Another week has passed and we're close to the finale. After this, there's one more to go.

Reldor: ah…crap :)


Chapter 14: on the road again

Slowly, Simba forced his eyelashes to open up and reveal the world around him. Night had settled over the jungle and the golden lion felt somewhat dizzy. Everything was still a blur. As Simba dared to glance around and observe his surroundings. Something was moving underneath him, and the male lion stared down and his eyes widened. He was lying on top of his long childhood friend Nala. The lioness lay just underneath him on her stomach. She had her head resting on the ground with a smile all spread across her face.

As the prince saw in what position he placed himself in on the cream furred lioness, he remembered everything. How the two had finally found each other after all this time and how they expressed their feelings to each other. And of course… the other part which Simba could only gasp about. He could feel the body underneath him move as Nala raised her head into his direction and licked him on the cheek.

"Hi!" She said smiling and twisted her body so she once again lay on her back.

"Hi!" Simba mumbled looking at her with warm eyes.

Nala glanced up into the air as she caught sight of the stars. "What do you think about taking a walk?" She asked at the golden lion who got to his paws and padded a few feet away from her.

"I would like that!" He answered as he waited for his friend to get to her feet. They were still at the feet of the slope they rolled down earlier on. Simba had no idea how long both of them had been asleep, but it couldn't have been that long. The duo quickly moved away from the spot they spend the last few… hours, the guessed, at and began to slender side by side across the jungle.

For quite a while, the cream lioness kept quiet and just enjoyed the time being back with him. But seeing as she still had things to take care of, she had to engage him in some sort of conversation. "So uhm… Simba!" She began unsure of how to bring the words out in the right direction. "Those two little friends of yours, what part exactly are they playing in your life?" Her voice was a bit unsure giving her friend a sly smirk. It was definitely not eh best way to start this. But right now she couldn't think of anything else.

Simba let his head drop for a quick second as a slight laughter escaped his muzzle. "They're uhm… kinda have been my parents." He answered a bit embarrassed.

Nala laughed out loud as she heard what the male lion was saying. "So you're telling me that you have been raised by a meerkat and a warthog in the middle of the jungle, and you still turned out to be this handsome creature?" She rubbed her right front paw through hi mane causing a bit of chaos to his red hair. "You're life must have been really weird." She continued.

The golden lion shoved her paw away and tried to fix the mess in his mane. "You have no idea!" He retorted and continued moving forward.

Soon, the couple reached the feet of a path which led up a hill going through the thicket. Now, Nala seemed to have found the right moment to get some information out of her friend. "You know! You could fill me in. What has your life been while living here?" She asked with concern reaching her face as she closed up on Simba.

"I think it's better not to talk about it." He simply said and kept walking.

He is still suppressing it. What does he think he's gaining by keeping everything in the past? "But Simba, what is so dramatic that you don't want to talk about it?" Nala asked out in an almost pleading voice. But the golden male kept moving without reacting to her. Oh no! You're not getting away that easily. With quick steps, she followed him up the path as they reached the top of the hill.

When Nala glanced around, she saw a majestic looking waterfall to her right. Simba had led her to a huge gorge. A giant tree trunk was leading the way from one side of it to the other. The male lion in front of her kept moving as he stepped on the flat lying wood. "Isn't this a great place?" He asked in a playful voice.

The cream lioness once again looked around. It was indeed a beautiful place. But she immediately caught Simbas attempt to change the subject. "It is beautiful!" She admitted seeing as this was the best way to re-enter the conversation. "But I don't understand. If you have been alive all this time, why haven't you have come back to pride rock?"

Simba on the other paw felt his heart drop a little. There was no way in avoiding this right now. "Well I…" he started not sure how to move his way around the whole truth. "I just needed to get out of my own. Life my own life, I did and it's great." He answered shifting his tone to a joyful one at the end. Simba then shifted his body into a bunch of lianas which were positioned to serve as a hammock.

Nala watched him with a calm yet a bit disappointed face. It seems almost like he doesn't even care. No! Simba wouldn't do that. "We've really needed you at home." She said feeling that some of the joy she felt of meeting him was vanishing from her body.

Still lying in his hammock, but with his eyes getting sad, Simba glanced to the side. His mood suddenly shifted. "Nobody needs me!"

That's not true… I need you! He needed some encouragement. "YES! We DO. You're the king." Nala answered narrowing her eyes.

"Nala, we've been through this. I'm not the king… Scar is!"

It was almost like she was talking to a complete stranger. He is serious of this whole 'not being the king' thing. But she was not willing to give up just yet. He had to know what was going on at pride rock. Nala went forward and brought her front paws onto one liana. "Simba… he let the hyenas take over the pride lands."

Simbas face dropped as he heard the last words. "WHAT!" No, the hyenas were not allowed in the pride lands.

Nala faced the ground and her expression got stern and angry. "Everything's destroyed. There's no food, no water." She got closer to her friend and once again started to plead to him. "Simba, if you don't do something, everyone will starve." She had to make him return.

But the golden lion turned his face away from her as he climbed out of the hammock. "I can't go back. You wouldn't understand." He turned his back towards Nala and started padding away.

The cream furred lioness was losing her patience. "What wouldn't I understand?" She almost yelled angrily but not with him. The last weeks and months did really gnaw on her. And here she had everything the pride could hope of. The one true king alive and well in shape. And he was refusing to fulfill his destiny. Nala walked after as she kept calling out to him.

"No no no, it doesn't matter. Hakuna matata!"

"What?" She tilted her head back having no idea what her friend was talking about.

Simba started padding back to her and suddenly grew a slight smile on his muzzle. "Hakuna matata! It's something I've learned out here. Look, sometimes bad things happen." Nala calling out his name fell completely on deaf ears as he continued. "And there's nothing you can do about it. So why worry?"

If you really wanna be that way Simba, I can play that too. She was getting angry with him but knew she couldn't push him to far, she really cared for him and didn't want to upset Simba more than necessary. "Because it's your responsibility!" Nala yelled at him.

Responsibility! Who is she to come here and talk to me about responsibility? Speaking off… what is she even doing here if everybody needs ME at home? He eyed her angrily and got right into her face. "And what about you? You left!"

"I left to find help. And I found you!" She was not going to lose this one. She had taken to many losses in her life by now. But she still wanted to be with him. "Don't you understand… you're our only hope!" Her eyes were filling with tears once again. It was like talking to a complete stranger.

Simba inhaled deeply before and his voice went completely cold. "Sorry!" Was all he said before he continued on his walk.

The cream lioness' heart dropped with an instant. There had to be something she could do to make him know what the right thing was. But she felt completely lost here. "What happened to you? You're definitely not the Simba I remember." Her eyes narrowed together and she frowned as sadness filled her mind.

He didn't change his stern expression as he answered. "You're right. I'm not. Now, are you satisfied?"

But Nala was far away from being satisfied. As a matter of fact, she had enough of this nonsense. Alright Simba, two can play this game. "No! Just disappointed." She mumbled angrily.

The two lions glanced at each other for a while. It was almost as the fresh found love and comfort they had found in each other had completely vanished. But still Simba kept his expression. "You know, you starting to sound like my father." He grunted as he tried to bring as much distance between him and the lioness.

"Good! At least one of us does." Nala retorted not backing off one bit.

And that hurt Simba as his face grew wide. She had definitely gone to far. Bringing his father in this was the one thing that could have brought Simba out of his composure. He eyed the lioness showing all the pain and the emotion he had boiling up for the last years. "LISTEN, YOU THINK YOU CAN JUST SHOW UP AND TELL ME HOW TO LIVE MY OWN LIFE! YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT I'VE BEEN THROUGH!"

Suddenly, Nala felt her heart make a drop. She could tell that she really hurt him. And she realized, this was not about her, it was about him. Nala tried to calm Simba down. "I would if you'd just tell me." She said pleading forgetting about her own pride for a while.

But Simba kept walking away. "FORGET IT!" He snapped which caused Nala to gain back her sharpness.

"FINE!"


The night settled over the pride lands as well as in the jungle, although, the animals could not really tell since the sky only changed into different shades of grey by now. Tama and Nafsi walked up to the cave in which the pride rested for the nights. Both lionesses were exhausted as their tongues were nearly brushing over the floor. The tarnish lioness dropped right beside her golden furred pride member after they reached the rest of the fellow friends. "Running!" Tama sighed between heavy breaths. "Nothing but running… and hunting… for the whole day." She was barely able to stand on her front legs and keep her sitting position.

Not far from her was Sarabi who glanced over at the hunting party. They all had the same expressions on her face like the tarnish/orange lioness. Her gaze then went over to the mouth of the den where Scars right hand Zira entered the scene. Sarabi immediately made eye contact with Kimae and Subira who gave her a comforting nod.

"Sarabi!" The tarnish lioness said stern with her yellow eyes trying to melt the former queen from the inside. Zira stopped just a few feet in front of the pride glancing around with her typical arrogant manner. "I see that your pride is lacking in the ability to bring back some prey." She said eyeing Tama and Nafsi with despise before facing Sarabi again. "Would you care to explain yourself!"

The beige lioness stared at her 'superior' with the same calm and reserve she brought up against Scar for lots of times. "Since the herds have left and the pride lands have gone out of water, there's nothing left for us to hunt." She said without raising or sinking her voice. Her orange eyes still held the strength and pride which lead her through all the misery of the last years.

Zira padded back and forth in front of her as a nasty grin appeared on her face. "I see! Yet I wonder what Scar thinks about your little excuses." She said getting her eyes back on the same level as Sarabis.

"I guess the king has to accept it. If you want… we can go straight over to him. I bet he would love to be stripped from his sleep only for you to tell him that we're not able to bring back food to pride rock." The former queen said with her head hanging high and a slight smirk appearing on her muzzle. "What's it going to be Zira?"

The tarnish lioness growled seeing as how Sarabi dared to knock the wind out of her little threat. She went into a pouncing position ready to strike at the former queen with all her power. But it was then that Tama, Subira and the rest of the pride walked right beside their leader showing that their unison still had to be broken. "I wonder if the hyenas are still awake to aid you in your little quest." Subira remarked giving off a laugh herself.

Right in the moment when Spotty and Dotty had joined their friend to snarl at the other lionesses, Zira shot Sarabi another death glare before backing off. With quick steps, she walked out of the cave followed by her two friends. Zira waited until they were out of reach before Zira started talking again. "I don't like this one bit. This newfound strength inside the pride has defiantly to do with Nala disappearing." She then turned around to her friends. "Let the hyenas run patrols across the border. I want to know when she gets back into the kingdom."

"What about them?" Spotty asked stern and tilted her head back towards the cave.

"Leave them to me! I'm going to bring their last hopes to an end by tomorrow."

Back inside the cave, Sarabi had the other lionesses gather around her as she spoke out to them. "I want you all to stop go hunting tomorrow. I'm sick of Zira, Scar and the hyenas dictating our lives. We'll see who can endure more time without food. Us… or the hyenas."


Nala had to cool down for a moment. Her anger about the behavior, Simba had put on earlier was still fresh and painful. Slashing her claws into the wood of a tree, close to where she and Simba had departed earlier, seemed like a good idea in that moment to blow out some steam. You don't know what I've been through! She remembered what Simba was saying to her earlier. I don't know what you've been through? You have no idea what I'VE been through! Do you know how painful it is to see everybody that you care about just leave in front of you until nobody is left? What it's like to be forced into marrying the one lion that is probably responsible for the destruction of our home? No. You. DON'T!

With her last though, she broke a huge chunk of bark crushing off the tree before she turned away from her victim. The cream lioness swiped away a tear as she glanced over the jungle that surrounded her. A shimmer of violet light reached the corner of her eyes and she raised her muzzle to the sky. It was already dawning.

Why am I still here? If he doesn't want to help, that's fine with me. So why don't just go somewhere else? Nala kept asking herself as she wandered through the thicket her head hanging low. She sighed in frustration. Because I can't. They rely on me, they rely on him. She once again thought about her pride back at home and how she gave them her promise. She promised to return with help. And here she found Simba, the one true king. And thinking about him. HughI… I… I think I love him. She continued as her mind drifted back to her golden friend.

Nala started glancing around the jungle questioning where Simba had been gone to. Maybe a fresh start on things would help him see things a bit more clearly. But where could she start finding him. And then it hammered into her head. Why not talk to his friends? She thought and darted off through the lines of trees.

Simba had told her where the trio used to sleep during his time here. It was not that far away from her position. With swift and silent movement, the lioness rushed across the jungle until she spotted the meerkat and the warthog sleeping on a small clearing. She approached them carefully as she nudged Timon with her paw. "Hey, hey wake up!"

Slowly, the meerkat turned around with still sleepy eyes as he glanced into the huge face of a lioness. "AAAAAHHHHH!" He started to scream immediately followed by his warthog buddy as Nala shrugged back.

"It's okay, It's okay, whoa, calm down… clam down… it's me!" She finally managed to calm the two animals in front of her. Timon, being completely out of breath, stepped off from Pumba facing the lioness.

"Don't you ever do that again… carnivores… oohh!"

Nala had to frown at the last comment but she had no time to worry about them. She had to find him. "Have you guys seen Simba?"

"I thought he was with you." The meerkat answered rubbing the back of his head. Nala could feel the lack of trust and the reproach which Timon send over to her.

The cream lioness thought it would be the best to keep it low from her side. "He was but… now I can't find him. Where is he?" She asked showing her concern about her friend. Laughter to her left made all three of them turn around towards a tree where they spotted and old looking mandrill smiling down on them.

"Yu won't find im her'! De king… has returned." He said with a bow.

Nalas eyes widened immediately as she realized. Rafiki! You are indeed a genius. Simba might already be back on his way to pride rock. Emotions of joy were running through her body and she couldn't hold it. "I can't believe it, he's going back." She called out as she glanced back at the two animals in front of her with a broad smile.

Timon however, was even more confused than he was when he first met Nala. "Okay, what's going on here? Who's the monkey?"


By the time, Rafiki informed Nala and his friend about what Simba was up to, the golden lion was already on his way towards the desert. He reached the field of yellow grass which was positioned just outside the jungle and stopped for a short moment as he observed the yellow colored sandy landscape which lay in front of him. Everywhere he looked, there was nothing else but desert.

Simba turned around and looked back at the life he was leaving behind in order to regain his old and original life. Hs mind drifted off to Nala. I should have told her first. She was trying to bring me back in the first place. He regretted yelling and snapping at her earlier. All she tried to do was helping him. But then he realized something else. It is my responsibility. I can't take the risk of her getting hurt or worse in this. I just love her to much. Love her to much. That about summed it up how he felt about his cream furred friend. He was not going to let others suffer for his mistakes.

He inhaled deeply and entered the open field. It was close to dawn and the sky was filled in the typical red and orange light. At this point, return was no longer an option.

Nala on the other was again growling in disappointment. Those two are just as stubborn as Simba. 'He shouldn't have left us?' What does that have to do with him becoming what he truly is? The cream lioness really started to hate this hakuna matata thing. As much as she would have loved to put those two animals in their places, her priority at this moment was Simba. She had to catch up with him, at all costs.

But how was she able to catch up with a full grown male. The sun stood high in the air once again and burned down on her coat. Nala tried to keep walking in western direction. Exactly the opposite way she had gone before. The undersides of her paws hurt while she hammered them in the hot sand. In the distance, she spotted yet another strange scene. Five dark colored spots were spread all over the ground just a few yards away. Nala approached them with quick steps but still kept her caution.

As she got close enough, she realized what was happening in front of her. Five vultures were lying and sitting on the ground as they held their backs and cheeks in pain. One of them limped in front of the lioness as she raised one of her eyebrows. "What happened to you guys?" She asked as she tilted her head to the side.

"Ahh… some guys really can't take a joke these days." The black feathered bird said and dropped to the ground.

Nala observed him carefully seeing as the male bird had received several smacks on the back. "Who roughed you up?"

The vulture glanced up to her with tired eyes. "Some lion. Little Marv here was lucky that he only got caught by his left wing. Those damn felines! No offense sweetheart. He mumbled something about… getting a second air and… advanced endurance!" He stretched his back as he tried to walk off a cramp.

As the bird kept talking, Nalas eyes grew wide realizing what was going on. That was definitely him. Simba has gone right through here. "A lion you say! Which way did he go?" She asked with enthusiasm as Larry glanced at her with annoyance.

"Oh alright… I don't want to be the party pooper here. He went that way." He pointed with his right wing in to the west.

Nala gave the bird a quick 'thank you' as she started sprinting in the same direction she was told Simba was heading. She had no idea what the deal with Simba and these vultures has been, and she kind felt sorry for them. But this showed that her friend was ready to fight for everything that was dear to him.

Baffled and demoralized was the right word for the situation in which the vultures found themselves in right now. Marv glanced around his friends letting his wings drop to his hips. "Well… that's it for tonight folks. Enjoy our next programming with sportscenter coming up." With that, he dropped onto his beck as he lost his conscious.

Neither of them noticed the red warthog and the meerkat passing by as the duo glanced down on the group of black feathered birds which they have teased for so many times. "Hey Timon! What happened to those guys?" Pumbaa asked looking up at his friend. Timon shrugged with his shoulders and raised his arms.

"I guess the audience didn't like the program."


Simba had finally reached the border of the pride lands. His gaze wandered over the field of briars that served as a neutral barrier between the kingdom and the lands which lay just beside. The golden lion breathed slowly and climbed through the thicket. The brambles were cutting in his fur yet were not doing any damage. To him, it took him almost an eternity until he got out of the field and made his way up the slope.

The golden lion stopped at an instant as he padded around a corner and realized where his path had led him. Simba found himself back in the same gorge where his life had taken its sinister turn. Everywhere he looked, he could see the leftovers of the stampede where his father died. Slowly and with a heavy heart, Simba walked forward until he reached the broken up tree where he last saw the former king Mufasa. Nowhere he looked, he could see the body of his dad. It must have already turned to grass, even though there was no grass to be seen within miles.

The dry wood was broken into various smithereens and was spread all over the place. Simba placed his paw on the wood as he closed his eyes and rested for a minute. He then tilted his head up as he looked at the sky. This is for you dad. With that, the golden lion continued walking through his kingdom. Slowly, he climbed out of the gorge as he faced the even grassland which had turned grey and brown. Simbas heart dropped immediately as his mind was filled with sadness.

"What have they done?" He asked out loud.

"Who are you?"

Simba whipped his head around to come face to face with three male hyenas. Their eyes turned red in blood thirst as they observed the lion in front of them. "We actually expected someone else to come across these path but… you'll do just fine for now." One of them said and the grey animals stated storming at Simba.

By using his right back leg, the male lion caught one of the hyenas in mid air sending it flying head first into a rock. The second one jumped on Simbas back as he tried to sink its teeth into the lion's neck. Simba leaped backwards as he rammed the hyena into the same boulder the first one had landed in. After he was finished with them, the third one growled viciously while jumping at Simba. He simply dodged the attack as the hyena collided with the rock just like the other two.

"How where these guys able to take over the pride lands?" Simba said confused but continued on his way. As he made his way through his home, he noticed the lack of hyenas and lionesses he spotted on his way, except for the little incident moments ago. Considering what Nala told him, the lionesses must have been on the hunt for nearly the whole day. They certainly would come across this place. What he knew from his memory, he was only a few miles away from pride rock. And as he went around a corner, he saw the once majestic looking castle standing like an eternal sign on the horizon. Once again his heart sunk as he saw the grey air and the brown earth which once was so full of green.


In the meantime, no one at pride rock had an idea of the events happening around Simba and Nala. Yet, things were a bit different from what they used to be. While the hyenas were sleeping around the huge rock formation, the lionesses were going just as Sarabi had told them the night before. The pride refused to go hunting this day. A situation that made the king be even more intense than usual.

Scar trotted back and forth in front of his cave as he thought about the situation. Mutiny, insurrection! I should have disposed Sarabi when I had the chance. No I have a bunch of hungry hyenas lying around here with nothing to do. And on top of that a pride is denying any sign of my authority. The king heard paw steps behind him and came face to face with Zira who glanced at him upset and with anger. "They're still refusing." She mumbled through gritted teeth.

"I know!" Scar muttered annoyed turning his face away from her.

Zira indeed was not happy with that answer. She stepped closer making extra noise with her paws to draw the kings' attention. "And?" She asked as she tried to stare the male lion down.

For a while, none of the lions said any word before Scar finally had enough of it. "And… what?" He asked mocking and still annoyed.

"WHAT? You're the king. Isn't it your duty to keep the hunts going? And what do you do? You sit here and let them do what they want." She shouted out to him. It wasn't so much her anger and disappointment of his behavior, but more the thought about Sarabi getting through with her will. Not to mention the huge hunger she felt for the last days. The tarnish lioness narrowed her eyes and gritted her teeth.

But Scar was merely unimpressed. "You know! Right now, I can't decide if you're a hyena or one of Sarabis lionesses." His muzzle was only inches away from hers. "You're complaining just like one of those poachers out there." He walked a few steps back before he turned his head back at her. "You want to eat? GO HUNT!" He yelled out loud.

Zira glanced at him a mix of disappointment and anger. She couldn't believe what he said to her. Of all the lions in this kingdom, he was the one which meant the most to her. And now he was comparing her with a hyena. It really hurt her to have her king speak about her like that. The tarnish lioness wanted to say something but couldn't bring her thoughts together. She stormed out of the den hurt in her feelings.

Outside of the den, Spotty and Dotty waited for their friend to leave the royal chamber. The two had settled down as they glanced over the clan of hyenas lying all around the castle. Yet neither of them moved a muzzle until they spotted Zira storming out of the cave. She passed the two younger lionesses with a stony expression and not facing them for one second. "Follow me!" She snapped and stormed away from pride rock.

"Where are we going?" Spotty asked a bit confused trying to follow her.

"We're going to hunt." Zira answered cold and quick,

Both Spotty and Dotty twisted her heads to face each other not really understanding what was going on. "Us, hunt? Why are we supposed to hunt? What about Sarabi and her lionesses?" Dotty called out to her older friend shrugging her shoulders not understanding.

Zira stopped and looked back at the grey lionesses giving them the same annoyed and angry look she gave Scar moments ago. "Our… KING, has decided to sit this crisis out without any participation to solve this problem." He eyes were completely filled with the exact same disappointment that once filled Sarabi. "And since he is refusing to do anything about the situation, we have to take care of our own."


Simbas scent was getting stronger which caused Nala to pick up her pace. She finally managed to enter back into the pride lands and walk through the gorge where her golden furred friend was named dead for all this time. Something which kept her mind occupied for the whole way through the desert. Why would Scar say that Simba was dead if he wasn't? What was his deal in this situation? Scar not having his paws in anything that was happening was a thought which Nala shoved aside a long time ago. It all fitted together. She was not quite sure where Simba and his refuse to tell her the truth fit in.

As she made it out of the gorge, she spotted three male hyenas being roughed up and stapled beside a boulder. She immediately could tell that Simba had passed by here. The cream furred lioness continued to move through the kingdom with her body keeping low. Having to walk over the dried out grey grass with her shiny cream body was definitely not the way of hiding properly. She could smell that Simba was less than a mile in front of her.

The lioness glanced around in alert and frowned at the scenes she spotted all over her home. There was no hint of a hyena and a lioness being even close to her. Everywhere she looked, she found no one. It was a situation which made her feel uncomfortable. Am I to late? What has Scar done with them? But then she spotted a golden body in the distance and her heart immediately jumped. If it wouldn't have been for her mind to be alert on its highest level, Nala would have screamed out to Simba at once. But she had to wait until she was close enough for him to hear her call in a normal voice. She had no interest in the two being spotted just miles away from their home.

As Nala approached the former prince from behind, she noticed the sadness and the anger that was building up inside him. She could hear his heavy breathing as he was probably completely taken aback of what had happened to his kingdom. The cream lioness picked up her pace as she wanted to reach Simba before he was going to run down towards pride rock.

"SIMBA! WAIT UP!" She yelled out as she was just yards away from him.

The male lion was about to step down from a rock as he heard the familiar voice of his cream furred friend who came running over to his position. Although he was happy to see her again, regretting how he reacted earlier in the jungle, he still had some doubts about Nalas presence. He was not ready to sacrifice the lioness he was deeply in love with for something he was the cause of it. But she was no standing with him now, and that was all that matters. It's not like she was going to listen to me about staying back safe anyway. He sighed before he faced her once again.

"It's awful! Isn't it?" She said as she stopped to his left and glancing down herself on the land to their feet.

Awful wasn't even getting close to what Simba would call the pride lands now. He couldn't believe what his uncle had driven his home into. As a matter of fact, he didn't want to believe. "I didn't want to believe you!" he admitted seeing as there was nothing to hide right now.

Seeing as she now had the golden lion on her side, she had to ask this. "What made you come back?" Nala knew that Rafiki had his hands in this. But something must have happened with Simba out of the sudden which made him finally get a grip on reality.

Simba glanced at her gently and sighed. "I finally got some sense knocked into me. And I've got the bump to prove it." He rushed out the last sentence with a little sense of sarcasm. Then Simba directed his head into the distance as his voice filled with bravery. "Besides, this is my kingdom. If I don't fight for it, who will?" He stepped forward ready to go down there and bring this crisis to an end.

It wasn't exactly the answer which Nala had requested, but it surely was one she wanted to hear. She now completely realized that Simba was serious about his intentions. Slowly she padded up to him and finally stood side by side with him. "I'll follow you." She said warm as she showed her full support for her friend.

The golden male already expected something like that from her. Even if he disliked the idea of Nala getting involved in the fight to come, he needed her by his side. "It's gonna be dangerous!" He said knowing that there was no way of talking her out of this one.

A sly smirk appeared on her face as she giggled a little. "Danger? HA! I laugh in the face of danger. Ha ha ha ha!" She twisted her head around and faked a mocking laugh. Both lions glanced at each other as another smirk appeared on Simbas muzzle.

"You still remember that huh!" He asked flatly.

"I always will!" Nala replied gently.


Without having any idea of what was going on in the middle of his kingdom, Scar laid down in his cave as he kept thinking about the lionesses' refusal. The red/brown had settled himself in the middle of the room on the ground as he brushed with one of his claws over the cold stony ground in the cave. The conversation with Zira early on was still running fresh through his memory. As much as he hated to admit it, he still needed her. She was the rightful choice for an heir to his throne; a real heir, not this incompetent failure which dared to call himself his son. And therefore, he couldn't risk her to lose her loyalty to him.

Zira and her two friends, he could never tell apart, had been a useful information pool over the last few years. Losing them in his fight to contain the lionesses would be an irreparable damage. He had never thought about actually doing it but… he decided to make up to her later on once she returned from her hunt.

And speaking of the hunts… seeing as Sarabi was the middle point of all the problems he had over the last months, he needed to take care of her before she was going to cause any more trouble. But how am I doing that. I can't kill her. I won't kill her. But there has to be some way to break her rebellious behavior for good. The wheels inside his head were turning as he thought about the beige lioness and her style of handling problems.

I have to humiliate her. Expose her. Make her be vulnerable in front of the whole pride. His eyes started to widen as his plan was finally growing form inside his head. A smile spread over his face and the king got up on his paws. He finally had an idea of how to break the lionesses' resistance for good. Scar padded determined and quickly out of the cave. His head hang high as he walked up to the end of the path which lead up to the huge ledge of pride rock. The king could already see the hyenas getting to their feet as they spotted him coming up to the edge. He breathed heavily before yelling out her name.

"SARABI!" His voice haled through the air and his echo could be heard from everywhere near the castle.


The lionesses rushed up their heads as they heard the voice of their king haling through the air. Nafsi and Sabini immediately let her ears drop to the side of their heads. From the sound of his voice, she could tell that Scar was being serious this time. Sarabi went to her feet with her orange orbs showing her concern for this harsh call of her name. Just as the former queen started walking into the kings' direction, it was Himaya who rushed to her side and glared into the direction where the call came from in disgust.

But Sarabi right away raised one of her paws signaling to her friend to stand down. "Not this time. This one I have to do on my own." She said placing a paw on Himayas shoulder.

Tama, her mother and Kimae watched after their leader with tension on her faces. They knew that their actions would cause Scar to punish them. But the way Sarabi ordered her 'bodyguard' to stay behind kinda felt like a farewell. "Don't you think we should come with you? He sounded serious. With the developments of the last days, it wouldn't surprise me if he ran completely nuts this time." Tama called out to her ready to jump into action.

"As much as he wants to, he can't kill me. He knows that he soon would have a kingdom full of hyenas and without lionesses. A situation he wanted to avoid from the beginning." She turned around to face her pride with her eyes full of love for the leftovers of her family. "As far as I see it, he has a choice to make. Leave pride rock… or get rid of the hyenas. And this is what I wanted to achieve for days now." She replied taking her lionesses by surprise.

Subira stood up and eyed Sarabi curious. "Your plan included the possibility of us leaving pride rock?"

The former queen nodded but kept a stern expression. "The herds have left this kingdom a long time ago. Even though he doesn't admit it, Scar is exactly as hungry as we are. And since dying is the least thing he wants to do, besides stepping down as king, he has no other choice than to decide for us to move on." She had better plans in the past to achieve her goals. And she knew that it was risky to confront the king with such a thing. But time was running out for the pride and things needed to be done. With a last look and an encouraging smile, Sarabi continued on her way to face Scar.

"Does she really believe this plan will work?" Subira asked out loud not really wanting an answer in return. "It's a big vague to me!" She added sitting down right beside her daughter.

"She seems serious about leaving this place; I wonder what Scar will have to say about this." Nafsi added facing the ground.

"Scar is not going to do anything by the end of the day!" A voice behind the pride appeared and the lionesses twirled their heads around to look at the source of it. Immediately, their eyes widened and their faces lit up as they spotted their lost cream furred member rushing down to where they had settled down.

Tama immediately got to her feet and stepped forward. "NALA!" She shouted as she nearly jumped at her friend as the two came close enough. The two lionesses nuzzled each other while the rest of the pride joined in on them. "You returned!" The tarnish/orange lioness again said as she let go of Nala.

"Yes! I'm back! But we don't have time for this right now. We have to get up there and help him." The cream lioness said as she turned around towards their castle.

The others just stood there now confused. "What do you mean HIM? Have you found somebody to fight Scar?" Sabini asked with her blue eyes wide open.

Nala glanced back at her as a huge smile appeared on her face. "Oh yes! I have found someone. And you will not believe when I tell you who I found."


Author's note: Thank god this is over. I must tell you; this was a pain in the butt. Thank god I had a week off from my job during Easter. It gave me enough time to make good progress on the story and have the chapters 12, 13 and 14 finished with one week advanced. Without that, this chapter would have killed me. I'm still not satisfied with it at all. But giving the current status, I think I can't even make it much better.

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