Here's chapter 13 and please review. Reminder that I don't own Lion King, Disney does.

I'd like to thank Raina, Alexnich, balto90, Aggregate Dragon, Teddi 8347, Princess Meria, Chainsaw-Lipstick, Maua BlackLouie, CSIMentalistTLK lover, and my guest review for reviewing. And for those who asked if Simba is going to come back, maybe he will, maybe he won't. Or maybe he won't come back on time. You'll just have to wait and see!

In this chapter, we have gone ahead in time to where Kiara and Kopa are finishing off their cub years and are about to enter their adolescent years.

As days turned into weeks and week turned into months, Nala watched with an aching heart as her son followed in Scar's paw prints every day.

At first it had started with the training and him starting to lose his temper at anyone who bothered him. That included Nala. He spent every minute he could training whether it was by himself, with his siblings, with the hyenas or with Scar. Nala would see him wrestling brutally with the hyenas until the hyenas backed off.

Then he had mostly stopped playing, saying that it was a waste of time to do so. Nala would see him play once in a while but not often.

Kopa had begun spending much more time with Scar and was slowly beginning to gain darkness in his soul like Scar did. Nala had done as much as she could to keep him away from Scar but it was impossible to keep it up since to Kopa, Scar was his father.

Kopa had now improved greatly from training and was perhaps better than his half-brothers. Nala was happy about that but she wished that could have happened in a way that hadn't taken her son's innocence.

She had done all she could to stop that from happening but even she had a limit to what she could do.

Nala noticed that Kiara hadn't liked Kopa's huge a change on bit, but there was nothing that she could do to have her old brother back. Nala could tell that Kiara was hurting inside and she knew that Kopa could as well.

She knew that Kopa still cared about his family and friends. He still cared but he just didn't show it. But Nala knew that if things kept going like this, before long Kopa wouldn't care about his family and friends either.

Her sadness turned into anger one night when Kopa had lost his temper at Kiara.

All three of them were in the den, with Kiara and Kopa both full and clean. Kopa was dozing a little ways off from Nala, while Kiara had just finished her bath.

"Kopa!" Kiara cried, pouncing on her brother. "Come play with me!"

"I don't want to," Kopa grumbled. "It's a waste of time and energy."

"Please?" Kiara asked. "We haven't played in such a long time!"

"Go away Kiara!" Kopa hissed. "I wanna get some rest!"

"But I-" Kiara began, but she was cut off.

"Leave me alone!" Kopa snapped, jumping up and throwing himself at Kiara. Kiara let out a yelp of surprise and flew across the den, landing with a thud against the wall.

"Ow!" Kiara cried, rubbing her head, tears escaping her eyes.

"Kiara!" Nala jumped up and rushed to her daughter. She gently pulled Kiara up, nudging and nuzzling her, making sure that nothing was broken.

"Where does it hurt?" Nala asked.

"My head." Kiara sniffed. Nala gently nudged the top of her head and Kiara winced.

Nala turned around and looked at Kopa who had been eyeing the scene a bit worried.

"Kopa," Nala said, angrily. "What do you have to say?"

"I'm not sorry." Kopa said.

"Kopa..." Nala growled.

"I'm not sorry Mom." Kopa shrugged. "She wasn't leaving me alone and she got the punishment she deserved. Like Dad says, acting like that is better and he's right."

Nala looked at her son in horror as the words came out of his mouth. Had Kopa really said that? Had he said that his own sister deserved to get hurt?

"I thought I raised you better than this Kopa." Nala said, shaking her head. She picked Kiara up and stormed out of the den leaving him alone.

Nala carried Kiara a distance away from the dens before setting her down. She was getting heavier and would be entering her adolescent age in about a year and was no longer the tiny cub she had been.

"Mom, it doesn't hurt that much." Kiara said, nuzzling Nala but Nala knew that she was only saying that because she didn't want Nala worrying.

"You'll feel better soon." Nala assured and cradled Kiara in her paws until her head stopped throbbing. Scar joined them after a while.

"Kiara?" Scar asked. "What happened?"

Kiara explained every detail of what had happen. Scar nodded thoughtfully.

"Perhaps you should be like your brother then. Nothing can hurt him and wouldn't that be nice if nothing could hurt you either?" Scar asked.

"Yeah!" Kiara said. "I should start taking yours and Kopa's advice too!"

"No," Nala mentally pleaded. "Not my other cub as well."

"That's my good girl. Now run along to sleep. I'm staying with your mother for a while." Scar said. Nala rolled her eyes, knowing very well what he wanted.

"Alright, goodnight." Kiara said, giving both her parents a nuzzle before heading into the den.

"Come my dear." Scar purred. "Let's find a private den of our own." He licked her cheek as both of them got up. Nala didn't notice Zira in the shadows, glaring at her with pure hate.

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Tanabi however was no different from what he had been. He had improved greatly from training, but he wasn't falling under Scar's influence like his brothers.

That was thanks to the rebel Pride.

Whenever he wasn't training, or spending time with mother and relatives, he would be with the rebel Pride. He enjoyed it there and the adults were very nice to him. He loved staying in the den at night and listening to stories along with the other cubs.

The adults told them stories of what the land used to look like and Tanabi was amazed. He had never thought that the Pridelands had looked so nice. He had also heard stories of his late uncle, Mufasa and cousin, Simba and how they had died in the gorge.

From what he knew, Mufasa had been a wonderful king and everyone had been happy under his reign. He had made sure that the Pridelands were full with beauty and life.

And after a while, Tanabi had decided he wanted to be just like him.

Mufasa had been a good king, and he wanted to be like that as well. His father didn't seem to maintain the Pridelands as well as Mufasa had. Everyone had loved Mufasa and he wanted to be a king who everyone loved.

He didn't tell anything to his father. Nala, and the adults of the rebel Pride had told him that Scar would be angry if he knew what Tanabi thought and Tanabi knew that they were right. His mother, Kana often asked him what he did in the den and Tanabi had told her that he enjoyed playing with his friends there and listening to stories. Kana seemed to be okay with it.

Now all Tanabi had to make sure of was that he got chosen to be King.

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Nala was walking up Priderock a few days later when she felt someone bump into her. She looked down to see Vitani.

"Sorry!" Vitani said, giving Nala a sheepish grin.

Nala smiled, "It's alright." Unlike her mother, Vitani seemed to be growing into a sweet lioness. Of course, Nala had seen how she was when she got angry and determined but other than that, she was fine. She spent a lot of time with Scar, and seemed to be taking after him a bit, but not much.

"Vitani, what are you doing going out this late? It's nearly time to go to sleep." Nala said.

Vitani shrugged. "Mom's in a bad mood and she always takes her anger out on me when she's in a bad mood."

"I see," Nala said, nodding. She felt sorry for Vitani. She was only a cub and her mother took her anger out on her. It wasn't Vitani's fault that she had turned out a girl and Scar had disowned Zira, but Nala knew that Zira didn't care. As far as Zira was concerned, the reason that she had lost the throne was because of Nala and Vitani.

"Why don't you come and play with Kiara until your mother calms down?" Nala suggested, and Vitani nodded. The two of them went into the den where Kiara was sitting next to Kopa who was asleep.

Nala watched her daughter and Vitani play for a while until she focused her attention on her son. Kopa was sound asleep and right now he looked so much like Simba. He may act like Scar, but no matter what he was Simba's son.

Flashback

"Kopa!" Nala called. "Come on, it's your feeding time." She smiled as her three and a half year old son ran as fast as he could to her.

"I missed you Mom!" Kopa exclaimed, nuzzling his head against Nala's muzzle.

"I missed you too." Nala smiled licking the top of his head.

"I'm so hungry!" Kopa exclaimed as Nala scooped him up and placed him at her side so he could nurse.

After Kopa was done, he turned back to Nala.

"Mom, how come Kiara's not back yet?" Kopa asked, folding his ears down. "I wanna play with her!"

"She'll be back," Nala assured. "Your…father probably just took her out a little longer."

"I don't have anyone to play with." Kopa whined. "Jasiri, Haru and the others aren't at Priderock."

"I'll play with you," Nala said, scooping him up into her paws. "Right after your bath!"

"Mom!" Kopa cried, thrashing in her paws. "Mom! You just cleaned me in the morning! I'm not that dirty!" He managed to squeeze out of Nala's paws, glaring at his mother while she just chuckled.

"I'm going to get dirty again anyways!" Kopa pointed out. Nala just smiled at her son. Was this what Sarabi had to deal with when she had bathed Simba? Kopa was exactly like him.

"Are you still gonna play with me?" Kopa asked, his ears perking up hopefully.

"Of course sweetie." Nala said, giving his face a lick. Kopa growled playfully and pounced on Nala, and the two of them began to wrestle.

After a while, Kopa stopped. "I wish Dad would play with me like Uncle Alex and Uncle Tojo does. He barely plays with us!"

"I know," Nala said. "But your father…he's…he's…a busy lion."

"I don't think his job is working!" Kopa huffed. "The Pridelands are terrible."

"Then maybe when you're the King, you can fix the Pridelands up." Nala suggested.

"But what if I don't get chosen to be King?" Kopa whimpered, folding his ears down.

Nala pulled him in closer, and Kopa buried his face into her neck, taking in her scent and comfort.

"You'll be the King," Nala whispered. "I promise."

"I'm gonna be a better King." Kopa said. "I'm not going let the Pridelands get even worse." Nala smiled at him, her heart warming knowing that the future would be better with Kopa.

(End of flashback)

But now as Nala watched her son sleep, her heart ached. She had thought that she could save Kopa from Scar's influence but she had been wrong. Nala hadn't realized how hard it was to do so. She had failed.

Suddenly, Zira stormed into the den, breaking Nala from her thoughts.

"Zira," Nala said, getting on defense mode as she got up. Kiara and Vitani stopped playing and stood still. Kopa rolled around, slowly opening his eyes and then jumped up when he saw Zira.

"Mom?" Vitani cautiously walked towards her mother.

Zira turned towards Nala, snarling. "What are you trying to do? Take more from me?"

"What are you talking about?" Nala demanded.

"You took my mate and my throne!" Zira roared. "Now you're trying to take my daughter as well!?"

"I'm not trying to take anything from you and I never have. I merely asked Vitani if she wanted to come into the den and play with Kiara!" Nala growled.

"Liar!" Zira snarled."You-"

"Just stop it Mom!" Vitani cried. Both Nala and Zira stopped and looked at Vitani.

"Say that again Vitani?" Zira hissed.

"I said stop." Vitani growled. "I'm tired of you, and everything you do! You always take your anger out on me even if I didn't do anything. You have never been a mother to me! Other lionesses raised me, not you!"

"You foolish child!" Zira snarled. "You wouldn't even be here without me!"

"Then I wish I wasn't!" Vitani snarled. "After the things you've done to me, I'd rather die!"

"You're coming with me," Zira snapped. "Right now!"

"No!" Vitani growled.

"Vitani…" Zira growled, raising her paw.

"Zira, put a paw on her and you will deal with me!" Nala snarled, jumping forward.

"You have no right to say that!" Zira snarled at Nala. "I am her mother!"

"Like you've acted that way!" Vitani snapped.

Zira roared and struck her paw down before Nala could react. Vitani managed to dodge her and Zira lunged again. Nala was about to pounce on Zira when there was an angry roar.

Hope you enjoyed and please review. I guess this is kind of a cliffy.