Chapter Twenty: Reunited Rescue

A random person: I'll just respond to both reviews here…lol Thank you for complimenting my writing. Keep reviewing, and I'll keep writing. You never know! If Disney contacts me, I'm going to fix everything in TLK haha :) enjoy the chapter.

Whoa it's fandoms: FLUTE FLUTE FLUTE FLUTE FLUTE FLUTE! Okay, in all seriousness, Rikala and Nuka might reunite this chappie, so enjoy!

Hunter305414: Is it sad I can see that too? *contacts local newspaper* Yes, this is SweetChinMusic115, and I have breaking news! Nuka from The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride just rescued his niece from his evil half-brother. GET IT TO THE PRESS! *hangs up* wait about a week, it should be there lol :) Thank you, and I will keep these chapters coming!

Guest: We can hope, right :) read on, and you may find your answer.

CSIMentalistTLK Lover: We all hope that. Mito's such a beam of light despite how she came to be. And yes, Kamaria had twins, I was originally planning on her having a son, but when you mentioned twins… I got that ball rolling fast :) thank you for that, and enjoy the chapter.

Rikala was doing border patrol with Zuri and Fahamu when she stopped and stared in the distance. She saw a reddish-gray color against the golden sands and looked confused for a second. Zuri stopped when she saw her mother looking out in the distance. Fahamu also looked in the direction the lionesses were. As the figure came closer, it gained the shape of a lion, and gained a black mane. Rikala's heart pounded in her chest and tears filled her eyes. Zuri almost burst, but Rikala beat her daughter to it.

"NUKA!" Rikala screamed, tearing across the desert at a high rate of speed. Zuri and Fahamu followed the dark brown lioness, one confused, and one knowing what was happening. As she got closer, Rikala saw the figure become more and more like Nuka, and she knew she was right. The lion smiled, a small cub in his mouth. Nuka set his charge down at his feet and took Rikala's speed-drove embrace with a smile.

"Riri." Nuka whispered. Rikala held Nuka so close and sobbed.

"Daddy!" Zuri yelled, running to nuzzle her father as well.

"Nuka!" Fahamu called, nuzzling his brother.

"You're alive, Sarafina said you were, and I didn't know if I should believe her. Oh my God, Nufaika, you scared me half to death!" Rikala sobbed. Nuka held his mate close.

"I know I did. I know I did, but Riri, we have to keep moving." Nuka said.

"Why?" Rikala asked, sniffling. The dark brown lioness looked at Nuka's feet, seeing a sickly little cub there. She gasped when she saw the resemblance to Kiara.

"Is that…?" Rikala trailed off. Fahamu followed Rikala's gaze.

"That's Kiara and Kovu's cub, isn't it?" Fahamu asked. Nuka nodded.

"She's premature, but… I took her from Kiara. She needs milk soon, as well." Nuka said.

"Ashaki may not allow her in the pride." Zuri said, gazing at the little cub.

"There may not be a choice. She's still Jua's sister." Rikala said. Nuka nodded and leaned down to grab the cub by the scruff, but Rikala beat her mate to the punch. Nuka watched as Rikala tore across the desert at a run.

"Where's she going?" Nuka asked.

"One of the huntresses had cubs a little while ago. She can feed her." Fahamu said. Nuka nodded and bolted after his wife. Zuri and Fahamu followed Nuka.

*+-/_\-+*

Kamaria was still recovering from the delivery of her twins when she saw Rikala running at a fast pace towards the scene. Ashaki looked up and to Rikala.

"Where's the fire?" Ashaki asked, then she saw what was in Rikala's jaws. Rikala set the cub down.

"It's Kiara's. Kiara and Kovu's. She's premature, but, Ashaki, she can't be raised there." The dark brown lioness said. Ashaki glared at the cub. The fruit of Kiara and Kovu's labor. She snarled and bore her teeth. Kamaria gasped.

"Mom, NO!" Kamaria screamed, waking her own two in the process. Kamaria reached out with her paw, bringing the golden brown bundle close to her, letting her suckle from her. Ashaki looked to her daughter.

"What?" Ashaki asked, her eyes betraying her confusion.

"We can't kill her. She's done no wrong, Mom." The Crown Princess said. Right then, two reddish-gray lions, Fahamu being one of them, and Zuri, ran up, all panting. Kamaria immediately recognized Nuka and smiled at her uncle, who smiled back.

"I see, I leave and you have your own children." Nuka said. Kamaria nodded.

"And she underwent a name change." Ashaki said. Nuka nodded and looked to his niece.

"So, what do I call you, sport?" He asked.

"Kamaria."

Nuka smiled, and then saw Mito at Kamaria's side. He nodded.

"You'll take care of her?" Nuka asked. Kamaria shook her head.

"I don't know if I can."

"Where's Thelugi?" Rikala asked.

"She could take care of her." Fahamu suggested.

"You guys, Thelugi had her first litter, too. It's not good to have a new mother have more than what her body could carry." Ashaki said.

"I'll do it." Usafi said, appearing with Malaika and Tufani. Ashaki glanced to her aunt-in-law.

"You're sure? She's Kibuluu's granddaughter, and Kibuluu did… rape you." Ashaki said. Usafi looked slightly pained, but smiled.

"If we can shape this little one's life, she won't be like the others. Kweli, your sister, looks the most like Kula, correct?" Usafi asked. Ashaki nodded.

"Yes, but…" The Queen began.

"But nothing. Kweli may be Kula's daughter, but she herself is good as gold. This one can be that way too." Usafi said as she lied down. Kamaria pushed the now-fed cub next to Usafi.

"What did you name her?" Usafi asked Nuka.

"Mito." Nuka said. Usafi smiled.

"Perfect name for her. I'll take care of her, since I am lactating already." The dark pink lioness said. Ashaki nodded and pursed her lips. Kamaria saw her mother's anxiety towards Mito.

"Mom, she isn't Kiara. Or Kovu. She won't even know them." Kamaria said, turning her head to her own children. Ashaki sighed.

"It's still odd. She's the fruit of their labor." She said softly.

"I know. But yet she's not them. She may be proof of an affair, but she's innocent in all this, like my own children. Can't you see that it's not her fault?" the Crown Princess whispered. Ashaki sighed and looked to her grandchildren at Kamaria's side. And smiled.

"It isn't her fault. I'll have to accept that." Ashaki said softly. Kamaria smiled and leaned up to nuzzle her mother. Ashaki lay down next to her daughter, glancing at Mito and Usafi once more, still feeling the stab of betrayal from Kovu.

*+-/_\-+*

Kiara woke, frantic. Her baby wasn't next to her. She remembered feeling her suckle as she had fallen unconscious again. She sobbed; sure that another predator had taken her baby. Kovu returned, Kibuluu, Kali, and Maji at his side. Kovu nuzzled his mate.

"What is it?" Kovu asked.

"The baby's gone." Kiara sobbed.

"What do you mean, gone?" Maji asked.

"I was unconscious. A leopard or a cheetah must have gotten the baby while I was out." Kiara sobbed. Kovu had tears meet his eyes as well. Kiara snarled and slapped Kovu, reopening his scar over his eye that had just healed over from JJ's assault months earlier.

"What the…? What was that for!?" The mahogany lion demanded.

"If you would have stayed, my baby would have been with me still!" Kiara roared.

"Kiara, surely you don't mean that! It was my baby too!" Kovu said.

"I WANT YOU GONE!" Kiara screamed as she got up. Kibuluu glared at Kovu, and Kali stepped into the situation.

"Kiara… Kovu knows much of our operation. What if he goes to the Pridelanders and tries to leak information?" Kali said calmly. Kibuluu saw Kali's point and nodded.

"He's right, sweetheart. I'm taking you back to Pride Rock to recover," Kibuluu paused and looked at his daughter, "was the child a boy or girl?" He asked.

"A girl. I'm sure of it." Kiara sobbed. Kibuluu nodded.

"What would you have named her?" He asked.

"Kenya. After my mother." Kiara whispered. Kibuluu walked over and nuzzled his daughter.

"Let's go back. You need to recover. Kovu," Kibuluu's sky blue eyes met Kovu's emerald green orbs, "you stay here for a couple days, or a week. Kiara needs to mourn, as do you." He said as he and Kiara walked away. Kali and Maji followed the pair, leaving Kovu alone to sob brokenly and bleed. He heard a growl and looked up, seeing a creamy gold lion, his mane nearly full, and teal eyes looking upon him. He gasped.

"Amri." He whispered. Before he knew it, his throat was slit and he was gargling blood, sure enough, standing above him, was Amri, growling and frowning.

"That was for Jay and Chaka, you bastard." The lion spat on Kovu and walked away, leaving the former King of the Pridelands to die. He stopped once he was far enough from Kovu, licking the blood from his claws. He sighed.

"Kivuli?"

He turned to see a familiar face. It was Chinja, the son of Chumvi, the soon to be King of the Vale. Chinja differed from his father in many ways, especially pelt color. His pelt was a bright orange in color, and his nose was a brownish tan color. His eyes were bright blue.

"Hello, Chinja." He said.

"You killed Kovu, I see." Chinja said.

"Bastard deserved it."

"I know. You've gone from Amri to Kivuli quite easily." Chinja said. Kivuli sighed.

"I had no choice. My father was expecting me to be 'Amri.' If I hadn't changed my name… I never could have worked for the Underground." Kivuli said. Chinja nodded.

"I understand that. We've chipped away at Kibuluu's forces, and Kovu's death will be a major blow to the pride." Chinja said.

"Any word on Jay?" Kivuli asked, disregarding what he had just done.

"Just that she's changed her name. She goes by Kamaria now." Chinja said. Kivuli nodded.

"Together, she and I are Shadows like the Moon. I miss her." He said.

"You'll see her soon." Chinja promised.

"When?" Kivuli asked.

"When the defector is killed, you know this." Chinja said.

"We still don't know the turncoat, Chinja." Kivuli said.

"I believe it might be one of our own." Chinja said.

"Which one? Ketaki is one of us, as is Radhi, Askari, Fukia, and Hatia." Kivuli said.

"Kibuluu offered Askari to be his mate. You know how easy she is to manipulate and that's why we've kept her away from him." Chinja said. Kivuli growled.

"I'll kill her myself. I've gotten enough blood on my claws."

"No. You know what your father will do if he sees you." Chinja said. Kivuli looked to Pride Rock, grumbling.

"I just don't understand, why can't I find my girl before this?" He asked.

"Because, she'll be in danger, too. You know that Kazai is keeping an eye on her. Trust Kazai, because she knows what she's doing." Chinja said. Kivuli sighed.

"I know. We better move on, before a patrol finds us." Kivuli said. The pair of lions left the Pridelands and ducked into the Moonlands.

A/N: A shorter chapter. I decided that was best. And hey, Amri's back! But, oh no! He's going by Kivuli and he seems to be a cold-blooded killer now. Hey, at least the first victim we saw him kill was Kovu. Thank God for small things. And Kiara's missing little Mito… dear god I'm evil towards her. Ah, who cares?

Kiara: I DO!

Me: Shut up, Kiara.

Kivuli: When will Kivuli reunite with Kamaria and his children? How are the Pridelanders progressing in their training? When will Kali go to find Usafi? Review and stay tuned!