"You goin' to be able to make it back home?" Natin asked Asuma as they followed the hunting party out in the night. Kovu and Nala were leading it, and five other lionesses made up the hunting party. All of the other lionesses, including Kiara and Vitani, had chose to remain back at the den where they could rest. After a long, hard day of hunting, they had managed to catch one of a few wandering gazelle, which had been separated from their herd. It had done little to supplement the hunger of the pride.

"I will, Natin," Asuma replied. "If I didn't think I could do it, then I would have stayed back in the warm den."

Walking between the two young lions was Tanga, who shivered. "It may be blazing hot during the day, but it sure is bloody cold out at night."

"You got that right," Natin agreed.

Asuma sighed. Let's just hope that I can make it home... he thought. He then turned his eyes up to the stars. "Where do you think Simba's is?"

"Grandfather's what?"

"His star. He's the one who told us that all the Great Kings go up there when they die, remember, so they can watch over us and guide us."

Tanga frowned a little. "You don't really believe in that mambo-jumbo, do you, Brother? They're stories for little cubs, aren't they?"

Asuma shrugged. "I don't think they are."

"Well, why? It's all based on faith, isn't it?"

"Because... there's nothing wrong with faith," Natin said. He shrugged. "We have to have faith in something."

Tanga sighed. "I just find it hard to have faith in all that, I guess. I mean, they're just stories to me... and stars. I loved Grandfather, but I just thought of it as story time."

"Whatever you think, Tanga, we're still going to need a little faith if we're going to come out decent after this drought, twinkling and sparkly stars guiding us or not."

"I bet Simba's is one of the brightest then," Asuma said, his head tilted back. "Why wouldn't it be?"

"It can't be the brightest though. That star belongs to you guys' great-something-or-other, right?"

"Mohatu, I think... or was it Ahadi...?"

"Ahadi."

"...No, I'm pretty sure it was Mohatu."

"Ahadi."

"No, Mohatu."

"Ahadi."

"Mohatu."

"Ahadi!"

"Fine! We'll ask Nala. She'll know."

Natin smirked, and then raced ahead with Asuma chasing after. "Fine then."

After the two cousins were corrected, receiving the true answer that Mohatu was believed to have the brightest star in the night sky, they fell back behind their pride again. Kovu found himself looking up at the stars, too, and cringed inwardly at the thought of having so many kings looking down on him. It's just silly though... just some tales for cubs and a little motto to live by... But he still couldn't shake the feeling of angry spirits watching him from somewhere untouchable.

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Kovu felt the warm presence of Asuma at his side as they crouched down, watching the shadowy lionesses hunt. Tanga and Natin had joined them somewhere in the tall grass near the first herd they had found. Their position was miles away from Pride Rock, and Kovu wondered how close they were to the border, or if they had even over stepped it. He'd have to look out for rogues, or possibly even the lions who owned that territory if they had indeed left the Pride Lands.

"Dad, my dreams changed again."

Kovu looked over at his son, his ears lowering slightly. "They have?"

The young nodded his answer before describing his haunting dreams. "Now the rain has gone away, and it's really, really, hot. My paws burn, and my body's overheating. In the distance, I can hear arguing, but, but I don't know what they're shouting about and by the time I get close enough that I might find them, all I hear is roars coming from fighting lions, and all I can see is a big dust cloud. Then the rains come again and I'm back in my old dreams, chasing after the rogue that's dragging something."

"Do know what they mean yet?"

"No, Dad, I still don't."

Kovu laid there, his mouth pursed as he mulled over this new change in his son's dreams.

"Father?"

When Kovu finally spoke, he said, "Tomorrow I'll take you to Tswane. Maybe he can give you something to help you sleep more calmly."

"Alright, Dad."

Before Kovu spoke, the two had gone back to watching the hunt. Nobody had given chase yet. "Hey, I have an idea. For now, why don't we try and practice some hunting techniques?" he suggested with his toothy smile. "There's no point in sitting here while they have all the fun, right?"

Asuma frowned. "I don't know..."

Kovu stood up, sticking his paw under Asuma's belly to, with a grunt, put him on his paws as well. "C'mon, it'll be fun. You won't have to worry about Tanga or Natin, either."

Asuma found himself smiling back, a spark of enthusiasm igniting inside of him. "Okay then," he agreed.

With the younger lion following, Kovu brought Asuma to a tall rise of shadowy boulders. They looked upwards to the top, which was highlighted by the pleasant glow of the moon. It was dotted by several small, scraggly bushes.

"We're going to climb this first together to make sure it's safe," Kovu said, "And then when we come back down, I want you to race to the top as fast as you can. You can build up your stamina this way."

Asuma nodded, and the two lions began to climb with Kovu leading the way. The pair came directly back down, and the way down was much trickier than the ascent.

"Do you think that Tswane can tell me what my dreams mean?" Asuma asked. His eyes were down in front of him so that his paws wouldn't slip like they already had several times. Father and son were nearly to the base of the rocky hill. "They have to mean something, or else they wouldn't be repeating like this. They're strange, and I'd like to know what they mean."

"Maybe," Kovu said, his tone doubtful. "Tswane's young though, so he might not be able to tell you."

"I think I'll still ask though," Asuma said cheerfully. "Never know until you try, right, Dad?"

Kovu chuckled. "Of course, Asuma."

They had now reached the bottom, and Asuma was panting, his paws slightly raw from the rocks. He turned to his father.

"Up you go, Asuma," Kovu said, smiling. "Watch your step."

"I will."

Kovu watched as the lighter-furred young lion scrambled over the rocks as he made his way back to the top. His claws dug at the ground anxiously. "Watch out there, Asuma. There's a crevice," he called up once. "You could get your paw stuck."

"Okay, Dad!"

Wow, look at it all... Asuma thought to himself once he had made it to the top. He had slipped only once, but had quickly recovered. He thought he had made good time. Over his shoulder he called down to his father. "Dad, where is the hunting party. I can't see them. It must be too dark."

Kovu's voice could be heard from below. "The hunting party is to your left, Asuma."

Asuma squinted. Is that them over there? he asked himself, but he wasn't sure. There looked to be several large herds in the area.

"Now, I want you to carefully climb down the other side. I want to see how well you do on your own."

The young lion glanced over to where Kovu wanted him to descend, a look of uncertainly making his smile turn down and his ears drop a little. But I can do it... I won't give up so easily. I'm just as good as Tanga and Natin.

"I'll meet you on the other side, Asuma."

Asuma took a deep breath and sighed. "Okay... you can do this. Just take it one step at a time. No... worries." He coached himself downwards, keeping his eyes on his footing the entire time. When he thought he was going to fast several times, he stopped himself. "This isn't a race. Just take your time," he muttered. "The last thing you need is to be hurt."

Sounds of birds were far off in the distance, as were the soft calls of prey animals. A light breeze blew through the coarse, dark grass when Asuma's paws hit the last big rock at the bottom. He looked around, a prideful smile on his muzzle which soon slipped away. The scene before him was devoid of life except for a passing mouse.

"Dad?" Asuma craned his neck to look one way and then another. "Dad," he called. He jumped up onto the next highest rock to gain a better vantage, but wasn't any use. He said he was going to meet me here, didn't he? Well... maybe he just isn't here yet, Asuma thought to himself, sitting down to wait. His tail tapped, and his eyes followed a passing bug that buzzed near his ear before being shooed off by his flicking ear. Long moments passed, and still nobody came for him.

"Dad!"

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He stalked through the dark grass, which seemed to be holding him back. His head was down, shoulders squared, and he moved as quickly as he could while making as little sound as possible. Every so often, he would catch himself glancing over his shoulder with paranoia on his way back to the hunting party. He was almost there.

It's for the good of the pride. They're better off this way, and there is more than one prince, right? A stronger one, at that... no, no, what am I thinking?

Kovu stopped abruptly in his tracks, his face growing hot and his belly aching as if an enemy was disemboweling him with their claws. He gasped once, struggling desperately to keep his composure. Once he had his emotions better in check, he kept moving forward... away from Asuma.

He's big enough... maybe he can find a way to survive on his own. I just have to hope he never finds his way back to the Pride Lands, but I'd rather live with that fear than have the blood of my blood on my paws... not that I won't already...

Again, Kovu stopped. His whole body was shuddering, and he felt like vomiting. What was he doing? Was he really going to just abandon his son like that? To leave him there, to more than likely die? It was a sentence the young lion would surely not survive.

"Kovu, what are you doing over there?" called a voice from somewhere in the dark. It was one of the huntresses who had found him. "We've brought down two zebras, and we're eating now. We'll need every mouth to bring what we can home, too, when we're done."

Kovu's body shook, and he looked down at the ground. "Yes," he muttered. "Of course."

The lioness cocked her head to the side. "Is Asuma with you?"

"You mean he's not back here yet?"

"...No," the lioness replied. "Where is he?"

You can't leave him out there to die!

Kovu began, ears lowering, "We got separated, and I thought he might have found his way back by following our trail. I had hoped I'd meet him here. I couldn't find his scent or see him in the dark, and he didn't reply to my calls."

The lioness gasped. "Asuma! Do you think he's hurt?"

"Go get Nala and the others. I can take you to the place where I last saw him," Kovu told the lioness, who nodded and ran off to fetch the hunting party.

The guilt-stricken king knew his cover up had been sloppy, and that his story would be far from believable to anyone who had the chance to look at it close enough, but he didn't care. He wanted to find Asuma again. He needed to find Asuma again.

I can't take this anymore... Kovu thought to himself, his eyes clenched shut. Vitani was right. I have to fess up to what I have done and hope they forgive me for my mistakes. No longer can I hide this when my desire to hide my true self from them drives me to destroy my own son.

Kovu pulled in a lungful of air before shouting, "Asuma!"