Here's chapter 20 and please review. And I'll tell you right now that for those of you that are hoping that their parents are going to let them back into the Pridelands, they won't, because they're exiled.

She was pregnant. Nala lay there, still taking in the shock. She was pregnant, with Simba's cub. Who else could the father be? The only lion who could ever be the father of her cub was Simba. She was suddenly felt a burst of joy. She was pregnant with Simba's cub. She knew Simba would be thrilled.

'But, he isn't my mate.' Nala thought. She was carrying Simba's child, but she wasn't his mate. Nala shook the thought out of her head. Regardless of whether she and Simba were mates or not, she knew Simba would father the cub, and love it more than anything. Nala wondered if Chumvi and Simba were coming after them. Now she had another life to protect too.

'I still have to go and help them. But, if Simba finds out that I'm pregnant, there is no way he would let me fight if I have to.'

"Nala!" came a voice. It was Kula, coming toward her, with a warthog in her jaws. "Sleep well?" she asked, settling down beside her.

"Yes, I did. I feel much better." Nala replied, the smile still on her face.

"Why do you look so happy?" Kula asked.

"Can you keep a secret?" Nala asked.

Kula laughed. "I don't really have anyone else to tell secrets to, unless it's Chumvi. But yes, I can."

"Kula, you can't even tell Chumvi." Nala warned.

Kula nodded. "Don't worry, I won't. Now tell me."

Nala looked at her and said, "I'm pregnant."

Kula's jaw dropped. "You're pregnant?" she gasped.

"Yes, now please say something." Nala laughed.

"Spirits above, you're pregnant with Simba's cub! Congratulations!" Kula exclaimed, giving her a nuzzle, which Nala returned.

"Thanks. I'm just sad that Simba might never know." Nala said, resting her head in Kula's paws.

Kula bent down an nuzzled her."Don't worry. They're probably coming after us right now."

Nala sighed. "But now he'll be more protective than ever. And, there's a big chance that we'll be killed trying to help. I don't mind risking me, but I can't risk my cubs life too."

Kula looked at her. "I will do everything in my power to make sure you're cub will be safe."

Nala smiled. "Thank you."

"Do still want to rest? We can travel again at night, when we can see the star again." Kula said.

"I remember some land marks, from when were leaving. I'm pretty sure we can go without the stars." Nala replied.

Kula nodded, and the two lionesses quickly finished the carcass, and set off again. As Nala forced her paws to move forward, she tried to imagine a perfect world. A world where there was no pain, grief and cruelty. Where she would be surrounded by everyone she loved and everyone who loved her, somewhere that she would never be alone. A world where hers and Simba's cub would be safe.

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Ajjali and Sarabi were in the royal den.

"Mom, please can I go and play." Ajjali begged. "I'm tired of staying in the den the whole time."

Sarabi looked at her. She had recovered very nicely, thanks to Rafiki's herbs, and treatment.

"Alright, but I'm coming with you." Sarabi said, getting up and following Ajjali out of the den.

Mother and daughter went to the waterhole and found Penda, with her daughter Zawadi, and Kudeka with Anjani. Ajjali ran over and joined their game of wrestling. The lionesses, watched their cubs play from the shade of an acacia tree.

"They've recovered nicely." Kudeka, said looking at them.

Penda nodded, and said, "Thank the spirits above for that."

Sarabi watched as Ajjali pinned Zawadi down, and pounce on Anjani. She had been so worried that she wouldn't recover. On the night that Rafiki had told her and Mufasa that Ajjali would make a full recovery, she had gone outside and thanked her ancestors for protecting her. She had entered the den with tears of relief in her eyes.

Her heart ached as she thought of what might have become of Simba. Her only son had turned into a murderer. She still found it hard to realize that he had been heartless enough to attack his own sibling. When she had told Ajjali that it was Simba who had attacked her, since she had no memory of what happened, she had been heartbroken, realizing her own brother tried to kill her.

Flashback

Mufasa and Sarabi were in the Royal Den with Ajjali. She was still covered in painful scars.

"Mom, Daddy, please tell me what happened to Simba. And Nala, Chumvi and Kula. Why isn't he here? Why aren't they here?" Ajjali asked.

Mufasa leaned over and gently picked her up by the scruff, as lightly as he could, but Ajjali still winced in pain. Mufasa placed her in his paws.

"Ajjali, there is something you should know." Sarabi began.

"What?" Ajjali demanded.

"Simba, Nala, Chumvi and Kula were the ones who attacked you." Mufasa said gently.

"But I don't remember." Ajjali said, quietly, not wanting to believe that her brother would do something like that to her.

"It's because you had a head injury. It's short term memory loss." Mufasa said, gently, giving the top of her head a lick.

"So what happened to him?" Ajjali asked.

"I exiled him." Mufasa, said, his voice heavy with sadness.

Ajjali was silent for a moment. "It's my fault. Simba was mad at me for being future queen. If I wasn`t, he wouldn`t have attacked me. Then he wouldn't have been exiled."

"No Ajjali." Mufasa said, firmly, "It was Simba's fault. He made his own decision. He knew the consequences. None of this is your fault."

Ajjali nodded, but there were tears in her eyes. "So, he isn't coming back?"

"No, he knows if he does, he will be killed." Mufasa said firmly.

"So you would kill him?" Ajjali asked.

Mufasa was silent. He couldn't bring himself to say that he would kill his own son.

"I'll follow the laws of the Pridelands." Mufasa said.

Ajjali opened her mouth to ask what the laws were, but Sarabi said quickly "Why don't I tell you a story before you go to sleep?"

Ajjali nodded and nestled herself in her mother's paws.

End of Flashback

Every night Sarabi looked into the stars and thought about Simba. She hoped that if he was alive, he had finally learned his lesson, and found happiness with the things he had. No matter what he was still her child. Or where ever he was, he hoped he knew that no matter how angry and ashamed she was of him, she still loved him.

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Nala and Kula were nearing the Pridelands at a remarkable speed. They had been travelling all night and a lot of day. Nala saw a familiar landmark that told her that they were only about half an hour away from the Pridelands.

"Nala, let's take a break." Kula said, "And you shouldn't be wearing yourself out like this."

"Kula, I'm pregnant, not disabled." Nala said, with a small smile. "But, I really could use a break."

Kula nodded, and said "I'm going to find that pond we drank out of." She walked away.

Nala went and rested herself on top of a flat rock. She thought of Simba.

"I guess, he really isn't coming."

"Nala!" came a familiar voice. She turned around. Simba!

Simba ran over to where she was.

"Thank spirits above you're alright." Simba said, covering her face with licks. Nala returned his affection. "I was so worried about you. I thought I lost you." Simba murmured in her ear.

Nala said nothing, she just kept her head buried in his mane. Suddenly Simba pulled back.

"Nala, don't do something like that! Do you have any idea how worried we were?" Simba exclaimed, angrily. "You just left, with Kula without telling us? At the very least you could have told that insane bird, Takita, and she would have told us! Do you have any idea how worried I was?"

Nala glared at him. "Well, you did tell me to go by myself or with Kula. So I did. You were the one who didn't want to come."

Simba's expression softened. "I'm sorry I yelled at you." he said, gently. "I took all of my anger out on you. You didn't deserve that. I promise, I will never do that again. I promise. I need you, Nala. More than anything in this world."

"I need you too." Nala said gently, burying her face in his mane again, as she felt him lick the top of her head.

After a while they pulled back. "You still didn't change your mind, did you?" Simba asked.

"And you still didn't change your mind either." Nala said.

"I'm here now. There is no way I'm letting you go in there alone. I'll help." Simba said, softly.

Nala smiled.

"I'm not helping because of my father. I'm helping because of Alex and all of our other friends in danger. But, I still say that little bird, Takita's insane." Simba grumbled.

"As long as you help." Nala sighed, resting against him.

Simba and Nala then got up to find Kula and Chumvi. The four lions agreed that they would figure out what to do next morning.

Simba and Nala moved a little way off from Kula and Chumvi. They found a decent place, just big enough for both of them, surrounded by a few trees. Simba rested his head on Nala's back, and closed his eyes.

"Simba?" Nala asked. "Are you awake?"

"Yeah, sweetie, I am" Simba said, opening his eyes.

"I have some, news for you." Nala began with a smile.

"What it is?" Simba asked.

" I don't know if you're going to take this as good news or bad news." Nala said

"Nala, don't worry, just tell me. What is it?" Simba asked.

"Simba," Nala said, "I'm pregnant."