~Chapter 7~

Kovu woke early wanting to scour the border to the Pride Lands to find Kiara. He knew she would be worried after he didn't follow her yesterday. Though he had a reasonable explanation, but regardless, he didn't want to make her worry. He heard slim pieces of Zira's plot before sleep took over. Though he had to find Kiara because there was no telling for sure what Zira had planned, he knew when she would strike. He ran to their usual spot, but it was earlier than normal, so he wasn't surprised that Kiara was nowhere to be found. Impatiently, he took a stealth approach and crouched low crossing the border into the Pride Lands. With an acute sense of hearing many lions couldn't rival, Kovu was confident he could manage to get close to Pride Rock without raising an alarm.

He passed several small herds of antelope grazing in the grass and even though he was hungry, he pressed forward trying to keep his focus on finding Kiara. The crisp morning air tickled his nose with vibrant smells and distractions, but still he pressed forward cautiously. It was lucky for Kovu that Pride Rock wasn't hard to locate. Though he knew his search would stop shy of getting there because he would risk getting caught. As luck would have it, his eyes spotted her hopping down the rocks of Pride Rock heading right in his direction. There wasn't anyone else around, but just maintaining caution, he maintained his position until she got close.

"Pst, Kiara!" He called to her.

The young lioness stopped in her tracks and peered around curiously. As she saw Kovu slowly rise making his presence known, she closed the gap between them, nuzzling him.

"What are you doing here? You shouldn't be here."

"I'm sorry about yesterday, I couldn't get away."

"I figured that's what happened." She nodded.

"But there's something you should know. Zira intends to act soon."

"When?"

"Anytime. I may have nodded off during some of the details, but I do know it involves your first hunt. So you need to be on your guard."

Kiara crouched down playfully looking amused.

"I'm not afraid of her."

"Kiara, this is serious. We can't let our guard down." Kovu sighed looking nervous, "I don't want anything to happen to you."

Kiara stood back up looking seriously at him. He avoided her gaze at first and that told her how nervous he was. She sweetly stroked her head against his licking his furry cheek. He finally locked eyes with hers.

"Everything will be fine," Kiara whispered before quickly glancing at Pride Rock noticing her parents and other lionesses emerge from the den. "You should go. The last thing we need is for you to be caught."

"I love you, Kiara. Please be careful."

Kiara nudged him along before running quickly back toward Pride Rock. Their secret still intact.

Kovu returned to the Outsiders termite mound to report to Zira keeping up his facade. The following day, Zira forced him to spar with Vitani. Kovu obeyed reluctantly, but he immediately noticed something was wrong with his sister. At least, she was off her game. A bit dazed and distracted with every swipe of her paws.

"What's wrong with you today?" Kovu snapped.

"Lay off, let's just do this and mother will get off our backs," Vitani grumbled.

Zira was watching them nearby, but wasn't close enough to hear.

"Maybe she'll get off your back, but I won't be as lucky."

"Keep going you two…" Zira growled, "I need your strength pushed. Show me what you can do, Kovu."

I hardly went all out with my full strength and I'm not sure if Zira noticed. Vitani certainly did, but she kept silent.

"Alright enough, it's almost midday. It's time for phase one. Kovu, follow me and Vitani you need to head to the pits of the elephant graveyard. You know what to do."

Kovu glanced between Vitani and Zira wishing he hadn't nodded off yesterday. Vitani scurried off into a stealthy sprint as Kovu anxiously awaited instructions from Zira.

"I will not tolerate any signs of weakness, Kovu," Zira grumbled.

"Have I shown you any weakness?" He glared.

Zira's eyes burned with immediate rage.

"Impudent child! What's come over you?"

"Nothing." He muttered, biting his tongue.

Kovu was tired of Zira's orders and demands, but if he implicated himself in any way, Kiara would be in more danger, so he held his tongue.

"Phase one is beginning weakness is unacceptable."

Kovu at first was confused by what she meant, but then he realized exactly what she was referring to when he nodded off the other night during instruction.

"It won't happen again," Kovu grumbled.

Zira frowned with an icy, cold-blooded stare.

"After today it won't." She growled.

Meanwhile, Vitani ran as hard as she could to the east. The elephant graveyard was a dry wasteland that not many lions ventured to. Rumor had it that after Scar was killed, some of the hyenas ran off to find a new home away from Simba. Like Mufasa before him, they were intimidated by the kings of the Pride Lands. They knew better than to challenge. The only hyenas found here were the occasional loners. Vitani made her way to the geysers and ripped off a thick branch from a nearby dead tree. She carefully placed an end over one of the spouts and sat patiently to wait. Vitani's thoughts moved to her brother wondering how long he could keep up his facade with their mother. She had half a mind to forget her promise and reveal all to Zira, but ultimately she always hesitated. She had no desire to incur Zira's wrath. Nearby, her ears perked up hearing sounds of rocks sliding down off the surrounding cliffs all around her. She got in a defensive position just as the geyser blasted forth lighting the branch. But before she grabbed it to fulfill her mother's mission, she walked over to the cliffside where the rocks had fallen.

"Show yourself!" She growled,

Moments later, Vitani was stunned to see Kopa hopping down the cliffside with precise agility.

"Ease up, Vitani. It's only me." Kopa replied casually as he gracefully landed on the ground level.

"What are you doing here?"

'I came to reason with you." He replied.

"Reason with me?" Vitani echoed, "T-That's foolish."

"If you're about to do what I think you are, I'm begging you to stop. I doubt the Outlands will be protected from the blaze."

"Mother took that into consideration and we dug a deep dirt trench just beyond the border. Not that it matters since everything is dead over there anyway." Vitani shrugged.

"Will this make you happy? Assisting her like this?" Kopa replied.

"You think you know me, Kopa? You don't!" Vitani snapped, "I serve my pride besides my brother has a plan."

"A plan? How do you know?" He reasoned.

"I've been spying on him…"

"For your mother?"

"No, my own agenda." Vitani said, "This fire has to move forward. Can you trust me with that knowledge?"

Kopa looked at with a nervous face, but ultimately let Vitani pass him with the lit-up branch.

Today was a big day at the Pride Lands, Kiara found herself equally ecstatic and nervous for this day. Her first hunt. It was what she had been waiting for since she had grown up into the lioness she is today. To make her mark and use the skills she had been taught over the years. Especially the pinning technique perfected by her mother. Though her excitement was shadowed by the warning Kovu gave her yesterday. It was hard to think about the thrill of the first hunt when the Outsiders were planning something lethal. At midday, the hunt would commence and there was a minor ceremony to it all as Kiara emerged from the den. Her parents along with her brother would meet her at the bottom of the hill as the other lions of the pride lined the hill on either side. Offering Kiara words of wisdom for the hunt and congratulating her big day. Timon and Pumbaa were watching nearby as Timon was dabbing his eyes with Pumbaa's tail. Zazu perched himself in the nearby baobab tree watching from high up. Rafiki stopped her on the way down waving his staff over her head.

"May you have good fortune, Kiara. Everyone believes in you. You are strong and wise. These skills will aid you today."

"Thank you." Kiara replied before moving down to the bottom of the hill.

Kion ran up to his sister as he playfully pawed at her sliding underneath her legs and darting right and left. He was quick, but clumsy though not surprising considering his age.

"Good luck, Kiara!" Kion smiled once he finally slowed down.

"Thanks little brother." Kiara replied patting his head.

Kiara approached her parents finally as Nala walked up nuzzling her daughter's head.

"You'll do great. I taught you my best skill." Nala winked, "Become one with your surroundings and keep stealthy until the last possible second."

"Got it." Kiara nodded.

Kiara then glanced up at Simba smiling warmly and he held a very concerned expression.

"Daddy, you don't have to worry. You've taught me well and I'll make you proud. You promise to let me do this on my own, right?"

Simba hesitated and glanced at Nala who cocked her head giving him a raised brow.

"I promise, Kiara." He finally replied.

Kiara excitedly nuzzled her father gratefully and took off from Pride Rock as quickly as her feet could take her. Simba looked on nervously as his daughter began a steady approach to a nearby antelope herd. Nala and the rest of the lionesses headed for the den along with Kion. Timon and Pumbaa joined Simba sitting next to him contentedly.

"What a day!" Pumbaa smiled.

"Your first cub leaving the nest." Timon commented, "At least it's official now Simba. Just wait until it's Kion's turn. Yeesh, that'll be a tough day."

"We aren't birds, Timon. Nobody has left." Simba quickly corrected sounding frustrated, "I want you to follow her, maintain a distance...just make sure she doesn't get hurt."

Timon and Pumbaa exchanged curious glances, but quickly obeyed leaving Pride Rock.

Meanwhile, Zira brought Kovu on top of a small hill in the Outlands with a wide view of their borders and easily spotting Pride Rock in the distance with all the green, lush landscape that surrounded it.

"Nature mocks us with unfair justice," Zira growled twitching her tail back and forth in an aggravated tone.

"You and I must have different opinions on justice," Kovu replied, staring into the distance. Minutes later, Vitani hustled up the hillside joining them. Zira glanced at her daughter looking inquisitive.

"It's done, mother." Vitani replied with a nod.

Kovu didn't like the sound of this and he caught a whiff of something foul in the air. Smoke. He scrutinized his gaze out at the horizon and saw an intense fiery blaze spreading quickly from the Pride Lands. It was growing quickly. Kovu's thoughts immediately exploded in worry. Zira's plan was in motion and Kiara was clearly the target. Did Zira know? He couldn't worry about that now.

"Kovu, seems like we have a firebug. Take care of that, will you?" Zira said callously.

Kovu roared at Zira with intense anger, but quickly took off in a sprint to find Kiara.

It didn't take long for Kiara to stumble upon Timon and Pumbaa's protection detail, which made Kiara make the decision to steer clear of Simba's marked path for hunting. She was furious and wanted to make her own decision and so she did just that throwing caution to the wind. After running away from Timon and Pumbaa being sure to lose them, she refocused her hunt. Kiara made several close attempts to pinning an antelope from the herd, but continually just barely missing. Though soon, coming from the opposite direction, several herds of animals came running fearfully toward her. Kiara saw what had frightened them. Dark smoke filled the sky and her nose as an enormous wildfire was swallowing everything in its blaze. Kiara let down her guard and maybe this was the plan that Zira had put in motion. It was too late for regrets now, she had to run and run she did. Though the smoke filling her lungs slowed her down in minutes. She began coughing and gagging trying to find a safer place to stop and catch her breath. Her lungs were on fire because of all the smoke inhalation, there wasn't a lot of time. Though nearby she saw a high rock that might give her a temporary reprieve, but she had to act quickly. Zigzagging her way around the blaze that was surrounding her, Kiara leapt with all her might extending her claws to grip the edge. Her hind legs were slipping as the fire swallowed the ground right below her. She screamed Kovu's name, worried that she would never see her mate again. Still gripping the side of the rock, scrambling to pull herself up, but Kiara was tapped out on energy. Suddenly her ears perked up at the sound of a roar as Kovu ran his way up the rock to help her. He quickly grabbed her by the nape of her neck helping to pull her up. As Kiara toppled over catching her breath, Kovu looked her over making sure she was okay.

"That was terrifying, I'm glad you're okay, but we better keep moving," Kovu muttered seeing the fire continuing to close in around them.

"Uh-huh," Kiara mumbled in a faint whisper.

He helped her onto her feet and she was very wobbly. Kovu stood beside her to help, but she only managed to step once before falling unconscious. With his body full of adrenaline, Kovu acted fast maneuvering Kiara's body onto his back and quickly pinpointed where he was going. With Kiara safely on his back, Kovu charged forward continuing to outrun the ferocious blaze behind them. Zira would pay for this.