Thanks for the reviews. Here's chapter eighteen.

Elena just pinned Nalini down, again and put her right paw to the older lioness' throat with sharp black claws out.

"Now who's weak?" Elena playfully growled in Nalini's face.

Nalini groaned and shoved her sister off as Alyssa walked over.

"Much better, now you are dismissed."

Elena bowed her head before walking off to a dirt mound. The tawny beige teen sat and sighed. As the Outlander princess looked out over the river and into the Pridelands she couldn't help the smiled that tugged at her maw.

"Thinking about those Pridelanders?"

Elena looked at her side and saw her older brother, Barton. Since cubs the two were close, closer than either of them were with their elder sister. They confined with one another when they needed to let loose and when their mother became too much.

Elena sighed and said "One in particular."

Barton nodded with a smirk and said, "Does the prince has anything to do with this?"

Elena snapped out of her thoughts and looked at the cold beige lion.

The Outland Princess sighed and said "It's crazy, I only met him once."

Barton smiled and nudged his sister and said, "Love is a crazy thing-"

Before Barton could finish Elena face pawed herself and growled, "Love! What's love when a I have feelings for the enemy!"

Barton nuzzled Elena. "That's why love comes in all kind of ways."

Elena sighed and looked to the sun setting orange sky. Barton sighed too and nudged Elena lightly before walking off. Barton didn't pay too much into the conversation, after all his sister was promised to Vitani and Jareb's dark gray son, Barram. Even though Elena wasn't interested.

Elena took a deep breath before singing solfly, 'Somewhere out there,

Beneath the pale moonlight,

Someone's thinking of me,

And loving me tonight.

Somewhere out there,

Someone's saying a prayer,

That we'll find one another,

In that big somewhere out there'

Elena sighed once more before heading in for some more training before she called it a night.

In in the Pridelands Torrent was on a hill top and was singing solfly also,

'And even though I know how very far apart we are,

It helps to think we might be wishing on the same bright star,

And when the night wind starts to sing a lonesome lullaby,

It helps to think we're sleeping underneath the same big sky!

Somewhere out there,

If love can see us through,

Then we'll be together,

Somewhere out there,

Out where dreams

Come true'

Torrent looked to the now star filled sky and closed his eyes. When he opened them, he sighed and head down the hill top. He had to meet his father for the last patrol. Unknow to the Outland Princess, that in a few months she will forget her love for Torrent. With only one thing in mind: to avenged her father.

A Year And A Half Later, Pridelands

It was night time in the Pridelands, animals were preparing for the night as the creatures of the night came out. Kiara and Torrent was heading home from another lesson when Torrent stopped walking. Kiara stopped walking also and looked back.

"Torrent, what's wrong?"

Young adult Torrent shook head with a sigh. "It's just that I was wondering if I would a good job tommrow."

Kiara smiled lightly and walked over to the stressed prince and nuzzled him.

"My son, I'm sure you can handle it."

Torrent still looked like he was unsure so Kiara sighed and bumped her head against her son's causing the young goldish lion to look at her.

"When I came back and. Defeated your great uncle, I couldn't just jump into being queen. Rafiki had to help me with the rest of my lessons. And when I thought I was ready, I had to go thought the royal rite of passage. Was I little nervous? Yes! But I had your grandmothers, your father, your uncles and the pride to help me."

Torrent smiled, "Thanks mom."

Kiara smiled back and hugged her son. "Let's get some sleep. You have a very big day ahead of you tomorrow."

Torrent nodded and with that the queen and prince headed home.

TLKTLKTLKTLK

Under the Outlands' orange evening sky sat a young adult Barton and a young adult Elena on a rock while Alyssa slinks around them.

"You two are ready!" the creamy beige lioness chuckles, "Nice... very nice. You two have the same blackness in your souls that your father had. What is your destiny?"

"We will avenge Akan... take his place in the Pride Lands." Barton and Elena answered without emotion.

"Yes! What have I taught you?"

"Kiara and Torrent are the enemy."

Alyssa smiled evilly, "And what must you do?"

"We must kill them!"

The Outlands pride roar in reply.

In the Pridelands

At Pride Rock, where Torrent is emerging to take part in his first hunt. Mainly lionesses hunted but for many generations male and female took part of the royal ritual. Kopa first walks towards Kiara, who is sitting at the end of the assembled pride. She looks quite worried and sad, but she sighs gently and forces a smile when Kopa reaches her.

Tiffu beamed as she voiced her thoughts. "Wow, his first hunt! You must be so proud, Kiara and Kopa. Here he is!"

Torrent emerges from over a hill on the trail. He looks at Jaja, who is standing next to the path. He looks a bit worried until Jaja spoke to him.

"Torrent."

Ono perches nearby while Timon and Pumbaa embrace goofily under his tree.

"Good luck, Torrent! He'll be great. His first hunt! You can do it! It's your day, Torrent. Good luck, Torrent!" was the voices from Kion, Brandt and Faraji.

Nala smiled proudly as she watched her grandson walk past, "My, how you've grown!"

Kopa embraced Torrent as Kiara is looking vaguely glum.

"You'll do just fine."

Torrent nuzzled his father before looking at his mother, "Mother... you have to promise to let me do this on my own. Promise?"

Kiara glances at Kopa and Nala who just walked down to join them, who raises their eyebrows at her. She rolls eyes upward acquiescently.

"All right... I promise."

They rub heads; Timon and Pumbaa break into tears causing Ono to groaned as he covered himself. Torrent looks back as Sherise walks over and nuzzles her brother.

"Be careful, Torrent."

The goldish lion nodded before he nuzzle Sherise back and smiles, "I will." then he runs off into the fields.

After everyone went off Kiara moves surreptitiously over to her daughter.

"Make sure he doesn't get hurt."

Sherise looked unsure but nods anyway before jumping down and running off.