What's up. How was everyone's holidays? Happy late Christmas and New Years!

And while the time may be joyous IRL, that may not be the case for this chapter. Exciting, but no story goes too long without conflict!

Thanks for all your reviews, follows, and favorites! This story is curiously approaching my main story in terms of those ratings, and that's insane to me. Y'all are awesome. Keep it up!

[small tangent, skip if you want]

I don't even know if it's worth saying, but I was working on this small little Christmas themed one-shot for this story. (It was only like 2.5k words) It was gonna come out on Christmas eve but... classic writer syndrome. I hated it! I read it back to myself over and over and it seemed awful. So I didn't release it, and then this chapter came out late as a result. And I feel a bit bad, not only because it made this one later then it should've been, but because it kinda feels like you failed y'know? I could've just let it sit in my drive for all eternity and nobody would know, but eh, that's boring. Point is... I don't know, hating your own stuff you write sucks? Lol, just a problem that comes with constantly improving each time you write. I read stuff I made only a couple months ago and cringe at it all the time! Although I'm sure even if I had posted it, you guys would've been just as nice as ever.

[tangent over]

Thanks for reading! Enjoy the next chapter, see you next time.

Chapter 11

"Of Lions and Men"

Simba and Nala watched their children walk away, happily conversing with Mkali. Before turning back to Sanaa, "Continue, please." Simba said.

She sighed, "Me, Mkali, and Kimya were out with the hunt party. We were stalking the gazelle like usual, when they stampeded our direction as if they were scared off."

Simba and Nala's eyes widened, "Was anyone hurt by the stampede?" Nala asked.

She shook her head, "We were all fine… But after that was when we came across Zira, and a band of some of their outlanders…"

The King and Queen listened eagerly, as she continued, "Of course we told them to leave and all that… I'll skip the details of the threats… Zira's reasoning was worrying. She was yelling quite loudly, as if she wanted the whole pridelands to come in agreement with her…"

"What was she saying?" Simba asked curiously

Sanaa sighed, trying to imitate her voice a bit, "You would really let some hairless monkey be an heir to the throne? Come now pridelanders! You have more dignity than to bow to a human." Sanaa repeated the word "human" with the same disgust and venom Zira had. Nala growled deeply, having to remind herself that she was repeating what she heard, and not actually insulting her cub.

Simba released his own growl, "She's trying to start a pitiful revolt on our own lands, and insulting our son?" He said annoyed, "You said she refused to leave?"

Sanaa began fidgeting uncomfortably, thinking to herself the old saying; 'don't hunt the messenger.' Yet nodded nonetheless, "Well the problem, Sire-"

"Please call me Simba, Sanaa." He interrupted with a smile.

She nodded with her own smile, "Of course. The problem is there were so many of her outlanders… And we swear we could hear some hyenas laughing not too far off… I ran before things got too out of hand. I wanted you two to know about all of this."

Simba nodded and released a sigh as he kept to his thoughts, Nala stepped forward worriedly, "Sarabi is tonight's hunt leader, correct? What did she order you guys to do about it?"

Sanaa nodded, "Yes, Sarabi told me and Kimya to return, and sent a few others out to find any of our straying lionesses."

"Then we must go as well," Simba said with certainty, "Come, we shouldn't waste anymore time." He said walking forward and looking back. " Sanaa, you may also guard our cubs. We're counting on you three."

The two lionesses nodded respectfully, as Nala followed her mate into the savannah. The roars of lionesses, and laughter of hyenas becoming more apparent, and echoing out into the night.

"Right over here you two," Mkali guided us.

Kiara was already shooting ahead, seemingly knowing where she was going already. I looked around me in surprise. It was a very narrow valley that dipped into the earth, with large dens lining the walls, even above each other. I could hear a few lionesses caring for their young in caves nearby, a few families looking down at us with smiles from outside their den. It was as if I was in a lion's version of an apartment complex. And this was sitting right behind pride rock? I hummed surprised, "Mkali, I thought we all lived in the cave?"

She laughed lightly, glancing back at me, "Ever since Ahadi's great grandfather, there's been a difference in our way of life." She stopped and glanced around, sitting down as I came up next to her, she smiled at me, "You're smart Dan, you know how most prides treat male lions yes?"

I smiled to myself, flattered by her calling me smart and excited to speak about zoology, "Usually as the male's get older they get chased out. Some of them form "coalitions" with other male lions… Other's take over the pride and… kill all the young." I said, a small bit of fear entering my eyes.

Mkali nodded, reaching up and ruffling my hair with her paw, "Mhm. Quite barbaric honestly, in the pridelands we don't chase off our males. Instead they are allowed to live as a pridelander, and claim a mate if they so wish. We've long since left behind the childish need to kill each other. If you want cubs and a mate, you can have them here. All those families live here, in this area, under pride rock."

I was absolutely stunned by her answer, it was if these lions were developing as a society! The inner zoologist in me was wanting to ask millions of questions, "And Simba is okay with all of that?"

She nodded with a slight giggle at my face, "Simba only cares for the kingdom and its residents. He wouldn't dream of exiling every male."

"This is boring!" Kiara whined childishly, "Who cares, I wanna play with Mjanja!"

"Who's that?" I asked looking between the two.

Mkali smiled and began walking again, with me following, "That would be my cub she's referring to."

"You have a cub?" I was surprised, and excited.

She nodded, "I've had multiple, all grown up now." She said with a bittersweet smile, "But Mjanja is still young, and a troublemaker just like Kiara." She said with a small sigh.

"Hey..!" Kiara said with a raised eyebrow. We came upon a den, this one was a bit farther into the back of the valley with less dens of other families around it.

Kiara ran in as me and Mkali walked at an average pace, "Mjanja come out!" Kiara yelled.

I stopped in the entryway, as I heard a rather deep intrigued voice from within, "Kiara?" He asked curiously, a tinge of playfulness in his voice. That didn't sound like a cub to me.

He came around a corner and my eyes widened. In contrast to Mkali, he was actually a rather slender looking lion, who's front legs did look rather bulky compared to his back legs. And he was definitely tall like Mkali. He was a very light cream colored lion, with a blonde mane, that had white hairs amongst them. He had a tuft of yellow fur on his chin that went down a few inches, and bright cyan eyes. He smiled widely, and I instantly could feel just how friendly he was, "Mkali dear, you should've warned me our young prince and princess would be coming!"

She laughed, walking over to him and nuzzling under his chin. And he returned it by leaning into her, "Sorry, a bit of a last minute thing." She replied. Before looking Back at me and Kiara who was running over to give him a hug. "Dan, this is my mate Hekima." Hekima was currently giving Kiara a small hug back with a large smile.

I realized my manners and stuttered a shy response as I dipped my head, "Oh! Nice to meet you… sir."

He looked back up, "Mkali here tells me so many stories about you. It's nice to see a hero in the flesh for once!" He chuckled.

I blushed, "N-No that's giving me too much credit. The only thing I've done is trick some hyenas for a couple seconds." I said rubbing my neck, assuming which story he was referring to.

He waved a paw back and forth, "Of course he's a humble hero to go with it." He said snickering at my bewildered face. He began walking over, lowering his head to eye level with me, "Hero or not, it is still a pleasure to meet you, Prince Daniel."

I nodded happily, "Likewise, also, just call me Daniel or even Ajabu, I don't like the titles…"

"Ajabu?" He repeated, not in a questioning manner but surprised one. He nodded with a smile, and turned his head every way possible, "Now where is that sneaky cub?"

Almost comically timed as he said that Kiara released a short yelp as her tail was grabbed by someone behind her. We all turned to what I was guessing was Mjanja. He was maybe a few inches taller than Kiara, clearly a bit older. His fur was a greyish brown, and he had blonde hair just like his parents. A few tufts of fur were growing on the back of his legs, and he had cyan eyes like his father's. "Hey shorty, were you calling for me?" He said down to Kiara, releasing a snicker afterwards at her unamused expression. His voice was young and calm, but less defined.

Kiara straightened herself as she stood up, "Not at all! Also I'm not short! You're just freakishly tall!"

He laughed loudly, and Kiara couldn't help but giggle. After a few seconds he nuzzled her, "It's good to see you Ki."

Kiara nuzzled back, "You too Mjanja!"

I felt a nudge on my back, and turned to Mkali and Hekima gesturing for me to join them. Which I turned back around and did, stepping forward a few times as his gaze shifted to me. It was more of a curious one, but he didn't lose his smile, "Hi, I'm Daniel, nice to meet you." It felt awkward talking down at somebody around my age, or even older if I was a lion.

Kiara jumped forward standing in front of me, "Yeah, this is my little brother!"

Slowly he started laughing again, "If he's your 'little' brother, then the name shorty really does fit you." He said laughing even harder. Falling onto his back.

Kiara bristled in annoyance, but I couldn't help but laugh a bit too. "It's true! You were at the ceremony! You saw how tiny he is!" She protested.

Mjanja rolled upwards onto his legs again, "Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say, Ki." He walked over to me as I sat down, "I've heard of you plenty, nice to meet you Daniel." He said, raising a paw up to meet my hand.

"You know how to do a handshake?" I asked, surprised, taking his paw.

He nodded, "Sometimes you meet pridelanders like Rafiki," then shrugged, "It's all the same to me!"

I looked over at Kiara, "Hey guess what sis," she tilted her head at me, "He called me by my actual name."

Mjanja burst into laughter, and I did as well. Kiara tried to be angry for a few minutes, but rolled her eyes, tackling me to the floor with her own laughter. "Oh yeah little brother?!" Mjanja went in to try and save me from her, by tackling her himself. We all laughed.

"Alright cubs," Mkali said with a laugh, "No more play fighting in the den, someone will get hurt." We looked to her and nodded, as our laughter died down and we pulled ourselves off of each other.

Kimya came walking through the entryway behind us timidly, "Oh, hi everyone… We brought back some food!" She said with a smile.

"Wonderful, let's all eat shall we?" Hekima said, looking towards us.

"Kimya!" Me and Kiara mirrored excitedly, walking over and giving her a hug.

I looked at her slightly worried, "Are you okay?" Kiara nodded in curiosity.

She nodded nuzzling me and Kiara, "Of course I am little ones." She smiled down at us, "But you all look hungry, and I am too, so let's eat." She said, guiding all of us away from the den.

Simba and Nala were walking towards the direction of the incident. No signs of the other lionesses had shown yet, and the only thing in their ears were the laughter of hyenas and the calls of wild animals who had been spooked. The farther and farther the two walked, the more Nala shifted and fidgeted uncomfortably in the growing darkness, the sound of laughing, growling, and coldness brought a chill down the lionesses spine. Nala absolutely hated hyenas. They had taken her now mate away from her as a cub. Taken her king, taken her daughter, taken her son twice! And they still dared to walk on her lands. A deep, rumbling growl released from deep inside her maw, a rumbling emanating out of her crest that she couldn't contain. They were here with Zira, Zira hated her new cub, which meant those mutts were trying to harm her cub once more. And that would never happen again.

Simba noticed his mate's growing anxiety, and the absolute anger building up in her. He bumped her shoulder lovingly and gave her a reassuring smile. Which caused her growl to fade, and for her to lean on him gently as they walked.

When they came into the clearing what they saw was pure madness. They came upon a small canyon, at which on one side sat Zira, backed by her pride of outcasts. On the other side, sat the pride lions. Hyenas were dotted along the edges of the canyon, hoping and awaiting their leftovers from whoever would lose, and a show to accompany it. The hyenas on the side of the canyon that the king and queen entered from, had made short work of themselves. Bolting and scrambling in every which direction they could to get away from her wrath.

This was a pretty typical standoff between the two prides. It had never escalated further once Simba were to arrive, in most cases. There was a mutual agreement that nobody would win, should a war break out between the two leaders. So they not so silently hated each other, and made passive aggressive advances on each other's homeland.

The only difference in this situation, that Nala and Simba came to realize very quickly. Was that each side had a hostage. The pride lions held a rather unfamiliar cub on her stomach, who's fur partly covered her right eye, an older cub, around double Kiara's size, named Vitani. While Zira's misfit pride had a rather enraging hostage, Sarabi. She was heaving from her spot in the dirt, a stray outcast holding her foot on her stomach. But Sarabi wasn't making a very hard attempt to fight back anymore.

This time, it was Nala who wanted to try and quell Simba's rapidly increasing rage before things fell out of hand. But when she looked in his eyes she could not so much as release a whimper of protest, as Simba reared back and let loose a singular deafening roar of power. Of royal fury. Every head below them in the standoff turned his way and shrank at the sound, other than Zira who huffed and rolled her eyes. As his roar came to an end Zira spoke up loudly, "Now my dearest Simba I-"

"LET HER GO!" Simba commanded.

The outcasts looked to Zira for an answer, but Zira didn't even acknowledge his request. "You see Simba, dear, there's more to it than that."

Simba and Nala jumped from ledge to ledge until they were standing between the two parties, "The only thing I see is a bunch of traitors in enemy territory, keeping my mother as a hostage!" He said getting right in her face with a growl.

Zira tilted her head and leaned back a bit, "Really?" She leaned in just as close, "You know what I see? A tyrant king harboring a human that threatens the whole savannah. Holding my very own daughter as a hostage!"

"He is nothing like that, Zira." Nala said through clenched fangs.

Simba had a staring contest, and eventually sighed with a grunt as he turned to his pride. "Let her go." He commanded as he turned back to Zira, "Killing isn't our way." He said venomously.

"Hmm, is that what you told yourself when you killed my mate?" She said with a raised brow.

The pridelanders obliged, and parted enough for Vitani to sulk her way back to the outcasts. There was a certain… fear in the cub's steps. One that was not directed towards Simba or the pridelanders. Once she was back Zira regarded her, "Go home. If you're so weak as to be captured, then you clearly aren't ready to learn our huntresses way. Get out of my sight." The cub didn't so much as respond, she merely trudged her way out of the canyon. One of the outlanders seemingly taking pity on her, and choosing to escort her home.

Nala watched it all in disgust, as Simba eyed where Sarabi laid. "Well? Let her go."

Zira looked upwards and acted as if she was thinking about it, then brought her head back down. "A question first." Simba growled but listened carefully anyway. "What makes you think that disgusting, unworthy, parasite of a human should deserve rights as prince?"

Nala opened her mouth and snarled, bounding forward and snapping her jaws at an unphased Zira. Both prides getting into a combative stance as she did, "I've warned you countless times by now Zira. One more word of my cub and I will slaughter you!"

Zira hummed curiously, "That's not very queen-like at all now! Is it?"

Simba gently nudged Nala back, and she huffed as she turned her head with fury. "Get to the point, and give me my mother back already." Simba commanded.

She nodded and shrugged, as she sat on her haunches, "You lot of pridelanders. You know the risks of having that human, and that risk not only affects my outlanders, but every animal in these pridelands."

Zira began to stalk in circles around the king and queen, "A human, with the body of a white lion. Couldn't have picked a worse time to display your… "generosity" as you would call it. A filthy lie you tell yourself."

Simba snarled, but didn't have any words to protest yet. She was right in a way, his son was very unlucky in more ways than one. If only he'd cleared the pridelands of things like her. Then his son could've been welcomed with open arms, from everybody.

"You know news like this will spread, a white lion as prince? Are you reigniting a war from ages past simply because you feel… attachment? To a human I must remind you?" She huffed, "And what will happen when the humans come looking for their lost one? What will become of me, you, all of us? It'll be catastrophic!"

Nala scoffed and rolled her eyes, "We really could care less what happens to you and your pride. None of that's going to happen." She looked up towards her mate for a hint of agreement. But he was deep in thought, a frown on his face. In his eyes she could almost see something resembling… fear. She felt hurt, almost betrayed that he'd even put a second thought into Zira's words. "Simba?" She breathed out quietly.

Simba sighed finally, a neutral look on his face. "I am ready for whatever the pride of the sands thinks. They can be negotiated with." He looked up and glared dangerously, "However, you can't be negotiated with."

"Sure I can." She started nonchalantly, "Give me the human cub, me and my pride will take him far away and slaughter him for you. Then everything will be alright, you can just say those disgraceful outcasts killed him. Or we can start this four-way war, right now!" Zira gestured behind her as one of the outcasts put a claw against Sarabi's neck.

"Simba..?" Nala whined pitifully, a feeling of dread washing over her. She was mortified. Simba finally turned to acknowledge his mate. She could see in his eyes that this was painful. It was Daniel, or Sarabi. And any sane minded individual would be at a complete loss for what to do. Simba opened and closed his mouth many times, Zira grew a devilish grin, she knew she had him.

Suddenly Sarabi growled, and grunted out words, "This shouldn't even be a decision for you Simba! I'm old, your son is much more important! Daniel is not an option here!" She yelled at him angrily.

Simba seemed to be snapped out of it as a tear ran down his cheek, and he shook his head and growled at Zira, "You're sick. I should've gutted you, outcast was much too generous."

"The feeling's mutual." Zira spat. "So you've made your decision?"

Sarabi nodded and smiled at her son's decision. And Simba growled but hesitantly nodded, "Wait. Let me say goodbye, before you do this... And afterwards, I want a temporary ceasefire. No more blood has to be lost tonight."

She chuckled, "Blood will be lost soon, but if you're willing, I will oblige your request." Zira nodded towards her pride, and the outcasts parted, as a small group of pridelanders huddled around to protect the king and queen. They were surrounded on all sides, growls and restrained biting escaped the lionesses around them. The lioness threatening to kill Sarabi backed off. It was only when they were this close that they could see that Sarabi had already been injured, enough to where fighting back or fleeing was not an option.

Simba got to her, and leaned down to put his head against hers. She felt the tears hit her face as Nala also nuzzled her, Simba looked at the blood coming from a previous wound, "Oh, don't cry children." She said quietly, "I love all of you so much, you've been an absolutely amazing king, my little Simba." Simba almost fell forward onto his mother at that, he made audible sobs.

"Mother I can't… I can't lose you too…" he said through shaky breaths, "Maybe if you run, and… I'll have Nala escort you home while we defe-"

"No." She said simply, "If this is where I shall rest then I will stay. No others should bear my pain."

Nala grunted and whispered, "That's the thing, Zira won't stop… not after this… there will be blood, and pain, and-"

"And you will get through it, together. Tell my two grandchildren how special they are for me, alright?." Sarabi muttered. "They're sizing you up, best to leave before more of us are killed." Nala nodded, and practically had to drag the distraught king away from her. He thrashed and cried, a look of hatred when he glanced at Zira.

The pridelanders were not happy. The distance between both prides had practically become face to face. Snarls and growls, warning bites. Zira smiled her wide devilish grin as the quivering Simba rose to his feet, and glared daggers of empirical wrath at his opposition. Simba silently nodded at Nala, who began to herd the combative pridelander lionesses away, "You better hold your word, or it's your throat first." Simba sneered as he turned his back to her. His pride followed him.

Then a laugh hit his ear, and quickly grew into the most heartfelt, booming laughter the king had ever heard. Both prides stopped in their wake to look upon the crazed lioness. She was laughing so hard she couldn't breath, as she banged her paw against a nearby log. It was absolutely sickening for Simba to hear. Simba turned with fury not before seen in the pridelands, enough that his own pride quivered in fear as he put his eyes upon Zira once again, "And what, exactly, is SO FUNNY?" He boomed. Every lioness in the surrounding taking steps back.

Zira looked up at him, wiping tears from her face. "You should've seen the look on your face, you stupid cub of a king! It was unforgettable! Thanks for that." As she said that, the outcasts released their hold on Sarabi and pushed her up. Then forward and out into the opposing pride. The pridelanders gasped and quickly went to support their injured elder. Nala and Simba looked confused at her, was this a show of empathy? Pity? Was this a declaration of war starting now?

"What is the meaning of this?" Simba said curiously, though an obvious weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

"The great kings would spit on me if I were to kill my former queen in her own territory. That's what makes us different, Simba." She said walking closer and closer," until she was eye to eye, "You, are the murderer, not me."

She flicked her tail back and forth, "Hold on to that feeling of hatred Simba, it'll make what happens next all the more… satisfying." She said with a dreamlike smile.

She turned her back and walked away, her pride following in her footsteps, "Oh, and by the way!" She began shouting back at him, "Some of the prideland animals agreed with me! The word must have spread as far as the sands if I were to guess!"

Simba and Nala went as stiff as a statue as their eyes widened, they stared at her as she delivered her final words with a demonic grin, "We never intended on fighting or killing tonight, a quick run from the sands to the oversized rock should only take… hmm… a few hours? I would be worried about whatever may be awaiting you once you get home!"

"You tricked us!" Nala screamed as panic overtook her features.

"No, darling, I didn't trick you. I negotiated with you." A final chuckle escaping her lips.