A/N: Wow I can just imagine how angry you're all at me right now. I'm so sorry this took so long. I started writing it like 2 months ago and I just never got to it because I was so busy. But it's Spring Break and I have no other work to do so I managed to get this in finally. The next chapter will probably be the last, and considering these circumstances, I will do my very best to have the next chapter up before my break is out. Thanks so much to all my loyal reviewers! If it weren't for you guys and the high demand to get this story completed, I wouldn't even have finished it! Anyway, I hope you enjoy!

XII

Judgment at the Gorge

Sarabi fell to the ground hard and cried in agony at Zira's swipe. Zira stared down emotionlessly, the towering gorge blanketing her in shadow. The sun was close to the western mountains, and within a few minutes, the deadline would pass.

Sarabi gritted her teeth and looked into Zira's eyes. The angry lioness prepared to strike her again, but thought better of it. Vitani sat a little further back on a small rock, the same rock Mufasa had placed Simba on before being whisked back into the stampede long ago. Around her was the pride of outlanders, lying around impatiently and frustration mounting on each of them. Vitani pinned her ears as she sat in contemplation of what Sarabi had said to her. For so long Zira had trained her to hate Simba, Sarabi, and the like, for they were the rebellious fools that had ended Scar's rule over Pride Rock.

But what Sarabi said…was it true? The old lioness never even raised a paw to fight at her kidnapping. She was no young fighter, but everyone knew that the old lioness had fight left in her, she always did. She never raised a claw in defense, she used only words and in her melodic voice that seemed to make Vitani tremble. It was a voice of motherly concern and love, a voice unfamiliar to the outlander. But she knew she liked it. And in her trek back to the western gorge, she wished she had grown up with someone like that.

"Well Sarabi," Zira sneered. "You lie there alone, without any of my guards restraining you. You're welcome to stand and fight me. Why do you not stand and do so? Why do you embrace the ground on which you lay before me?"

Sarabi said nothing.

Zira bent low, and met Sarabi's eyes. "Sarabi I will give you a chance to save yourself, and your family. Say the correct answer and I will spare your life, and should Simba refuse my offer, I will see to it that your family leaves the Pride Lands safely and unharmed."

Sarabi still said nothing.

"Tell me Sarabi," Zira said with a grin. "Who is the rightful King of Pride Rock?"

Sarabi looked up, and gazed into Zira's fiery eyes. Her face was emotionless. After a moment she averted her gaze back to the ground. She then outstretched her paw, and revealed a single claw. Zira raised an eyebrow as she saw Sarabi begin to draw in the dirt. Zira sat, and observed Sarabi's drawing. After a moment she began to recognize it. It was the image in Rafiki's tree, the picture the old mandrill had drawn of Simba with a fiery auburn mane. The symbol of Simba's kingship. As she finished, she drew a line over the top of his head, a symbol of the crown passed to him by his ancestors.

"This," Sarabi said as she finished, "Is the rightful King."

Zira bared her teeth as her eyes blazed fire, and she roared in anger. She raised her paw to strike the lioness. But was stopped suddenly by a ragged paw holding her back. She turned to see Vitani standing there glaring, keeping her paw tightly within her grip.

"What are you doing?" she said through gritted teeth.

"Let her be," Vitani said. Just as she was about to step forth in the lioness' defense, she stopped. She didn't have the courage. "When Simba gets here…wait till he gets here. Then he can watch the death of his mother just like he did his father."

Zira's glare quickly morphed into a conniving smile. She nodded and patted Vitani's shoulder.

"A grand idea, Vitani," she said. "You truly make up for your brother's incompetence."

Vitani smiled somewhat sadly, but quickly hid it. The last thing she needed was Zira on her case.

A loud roar interrupted the scene and the lionesses whirled to the source. Jumping over the steep incline and sliding to the floor of the gorge, was Simba. Following close behind was Kamau, Kovu, and Tanabi roaring loudly. Simba stood firm in front of Zira and Vitani, while the other three lions took up the rear behind him. A chorus of roars followed, and the outlanders looked to see Simba's pride slide down and take their place behind the King.

"Well look who's arrived!" cried Zira with mock enthusiasm. "King Simba and his band of loyal followers! How good of you to come, and what luck! Just before the deadline should come to pass!"

Simba bared his teeth.

"I suppose you're here to make your official resignation," Zira continued. "Or, you may be here to see Sarabi's execution! Which will it be?"

Simba raised his head from it's poised position, and stared at the outlanders who had taken their places behind Zira. They stood poised for attack, teeth bared and claws extended. Simba looked to see his mother pinned to the ground with Vitani standing over her. Her claws were extended and pressed against the old lioness' throat.

Simba was about to speak when he heard his mother's voice intervene.

"Simba, don't you dare relinquish the throne!" she yelled. "If all you have to lose is me, then refuse to submit!"

"QUIET SLUT!" Zira yelled as she struck Sarabi across the face.

Simba roared and charged after the lioness, screaming in anger in rage. Several lionesses came in front of him, and Simba watched in terror as Zira grabbed Sarabi by her neck.

"If you lay so much as a claw on me," she hissed. "I'll break her worthless neck."

Simba swallowed hard and stared helplessly at his mother lying prostrate before the vengeful lioness. Every fiber of his being screamed at him to lunge, to tear out Zira's throat and relish at the taste of her blood in his mouth. To dismantle her limb from limb, and toss her remains into the dark abyss that was the home of the buzzards. But he held his ground reluctantly. Because he alone knew, that the forces willing his attack on Zira, were the very forces his own Uncle had borne. The very forces that had killed him.

"What's your choice, Simba?" Zira asked. "We don't have all day."

Simba stood erect as he remained blocked by the outlanders, and took a deep breath. He looked back at his pride, looking eagerly at him as they awaited his decision. There were some powerful forces at work now, and he could feel it in the tension that rose above them all. Whatever he said next, would change the course of the Pride Lands forever. It all came down to this: surrender the Pride Lands to their old wasteland ways under Zira, or behold the execution of his mother. He knew what his father would have wanted. He knew what Sarabi wanted. But what about him? What did he want? He wasn't even sure anymore. In truth, the last thing he needed was to see his mother be murdered as well.

As he was about to speak, he heard his mother's unmistakable battle cry erupt from her lungs as she rose in a furious storm and hurtled Zira to the ground. Simba didn't even pause to think before rushing into the scene and clawing at the sea of outlanders that burst forth. Behind him, the Pride Landers erupted into a mass of fangs and tore after the rebels. Tanabi hurled forth roaring loudly and unsheathed a vicious rage onto several lionesses, striking them dead. Kovu followed in suit as well as Kamau, both tearing into the fray in a vicious onslaught.

Simba struck two lionesses tearing into his path and swiped at a third following behind. He felt jagged fangs sink into his shoulder and he cried out in pain. He whirled his head and latched onto his attacker, crushing her skull in his powerful jaws. As he turned to face another foe, he felt a series of claws dig into his back, sliding downward across his spine. He yelled loudly at the searing pain. He felt blood begin to seep over his flank but he did his best to ignore it. Turning to face the outlander, he felt the claws release and the lioness was tossed back. He saw Kiara land on her and break her neck with one swipe of the paw. He smiled at her as he panted, and she smiled back, nuzzling him as she went past towards several other outlanders.

Kamau, fighting off several lionesses, turned to see his mother locked in battle with Nuka, after the young lion stepped between she and Zira. Nuka clawed Sarabi in the face and she fell back, temporarily stunned. Nuka saw an opportunity and leapt at the lioness viciously swiping at her. She managed to regain her wit and grabbed one of his paws in her mouth. She flung her head back using all her strength, and tossed Nuka over her shoulder. He flew and landed with a thud against the ground, sliding a ways back. He struggled to his feet and grit his teeth as he limped on the paw she had grabbed.

"You dirtbag!" he yelled angrily. "I'm gonna rip you apart!"

Kamau slid in between them and glared angrily at Nuka. "Not before I rip you first."

"You want some of this big guy?" Nuka hissed in a conniving tone. "Come and get it."

Kamau roared as he charged. "Your ass is mine!"

The two lions collided with such force that they were forced back. Kamau regained his footing and with one huge swipe, struck Nuka square in the jaw. Nuka fell backwards but quickly rose to his feet, continuing to favor his injured paw. Kamau ran back after him and pounced, landing on Nuka and causing him to fall flat on his back. He struggled against Kamau's greater weight, but his weakened and starved body was no match against the rogue's. Kamau attacked him swipe after swipe, and Nuka just shut his eyes and yelled out at each painful swipe.

Sarabi looked over at her son beating down mercilessly on the half starved lion. Her heart began to swell with sadness as she looked at Nuka's pain stricken face. Blood was oozing from a cut on his eye, and his other eye had been swollen shut. Staring hard at him, Sarabi realized that Kamau was literally beating him to death.

Sarabi bounded over and held Kamau's paw before it could crash down once again on Nuka's battered head. Nuka was breathing hard, and he struggled to look up into Sarabi's eyes. When their eyes met, Sarabi was overcome with memories of Nuka in his cubhood. The nights he was struck by Scar, and mounted with such painful insults that she wondered how he could bear it. She remembered the night she rescued him from Scar's wrath, protecting him under her paw as he tore forth in a blind rage. She even remembered those nights long ago, when she found him alone outside the cave, crying to be let back in where it was warm. And how she would take him into her paws and rock him to sleep, singing gently and licking away his tears. And this is what it all had come to.

Nuka must've remembered as well, because his gaze at Sarabi was one of regret and terror. He swallowed hard, and his breathing became even more labored. Sarabi bent her head to his, and licked the blood off his face. He was trembling due to his labored breath, but irregardless he looked up at her with such gratitude and maybe even love. She placed her paw gently behind his head to support him as he opened his mouth to speak.

"What kind of…f-fool am I to…to…attack m-my m-mother?" he stuttered.

Sarabi swallowed back tears and before she could say anything, she felt his head go limp and fall back to the ground. Kamau gritted his teeth as he stepped gently off him. Sarabi bent her head towards his, and took a deep breath. His one eye still unswollen remained opened staring into the emptiness of death, so Sarabi took her paw and gently closed it over.

Kamau stepped back shakily, then looked up at Sarabi.

"My God…" he whispered in a horrified tone. "My God, what have I done?"

Sarabi looked over at him, ears pinned in sadness but also concern. She was stunned to see Kamau fall prostrate before her, burying his head in her paw.

"Please forgive me mother!" he said. "I was blinded! I killed him! I'm so sorry!"

Sarabi looked down at him as he bent his head in shame. Grief consumed him like a beast does its prey and he lay there in mourning. Sarabi put a paw to his head.

"Anger builds like a fire, Kamau," she said sadly. "And as it does, it destroys without thinking. Like fire, anger is a blind killer."

He just kept his gaze diverted from hers and stared at the ground. The fighting raged behind them. Sarabi took her paw and put it below his chin, raising his head.

"You put the fire out, Kamau," she said with a smile. "The damage is done. But the fire is out."

She licked his muzzle and he smiled warmly at her. As she helped him get to his paws, they heard a cry of anguish and looked to see Zira race towards Nuka limp and motionless body.

"NUKA!" she cried as she slid to a stop. "NUKA! Answer me!"

She shook his body, desperate to get him to rise, but rise he would not. She pinned her ears in sadness, and her eyes glossed over in fresh tears. "No…."

She lowered her head and brought it over his body. She took a deep breath and forced the tears back as she stroked Nuka's sparse mane. She mumbled words of kindness and love for him, and something about it made Sarabi's fur stand on end. As Zira continued to stroke him, everyone noticed the battle had ceased, and everyone had turned to look at the fallen son of Zira. As Zira continued to coo and speak in a mumbled tone, Sarabi's anger suddenly poured out.

"HOW DARE YOU SPEAK SO KINDLY OF HIM?" she roared angrily. "How dare you speak such love of him as he lies there in death? All the times in his youth when you pushed him out of the cave, and let his father strike him for being weak! You call yourself his mother. You were no more of a mother to him than Scar was his father! Nor were you such to Kovu and Vitani."

Zira looked up and a fiery glaze had replaced her sorrowful stare. Her eyes burned red with hatred as she stared at Sarabi.

"Do not speak to me of my son as I mourn him," she said coldly, with a demonic tone that chilled the lions at the scene.

"He was not your son," Sarabi replied icily as she stared at Zira. "He was too good to be your son."

Zira bared her teeth, and managed to resist the temptation to shoot forth at the old lioness.

"Come here and say that," Zira hissed with a furious rage.

"I wouldn't mind at all," she replied darkly.

Zira stood up, but the same fiery stare had not left her. "You're digging your own grave."

Sarabi stood tall and prepared for battle. "Your mate dug it for me a long time ago."

Simba leapt forward with Tanabi and Kovu at his sides. Kamau took his place next to them and they stared Zira down.

Zira growled, but instead of attacking Sarabi, she looked over at the males. Sarabi had not killed Nuka. She knew that for a fact. She had secretly loved the young lion as her own son. One of the males had done it.

"Which one of you killed him?" Zira asked icily as she looked at them.

None of them spoke for a moment. They each stared at each other, waiting for somebody to step forward. Kamau wasted no time. He took a step towards Zira, and looked her square in the eye.

"I did."

Zira stared in shock at Kamau's confession. She didn't speak for a moment. She swallowed, then looked into the young lion's eyes with such a fierce hatred that it could be felt.

"You…you killed your own brother?" she hissed.

"Yes. I will not deny what I've done."

"Then you must pay for your deed," Zira said coldly. "You will pay for Nuka's blood."