7 chapters already? wow, lol.

Zira's Sister: Thanks for reviewing! Glad you like it!

Simba's Other Daughter: I didn't say that I disliked Sherrice. She's just not one of my favorite characters. I think Kauma is definitely not with Holy, seeing as how he hates Holy so much, especially Ryuhou. I think I missed something, but, Why do Kazuma and Ryhou hate each other? Anway, not sure about Ayase, but I think she's against Holy. Why don't you like Asuka?

Well, on with the fic!

I do not own the Lion King.

The sun hung directly overhead shining off the brown fur of the lion below. A slight breeze that was anything but cool, fluttered through his tawny mane. It was the dry season and miserably hot as Talib strolled to the river. The water was very shallow and the river now was reduced to pretty much a few ponds. Most of the water had evaporated in the intense heat. The savanna was pretty much barren by the river. The only signs of life was the huddle mass of crocodiles in the middle of the water trying to keep cool.

Talib made sure to keep an eye on the crocodiles. No telling when one could decide to make him their lunch. He lapped the water and caught the attention of a few of the creatures. One began to move closer to him and he backed away.

"I won't be your dinner today." Talib told the crocodile as he moved away from the water. "It's so hot." He complained as he took refuge in the shade of a small tree.

"Talib!" A voice called.

"Hey, Thorn." Talib replied, smiling at his best friend.

"Your mother wants you." Thorn was panting heavily. Evidence he had been running.

"Is…is it an emergency?" Fear began to take control of Talib's voice, making it shaky.

"Calm down." Thorn ordered. "It's not an emergency."

Talib breathed a sigh of relief. "Alright."

Talib and Thorn walked slowly back to Pride Rock. It was already too hot to do anything and they didn't want to run. Talib was greeted by his mother's smiling face as he came to the base of Pride Rock. His father was right by his mother's side Talib noticed that the pride was also gathered around them.

"Talib, as you know, this has been an unusually long dry season. The rains should have fell a long time ago." Kiara stated.

"I know mother." Talib commented as he and Thorn sat down across from the king and queen. "Why are you telling me something I already know?"

Kovu looked at his son proudly. "Talib, if this drought doesn't end, I will be forced to move the pride to a place with more food for us."

"Father! Are you crazy?" Talib protested.

"You may be an adult now, but you will not talk to me that way." Kovu glared angrily.

"Yes, sir." Talib apologized. "It's crazy to try and move the pride."

Kovu scoffed at Talib. Thorn wasn't going to let his best friend be made a fool of.

"Sir? May I say something?" Thorn asked.

Kovu nodded. "Yes." Kiara looked at Thorn. She knew he had a good idea in his head.

"It would be better if you sent us to see if there is any place close to here that could sustain our family." Thorn saw some approving glances from most of the lionesses.

"Certainly not!" Acacia blurted out. "Last time you went out with him you ended up blind. Even if it was temporary, you could end up dead this time!" She stepped closer to her son forcing Talib to move away.

Thorn hung his head. Acacia was Thorn's mother, but her words hit Talib hard too.

Kovu and Kiara didn't say anything. They knew that Acacia still held a grudge against their son. There was nothing they could do.

The black lion growled angrily. "Mother! I will do what I want! I'm no a cub anymore!"

Acacia backed away. A hurt expression upon her dark beige face. "Thorn, I know that you aren't a cub anymore. I just don't want to lose you." She nuzzled him.

"I'll be fine. Besides, It's not like I am leaving today." Thorn said as his voice softened.

"Boys, if the time comes and we really need to move, you two will be sent to find us a new territory. " Kovu said.

The two friends bowed. "We will if we have to."

"Talib, you are a wonderful son." Kovu said as he nuzzled his son.

"Thanks, father." Talib smiled.

"Anyone want to volunteer to look for food?" Kovu raised a brow as he looked at the lionesses. (A/N: Lions have brows? Well, anyway they do here, .)

"I'll go." Kiara offered.

"I'll go as well." Acacia said. Two more lionesses nodded and they left.

"Well, we'll wait for them to return. If they catch anything, we'll stay for a few more days." Kovu commented as he watched the lionesses leave Pride Rock and head out to the open savanna to look for food.

"I hope they do. I don't want to move." Talib frowned. He really didn't want to leave the place where he had grown up.

"Me too, son." Kovu said.

"I agree." Thorn said.

The three male lions climbed Pride Rock to watch over their home. The temperature seemed to rise with every step they took.

"It's so hot. Why hasn't the rains fell?" Talib asked as he lay down and looked out over the savanna from atop Pride Rock.

"I don't know why the rains are late this year. I've never known them to be more than two days late. They should've fallen about two months ago." Kovu answered as he lay down beside his son.

"I wish it would rain already. It's so miserably hot, and barren. The plant are dying, most of our prey is gone, if not all of it." Thorn stated.

The three lions lay atop Pride Rock awaiting the return of the hunting lionesses. It was late evening when Kovu heard a lioness calling his name.

As Kovu raced to see what the problem was, Talib and Thorn followed.

"My king!" The lioness exclaimed when she saw Kovu. Talib and Thorn gave each other a worried look as they stood behind the king.

"What is it?" Kovu asked briskly.

"Queen Kiara sent me." The lioness replied. "She's not in danger. She and the other lionesses are on their way back. Our hunt was unsuccessful, but I though you should know something."

"Yes?" Kovu was getting impatient.

"We spotted three cheetahs and a white lioness traveling together inside your border, sir!" The lioness trembled. "I believe they were the ones you exiled."

Kovu frowned. This was certainly not what he needed. Why had they come back? He had threatened to kill them of they were seen near the Pridelands again.

"You don't think it was Kohana and her family do you?" Talib whispered to Thorn.

Thorn shrugged. "Maybe. I mean do you know of any other white lion traveling with cheetahs?"

Talib shook his head. "No. But this is quite a surprise, though." Thorn nodded.

Kovu noticed the two males whispering. "Don't even think about going to see if it was that lion you befriended when you were a cub." He looked down on the two friends.

"Yes, sir!" Thorn said.

"Yes, sir." Talib said with less enthusiasm that Thorn did.

Kovu ran to his mate when he saw her coming. "I heard you found three cheetahs and a white lioness?"

Kiara nodded. "Yes, but was also found a small herd of gazelle near the northern border, but the cheetahs were near and we didn't want them to know we had seen them."

"Good thinking, Kiara." Kovu knew his mate was smart for doing so. The cheetahs would've probably tried to attack them if they had seen his mate and the other lionesses.

Talib and Thorn watched as his mother and father talked.

"Do you think your father would kill them for returning?" Thorn asked worriedly.

"I don't know, but I wouldn't put it past him." Talib noted. "So, you want to go exploring in the morning?" Talib raised a brow.

Thorn laughed. "You'd better believe it." The black lion laughed.

Talib laughed as well. "Thought you'd say that."

"So, how will we escape your father?"

"Don't worry about him. I'll handle it. I'll tell him that you and I want to sleep outside the cave tonight because it will be cooler."

Thorn scowled. "I really don't think it will work."

"Oh it will." Talib said before his mother approached him.

Kiara ran a paw through her son's mane that was the same color as her fur. "You must not go and see that lioness." Talib could see the worry in his mother's eyes, but he was still going to go see if it was Kohana. "Promise me you won't."

"Alright, I promise." Talib lied. He hated to lie to her, but he had to go see if it was really Kohana.

"You too, Thorn." Acacia eyed her son suspiciously.

"Yes, mother."

Having established the two males weren't to go looking for the white lioness, the pride retired for the day. The sun was beginning to set as the pride entered the cave. As nightfall fell, the temperature dropped, helping to back up Talib and Thorn's lie to sneak away the next morning.

Talib and Thorn stopped and waited for the last lioness to enter the cave. Kovu noticed the two had stopped.

"Come on you two." Kovu ordered.

"Father, we want to sleep out here where it will be less crowded and cooler." Talib hoped his father would by it.

"Really?" Kovu eyed the two cubs doubtfully.

"Yes." Thorn said, trying to get Kovu to believe them.

"Then I'll sleep out here as well. "Kovu said as he lay beside to other two males.

Minor setback. He won't even see us leave in the morning. Talib laughed to himself.

Talib and Thorn lay down pretending to fall asleep. When they made sure that Kovu was truly asleep did they begin to whisper.

"Don't worry, he'll be sound asleep and won't even hear us leave." Talib said.

"You sure?" Thorn asked as he watched the king sleep.

"Yes." Talib reassured Thorn.

"Alright." Thorn said as he lay his head on his paws and closed his eyes. Talib followed suit and soon they were asleep. Each awaiting the morning so they could set out to find their friend.

It could be a while before I update again. I start school again on Monday, oh boy... Anyway, feel free to email me if you want to know the staus of my story if I don't update for a long time. Also, Simba's Other Daughter, if you want to talk to me more about s-cry-ed you can email me as well. Toodles for now!