Here's chapter 18 and please review. Note that all the sections in the story don't happen at the same time.

Nala was looking for Kula. After a while, she spotted her friend alone.

"Kula!" she called.

"Hey." she said quietly, sadness in her voice.

"Did you get Chumvi to change his mind?" Nala asked, hoping she had better luck than her with Simba.

"No, I didn't. Simba didn't change his mind either, did he?" Kula asked.

"No, he didn't. I want to go back. We could find a way to sneak back into the Pridelands, find Alex or Shari, or anyone who believes us, and we could warn them. They might have chance if they talk with Mufasa." Nala said. "Do you want to go back?"

"Of course I do." Kula said." But Chumvi and Simba would never let us go alone."

Nala took a deep breath. "Then we have to go without telling them." Kula looked at her in surprise. "It's the only way, Kula. They would never let us go alone."

"I'm coming. But you do realize that there's a chance that we'll get killed, helping."

Nala nodded. There was a huge chance. She had known that from the beginning. Scar had wanted them dead, and if he saw her, he would kill her. If anyone else saw them in the Pridelands, they would kill her.

" Life used to be so much simpler." Kula said softly. "I'd never thought I would have to be doing something like this."

Nala nodded. Her heart was bursting with emotions. Why had this happened to them? Out of every creature possible? Her thoughts drifted to her parents and anger swelled up inside her. This was all their fault! They hadn't believed their own daughter. For a minute she could understand why Simba didn't want to go back, and she was tempted to stay. But she knew if she did, she would never be able to live with the guilt.

"I'll meet you by the southern border in an hour. I want to see Chumvi one more time. He's asleep right now." Kula said, and walked away.

Nala nodded and walked away, hoping that Simba was asleep. She found him, sleeping where they usually slept. Nala sighed. This may be the last time she that she saw him. She thought her heart would break in two as she bent down an nuzzled him, inhaling his scent one more time. No matter what happened, she would always love him more than anything. Carefully, and quietly she walked away toward the southern border.

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Tojo was in the den. Shinda and Shani were asleep beside him. He was frustrated because his, Alex, and Moran's plans hadn't worked out. Zuri and Zawadi had heard them talking and went back and told their mother's. Kudeka and Penda had been angry at their sons for doing something like that. Tojo tried explaining to his mother that he was doing it with the best intentions, but she hadn't listened. The more he thought about it, the madder it made him. He glared at the sleeping figure of Kudeka, and Hariku sleeping together, with Zuri nestled in Kudeka's paws, and Anjani pressed against her muzzle.

'Maybe, if you paid more attention to what's going around you instead of spending all your time with your new mate, you would see that Simba, Kula, Nala and Chumvi weren't responsible for those murders.' Tojo thought.

As he looked at them, there was something besides anger in his heart. There was sadness. He would probably never see his father again. He couldn't even remember what he looked like. Tojo had only been four years old when he left. Shani had never had the chance to meet him. There were still faint memories of his father, Aman, teaching him and Shinda how to pounce, taking him on the patrol, and wrestling with him and Shinda while Kudeka happily watched. Despite his grief, Tojo smiled. They had been such a happy family. Why did that have to change? Zuri and Anjani had something he would never have. A complete family. Maybe that was one of the reason's he didn't love them as much as he loved Shani and Shinda.

'Mom, Dad, Shani, Shinda and me. We were the perfect family.' Tojo thought. With these final thoughts, Tojo fell asleep.

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Simba opened his eyes. It was still dark outside. His sleep had been anything but restful. It had been full of confusing, unsettling dreams of his home, Scar and his family.

'Why would my own Uncle do such a thing to me?' Simba thought, mournfully.

He shifted, expecting Nala to be beside him but she wasn't. He then remembered their argument last night. Guilt washed through him as he remembered yelling at her, and telling her to go save the Pridelands by herself.

'She wouldn't just go. At the very least she would tell me. But I still won't let her.' Simba thought.

Simba got up and began searching for her. He knew she wouldn't be hunting. He searched all of the places she usually rested at. Simba was beginning to worry.

'Where could she be. She has be somewhere. Unless...' Simba began to panic. 'Unless she and Kula left without telling me and Chumvi!'

Simba turned and ran to where Chumvi slept. He found Chumvi awake, and walking toward him.

"Have you seen Kula and Nala?" Chumvi asked, sounding worried.

"I think they left." Simba said, trying to stay calm.

"No!" Chumvi exclaimed. "They wouldn't leave without telling us."

"They did." Simba said. "They wanted to go back and help."

"Then we have to go too. They probably left at the southern border since that's where we entered when we first came here."

"Let's go then." Simba said, and the two males ran to the border.

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"Dad?" Hofu asked.

"Don't worry, I'm not asleep." Runju replied. He and Hofu were in the den, while Sarafina was with some of her friends.

"I'm really bored. Can we please wrestle? We haven't wrestled since this morning." Hofu begged.

"And that's a long time, huh?" Runju said, with a grin.

Hofu pounced on Runju, and Runju grabbed him with his paws and pressed him down. Hofu wriggled free of his grasp and hurled himself back at his father. He grabbed Runju's ear with his mouth and tugged on it. Runju pushed him back, knocking him down.

"Think your tough?" Runju asked.

Hofu continued hurling himself at Runju, but Runju blocked each attempt. Father and son were enjoying themselves so much that they didn't notice Sarafina watching them from behind, until she cleared her throat.

"Hi Mom." Hofu said, when he noticed her.

"Hofu, please take it easy. Your body can't go through that." Sarafina said. "And Runju, you shouldn't have played with him like that."

"But Rafiki said that I'm okay enough to play." Hofu whined.

"I still say that you need rest." Sarafina said firmly, as she settled down next to them.

"Sarafina, it's okay. He just can't stay still for that long." Runju said, giving his mate a nuzzle.

"Can I go out and play. Please!" Hofu begged.

Sarafina opened her mouth to say no, but Runju quickly replied. "Only if you don't wander too far, and come back by sunset."

Hofu nodded and ran out before his mother could protest.

"Runju, he has to take it easy." Sarafina said, looking at her mate.

"He'll be fine. There are still adults all over the Pridelands and they'll keep an eye on him." Runju said.

Sarafina nodded.

"Besides," Runju continued with a smile, "When was the last time we spent some time together?"

Sarafina gave him a smile. "Let's go."

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Nala and Kula had been travelling without stopping. They were exhausted, but there was only a few days left until Scar struck.

"Nala, we've been running for the past few hours. Let's stop for a couple minutes." Kula said.

Nala nodded and collapsed on the ground.

"I'm going to see if there's any water around here." Kula said walking away.

Nala was too exhausted to answer. At this rate, their journey back to the Pridelands would take less time than it had taken to leave. She thought about Simba. Was he worried? Of course he would be worried. Would he and Chumvi come after them? Or would they still stay, and let them go alone? Was Simba mad at her for just leaving without telling him? Was he more mad or worried?

"Nala!" Kula called. "There's some water here, if you're thirsty."

Nala forced herself up, and took at drink. It wasn't much, but it would keep her going for the next few hours.

"Let's go. If we don't hurry, we might me too late." Kula said.

Nala nodded and they continued their run.

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"I still can't believe they left without us." Simba said.

Chumvi nodded. "They're probably running the whole distance. That bird said we only have a few days."

Chumvi felt terrible that he hadn't agreed with Kula. He still didn't want to help the Pridelands but he had to make sure that Nala and Kula were alright.

"Can we stop? For a couple minutes? Just to find water." Simba asked.

Chumvi nodded and stopped running.

"Alright, but we have to hurry."