Sorry late chapter. Life has been busy and with things happening it's hard to write.

But hope you all are still enjoying the story.


Chapter 18


"Ouch! Mom! That stings!"

"Well if you would hold still and wouldn't squirm it wouldn't sting as much."

Yeah right. One green eyed rolled while the other remained freakily still. Zawadi grumbled under her breath while she tried to keep herself still in her Mother's arms as Kumai at the moment was busy trying to clean her newly afflicted wounds that she had received in training earlier that very morning.

Things were getting rougher. No longer was Zira simply having the cubs engage against each other but she had started having the cubs fight her in order to…toughen them up more or least that's what she told them.

Ever since their run in with that little Princess, Zira had intensified their training. Something a lot of them were putting the blame on Kovu for. A few days after that event they had found out that Zira had come up with a new plan all together that would get them their revenge and get the 'Chosen One' on the throne.

Kumai however wasn't entirely sure how she felt about the new plan so to say. Zira hadn't let them in on exactly everything that she had planned. But what they did know, she had to wonder where her daughter would play into this. The lioness was often left wondering what could be done about Zawadi more and more as time went on. There were moments where she wished she could slip off with Zawadi…take her back to the Pride Lands where she belonged but then there was another part of her that wanted to run away from the Outlands with Zawadi.

Get as far away from there and Zira as possible. Before anything could happen to her daughter.

But there were two problems with that…well three….

One being where would she go? Where could she take Zawadi?

Two how would they get away without Zira finding out and following them. The Outland Queen would surely kill them if they were to try and sneak away.

And three…her revenge.

While Kumai could not bring herself to think of using Zawadi as her revenge anymore. She had become too attached to the cub she had come to call her daughter. To her Zawadi was as though she really was her flesh and blood. There were times that Kumai completely forgot that the cub really wasn't hers or perhaps she just wanted to think that. But whatever the case was, Zawadi was hers…she wasn't the daughter of a dead Queen and a weak King…blood didn't always make family…family was more then blood. And Zawadi was hers…and that was that.

But that did not mean she could just simply forget her revenge for the death of her beloved little sister.

So that left leaving all that much harder. So here they were…with her cleaning her daughter's most recent wounds. Kumai had been surprised when Zira had started having the cubs fight her rather then each other. While the cubs could do damage against one again, more so Nuka and the others who were older then Zawadi. Fighting a grown lioness like Zira was another thing entirely and it wasn't easy watching her daughter be smacked around by the lioness that was supposed to be her Queen.

Zawadi on the other hand…where Kumai had first thought her daughter would be against fighting Zira. Having always feared the Outlander Queen. She'd done the exact opposite of what Kumai had expected; she had been the first always to volunteer herself to be the first to fight. And it wasn't even just that…her daughter seemed to be pushing herself forward in all aspects of her training that Zira was laying down for them.

The change Kumai had noticed had been after the confrontation between Zira and Simba. While her daughter had always be…headstrong…Zawadi was becoming even more so as time went on.

This however Kumai figured should not surprise her as much as it was. Zira since the run in with Simba had worked harder to brainwash the cubs into truly believing that it was Simba who was the enemy. They were Zira's army. They were the only ones who did not know the truth of their banishment. When it all came down to it, they would be Zira's most loyal…or so that was the Outlander Queen's goal.

And Zawadi…the fear the cub once had for Zira…was all but obsolete.

To Zawadi, since the run in with Simba…watching Zira stand up to the King…and everything she heard and saw…it changed a lot…to her she did not see reason to fear Zira or hate her. She had directed her hate in the wrong direction. And now thanks to Zira she was directing it where it should have been all along…

The Pride Lands.

She hated them all. Spoiled rotten lions. All the food they could have but they never shared. All the clean water they could drink but never a drop to spare to those who needed it. They even seemed to hog the rain…

Zawadi had watched from a distance when the wet season had come to the Pride Lands. Passing over the Outlands without a single drop given and to rain down upon the thriving lands beyond the dead and dry Outlands. There were days she would give anything to feel the rain upon her…though something at the back of her mind nagged at her telling her that somewhere in the past she had.

But that would be impossible. She been born in the Outlands and raised in the Outlands. But by whatever higher force there was out there she would die in the Pride Lands. Secure, well fed…and with the knowledge that the King had died so that they would live in peace in the land was rightfully theirs for the taking. And for Zawadi and Kumai to get revenge for the life that the Pride Landers had taken so wrongly from them.

And so she was going to do everything that meant to make herself stronger. Even if it meant going up against Zira…who never took mercy on any of the cubs not even her own…but Zawadi would not complain. If this was what would make them stronger then there would never be any more complaining…

"Ouch! Mom! Watch it!" Zawadi was drawn from her thoughts as she felt a sharp pain in her back leg from where her mother was busy cleaning a cut she had gotten there from Zira.

"You are just about done. So stop whining." Kumai chastised giving the wound a few more licks before she deemed to clean enough. The cuts weren't that deep so they wouldn't scar her daughter. But they would take time to heal. Hopefully without Zawadi doing anything that would further damage it and end up causing scarring. But even if it did Zawadi wouldn't complain, at least Kumai thought so.

Where Zawadi had once been self-conscious about her scars and blind eye. The cub seemed to be growing out of that.

No longer after the training she been going through was Zawadi rendered useless when it came to fighting and her partial blindness. Despite being blind on one side, Zawadi had honed her hearing to be able to hear what was coming at her when she could not see it.

Not even her daughter's scars bothered her anymore. She claimed they made her seem…tougher.

Her tough little girl, Kumai thought amusingly.

"There…" Kumai smirked. "I'm done now." With that she relaxed her hold she had on Zawadi that been keeping the cub in place and from wiggling out of her grasp. Zawadi getting the queue leapt up out of her arms and started rubbing her face and other body parts that her mother had bathed. It wasn't like she liked being dirty, in fact Zawadi didn't mind baths.

It was that her mother was always thorough when it came to making sure a cut never got infected on her. And being where they lived that wouldn't be a surprise if something happened and a wound festered. "Happy?" asked Kumai.

Zawadi rolled her good eye at her.

Lifting her gaze, Zawadi caught sight of someone coming toward them and grinned when she saw who it was. "Aunt Dotty." She ran toward the lioness who smiled down at her though it faded a tad bit when she saw the wounds that Zawadi had. She fought the urge to sigh and shake her head instead she ruffled the top of Zawadi's head making the cub bat at her paw with an irritated look on her face.

"Hey there kid. What you been up too?" Dotty was sure she knew but of course it was always good to let the cub answer anyways.

"Training." Dotty resisted another urge, this time to roll her eyes. Training, always training. She was beginning to think the cub was becoming obsessed with it.

"Well why don't you run along and have some fun so I can speak with your mother." Dotty instructed but Zawadi asked. "Why can't I hear what you have to say?"

"Because you are not yet old enough for big girl talk." Chuckling at the glare the cub gave her, she looked at Kumai who nodded her head.

"Run along Zawadi. Go have some fun. Go find the others." Kumai watched as Zawadi turned her glare on her for a moment before it vanished when Zawadi released who she was glaring at.

Grumbling the cub marched over to her mother and gave her one last nuzzle and her cheek a lick then turned and scampered off to where she last saw the others go off too. Dotty and Kumai watched her leave then Dotty made her way over and sat on down beside Kumai with a sigh. "Vitani and the others had similar wounds. I think Zira is being too hard on them."

"Don't tell her that." Kumai advised. "She just might end up making it worst for them. Say the worst it is the better they will be." She scoffed crossing her paws. "Cubs shouldn't be subjected to such training."

Grunting, Dotty lay on down beside Kumai, licking her fur trying to cool herself off from the amount of heat that bore down in the outlands. How she hated the amount of sun and heat they got out here. She missed the coolness of the rain. She and the others tried to sneak into the others lands, not just to find food but too also just feel the rain again for it never seemed to come to these accursed lands.

Dotty was beginning to wonder if it was even more so now for the crimes they committed.

"Do what do you need to talk to me about?" Kumai finally asked.

Looking up at the sky, then to the east, Dotty finally looked back at Kumai and said. "It seems that what Zira pulled off by going deeper into the Eastern lands to find food, she has sparked them to pull their two separate Prides together once more. Two Kings ruling them, all three brothers reunited…just to work to keep us out of their lands." Dotty shook her head.

Kumai sighed frustratingly. "This is going to make getting food harder."

"That's not all…the southern pride is moving on…their numbers dwindling but the Eastern and Pride Landers seem to be claiming it both as neutral ground." Dotty continued to explain.

"Both…why would both be claiming it?"

"It would appear that the Eastern King and King Simba have struck an alliance with one another."

Kumai gave a grunt. "Does Zira know?" she asked. Knowing this wouldn't please the Outlander Queen one bit. Going to war with one pride was one thing; going against two was another thing entirely.

Dotty nodded. "Yes she does. She's not too pleased…but she is convinced if her plan works we need not worry about the two prides. That Kovu will be able to do the job just fine…not to mention the others." She watched Kumai from the corner of her eyes. Neither of them really knew what Zira had planned in full term with her plan or what she had planned for each cub individually.

But it did worry them nonetheless.

Kumai rolled her eyes. Of course Zira wouldn't see two prides as a complete threat. She didn't see one as a threat why would she see two? But of course that made her judge her Queen's logic in this. If Zira's plan failed…what then? What would they do? They didn't have the man power to fight two prides. They were less in number, and with lack of food some of them were beginning to feel the effects of it on their bodies and strength.

"We're going to have to find ways to continue to get enough food…" Kumai thought for a moment. It wasn't that they never ate. But unlike those in other lands where food was plentiful they never ate enough or often never really caught enough for all of them. They often had to settle for smaller prey in order too get in and out without being caught. Kumai often ate enough to settle herself over but gave the most of it too Zawadi to eat, as a cub Zawadi needed her strength the most to stay healthy and grow strong rather then sickly.

She had seen what lack of food had done before when it came to Nuka. The cub had been so sick and thin when there was little food for them to eat and dirty water for them to drink. He'd only become healthy and built up enough muscle for a cub when the herds had returned to the Pride Lands and allowed them to have enough food.

Kumai wasn't going to allow that to happen to Zawadi.

Heck none of them were going to allow that to happen to any of the cubs. Nuka included. Nuka was no longer a cub, but a young lion. His mane was coming in fully and his body was building in muscle. Many of them were many sure Nuka remained healthy they wouldn't let him go back to the sickly figure he used to be. The young Prince seemed content with that. He was pushing himself was much as others.

They figured he was trying to prove himself in the eyes of his mother as being worthy. But Kumai knew that wouldn't work in the long run, Zira was obsessed with Scar. If Scar had picked Kovu as his chosen heir, then it was Kovu who would be the apple of Zira's eye and always be the one who will please her when it came to her devious plans.

But Kumai and the others were encouraging Nuka to keep on what he was doing. Just because he would never be able to please his mother, does not mean he should not please himself by keeping himself strong.

Dotty lifted her eyes to the sky. "We'll find a way Kumai…they can't always watch the lands all the time…so when it's clear we shall hunt. We won't starve…well anymore then we already are. I refuse to die this way or let any of the others suffer the same fate."

Kumai nodded. "Agreed."

Though she could only hope that it would work. She would do her best to find food for her daughter and the others. Like Dotty she refused to die of starvation. That wasn't a good way to go. She rather be killed then slowly and painfully die from starving. Her ears perked when she heard laughter in the distance and smiled laying her head down on her paws.

"At least there is some laughter left in this forsaken land."


Body shaking, lungs gasping for breath between each boisterous hysterical laugh that came from her. Zawadi rolled upon the ground with Vitani who laughed as loud and long as she did. The only ones not on the ground laughing until it became too hard to truly breath and left them gasping for air was Nuka who had just sat there off to the side a large humorous smile on his face while his shoulders shook with mirth and Kovu…

Oh poor Kovu.

The butt of their laughter.

The young chosen prince of the Outlands sat there watching them all with a sour look upon his face. A face that much to his displeasure…and bad luck was now lined with the long sharp end quills of a porcupine that the cubs had stumbled upon and Kovu had gotten too cocky with. The corner of his eye that started to puff up, twitched while he watched them all laugh at his misfortune.

"This is not funny!" He spat at them angrily.

Zawadi who finally went still on the ground, laying on her back her paws resting on her chest that rose and fell rapidly with each gasping breath she took in. Taking the time to settle her breathing to where she could talk enough without difficulty. Turning her head enough to peer at the brown male cub she gave an amused snort. "Oh but it is." She told him. "You brought this on yourself that is why it is so funny." She finally rolled to her stomach pushing herself up to sit.

Vitani who lay on her side grinned at her younger brother. "She is right you know." Vitani nodded her head in agreement with Zawadi. "We did warn you not to touch but noooo…"

"The Great Prince Kovu can face anything!" Zawadi mocked mimicking Kovu's voice her paw on her chest while she held her head high in a mocking gesture. This only caused Vitani and Nuka to let out another round of laughter while Kovu glared at each of them but more so at the brown she-cub who was mocking him.

"I did not act like that!"

"Sure you didn't." Zawadi smirked at him and got to her paws. Making her way over to him she gave him a small push in the chest which made him stumble back from her a bit. "How else would you explain why your face looks like you kissed some porcupines butt?"

"I tripped!" Kovu growled at her. Rubbing the spot she had pushed him at and glared at her. Hating to admit that Zawadi was ever right, Kovu refused to see this as his fault at least admit it to her face. But his denial only made her throw her head back and let out a loud barking laugh. "Oh yeah sure…" Zawadi nodded her head. "You tripped. That's a perfectly understandable excuse for your face looking like a weird cactus!" Zawadi smirked watching as the other cub started to get riled up. The young she-cub pouted and spoke in a small baby voice to him, "Aw did I hurt the Prince's feelings?" Laughing even more she heard a growl come from Kovu who finally had enough of her taunting.

With a signal leap, Kovu leapt at the other cub knocking them both to the ground. Zawadi gave a startled growl her paw pushing up against Kovu's neck trying to push his head up away from hers while he tried to push the quills down on her. The Outlander Prince choked as she pushed at his neck but he refused to give up as he pushed down on her paw that was until he felt someone grab him by the scruff pull him off Zawadi and toss him to the side making him hit the ground and roll. "Ow!" He swore as the quills dug deeper.

Kovu lifted his head to glare at his elder brother. "What was that for?"

Nuka standing above Zawadi reached down with his paw and lifted the younger she-cub up onto her paws as she dusted herself off with a disgruntled look. Lifting his own glare to his younger half-brother as he kept reminding himself, this brat was not the son of Scar and yet he was the chosen one. Something that still made Nuka's blood boil.

When Nuka still thought Nuka was Scar's son much like he was, he still hated that his own Father chose another over his first born. But that hate he had for it was even worst now that he knew Kovu was not Scar's. How could one not of Pride Lander blood ever rule the Pride Lands? It should be a crime against nature. Here he was, the last and only son of Scar, with the blood of the Pride Lands in his views and he was being denied what was rightfully his only because this cub before him was 'Chosen' all because when he himself was a cub he had been weak due to lack of food.

But that wasn't the case anymore…

Nuka over the months had been working to prove himself, to make sure what happened to himself as a cub never happened again. Even with the lack of food they had in the Outlands. He ate his fill and he worked his muscles building them up rather then let them wane. His mane had grown that it now covered his entire head and chest but still not fully grown just yet. But it spiked neatly around his head and face.

But no matter how much he pushed himself, Zira never changed her mind about who would be the one to take the Pride lands from Simba.

Pushing himself away from his jealous thoughts he scowled darkly toward his half-brother. "What were you thinking?" He demanded. "You could have gotten those quills stuck in Zawadi!"

"That was the point!" Kovu snapped with a huff. "She was going to get it for mocking me."

"For something you did to yourself." Nuka growled standing above Zawadi. The two brothers stared one another down.

Rolling her eyes, Vitani got to her paws and shook the dust off her body while making her way over to them. "Will you two idiots stop arguing? Really you're beginning to give me a headache! I bet even Zawadi is sick and tired of you morons fighting." She looked at her friend who gave an amused snort and nodded her head.

Yes the fighting between the two brothers could be truly annoying, but at the same time she found it amusing often. More so when she was born and had nothing else to do but watch the two bicker like no tomorrow. But Zawadi could understand what Nuka's anger was about, she was the one who was always around and listening to his feelings on the matter that involved Kovu. Nuka once told her he felt like she was the only one who really listened to him.

Something that just made her laugh and shove his shoulder a bit with a smile and tell him to buck up that everything would be fine and that she'd always be there for him as long as he was there for her.

The two brothers continued to glare at one another and bicker about whose fault it truly was on what happened to Kovu and how he thought Zawadi deserved some for her mocking him which would make Nuka growl even more angrily at him while Vitani and Zawadi shared a look and sighed. Having a similar thought, the two females walked over and before Kovu knew what was happening to him they pinned him with both of them grabbing a quill in their teeth and started to pull them out…well attempted too.

"Ow! Ow! OW!" Kovu screeched as they kept on pulling on the quills that were stuck deep in his skin. "What are you doing? LET GO!" Kovu tried to struggle but they held him down even further while gripping the quills tightly in their teeth and tugged even harder on them pulling Kovu's skin up along with them.

Sitting back, Nuka could not help the amused smile that came over his face. Not even making the effort to come to his half-brother's aid. Not that Kovu was asking him for help, he was too busy trying to push the girls off him. They had finally managed to get some of the quills out and would spit them aside before going after others. Those that were buried too deep were the harder ones to get out which made Kovu screech even louder as they seemingly pulled on them without an inch of mercy trying to get them out.

"Maybe this will teach you from being so damn cocky!" Nuka mocked him.

"Shut up!" Kovu cried as Zawadi tugged on one that was lodged in his ear. Pulling his ear along with the quill. "OW ZAWADI QUIT THAT YOU'RE GOING TO PULL MY EAR OFF!"

Rolling her eyes, Zawadi grumbled around the quill that she held tight in her teeth and gave it a few good last pulls them spat it out just as Vitani finished pulling the last quill from Kovu's face.

Turning her head, Zawadi spat it out to land where the others were. Each of their ends dabbed in blood from where they had been lodged inside Kovu. "You're such a baby Kovu. Look they're all out now…I think a thanks is in order."

Huffing, Kovu shoved them both back from him and got up to his paws again with one paw rubbing the spots on his face and ear with a slight groan of pain. The places the quills had been still stung from the force it took to pull them out of him. "For what? Trying to kill me?"

The girls both reached out cuffing him on the ears causing him to yelp jump with one of his paws landing on a stray quill that lodged itself into it making him yelp even louder. The others all stared at him in disbelief as he jumped about waving his paw trying to shake the quill out of it then tugged on it with his own teeth to get it out fully.

"Some Chosen Prince he is." Vitani shook her head.

"Can't even walk on his own four paws without getting hurt." Zawadi rolled her eyes.

Taking the quill out, Kovu made sure to avoid the others in the pile on the ground making him glower at the others. "Could you stop picking on me?"

"Why?" asked Zawadi. "You're just too easy to pick on."

"Yeah." Vitani agreed with a smirk. "If you weren't so easy to pick on, we wouldn't have to do it. Then again, there always has to be that one that everyone picks on."

"Why can't it be Zawadi?" Kovu rubbed his paw that now stung. He now officially hated porcupines. "She's the youngest after all!"

Zawadi scoffed and rolled her eyes while Vitani smirked draping her arm up and over Zawadi's shoulders and held her friend tight against her side. "Because she's too cool to pick on and you're not!" Both she-cubs laughed at the look that Kovu gave them for that comment.

"I am too cool!" Kovu tried to defend himself but that only made them laugh at him harder. Growling he lunged at them both but the side stepped causing him to fly on by them and land face first in the dirt making dust fly up around him.

"Oh quit picking on the termite. Not his fault he's not cool." Nuka waved his paw pushing up the cloud of dust that Kovu had kicked up when he landed and went to stand by the girls who were both snickering.

Laying there, Kovu grumbled to himself while he listened to them laugh at him. His ears fell against his head as he got slowly back to his paws. Why did they always feel the need to pick on him? It wasn't fair. He was the Chosen One. He was Scar's heir where his brother wasn't. So what if he wasn't Scar's blood. Nuka should be happy; they all should be because he was going to get them to be able to go home to the Pride Lands one day.

And yet they still felt the need to gang up on and pick on him.

He glared over his shoulder at them and kicked a rock hard with his paw. "Oh shut up the lot of you."

Stopping her laughter, Zawadi eyed him with her eyebrow up. "Oh come on Kovu. Get a sense of humour."

"I do have one…just not when I'm always the one being picked on!" Kovu huffed keeping his back to them while he glared out over the barren wasteland that was there home.

Sighing and looking at the others, then at Kovu, Zawadi made her way over and stood beside him. "That is because you are too soft hearted and it's easy to pick on you."

Grumbling Kovu gave her a dark look when she said that he was too soft hearted. "I am not."

"Sure you're not." Vitani smirked. "But don't worry we'll beat that out of you!" She laughed making Kovu turn his back toward them as his siblings laughed at him even more. He wished nothing more then to smack them both to shut them up. His body stiffened when he felt something wet against his cheek and turned his head toward the source to find out that it was just Zawadi who had licked his cheek.

He rubbed the spot. "What was that for?"

"Because you started to look pitiful all sad like." Zawadi rolled her eyes giving his shoulder a small shove and his cheek another lick that caused Kovu's fur to heat up a bit from the attention she was now paying him.

From behind the two a pair of reddish hue eyes narrowed. Nuka fought back the growl that built up in his throat, while his unsheathed claws dug silently into the ground beneath his paws. He didn't make a sound as he watched the faint blush come over his half-brother's face at the new attention that Zawadi was giving him to try and get him out of his pitiful state.

Nuka was never sure why it always angered him to see Zawadi give Kovu even the slightest bit of attention. Well like the attention she was right now, whenever she picked on him it didn't matter it only made him laugh. But this sort of attention made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end and a hatred build inside him.

He told himself that it was only because she was his friend. The only real friend he had anymore. Sure he had his sister and a few of the older lionesses to talk too. But that didn't really matter in a way since they were considered family. Zawadi on the other hand was different and had always been different since the moment he first met her even as a cub he just wanted to be friends with her and watch out for her. It was like something made him see something different with her. But whatever it was, it made him hate whenever Kovu and Zawadi got close to one another.

Despite all the taunting Zawadi did, the two of them were friends…in a sense. But Nuka didn't like that, he always felt like Zawadi liked Kovu better then him. And he had already lost so much to his stupid half-brother he didn't want to loose anything else especially his friend. In the past he didn't mind sharing when they were all friends with Kopa and that…but something about this was different and…

Nuka shook his head to clear his mind. Walking forward he pushed the two of them apart. "Come on lets go get something to eat." He looked at Zawadi who looked at him with a blank expression then just shrugged nodding which made him grin and trot off. He looked back to see if Zawadi was following and fought back his groan when he saw Kovu and Vitani were following as well. Did they not get the message that he just meant Zawadi?

Of course not, he rolled his eyes.

"Where are we going to get something to eat?" Zawadi asked picking up her pace to walk along side Nuka. Titling her head she looked up at him with a curious look.

"Yeah, in case you forgot there is no food out here!" Kovu laughed but stopped at the sharp look Zawadi gave him and he rolled his eyes.

"I know that." Nuka looked back at his half-brother. His eyes narrowed at his brother's mockery. "We're going to the southern borders. They have some prey that wanders over for us to grab a snack from." He faced forward again watching Zawadi from the corner of his eyes. The young lionesses face was blank but he could see the look in her good eye that showed she was glad that they might just be able to get a fresh meal for once rather then half rotting corpses or mice.

Zawadi while she walked would occasionally glance at Nuka with her good eye. She nearly smiled seeing him walk proudly. There been many a night when he would lay with her and her mother and the two of them would talk. They would talk about anything that came to their minds really. On more then one occasion they would talk about Nuka's views on Zira and her treatment of him and Kovu and how it differed.

There been times she really wanted to smack him and say he was ten times better then Kovu was any day. Zawadi felt if given a chance, Nuka would be a great leader for their pride and for Zira's plan. More so when she thought of what Zira had in store for them, at least what they knew at that time about the lioness's plans for the future.

She hadn't been kidding when she told Kovu he was too soft hearted. Zawadi felt as though the Chosen One truly was too soft in the heart and in the head. Remembering how he was with that Princess proved that. He could have easily done something to her, killed her himself or took her to his mother to do the job or just let the crocodiles do it in the ravine. Then half their plan for revenge for what King Simba and those stupid Pride Landers did to them would already be half complete.

But no…the stupid soft hearted fool had too try and make friends with her.

Of course, Zawadi knew she could have done it herself. She had been there with Kovu at the time until she left him.

But that was NOT her job. It was the Chosen One's job to end the Royal family. No, Zawadi's job was to end the killer of her aunt Hawa…that Nala. Zawadi narrowed her eyes at the thought of the lioness she saw that day. She had made a vow that day that she would avenge the aunt she never met. The one that died just before she was born.

Yes, she would make it so. She thought bitterly. She would see Nala's blood run beneath her paws as she dealt her final blow on the lioness and avenged the innocent life that lioness had taken from her family. From the stories she heard about her aunt from her mother, Zawadi had a feeling she would have liked her. But she'd never get that chance. So now all she had was the revenge that ached beneath her breast.

But anyways…Kovu and Nuka…she thought putting her mind back to them. She glanced briefly at her friend then looked ahead of them seconds later. Nuka she thought would have done the job. He would have killed that spoiled little Princess right then and there and half their problems would be done and over with.

But no, thanks to it being Kovu. Princess Kiara was still alive.

And some part of her had this feeling that when the time came, that perhaps Kovu would never be able to go through with the mission in the future. And would leave it to them to do all the work for him. Though if that happened, Zawadi felt like it would be a good thing because the rest of them would get the job done properly unlike Kovu she felt.

Well that was unless they would be able to successfully knock some sense into that thick head of his she thought amusingly.

"Hey, you alright?"

Blinking her eyes, Zawadi looked at Nuka beside her. "Huh?"

"I asked if you were alright. You appeared to have blanked out for a moment."

"Oh…" Zawadi rubbed the back of her head and looked around and nodded. "Yeah I'm just fine." She shrugged her shoulders. "Just got distracted by my thoughts."

"About what?" Nuka smirked bending his head down to her level. "Day dreaming about a handsome lion?" He licked his paw slicking back his mane and wiggled his eyebrows. His grin widening when he heard her actually laugh at his joke and smile at him. Something he rarely saw these days with his mothers extra beatings when it came to all the new training.

He briefly glanced at her new wounds that were slowly healing and he sighed inwardly. Not saying a word about them because he knew Zawadi didn't care about them. They made her stronger, she would say. He rolled his eyes at the memory of that.

Zawadi grinned at him giving his leg a small shove. "Maybe I was, maybe I wasn't." She watched him grin at her before they heard Vitani up ahead from where the other she-cub had hurried on ahead of them.

"Hey look!"

Curious the other three hurried forward to where Vitani was sitting on a small rock outcrop. "What is it?"

"That." Vitani pointed in front of them. Following her paw to where she pointed they all stiffened as they caught sight of what Vitani had.

There in the distance were a number of lions they didn't recognize but many more they did. The other three more then Zawadi but she recognized a few of them from that small meeting. "King Simba…" She growled laying herself down on the rock. "But who are the other lions?"

"Must be the eastern pride." Vitani answered. "We overheard mom say King Simba made an alliance with them. Seems like she was right."

"Well isn't that just great." Kovu grumbled where he sat. "How we going to fight all of them?"

"Well you're just going to have to get stronger now aren't you?" Zawadi gave him a look of irritation. "Or else you're going to loose or run away like a coward with your tail between your legs when the time comes to face them. But if we get the plan right we won't have to worry about the Eastern Pride. If everything goes according to plan then by the time they even find out and come to the 'rescue' it will be too late!"

"Zawadi's right." Vitani agreed slapping her brother on the head. Yelping, Kovu rubbed the spot she had hit and glared at her. What was with them and hitting him or poking fun at him that day? He had to be cursed he thought.

"You just need to do your job." Vitani rolled her eyes and looked forward at the group in the distance.

Kovu sighed rubbing his head again. He thought about the new plan his mother had put together. He didn't know what to make of it. But Zira didn't seem to be changing her mind from it. She seemed to think it was perfect, but only if her son was trained in time and could actually do what was expected of him. He grumbled looking toward the group when he heard familiar laughter and stared ahead until he saw the familiar body that the laughter came from.

Kiara, he thought.

He felt sad for a moment. He had really hoped they would have been able to become friends. Maybe that would have helped the strife between their two prides and put all the lies behind them and they be able to live in peace again. Sure it wouldn't be the same as it had been with being friends with Kopa, and Zuri would no longer be around. But maybe…just maybe…

But that would never happen, he told himself. He just had to forget about it and do what his mother and the others expected of him. That was his duty.

Maybe the others were right…maybe he really was too soft hearted. He grunted at the thought and scuffed his paw against the rocks.

Laying herself down on the rocks with a bored expression, Zawadi growled. "How we going to get food with them around? They're bound to see us and then run us off!" Her stomach growled right about then to tell her that it was hungry and it made her even more irritable. "That is if they don't kill us first."

"Damn it." Vitani cursed making Zawadi snicker at the older cub's crude language. "And here I was hungry hoping for a meal." She glared in the direction of the group in the distance that had yet to notice them or if they did they didn't pay much mind to a couple of cubs who really couldn't do anything.

Rolling his eyes, Nuka made his way down the rocks with the three staring after him. "And what do you think you're going to do?" Kovu asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I you little termite am going to hunt. I don't care if they see me this isn't their lands to begin with. The south I heard their pride moved on so the land is free to anyone. They haven't claimed it just because they're meeting here apparently. I don't smell them marking it meaning it's free for us to hunt should we choose too and I choose too. Not to mention there is plenty of land here I'll just go deeper away from them so they cannot see or stop me and then get back to our side just as quickly." Nuka looked warily toward the group in the distance before jumping down from the rocks all the way and disappearing into the tall grass nearby.

The others hung over the edge of the rocks and watched him move from above. Vitani occasionally glancing toward the group in the distance to see if they noticed them yet but they still made no sign of it. She didn't know whether to take this as a good thing or not. "Who wants to bet he gets caught?" Kovu smirked but flinched away at the looks the two she-cubs gave him for his little wager. "Fine, don't bet. Spoil sports." He grumbled slipping to the side and away from the two females who continued to give him dark looks. "Come on it was just a joke!"

Rolling their eyes, the two she-cubs focused their attention forward. Nuka by this time was gone and could not be seen where from the height they roosted upon. Hearing laughter in the distance, Zawadi raised her good eye to peer in that direction like Kovu she could pick up the orangey cream colour of the Princess as she galloped through the grass and flowers like she didn't have a care in the world.

Probably didn't, she thought bitterly and perhaps with a bit of jealousy thrown in there.

That little girl didn't have to fight for anything. Food. Water. Shelter. It was all just handed to her because she was a princess.

Just didn't seem fair really.

Would probably cry if she got a hang nail too I bet, Zawadi snickered to herself. Turning her eye back toward the group, she stared at the Princess then the King who seemed to be speaking with what she figured was the King of the Eastern Pride. Reaching up and rubbing a spot over her chest where her heart was, Zawadi once more felt that annoying pang…

A pang like she felt something coming from them.

But she could not understand why she would feel drawn to them. Other then for revenge for her pride. What other reason could there be?

Growling softly, Zawadi shook her head shaking those thoughts from her mind. They were nothing and the feeling was nothing. It was just all in her head. She laid there for a while more thought just watching them. She watched until she watched King Simba get up, speak some more words to the lion he'd been speaking with then begin making his way back toward the Pride Lands leaving the lionesses with the Easterners and the princess playing with the cubs that ran about.

Her good eye watched him while he left. Noting that he was heading further up the borders telling her that he was going back onto his patrol. There were times she thought the King was too paranoid, who felt the need to honestly patrol that much? Did he really expect some sort of an attack? The thought amused her.

It was twenty or so minutes after Simba had left leaving the princess behind to play that a loud squealing of a warthog caught their attentions and their heads snapped up and to the right just in time to see Nuka take down the prey he had cornered as silently as he could. Well that was until the warthog had caught onto him and decided to make as much noise as it possibly could. Alerting not only the outlander cubs but the Pride Landers and Eastern pride of their presence.

While Kovu and Vitani were stuck on watching Nuka, it was Zawadi who took notice that the sudden ruckus had caught not only their attention but the attention of those in the distance. "Uh…guys…" She spoke but they hadn't seemed to be paying attention. "GUYS!" This time their heads whipped around to face her then followed where she was pointing with her paw.

Kovu visibly gulped and jumped to his paws. "Come on we gotta go! NOW!" In the distance they could see the grown males that been with the lionesses had called back the cubs that been playing and were beginning to make their way toward them. "NUKA MOVE IT!"

The older of the four raised his head from his kill, proud that he had caught it on his own, while not that big it was big enough and enough to fill their stomachs for a while. Way better then mice. They never really did the job to be honest. Sure, it quenched the hunger some but never really enough to take it away. But hearing Kovu call out, he wondered what the little termite wanted this time until he saw what Kovu and the others were all pointing at.

And the image of two larger lions coming at him was not something he had been wanting to see. "Damn it." He cursed grabbing his kill, there was no way after the trouble he went through to find it and catch it that he was leaving it behind. Especially got for someone else like those now giving chase to him to take. It was his prey, his catch and it wasn't them he was going to share it with.

So warthog in mouth, and picking it as much off the ground as he could he took off toward where the others were. Vitani already running off with Kovu behind her and Zawadi behind him. But the brown she-cub seemed to be lagging behind a bit, her head constantly looking back over her shoulder to see if Nuka was following. "Hurry!" She called. Zawadi stopped when she saw one of the lions gaining on Nuka who was about to cross the border and cursed as she turned back and ran back the way she came.

What the hell is she thinking? Nuka screamed inwardly. He wanted to scream at her to run the other way but that would result in him loosing his catch to do so. Though he was about too when Zawadi clambered up the rocks that he just passed by and reached out her paw claws extended and swiped her paw at the face of the lion that was gaining on her friend.

The loud yowl told her she had met her mark that and the blood that now stained her claws. She growled baring her teeth. "Leave us alone!" She swiped her claws again until she heard Vitani calling her name. Without another word she turned and took off after the others now that the lion and the one with him was no longer giving chase to them. Giving the adrenaline rushing through her, Zawadi could not help but start laughing and the others that looked back at her confused for a moment soon joined her as they realized what she was laughing about.

A hoot and a holler came from Kovu and Vitani who jumped around in front as they ran. Nuka gave a snort of amusement his mouth too full at the moment to give a proper laugh. But seeing Zawadi beside him laughing as she ran with a carefree face made his chest lighten and his heart swell at the sight of actually seeing her have some fun after all the training they had done.

Okay, he thought. Maybe almost getting caught wasn't so bad after all.

He smirked and kept running not looking back. The rest running with their laughter filling the bleakness of the Outlands.


"Ouch! Watch it!" Khal growled as his brother looked over the claw marks that now lined his cheek. On any other occasion having such marks would not bother him. If they'd been from a rogue lion that he would fight off to keep away from his pride and family. But these hadn't been from a rogue…they were from something far more embarrassing… "I thought the Outlanders only had three cubs…I counted four and that one who did this was not their male heir. It was clearly female."

He had not got a clear good look at her. But the scent told him she was female. And her voice gave it away also.

"Perhaps one of the lionesses had managed to snag a rogue in order to have a cub." Jozi shook his head backing away from his brother. "The cuts aren't deep, they'll heal and likely not scar." He listened to his brother grunt and could only guess why. Khal was too proud for his own good at times, so having scars that were delivered by a small cub half his size was not likely something he would live down.

Though knowing his brother, he had no doubt that if they did scar he would lie about it and say that it been from a rogue that he had gotten them from. Just to save whatever dignity that he had. Though despite what he told his brother, Jozi could not help but rethink his question about the fourth cub. Where did she come from? King Simba clearly told them that Zira had only three. Scar's two cubs Nuka, and Vitani and Kovu a cub that been said she had conceived with a rogue when Scar could no longer seem to get her pregnant.

So where did the fourth cub come from? Was it Zira's? Did she conceive with another rogue before her banishment or after or was she the cub of one of the other Outlanders? The cub while seemingly short for her age was also big for a cub that might have been born some time after their banishment. So who was she?

He glanced at his brother who seemed to be looking the way the Outlanders had run off in. Khal was trying to think of what little scent he caught from the cub. Something about it seemed familiar. He just couldn't place it.

But there seemed to be something about it that stood out…something that was familiar too…he shook his head. No, impossible. King Simba only had one remaining cub left. No the cub must belong to one of the lionesses out there in those barren empty wastelands. That had to be the answer. "Khal?" he heard his brother call his name and glanced toward him.

"What?"

"I been calling your name for several minutes now. What's is it?"

Khal shook his head. "Nothing. I was just thinking…" He paused for a moment and went with something other then what was on his mind moments ago. "What if Zira is having her lionesses breed in order to build her pride in numbers?"

Jozi paused his line of thought for just a second, thinking over what his brother had just suggested. He was sure that hadn't been really what his brother had been thinking about…but it was something that should be given some thought. Because if that was in fact that Zira might be doing…he grunted and looked the way the cubs had gone but were now nowhere in sight. "We should speak with King Simba about this matter. If that is indeed what she is doing then we will have to see about speaking with any rogues that pass this way." He shook his head and turned making his way back to where the lionesses had herded the cubs for protection.

"For now let us get back and get the cubs and lionesses to safety." Khal looked out into the Outlands one last time then gave a grunt turning her followed on after his brother.

Neither any the wiser to the lioness that climbed up onto the rocks once they were out of sight. She had been patrolling the borders knowing of the Pride Landers and Easterners plans and alliance when she had smelt the cubs and had come to investigate and had watched the entire interaction of the cubs fleeing, Zawadi clawing Khal's face and more. Part of her was angry that her plans had might have been discovered if they found out who Zawadi truly was but Khal's suggestion had left some thinking for herself to think over.

Have rogues breed her pride in order for them to grow stronger in numbers? Zira smirked as the thought rolled around in her head. Her red eyes watching the two prides in the distance head on back to their separate homes.

She gave the thought a good one over in her head. With the alliance between the two prides she might just need more one her side. Though her plan should assure her that they wouldn't need to fight if Kovu did his job right but being higher in numbers would be a good advantage against the two prides. Yes, she thought. It would work in her advantage.

But first she had to put her other plans into motion as well. Plans that involved the training of those under her teaching. But the thought was still something to put into good action.

A chuckle escaped her while a twisted smile overcame her face.

"What a…glorious idea."


"And I slashed his face! It was so cool!" Zawadi laughed as she laid on her back in between the pride that had gathered when they had seen what the cubs had returned with in the way of dinner.

They had to be careful in the way they had split it to fill all of them. But they all didn't mind. It was better then rotting meat, or mice and such. So they had no qualm with sharing among each other. Though like always the adults made sure the younger generations got more helpings then they did. They needed it more in order to keep their bodies going.

At the moment they were busy listening to what had happened at the southern borders. Kumai furrowed her brow and shook her head with a disgruntled look. "This is not something that you should be laughing about Zawadi. You could have gotten hurt."

Turning her head to face her mother, Zawadi gave a victorious smile. "But I didn't."

Kumai shook her head. "It does not matter. It could have. And it could have happened to all of you."

"So you say we should have just starved tonight?" Nuka asked crossing his paws while he laid down close by. Zawadi laying in between them.

Sighing, the older lioness shook her head. "No. But you should have gone further down the border away from them. You never hunt around other predators especially if they are bigger than you are and see you as a threat. That is something you need to learn, this was a good warning for you." Kumai reached out and flicked Zawadi's ear making her yelp.

Rolling onto her paws, Zawadi rubbed her ear grumbling under her breath. But one look from Kumai kept her from saying anything to her in retort. "But you got away…and young Zawadi managed to keep Nuka safe." Baya spoke giving the young she-cub a grin making Zawadi grin in return. Kumai rolled her eyes. Sure, play the favourite aunts she thought.

"They are safe that is all that matters now. No need to lecture them so more…leave that to Zira in her training." Asma stretched out her body flopping down on her side. Sighing at the dust that got in her fur. But really there was nothing she could do about that. She or any one of them could clear their fur until it gleamed like the sun but they all knew it wouldn't be a matter of time until they were once again covered in dirt from the dust that blew around them in their 'home'.

Kumai rolled her eyes grabbing Zawadi she pulled her daughter into her arms just as the cub started to squirm knowing exactly what her mother was about to do. "Oh come on!" She whined. "You just bathed me earlier!"

"Well if you wouldn't get so dirty." Kumai held her down and began giving her daughter her bath. Making sure to clean her wounds that caused Zawadi to wince from where it stung.

"Like that's my fault." Grumbled the she-cub. Giving up on struggling knowing there really was no point in it. Not like she was going to get away from her. And knew that no one would help her. Not even Nuka who was smirking at her, to which she responded with sticking her tongue out at him. Making Nuka chuckle.

"Give up Zaw'" Vitani spoke up from where she laid sprawled out on Dotty's back. "No point in every fighting the adults for bath time. They always win. Don't want to be dirty like this one here do you?" Stretching out her back paw she gave Kovu a kick from where he sat near by making him topple over with a yelp and a growl at his older sister who only smirked at him.

"Yeah like I don't already know that." Rolling her eyes, Zawadi let Kumai finish her bath then like Vitani on Dotty's back went and sprawled on her mothers to make sure she didn't get herself any more dirty then necessary and earn herself yet another bath. She caught Nuka still smirking at her and got a smirk of her own that made him stare at her wondering what she was planning. And by the gleam in her eyes he would later regret not running away when he had the chance.

"Oh Mom."

"Yes?"

"I think Nuka needs a bath too. He's awfully dirty."

Nuka's eyes shot wide open. "Oh crap." He made to get up but didn't move quickly in time when Kumai's paw snapped out grabbed him and dragged him back.

"Why I think you are right." Kumai smirked and started to giving the adolescent a bath as he squirmed and tried not pushing against her too hard. He didn't want to hurt her after all. "Hold still Nuka." Kumai pinned him all the while continuing her bath. "You keep getting filthy like this and you will ruin all your efforts at making yourself a good looking lion. How do you ever expect to get a mate being all dirty? No lioness wants a dirty lion."

"Yeah like there are any lionesses for me!" Nuka huffed giving up the effort on fighting back. Like all the others thought, there really was no point in fighting the elders. He learned that the hard way as a cub.

"Don't talk like that Nuka." The male turned his head toward Spotty while Kumai was busy grooming his growing mane making sure that it was straightened to the best of her abilities. While the mane seemed to be growing in healthy it still had a spiky tendency to it she found. Spotty smiled comforting at Nuka. "You'll find someone someday Nuka. You are still young and you have a lot of time ahead of you. So right now that really isn't something you should concern yourself with. Growing strong and healthy and surviving out here and your friends and pride are what matter. But while you are at it you should keep yourself clean…being too dirty out here might cause some health problems for all of us if we're not careful." Shaking her head Spotty looked at each of the cubs in general then the rest of her pride sisters who nodded their heads in agreement.

Getting sick in the Outlands was not the best idea to any of them. It wasn't like they had a Shaman like the Pride Landers did in order to help them. The mandrill was likely to turn them away if they ever went desperately to him.

"There." Kumai finally let Nuka go, letting the young male fix his mane to the way he wanted as he settled beside her and Zawadi. Who grinned and patted her friends head. "Poor, poor Nuka did that hurt your mane too much?" Her grin turned more wicked when he looked at her with a disgruntled look. Rolling her eyes Zawadi gave his head one last pat until Nuka slapped her paw away making her laugh aloud.

Though that laughter died when they took notice of who was coming their way. They all gave a small tilt of their heads, not in respect but to appease the lioness that really they didn't wish to anger anymore then the Outlander Queen seemed to be on a daily basis.

Vitani grinned from Dotty's back. "We saved you some dinner Mom." She pointed to what remained of the warthog. They had saved some just to be on the safe side. If Zira found out they had eaten a fresh meal without her then they really didn't know who she might take her anger out on. Well they had a suspicion but none of them were willing to make that guess become reality.

Zira with a expression of boredom looked at the kill Nuka had made. Though she made it appear as though she didn't know it had been him. "Who made the kill?"

Nuka straightened his body sitting up keeping his posture straight as it could make it go. With his head held high, he proclaimed. "I did Mother." He tried to make it seem as though he was not nervous while speaking to her.

"And where did you catch it? I don't think many of them would wander this far into the Outlands." Zira eyed her son who shuffled his paws thinking of what to tell her but in the end decided on the truth.

"I caught it near the southern border."

"And why were you at the Southern borders?"

Nuka shuffled his weight again and sighed. "I heard the Southern pride was moving on so I thought it would be a good time to see about getting us some fresh food." He explained feeling his mother's eyes on her and dared to meet her gaze. Surprised she wasn't actually looking at him in anger rather she just sat there with an impassive look upon her face awaiting his full answer. "If we want to remain strong…we got to make sure that we have enough fresh food. So I decided to hunt for us."

The pride all watched awaiting Zira's response to what her son had just said to her. When she didn't say something for the longest time they all became nervous but when Zira smiled they all didn't know what to say or do. Not even Nuka himself. It been so long since he'd seen his mother smile in any way that it made him nervous. More so when she stepped toward him with that smile. For so long he waited for that smile but now it only made him nervous given it been so long since Zira had smiled in the longest of times.

"My smart son." Zira kept that smile on her face. "What a good idea you had." Nuka blinked his eyes, it was? He thought to himself. Yeah sure, he knew it was. But hearing it come from his mother he still didn't know what to think. "A good lion always looks out for his pride and you did so by looking out for us and catching us something fresh so that we wouldn't get sick." The Outlander Queen circled her son slowly.

The older lionesses all watched Zira cautiously. Wondering what she was getting at in the way of complimenting Nuka. But none of them were willing to say anything to stop her. For while they saw the confusion on Nuka's face they could also see the pride he felt for himself just in those moments while his mother actually recognized his skills and value to the pride. Though they were sure it was some ploy for something, they would not take those feelings away from Nuka.

Not after all the times he had tried so hard just for his mother's approval all those years since his birth.

"Tha-tha-thank you mother. I just want to do-do what I can for the pride." Nuka swallowed his nervousness as best he could. But he could not help what little pride was building up inside his chest ready to burst over. However he kept that all inside not wanting to show weakness in front of his mother who was so openly complimenting him on something as simple as hunting for the pride when it is normally the lionesses that provided for them. But as he remembered Queen Zuri saying there were times that a male needed to learn to hunt in order to survive and that is what he did. He hunted for survival but not only his but those who helped take care of him, his family and his friends.

"I see now you are ready." Zira's smile became a smirk.

Confusion washed over Nuka's face. And not just his but the face's of the others that were all watching and listening. "Re-ready?" He asked. "Ready for what?" He saw the gleam in his mother's sides as Zira stopped her circling and stopped before him and the others.

"Why for the next phase in your training of course." Zira answered.

Nuka looked briefly at the others seeing they were just as confused as he was as to what she meant. Turning back he inquired. "What next phase?"

Keeping that smirk on her face, Zira started pacing before them keeping her eyes from facing them. "It has come to my attention that perhaps some new form of training could be used for those who are of a certain age. Well those of you young ones that is. And Nuka you are the oldest of the four of you and of age for this part of your training before you become an adult."

"What does this training entail?" Dotty spoke up from where she laid. All of them curious as to what Zira was getting at about this new phase of training. None of them knew what to make of it and whether it was a good idea or not.

"Each cub when I give them the…okay for the next phase will leave the pride…" Zira watched them all stiffen. "Oh not forever." She plastered that smile on her face again that made them all uneasy. "You will live the lives of rogues for some time. Live on your own. Survive on your own. Hunt…well you get the idea." She looked back at them all and cocked her head to the side in an almost twisted manner.

"Those who make it back alive and well. Will have completed all their training…for now that is." Zira waved her paw nonchalantly. "And you must face these trials away…far away from here. And must remember how to get back when the time is right. And only you will know when that time is right. Remember I do not want weaklings among my pride and so if you return before you are truly strong…then you are worthless to me." Her smile vanished and her eyes narrowed as she stared at each cub individually. Many of them lowering their ears under her stare. Good let them be afraid, she thought.

She would make sure they faced the hardest of trials. Zira would use this to beat the softness out of their hearts and turn them into the killers she needed them to be. And she would do everything necessary to see that happen.

Sitting there Nuka really didn't know what to think. He was being sent away…to train?

The idea of it made him nervous. He didn't know how to survive on his own. He knew enough in the way of hunting but fighting his siblings, friend and mother in training was not the same as if he ran into some rogue. A rogue that could pretty much probably tear him apart if they wanted too. He felt his nervousness rise again to it's very peak.

What was he to do? It wasn't like he could refuse his Mother. The glint in her eyes was what told him she would see him and the rest of them go through with this training whether they wanted it or not.

He glanced briefly at Zawadi who was watching Zira with an impassive face then looked at him when she felt his stare. Only when he could see the faint worry in her eye that told him she was worried about him going out there on his own. And that there made him hopeful to know at least someone was worried about him but he also knew she would support him. Maybe Vitani too would as well as the other lionesses. But looking at his friend gave him the courage he needed in order to answer his mother who was watching him with those angry red eyes that he had inherited from her.

"Well Nuka?" Zira pressed. "What will the answer be you seem awfully quiet? You wouldn't want to disappoint me would you? Not after all that effort to prove yourself you did today with hunting and providing for your pride?"

His pride.

Yeah right, he thought bitterly. More like Kovu's pride but that didn't matter. He liked to think of it as his pride. He had royal blood in him. Kovu did not. So with that thought in mind he stiffly nodded his head. "I'll…go through with this training. I'll prove I can do it." He didn't know what else to answer with. So just said what came to the tip of his tongue. But it seemed enough of an answer to please his mother who got that smirk again.

"Very good." Purred Zira. A satisfied look on her face. "You will leave in a few days time. Prepare yourself Nuka. I will not do it for you. And remember…" She stepped closer to her son who stiffened with each step she took in his direction. "If you fail." She whispered when she was close enough, "You will dishonour your Father's good name and mine and will be an embarrassment that I would not consider a son any longer. And will be left to die." The colour seemed to drain from Nuka's face and his breathing became heavy which made those who hadn't heard what Zira had whispered wonder what had been said just by Nuka's reaction. "Is that understood?"

"Y-Y-Ye-Ye-Yes M-mot-mother." Sputtered the young male.

Smirking again Zira stepped back from him. "Good. See it so." She made to leave but stopped and looked back at the lionesses. "Oh…and one more thing…those of you who do not have cubs. You are to find yourself the next available rogue. After all there are better strength in numbers and the more of us there are. The better chance we will have." Without another word she took her leave of them.

Leaving them all with looks of disbelief on their faces. None said a word until she was long out of earshot. "First…she wants to send away the cubs when they are old enough…now she expects us to get pregnant and bare cubs…just for her army?" Asma growled her claws digging into the ground beneath her paws.

The other lionesses all looked disbelieved and angered at this new decree from their Queen.

"She can't order us to do something like that!" Baya argued.

Looking the way Zira had gone, Dotty heaved a sigh. "Obviously she can." She looked at the others who had all turned their heads to look at her. "If we don't we don't know what she would do to us. Zira is hell bent on getting revenge."

"But it's our bodies!"

"And she's the Queen…she will claim that we have to do as she asks and for one I do not want to see what she would do for us disobeying." Dotty sighed again. Letting Vitani slide off her back she climbed to her paws. She didn't like the idea as much as the others did. They already had four cubs to raise and make sure made it healthy enough to adulthood. Now they would have others they would need to worry about. That was something she really didn't want to think about. But if Zira seemed serious she knew there would be punishment if they didn't listen and obey.

Just some sinking deep feeling told her that. Almost like someone was trying to warn them to listen.

Shaking her head she put her mind on something else. "Let us not think of that for now…we need to worry about this new form of training for the young ones…and we need to make sure Nuka is prepared. We are the only ones here that have been far from these lands before we came to this region. He will need all the help he can get." The others all nodded their heads in agreement. They all turned their heads to look at the young male who sat with his back to them, Zawadi sitting against his side with his paw holding her there. The brown she-cub patting his paw and whispering something to him that they could not hear. But whatever it was seemed to be helping the young male settle his nerves to the point that he was no longer shaking.

Nuka didn't know the world past the Pride Lands and Outlands. It was their job to prepare him as best they could…

And they only had a few days for it.


The days seemed to draw on slowly. The lionesses had wasted no time in preparing Nuka for what they thought he needed to know. They made sure he was well fed. That he had some more training before he left. But by the time it was time for him to leave. Nuka wasn't all that confident he knew everything that would allow him to survive on his own out there. He was so used to a pride for protection.

Out there he wouldn't have that.

He would be like any other rogue as his mother put it.

"Rogues are strong. They have to be in order to survive on their own. You will learn that and you will become stronger." Kumai had to agree with Zira on that part. But she didn't feel right about sending Nuka out there. Then there was the thought of having to do that to Zawadi when she came of the right age for Zira to decide for that to happen to her as well. But right now…she had to focus on making sure Nuka made it back safe.

Not just for himself but also for her daughter who had a great attachment to the young male. Sure Zawadi was friends with Vitani and Kovu as well…and likely with the cubs Zira was forcing the others to all have. But Nuka appeared to be the one Zawadi was the most closest too and didn't want to think of what her daughter might be if she lost him as her friend.

Zawadi at the moment was standing away from the others who were all seeing Nuka off. Her paws shuffled on the ground. She knew this was important and whatever Zira said goes and that training would make them all stronger and they needed to be stronger and no doubt when it came for her time to go through with it. She would in a heartbeat. But that wasn't stopping her nervousness for her friend.

Her head snapped up when she caught Nuka coming toward her. "Not going to see me off?" he asked.

Rolling her eyes, Zawadi gave him a small look of annoyance. "Like I could ever do that you would hunt me down just to see that I do." She smirked as he gave a chuckle. Not his usual one but it was enough despite the situation. "You don't have to do this Nuka…"

Nuka raised his eyebrow. "This coming from miss-I-got-to-train-to-become-strong?" He smirked. "Becoming soft-hearted now are we?" He stepped back as she growled and smacked her paw at his leg.

"Never!" She would never be soft-hearted. That's what she always told herself. Being soft-hearted was a weakness. And weakness got you killed.

"Alright." Nuka grunted. "No need to bite my head off." He bent and nuzzled her. "If I'm lucky no rogue will do that either."

Zawadi grunted with a nod and pushed her paw against his nose. "You're a prince. You are strong. Show them that." She smirked at him as he sighed and grinned back at her. At least there was someone who saw him as what he was. A Prince. Now it was his turn to prove that. And maybe…as he thought over the last few days as he prepared to be sent away by his Mother. Maybe if he passed this and came back even stronger then it already was trying to become than maybe…just maybe he would make his mother rethink about who was truly the Chosen One.

Looking back over his shoulder at where Kovu sat with all the others he gave a grunt. Yes, he thought. He would certainly see about making his mother rethink her choice in Chosen One. Just because his Father had chosen Kovu meant nothing. He, Nuka, was of Scar's blood. And he should be the Chosen's One. Not that termite. He didn't think anything would take away the softness in him. So that would make him weak. Too weak to truly beat Simba.

Nuka would use this time to prove that his mother had been wrong about him all this time. He would prove he was his Father's son. A Prince and true King in the making.

"Nuka!" Heads looked at Zira as she came forward. "It is time."

Sharing one last look with Zawadi, Nuka rubbed her head with his paw which she batted at with a growl of annoyance. Neither friend really knew what to say to each other. So Zawadi said the only thing she could think of. "Don't get killed."

Sighing, Nuka nudged her with his snout then made his way to his mother's side. Zira smirked at her eldest. "Remember what I told you…come back and succeed because if you fail…" she let it end there as Nuka knew what the warning was for. She didn't have to say it.

He knew the price for failure.

Knowing she expected an answer he said the only thing he could say to that. "Yes Mother."

"Good." Zira turned and walked off motioning for her son to follow. She would take him out as far as she could before she would leave him. While she was a cold blooded killer, that spark of motherhood was still deep down and she would see her son off where she felt it was for the better to leave him. Nuka only good a deep breath looked back at the others then followed his mother keeping his head up as best he could and try not letting his nerves get the better of him.

I can do this. He told himself. I can do this.

He felt the wind rustle his fur and for a moment it felt like a warm embrace. A familiar warm embrace at that. Though he could not really place it. But suddenly he felt as though someone was looking out for him and felt a sudden rise in courage and confidence. The wind blew for a moment more then it was gone. But the confidence…that newfound confidence was still there along with the courage to face this new test.

I can do this. He told himself. And I will.

Behind them, the pride started to disperse. The lionesses discussing what Zira had planned for them, while Vitani and Kovu made their way off to await their mother's return. Both equally worried about their brother. Though Kovu was sure Nuka wouldn't believe him if he told him he was. Zawadi on the other hand had followed as far as she dared and sat herself down on a large boulder watching her friend and Queen move further off into the distance.

"Come back Nuka…" She whispered lowering herself down on the rock. Just staring into the distance even when they had disappeared from sight.

She didn't know how long she laid there for. Zawadi hadn't even seen Zira return but there were many ways for her to have returned. On occasion she could hear her talking to the pride that was how she knew the Queen had come back from wherever she had left Nuka. Kumai on occasion would come to check on her, but Zawadi told her mother she was fine and Kumai just nodded and left. Understanding her daughter wanted to be alone and there really was no point in arguing about it and pushing for her to have some company.

When one wanted to be alone, it was often best to respect their wishes.

It was starting to get dark when Zawadi thought it might be time to head back and find her mother. With a grunt and a groan she stretched out her tired cramped muscles from laying there on that rock for so many others. Surprised that she had burned in the sun or was that more luckily she hadn't burned for the scorching sun?

Sighing, she finally pushed herself up onto her paws. Taking a moment to look off the way Nuka had gone hours before. Now it was nothing but endless darkness for miles and her friend nowhere in sight. Was he okay? She thought. Sure he was, he had to be.

This was Nuka, she was thinking about. Nuka would be fine. She told herself.

Turning she made to jump off the rock when a sudden noise made her stop. Body tense. Fur standing up along the back of her neck. Zawadi poised her ears trying to hear what the sound was and more importantly what had caused it. She made to move when she heard it again and growled whipping around just as she saw a rock roll across the ground shortly followed by a squeak and a brown cub come bounding around the corner.

"What the…who the hell are you?" Zawadi growled making the cub raised his head and squeak at her. That was when Zawadi suddenly got a feeling of déjà vu. She'd seen him before…hadn't she? Her eye looked him over from tip of his tail all the way to his head and his brown eyes that stared at her with the most curiosity and joy she had ever seen in a animal before.

Everything about this cub seemed familiar to her. And a brief fading memory came to her…from where she was barely what…a month old? Was that it? She couldn't remember. All she knew was that she had seen this cub before. And she was sure it was the same cub…but how was that possible?

He should be what…her age should he or at least a month or so younger…right?

But this cub didn't look a day older then when she last saw him.

But how was that possible?

Could something like that be possible?

Maybe she was just seeing things? Maybe she really had been out in the sun too long and it had all gone to her head? Yes that had to be it. She saw the cub when she was younger and now she was imagining him again right before her eyes just as she remembered him to be because there would be no way she remembered how he looked now. Right?

The cub squeaked again catching her attention and she watched him take a step…well more like a bouncy like step toward her with joy written across his face. Why would he be so joyful to see her?

She took steps back as he continued to make his way toward her. Only to stop when she heard a familiar voice behind her. Again one she hadn't heard since she was a cub and maybe now her mind really was playing tricks on her.

"Musa will not harm you young one. Not that he can always. Cub's can never do any harm. It is what makes them so innocent."

Zawadi tensed and slowly turned her head and paused as she saw what she was expecting to see. That same old brown lioness with the blue eyes and tender look upon her face. A look that was directed solely at her. But why? She wasn't this lioness's cub. Then again she was just imagining all this right? But why would she imagine a strange lioness looking at her in such a way. She turned to back up another way and watched the slight hurt come over the lionesses features and that made her stop and wonder why she even cared about hurting this stranger…a stranger she was obviously making up in her head and the sun she been out in for too long. Thank heavens that it was night now she could cool off and stop imagining things.

"You don't need to fear me either little one."

"Who are you…wait…why am I even asking that you're not real!" Zawadi shook her head. She watched the lioness smile.

"I am as real as you need me to be." Zawadi watched her reach out and lay a paw on her head. To which Zawadi gasped that the lioness touched her. And she felt it too. Boy she really must be loosing her mind. Great, just what she needed. "Now why are you all the way out here and not with your family little one?" The lioness asked her.

"I wanted to be alone." Damn it, she cursed inwardly. Why was she answering this stranger? Was she real or was she not? She couldn't make up her mind on that. Just something told her she wasn't in any danger from this stranger. And something made her want to answer everything she asked truthfully. "My friend just left…and I'm worried about him…he's out there all alone so I waited here…though that's silly since he won't be back for some time."

Zawadi watched the lioness look off the way Nuka had gone off in for a moment then looked back at her with a soft look like that of a Mother's. "Worrying is what makes you a good friend. But you are right you should not wait here but with your family where it is safe…and you needn't worry that too much about yourself."

"And why not?" Zawadi snapped at her. But it didn't seem to faze the lioness. Who just kept on smiling at her. Who was this stranger?

The lioness leaned in and smiled at her even more. "Because you see those stars above you?" Zawadi raised her eyebrow and glanced up watching the stars twinkle into existence and nodded her head. "Those stars are old souls. And they watch over all the young and the old. And they will be watching over your friend."

Zawadi laughed. "Yeah right. If that's true we wouldn't be stuck out here starving most days in the blistering heat!" She watched the lionesses eyes saddened.

The lioness looked down at her and said. "Life is never fair. And there are things not even they can do all the time. But that does not mean they do not watch over you little one. You just have to believe that they would be watching over your friend." The lioness smiled and bent down again and looked her in the eyes. "Just believe and have faith. Faith is such a strong thing to have and it can work wonders."

Looking at the stranger, Zawadi thought of her words. All the while still trying to decide on if she was real or if she was seeing things. If her mind was just trying to comfort her. Yeah that had to be it. Wasn't like she was seeing a ghost or something…She gulped a little at that and looked at the cub who sat now beside her smiling with that ever present joy then to the lioness who was watching her with such care and love that she wasn't sure should be directed at her. She wasn't this lioness's cub.

Maybe she was really looking at the little cub. Yeah that was it. God this was so confusing. It made her want to scream. What was real and what wasn't?

That was when she heard something she definitely knew was real. Her mother calling her name in the distance.

The lioness seemed to hear it too for she looked off that way the same time Zawadi did and sighed. "Best get back little one. The dark isn't the best time for cubs to be alone. And remember what I said…Nuka is being watched over and to have faith."

"Yeah okay Nuka is…" Wait Nuka. She paused she hadn't told the lioness his name so how did she possibly know?

Her head whipped back around but…there was no one there. How was that possible they were both just there and now the lioness and cub were both gone. Almost as though they had vanished into thin air? But how was that possible?

Had she been imagining them all along?

Her eyes looked to the stars. And remembered what the lioness had said and hoped she was right. "You better look out for him." She growled as she turned and made her way off after her mother who kept calling for her.

From the shadows, four ghostly figures sat watching her leave. Mufasa grinned. "A brave one to growl at the ancestors."

Zuri smiled proudly. "Oh I didn't expect anything less." While she had hoped to have more words with her daughter. Those brief moments were better then anything. Even if Zawadi thought she might have imagined it all. She watched Zawadi go and meet up with Kumai and sighed getting to her paws. "We best do as she threatened us to do. Nuka will need guidance even if he doesn't see us." She looked at Taka who sat beside her a disgruntled look on his face. "You will help."

"Of course I will. I am not cold hearted to help my own son." He rolled his eyes at her. Though if he said that when he was alive he would have probably laughed but he had as they said repented and he knew what he had done wrong in life. And one was make his son feel worthless and unloved and that was something he couldn't take back but was something he could do by guiding his son in the best way possible.

Zuri reached over and laid her paw on his giving him a reassuring smile knowing that he would be true to his word. Looking down at her son she let him jump on her back as they all turned making their way off into the night to keep their eyes on the lonely prince that now wondered the world on his own to find his purpose.

I will watch over him my daughter. Do not worry.


Sorry for how long it took to write and post. I know I said I'd post weeks ago on devianart but with my cat passing I got a little distracted and such. But here you go.

Hope you enjoyed it. And please remember to review.