Next chapter, this one is longer and I may have rushed it a little, but there will be more action to come. Enjoy,

'Nala…I'm sorry.' Was Simba's last thought before he was dragged away. He woke up later with a sharp pain in his head. He winced and tried to stand up, but he was trapped inside a small, metal cage. His leg was bleeding slightly, but the blood had mostly coagulated. 'Where am I?' he thought. It was nighttime and the sky was pitch black, decorated with stars, the great kings. He looked around and discovered a fire, with the invaders huddled around it, laughing and drinking.

"Ey' look! The lion's awake!" the bald, fat man exclaimed, slurring his words. He got up groggily, walking in a crooked pattern as he made his way to the cage which was perched on the back of a truck. "Aww, poor little kitty." He mocked Simba, and stuck his finger in. Simba growled and he pulled his finger out. "Well, you'll fetch a hefty price on the black market. People love lion pelts!" the men laughed with him and the fat man made his way back to the campfire. Simba grimaced and thrashed his claw against the steel cage, but to no avail.

"We're not done yet men! I saw a big herd of zebra today, we'll hit em' tomorrow!" the boss like man said, lifting his glass of alcohol into the air. The men cheered in excitement, downing the glasses.

"I gotta take a piss." One of the men got up from the circle and made his way behind the truck, opening his zipper and letting it go. He moaned, losing his balance from the pints of alcohol he downs. Simba looked at him in disgust, and something caught his eye in the dark as his eyes adjusted, but he waved it off, thinking it was his mind playing tricks. The man finished peeing and zipped up his pants, just as a heavy weight knocked him to the ground and out. Simba gasped and realized it was Kovu.

"Simba, we're going to get you out. Just wait a minute." Kovu whispered and looked towards the group of humans. They didn't hear him knock out the man.

"Where's…where's Nala?" Simba's head suddenly felt light. The men had drugged him while he was knocked out. "Where…where is she?" he was lightheaded, losing his vision slowly.

"She's over there. Her and Kiara are going to create a distraction. Just wait." Kovu whispered softly again. Simba nodded slightly.

Meanwhile with Nala and Kiara, they had to create a distraction so Kovu could break Simba out.

"What do we do?" Kiara asked her mother, watching the humans. Nala had a thoughtful look on her face. She thought for a few minutes before her face lit up. She had an idea.

"I don't think they can see us from there. Roar." Nala replied, sucking in air to let out a loud roar. Kiara followed suit and they both roared an earthshaking roar. This caused the drunken men to fall backwards from their perches. The boss man took his rifle and cocked it, aiming towards where he heard the sound, but it was pitch dark and he couldn't see a thing. The alcohol was buzzing his vision, but he ignored it.

"Hey, Lewis, get the night vision." He said quietly. Lewis, very drunk, wobbled over to the truck and came out with rifles and night vision binoculars. He handed one to the boss and handed out rifles. The boss looked through the binoculars, spotting an outline in the grass. He motioned over towards the grass and slowly walked over towards there, his rifle at the ready. The men followed, or at least tried to, all of them mostly pass drunk.

"Now Kiara!" Nala whispered, as they both pounced into different directions. Explosions of gunfire followed suit as Kovu lashed at the lock on the cage. It took him a few tries but he got it eventually. Simba was almost passed out, as Kovu pulled him onto his back. Simba was heavy, almost twice Kovu's size, but Kovu was strong and he could support him. He ran off into the dark, towards Priderock. Nala and Kiara were dodging bullets, running in patterns as the drunken men fired at them. They managed to get a safe distance, but they didn't stop running till they got to Priderock. Kovu didn't stop running, he ran his hardest. Well, as hard as he could with a lion twice his size on his back. As he got to Priderock, he collapsed on the ground as the lionesses came down from the cave, helping him and Simba up. Nala and Kiara arrived soon after, and Nala didn't hesitate to warn the lionesses of the situation.

"Listen up. I know this is hard to hear, but we can't stay here at Priderock." She said. All the lionesses gasped, as well as Timon and Pumbaa.

"Why not? What happened to Simba?" he got off Pumbaa's back and slapped Simba's face, trying to wake him up. He was out cold.

"The invaders are on the move. Eventually they will reach Priderock, and we won't stand a chance if they have those weapons. We need to move to a safer place." She frowned and looked at Simba. "If they can do this to Simba, imagine what they could…WOULD do to us." She looked at Simba solemnly, a tear escaping her eye. Pumbaa tried to comfort her, and she looked all the lionesses in the face. "We need to move now, let's go." Kovu nodded and was about to pick up Simba again, but Pumbaa beat him to it.

"I got Simba, you lead the pride." Pumbaa smiled at Kovu and he nodded in agreement. Kiara, Nala and Kovu led the pride in front, Pumbaa and the lionesses followed as they made their way through the fields, away from the invaders…away from their home. Nala looked back at the place she was born, the place she was raised, the place she grew up, the place she ruled over with Simba by her side. Then she remembered Simba. How much she wanted to say she was sorry, how much she wanted to hear him say it, how she wished he was awake.

"Nala, where are we headed?" Timon called out, perched on a lions back. Nala looked back and smiled.

"Your old home."

They were in the desert, an end not in sight. They walked slowly, preserving their energy, as the sun beat down on them, dragging them down. They had been running all night and Simba still hadn't woken up. It was about mid day the next day. Pumbaa had traded off with Kovu, since he carried him all night. Kovu, staying strong for the pride, led them with Simba on his back. No doubt he was tired, but his mother had trained him hard, to persevere when the obstacle seemed endless. Kiara was thirsty no doubt. All of them were. Timon was lazily hanging off of the lions back.

"It seemed closer than this." Nala said softly, panting. She looked over at the pride, whom was equally exhausted. "Vitani!" she called out and young lioness made her way to the front where Nala was.

"Yes?" her eyes were droopy from lack of sleep and she was tired, but she wouldn't show it.

"How much energy do you have to…scout ahead?" Nala asked, the heat getting unbearable. Vitani nodded, and started a slow running pace ahead. Eventually she faded from sight, and Nala sighed, hoping she would make it. She looked at Simba's face, expressionless. She couldn't help but lower her head and she walked towards Simba on Kovu's back and nuzzled his red mane. She wanted him to wake up, to lead the pride to safety, to fight for them. But mostly, she wanted to hear his carefree laugh again.

"Nala," it was Pumbaa talking. He was walking next to her. Nala turned to him in question. "don't worry, he'll be alright. If i know Simba at all, its that he's too stubborn to quit! Especially when he has something to look forward to when he wakes up." Pumbaa smiled sheepishly and Nala chuckled.

"That's sweet of you Pumbaa, thank you." she looked back at Simba's face. Timon jumped on top of Simba.

"Yeah, Simba's our guy. If he does die, I'd have to hurt someone!" he started laughing, but Nala didn't find it funny at all. Neither did Pumbaa. Pumbaa snorted at Timon, knocking him off of Simba.

"If there ever was a wrong thing to say, that would've been it Timon." Kiara whispered to him. Timon sighed and jumped on Kiara's back.

"I was just trying to comfort Nala!" he pouted. Kiara laughed.

"My mother's stronger than you think." she said, admiring her mother while she did. She never really saw her mother's true strength until it showed. She was strong, brave and stubborn, a good combination...sometimes. Kiara spotted something in the distance, and realized it was Vitani. "Mom! Look!" Kiara's face lightened, as well as everyone elses, when they spotted Vitani making her way back, a bounce in her gallop. Her face was drenched.

"Just a little further!" she exclaimed, taking off again.

"Thank goodness!" Nala exclaimed, as all the lionesses spirits were brought up. They started a steady, jogging pace and after about 10 minutes of that, they saw the green trees of the paradise Simba had lived in, growing up with Timon and Pumbaa. Timon and Pumbaa welcomed back their old home. They spotted water, most importantly, as they all found some reserve energy, sprinting towards the water, not hesitating to jump in it. The lionesses took long drinks and dipped their bodies in. Kovu slowly set Simba off his back onto the ground, while he took a long, much needed drink. Timon, after drenching his entire body, splashed water onto Simba's face like from when he was a cub when they found him. Simba's eyes pinched as he slowly opened them, his vision still blurry. He cleared his eyes and looked around at where he was. He still felt weak from the drugs.

"Where…" he saw all the lionesses, Timon, Pumbaa, Kiara and Kovu. When his eyes landed on Nala, he sprang to life, but then winced at the sharp pain in his leg. He lifted his leg and hobbled over to Nala, meeting her face. Everyone left to give them some privacy. "Nala…"

"Don't say it Simba. I'm sorry for…for what I did. The way I acted." She frowned and lowered her head. Simba looked at her and then frowned as well.

"No. You don't have to apologize for anything. I got angry at you for trying to help me, which was wrong of me. I was just…" he sighed, "…I was scared. Scared that I could've lost you. Scared that I would wake up…and you wouldn't be there. A future without you would be unbearable." He lowered his head, the loose hair of his mane covering his eyes. Nala looked at him, a single tear falling from her eye.

"Simba…" she nuzzled his mane again, and he did the same. He smiled and led them into the jungle, where the pride waited for them.

"So I hope you two are back together!" Timon exclaimed, jumping on Pumbaa's back. Pumbaa snorted again and Simba just chuckled.

"We were never apart." He looked at Nala and she smiled. Kiara smiled at them, nuzzling her dad and her mom. Kovu watched and smiled, then Simba spoke up to him.

"Kovu, I'd like to say this." Simba sat down, resting his injured leg. Kovu listened up intently. "I've watched you grow from a young lion, to an older, stronger lion. You carried me across the desert in deathly heat, never faltering or giving up. I'm pleased to say that you will be a strong king someday." Simba smiled. Kovu gasped in surprise and Kiara smiled wide. Nala smiled as well.

"Simba…thank you for saying that." Kovu lowered his head in a bow.

"But…" Simba wasn't finished, "…don't let your power blind your vision. You need to remember the lion you love, and what you're protecting…as king. I think you'll be ready when the sun sets on my time." Simba then smiled, walking off towards the oasis where he and Nala had spent their time together. Kovu was speechless, and the lionesses congratulated him. Kiara smiled.

"And I'll be by your side." She gave him a quick nuzzle and walked off. Kovu felt empowered hearing Simba say that, and it filled his heart with pride.

Nala had followed Simba into the jungle, him unaware of it. He bent down and took a drink out of the pool, memories flooding his head. The oasis was as beautiful as ever. The clear blue water, the delicate colors decorating the serene waterfall. The scene, so serene and peaceful, it would make anyone forget there was no world outside of this place. Nala had emerged and took a drink as well, the same spot as last time. Simba looked at her and rose a brow. She grinned playfully and he limped over behind her, jumping into the pool from a vine again. Nala laughed as she kept her distance so she wouldn't be pulled in, and Simba emerged, grinning at her. He walked over like he was going to jump in again, but instead he pushed her in from behind, laughing the whole time. Nala emerged, not enjoying the feeling of being wet. She shook herself dry and followed as Simba ran off (or limped) deeper into the jungle towards the plains. They made their way down a hill and Nala lost her balance as she started to roll down the hill, dragging Simba with her. They both laughed as they tumbled down the hill. When they reached the bottom, Simba had ended up on the bottom this time.

"Pinned ya." Nala said softly, smiling at him. As Simba lifted his paw, Nala thought he was going to flip them over, but instead he pulled her face down for a tender lick on the cheek. She smiled at this gesture and nuzzled his mane. This truly was a special place for them.

"Looks like we're on the right trail." The boss examined paw prints indented in the soft soil, heading towards the desert.

"Why is this lion so important, boss?" Lewis asked, wiping the sweat off of his bald head. The boss grimaced and drew his hand gun, pointing it at Lewis' head. All the men were silent, watching as Lewis trembled in fear.

"Because no one, not even a damn animal, makes a mockery of me!" he exclaimed, pulling the trigger. The gun clicked. Lewis' life flashed before his eyes as he prepared for the bullet to lodge in between his eyes, but it never came. The boss smirked and put his hand gun away. Lewis almost fainted as he fell to the ground on his butt. "Let's get the trucks boys. That lion is mine."

here's chapter 3. If you do read, please review, I'd like some more reviewers besides King Ligerion lol. Thank you! Please review, no flames.

SP1R17