I haven't written anything in a while. :P For a moment, I somewhat lost all passion of writing Lion King stories and took a hiatus from this site. In the meantime, I was finalizing my applications, polishing up my drawing skills, just taking a short breather after such a stressful period. Anywho, I'm just glad to be back and doing what I love.

AtlantisRose: Aww, thanks. Also thank you for the kind wishes. Sandy did hit a lot harder than I expected it to. But we're pulling through! :D

BornToBeAwesome: Hey! XD Thanks for reading and I hope you had a happy holiday too.

ZeroUnitRGB: I wanted to make Simba a bit more laidback once his grandchildren came into the picture. I always pictured him being a chill granddad and ditching that ridiculous SP-era stick-in-the-mud persona and his unusually overprotective method of parenting he enforced on Kiara. Then again, Disney seems to have a habit of turning all their male characters into stuffy, overbearing worrywarts once they settle down and become parents! xD And I've checked out your story. I didn't have a lot of time to read it all at once, my apologies! :P I'll be sure to review regularly once my schedule becomes less demanding! :)

~19~

DIALLO'S POV

"Well, well, well," I smirked. "Looks like Iman decided to act like a big boy for once."

"Shut up," Iman scoffed in retaliation. "Let's just get back before nightfall."

He trailed behind me and we begin our journey to the unknown lands. We had seen them before. As cubs. Mere balls of fluff that contained colossal bouts of energy and curiosity unheard of for our age. Unable to venture the lands, we could only appease our burning desire with quick glimpses and stories of the past told from the Aunt Tani or Efia's points of view. Now, we were all alone. We didn't have any annoying girls or prying grandfathers to stop us now. We neared closer to the outskirts of the Pridelands and my heart began to race feverishly. To think Dad graced these very terrains when he was our age. Now all these years later, his two sons had come to venture the abandoned lands themselves.

"How are we gonna get through?" Iman inquired.

I looked ahead and noticed we had come to a ledge that towered several feet over the swollen river. It was usually calm around this time of year, but the early foretells of an early and harsh spring storm were among us. This place would be an absolute wreck by the end of the week.

"Look, over there." Iman whispered, rousing me out of my thoughts.

I looked in his direction and notice an uprooted tree―serving as a temporary passageway. I beamed widely and cut in front of him. He passed me a bitter scowl, but still trailed right behind me. Once we approached the sodden log, Iman winced unsurely.

"You know, this doesn't look too sturdy, Diallo." he pointed out.

"And your point is?" I guffawed, supporting myself onto the walkway.

I took two steps and realized that Iman's suspicions were partially true―but I wasn't willing to admit I was wrong in front of my little brother. What kind of king would I be?

"Come on, Iman!" I ordered sternly. " We don't have all night."

He muttered something under his breath, but complied nevertheless. But once he placed one paw on the rickety path, he immediately retracted it and stood his ground. I shoot him an angry glare and he caved in―even though the anxiety that sprung upon his face was hard to ignore. We hurriedly dashed through the log and into the Outlands.

"See?! We made it!" I cheered happily. "Now was that so bad?"

"I wasn't that scared." Iman insisted.

"Well don't pull that girly stuff anymore. We're Outlanders now."

We puff up our chests simultaneously until both of our lungs give out. From there, we took off in a bout of laughter and excitement.

"What do we do first?" Iman proposed.

"I don't know…" I respond fervently. "There's so much to cover. Could we even do it all in one night?"

"Beats me. But are we gonna sit here and talk about it? Or are we gonna shut up and go exploring?"

Now this was the Iman I knew and loved. After a few hours of aimless wandering, it was pitch dark. The only light to aid our adventure was the silver, lustrous glow of the moon. he leapt towards the abandoned caverns and I immediately followed.

"Do you think Dad was here?" Iman asked in awe.

"Duh, stupid." I sneered jokingly. "He was the prince. He could be wherever he wanted to be."

I surveyed a termite mound in the corner of my eye. Must've been the hundredth one since we got here.

"Come on, Iman. Let's go see what else is here…"

But our journey comes to a screeching halt when Iman's terrified cry rung out in the vast caves.

"Iman!" I belt out in terror.

I turn about face, but I don't see him anywhere.

"Iman, enough joking around!"

Silence.

Great Kings, Mom and Dad are going to kill me! They'll skin me alive!

Before I could blink, two larger cats speed in front of me.

"I reckon you're looking for this…" one of the voices teased.

His tail unfurled from his captive's maw and Iman let out a whoosh of breath. Iman broke from the stranger's hold and made a break for it. I immediately followed. We were out of the cave and planned to make a beeline towards home, but a force rooted onto my tail and I collapsed onto the dry dirt terrain.

"What do you want with us?!" Iman roared, trying his best to sound intimidating.

"Where's your manners, Princie?" a second voice mocked. "We're just old friends trying to reconnect―that's all."

"Who are you guys?" I growled sharply.

At this point, my claws were extracted and my teeth were bared. It served no justice since our captors weren't fazed at all by us. The two cocked their heads and the moon's soft glimmer revealed the identities of the two.

"You two!"

"What do you want?!" Iman snapped ferociously.

"Don't flatter yourself, Shrimp." Nassor taunted. "We came for Diallo."

Me? Why me?

"Oh yeah, how come?" I questioned.

"Just wanted to do some catching up, buddy." Sura added urbanely.

"Diallo, you actually talked to these guys?" Iman asked, even though it sounded more like a scolding.

I ignored him, but ensured that I wanted nothing to do with the malicious duo.

"No way! My dad told me everything that happened! Now get lost before bad things happen!"

"Daddy told you everything, eh?" Nassor grinned, bringing me close to his cheek. "Say, Sura. Do you think Daddy Kovu told his loyal little son about how he might not be future king after all?"

My eyes widened in shock.

"No…you're lying!" I insist, my mind clouded in denial. "Now let us go! We never want to see you again!"

Nassor and Sura looked at us and quickly let us go.

"Think what you want, but it's the truth!" they added smugly.

"Let's get outta here…" Iman murmured to me.

I obliged and we began a slow and silent march back to Pride Rock.

THIRD PERSON NARRATIVE

"Iman, do you think what Nassor and Sura said is true?" Diallo asked.

Iman couldn't help but notice how different he sounded. He was vulnerable, frightened, scared―a side he'd never seen of his brother before.

"Of course not." he assured his elder brother. "Nassor and Sura are just a bunch of liars."

The two cubs ascended up the path towards the den, too shaken up by the past episode to worry about their parents' reaction to their late return. Once they arrived, Kiara and Kovu dove towards them.

"Where were you two?" the maize lioness scolded. "We were worried sick."

"W-well we were ummm…just…" Iman stammered on.

"Mom…is it true?" Diallo uttered.

Kiara and Kovu's glares softened and they exchanged looks before focusing their attention back to their son.

"Is…what true, son?" Kovu probed with a raised brow.

"Is it true what they said…about me not being king?"

"Who said?"

"It doesn't matter!" Diallo bolts with sudden valor. "Is it true?"

By now, everyone was watching the scene unfold. Kiara looked up sadly at her mate and knew it was time to confess the secret they've been hiding from him for so long.

"Son…we've been wanting to tell you this when you were old enough to handle it appropriately..."

Diallo lurched back, the denial still flowing through his veins.

"Just say yes…just tell me that Nassor and Sura are playing a cruel trick."

"NASSOR AND SURA?!" Kovu belted in rage. "What did I tell you about―?"

"Kovu!" Kiara interjected angrily. "Diallo…we changed the rules soon after you and your three were born."

"No…"

Kiara tried to bring him into a hug, but he steered away from her.

"So you're telling me I'm not going to be king?!"

"Diallo, please. Be mature about this?" Kovu pled.

"Why would I be mature about this?! My whole life is a lie!"

He dashed away from his parents and planted himself into the furthest corner of the den. Kovu and Kiara looked on dejectedly while Simba greeted his woeful daughter with a solemn nuzzle.

"We've failed him, Daddy…" she choked.

"He's just a bit upset. He'll get over it soon…" the aged lion promised.

Iman, who witnessed the conflict ensue, took his eyes off of his distraught parents and noticed Shani motion towards her mother and sister in the corner of his eye.

"Shani, wait!" he hissed towards his cyan-eyed companion.

She gave him a look, but proceeded to storm away from him.

"Shani, wait up!"

She gave in to his wishes, but refused to make eye contact.

"What's the matter? Shani…what did I do wrong?"

"You forgot all about our plans!"

"Shani…I'm sorry!" Iman insisted. "I swear―I'll make it up to you!"

"Don't bother!" the hurt cub interjected, retreating to her typical sleeping spot.

Iman looked on wistfully as Shani buried her tear-stained face in Efia's chest and wept. At that moment, he felt something he'd never felt before. At that moment, he felt as if he harbored an underlying infatuation for his best friend since the day they first laid eyes on each other. The cub could only sigh gloomily, knowing that it was pointless loving someone who was already spoken for. He curled beside his mother's side and fell asleep there.

A few hours later, the cave was quiet and lifeless. Diallo perked up slightly, hoping not to divert any attention from the sleeping Pridelanders. He crept out of the den and back towards the Outlands. The moon was at the highest point and he was amazed at how the most boisterous spots were so mellow at these hours of the night. He pressed his nose against the terrain and tried to pick up on his and Iman's scents. Within an hour or so, he wound up back at the borders where the log was. The river swayed below him and he slowly moved across the weakening log.

The further he got, the more it creaked and stagger underneath his paws. He paused, too afraid to take another step. But when the ominous droning came into earshot. Diallo realized the log was about to give in any minute.

He yelped in fright as the passageway collapsed underneath him. In a heartbeat, he found himself submersed in the freezing waves below. He rose back to the surface and propped himself onto a large slab of bark. Just when he was beginning to lose hope, he heard a familiar voice.

"Hey, kid! Grab my paw!" Sura insisted.

His paw was stretched towards the edge, just a hair's length away from him. At his last whim, Diallo lunged forward and gripped onto the enemy's paw. He was lifted to safety and the two leopard siblings laid him on the ground so he could recollect himself.

"You…guys saved my life," the sodden cub gagged.

"Anything for a friend," Sura smirked.

Diallo beamed happily.

"I'm your friend?"

"Of course." Nassor insisted with a sly grin. "So…how did Daddy react when you told him about what we said?"

Diallo was so relieved to be pulled out of the raging river that he nearly forgot about what transpired earlier. He shook himself off, looked up sadly at the leopards and began,

"He told me it was true."

"How does that feel?" Sura pondered. "How does it feel knowing your parents lied to you for so long?"

"I…feel betrayed."the teary-eyed cub answered solemnly.

"I'm sorry to break it to you, kiddo, but your parents are a bunch of lying jerks."

Diallo looked a bit unsure and fearful.

"But Dad said that―."

"Oh…you mean the same Dad that lied to you about being king?"

Diallo drew back, gazing at the ground. Nassor propped his chin with his paw and met his gaze.

"We won't lie to you. And we'll make sure that you become king as well."

"Really?" the brown cub exclaimed.

"But you gotta promise us one thing…"

"Anything!"

"When we first lived in the Pridelands, your father got rid of us once he became royalty. Left us hungry, thirsty…pretty much left us for dead."

"That's terrible."

"Indeed…Diallo, make sure you're a true friend and you cater to those who care about you.

"Of course," Diallo grinned. "That's what friends are for."

Kiara bolted from her sleep. She was breathless and scared.

"Kiara...what's wrong with you?" Kovu chided. "You'll wake the whole pride up."

"Kovu, they're back." she sighed. "The nightmares, Kovu. They're back!"

He was ready to resume his slumber, but what Kiara said next propelled him out of his weariness.

"Diallo...he's gone!"

Dun-dun-dunnnnn. :P

Happy Easter, guys!