Kion sat, observing as morning sun began it began to stretch across the Pride Lands, awakening all that inhabited. He wished with all his heart that Fuli was one of those inhabitants. But so long without the sight of his dear friend, Kion had finally reached the sad conclusion that she would not walk side by side with him again.

"Kion?"

The golden prince flicked his ear to show he had acknowledged his chidlhood friend, Bunga. The Honey Badger made his way over and sat by his friend.

Neither spoke for some minutes before Kion felt Bunga pat his shoulder in comfort. "I wish Fuli was here, too." Bunga finally said.

"We can't dwell on the past, my friend." Kion replied.

Bunga stared at his friend. Barely into his full mane and yet Kion had seemed to age well past his current season. The bags on his eyes were evident of many sleepless nights.

"Kion, the guard has been meaning discuss the situation of our missing member. Perhaps it's time we search for another Fastest of the Guard." Bunga was quickin his words, in case Kion decided to argue with him on this unthinkable suggestion.

Instead, Kion nodded. "I will hold auditions tomorrow. Have Ono spread the word. And, Bunga?"

The honey badger was silent in surprise and shock. "Y-yeah?"

"No cheetahs. Fuli was the first cheetah. It is only right she be the last."

"S-sure, Kion."

As Bunga went to tell his friend, another voice called for Kion, this time, it was his brother-in-law, Kovu. The dark lion was panting as he approached, no doubt having run all the way from Pride Rock.

"What's wrong?" Kion asked, leaping to his paws, grateful for the interpretation.

"It's Kidogo. He's come from Kopa's land."

"The North Lands? He's must of flown all night!"

"He brings news. Mufasa and Kuona have been kidnapped. Kopa, Vitani, your parents and Malka are on the hunt now, tracking them. Kidogo has come to request my help. I Need you to stay with your sister. She'll need you!"

"No way! I'm coming with you!"

"Kion-"

"Kiara has the entire pride by her side, they'll be able to handle things here, plus with Janja and Jasiri, the lands will be well protected. I'm coming with you."

Kovu narrowed his eyes, but knew there was not arguing with the younger lion. Finally, he nodded. "Let's go, then. We'll stop at Pride Rock to collect Kidogo and tell Kiara. Then we head to the North Lands. From there we will meet Tojo and the others. They'll point us in the right direction."

Great Kings be with us, Kion prayed.

TLK

Kiara turned in relief when she saw her brother and mate arrive.

"By the time you arrive, Kopa and the others will have a two days' head start. Kidogo will travel with you."

"I'm going with Kovu!" Kion cried.

"I had a feeling you would." Kiara smiled.

"Are you going to be alright here?" Kovu asked, nuzzling her.

"Yes, but I will worry for you. Kovu, you will save our niece and nephew?"

Kovu narrowed his eyes and they flashed a look of fury. "I will make sure whoever took them pays dearly."

"Your majesty, please, we must make haste!" Kidogo cried.

"Go, but please be safe, my love. I'll pray the Great Kings grant you save path home to me!" Kiara said.

With one last nuzzle, Kovu, with Kidogo on his back, resting from his night's journey and Kion by his side, raced in the direction of the North Lands to whatever peril awaited them.

TLK

The rogue grunted as the sun beat down heavily on her pelt. They were now crossong the dessrt and the afternoon sun was blazing bright with no cloud to shield them.

Kuona hung in the rogue's jaws whilst Mufasa limped after her, his young body aching in protest as it was not used to this much exertion. His back legs were especially burnt as he had been periodically been pulling out tufts of fur to bury them in the sand in hopes of creating a trail. At first he was stamping paw prints roughly into the earth, but once they reached the desert, he had to try a diffrent way.

He suddenly spotted a small rock, big enough for him and his sister to rest in, but not enough for the rogue to follow in.

If I can get her to let us rest in that spot, perhaps it will give mom and dad time to catch up, he thought. Warily, he looked over his shoulder at the seemingly endless desert. If they're follwing us, that it.

Eager to try, Mufasa began to groan before flopping into the sand, wincing as the ground burnt his pelt.

The rogue turned and growled. "Keep up, fea-bag."

Mufasa dramatically moaned. "I-Its so hot. I need shade... I can't go on..."

"Remember what I said about your sister."

"Please! There's a rock! Let us rest a bit and then I'll follow! My paws feels like they are on fire..."

The rogue rolled her eyes. "Fine! But only for a short while."

Mufasa allowed a small smirk as he weakly dragged himself to the cave. The rogue dropped Kuona who limply made her way under the shelter to join her brother.

The rogue attempted to follow but, just as Mufasa predicted, she was too big.

She growled in annoyance as she curled up in the hot sand and used her tail to shield her eyes.

Satisfied, Mufasa turned to his sister. "Are you okay?" He asked.

"Yes, but I miss Mom and Dad."

"Me too, but I'm going to protect you, okay?"

"Ha, who's the one who always wins our wrestling games?"

"This isn't a game, Kuona." Mufasa warned. "We're in very serious danger here. We can't fight this lioness."

"Is that a challenge?" Kuona asked, her hackles slightly raising as she peered at the lioness who had evidently fallen into a deep sleep.

"No, and don't be stupid. We need to play this smartly or else we will both be killed." Mufasa scanned the desert. "She knows we can't escape from this rock or else we risk killing ourselves. And my paws ache."

"Should I trick her into carrying you?" Kuona asked.

"No, I've been leaving a trail with my fur. I need to continue it so Mom and Dad will find us."

"That's why your butt's looking like a baboon." Kuona allowed herself a small laugh before growing very serious. "I can leave the trail now. No reason why we need her growing suspicious as to why you're going bald."

"I'll say it's a skin condition."

"Did you hear her mumbling about a King Damu?"

"Yeah, and I don't want to meet him."

"His name means blood."

"I know. Whatever happens, we need to slow her down in this journey to this guy's land."

"I'm scared, Muffy."

"Me too. But remember Dad's stories?"

"About Grandpa Simba and his snail eating contests with Great-Grandpa Timon?"

"No! About the Great Kings of the Past! Remember, I am named after the great king, Mufasa!"

"So?"

"So, the Great Kings and Queens of the past are watching us right now! Maybe they're even helping Mom and Dad find us! We just have to slow this rogue down enough for them to catch up!"

"And if we still end up meeting King Damu?"

"Then I'll protect you."

Kuona frowned. Suddenly, in the corner of her eye she saw a a golden lion with a dark red mane walking towards them. He had broad shoulders and kind yet fierce gaze.

Kuona gasped.

"What is it?" Mufasa asked.

"Did you not see it!? There was another lion!"

Mufasa looked around. "We're the only ones here. You must be getting those hallucinations Timon told us about. Let's get some sleep."

Kuona frowned as her brother curled up in the cool sand. It wasn't a hallucination, Kuona knew she saw someone. Maybe the Great Kings really are with us!

TLK

Kopa, Vitani, Simba, Nala, Malka and Tama ran swiftly through the jungle. They had been running all night. Kula had sent Kidogo with instructions to fetch Kovu who was undoubtedly the best tracker in the Pride Lands shortly after Kopa and the others had gotten the beige rogue to point them in the right direction.

Now that rogue lay beaten and guarded in the pit with Tojo and Chumvi keeping an eye on her.

They had not gone far from the border when Nala picked up the scent of Mufasa and found his paw prints embedded in the earth, with this clue they followed the trail, grateful for the lack of rain.

Now they had reached the desert. Simba scaled it. It was possibly connected to the desert that led to his childhood jungle home.

"Now what?" Tama asked.

Nala sniffed the ground. "The paw prints end here." She announced, sadly.

Vitani snarled as she began to pace along the edge of the sand. "Those fiends." Suddenly, she caught a whiff of her son. Follwing it, she ventured onto the golden territory and, with a swift swipe of the paw, she found a tuft of fur.

"Mufasa!" She cried. "He's found a way to leave us a trail once more!"

Kopa sighed. "Clever cub." He said. He'd make a wise and noble king, he thought to himself.

Wasting no more hesitation, the group ventured into the desert.

TLK

The rogue gasped as she awoke. Dusk had fallen. She roared in a furious rage.

"King Damu will have my head!" She hissed. She then ducked her head under the rock and snatched a cub's tail.

Mufasa gasped in pain and surprise as he was dragged from the safety of the cave, his claws failing to grasp anything to save him.

"Let's go! We're late!" The rogue mumbled.

Kuona stood, but before she followed, she quickly pulled a tuft of fur from her hide leg and and left it under the rock before follwing her kidnapper.

Dusk was turning to night as the rogue broke into a run. Kuona panted as she kept up best she could whilst still leaving a trail.

The moon was high in the sky by the time they reached a new territory. This land resembled a thick jungle area. The rogue dropped Mufasa who landed hard and glanced around. "Giza!" She hissed into the darkness.

Mufasa peered into the darkness before he saw movement and Kuona shrunk down as a lion with a reddish pelt and dark red mane approached them.

"You're late." He growled.

"Tell me something I don't know!"

"What? Two scrawny cubs are too much for you now?"

"Watch your tongue, Giza, or I will tear it out."

"Temper, Kisari."

"You're about to see me lose that temper if you do not help me carry these fur balls. We must make haste. King Damu is not a patient lion."

Giza smiled, revealing the loss of two canine teeth. "No, he isn't." Then he frowned. "Where is Dumu?"

"That stupid lioness couldn't catch a butterfly. She failed in her mission. I succeeded. If she hasn't been killed by these brats' parents, I'll send her to the ground myself. If she's brave enough to come crawling back."

The smile resumed. "You never were one for letting others do your dirty work."

"If you want it done right, do it yourself."

Giza approached Mufasa who hissed a warning. "Don't touch me!"

The red lion laughed. "How spirited! He'll nake a fine general, if trained the right way. Say, how come they got no fur on their haunches? You been roughin' them up?"

Kisari snarled. "Of course not!"

"Skin condition." Kuona managed to say.

Giza shrugged and clamped his jaws on Mufasa and started deeper into the jungle with Kisari, with Kuona in her own jaws close behind.

Yes, I'm back and so is Kopa and the Pride. You'll notice Mufasa is no doubt wiser then most, this is because, though I'm giving him his own personality, he gets his brains from his great Uncle Scar. What he plans do with these brains, we'll see. As for Kuona, let's say her name means sight for a reason and she did not see a simple hallucination.