Chapter 6

I do not own Lion King or any of its characters.

The only characters I do own are as follows:

Kali : Fierce

Usafi: Purity

Maji: Water

Nurisha: Shine Light Upon

Hafsa: Sound Judgment

Ufisa: Mischief

The following characters belong to my friend Nala-Nay who gave me permission to use him:

Hiassen

Cire

Blazing Red

The Cubs eyed the sky as they crossed the border with Nuru. After playing with Kiara for so long and avoiding Timon and Pumbaa, they hadn't realized they had been out for so long.

"I'm so hungry. Hey Pointy ears." Boga called to their guide, the serval Nuru by the name she had decided to call her by.

"It's Nuru I keep telling you. N U R U" The serval said sharply, not liking the name one bit. "How would you like it if I called you Whiny?"

Boga whimpered. "No. I'm not whiny.".

"Hey she just asked you a question. Don't be mean." Said the male chocolate brown cub near the now pouting cub, Babu, if Nuru remembered correctly.

"Well she should have asked in a bit more polite way or at least apologized first." Said the servel

"You apologize first." Kimba said coming up to stand by Babu's side to help defend Boga.

Nuru stopped which made the Cubs stop as they were following because they had no clue how to get home since the could not see it. She looked at the little white cub like he had been dropped on his head. "And why should I apologize? She insulted me with that stupid nickname knowing I hate it."

"Still if you're really an adult you shouldn't snap at a cub for something so stupid." Kimba said back in a smartass tone.

"Listen you-" Nuru padded over to them with her eyes narrowed. But thinking better of it, she snorted and turned to walk away.

Oh no, Boga thought fearfully. If she leaves we won't be able to get home. Boga ran ahead of the others and got ahead of her. "Please wait. I'm sorry Nuru. I won't call you Pointy Ears again. Just don't leave us alone." She pleaded.

Nuru looked at the cub shaking in front of her sighed and pat her shoulder "It's ok, I wasn't going to leave you dear. I accept your apology and I apologize for snapping at you." She licked the Cubs eyes to calm her down like she had done with her sister when she was scared. "Now what is your question?"

Boga took deep breaths to help calm herself and shut her eyes to compose herself and then opened them to look at Nuru. "Do you have any food we can eat before we get back?" She asked as her stomach growled.

Nuru's eyes widened as she heard and then hearing multiple growls come from the others she chuckled. I keep forgetting I'm guiding Cubs. She thought to herself. She looked at them as her mind darted around in panic. "I have some leftover lizards I stashed before I went to warn the King." She ran to the bush she had stashed her catches and dragged nine lizards back to them. "Here you go."

Boga and Babu grabbed two of them quickly and swallowed them after one bite.

Kimba was quick to grab three more of them before they started going for more and dragged them to his sister and Cire. "Here you go guys."

Cire eyes the lizard with her red eyes and an eyebrow raised as she lifted it by the tail with her paw. "This is supposed to be a meal?" She asked not convinced. The young peach lioness normally didn't complain about what she ate like Kula but this time even she was skeptical. The scaly body of the lizard didn't look good in comparison to the succulent meat of a zebra. If anything it looked like its scales would cut up her throat

Nuru nodded. "They're really good. Plus they'll help you get stronger teeth biting through that scaly body."

Kimba smirked picturing himself with fangs that were sharp enough to tear zebras in half. "Sweet." He grabbed his lizard eagerly awaiting the taste.

Uhuru on the other paw held hers away from her. "It's so slimy."

"Would you rather starve?" Her brother questioned.

Cire then eyed the four royals who had not taken any of the lizards. "You guys not hungry?"

Kopa shook his head. "I'm good. I'll eat when we get back home thank you."

Hafsa concurred. "Yeah I'm ok with that. The food will taste better if I wait for it like Mama said." She said as Nuri just shook her head in agreement.

"I'd rather eat Timon and Pumbaa's grubs than eat those lizards." Maji said as Cire turned to him only for his and his fellow royals eyes to widen. "I can't believe I just said that." He turned to look at Kopa. "Don't tell them I said that?"

"Your secret is safe with me cous."

Cire shrugged and bit the tails off her lizard the same time as Kimba and his sister. After that bite the three immediately spit them out.

Nuru made a look of false anger as she tried to weakly stifle her laugh. "Hey you wasted good lizards!"

"That was horrible." Cire said shuddering at the taste while her friends were wiping their tongues with their paws to try and get rid of the taste.

"I never said you'd like it right away." She pointed out.

"Still how could you expect to eat something that foul? Who besides a crazy serval like you would want to eat these?" Cire complained.

"You guys gonna eat those?" Asked Boga as she eyed their lizards. They looked at her disgusted and threw their remaining lizards to her as she grinned and devoured them eagerly.

Kimba suppressed the urge to gag as both Babu and Boga ate the remaining lizards. "Oh Kings that's worse than me eating them."

"Well they are Auntie Kula's Cubs." Maji reminded them as he came up beside them. "Ok so now they've eaten can we head home now?"

Nuru chuckled having enjoyed watching the Cubs eat her food and nodded to the Prince. "Of course. Come along."

The Cubs trotted behind her as she continued to the noticeable formation of Pride Rock in the vast distance.

Maji eyed the serval as he walked on her right side while Kopa walked on her left. "So you're sure my Dad was a rogue? From what I heard he was a Traveller. Grampa's brother did bad things which lead to him getting hurt and made your father unsure of who to trust, even friends

.

Hi-on ph Hi. To what do I owe the company of the Wonderful Wizard of Paws?

Nuru smirked at Maji's curiosity and noticing the eager eyes of his two sisters she nodded. "Oh yeah. Your father was a rogue. One of the best I have ever met."

"What was Uncle Kali like back then? You said he called himself Uhami?" Kopa asked to see if he was correct.

She nodded. "Yes. He was a fiercely strong rogue who was extremely defensive of his guardian Ni. The lion who found and cared for him back when he was a cub. He taught your father how to fight and how to hunt."

Nurisha looked surprised and her ears perked at the mention of the words her father and hunt. "My daddy can hunt?"

"Oh like you wouldn't believe. His preferred prey back then was buffalo. He was the only one gutsy enough to tackle those beasts alone. At least until he dragged his guardian into it."

"It's hard to believe our dad was like that." Hafsa said scratching her head.

"Well he was. Now let's get all of you home." Nuru said before she heard the padding of paws and saw three males coming towards them.

"Oh no! Kimba hide! It's dad!" Uhuru squeaked upon seeing Tojo. She immediately jumped into the tall grass before he hopefully saw her. Sadly she had yet to discover how to make her grayish pelt blend in.

Kimba crouched down timidly trying to hide in the grass by his sister. "Kimba. Uhuru." Come here." They heard Tojo order sternly. Not wanting to risk angering him any further, the two siblings padded over to him and tried to give testy eyed faces only to stop when seeing his still stern gaze.

Boga and Babu ran to Chumvi and quickly rubbed against his legs in order to try and soften him up. "Oh daddy thank goodness you're here." Boga said adding her angel smile to her timid voice act.

Chumvi though raised his eyebrow at her. "Don't push it Boga." He said in a warning tone making her smile vanish.

Cire walked to Malka and neither of them said a word for both knew that it was Tama, her mother, who would be the scarier interrogator for Cire.

"What were you Cubs doing so far from home? You know better, KIMBA and Uhuru." Tojo said sternly to his Cubs

Kimba shuffled his paws before looking up at his father. "I'm sorry dad. We just wanted to explore."

"You could've been hurt or gotten lost! Then, what would you have done? If something happened to you it would kill your mother and me." He said sadly.

Uhuru sniffled. "We are sorry daddy."

"We're sorry too Dad." Boga and Babu said in unison before they heard the thunderous sound of something moving very quickly towards them.

Boga hid under her father at the sound. " What is that Daddy? Is that mama and the herds?" Shaking under him more at the thought of seeing her mother when she was in hunting mode the moment she punished her and less about filling her stomach.

Everyone looked across the plains, despite the fact the herds were back, there was not one prey animal in sight. Normally the herds were like a rock with the males, never budging in what they were doing and assumed the lions to do what they expected. This time however there was no wall of prey blocking the predator's way, nothing but an empty plain except for one thing. The thing which had made the thunderous footsteps despite being far away. A mane of red peaked through the underbrush of endless green.

"Simba. I'm guessing Zazu notified you?" Chumvi asked the King.

"Yes he notified me the moment the Cubs were heading near the Outlands. I'm sorry I'm late. Is my boy ok?" Simba asked before eyeing a glaring Kopa. "What's that look for son?"

"You sent Zazu to watch us?! Why?!" Kopa yelled at him furious. His blues eyes like a ferocious storm.

"Mind your tone young prince, I am your father and I know what's best. I sent Zazu to keep watch over you for your protection" Simba said and then thinking about it he added, "This may be your life Kopa, but it's my job to protect it."

"More like you don't trust us." Maji grumbled only to whimper when Simba glared at him.

"What was that? You have something to say Maji?" Simba asked stepping closer.

"I-I said that you sent Zazu because you don't trust us." He said timidly before cringing behind his sisters when Simba came closer.

Simba glared but remembered Nala's words about controlling his anger and sighed. "Is anyone hurt?"

Nurisha shook her head. "No Uncle Simba. We're ok. But we are worried Kiara isn't." Nurisha then tried to shut her mouth before she said that cubs name but unfortunately all the adults heard it as the cubs gasped. Nurisha had begun to blow their cover.

"Nurisha! What did you do?" Cire exclaimed astonished. Cire was hoping to avoid telling their parents that they were deep in the Outlands but now it wasn't possible thanks to Nurisha

"I'm sorry. It just came out." She dropped her ears.

"Who's Kiara?" Tojo inquired.

"Just a cub we met today daddy." Uhuru said quickly.

Sensing she was hiding more, Tojo asked another question. "And where did you meet her?"

Uhuru fumbled with her words trying to think of an answer before Kimba squeaked. "The Outlands."

All the Cubs glared at him but not as much as Simba who looked at the four Royal Cubs with a stare of disappointment. "You four are lucky you weren't killed."

Kopa stepped up. "We didn't mean to go there dad it just happened. We were wrestling and wound up there."

"Kopa what did your mother and I tell you about lying?."

"Not to tell them." He grumbled.

"Yes. Now tell me the truth."

"But Uncle Simba it's true." Hafsa said from her crouched position.

"You too Hafsa."

"Please King Simba it's true. We were playing when Kopa and Maji rolled down a hill and when we saw the Outlands Maji tried to convince us to..." Boga tried to speak up only for Simba's glare to intensify.

"So Maji is the one Huh?" Simba said eyeing the black cub.

"No! I didn't do it. I tried to get us to go home but then we met Kiara and her dad... I think Dad said he was Hiassen." Maji said fearfully before Simba roared and glared down at him with terrifying fierceness causing Maji to shake worse than a baobab tree in the rainy season.

"Maji!" Nurisha cried only for Simba to push her back.

"You lead my son and your own sisters to that lion?." Simba growled advancing on the shaking cub.

"Simba stop dude!" Tojo said as he tried to prevent him from making a huge mistake. Luckily someone beat him to it.

"Dad! Stop!" Kopa yelled pushing his cousin behind him and getting between them fearfully.

"Out of my way Kopa." Simba said coolly, having snapped from his anger upon seeing his son step in front of him. Was this what Ahadi was like? He wondered recalling from his father that his grandfather had a vicious temper. Well that ends with him. He let out a sigh and crouched down to the cubs level and extended a paw to help him up but some saw this in a very different light.

"No!" yelled a new voice. Everyone turned and saw the shape of a lion heading from the Outlands.