Chapter 16

It was late in the day. Kimba and Kayla were heading back to the cave, along with Timon and Pumbaa. Vitani had been right about one thing- the Outlands were certainly a better place to live. During the past few years, the land was able to get the much-needed rain. Plants were able to grow, and animals fled into the kingdom, hoping to escape Kovu's reign. The family still had no idea what was going on, though…

As the friends walked along the river, Timon suddenly jumped in.

"Timon, that's the fifth time you've jumped in today!" Kimba groaned.

"Can't you still see the bruises?" Timon asked, massaging a dark spot on his ear.

"Uh…no!" Kayla lied. "You're back to your handsome self!"

"She's right, Timon!" Pumbaa agreed. "Well…except for the broken ear…black eye…dirt coming out of your nose…"

Timon sighed. "For some reason, I didn't like that comment." He then plopped on his back, and did backstrokes. "Come on! Join me!"

Kimba and Kayla looked at each other, but with mischievous looks…

Timon sighed again, as he floated in the water. "Isn't it so calm, so peaceful…guys?" He looked around, but couldn't see his companions anywhere. "Guys? Now where did they go…

"Yeeeee-haaa!"

Timon looked up to see the twins and Pumbaa above him, jumping from adjacent rocks. They landed in the river with a splash. The waves forced Timon onto the shore.

"That's it!" the meerkat yelled. "Where's Binti?"

"She went home with Scar," Kimba replied. "Why?"

"Why?" Timon shrieked. "Enough is enough! I'm sick of that little brat pushing me around!"

"That was a pretty nice roar…" Pumbaa told him.

"Whose side are you on?" Timon shouted.

"Timon, you can't go blaming Binti for everything!" Kayla exclaimed. "We jumped in, not her!"

"Besides, she's just a cub!" Kimba added.

"Just a cub!" Timon repeated. "That's what they said about your father…"

Timon shuffled off, leaving water all over the ground. Pumbaa jumped out of the water, and followed him.

Kimba and Kayla watched them go, and then looked at each other.

"What was that about?" Kimba asked.

"I don't know…" Kayla replied, sounding worried. "You don't think he really wants Binti gone, do you?"

"It wouldn't surprise me," Kimba told her. "He's been wanting her out since day one."

"Well she's not going…but what was with that part about Dad?"

"I'm not sure…he's never really mentioned him before now."

"Do you think something is wrong in the Pride Lands?" Kayla gasped.

"I'm sure everything is fine, Kayla," Kimba assured his twin. As they got out of the water, he then added, "It wouldn't matter anyway. It's not our problem…right?"

"We're going to the Pride Lands tomorrow?"

"I know it's sudden…" Scar began to say. "But your grandparents planned to take you back once you were ready…and now you are!"

The twins still looked unsure, so Scar added, "Everything will be just fine. I'm sure you'll love your new home."

Scar left the pair, and went inside. Meanwhile, Kimba and Kayla were speechless. All they could do was stare at Pride Rock… their true home.

"You know…" Kimba finally said. When we were cubs, I wanted to leave this place so badly…but now I'm not so sure."

"I know what you mean," Kayla agreed. "I don't understand why Scar would want to go back, though…Nobody there likes him because of his past, and the chances are slim that they'd like Binti either…"

Kayla sighed, and came up close to her brother. Kimba laid his head on hers, and nuzzled. "I guess we should hope for the best tomorrow," He told her. "I think we're going to need it."

Around midday, the family reached the Pride Lands/Outlands border, but were welcomed by the disturbing state of their home. This definitely reminded the older lions of what Scar did to the Pride Lands- but this seemed much worse. If they had any confidence in going home, the idea of Kovu living up to his destiny took it all away.

"I knew this was a bad idea." Scar admitted.

"Are you giving up?" Kayla asked.

"Of course not!" Scar protested. "It just scares me a little that someone can destroy the Pride Lands better than I can!"

"Don't you want to know how this happened?" Kimba asked.

"Of course!"

"Then let's go!"