Chapter 21


"Princess! Slow down!"

A loud joyous laugh echoed across the flourishing grasslands. Reddish amber eyes cast back at that which was following them. "This coming from a cheetah!" Kiara laughed again. "Shouldn't it not be I, who should be telling you to slow it down?" She came to a stop at the edge of the tall grass turning to fully face the lanky cheetah that came trotting up behind her.

"Oh very funny." Kodi stopped to catch his breath. The two had been running from Pride Rock the moment that Simba had given the okay for them to go out on their own. Now that Kiara was growing in size and Kodi as well. Simba decided…well not decided…was more like convinced or told by the lionesses in the pride. Mainly his mother. That Kiara needed to grow more outside of his watchful eye.

In the end the King agreed. Reluctantly, but agreed nonetheless. However Kodi had a feeling that there was more looking out for the young Princess than perhaps they could very well tell there was.

Kodi looked up at the sky watching the birds that flew overhead. The young cheetah would not be surprised if there wasn't a bird or two reporting to the King about the princess.

Why wouldn't he be surprised?

That was easy. The King still told the young Princess to keep to the paths that he marked for her. That and Kodi found himself trailing the Princess more often than not.

It wasn't that he didn't mind spending time with Kiara. He did. They grew up together. In truth she was the closest friend he had. That wasn't saying he didn't have other friends. His mother had introduced me to a number of other young cheetahs. So that a cheetah living among lions still knew his own kin. He still knew Kiara better than he knew others he had met.

The problem was…the cubs that Kiara was currently spending more and more time with. Those that belonged to that of the Eastern Pride.

The alliance of the two prides appeared strong as it had once been many years before. When Mufasa still ruled the Pride Lands. Now with son in place of him rather than his brother the two prides could work together against one common enemy.

Zira.

Succeeding in taking the Southern lands and splitting it between the two. Both the Eastern Pride and Pride Landers were capable of keeping the Outlanders from moving in on it.

A good many animals that lived in the lands knew to respect the Kings of both prides. That and the lionesses that often accompanied Kiara. That had been the agreement that lionesses would take the princess. It was as she got bigger she wanted to be able to show she could go there on her own and back without trouble.

All thing's considered, it could be the fact that none of the Outlanders seemed to wander into the Southern lands during the day. It was at night that it was another matter. Kiara and Kodi had overheard Zazu reporting to the King on several occasions that the animals spoke of the Outlanders sneaking into the lands during the night to attempt to steal food when no one bothered to do night patrols.

While Simba did not want them to hunt at all on any of the lands. King Jozi had convinced him as long as they were not coming directly into their own lands or harming their pride. There could not be nothing wrong with them hunting a stray animal in the Southern lands on occasion.

It was in consideration of the fact that the Outlanders had cubs of their own that made Simba reluctantly agree. Claiming that his mate would not have wanted them to starve to death no matter what their mother and her followers had done to the Pride Landers.

That however was the last thing on Kodi's mind while they neared the Southern lands. As he mentioned it was those that Kiara were meeting. You see, unlike the Pride Landers. The Eastern pride had an abundance of cubs. More than enough to play with. While Kiara didn't have any lion cubs in her pride with the exception of herself. And like Kodi's mother trying to introduce him to other Cheetahs, Kiara knowing some lions her age many thought was beneficial for the Princess.

Even so Kodi himself never felt like he fit in among them. That had a lot to do with the fact that the Eastern Pride as he mentioned had many cubs that could play with one another. And lionesses to feed cubs who may have lost their mother. Kiara had none of that as none of the other lionesses had cubs and therefore did not have milk for her like she needed.

His mother did and that was why she stepped forward to help out and Kiara and Kodi became friends. At the time a friend was a friend no matter what their species was.

Oft times, Kodi wondered how long the two of them would remain friends for. Going as far as to express his thoughts to Kiara who had only laughed and told him they would always be friends. But the thing about male cheetahs was they never stayed in groups lest that they were brothers. So whether he stayed with them or instinct took over and he left later on, was yet to be decided.

"Couldn't we stay in the Pride Lands for once?" Requested Kodi. Paw rubbing the top of his head to attempt to push down some of the fur that stuck up atop his head.

Rolling her eyes. Kiara shook her head at him. "I know you don't like them Kodi…"

"It's not that I don't like them…it has a lot more to do with them not liking ME." Kodi grumbled his last few words.

Kiara sighed. There was nothing she could say that might refute his words. It wasn't that they didn't like Kodi. It was like many who thought they should only play with those of their own kind. Without any shortage of cubs in their pride they had no means to play with others outside their own kind like she did.

The princess was however grateful for Kodi. Without him she may not have had any friends. That was even more so if the alliance hadn't been made. Then she would have only had the older lionesses and occasionally her father to play with. Not that she didn't mind playing with them. But it was nice to have someone who was around her age at the very least.

And she had that in Kodi and now others. Kiara considered it was her mother looking out for her and blessing her.

Smiling seeing Kodi's disgruntled look. The Princess leaned over and gave his cheek a lick. Laughing as she watched him tense then grumble and rub his cheek muttering something about females and how mushy they could be.

"Look…" Kiara started. "There is no promise that they would be there today. If they're not we can go and practice our hunting skills." She grinned. "And show Nala that we haven't been slacking off."

This time Kodi was the one to roll his eyes. "Maybe not me…But you slack off enough." He smirked at the look that came over the young lioness' face.

Cheeks puffed, paw stomping on the ground. Kiara huffed, "I do not!"

Giving a snort. The young cheetah shook his head. "Come on Kiara, you know you rather play than practice your hunting. You're always looking for some excuse to get out of it." He grinned seeing the defeat slip onto her face then hear her sigh while mumbling under her breath. "What was that Princess?"

Kiara shot him a look. "I said, alright fine you win." She huffed puffing out her cheeks again then slowly blew the air out of her nose in a calming fashion. "It's not my fault that hunting is soooo boooooring." She elongated her words with a sigh of exasperation.

"Be that as it may, it's essential to learn. Mother says hunting is a way of life for us predators and those who do not know how to hunt. Starve and die. You lions hunt with your parties so I don't know if all need to learn or not. But for a cheetah…" Kodi shook his head. "But you are also the future Queen…so you got to learn to one day take over the hunting party."

Ah, there it was again. The same lecture as always. It never seemed to matter who it came from. But Kiara could not help but be annoyed about it.

Kiara knew what her responsibilities were when it came to having to one day be Queen. And what she could understand she tried, she really did, to grasp the knowledge of it. In the end it didn't matter how hard she tried…she just did not want to be Queen. It was moments like this whenever someone brought it up that she wished her mother was still alive, and as were her siblings.

The young princess was of the second litter. That meant if her family were still alive. Then Kopa would still be her Fathers heir. Kiara never got the chance to truly know her brother, the one she been told had given her, her name on the day she was born.

However while she had never gotten the chance to know him, she had a feeling he would have been better at learning to rule than she was. Perchance if he were alive, all Kiara would have to do was learn to hunt and that be all. No responsibilities of learning on how to be a Queen. She could run around and be the free-spirit she was. That was what her grandmother called her.

Just like her father she said and her brother. Which the exception of where Simba claimed as a cub that he could not wait to be king. Kiara on the other hand, could wait. And would wait as long as she could before taking the crown from her Father.

To which the young princess hoped deep down that it was YEARS ahead to the point that she did not have to worry so much about it.

Allow herself to have the fun she wanted while she was young before she had to step up onto the promontory and claim the Kingdom.

Kiara gave her friend a look that made him grin innocently at her. Then shake his head, patting her shoulder Kodi commented. "Relax Kiara." He grinned at her. "It's not like you got to wear the crown yet. But if you like I'm sure the monkey's will make you one of flowers." He laughed as she smacked at him barely missing him by inches when he jumped out of her reach.

Resisting the urge to try and smack him once more. Kiara turned and continued making her way towards the Southern Lands. Kodi with a disgruntled sigh followed along after him. Now that they were going at a slower pace, the two were soon walking side by side at an equal pace.

Whilst walking, Kiara could not keep herself from turning her head and glancing towards the lands that were barren and dank.

The Outlands.

It been months since her little mishap of stumbling over there. Okay, it wasn't a mishap per se. The stumbling part and falling down and crashing into the cub were. Going over there and making that decision too…that was all her idea and fault and while some of her regretted it. The other part of her was happy she had conquered her curiosity and gone over there to see what was there.

It was the cub…or cubs should she say, that she met that she hadn't expected to meet. She been warned about the Outsider's but did not know that they had cubs. Kiara wondered how many cubs exactly they had.

She wondered back to the she-cub that been there that day. Remembering questioning her family about it. None of them remembered there being a she-cub that looked liker her. They claimed there was another one. One that called Vitani. Her grandmother just said perhaps it been the sun that had gotten to her or they had another cub while out there.

But whatever was out there or whoever…

Kiara often found herself wondering about them…or more so the one they called Kovu. Why she would think about him? Not even she knew the answer to that. It could be that she wondered how cubs lived in such a place or that maybe like she told her family. He was kind and she liked playing with him.

Nala would say that it shouldn't matter if she liked playing with him in the past. They were bad and she now had plenty of new friends to play with that were lions.

Seeing where Kiara was looking, Kodi gave her a little shove. When she looked at him sharply he returned the look. "Forget about Kiara."

"I wasn't even thinking of…"

"Good." Kodi cut her off. "And I'll make sure that you don't."

Kiara let out a cry of frustration which only made Kodi sigh and apologize. Closing her eyes for a moment to calm herself. Kiara turned her head toward him. Nuzzling her head up under his chin. Making Kodi grin at her friendly attention.

Then he cleared his throat. "Come on, we have the others to meet up with. If they're even there." As much as he just wanted to turn and head on back home. Kodi enjoyed Kiara's company. And whatever made his friend happy, he would go along with it. That is unless it was something dangerous, then he would put his paw down.

Like wondering if Kiara would ever run off on him again to the Outlands. She hadn't yet since that day. Kodi assumed it had something to do with her not wanting to disappoint her father, like she had the last time. But if anyone knew Kiara, it was Kodi.

And the one thing he knew about his friend was that her curiosity at the best of times was much too strong for her own good.

Giving a small nod. Kiara turned her attention away from the Outlands. Upon reaching the Southern lands, the Princess stopped and took a moment to look around. Smelling the air. Finding no scents that she did no recognise, at least in the lions sense of things, she continued her way over the border with Kodi at her side.

From the scents wafting on the light breeze that was blowing through the lands that day. It did not take Kiara long to pick up on the scents of Kiev, the eastern pride's prince. Well one of them anyways, the two Eastern prides had united their own again when Zira had started getting bold in moving into their lands for food and to stir up whatever trouble that she could.

Kiev was King Jozi's only son. A semi tall, tan lion with a bit of black mane staring to grow atop his head. He was just a little older than Kiara herself.

While Tambo, a lean dark beige of a lion, who was a good season or two older than her and already had a much more growing mane of gold, was King Zuberi's son.

It was often confusing with two kings in the East and what to address them by before. However over time, both brothers agreed to share the lands close together and keep their titles. The only one of the three brothers to refuse any title of King was Khal. The two kings younger brother. Who claimed he had no need of a crown. He was simply happy with his mate and cubs.

His eldest Kiara had met. Nadia. She was told the lioness had met her elder brother. She was around his age she was told or at least the age he would be if he had not died. Nadia often accompanied Kiev to the Southern Lands when he and Kiara were still not old enough to go about alone.

And even if they were alone, Kiara had a feeling there were others watching from afar just to make sure that they weren't in any trouble.

The Eastern pride was much larger than the Pride Landers and had much more cubs in it. Something that made Kiara jealous. If what happened hadn't happened, there would be plenty of cubs in her pride to play with and the Eastern pride as well. Sulking about it however was not going to change things, she told herself. Banishing the negative thoughts from her mind.

The young Princess never had room for negative thoughts or at least she tried. Kiara didn't like them. They ruined her mood and fun, she would claim. There were much more things to be positive about. Like the thought of her mother being happy that she was happy at least. So Kiara tried her utmost to stay that way.

Those three were the only royal cubs of the Eastern pride. But there were many more cubs that at times Kiara wondered if she had met them all. Sometimes new faces showed up, those that were able to leave their mothers side finally or if their mothers came along that meant they were ready to leave the safety of their dens and bring them to meet some new play mates.

Kiara often did not care who showed up. Yes there were times she wanted to see certain individuals. But whether it was the adolescents or the younger cubs, it did not matter to Kiara. She'd play with them both. The younger cubs were often fun to play with since she could see how happy they were that someone older would play with them. Some claimed the older cubs got the more they didn't wish to play with the younger ones.

Well Kiara did not see it that way.

"Kiara!"

The Princess' head snapped up when she heard her name being called. A smile cracked across her face to see a red coloured lioness come bounding toward her. "Dinka!" She laughed as the two greeted one another. Kodi standing a bit off to the side of the pair.

Dinka had been apart of King Zuberi's pride before the two combined. Fathered by a rogue she was a season older than Kiara. But the two had become fast friends. It did help, Kodi would mention, that the two were alike in personality and their quest to clench their curiosities were never ending.

With a grin, he could see why the two were good friends. Luckily for Kodi, Dinka was one of the few who did not mind a Cheetah tagging along with them. His grin widened when she heard her attention to him and gave his cheek a small lick in greeting. "You two are late." She commented.

Scoffing, Kiara put a paw on her chest while sticking her nose in the air. "A princess is never late. Others are simply early."

Kodi snorted in laughter while Dinka just rolled her eyes and gave Kiara a small shove. "Sure miss princess. You sound like Kiev when he failed his first hunting practice. Claiming that a prince does not need to hunt, only merely practice in order to learn to take down a threat." Said lioness deepened her mouth in order to mimic the prince. Earning a laugh from both Kodi and Kiara.

A growl rumbling growl was heard. "I do not sound like that."

With a roll of her eyes, Dinka turned to look at Kiev who was coming up to them. "Right, I am sure your highness that you do not."

Kiev gave her a look. "You shouldn't speak to a prince like that."

"And you shouldn't be taking attitude lessons from Tambo." Dinka pointed out to him.

Kiara silently agreed. Kiev was as playful and funny was King Jozi was. Well the lion can be on the days he wasn't being a serious King. Tambo on the other hand was much more…attitude than anything else. He was kind, Kiara would admit that. But hot tempered as well. Something Kiara noted Tambo had inherited from his father.

Zuberi and Jozi as well as Khal were different from each other as night and day. The same with Kiev and Tambo. But Kiara refused to see just the bad traits and did pick up on the good.

Kiara noticed that despite his hot temper, Zuberi had a soft spot for cubs. Kiara learned that when the King had helped her out of the hole she had fallen into one time she was playing around with the cubs. When she was littler and had trouble getting out of said hole. He was gentle and licked her wounded paw which she had sprung when she had taken her tumble.

But the King often didn't let others see it. Dinka claimed it was because the King didn't want to appear like he had a weak spot that an enemy like Zira could exploit.

Listening to the two bicker, Kiara eventually rolled her eyes and stomped her paw to get their attentions. "Are you two done bickering like a mated pair?" She smirked as she watched Kiev tense while Dinka shifted her paws. The two would never admit it to one another, but Kiara could tell the two had a crush on one another.

Kiara picked up on it with the way the two bickered. It reminded her of the stories she was told of her mother and father. That and the way Kiev would often look at Dinka when she wasn't looking, then the fact that Dinka confided in Kiara one day that yes she did have a crush.

However since they were too young to think about mating. Much less Dinka who was months older than Kiev.

To Kiara, she didn't think age really mattered for love. Of course she could agree they were too young for mating. But she once heard that Nala and her father had been betrothed at one point at a much younger age than these two. So if cubs could be betrothed at that age, these two having a crush on one another shouldn't really matter.

Of course however it did, when these two didn't want to admit it to the other one that they liked them. So the bickering was never ending. So much to the point that Kiara just started teasing them about it until the two would stop.

Kiev grunted, brushing his growing tuft back over his head out of his eyes. His mane was black. Unlike his fathers and two uncles. All three were tan with gold manes, the only way to tell them apart was by size and eye colour. Kiev while having his father's fur had a different coloured mane. Something Kiev mentioned that his mother said had been the colour of her fathers own mane. So the trait was family related either way.

"I'll stop bickering if she will stop making fun of me."

"Well stop being easy to make fun of." Kiara beat Dinka to the punch line. Sticking her tongue out at the prince, and then taking a jump back while laughing when Kiev swiped his paw at her. "Ha! Missed…whoa!" A thud and a patch of dirt and grass flying up as the result, Kiara landed on her back having tripped on Kodi's tail when she had jumped back without looking back at where she was jumping in the first place.

Said cheetah looked down at her with an amused expression. "You know Princess' are supposed to be graceful."

Huffily getting to her paws with the help of Dinka who began helping Kiara brush herself off. Kiara muttered; "Bite me."

To which Kodi responded with a smirk. "I would, but you taste bad."

Both males roared with laughter until Kodi gave a sudden eep as Kiara had tackled him to the ground. Both now wrestling to try and overpower the other.

"Come on Kodi! She's only a female!" Kiev batted. He was perhaps the only male among the Eastern pride's young that gave Kodi any credit as a playmate. All the more reason Kodi was more relaxed now that he saw it was only Dinka and Kiev with them for the time being.

"She may be a female but she fights dirty!" Kodi was attempting to push Kiara off him only making her laugh and bite at his tail making him yelp and jump onto his paws clutching it to him. "Hey not the tail!"

Smirking, Kiara rolled her eyes. "Your tail got what it deserved for tripping me."

"You trip over your own four paws." Kodi taunted her.

Getting between the two, Dinka grinned. "Alright that is enough bickering and badgering and fighting. We continue this we're never going to have any fun today."

Nodding in union to agree with one another, the two sat down in a small circle with Kiev and Dinka. "So what should we do today?"

"What is there we haven't done?" Dinka pondered aloud. Her bright blue eyes looking between her friends.

"I would suggest the Elephant Graveyard but the last time I suggested that and my father overheard. I swear he was going to bite my head off." Kiev commented as Kiara nodded her head. Her father too hadn't been pleased when he heard about that suggestion. It was just as off limits as the Outlands were. Claiming that things lurked there and it was easy for the Outsiders to come and ambush them in the Graveyard. Especially if they were alone.

Kiara grumbled kicking a pebble with her paw. "There just isn't anything fun to do anymore."

"Coming from you, that is shocking." Kodi turned his head to glance at her. "Whatever happened to your adventurous spirit."

Dinka giggled. "I think we should explore more of the Southern Lands. We never explored everything. Have we?"

Kiara gave it a moments thought. Dinka was right in that they hadn't explored everything. Much the times they weren't allowed to go far from where the Southern lands met the Eastern lands and the Pride Lands. For safety reasons they were told. However…

Stopping to look around in every direction, she squinted to see some older lionesses lounging in the distance where she saw the younger cubs playing around a small watering hole. She saw a few of the other adolescents but the rest she assumed were back home. Those present seemed content with lounging about with the others.

With them all the way over there, and they being alone…there really was no one to stop them if they wanted to go deeper into the Southern lands.

Kiara to be honest with herself, did not think anything bad of it. Going deeper into the lands couldn't be much worst than say if they went to the Elephant Graveyard or the Outlands. It was still daylight out and would be for several hours. So there was a less likely chance the Outsiders would try and sneak into the Southern Lands when they had a better chance at being caught.

All they would need to do was make sure no one on patrol caught them.

Which shouldn't be too hard, Kiara figured if they spotted them ahead of time they could always just dash in the opposite direction.

"Lets do it!"

Three heads looked at her as one confusion on their faces. Rolling her eyes she pointed at Dinka. "Lets do her suggestion and explore some more."

Kodi got a look of uncertainty on his face. He was never one to stray too far from what others did not want them too. Kiara often called him a suck up for that, but he figured better safe than sorry.

The other two on the other hand, shared a look, then both started grinning giving nods. "All right." Kiev jumped to his paws. His sudden movements causing his tuft to fall into his eyes. Which with a grumble and flick of his head was out of his eyes again, grinned. "Lets go explore. I bet I can find some hidden place."

"Yeah with what?" Kodi challenged. Seeing no way out of it. He figured better to tag along. If something happened at the very least there were four of them. Four of them could at least stand a chance. Right?

Dinka smiled and reached over tapping the cheetah's nose with her paw. "Stop looking so nervous."

"I am not nervous."

"Right." Dinka laughed as she and Kiara took the lead ahead of the two males. Taking their time in walking in case any that were near the watering hole too note of their sudden departure and moving further away from them.

Kiev shook his head. "Females…can never live with them." He muttered too Kodi. Making sure that neither lioness in front of them overheard. If he desired to keep the bit of mane that he had growing, he would be wise not to cross them.

"Yet you lions do." Kodi grunted.

Shaking his head, Kiev grinned. "That's because my friend, they trap us."

"We do not!"

The boys laughed as the girls who had finally overheard them snapped back at them with frowns on their faces. Kiev grinned. "Nice to see you two get riled up. All the more fun when it comes to teasing you."

"Keep that up you're going to end up loosing a tail along with a mane." Kodi warned him.

Kiev only shrugged it off. If the girls really wanted to do anything to him they would have done so long ago. Though he'd hate to loose his growing mane. The tuft at the moment was only now large enough to cover the top of his head and nothing more. But it was better than nothing.

The group glanced back when they finally deemed they were far away enough that no one would catch them at the moment.

Sharing looks with equal amount of grins on their faces. Kodi shouted, "Race you!" Then took off ahead with the others shouting after him. Neither wasting time in running after him. Kodi for the sack of his friends wasn't going his top speed. But still running fast enough that he kept the lead.

"What's wrong princess?" he hollered back to Kiara. "You had no problems with beating me before!" He almost yelped when she snapped her jaws at his tail when she got close enough to do so. But with his tail and reflexes he managed to evade the clutches of her teeth.

"What was that comment about being careful or I might end up missing a tail again Kodi!?" Kiev wisecracked.

"I take it back!" Kodi laughed dodging another attempt by Kiara.

The four ran until they decided they could run no more. Stopping, they panted for air hunched over a bit. Having run a good number of miles that got them further into the Southern Lands. Which happened to be bigger than they thought it was. Though it wouldn't surprise them if they crossed out of the Southern borders and into another territory all together.

Not knowing the true boundaries and all.

But a few good sniffs to the air told them they were still within the Southern boundaries that had been marked.

Finally catching her breath. Kiara sat back on her haunches. Taking the time to look around them more carefully. The Southern lands were completely flat. Often called the flatlands for that very reason. No hills or anything for miles around. Nothing but smooth planes and some patches of long grass here and there with the occasion tree, now and again she could see a rock outcrop but she did not think there was much to explore there.

Now this wasn't something Kiara would often think would be fun. A cave would be better to explore but she didn't see much. The only places that looked like caves were in the far distance and in that direction were also the Outlands. So that at the moment was definitely off the list of exploring. Even if she wanted too the others would protest against the idea.

They were all more wary of the Outsiders than she was.

"Ever seen anywhere so flat?" Dinka looked in every direction. "I would be surprised if you ever found a hole to trip in out here."

"Want to test that theory?" Kiev grinned before getting a face full of tail when Dinka smack his snout with her tail.

"Boy, a lot of tail action today." Kodi grinned wagging his eyebrows at Dinka who blushed under her fur and huffed stomping her paw.

"What's with you boys and your tail jokes today?" Kiara smirked. "Over compensating for something?"

The sound of Dinka's laughter, Kiara predicted, and would not be surprised if it came true, could probably be heard in every direction. The lioness began laughing so hard she actually fell over clutching her sides from the looks that came over both Kiev's and Kodi's faces.

Kiara herself had to fight to keep a straight face. Wanting to join Dinka in her laughter. But by keeping the straight questioning look on her face. Directed at both her friends. She could swear she was seeing them begin to sweat beneath their fur. A tiny smirk etched her face once more at the nervous shifting of Kodi's paws. "Well are you boys going to answer the question?"

Dinka by this time was resting on her back with her paws somewhat in the air attempting to catch her breath. Which she in took in rapid gasps, reminding Kiara of a fish out of water.

Coming to his senses. Kiev shook his head vigorously. "What sort of question is that to ask someone?"

"And innocent one." Kiara smiled innocently to prove her point. The look on her face was enough to send Dinka into a small fit of giggled which ended up with her hiccupping.

"Where did you hear such a thing anyways?" It was Kodi who asked this time. Staring at his friend with disbelief that such innocence that laid within her would ask such a question.

Tapping her paw to her chin. Kiara allowed herself to gain a thoughtful look. Dinka who was still hiccupping was even awaiting her answer. "I was down by the watering hole with my grandmother when I over heard a couple of hippos talking about such a thing. So I figured it would be good to apply to you two, to see how you would react. And it was just perfect."

Dinka gave a undignified snort at her explanation before overcome with a fit of hiccups again. Kiev who mumbled under his breath about lionesses and their choice of jokes only to have Kiara roll her eyes and say something about "Right back at yah." The Eastern prince helped Dinka right back onto her paws. Giving her back a few good pats to help her with her hiccups.

Pulling his paw back once it seemed like they had subsided and Dinka gave him a smile in thanks. And a small nuzzle beneath his chin. Which made a fool of a smile come over his face that he quickly replaced with a simple grin when she pulled away.

Kiara and Kodi sharing a look rolled their eyes simultaneously when the other two weren't looking.

"You two got a problem?" Kiev looked at them catching the last of their eye rolls.

"Oh no problem at all." Kiara smirked getting to her paws. Turning her head which way and that. Trying to think up something they could play. "How does one even hunt in such flatlands?"

Taking his turn to look around, Kodi shrugged his shoulders. "There are enough patches of long grass to hide in along with rocks…" The rocks seemed to be the only bumps in the flatlands compared to no hills. If one got creative enough they could hunt. But perhaps it was skill not the ability to hide yourself an ambush that was needed. To have the skill to take down your prey while they could still see you and know you were there.

Dinka went to open her mouth to say something, when she closed it. Her ears perking atop her head. Tilting her head like she was listening to something.

"What is it Dinka?"

The lioness didn't answer for a minute and a half when she did all she said was. "I hear giggling."

Confused the other three fell as silent as they could. Listening carefully for whatever that Dinka was hearing.

Then finally there it was. The giggling. The four looked at one another trying to determine who it was. Maybe some other predator's playing about or herds or other such creatures. It was Kiara who got the look of recognition on her face. When it sunk in who she knew the giggling belonged too. "That's Nala!"

Kiev raised his eyebrow. "The lioness that would often accompany you here?"

Kiara nodded. "That same one."

Now that Kodi could hear it more properly and nod that yes that sounded an awfully lot like Nala. He wondered aloud. "Why is she all the way out here? And why is she giggling?"

"Shh, I hear someone else with her!" Dinka's ears were poised and listening.

Kiara shared another look with Kodi. Both thinking along the same train of thought. Why was Nala out here and whom was she with?

It did not take long for Kiara's curiosity to once more get the better of her. Quietly as she could, she crept toward the area the sounds were coming from. Behind her the others followed suit. However they were much quieter than the princess was. One of her downfalls when it came to learning how to hunt unfortunately.

But it seemed however Nala was with, both of them seemed preoccupied enough that they didn't seem to pay any attention to the sounds of someone approaching. Coming up on a large rock outcrop, about a mile from where they had been sitting. Kiara climbed as quietly as she could to slowly poke her head over the top and look down. It didn't take long for three other heads to join her as they peered down at what was going on below.

A look of surprise and confusion came over Kiara's face. Down below was Nala lounging about in the shade of the rock outcrop, with another lion. One she did not recognize. But giving a look at the others she could see that Dinka and Kiev seemed to know who the mysterious male was.

Kiara looked down at the male eyeing him closely. He was large. Not as large as her father but close enough in height. With fur the colour of bronze and a caramel coloured mane. Squinting, she could make out his eyes were baby blue. Almost as light as blue as the sky was on the sunniest day.

In all he was a handsome lion.

Which made her wonder all the more why he was with Nala. Both were laying about in the shade. What seemed to remain of what they must have hunted laid off a yard or two away from them. The two only seemed to be talking for the moment, with Nala occasionally laughing at whatever the lion was saying.

The four watched the two for a moment more. Before ducking back over the rocks before the two down below had a chance to spot them. They quietly slipped on back down to the ground and didn't speak until they were a good distance away so that they couldn't be overheard.

When they got a good distance, Kiara turned to her two Eastern friends and asked. "Okay, who was that lion?" At the looks they gave her she rolled her eyes. "I saw the looks on your faces. I know you know him. Who is he?"

Grunting Kiev answered. "A rogue." He watched a small look of concern come over Kiara's face. Obviously the young lioness was taught that rogues were dangerous. And in a way many were. Didn't mean they all were but it was always good to be cautious nonetheless.

Dinka giggled. "Don't worry Kiara. He's not a threat." She spoke when she took noticed the look on her friends face.

Kiev nodded. "He crossed our pride first. Father spoke with him as did Uncle Zuberi. They came to the conclusion that the male was only looking for food. He stayed with our pride for a while now. We think he is also looking for a pride to join. I heard him talking with my father saying he been born a rogue to two rogue parents but they passed some years…"

"His name is Onani!" Dinka cut him off when she figured Kiara was seeking to know what the males name was.

Onani.

Kiara thought the name over carefully in her head. It wasn't a name she ever heard before. But from the names she heard from travelling herds. Kiara learned there were many places in Africa that had different names everywhere. The young princess liked speaking to those about what was out there. Often wondering what her mother's homeland had looked like. Being described it by her father wasn't often enough for her to picture it right.

Before she could allow herself to get too sidetracked. Kiara made herself think about the male, this Onani with Nala.

Why was she with him?

How did they meet exactly?

Did her father know that Nala, a member of his pride was meeting with a rogue?

Was this rogue really looking for a pride?

Kiara heard the stories of rogues who would often mate with a lioness of a pride before moving on. The princess felt her heart skip a beat at that. Would this male mate Nala then move on? Would she be able to handle that? Kiara cared for Nala, the lioness was like an Aunt to her despite that Nala was not her father's sister nor her mothers.

Nala had always been there since her mother was gone. So Kiara came to see her as family.

From the looks she could remember seeing on Nala's face and the way she laughed, she was sure the lioness liked this Onani.

Judging their friends silence, Kodi nudged Kiara with his elbow. "Don't worry about it Kia." Mentioning his nickname for her that he used once in a while when he was trying to cheer her up from something. The other two nodding their heads in agreement with him.

"He's not a bad lion." Dinka smiled. "He likes the cubs."

"But how did they meet?" Kiara finally asked them.

Kiev shrugged. "Maybe he was hunting earlier, same with Nala and they both ran into each other that way. They did have that animal caress nearby."

Kodi shook his head. "No by the way they were talking. They'd known each other longer than today." He corrected him.

"I overheard he volunteered to do some patrols of the borders around here in order to repay the others for allowing him to stay as long as he has." Dinka looked at Kiara. "That's how they could have met, some of the lionesses come out to here I hunt because it gives them more grounds. He could have been patrolling and they stumbled upon one another."

It was a possibility but Kiara still did not know what to make of it.

"I think it's kind of sweet." Dinka swooned. Kiara looked at her like she grown a second head. The red lioness rolled her eyes. "Oh come on Kiara. Nala seemed lonely the times I saw her. The way she looked at the cubs. The way she looked at you. It was often like she wished she could have cubs and a family of her own." Dinka smiled. "And if Onani could give that, I think it's sweet!"

Kiev gagged. "You females in your sense of romance."

"Hey I'm not like that!" Kiara glared in defence of herself.

The Eastern prince gave a snort of amusement. "Perhaps…for now." He smirked.

Kiara smirked leaning toward him. "You're one to talk." Her eyes flicked to Dinka and her smirk widened as he tensed and scoffed turning his head to the side.

"I agree with Dinka." Kodi spoke in agreement with the red lioness. By this time the four friends had started walking again. Putting more distance between them and the pair behind the rocks. To give them some more privacy was what Dinka said they should do. Just spying on them the way they had, didn't seem right. Though at the time they hadn't known what they would be spying in on, in the first place was Kiara's defence to it.

The young cheetah looked at the Pride Lander Princess. "If Nala is happy, isn't that really all that matters?"

Kiara had to pause her line of thought to think that through. Was that all that really mattered? As long as Nala was happy, it was okay? In the end she sighed, nodding her head. A smile coming over her muzzle. Yes, perhaps it was okay. Just as long as her friend and aunt was happy. She only hoped it did not end with heart break.

The four continued their exploring of the Southern Lands. Keeping themselves out of sight of any who might be patrolling. Now knowing Nala was out here as well. Kiara was being cautious too, often looking back the way they came or in all directions. The princess was positive that she might just avoid trouble with Nala. If the lioness took pity and understanding on the growing girl.

But seeing as she was still months shy of her first year. Kiara wasn't so certain. So did her best to keep a look out.

At some point during their exploring, they found themselves straying closer to the area that led toward the Outlands. Kiev bugging Kiara with curiosity as to what was out there. Having heard Kiara had a precious run in with the Outsiders. "Are they as ugly as they say?" Kiev asked. Normally he wasn't so eager to go close to the borders but he figured he was old and brave enough that he would be able to handle anything that came at them.

Kodi was pretty certain this was just him showing off. But with the scent in the air said the other lions were on patrol. So Kiev stated that it must be safe. The one who patrolled his area had obviously done it moments before they arrived from how fresh the scent was. So that could only mean it was safe. If it wasn't an alarm would have gone off or they would have heard fighting as they got nearer.

That said, it didn't stop Kodi from keeping a better eye out. Dinka lounging back behind them not getting too close to the borders. She didn't like the idea of coming this close. Surprised that Kiev would even suggest such a thing but he claimed "A Prince needed to be able to know and recognize the threat. How can I do that when I don't know their scents or what they look like." Yet another thing that confirmed that perhaps Kiev was showing off more than being serious.

There was some truth to his words. Kiev did want to know what the enemy was. His Uncle Zuberi spoke about it a lot, seeing as their part of the pride had been attacked before and they had to run off the Outsiders. Dinka was still young at that time, but she had faint memories of hearing the shouts before her mother had grabbed her and hid her among the rest of the cubs while the males in the pride handled the situation.

What Kiev wouldn't admit out loud and willing was that he was curious. And nervous to be by the borders but curious as well. A prince should not be as curious, he was told by his cousin Tambo. Could lead to trouble.

Kiara rolled her eyes at his question. Kiev snorted, "What it's an honest question. Are they really as ugly as they say." He looked back at them turning his back to the borders. "Dinka rarely remembers seeing them when they attacked my Uncle's part of the pride. And the rumours are they're all hairy and matted with big ears and razor sharp fangs that hang down to the ground."

Kiara didn't know whether to laugh or not. Was he serious or was he just pulling her leg? At times it was hard to tell with him. Glancing at Kodi who was shaking his head thinking Kiev had lost his mind or was just loving to play the fool of the group by fooling them with false tales. It seemed to make Dinka nervous thinking that there were such monsters out there that looked like that.

"Stop being an idiot Kiev."

The Eastern Prince rolled his eyes. "So I'll take I am right with your silence." He smirked. "I bet they're even uglier than that."

"Why don't you turn around and take a look." The growling voice sent chills down their spines. The voice came from the rocks above them. But it wasn't just one that was growling. From the sounds of it, there were two.

Four heads slowly turned upward to see who had been quiet enough to sneak up on them. Kiara's eyes widened as she saw who was there. At first she didn't know who the golden lioness with the tuft of fur on her head was. She never met her. It was the lioness near to the golden one, who was obviously much order than the brown one.

She, Kiara recognized. The she-cub that had been there the day she met Kovu. She still looked to be Kiara's age but a inch or two shorter and more leaner with muscle than Kiara was. But that face…how could she ever forget a face like that. One side complete scarred with a gray eye staring lifelessly at you while the green one glared.

Kiara wasn't sure if she was disappointed or not to see that Kovu wasn't among them. Both lionesses were glaring down upon those below.


Zawadi and Vitani had been chosen to try and find something to fill the stomachs of their pride. While Zira was busy training Kovu one on one. The others were taking breaks from the times they had tried to find food elsewhere. Both young lionesses had no issue with going out and hunting for them while the others rested.

The older lionesses always did their best to hunt what they could for those younger than them. Often giving more rations to the young. Well when Zira wasn't looking that is. Zira believed the strongest deserved the larger of the rations. Oft times that was her and Kovu. Even Vitani on occasion.

Zawadi often got what her mother was able to spare for her. She always hated when her mother would go hungry just so that her daughter could eat. But Kumai insisted that with her being young she needed it more.

And while it wasn't much and she preferred Nuka to eat more than she did. Zawadi wished he was still around to share a meal with her. It been months since he been sent away. Where he was? She did not know. None of them did. Some theorized that maybe Zira knew, but if she did, she said nothing. At night she would often find herself missing him and wishing he would return home. Wondering if he ever would, by choice or not.

But that was beyond the point right now…

The two weren't finding anything in the Outlands that may have straggled into the wasteland. It had gotten to the point that both lionesses were beginning to feel it testing their patience.

It was around that time that Zawadi suggested that they try the south lands. Normally it was at night that they would try. There was less patrolling than there was during the day. But their empty stomachs gave them no other option. It been days since a fruitful hunt and they wanted to eat and get their pride something to eat just as much.

So both came to the agreement that they would see whatever could be lingering near the Southern borders. If they could catch something that strayed too close than there was a less chance of being caught. If not they would play a game of beat the clock to see how long they had to hunt, grab something and drag it back over the border without someone seeing them and taking their meal from them.

Selfish pigs.

That was how Zawadi saw them.

The lions of both prides nearby were nothing but wretched animals that gladly let others starve while they got the best shares.

Zawadi could not help but wonder why they stayed in the Outlands to begin with. Zira wanted her revenge yes. Zawadi could understand that. Revenge was what Zawadi wanted too for the death of the Aunt that she had never been given the chance at ever meeting. The loss of her aunt Hawa, the young lioness could see still haunted her mother.

Which bothered Zawadi, her mother was a strong lioness, who shouldn't be allowed to feel such pain but she did.

It was for those very reasons she did her utmost best to be there for her mother and do whatever she could for her.

Like hunting now.

Her mother was not stick thin. But thinner than the other lionesses she saw from the other prides. In fact they all were. The young had more muscle only because of the extra scraps some saved for them but it wasn't much.

All the more reason why she wondered that they stayed. Revenge was good but why couldn't they plot their revenge somewhere further away that had more food for them? So that they could grow stronger than what they were by starving. It was almost like the Eastern Pride and the Pride Landers were waiting for them to starve to death so that they did not have to do anything against the Outlanders.

Zawadi when she was a bit younger had brought that to the lioness's attention. They all warned her not to say a word to Zira about it. Of course she hadn't listened and the result of it was Zira smack her around until the cub had been knocked unconscious. When she came too, Zira told her that punishment built character and to learn from it,

From there on out, Zawadi tried her best not to question the Outlander Queen.

The two had just gotten to the borders when they smelt the scent of a lion on patrol. Staying downwind so that he would not pick up on their scent. Vitani and Zawadi hunkered down to wait for his presence to be gone. All the while keeping an eye and nose out for any signs and scents of any straggling animal that they could catch.

But there appeared to be none.

Vitani suggested that they wait for the cover of night, till her friend pointed out that it was hours away. Reminding her of what could happen if they failed to return home with something by the time that Zira was done with Kovu's training.

Leaving them with no other choice, than to have to slip further into the lands to find something.

Waiting several long minutes for the male to leave. Then waiting some more just to be on the safe side. Not that neither of them thought they couldn't take anyone in a fight. Vitani would prefer if they could hunt without trouble. The lioness had been practicing her hunting skills whenever she had the opportunity. Remembering what the old Pride Lander Queen had taught her as well as what her mother and the other lionesses had.

The golden lioness would never admit out loud that she still remembered what Queen Zuri had taught her. In fact she kept that to herself. As did Kovu. If Nuka was still around, Vitani was positive that he would keep that to himself as well.

Did she miss any of the others?

No.

She barely knew them.

It was Zuri and Kopa who they had spent more time around than any other Pride Lander. The only times they had ever spent a majority of time around the others was only if Zuri and Kopa were around them and they just happened to be accompanying the two are the time.

Kopa…

The young lioness sighed. Shaking her head to brush her tuft up out of her eyes. It was often hard to think of her friend.

He was dead.

He was never coming back.

There was no point in thinking about the dead.

Was there?

Her mother spoke about Scar, her father, all the time.

But speaking about him did not bring him back. Nor thinking about him. In fact Vitani had very little memory of her Father. Only Nuka did. To which her brother admitted to her in secret out of their mothers hearing range sometime after his death. That their father was not really anything speculator and worth remembering. Being as sickly as he had been at birth and the first year of his life.

Nuka really hadn't known much love by his Father. Then when he had chosen Kovu as his heir instead. Well that had stung and Vitani knew it still stung him to that very day.

It didn't matter though. No matter what anyone would say or do. Zira would not and never would change her mind about who the true heir to the Pride Lands was.

It was Kovu.

The cub whose very name was a memory of what Scar had been.

Vitani shook her head muttering something under her breath. That the past was the past. And nothing in the past was going to help them with the future. Not at this point in time.

Looking at Zawadi, she whispered something to her. Then slowly got to her paws. Slipping out from where they were hiding the two slinked along the borders. Hidden among the rocks. Preparing themselves for to cross over them and into the Southern Lands.

When voices reaches their ears.

For a brief moment they hoped and thought it would be another animal. Something they could catch easily.

When the scent reaches their noses and they resisted the urge to growl.

More lions.

But one scent stuck out in particular to Zawadi. Her eyes narrowed and she whispered to Vitani. "It's the Princess!"

Vitani looked at her. "Are you certain?"

Grunting, the brown lioness scowled. "I would recognize her stench anywhere."

Scoffing, Vitani perked her ears while listening. "Well she doesn't appear to be alone this time. By their scents and voices, one other is female and two others are males…and one doesn't even smell like a lion…smells like a cheetah?"

Zawadi nodded. She remembered what cheetah's smelled like. Remembering one she ran into as a small cub when she accompanied her mother that time. But why was a cheetah hanging out with them? Furrowing her brow remembering back to when she first met the princess she could have sworn she saw that same female cheetah once again with the King and pride with another smaller male.

What kind of lion made friends with cheetahs?

Well she supposed it was better than making friends with creatures that were supposed to be your food.

"What do we do?" Zawadi asked.

Closing her eyes. Giving it a moments thought. Vitani grunted whispering. "We've no choice but to either scare them off and quickly find something to eat or go further down the border and slip in. I'm for going further down. Scaring them would just make them sound the alarm that we are here. Right now I am in no mood for that."

Zawadi didn't like that they would have to work around these fools but had no choice but to reluctantly agree with her friend. The two lionesses began to move on down the border when they heard the male lion speak.

"Are they as ugly as they say?"

Vitani stopped when she saw that Zawadi had. The brown lioness' face was slowly contorting into a look of rage. She whispered, "Let it go."

"But…"

"No buts…" Vitani sneered until they heard what the male had to say next.

"…the rumours are they're all hairy and matted with big ears and razor sharp fangs that hang down to the ground."

It was Vitani's turn for her face to show the anger bubbling up inside her. It was one thing to hate one another over false claims and never give them a proper chance as her mother would always say. It was another to insult them the way that this male was.

Zawadi before she could stop her was bounding over the rocks to the top. Vitani not far behind.

Reaching the top they glanced downwards. Zawadi seeing that she was right. The princess was there. Taller than she had been the last they met. It was the fur colour, the eyes and the scent that really gave her away and assured Zawadi that down below was indeed the Pride Lander Princess.

The cheetah they smelt was there too sitting beside the pampered princess. Whose fur didn't look like it ever had a single mat or tic. Hell her claws barely looked like they ever were used.

The other two she did not recognize. But figured they had to be apart of the Eastern pride. As according to what they knew of the Pride Landers, they only had one cub in the pride and that was the princess herself.

Attempting not to snort at the appearance of the male talking. She debated that she along could take the male without Vitani's help. Then resisted to laugh at the red lioness' nervous face. Obviously the girl knew of their reputation and knew better than to tempt them as they were trying to get the male to shut up. Probably before anyone could hear them.

"….I bet they're even uglier than that."

Vitani and Zawadi shared a look and then a growl. Zawadi looking down at the group. The idea of leaving them in peace long since leaving their minds. As young as they were, the idea of the pride was on the line when it came to what this snort nose of a lion had to say about them.

"Why don't you turn around and take a look." Zawadi snarled down at them.

Zawadi couldn't really describe how satisfying it was to see them tense and the smell of fear come over those down below. Who all weren't really sure who was growling down at them at first before their heads slowly started to look up at what was above them.

The fear in their eyes was enough to make her want to purr in content. Yes, fear us, she thought. Fear me most of all.

It was soon she saw the look of recognition come over the Princess's face. It appeared that she too remembered Zawadi.

Which was only confirmed more when she gasped. "You!"

A smirk came over Zawadi's face. "Yes little Princess. We meet again." She moved down the rock but stayed above them. Her claws out digging into the rough surface beneath them.

Her movement caused the males to spur into action. The male lion pushed the red lioness behind him while the cheetah stepped closer to Kiara. This prompted Vitani into rolling her eyes. "If you seem to know so much about us do you really think that you can protect yourselves?" Vitani smirked. Still not wanting to get into some fight but frightening them she didn't mind. The scent of their fear was amusing.

Not as much as she saw it was to Zawadi.

But amusingly enough.

Kiev glared up at the lionesses above them. Well they weren't as the rumours said they were. But they didn't look as pretty as many other lionesses. At least to him they weren't. They were much too thin, and one looked like a boy with that tuft on her head. Then there was the one with the scars and gray eye…which he was pretty sure she was blind from.

The prince had to wonder to himself for a moment whether or not she might have done that to herself to make herself look scarier. A question he really wasn't going to poise himself to ask. He could feel Dinka quivering in fear behind him. Something he found made him angry that the lioness he liked felt like her life was in danger.

Prompting him to make himself stand taller and puff out his chest to appear more threatening to these two lionesses.

It had the opposite affect.

Both threw their heads back and laughed at the lion's poor display of strength. Kiev tried not to allow their laughter to wound his pride too much.

Lifting a paw and wiping a tear from her eye from how hard she was laughing. Zawadi smirked down at the prince. "Is that suppose to frighten us boy?"

Kiev glared. "I look to be older than you female! Learn to hold your tongue or else I will make you loose it!"

Kiara didn't know whether to groan at her friend's stupidity or not. The princess didn't want any fights to break out. One because she didn't think the prides should really be warring with one another. Feeling bad for how hungry the two lionesses looked. The brown lioness looked much thinner than she remembered her to be. Were they really that hungry in the Outlands?

Perhaps if she found them something to eat they would leave them in peace?

The second reason she didn't want them to fight, was she didn't want any of her friends to get hurt.

So all the more reason she thought she would propose getting them something to eat just to have them leave them alone. That way no one got hurt and these two got fed.

Zawadi snarled. "Want to test that boy?" She moved further down the rocks. Vitani doing nothing to stop her. Thinking the lion could use a lesson in how and when one should open their mouth to someone who could easily slice their throat open.

"Careful Zawadi." Vitani spoke with a bored tone. "Don't want to get cowards blood on your paws. You know how hard that is to get out." She smirked as her friend laughed.

Kiev snarled feeling his anger growing as his pride was wounded further. Kodi at this time gave him a look. "Chill out Kiev…don't be the one to start the fight here." He was sure if a fight started that the prides in the end would blame the outlanders for any wounds the prince or them might receive. However Kodi also knew that they wouldn't be happy to know exactly who started the fight to begin with.

He could practically see the wheels turning in Kiara's head while she was trying to figure out no doubt the most peaceful way for them to make it out of this confrontation. Perhaps Kodi should have put up more of a fuss about coming this close to the borders to begin with, he thought to himself with a grumble.

This all could have been avoided then.

The Eastern Prince gave the cheetah a look but Kodi only glare at him further to get his point across. Dinka was whimpering, "He's right Kiev…"

Said lion looked back at her and was about to give in when Zawadi laughed further this time Vitani chiming in with her. "What's so funny scar face!" Kiev shouted up at them.

Kiara could have sworn that the air around them just froze over when those words left her friends mouth. The princess almost wanted to curse and slap him to knock some sense into him. This was what happens when you get distracted trying to think of a peaceful solution while the ones around you want nothing more than to pick a fight.

Looking up she could see pure hatred come over the lioness' faces. If Zawadi was angry before at the words of what Kiev was sprouting about earlier. Kiara could see that she was even more angry now. Perhaps the issue of her scars were a sore subject for the lioness?

It made Kiara feel even sorrier for her.

Again like she had before, wondered where the lioness had gotten such scars on her face. So much that it made her blind. She had them as a little cub too she remembered. It made her heart go out to her.

By this time, Zawadi had jumped down from the rocks. Landing on the ground with a quiet thump. Vitani staying on the rocks above her. Debating whether to stop her friend or not. In the end figuring it was best to let this male learn a lesson or two.

"No one has ever taught you when not to speak, did they boy?" Zawadi spoke with a low calm tome.

They weren't sure what was worst, the chills they got from how calm and low her tone was or when she was all growls?

"I am Prince Kiev of the Eastern Pride. I know exactly how and when to speak." Kiev snapped in defence of himself.

"You said your title like it's something special." Zawadi kept advancing on them. With each step she took toward them, they took back before Kiev decided to stand his ground. Standing with his paws apart and firmly planted on the grassy ground. "A true ruler or even their heirs shouldn't feel the need to sprout about their titles the way they do. Often they use them as a way of control…then they use it as a way of thinking that oh their royalty…so that ought to mean no one would hurt me…oh boy…you are so very wrong." Zawadi snarled as she got close to him.

Smirking as he saw him still standing his ground. She'd have to give him props for that. It was much better than seeing someone squirming in front of you. No matter how enjoyable that was. The ones who stood up to you put up a better fight and made the win all that much better.

Narrowing his eyes, Kiev scowled at her. "I say my title so when you go crawling back home, they'll know who you ran fro…AGH!" Kiev let out a roar of pain as Zawadi's paw connected with his face with enough force it sent him stumbling back.

Automatically his own paw went to touch the side which was struck. Shocked he felt the feeling of something warm on his cheek and sure enough when he pulled his paw back he could see the blood from where she had cut his cheek. "Kiev!" Dinka ran over to her friend with a look of worry on his face. "You hurt him!" She yelled at Zawadi who rolled her eyes.

"That was the whole point. Someone had to shut his big mouth." Zawadi smirked. She tilted her head to the side. "Want to try your luck sweetie?" She laughed as Dinka shook but started to advance on her anyways when suddenly Kiara got in the way.

"Enough of this!" Kiara looked at her friend then at Kiev. "You couldn't just keep your big mouth shut could you…" she sighed as Kiev got a small look of shame on his face.

"Oh look Vitani…the princess wants to be the peacekeeper." Zawadi taunted as Vitani laughed.

Kiara gave the lioness a sore look. "What is your problem? Why must you always be so confrontational! You were the first time I met you and you are now! Stop it!"

Zawadi chuckled. "You have such a big heart princess. That is going to be your down fall one day. Just you wait and see!"

Kiara huffed. "If I didn't have a big heart I wouldn't offer you something to eat." She grinned as she saw she caught the lioness off guard. With a small glance upwards she could see the other one get a little confused as to what she meant.

It was around this time that they noticed during Kiev's and Zawadi's little quarrel, Kiara had sent Kodi off in search of something to hunt. Being the fastest of them all, Kiara figured that Kodi could find something and be back with it faster than she or the other two could. And this way with them being distracted while he ran it let her get in the way to handle things.

"What are you playing at Princess?" Zawadi turned her attention from Kiev and Dinka to Kiara.

It was Kiara's turn to stand her ground. "I am not playing at anything…I just want to be nice…"

Both Outsider lionesses laughed. "Nice?" Vitani called down to her. "Since when do you Pride Landers ever want to be nice to us?"

"Not all of us see you as monsters." Kiara answered her. Which only got her growls in return. The princess watched the other lioness who jumped down from the rocks and started walking toward her with an angry glint in her eyes.

"We're the monsters?" Vitani growled. "You are the ones who kicked us from our homes and let us starve!" She snapped her jaws at Kiara making her jumps back from her. "It is not us who are the problem it is you!"

Kiev went to say something but Kiara gave him a look. Last thing she needed was for him to say something and get a fight started all over again. He already been hurt once, Kiara didn't want him getting hurt again. Bad enough his father was going to be demanding where he got the cut on his cheek from.

Sure Kiev could lie…which to be honest would probably be better than saying they were near the borders and enticed a couple of Outsiders against them. To which ended with Kiev getting himself hurt.

Looking back at the one called Vitani. Kiara sighed, "I'm sorry…" She saw a look of confusion and conflict come over the lioness' faces.

For a moment Vitani could swear she saw the old Queen in the Princess. The way she was holding herself and the way she wanted to draw out peace between them. It was something Queen Zuri would have surely done.

Behind her, shaking their head, Zawadi growled. "We don't want anything from you Pride Lander!"

Kiara's ears fell a bit.

All she wanted to do was help them.

Could they not see that?

Or maybe they could but pride was getting before their better judgement?

Before anything more could be said, Kiara heard Kodi returning. Turning she saw him dragging behind him the caress of a dead zebra. It was young, almost an adult. Enough for him to take down alone and enough to feed starving stomachs. Kiara wasn't entirely sure how many there were in the Outlander pride.

She only hoped it was enough.

Zawadi and Vitani stared at the zebra that was presented before them. Neither went to touch it. Even when the cheetah placed it in front of them, then stepped back from it to go and stand along side Kiara.

Both could feel their stomachs twisting in hunger. It been so long since they had anything decent and large. Rotten meat wasn't anything new to them. Fresh meat was often a surprise. How pathetic it was for a pride to sink as low as hyenas to scavenge for food but often they had no choice. But even dead rotten meat was becoming a hard thing to find. And here they were, standing in front of a fresh kill. And it was being offered to them.

Vitani just wanted to take it and return home before her mother came to find them. If Zira knew they had been offered food from a Pride Lander, she would make them leave it behind. Then punish them for even thinking of such a thing. Sure it had the faint scent of cheetah on it but they could easily lie and say they chased the cheetah off away from the kill.

Zawadi growled. "We don't need your charity!" She began to walk away when Vitani got in front of her.

"We haven't eaten anything in days."

"You want to accept something from the likes of them!?"

"No…but I want to eat." Vitani sighed looking her friend in the eye. "And if Nuka was here. He'd want you to eat too."

"You are his sister, shouldn't it be you he'd want you to eat some food?" Zawadi scoffed.

Vitani shook her head. "He may be my brother but he cares about you too Zawadi…he wouldn't like it if he found out you were hungry. Heck he made you eat half his meals just so you wouldn't starve."

Ears pulled back. Zawadi huffed and dug her claws into the ground. "Why should we accepted peace from them right now?"

Vitani leaned close to her lowering her voice. "So that we may become stronger and defeat them when the time comes." She knew Zawadi would give in when she saw the look in the lioness's eye. "Now is not the time to fight Zawadi. That comes another day. When the time is right for mothers plan to come into motion…for now we eat…we're not weak for accepting this peace. In truth…it'll fool the princess into thinking she can gain peace."

Seeing the truth to her words. Zawadi smirks at her friend who returned it with a smirk of her own. She looked back at Kiara who was watching them with a hopeful gaze. The princess truly was a fool. Led by the lies her family told. Thinking she could gain peace with them. Why would they ever want peace with the wrong done to their pride?

Why would Zawadi want peace with the wrong done to her family?

She didn't.

On the other hand, she could see the truth to Vitani's words. And for now she would put revenge to the back of her mind. They needed food to become stronger. So that is what they would take.

Nodding, she stepped to the side for Vitani to step forward and grab hold of the zebra and began dragging it toward the borders. There was enough space between the rocks that she could squeeze it through without difficulty. Zawadi watched with a smirk at the satisfied look that came over the princess's face. Making her think she had just won.

Zawadi went to turn to follow her friend when the prince decided to finally speak again. "You can't be serious Kiara! Why the hell would you want to feed them?" Kiev growled stepping forward. Both Vitani and Zawadi stopped walking to eye the lion closely both baring their teeth at him. But Kiev by this point wasn't having it. The Outlanders had attacked his pride and his uncle's for months when they tried to steal food from their lands.

And here Kiara, his friend, was just handing them food on a silver platter. The very lions attacking their prides. The very lions that killed her mother and siblings and had almost tried to kill her but thankfully had failed at it. And she was feeding them!

Kiev could understand peace but this was foolish in his books.

"Kiev stop…" Dinka pleaded with him.

But the prince was already making his way toward Vitani and the zebra. He went to push her away from it when Zawadi attacked him sending him to the ground growling warningly. "Stay away from us." Zawadi demanded. She glared down at him pushing her claws a bit into him as a warning. But didn't do anything else. While she could further damage him. She wasn't.

Something deep inside her seeing that look on Kiara's face made her cringe. The look of sadness, panic and horror that something could happen to her friend. Zawadi couldn't explain it but she didn't like it. For more reason than one.

Kiev growled up at her then only grunted when she put more pressure on him.

That was when a roar wrung out.

Heads snapped up and Kiara was surprised to see the male she saw earlier with Nala coming towards them. Zawadi and Vitani tensed. A young male at their age was one thing. But a grown male the size of that one coming right at them, made them suddenly tense and Zawadi jumped back from the prince and ran over to where Vitani was with the zebra.

The large lion stopped when he reached them and looked at each young one then at the Outsiders who were glaring at him. "What is going on here?" he demanded. His voice was smooth Kiara noted, but had a strong edge to it.

"They attacked us Onani!" Kiev got to his paws. Limping when he noticed he had landed on his paw badly when Zawadi had tackled him.

Onani looked at the prince, seeing the cut on his cheek then at his wounded paw. He growled looking back toward the two lionesses who scowled.

"He started it." Zawadi smirked. "Perhaps he should learn to hold his tongue."

Onani grunted and looked around at them all. Kiara in the end admitted. "We're all kind of to blame for this mess." She told him.

Zawadi looked at the princess half expecting her to sudden turn from miss peacekeeper to blaming them like the prince was. But Kiara wasn't. It was their fault to be by the borders. Kiev was the one who enticed them. She couldn't completely blame her friend, the Outsiders did do a lot of bad things and she could understand his anger. But at the same time they were just as much in the wrong at the moment.

"Kiara!"

The princess turned as she heard Nala's voice and smiled seeing the lioness come running toward them. When they heard the commotion Onani had run ahead of her to check it out. Nala right behind, who only picked up the pace when she saw it was Kiara ahead of them. "Nala."

Zawadi tensed at Nala's name. Vitani nudging her muttered. "Not the time."

The brown lioness glared at her before the one called Onani barked an order at them. "Get out of here. I am no killer of lionesses especially young ones."

Neither said a word as they grabbed the zebra and started to leave with it. While both, or more so Zawadi wanted to say and do something. Both knew the longer they took getting their meal home, the sooner Zira was going to come looking for them. Something neither of them wanted. Vitani pushing Zawadi along as they dragged the caress.

Nala who had finally caught up. Looked at her god daughter with worry. Checking her over for any injuries the moment she smelt blood. But seeing as it was not on her but father the Eastern Princess, she let out a small sigh of relief. As much as it was bad the prince was injured. Nala had feared the worst when she caught scent of the Outsiders along with Kiara's.

All she could have thought about was. Not again.

She had hoped Kiara would have learned from her first time. But with the princess' curiosity and the fact that the Southern Lands wasn't technically going into the Outlands even by the borders. She couldn't bring herself to be angry with her. Though how to say this to her father was something else. "Are you alright?" She asked.

Smiling, Kiara nodded. "Yes Aunt Nala." She rubbed her head beneath the lioness's chin. Earning a purr then a lick to the temple as she pulled away from Nala who smiled at her with relief.

"Now what were you doing out here and what happened?" Nala insisted upon knowing.

"We only wants to explore the lands more." Kiara started to explain. "We just had bad luck running into them…the one, Zawadi, just has a bad temper that's all."

Zawadi?

Who was that? Nala pondered. There was no Outsider she knew by that name. Did one of the lionesses have a cub or were they recruiting?

Nala turned her head to watch the two lionesses leaving with the caress and she suddenly froze when her eyes landed on the brown lioness. Her fur colour…it was almost the exact shade of colour as…but no it couldn't be…Nala took a step forward squinting her eyes trying to get a better look at the lioness but they were almost moving through the passage into the Outlands with the zebra. Her fur…those unique whiteness to it…Where had she seen that before?

No…she thought. It wouldn't be…

"Eshe?" She whispered.

As if the lioness heard her, their head lifted and looked straight at Nala who took a step back at the eyes that peered at her. One gray, blind as a bat she was sure. But the green one that stared right at her. But that green eye…it reminded her of someone…some one who had the exact same colour…and the exact same malice that lurked inside them.

Nala could feel her heart quickening. No…she thought. Her mind was playing tricks on her. There was no possible way…

She stood there watching as the lioness glared at her with such hate that made her want to recoil. But she didn't. Instead only watched as the lioness lowered her head again to continue helping drag the corpse further away. It was only when they were fully out of sight did she let go of the breath she was holding.

"Nala?"

Said lioness looked at who spoke. And seeing him, she smiled as Onani went to her side. A small look of concern on his face for her. It made her heart feel good to see what he was concerned for her. They had met during one of her solo hunts. When she had gone out to learn her head and have some alone time. They had met when they had literally collided heads when neither were paying too much attention and had leapt at the same antelope at the same time.

The antelope had gotten away.

But Onani certainly didn't and neither did Nala from him. After several times of apologizing and laughing it off. The two had started talking. Only when Nala thought it was time to head back to Pride Rock that Onani asked if he could see her again. That was weeks ago, and the two had been secretly meeting with each other whenever they could to get to know one another.

She couldn't say what she felt for him yet. She didn't know.

But she enjoyed his company.

That was really all that mattered to her at the moment.

Nodding her head with a sigh. Nala smiled. "Yes…I think so…I thought…"

"You thought what?" He asked.

Nala shook her head. "Nothing." It was nothing, she told herself. Just her imagination. There could be more that was going on in the Outlands than she thought. The possibility of the other ones having cubs was surely possible. Who she thought she was…that girl was dead…and never coming back.

"It's nothing…only a fools wish and hopes…" That's had to be what it was. A fools hope and dream that something good could come of something bad. But it never would. Kiara was the only good that came of that night. Her being alive.

Onani watched her for a moment more than nodded, giving her a small nuzzle and grinned as he made her purr. Nala then stepped around him and headed over to the others. She looked a Kiev. "Those cuts don't seem deep, let us get you to Rafiki for him to look you over before you head on home."

The prince sighed nodding, rubbing his sores. Dinka walked over and gave them a lick to clean them which made the prince blush beneath his fur.

Nala taking the lead with Onani the two began making their way back to the Pride Lands where they would surely find the shaman.

Kiara was the last to follow. Taking a moment to look back at the Outlands. Despite the conflict, and something deeper within her that told her that it didn't matter what nice gesture she did. The princess could not help but feel happy that she had managed to do something nice for those that needed it and managed to stop anything else from happening long enough for help to come to them.

Deep down she thought that she could feel her mother looking down on her with pride.


Another chapter done. Sorry for the wait.

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Thank you.