A/N:Teddi 8347 and CSIMentalistTLK lover-All I have to say is that there's always trouble.
Disgraceful Prince
"They are cubs!" Jabir exclaimed excitedly. "And they've seen us!" He made a move to descend the rocky slope.
"Wait...what if they are dangerous?" Akemi blinked fearfully.
"They're just cubs...come on! It might be fun" Vitani assured her, jumping up to follow Jabir.
"And where exactly do you think you're going?"
A cold voice drifted across the cubs' ears. Kovu skidded to a halt, turning to find himself facing...his mother. Jabir and Akemi gasped and pressed together, and Imani crouched against a rock. Vitani nervously sat behind a stone. Zira looked very angry as she paced closer to the five.
"Ex-exploring..." Kovu muttered softly, ears flat against his head.
He stole a glance into the lush savannah. The cubs that had been approaching them had paused, at the very base of the slope, looking up with worried expressions.
"You are far past the boundary of the Outlands." Zira continued icily. "What on earth do you think you are doing?"
"Just…playing…" Vitani said in a slightly fearful voice.
Her eyes darted nervously to the cubs at the base of the hills.
"And who are they?" Zira followed her gaze, staring with narrowed eyes down at the nine strangers.
"We don't know. They were playing down there…we thought we'd go and play with them." Kovu answered guiltily.
"Most certainly not!" Zira hissed. "I want you five home to the mounds. Now." She gave Kovu and Vitani a rough nudge. "Chika"
A creamy grey lioness came trotting up, expression grim. She gasped as she saw Kovu and the others, relief evident in her eyes. "Oh, Imani!" She moaned, galloping towards her cub. "We were so worried!"
Imani crept towards her, looking relieved to have another adult besides Zira there, and especially her mother. She covered her daughter in loving licks for a moment, her face changing to sternness as she gazed around at all five. "You must come home immediately—your parents are frantic." She grabbed Imani by the scruff and nudged Akemi ahead. "Come along."
With a last glance down the slope, Kovu followed Chika and Akemi. Jabir shook his pelt and padded beside Vitani as they went after. Zira watched them go with a annoyed gleam in her eyes. She turned to face the nine cubs at the bottom of the slope, looking nervous and wary as they gazed up. She began to descend the stones, to send off the other cubs.
Mheetu stepped back. "Maybe we should go home." He said shakily as the pale tan lioness approached them.
Jeshi looked rather scared himself, despite standing protectively in front of the younger ones.
"Yes…please." Skye whispered, shaking.
Mheetu nuzzled her comfortingly, while Kito pressed against Kishindo. Mheetu was surprised at her act of comfort, but then again, she must feel just as fearful. This lioness did not have a friendly look on her face. Zira halted a few paces from the tallest cub, whose mane was growing in. In fact, he was more of a teenager than a cub.
"What pride are you from?" She asked harshly, her red eyes darting from each cub.
"Mountainlanders…." The tall one replied, not meeting Zira's gaze.
Zira sniffed. Of course—their neighboring pride, that little brat Malka's small pride. She was in the Mountain Pride…she hadn't visited since she had been with Scar on their tour of neighboring prides. At that time Malka's father was alive and king. Zira's gaze shifted to one of the smaller cubs, a creamy brown-pelted, green blue-eyed male. He looked…just like Nala with her beloved eyes.
She felt anger bubble inside her. "You, cub." She shook a claw at the creamy brown one, who trembled and blinked wide eyes up at her.
"Y-yes?" Mheetu squeaked out. Skye pressed comfortingly against his side. What did this strange lioness want with him? She had a horrible notch in one of her ears, making her look even more threatening.
"Who is your mother? Your father?" The lioness growled, tail swishing from side-to-side.
"My mother…is Nabii…and my father is Malka…" Mheetu replied nervously, having no clue where this was leading to.
Zira blinked. He was Nala's child! And she knew that Nala abandoned the cub and the brat Malka took him in. The pride must have hidden this cub's true mother, and gave him a foster to hide it to less complicate things. Zira sunk his claws into the ground. She remembers how Scar dethroned her and took Nala as his new queen. And the whore gave birth to a healthy cub that Scar approved. Mheetu quivered as the lioness seemed to grow angrier. He stepped back, Skye trembling all the while. And the lioness pounced. Scar hit the ground, standing above the creamy brown cub of Nala's. She kicked away the little one that had been pressed to his side, she tumbled away squalling. The tall one let out an outraged yowl, and the others all hissed and whimpered and backed away. Mheetu gasped as he fell back under the lioness, who gazed furiously down at him. The lioness raised her paw, and struck Mheetu across the cheek. Mheetu wailed with pain as blood blossomed on the wounds. The lioness slashed him again, and Mheetu flipped over and attempted to run away. He felt more pain on his back as the claws sunk into his flesh. He yowled and yowled as the lioness attacked. Through pain-squinting eyes, he could see Jeshi trying to hurt the lioness as well as Kito and Kishindo. Nzuri was fleeing, yelling for her mother and Nabii and Malka and the rest of the pride. Skye was screaming endlessly, her high-pitched voice stinging Mheetu's ears and making him furious at the lioness for scaring the little she-cub. He hissed and whipped around, landing a blow on the lioness' leg. She recoiled and snarled, slamming a paw against Mheetu's side and making him stumble back. The pale tan lioness lunged and sunk her teeth into Mheetu's shoulder. Mheetu screeched. And suddenly, the lioness' weight vanished. Panting, Mheetu blinked open his eyes and gazed around. Shock and relief filled his body as he saw Nabii roaring and clawing at the lioness. Malka was bending over to Mheetu, eyes panicked and angry. Shinda was circling the fighting lionesses, spitting, and Sora and Eve were nudging the rest of the cubs back towards the cave. Mheetu quivered, looking at his father. He then sunk into unconsciousness.