KawaiiCutie12: Looks like there's trouble coming to the Pride Lands. Wonder who it'll be. Well, let's find out!

+ExGeneration35: Thanks, I loved your recent chap too! Your updates always get me pumped😊💘

+Guest: Ikr😒

Chapter 15:

As the stars rolled in, the cubs each separated and went into their own dens. Beleco, Nina, and Chaka, however, wanted to stay up with the other cubs. So there they were, in the Pride Landers' den.

"So tomorrow, we can go exploring," Simba quietly stated. "I'll let 'Tani, Kovu, and Kiara know tomorrow."

"Yay!" the cubs whispered.

"Where are we headed?" Chaka wondered with excitement.

"You'll find out tomorrow." Simba's eyes gleamed with excitement.

"Come on guys, time for bed."

The cubs turned to see Malka's mom smiling at them.

Pinning their ears, the three turned to the Pride Lands cubs. "Goodnight, guys."

"Night, guys," the cubs called in unison.

As the trio followed their queen, the other bundled with their parents.

The sun barely peaked up over the horizon...

But that wasn't stopping this lioness cub.

Glaring at Pride Rock, she thought about a certain event. It felt like just yesterday when she found out, and it still infuriated her to this day.

She walked over to a bush full of berries, and set her eyes on the bright, red ones. They looked like ordinary berries, but if ingested, the victim falls horribly ill and in severe cases it's fatal.

Eyes glowing with malice, she placed the berries in an oversized leaf she found.

I'm getting my revenge, she thought. And if someone has to suffer, then so be it.

"Are ya guys ready or what?"

Simba, Vitani, and Beleco grinned at the group as they nodded in excitement.

"Come on, quit teasing us!" Kula cried.

"Yeah, we wanna see this place!" Nina added in.

"Okay, come on, follow us," Simba instructed, leading the way with Beleco and Vitani.

"And just where are you going?"

The group turned to see Sarabi and Mufasa staring at them. To the cubs' surprise, they didn't look the least bit amused.

Simba frowned. "Guys, we're only going-"

"Simba, your father and I would like to talk to you," Sarabi cut him off. "Now."

Turning around the Pride Lands king and queen walked away. Simba frowned at their cold attitude, but sighed and turned to everyone else.

"Sorry guys, I guess it'll only be Beleco and 'Tani leading you," he sadly stated.

"See ya, Simba," Malka stated.

Turning around, he trudged over to Pride Rock.

"I wonder what that was all about," Chumvi frowned.

Beleco had a feeling, but shrugged it off. "Well, come on guys! 'Tani and I have an exploration to lead!"

Restoring their happy moods, the cubs talked as they followed the lioness cubs.

Back at Pride Rock:

Simba reached Pride Rock when he turned and saw Nala and Tama talking. He wasn't sure what was being said, but it ended with Tama walking away, and Nala sighing, before heading to the waterhole.

Wonder what that was all about, he thought.

"Simba."

Hearing his mother's stern voice kicked him in gear. Trotting ahead, he sat in front of his parents.

The frown returned to his face. "Uh, why are you guys mad at me?"

Sarabi narrowed her eyes at him. "Simba, what happened yesterday with you and Tama?"

A feeling of annoyance and realization welled within him. "I didn't do anything wrong."

"Oh, really? So you didn't tell her that she ruins everything, and that she's an 'annoying, insecure, attention-seeking wannabe with major attitude problems that gets on everyone's nerves'? Is that what you're telling us right now, Simba?" Sarabi interrogated him.

Simba heavily sighed. "Mom, listen-"

No, you listen, Simba," Sarabi silenced him. "I don't know what went on between you two, but the way you spoke to her was completely unacceptable!"

Simba's jaw dropped. "What? You're crazy!"

"Simba, don't raise your voice," Mufasa's stern voice boomed. "We're very disappointed in you, and this attitude isn't helping."

"And her attitude isn't helping anyone like her!" Simba exclaimed.

"If that was the issue, then you either tell us, or approach her privately, not belittle her the way you did," Mufasa snapped back. His patience was already running thin.

Simba's, however, had vanished after hearing that. "But when she belittled us, it was okay? I'm your son! Why are you siding with some newbie?"

Sarabi heavily sighed. "Simba, be reasonable."

"You guys aren't, why should I?" Simba barked back.

"Simba, calm the attitude and listen," the queen said through clenched teeth.

"We're only saying that you should've, and could've, been the bigger cub."

"Hell, even if you had to defend yourself, there was absolutely no excuse for the things that you said to her," Mufasa added in.

Simba couldn't believe this. First she corrupts Nala, and now my parents? Oh, no. This is where I draw the line.

"So you're really gonna side with some outside cub, than your own son?" Simba demanded.

Mufasa and Sarabi stared at each other, then back at Simba.

"We're not siding against you, son," Mufasa stated firmly. "We just want you to understand that while your intentions might've been good, the way you went about it was horrible."

Simba didn't say anything, but folded his arms.

"Since the Mountain Lands is vacationing here, we're not gonna ground you," Sarabi stated. "However, I don't want you out of the den, until lunch."

Simba's mouth dropped again. "Why? I already told you-"

"Simba do not make us change our minds," his father growled.

"This is ridiculous," he grumbled, marching into the royal den.

Mufasa shook his head. "I had no doubts he had my father's temper, but that was completely surprising."

"I just never thought Simba would be like that," Sarabi sighed.

The king stood up, shaking his bright, red mane. "Come on, let's join the others."

Walking towards the other adults, they thought about how to deal with Simba.

Tama walked around the grassy fields by herself. She felt bad about telling Nala to leave her be, but she really needed the space.

Who does Simba think he is? Thinks he's sooo cool because he's future king. Puh! He got everything handed to him, and everyone's got his back no matter what...

She stopped at the sudden thought. Sighing, she flopped to the ground and buried her head in a paw.

Oh, who am I kidding? I'm literally the biggest idiot ever. I thought acting like I was the stuff would make everyone think I was cool. Instead, not only do my pride's cubs hate me, but now Nala's friends hate her, because of my doing.

She rolled onto her back. I like, seriously need to fix this.

"Um, excuse me?"

She opened her eyes to see a white lioness cub with blue eyes darker than Nala's peering down at her.

Frowning, she sat up. "Uh, who are you?"

"I'm a friend of Vitani's," she shyly introduced herself.

Hearing that, Tama rolled her eyes. "Well, then there's nothing more that needs to be said. I want nothing to do with her."

"But..." Come on, think of something!

Tama cocked an eyebrow. "But what?"

"She's sorry. Really, really sorry."

Tama only continued to eye her. She held the sack of berries in front of her.

"Vitani wanted me to give you these," she feigned genuinity, "she said she felt terrible about what you overheard, and that she wished you would've believed her when she said she didn't mean it like that."

Tama stared down at the berries, eyes slightly widening. Another thought occurred to her, and she glanced back up at the cub.

"Why didn't she just give me these herself?" she slightly narrowed her eyes.

"I mean..." Ugh, why is she putting me on the spot here?

"she was probably scared. With the way you acted towards her, I'm not surprised she sent me."

That seemed to be enough for Tama, and she took a berry in her mouth. Her eyes widened immediately.

"These are totally amazing!" she cried. Calming down, she looked at the cub. "Hey, could you tell her I said thanks, and that...I'm sorry for everything?"

"Of course!" the lioness cub reassured her.

She watched as Tama pigged out on the rest of the berries, before walking away, allowing an evil smile to make itself home on her muzzle.

"Okay, here's a question: If a gazelle loses its eyes, is it still a 'gaze'lle?"

Nuka laughed as Dotty struggled to answer his question. Finishing the rest of her share, she stared at Nuka.

"I have no idea," Dotty answered, letting out a small chuckle. "Finish your share, Nuka!"

"Fine, fine," he grumbled, taking in the fresh meat. Finishing up, he cleaned himself up, and he and Dotty walked away from the rest of them.

"I wonder how the Mountain Landers feel," Dotty commented. "They've only got a week left."

"It's weird," Nuka answered. "If you had asked me that on the first week, I would've said they wanted to leave. But now..." he looked at all the cubs laughing. "Now, I think they'd want to stay forever."

"They look so happy," Dotty commented.

The two teens watched as Tojo's birds pecked Chumvi's tails. The cubs. jrst into laughter at Tojo and Chumvi's banter.

"Come on, let's go for a walk." Dotty stood up.

Nuka followed closs behind, grinning at her figure.

"Well, we just ate so we can't do anything too crazy."

The cubs were now walking around again. None of them ever knew what to do, so they settled for a simple stroll.

"Hmm...yeah, maybe we should wait to play gazelles and lions," Nina pointed out.

Beleco turned to her tuft friend. "What do you think, 'Tani?"

Vitani racked her brain. "Well-"

"VITANI!"

Oh, no! Nala needs me! Vitani thought.

"I'll be right back, guys!" she stated, racing towards the sounds.

Her heart pounded in her chest. What could've happened? Maybe she twisted her leg or something.

Not long after, Nala's cream figure came into view.

"There you are!" Nala cried.

Skidding to a stop in front of her, she met Nala's furious glare; within the anger, she could see some hidden fear.

"Nala, what happened? Why are you so angry?" she asked the cub.

"How cruel can you be?" was her angry retort.

Vitani frowned, entirely taken aback. "Nala, what in the Kings are you talking about?"

"Why don't you look for yourself?" was Nala's snarky remark.

Staring past Nala, she was met with a gruesome scene; Tama was sitting on the ground hunched over. Her face had a clammy greenish pallor to it, and was contorted in obvious agony. Her painful groans only added insult to injury.

"Tama? Tama!" Vitani hopped in front of her.

Seeing Vitani, Tama scowled.

"Y-You're a m-messed up c-cub, V-Vit-tani," she stuttered out, before feeling a wave of nausea wash over her. Vitani jumped back in time, and looked to Nala for an explanation.

"She ate posionous berries that you told someone to give her!" Nala yelled.

Had this not been a serious situation, Vitani would've laughed at the accusation. But Nala was...well, furious was a definite understatement.

"Nala, what are you talking about? I didn't tell anyone to give her berries, especially not poisonous ones!" Vitani defended herself.

"Oh, right, the berries just appeared out of nowhere, huh?"

Nala walked over to try and comfort Tama. "I understand you felt left out, Vitani. But giving Tama bad berries? I never thought you'd stoop to that level. Come on, Tama. We've gotta get you to Rafiki's."

Without another word, she helped get the ill cub to her feet, and guided her to the mandrill's tree.

"Vitani!"

She slowly turned to see Kula, Simba, and Malka running towards her. Stopping in front of her, the three were surprised to see Vitani uninjured.

"Vitani, what happened?" Malka worriedly asked. Her silence was honestly starting to scare him.

Vitani didn't say anything. Too confused to even form an answer.

What had happened? Clearly Nala and Tama thinks I tried to poison her. But how could they-no, how could Nala think I'd do something so mean?

Maybe it's because we haven't been as close as we normally have been.

Now we never may be again!

KawaiiCutie12: Looks like someone's out for 'Tani. But who? You'll find out soon enough.

As always, leave your opinions down below and follow and fave to keep up with the story, and I'll see you guys next time!

KawaiiCutie12 signing off! 💛