Chapter 19

The next day, Ari was walking through the Pride Lands alone. As he walked, thoughts were running through his mind. Thoughts like "where's my dad?" or "did he survive?" As Ari walked, he didn't realize his sister behind him.

"Ari, are you ok?" asked Shanni.

Ari turned around and looked at his sister with tears in his eyes. Shanni walked over and give her brother a sisterly nuzzle.

"Don't worry. Dad will be just fine." Said Shanni.

As they thought and talked of their father, they came across strange figure of a lion, or lioness to be exact. She was a grayish color and seemed to be hurt. Ari's heart skipped a beat as he laid eyes upon her. Then they walked towards her.

"Excuse me, are you ok?" asked Shanni.

The lioness looked up from her wound.

"Yea I'm fine what's it to you?" she said with an attitude.

"Hey no need to get upset I was just asking a question." Replied Shanni sharply and smartly.

"Yea no need to get mad at my cousin. She was just trying to help." Said a voice from behind.

Shanni and Ari both turned around and noticed Adin, Melody, Tara, Taja, and Melody all standing behind them. The young lioness smirked and rolled her eyes.

"So what's your name?" asked Ari as he walked towards her.

The young lioness stepped back as Ari got closer. She felt intimidated by his size.

"The name's Imani. And you?" she asked.

Ari smiled and got closer.

"I'm Ari. That lioness you got smart with is my sister Shanni, the skinny brown girl is Tara, the gray male next to her is Taja, the golden colored lioness is his sister Melody, and the brown male is my cousin Adin, the prince of the Pride Lands."

Imani looked at the group of teens and for once a smile formed on her face. She looked back at Ari and noticed how incredibly handsome he was. With the strong muscles, big blue eyes, and parts of a mane on his chest and head. Then an awkward feeling came in her chest. Did she have feeling for Ari already? Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Ari's voice.

"So where you from?" he asked.

Imani looked at him with her beautiful blue eyes.

"Oh I'm sort of a rouge. Don't really have a pride to call my friends or family." said Imani.

"Well maybe you can stay here in the Pride Lands." Suggested Ari.

Shanni raised an eyebrow. In her mind, Shanni didn't like Imani at all.

"Well it's not up to would have to be up to your cousin." Replied Imani as she tossed her head in the direction of Adin.

"Well, let's go ask my dad." Said the prince.

As the group walked up Pride Rock's path, they spotted Kovu.

"Dad, this is Imani. She's a rouge and doesn't have a place to stay. Can she stay here?" asked Adin.

Kovu looked at Imani.

"Sure as long as we can trust her." Imani smiled.

"Oh you can totally trust me." She said. Kovu smiled.

"Alright she can stay."

Once Kovu said yes, Ari's heart leapt with joy.

"Would you like to take a walk with me?" he asked her.

Imani thought for a moment.

"sure." She said with a smile on her face.

Then the group departed. All except Shanni, Tara, and Melody. They stayed at Pride Rock's peak and watched to two walk.

"Shay what's wrong?" asked Tara.

"I'm not sure but for some odd reason, I can't trust her. She doesn't seem good enough for my brother and she seems like she'd hiding something." Replied Shanni.

As they watched Ari and Imani, a voice was heard from behind them.

"Shanni strop watching your brother. He's trying to be an adult."

Shanni turned around and saw her mother.

"Sorry mother. She just doesn't seem right to me." Vitani walked over to the girls.

"You may be right Shanni. She does seem like she's hiding something." Said Melody.

"Maybe you girls could keep an eye on her. Make sure she doesn't hurt my son or this pride. And Shanni watch out for Grandpa Simba, Grandma Nala, and auntie Kiara. They are the main targets of you know what I mean."

Vitani winked at the girls and walked away. The girls nodded in agreement. After five days, Tara, Shanni, and Melody still kept their eyes on Imani. It was a cloudy morning and Shanni was up. She looked around the den to see Imani gone.

"Gone huh? You better be." She said to herself as she walked on the den.

She headed for the water whole but came to a stop. She heard whispers nearby. The young female decided to get closer.

"How you doing sweetheart?" asked a dark and familiar voice.

"I'm doing fine. That dumb Ari doesn't suspect a thing." Said another voice.

"Imani?" said Shanni quietly.

As she listened to tried to sneak a peek and the owners of the voices. She did and saw someone she didn't want to see. Tasha! Shanni gasped, growled, and jumped right into the middle of the lioness. She aimed for Imani.

"I knew couldn't be trusted. You are just using my brother. Now you're gonna pay!" shouted Shanni.

She leapt at Imani. They tumbled and started to fight. Then Tasha jumped in when Shanni was thrown by Imani.

"Why you little brat!" shouted Tasha.

Then Tasha threw herself at Shanni. They tossed and turned, biting and scratching at each other. Then Shanni was thrown against a rock. Tasha was just about to kill Shanni when a large figure came and knock Tasha off her feet.

"Keep your dirty paws of my daughter!" yelled the voice.

Then the figure walked over to Shanni and licked her cheek.

"Shanni, can you hear me?" asked the voice.

Shanni's eyes were blurry but she managed to catch a glimpse at the figure.

"Dad..?" She said weakly.

Then Shanni fell on conscience.