Kovu had planned to stay away as long as he could. All day he had hidden himself away until the rain and darkness had driven him to finish hiding the ravaged bodies that were causing him so much grief, and just after, Asuma had unluckily appeared. In life, Simba and Zira had shared the same hatred for each other that had affected their families for years. In the end, they had shared a death of equal violence.

The rain, which had begun to slow, had more than thoroughly cleaned his paws and face of all traces of blood. Despite that however, as he approached his domain which was silhouetted against the stark grey night, his skin itched and his fur felt sticky. He feared he wouldn't be able to hide his guilt. When the father and son finally reached Pride Rock, the inside of the cave was only occupied by Tanga, Natin, and one other lioness, who said the rest of the pride was still out searching for their prince. When the two cubs saw Asuma, they knocked him to the ground with shear delight.

While the Asuma and the others stayed in the cozy den, Kovu went to the tip of Pride Rock and stared out, scanning the dark land with his sharp sight, but finding nothing. He couldn't hear anything either except the occasional rumble of thunder. He closed his eyes for a moment.

Even if he couldn't hide his guilt, he hoped the few scratches on his body from his fight neither he nor the rain could wash away, wouldn't give him up. For now his sopping wet fur hid the damning evidence, but once the sun came up and he dried out, he would either have to fess up and explain that Zira had killed Simba because of him… or lie. He found himself begrudging his son for making him return home once more when he would have much rather ran away.

You can do this, Kovu... This has been such a mistake, but it can be done.

His roar filled the night, and he waited patiently for a response that he wished would not come. But it did. He distinctly heard the roar of Vitani respond to his. Separately, Nala and Kiara gave similar calls. He roared again, and waited impatiently for them to appear.

Little time passed before a group lead by Nala and Kiara approached Pride Rock. They stood below and called up to Kovu, their pelts mussed up and surely soaked through. He hardly noticed that Kiara looked miserable as she thought fretfully about her son.

"They're out searching for Asuma," Nala told Kovu. "I wasn't sure if you knew. You haven't found him, have you?"

"Asuma found me," Kovu called down to them. "I've called for Vitani, who should be coming back soon."

Upon his words, Kiara bolted away from her group and started to quickly climb up the side of Pride Rock. Still below, Nala could be heard saying, "Oh, thank the spirits…" The queen nodded for the other lionesses in the searching party to follow her up to Pride Rock as well. Kovu had gone to greet Kiara, although he cringed inwardly at the idea. She embraced her mate, sobs of joy making her shudder.

"Oh, Kovu, I'm so glad you were there to find our boy," she said, sniffing. She nuzzled his mane.

Crushing guilt made it difficult for Kovu to be so close to his mate. "It's over now, Kiara. He's safe," he said steadily. "Why don't you go in and see him?" he then suggested.

Kiara pulled away and nodded through her tears. She turned away from him and went into the den where Asuma's excited cry for his mother could be heard half a heartbeat later. As the other lionesses and Nala went into the den as well, Kovu followed them, shaking his wet mane out at the mouth of the cave. He sat down and looked on as his family surrounded Asuma, who was encircled by his mother's forelegs as she vigorously cleaned his mucky fur like she had when he was much smaller.

Moments later, Vitani and several other lionesses appeared in the mouth of the cave where Kovu still sat near. With one glance at Kiara and Asuma, she asked who had found the young lion. "Was it Kiara?" she guessed.

"No, Asuma found me," Kovu muttered, unable to control the emotion in his voice. He was hardly there consciously as it was while he went over and over in his mind what he should do about his problem.

Vitani frowned and raised a brow at her brother. "I would think you'd be happy about that, Kovu."

Motioning her closer, he leaned into his sister's ear. "I need to talk to you outside for a minute."

Vitani shrugged. "It's a little wet out, you know. Just tell me, what is it?"

Kovu's lip twitched, and he frowned as he leaned in closer. "I need you to help me look for Simba," he spoke, even quieter than before.

"Why? He'll return home on his own," Vitani replied, shrugging indifferently. "He must still be out looking for Asuma. I'm sure he heard us calling."

"No… I need you to help me. Only I know where to find him."

Vitani narrowed her eyes and frowned skeptically. "Kovu…" she began, but broke off. He knew she wanted to say more. Instead she said, "Fine, I'll help you. We'll go at first light."

Dawn was hours away. Kovu gritted his teeth, having no choice but to agree. If Simba were alive, he wouldn't have to be so anxious about finding him. In an effort to appear less odd, he nodded. "At first light."

The entire pride had gathered around Asuma. Tanga and Natin hung close, but they looked guilty, as if they were trying to stay off the excited adults' radar.

"Where is Father?" Kiara asked suddenly when she looked up, she glanced about, her brows arched with worry.

Nala cocked her head and looked around, too. "I would have thought-"

"He must still be out looking for the cubs," Vitani put in with a small chuckle. "Kovu and I were going to look for him at dawn if he's not back by then."

"We'll move faster in a smaller group," Kovu put in. He ignored the look Vitani flashed him. "We could go now even," he added, forcing a smile. "He cares about them so much, I doubt he'd rest until he's found Asuma."

"Alright," Nala said with a nod. "It might be best if you waited until morning, though. He might even be back by then. Since Zazu isn't here, either, they must be together. If something was wrong, Zazu would have flown back here by now."

But I want to go now... Kovu ground his teeth. He was also reminded that he hadn't noticed if Zazu was there at the scene when he had taken care of Zira and Simba's bodies. That bird! He better not fly back by himself, or so help me-

Kiara stood up, and began to herd the cubs to their usual sleeping spots. "Time for sleep," she said. Vitani left Kovu's side and went to curl up with her son. Natin snuggled into her belly fur and promptly laid still, a smile on his muzzle. Kovu grimaced. He had no choice but to go and lay down with his mate and cubs. His paws felt heavy and useless as he padded over to join them.

"I'm glad you were there to find Asuma" Kiara thanked Kovu. She licked his cheek before yawning cavernously. With heavily hooded eyes, she added, "And don't worry about my father. He can take care of himself. He'll be back before sunrise, I'm sure."

Kovu grinned. "Yeah," he agreed shortly, lying down as she settled in with Asuma's head resting against hers, their eyes firmly closed. Kovu knew he should try to get some sleep, too, and he knew he should be exhausted, but he planned to leave right at first light. He didn't want to be caught with his eyes shut when the dark sky began to grow pale.

Tanga came bouncing up to him then, her eyes warm and her muzzle wide with a smile. Kovu noticed then that there was a dark mark on her cheek that caused one of her eyes, which were of a lighter green than his, to not open as widely as the other. Kovu guessed it might have something to do with Asuma and the hunting excursion he had mentioned, but Kovu was too strung out to bother asking.

"Asuma said you saved him," she remarked. She lay in front of him with the tips of her paws just grazing his. Kovu wanted to move them, but he knew he couldn't as Tanga went on.

"I'm glad you were there…" Her head then dropped and she sniffed. Before Kovu could open his mouth to speak, she jumped forward and nuzzled his chest. "I shouldn't have talked him into going with us," she sobbed quietly, her voice muffled. "I would have felt terrible if he had died because of it!"

"What...?" Kovu murmured.

Realization then hit him hard. What if he hadn't been there? Inwardly, he had been angry with his son not for disobeying him, but for nearly catching him in the act of hiding Simba's body. His whole decision to hide the truth would have been blown away. He had been so worried about himself that he had been blind to this. What had he been thinking? He could have lost his son forever.

Kovu smiled and nuzzled his daughter back. "Look, it's alright," he told her, his voice soft. "You're all safe now. No worries... what's that thing Timon and Pumbaa are always saying?"

"Hakuna Matata."

"There you go."

"You're not mad at me, are you?" she asked, sniffing again. "It was my fault he got lost. I was stupid and got hurt. He went to go find me."

"No, I'm not mad," Kovu said, shaking his head. "I just want you to listen to your mother and I next time. We know what's best, you know that."

"Yeah... okay," she said. She then lifted a paw and pointed to her cheek. "But I would have caught that foal though if he hadn't kicked me here!"

"Really?" Kovu replied. He rested his chin on his paws, and Tanga did the same.

"Yeah. Natin and I were working together, just like I've seen you and the lionesses do." His daughter began to blink slowly. There was a pause before she said, "Daddy?"

"Yes?"

"Are you ever going to take us hunting? I really want you to take us out… and you keep promising us…"

Kovu gave her what he thought she might want to hear. "As soon as your mother and I see fit," he said. "Just because I'm not mad at you doesn't mean your actions aren't going to go unpunished."

Tanga rolled her eyes tiredly. "Of course, Daddy," she whispered. "I understand." She then closed her eyes. "Night, Daddy…"

"Good night," he told her as she rolled over with her back to him.

Kovu closed his eyes as well, rolling over so he could face the entrance of the den. He then reopened his eyes and looked around the cave for Nala. Usually, she would be sleeping in the same place she had slept every night since Kovu had first been permitted to sleep in the den with the others, right next to where Simba once slept. If she had been lying there, and not at the entrance of the den, it would have made the king's empty spot look all the more vacant to Kovu. As he watched the queen, his eyes starting to grow heavy, he wondered if that would be his new sleeping spot once everyone knew that her mate was dead. He was next in line, after all.

As if Nala, who was acting as a sentry in the wake of Simba's return, had sensed Kovu's gaze, her green eyes opened and she scanned the inside of the dark cave. Kovu quickly closed his eyes to avoid being caught.

This mistake will not be my downfall, Kovu thought to himself. I'll do whatever it takes to keep my pride.