After three days, Danira and Kiara were really good friends. Danira was also improving her relationship with Kovu and Simba, too. She was just another lioness in the Pride to Vitani, and that angered her, that she got the most attention yet she wasn't even royalty. The young lioness decided to speak to Danira, in hope that everything would work out, but not today. Maybe tomorrow.

Danira's cub would be due in two days; she didn't have much time. One morning, after breakfast, her and Kiara were sat on the perch of Pride Rock, talking.

"I can't believe I'm really .. dying. I should have just left the buffalo alone." Danira sighed, tears falling from her eyes. "I won't even get to see my cub!"

Kiara felt sad, depressed and disturbed. "Don't worry, you'll look down to her from the heavens. But who are you planning on leaving your cub with?" she asked.

"I.. I don't know. But maybe you... and Kovu?" Danira asked. She was heartbroken and she had been through a lot. Not only would she not get to see her husband again, but she also had to trust Kiara. Kiara knew she had Danira's trust.

'I won't let you down!' she thought courageously.

Kovu, Nala and Simba approached the two.

"I can't believe you're going," sighed Nala, "You'll always be in our hearts." the two lionesses hugged each other.

"Thank you. I plan on leaving my cub in your hands, Kiara. Please." Danira was pleading.

"What? How can you-" Kovu didn't seem to think this was a good idea.

"Kovu.." Simba consoled the young lion.

"I will take care of your cub, Danira. I know it's a big commitment, but I'll take that chance." said Kiara, swallowing hard afterwards. Not only did she promise to care for the life of her best friend's cub, but also her trust to Danira was very strong and she couldn't let that fall.

Vitani was at the waterhole, dipping a claw into the river and disturbing its peaceful flow. She gave a sigh, a long sigh.

'I have been quite rude to her, lately. She's expecting a cub but she's come from nowhere! But.. her disease is fatal. Does she even have a disease? I need to speak to her.'

The young lioness charged back to Pride Rock, at full speed. She had so many questions to ask Danira, yet she didn't trust her yet. But she'd still apologize.

After a few minutes, Kovu took Kiara to go and do her hunting sessions; she was improving quickly and would soon be able to lead the whole hunting party. Simba was talking to Zazu, Timon and Pumbaa whilst taking a walk at the stream. Nala was lounging with Sarabi and Sarafina - as usual and Danira lay in the cave, trying herself out.

"Danira?" she heard a voice and immediately turned around to see who it was.

"If you're here to mock me, just go ahead. My life's ruined, I'm going to die, I won't see my husband - who will soon journey here, not knowing I'm dying, I won't see my cub and you also hate me now. I've ruined my life, just by chasing away buffalo!" Danira cried. She was in emotional pain, pain only others her age would understand.

"I.. I'm not here to mock you. I'm here to apologize. I've been really mean to you lately and.. and It wasn't fair of me. The reason why I was mad was because my mother died in a battle.. a year ago. She wanted to kill the late king, Simba because she believed he killed Scar; Simba's evil uncle." Vitani sat down next to Danira and continued. "I never knew Scar well, but everyone said he was cruel. I refused to believe that.. but then I found out the truth which was why I joined the Pride Landers. I was tired of battle."

"What happened next?" Danira's curiosity pulled her deeper into the conversation.

"My mother also refused to believe Scar killed Simba. Instead she thought the complete opposite. She didn't get a chance to feel love. She was never loved, at times she'd tell me about her past.. She died without feeling loved, nobody tried to help her or invite her into the Pride, only at the last minute when she was to fall into water and drown. That's why I've been so protective. Others these days have the opportunity to easily be accepted into the Pride Lands, to prove their loyalty to the Pride."

"Oh. I'm sorry.. I didn't know." Danira was shocked, never had she heard a story as depressing as this one.

"No, I'm sorry. Youdidn't know. Can you forgive me? I want to be your friend. But I feel bad now." Vitani huffed. She was crying, crying tears of joy that she had apologized.

Vitani very rarely apologized, she only apologized twice: Right Now, and during the battle of the Outsiders and Pride Landers.

"Yes. We're friends now." Danira smiled and the two embraced.

In The Arosen Plains, Anara was standing proudly on his perch, breathing heavily. A lioness named Sukari approached the king.

"King Anara? Are you going to lead the hunting, today?" she asked. In those lands, the queen or king had to lead the Pride but Anara had decided to abandon this rule, as he missed his mate far too much.

"No, please, Sukari. Can you lead the hunting party today?"

"Yes, my king." the brown lioness replied and went to rally the other lionesses.

Anara was a strongly built male. He was strong and majestic and powerful; he was hard to defeat. Anara was also a very responsible lion, making sure his Pride was comfortable.

Most of his Pride had left now and there were only five or six left.

Anara remembered when Danira had lost her cub, Namiya.

Flashback...

The proud queen lay in the cave, the cub at her arms. It didn't move, nor did it squeal.

"Namiya! Namiya, wake up! Anara, what's wrong with my cub?" Danira yelled. Anara pushed the cub with his nose.

"It's dead, Danira. I'm so sorry.." the king replied to his mate.

"No.."

The Pride took the young cub and buried her behind the great rock, where Anara and his Queen stayed for hours. After hours of crying, Queen Danira's eyes were a fiery red.

"We need to get inside to get some sleep, Danira. She's gone but we'll visit her tomorrow." Anara said, pulling his lioness inside.

End of Flashback...

"Everything will be fine, what could happen?" Anara said those last words, before going off to do some kingly stuff.

So this was chapter 3! Sorry, I didn't post the birth of the cub, here! But the next part will definitely have the newborn cub. There was too much to take in and it didn't seem like the right time.. But please rate and review!

Characters

Sukari - Sukari is a member of Danira's old Pride and she is very close to the king. Sukari helps the king out, with his needs and the Pride. You might just consider her the second queen. Sukari is also my character, she is a dark brown lioness with freckles and green eyes. She has a pride lander's nose, a black one and is very good. She's almost like a female Scar!

Every character seen here is from Disney, except from Danira, Anara and Sukari!

Thanks for reading! And, Vitani will be a bit stubborn throughout this sequence but as it nears the end, she'll get better. Hope you liked it!