A/N: Thanks to all who reviewed! I hope your enjoying this story. I had all of the other chapters ready the day I registered, but I had to wait for three days! Can you believe it? So, I'm waiting for at least two reviews for each chapter. If you ask me to tell other reviewers about stories that you have written, then I will certainly give a shout out, telling them about your stories.

TLK III: Path of Kings

Ch. 3

Kovu ran until he couldn't run any longer. When he finally stopped he swore he could see Kiara in the distance running. Then he saw what looked like a cub running along beside her. He was breathing hard; he almost couldn't breathe. All of the sudden he collapsed.

When Kovu woke up he could only see blurry shapes. There was a big one standing over him and a little one behind the big one. "Huh?" he muttered as he tried to get up, but he got a horrible headache.

"Shh..." said a voice that sounded so familiar yet so distant in his memories. "Stay down." As his vision became less blurry he saw a lioness with scars all along her legs and a dark strip running down her back. Zira.

"Zira," Kovu whispered. "But... you fell into the river. How--"

"It's a long story." Zira said back to her shocked son. "I'll tell you when I think your ready. For now, meet your brother, Abrafo." She then pushed the tiny cub in front of her. "We do not mean you harm. We are searching for Abrafo's sister, Ugoni.

"You see, after that terrible fall, I thought I would die, but this big, muscular lion, named Mamo, helped me and saved me..."

flashback

"Thank you for your hospitality." Zira said to the rogue lion named Mamo. He was pitch black with a black mane and red eyes. She turned and began to walk off, but Mamo jumped in front of her.

"And where do you think you're going." Mamo said as he stepped toward her. "You still have to pay me."

"W...what are you talking about." Zira was getting very frightened now as she tried to step back but stumbled on a stone. "I...I'm going home now."

"I don't think so. You forgot to pay me." Mamo crouched and leapt on top of her. He moaned and groaned as he continued to mate with her. All the while she was screaming. He looked down and whispered into her ear, "Having fun?" and laughed. Zira was bleeding and screaming even after he got off of her. "Come back once my cub(s) are born and maybe then I won't hunt you down and kill you. All of you."

He bit her heels and tail as he chased her off.

end flashback

"That was about a year ago. I was going to see him yesterday but Ugoni went and run off. Please, Kovu, help me find my daughter so we might all live." Zira pleaded her son after she told him her whole story.

"Why should I when you have caused nothing but pain for Kiara and me?" Kovu inquired.

"Because, I have a feeling Ugoni is with Kiara." Zira told her son. "If I find Ugoni than you find Kiara and vise versa."

"How do I know this isn't a trick?" Kovu asked his mother.

"I don't know. You'll just have to trust me." Zira said to her son.

"Fine... I'll trust you, but not completely." Kovu finally gave in.

"Good." Zira said. She had a grateful look in her eyes.

meanwhile

Kiara sat down once she felt they were far enough away from where they slept that night. "So, are you going to tell me why your name is Ugoni?" Kiara asked Ugoni.

"Yea," Ugoni paused for a moment. "Well you see, my mom had a terrible fall about a year ago. She had fallen into the river. Well my dad, Mamo, helped her up when he first saw her. He nourished her and cared for her until she was healed. She was trying to leave but Mamo stopped her and raped her. Then she had me and my brother, Abrafo."

"Oh, that's so sad..." Kiara said to the tiny cub.

A/N: How did you like it? sry its kinda short, i think... sry its been forever too. i had writers block for a while, but i came through. it might be a while after this though... don't yell at me if its not soon, ok? k.