. It would take time, though. They couldn't get into any major battles until the boys learned to fight.

Qua looked over his shoulder at his older brother with a half smirk, "C'mon, Boteshu! Beat me at this, I dare you!" He sneered, feeling very cocky. Boteshu growled loudly at Qua, his last nerves lost, and he reared up and leapt on Qua, biting him in the back of the neck, pinning him to the ground. Gunab skidded to a stop and stared wide eyed at the two, not knowing what to do. Instantly, Obassi and Boniko were down there, trying to pry the two cubs apart. Before Obassi pulled Boteshu completely away, Boteshu sunk both sets of front claws down both of Qua's eyes.

"Boteshu!" Obassi pulled him back by the nape of his neck and flung him a few feet away from Qua and sent Boniko to aid the younger brother with Gunab's help. Boteshu glared daggers back at Boniko, Gunab, and Qua angrily, only to be slapped across the face by Obassi, luckily enough, without claws. "Why would you attack your brother!"

Boteshu quickly recovered from the blow and glared back up at Obassi, "Because he was taunting me! You would've done the same!"

"No, I wouldn't. I'd try to get faster, not attack." Obassi growled, "Ten more laps for you. And Qua," He turned away from Obassi to examine his younger son, "three more laps. Gunab, finish yours, you only have eleven more to do."

Qua groaned, the back of his neck still bleeding, but the slits around this eyes weren't bleeding anymore, and he started off again, silently. Boteshu, on the other hand, growled and fumed to himself and continued his laps, further away from Qua, but still trailing behind him. Boniko gave a quick sigh and looked over to Obassi, "That's going to happen a lot, you know?"

"Yes, it will. But that's part of it. They have to learn to be patient and ignore each other's taunts. Boteshu is much stronger than Qua, but Qua is built for speed, like you. We made peace with our difference, and so will those two."

Boniko nodded then looked at Gunab, who trailed behind both the brothers, "What about him? He's lean and muscular, so he should be fast and strong, but he's neither."

"We'll work on it." Obassi said and turned to return to his post to watch the running cubs, once again.

And I'll cut that chapter off right there for ya. C'ya next chapter.