The grey lion bristled. The soft ground below him bore deep groves, where he had been gripping it with his claws. Letting out a sotf growl, he readied himself to pounce. However, his mother held him back.
"Mother," growled Vengeance, "why don't we just attack them now. They are weak and tired from their journey."
Zira shook her head. "No!" she snapped. "They are close to Simba. Give me time and I will create a plan to use them, to get to Simba." Vengence smiled and glanced over to where Halima sat beside him. She was ready to spring at a moment's notice if he told her to, but her face bore signs of fear. The light lioness feared Vengeance – that was why she was so obedient.
"Come on," murmured Zira, turning and leading the way off through the trees. Giving the floxes on last look, Vengeance followed after his mother, glaring at her retreating back. Halima walked close beside him, silent as ever.
Time passed and the floxes lived peacefully and safely in the jungle. Soon, Jamela gave birth to a tiny flox cub. He had the same soft fluffy fur as his parents, and a thick tail. His small brown eyes looked lovingly up at his proud parents.
"What shall we name him?" Jamela asked her mate, as they looked down with joy on their young cub.
Anis thought for a long moment. Then, with a smile, he licked the tiny flox.
"His name will be Jayson."
Far off, in the Pride Lands, another creature lay with a new born cub. In the cave at Pride Rock, Kiara lay with a small cub resting in her paws. He had rust colored fur, and the firey eyes of the Kings. He had a small tuft of dark fur on top of his head.
Kovu walked quietly into the cave and looked down on his tiny son. Lying down next to Kiara, the dark lion smiled, his heart bursting with happiness. As he lay in silence near the tired mother, Kovu was deep in thought. How would things have been different if he had carried through with his evil mother's plan from so long ago? Certainly he would not be the proud father he was now. A shadow fell across the group and Kovu looked up to meet the eyes of Simba. The King motioned for Kovu to follow him, and so, giving Kiara and their cub a soft lick, Kovu got up and followed.
The pair walked in silence up to the top of Pride Rock, where they sat in the darkness. Slowly, the sun began to rise, and its warm rays began to stretch across the land. Looking curiously over at Simba, Kovu wondered what the King had wanted.
"Kovu," Simba began, "The time is coming for the sun to set on my reign. You have grown wise and strong. Today, when Rafiki presents your son as the future heir, the sun will rise on your time. I will name you King!"
Kovu looked to the lion he had grown to love as the father he never knew. How things had changed between the two of them!
"Thank you sire," Kovu said, moving to bow to the King, but Simba stopped him. Instead, the golden lion bent and Kovu felt overwhelmed with emotion.
"You are my son and the one true King," Simba told him, repeating the words his own father had once told him. Then turning, he gave Kovu a smile before departing down the rocks.
In this silence that followed, Kovu turned back and looked across the stretching lands. The sun now rested on everything as far as the eye could see and Kovu felt a sense of growing pride. Suddenly, this was all his! Remembering what Simba had told him about the Great Kings, Kovu looked up at the blue sky and whispered his thanks before making his way down to the cave.
As Kovu entered the cave, he could see Simba standing on the long point of Pride Rock, calling for the animals to come. His mighty roar echoed through the Pride Lands and Kovu smiled. In a short time, that would be him.
Settling down next to Kiara, the dark lion waited until she woke up. Smiling, the creamy lioness looked down at the cub laying next to her.
"Isn't he wonderful?" she whispered, and Kovu nodded his agreement.
"What are we going to name him?" The pair was silent as they thought over the names they had previously selected. After a few minutes, they nodded in agreement, and then Kiara carefully woke up the young cub.
The rusty colored lion blinked and looked up to his mother. But instead of seeing her kind face, a wrinkled blue one loomed over him, its eyes wide and its mouth broken into a large smile. The tiny cub squeaked in fear, and tried to scramble away.
"Oh my baby, it's only Rafiki," whispered Kiara to her cub, well remembering the first time she had seen the baboon. Chuckling, Kovu pushed his son back towards Rafiki, who smeared a brown streak across the cub's right shoulder and then sprinkled dust on it. Then, looking to the parents for his name, Rafiki nodded as they spoke.
"Come, Kimoni," Rafiki said and the cub looked around in confusion as the baboon picked him up, and walked out of the cave. Kovu and Kiara followed, and joined the pair at the point of Pride Rock, where Simba and Nala stood waiting. Stepping forwards in front of the four lions, Rafiki suddenly lifted the cub high into the air. An explosion of noise began, and Kimoni looked down in amazement to see thousands of things gathered below them. Kovu and Kiara looked on with pride as the animals cheered for their son and then respectfully dipped their heads and lowered themselves. Soon, however, Kimoni had seen enough excitement. The cub tried desperately to scramble out of Rafiki's grasp, so the baboon bent and placed him on the ground. Kiara picked him up and made her way towards the cave, with Nala following closely. Simba and Kovu remained where they were however, and soon the animals fell silent. They knew something special was about to happen.
Pausing for a moment, Simba glanced up at the sky. A growing feeling of strength within him let him know that he was choosing the right thing. Letting out a loud, commanding roar, he turned and faced Kovu. Meeting the dark lion's eyes for a moment, he nodded slowly. Then, he lowered himself into a bow. Below them, the animals looked on as Simba passed his throun down to his chosen heir. Following suit, they began to bow – not one animal remained standing. Kovu looked over the gathered crowd and then roared with all his strength. For the very first time, his kingly roar echoed through out the Pride Lands.
At the sound of Kovu's roar, Nala and Kiara came rushing out of the cave to join the other lionesses. Kiara looked on in amazement at her father, bowing to the new King. Nala's eyes softened. Suddenly she felt something next to her leg and the lioness looked down. Kimoni stood there, his wide eyes begging for her to tell him what was happening.
Smiling, Nala answered. "One day Kimoni, that will be you. One day you will be king!"
The little cub looked again to where his father stood, and jumped when the lion let out another loud roar. This time, Simba stood and joined in, as did the lionesses. Below them, the animals rose to their feet and sounded out their cheers for the new king. Once they had exiled him, but he had proved his worth. No longer would he be shunted or jeered at. Now he was Kovu, King of the Pride Lands!
At the edge of the jungle, Anis sat silently with his young cub, Jayson. Together, they had watched the ceremony, and even now, could hear the distant cries of the animals watching below the mighty rock.
"Well done Simba," whispered the flox leader. Then smiling down at his son, he turned to lead him back home. As the floxes set off, three shadows melted back into the trees. They were the shadows that always watched the floxes – searching for their weakness, and waiting for the chance to attack. Their hearts were full of vengeance.