Hello ladies and gentlemen. I know that I haven't updated this story and Royal Descend in a minute. Because I had gotten another summer cold. But while I was writing the next chapter of Royal Descend, I had more ideas for this story.

But don't worry. Royal Descend will be up sometime, hopefully by the weekend.

Now without further ado, here's the next chapter. Enjoy.

Light At The End of the Tunnel

It's been months since the death of Kopa. By now Jiana had given birth to two beautiful cubs, just a few days ago. Surprisingly Nala gave birth a week before. She says that it must of been the night before Kopa's death. Which was their anniversary, and they spent it back at the oasis.

But even with another cub they made together, Nala was still withdrawn. It was stressful and distracting, and he no idea what to do.

It was early morning, the sun had risen from behind the horizon but Simba still sat on the summit pondering over the situation he's in. How to gain his mate's love again when his father's majordomo, now his flew over like he always does, when the littlest disturbances happen. So he wasn't remotely worried about some fuel between the zebras and gazelles. Which has been going on since he was a cub and probably before then.

"Morning Zazu. What's the news?" Simba greeted the azure hornbill with a smile.

But the king wasn't expecting the information Zazu shared.

"A young lioness is on the Zuberi river bank. She appears to be wounded."

Simba immediately stood and began going down the winding path. "Get my mother and Nala. Tell them to meet me."

Zazu dipped his head. "Of course, sire." before flying away.

The golden lion quickly made his way down the slope, once he reached the savannah he broke into a full run towards eastern end of the Pridelands where the Zuberi river were. Simba had ran through his kingdom before stopping at a cliff, at the bottom was the bank of Zuberi river. He scanned the area for a path down when his orange eyes landed on the lioness.

Simba quickly and carefully leaped from rock to rock. When he got close enough he slid the rest down. Gracefully landing on his paws. Taking a deep breath the golden furred lion looked at the creamy gold lioness. Half of her body was lying on the damp ground as the other half was still in the water. Walking over Simba bend his head to listen for a heartbeat. Which he heard was a faint one, followed by a small moan.

Simba backed away to see the lioness open her soft brown eyes. When the lioness caught the king's eye she tempted to speak.

"...Please...help..."

Simba grew over his shock and nodded. "I'll do my best. What's your name?"

"...Kiara..."

Simba smiled lightly. He was getting some where. "Kiara...what do you need help with?"

The damp lioness moved her paws to reveal a a soak and wet cub. Just a few hours, a day the most old. Simba gasped his orange eyes wide.

"...Please take her...I fear I won't be much of a mother soon."

Simba looked from the dying lioness to the small bundle in her paws. Closing his eyes and sighed he looked back at Kiara.

"What's her name?"

Kiara coughed and shivered. Simba watched with sad eyes as the lioness took her last breath and closed her eyes.

"Simba!"

Simba looked up and seen his mother slid down with Nala behind her.

"Zazu told me. Is the lioness alright?" Sarabi asked with concern in her orange eyes.

Simba lowered his head and shook it. Tears fell whiched caused the dark beige lioness pinned her dark brown rimmed ears and lowered her head.

At the sound of a mew, Sarabi lifted her head and saw the small golden orange cub in the deceased lioness' paws. "She has a cub. Surely Simba, you won't leave her for the vultures."

Simba lifted his head and looked at his mother before looking at his mate.

"I assume you would want to raise her." Nala said coldly.

Simba looked at the peachy cream lioness in shock but his attention went to the orphan as she began to cry. He pinned his ears as he felt remorse and sad for this little innocent being just lost her mother.

Ignoring Nala's dirty glare as he picked up the fussing cub and headed up the wall.

Sarabi looked at her daughter-in-law and was about to say something on her behavior but decided that her son was more important. The dark beige lioness climbed up after Simba and followed him back to Priderock.

...

When the three returned to Priderock Sarafina and Mheetu were outside the cave. When mother and son saw the group they stopped speaking to watch them enter the small cave close to the slope. They stood and followed.

In the back was Mheetu's yellowish mate with their two cubs and the new prince. Jiana looked up and was surprised to see a cub dangling from the king's muzzle.

Simba laid down close to his mate's sister-in-law and turned his attention to the still crying cub. "Shhh, Shhh. Sweetheart, it's going to be okay."

Nala sat across the cave by her tawny mother. With a disproving sneer.

"Who's this pretty little girl?" Simba's dark cream, brown maned brother-in-law cooed.

Simba looked at the golden orange cub. Her mother didn't say what her name was but as he looked at the infant she shared a lot with her mother. "Kiara. After her mother,"

"The lioness that Zazu mentioned?" questioned Jiana as she gazed at the wailing cub with sadness in her bluish-hazel eyes.

Sarabi nodded her ears against her head. "Sadly she passed away."

"So what are you going to with her?" came Sarafina's voice.

Simba looked at his mother-in-law with a hard look. "I'm going to raise her alongside Kion."

Nala's green eyes widened but before she could opposed Kiara started crying louder which woke up the other three cubs. Nala glared at the cub in between Simba's paws. "Shut her up!"

Simba looked at Nala but turned his attention to Kiara. "Shh. It's going to be alright."

But Kiara continued to cry. Simba was starting to loose hope that he could calm her down when Jiana offered to nurse. Simba agreed but that didn't work.

After a few moments of Kiara crying, Simba had a flashback of when Kopa was fussing and wouldn't stop crying. The golden lion placed Kiara back in between his paws before he started to sing.

"Dear Kiara, what to say to you?

You have your mother's name

You have her eyes

When you came into my life, you cried and it broke my heart"

Kiara slowly stopped crying as she gazed up at the large figure over with soft brown eyes full of innocence."

"I'll make a million mistakes"

Nala looked up and instantly growled. A dark look in her eyes as she listened to her mate sing to that brat.

While on the other side of the cave, Simba smiled as Kiara giggled and gave a adorable gummy smile. There was a light that hasn't been a flame since the death of Kopa.

Simba lowered his head and rubbed his nose against Kiara's, causing the infant to giggle and coo. Simba rubbed his head against Kiara as he continued to sing.

"I'm dedicating every day to you

When you smile, you knock me out, I fall apart

And I thought I was so smart"

Sarabi walked over and laid besides her son as she joined in along with Mheetu and Jiana.

"You will come of age with our young nation

We'll bleed and fight for you, we'll make it right for you

If we lay a strong enough foundation

We'll pass it on to you, we'll give the world to you

And you'll blow us all away

Someday, someday

Yeah, you'll blow us all away

Someday, someday"

Kiara yawned before finally closing her eyes and fell asleep. Simba smiled at the little bundle before his attention went to his mate who stalked out the cave.

Simba gave Kiara to his mother before going after Nala. He found the queen standing at the peak of the kopje. "Nala..."

"What the hell are you doing!" Nala snarled as she turned around.

Simba looked confused as his ear flickered. "I...I don't follow."

Nala growled, her eyes narrowed. "That was Kopa's song! If you sung it to Kion, it's different but you didn't. You sung it to some orphan brat that you took in without my consent!"

Simba frowned before pinning his ears and growled back. "You don't have the right to come at me about the things I do! Where were you when my mother had to take over the hunts! Or better yet, when I needed you! We both lost a son that day!"

"Seems like it didn't bother you!" Nala snapped. "You didn't even give my baby justice! Zira's alive and well while our son is dead!"

Simba sighed before taking deep breaths. "She was pregnant. Surely you didn't want your little nephew or niece to answer for something that they didn't do!"

Nala shook her head before sneering. "Oh now family means something to you. When was that nobility when you killed Scar!"

Simba gasped. He wanted to retort but couldn't. He was speechless. He looked at Nala with hurt eyes before turning and entertaining the small cave. Leaving Nala alone with her anger and thoughts.

Nala was about to collect her son when she had a better idea. With a new determination, the peachy cream lioness headed down the slope into the Pridelands.