Simbas Other Daughter: Glad you liked the second chapter! Yes, dark biege would be like Sarabi.

This chapter isn't really too exciting due to writer's block. The next chapter is way better than this one. Crappy title, but it'sthe only thing I could think of.

Disclaimer: I do not own the lion king.

It was late evening by the time the cubs got back to Pride Rock. The cubs split up when Pride Rock came into view so they could find their parents. Talib climbed Pride Rock figuring that would be the best place to look and Thorn went to where the lionesses always rested and talked together.

Talib found his mother talking to another pride lioness.

"Mom!" Talib yelled as he stood beside her.

Kiara placed a paw on her son's head. "Talib, it's rude to interrupt me when I am talking to someone."

"Sorry, mother." Talib waited for his mother to finish talking.

"I'll talk to you later." Kiara said to the other lioness as she turned to her son. She could see that her son was dying to tell her something. The excitement he was trying to contain flashed in his golden eyes.

Kiara smiled at Talib as she lay down in front of him. "You wanted to tell me something?"

Talib jumped up. "Thorn and I made a new friend!"

"Really? Who is this new friend?" Kiara wanted to know more.

"Her name is Kohana. She's a white lion cub." Talib could see his mother was a little worried. "Don't worry, mother. Kohana seemed nice."

Kiara stood and kissed her son. "I'm sure she is."

A cub not from my pride? This means that another pride is close by. Kiara frowned. Another cub meant trouble. What if it's a pride that wants to take over the Pridelands!

Talib saw his mother frown. "What is it?" He asked curiously.

"Did you see any other lions with her?"

"No, I didn't. She left a couple minutes after I met her. She said that she needed to get to her family. " Talib left out that she wanted him to meet her the next morning. He figured that if his mother was worried this much that she wouldn't let him go.

Kiara didn't want to upset her son by telling him that Kohana or her family could be trouble. "Talib, stay put. I need to find your father." Kiara ran to Kovu's favorite resting spot as Talib sat at the edge of Pride Rock, watching the sun set.

What's wrong with mom? She didn't seem too happy that I made a new friend. Maybe she doesn't want me to be friends with Kohana. Talib growled lowly.

He swatted a fly buzzing around his head. The last rays of the sun were fading below the horizon when his father joined him.

"Son, your mother told me about your new friend."

"She did?" Talib wondered why his mother hadn't let him tell his father himself.

"Yes. There's a meeting by the big shade tree. Let's go." Kovu led the way followed by Talib, who wondered why his parents had called for a meeting.

"I have an announcement to make." Kiara yelled over the voices of the remaining pride members.

All went silent, except for the occasional whisper.

"My son has made a new friend." Kiara announced.

"You called a meeting for that?" A pride lioness retorted.

"Do not question the actions of your Queen!" Kovu growled. Talib jumped at the harsh tone of his father's voice. "Let her continue."

"Thank you, Kovu." Kiara said politely. "As I was saying, his new friend is a white lion cub named Kohana." Talib noticed the mixed expressions of worry and surprise cross many of the lionesses' faces.

"You mean to tell me that another pride is close by and I've been letting my son run with Talib?" Acacia asked hysterically.

Talib whispered to Thorn who was setting beside him. "You didn't tell your mother?"

Thorn shook his head. "I knew that I if I told her of a cub not from our pride that she wouldn't let me go back out. Maybe you shouldn't have told your parents."

Talib let go an agravated sigh. "Yeah. I'm beginning to wish I hadn't."

"Talib, until we know more about Kohana and her family, you mustn't go out alone." Kovu said calmly.

"Dad! She isn't going to kill me! She seemed nice!" Talib objected.

Kovu lowered his gaze and narrowed his eyes. "You will do as you are told!" He growled fiercely at Talib making the entire pride gasp in surprise.

"Yes, sir." Talib said sadly before running to the cave.

Kiara looked at her mate with confusion written all over her face. "What has gotten into you?"

"Nothing. He will do as he is told and that's final." Kovu said with a tinge of dignity in his voice.

"You may all go to sleep now. " As the pride dispersed to the cave, Kiara stayed behind. Kovu noticed and turned to her, the slight breeze ruffling his dark brown mane. "You coming?"

Kiara fought back the tears. "In a few minutes." Having had his question answered, Kovu headed on to the cave.

Kiara looked to the sky. The stars twinkled in the clear night sky. She smiled remembering what her father had told her.

"The kings of the past are up there." He had told her as a cub.

"Father, what should I do?" Kiara asked the sky. "I know Talib wants to be friends with this Kohana cub, but what if her family is an enemy, like Kovu's was?" She stopped herself there. History really might repeat itself. She laughed.

"I really don't think we could hold them off with you not here." She waited for a reply. A few minutes passed and all she got for a reply was the rustling of the grass as the wind blew.

Kiara sighed. "Silent tonight, huh?"

"Hello Kiara." A familiar voice said.

"Hello, Rafiki." Kiara said as Rafiki wrapped his arms around her neck. She placed a paw in his back and hugged him.

"What brings you out here?" Kiara asked.

"I wanted to go for a walk." Rafiki laughed.

"In the dark?"

"Why not?" Rafiki retorted, still laughing.

Kiara rolled her eyes. "You never cease to amaze me."

Rafiki bowed. "Why, thank you."

"Rafiki?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you think I am doing a good job of raising Talib?" Kiara asked.

Rafiki was caught off guard by the lionesses question. "Why do you ask?'

"Well, It's just that my mother wasn't there to help teach me the 'do's and don'ts' of raising a cub since she passed away before Talib was two days old."

Rafiki placed his hand under Kiara's chin and looked her in the eye. "You are doing a wonderful job. Your mother would be proud."

"Thanks Rafiki."

"Your welcome. I really must be getting back now." Rafiki disappeared into the darkness of the night as Kiara made her way to the cave.

She found Talib lying by himself away from Kovu. He must really be upset that Kovu got so angry with him. She approached her son and stroked his brown fur. "I love you Talib. Don't you ever forget it." She left him alone and lay beside Kovu. As she closed her eyes she failed to notice the sound of her cub leaving the cave.

"Father thinks he can stop me from seeing Kohana." Talib said quietly to himself. "I'll meet her in the morning whether he likes it or not." Talib lay a few yards from the base of Pride Rock. He was drifting off to sleep when he heard a noise beside him.

Heart racing, he called out. "Who's there?"

"It's Thorn."

"What are you doing out here?" Talib asked a little louder than intended.

"Shh! I heard you come out here. I know you are planning to meet back with Kohana and I want to go."

"What about your mom?"

"She doesn't know that Kohana wants to meet us again. What about your parents?"

"Same. Left that detail out." Talib laughed. "Besides, I've determined that I'll be friends with her whether they like it or not."

"Me too. Let's be determined together!" Thorn exclaimed and then realized that what he had said made no sense. Either way, Talib knew what Thorn meant.

"Well, better get some sleep before the sun rises if we want to have energy to play with Kohana in the morning."

"Yes." Talib agreed.

The two cubs slept peacefully that night even though neither one had ever slept outside the cave, let alone away from their parents. All they cared about was how much fun the next day would hold when they met back with Kohana.