Light grey clouds had moved in from the far west, covering over the Pride's hunting grounds. The soft evening breeze brushed lightly through tall grass. Diata stood at the top of the path of Council Rock, staring out over the open fields of the Serengeti. All the while, she waited anxiously for the others to return with her daughter. She was all too relieved when Zazu had returned with word of Elsa.

Though like the rest of the pride, she was curious to why Mufasa had called for council. What could be have been so import ant as to call a council meeting? Was it the hyenas? Was it Zira and her pride?

Though she had little concern for it at the moment. All that mattered to her was that Elsa comes home safe.

Sarabi and the rest of the pride were gathered behind her, laying near the aecia tree. The queen came up and laid down next to Sarafina and Zuri. The three lionesses turned and looked over at the white lioness. She had been standing there ever since they had arrived. While they were just as eager as she was to see Elsa, they were still quite concerned for Diata.

Having to have lost one cub already, they were all too relieved that she wouldn't have to lose Elsa. Though she had been so distant from the rest of the pride. The same way she had been when she had lost her first daughter.

"I'm worry for her," Sarafina said,

"She hasn't been herself since Elsa left."

Zuri frowned as she glanced back at Kion and Kovu, who were sitting together under the tree. Neither of them in playful spirit that they once were not long ago.

"She's not the only one." Zuri claimed to them.

Sarabi and Sarafina looked back at the two brothers. Both of them having to have noticed the same thing. The two had missed Elsa just as much as Diata did.

Sarabi turned forward to Diata. She then stood up and came up behind the white lioness.

"Diata?" she then said.

Diata turned back and saw the queen was standing behind her.

"Come wait with us." she said, gesturing her head back to the others.

Diata narrowed her eyes. She had been distant from the pride since Elsa had left. She was just so eager to see her daughter again. But that was no reason to neglect the others as she had been.

She turned and glanced back over the Serengeti. Sarabi came up next to her, nudging her side.

"She will come." The queen claimed to her.

Diata smiled to the queen, knowing she was right. She then turned and followed the queen to where the others were gathered. They came up to Sarafina and Zuri and laid down along with them. Diata glanced back toward the pathway once more, her eagerness getting the better of her.

"We're all eager to see her, Diata." Zuri claimed to her.

Diata turned back to Sarabi, Sarafina and Zuri, smiling in appreciation. All this time she had been worried for her daughter, she had forgotten how much she meant to the rest of the Pride.

"Thank you, Zuri." she said.

Zuri nodded her head to her. Sarafina then glanced to Sarabi.

"Why do you think Mufasa called for Council?" she asked the queen.

Sarabi and Diata glanced to one another. Both of them were wondering the same as her. Zazu had mentioned that there was a serious matter he needed to speak to them about. Though he neglected to mention what it was. What matter could be so important as to call for council meeting?

"I'm not sure," Sarabi insisted to them.

"But whatever it is, it will be fine once they return with Elsa."

Diata nodded her head in agreement.

"Right." Diata agreed with the queen.

Perched above in the aecia tree, Zazu peered down over the pride below. He then turned and peered off over the fields of tall grass. He then gasped in awe.

"They are here!" The majordomo then announced to them.

The lionesses each gazed up at them.

"King Mufasa and the others have returned!" He continued to proclaim.

Diata stood up as she turned back to the path behind her, staring anxiously. It was then that they saw Mufasa come up over the top of the path. The King shared but a moments glance to his fellow pride members. Only to then turn and walk toward the ledge, where every king before him stood in every council meeting that came before.

Behind him, they then saw Simba and Bagheera come up over the path. Only to then turn and follow Mufasa without a single look of acknowledgement to the other members of the pride. The Prince's stern glance did not go unnoticed by his mother nor Diata, Sarafina or Zuri.

Sarabi and Sarafina glanced to each other curiously. Why did he seem so angry?

Diata turned and glanced back to the path. It was there that she then saw Elsa coming coming up over the top of the path. She glanced up to her mother, who smiled tearfully to see her daughter had returned home safe.

"Elsa!" she said as she came up to her daughter.

"I was so worried."

Elsa came up to her mother and slowly kneeled down to her. She then nuzzled Elsa, who leaned in to her touch. The two then parted as Diata showed her look of joy to see her home. Only to be met with her daughter's expression of guilt and shame over her face, glancing to the side.

Unable to show any expression of joy to see her mother again. Nor to face her.

Not after what she had done.

Diata frowned at seeing her daughter looking so sullenly. Though thought little of it, having to seen it before when she had gotten in trouble when she was younger. She must be feeling guilting for having to run away like how that.

Only to then see Jack come up over the top of the path behind her. Diata paused, staring in awe at the human male. Elsa glanced back and saw Jack standing behind her. Sarabi, Sarafina, Zuri and the other lionesses each gazed in awe at the sight of a human male.

Jack was hunched over, trying to catch his breath from the long trek they had to get here. He then glanced up, only to see the the shocked and weary looks of the lionesses. Jack then stood up, looking around the pride, nervously.

"Elsa...?" he said, glancing down to her.

Nala came up the path behind him. She came up behind the human male, where she nudged him with her head.

"Hey..." he said, glancing back at the lioness.

Nala continued to nudge him forward, making him walk forward. He came up to Elsa, who stood up to him. She came up to her mate, taking hold of his hand as he looked to her. Elsa then glanced back to her mother, who stared at her daughter in awe.

"Elsa?" she asked, curiously.

Diata glanced up at the human male of which she spoke of as Jack. Jack in turn looked back to the white lioness, squinting his eyes. He then turned back to Elsa.

"Is that...?" he asked, having recognized the white lioness.

Elsa nodded her head to him, all but confirming what he was thinking. He then turned back to Diata, widening his eyes. Elsa then tugged his arm. He then turned to her as she then kneeled down, pulling him down with him. The two kneeled down in front of the white lioness.

Elsa turned to her mother, who glanced to her.

"Mother, it's Jack." she proclaimed to her mother.

"Uh... hi." he said, nodding to her.

Diata gazed up at him in awe. She remembered the man-cub of the same name. The one who she had found her daughter with long ago, who had a white mane. The same as the young male who now stands next to her daughter. Could this truly be the man-cub she saw long ago?

"Easy, girl." he reassured her.

Jack slowly reached out his hand to the white lioness. An act which did not go unnoticed by Simba. The lion prince growled as he leaped forward. He came in between them, growling at Jack. He then stood up, backing away from him.

"Okay, okay," Jack said, as he stepped back.

"Easy boy."

Simba came up to Jack, continuing to bear fangs at the human male. Only for Elsa to come between them, growling back at him. An act of which stunned him and the rest of the pride.

Mufasa then gave a loud sudden roar. Both Simba and Elsa turned to him, as well as the rest of the pride.

"Enough!" The alpha exclaimed to him.

Simba glanced back to Elsa before he turned and walked forward. Elsa turned to him as came back toward the ledge where his father stood. Mufasa then turned and looked over his fellow pride members.

"Look well, my people," The King then said.

"Thy King now speaks."

Jack widened his eyes upon hearing the King speak. It was already a shock when she heard Nala speak. He thought he had just imagined it.

"Elsa," He said, glancing back to her.

"Did that lion just talk?"

"I understand that many of you are questioning this," Mufasa proclaimed to his fellow pride members.

"But I never would have done this if there wasn't a good reason."

Sarabi squinted her eyes to her King.

"My King?" she asked, curiously.

Mufasa paused for a moment before speaking the news.

"Man has come to the jungle." He announced to the pride.

The pride erupted in gasps of shock and awe upon hearing their king speak. They glanced to another another, talking amongst themselves of the news that Man had come to the Jungle. Elsa turned and glanced at the Pride, frowning. Seeing the fear that she had brought to the jungle and to those she loved.

"Zazu has spotted them far outside the Eastern border," Mufasa informed them.

"But there is still the chance that they will come."

The lioness stared back at their king in awe and fear. If man was truly to come, what were they to do then?

"But I can assure you, I do know how to deal with the matter." Mufasa proclaimed to them.

Mufasa then glanced over at Jack, who glanced up at him intimately. Seeing the King's stern glance shift to him, he all but froze in fear.

"This human we found with Elsa," he then proclaimed.

"His people may search for him and if we are to avoid their wraith, we will return him to his people."

Elsa and Jack glanced to another. Both of them remembered what happened back at the river when they had encountered the Mercenaries. They were indeed looking for him but not for the reasons Mufasa assumed to be. Rather they were trying to kill him and take Elsa. If they try to give him back to them, they would do the same as before.

Elsa turned to Mufasa.

"Mufasa, wait." Elsa said as he came forward.

The alpha turned to the wild woman.

"We can't give Jack back to them." Elsa claimed to the Lion King.

"Elsa?" Mufasa asked.

"They are not Jack's people," Elsa claimed to the king.

"They were trying to kill him."

The other lionesses glanced to one another, talking amongst one another. The mere thought of man hurting it's own was unheard of. Never before have they known man to try to kill one of their own. The Jungle's people had paid little mind to the matters.

Mufasa stood up as he squinted his eyes to her.

"Are you certain of this?" The Lion King asked, curiously.

Elsa nodded her head to them. It was then that Jack stepped up next to her.

"Your majesty, if I may," Jack then said.

"She's telling the-"

Simba growled as he stood up, bearing his fangs at Jack. Silencing the young human male from speaking.

"You have no right to speak here!" The Prince declared to Jack.

"Man has no place in the jungle, nor the right speak to my father. You will be silent."

Jack glanced up at the king and then back at the prince. slowly backed away from the lion prince, holding up his hands to him.

"Okay, okay," Jack said as he stepped back from them.

Elsa turned back to the Mufasa.

"Please, Mufasa," Elsa insisted to the king.

"You know the law, Elsa," Mufasa reminded her.

"We cannot interfere with the matters of man."

"These are not Jack's people," Elsa insisted to the King.

"They hunt for him and his family. They seek to steal from the jungle. Giving them Jack will not ensure our own peoples safety."

Bagheera squinted his eyes to the wild woman. Having the most experience of being around humans, he had seen the reaches of their cruelty. Not just to the people of the jungle, but also toward their own. He knew just as well as her that man will never keep their word. Even if they were to hand this human over to them, it would not guarantee that they would be spared by their wraith.

"Fighting them will only brings others," Simba brought up to his father.

"Man will seek vengeance upon our people. Father is right, we cannot interfere with the matters of man."

"Simba, man is coming either way," Elsa proclaimed to the prince.

"Regardless if we fight."

"Mufasa." Bagheera said as he came down before the alpha.

The panther turned and faced the King.

"If I may, I believe that Elsa speaks true," The panther claimed to the King.

"War with man may be inevitable."

Simba glanced up at his father, who stared down at the Panther, curiously.

"Bagheera?" The king questioned.

"My time with man, I have seen more then any in the jungle," Bagheera proclaimed to the King.

"And I have seen for myself that man hunts their own. But I fear he may not be the only one they will come for."

Bagheera glanced back at Elsa, who looked back at him, knowingly. He was referring to her as well. It would not be Jack whom they were after. It was her as well. But not of the crime that she had stolen Jack from his people.

Sarabi and the other lionesses gasped in shock hearing the panther's words. The lionesses each turned to one another, chattering among themselves of such a thing. The notion that man would also come and take Elsa. That they would dare come and take one of their own. It was all but shocked and angered that of the lionesses.

Diata came up next to Nala, who stared sullenly to her daughter. Nala turned to the white lioness, seeing the look of concern she had over face. Seeing the danger that her daughter was in.

Mufasa squinted his eyes, curiously to the panther.

"Bagheera, are you certain of this?" The King asked, curiously

Bagheera nodded his head to Mufasa.

"Yes, your majesty." The panther answered to him.

The lionesses erupted in chatter behind Elsa and Jack. Simba stared in awe at the panther. He then narrowed his gaze, faced with the reality of the past. Of when Man had burdened Elsa with their staffs of fire and lighting. An now they are to take her from them. The prince's gaze turned to anger as he glanced over to Jack.

"Mufasa, we can't allow this!" Sarabi insisted to her.

"We can't let them take Elsa!" Zuri claimed to him.

Simba turned to his father.

"Father, what are we to do?" The Prince asked his father.

Mufasa stood atop the Council Rock, narrowing his head as he pondered. He shared the same sentiment as his fellow Pride members at the notion of man taking Elsa away. Both of their shock and anger. But the King was also stifled as to what they would do if this truly was to come. It was forbidden for people of the jungle to be in confrontation with man.

How could he protect his pride from man?

Elsa turned back to Mufasa, who sat pondering. The wild woman came forward before the Lion king.

"Mufasa?" she asked, curiously.

Mufasa glanced up to her and his son. To which he was met with the concern and fear of the Pride. All of them seeking his wisdom and guidance in this matter.

"I will see to this matter," The alpha claimed to the pride.

"For now, no one is to venture outside our territory. Not until we know that we are safe."

It was then that Mufasa turned to Zazu.

"Zazu!" he called to him.

The majordomo turned to face the King.

"Yes, sire?" he asked.

"I want for to patrol the east border," The King ordered him.

"Report back to me if they enter our territory."

Zazu nodded to the King.

"Yes, at once." The majordomo proclaimed before he turned and flew off toward the east.

"Father, what of the human male?" Simba asked, glancing back at Jack.

It was then that Mufasa shifted his gazed to Elsa, who turned and gazed up at the alpha.

"Elsa, this human is to remain with you." The alpha declared to the wild woman.

"Until his people come for him."

Elsa glanced back at Jack, who looked to her. She then turned back to the King, nodding her head to him.

"Yes, Mufasa." she said.

Seeing that the matter was settle, Mufasa stood up and came down the ledge. He paused for a moment, staring up at Jack . The King's gaze was without anger, but rather with uncertainty. Much like how he did long ago when Diata had brought Elsa to the pride when she was just a cub. But this was a young male. A lion his age would have already been taught in his people's ways and would have sought out a pride of it's own.

And while he knew not of the ways of man, this young male appeared not to be of any threat to them. He carried no staff of fire and lightening. He seemed to be more fearful of them then they are of him. Though at the moment he was not concerned with Jack. Rather the matter of those who hunted for him and Elsa.

The King the turned and made his way toward the path. Followed after by Bagheera and Simba, whos glanced to the young male sternly. Elsa gazed back to them, where she saw the rest of the pride followed after Mufasa, most of them whispering to one another regarding her having to have brought someone of her own kind here. While others over the notion that man was coming.

Nala and Diata were the only ones who remained behind with them. The white lioness stared back at her daughter, worryingly. Elsa turned to faced her mother, but couldn't find the words that could justify what she had done.

The wild woman narrowed her eyes as she turned away, walking away from them and Jack. Nala stepped forward as she saw her walking over to the edge of the Meeting Rock. She then glanced to Diata.

"I'll talk to her." she reassured the white lioness.

Diata nodded her head to her. Nala then turned and walked over to Elsa, leaving her with Jack. The young male glance to the white lioness, who looked up at him. Jack rubbed the back of his head, unsure of what to say.

"So..." Jack said, glancing to the side.


Elsa stared in contempt over the pride below. She felt so ashamed and guilt ridden for what she had done. For what she had brought upon them. Or would soon. The very fear of which the were saying she would bring with these feelings she had for Jack. It now laid bear before them.

Nala came up next to her, glancing up at the wild woman. Seeing Elsa staring down at the others so sullenly.

"There's so much fear." Elsa claimed to her.

Nala turned as she peered down to the other lioness, who were making their way back to the den. She knew what she meant. She heard the things that they were saying during the meeting. Especially when they say her leap in front of Jack the way she did when Simba came between him and Diata.

But it didn't matter. Regardless if Elsa had claimed a mate of her own, she needed to return to the pride. Especially with man now looking for them.

"You needed to come home." Nala insisted to her.

Elsa shook her head.

"No," she said.

"I brought man to the jungle. I'm a danger to the Pride."

"Then you and Jack would be in danger," Nala insisted to her.

"You need your people to protect you."

"I told you that we are going to live away from the Pride." Elsa claimed to her.

"You didn't want that!" Her sister countered her claim.

Elsa paused for a moment. She couldn't argue with Nala about it. She was right, she didn't want to live away from mother or the rest of the pride. Having to have grown up together, she could always tell whenever Elsa was lying to her.

Elsa glanced to the side, giving a small smile at her sister's keenness.

"You... you could tell?" she asked, glancing back at Nala.

Nala gave a smirk.

"I can always tell tell with you, Elsa." Nala said to her sisters.

Nala turned and gazed over at Jack and Diata. The young man was pacing back and forth behind them, his hands over his hips. The two of them seemed to be talking to each other.

"You know he will have to return to his people." Nala said, turning back to Elsa.

Elsa frowned as she looked back to Jack. She thought back to what he had told her back in the eastern jungle. About his family back in San-Francisco. The family she had promised to help him find.

It was then that Elsa remembered the photo she had taken from Jack. Reaching down to her side, she pulled it out from her side. She held it before here, peering down at the photo of Jack with his family. Standing there with his sister, Anna, their two young siblings and their mother and father, looking so... happy together.

Elsa slowly glanced up as the realization came to her. The happiness of which she sought to have with Jack, it would mean she would be taking away that of his family's. Not only that, but she would also be confiding him from the comforts of man's world. He would never be able to adjust to that of the jungle. Nor would it's people accept him.

She would be taking his happiness away.

Elsa frowned, sullenly as she realized what she was doing. She couldn't do this to Jack.

Not if she truly loved him.