Chapter 17

Late that same afternoon, Kiara waited impatiently in her cave with Kijari. She was worried that Vitani didn't make it to the Outlands, and was caught by the hyenas…or worse, Kovu.

At that moment, a scruffy-looking lion was thrown into the cave. He jumped up and bounced around the place, growling.

"I know you're coming, Kovu!" he sneered. "I can smell your scent, dear brother…"

"Aren't you Nuka?" Kiara asked the strange lion. "Vitani told me about you…but I thought you were…"

"Dead? Ha!" Nuka laughed. "That's what they all thought…but now he's back, to take his place as king.

Kiara rolled her eyes. This is certainly Kovu's brother… she thought, noticing how similar the lion's pride was to her own mate's. But then she realized something…

"Kovu's coming here?!" Kiara gasped.

"Uh, yeah!" Nuka replied sarcastically. "Tani didn't go to well with the hyenas-"

"This is awful!" Kiara cried. She got up, picked up Kijari, and thrust the cub into Nuka's paws.

"What the heck is this thing?" Nuka nagged.

"It's your nephew," Kiara told him quickly, pushing the lion into a tight corner in the back of the cave. "Now be quiet!"

"Who are you talking to?"

Kiara spun around to see Kovu, standing at the doorway.

"Oh…uh…I'm pretending our cubs are here!" Kiara told him, giving him a smile.

"You're as pathetic as your father, my dear…" her mate groaned.

"My father was not pathetic!" Kiara growled, facing the king. "He was a loving ruler and parent."

"I see you still want to have cubs…" Kovu sighed. "There is really no need for them…I'm going to be the last king of the Pride Lands…"

"You're going to die, someday," Kiara objected. "What will happen then? Hmm?"

"The hyenas will take it," Kovu replied, casually. "It would be better than anything you would be the mother to…"

At that moment, Kiara found her courage and attacked the king, but Kovu easily swiped her with his paw. "So pathetic…" he snickered.

Just as he turned to leave, a group of hyenas arrived, with a beat-up Vitani. She laid on the cave floor, breathing heavily.

Kovu came up to his sister, and grabbed her by the neck with extended claws. "We may be family, Tani…" he told her. "But if I catch you trying to find old Simba again, you will die." He then threw her to the ground, and left the cave.

As soon as his brother left, Nuka peeked from his hiding place. "Is it okay to come out now?"

"Yeah, sure…" Kiara muttered, trying to pull herself towards Vitani. She brought the lioness closer to her, and put Vitani's head in her own paws.

Vitani's eyes opened, and she looked up at Kiara, smiling weakly. "I'm glad to see that you're still in one piece," she whispered.

"Barely," Kiara sighed. "What are we going to do?"

"I really don't know…" Vitani said sadly. "I mean, I can't talk to him without joining the Detention Pride…"

"And he thinks I'm a horrible excuse for a queen…" Kiara mumbled. "He may be right about that one…"

"Uh, ladies?" Nuka interrupted. "Sorry for saying this, but…have you ever considered attacking Kovu and the hyenas."

"Already tried it, Nuka," Vitani groaned. "I think somebody tries to form a battle every moon, but it never works. There are too many hyenas!"

"Maybe you need a stronger leader." her brother suggested. "Well…personally, I don't think I could do so well, but if I'm all you got…"

Kiara looked up at him and smiled. "Thanks, but maybe we need someone with a bit more experience…"

"Like your parents?" Vitani asked.

"Yes…if Dad was here, everything would be so much better…"

"Did something mention me?"

All of them looked towards the cave entrance. There they saw Simba, smiling at them all.