Kopa allowed himself to be led back to their den with his cubs bouncing excitedly ahead. As they grew nearer, Simba's mane cane into view and the King of the Pride Lands shot them a smile as they came into view.

"Grandpa!" Kuona and Muffy cried as they leapt at their grandfather's rusty red mane.

"There's my favorite grandcubs!" Simba laughed as he dropped to the ground and allowed his kin to playfully tackle him much like he did with his own father.

"But, Grandpa!" Kuona said as she released her hold on his ear. "We're your only grandcubs!"

"Not for much longer." Nala smiled as she approached, nuzzling Vitani who blinked in surprise. "You mean Kiara and Kovu..?"

"Yep. They saw Rafiki today to confirm!" Simba said, excitedly.

"Wow! Congratulations to them. They must be thrilled." Vitani said.

"How about that? Our niece, a mother! Enough to make a grown lion cry." Tojo said, wiping a fake tear from his cheek.

Tama playfully shoved him. "How about Malka and I catch some dinner and you can tell us what's going on in the Pride Lands."

The tan lioness said.

It didn't take long for Malka, Tama and Chumvi to bring back three large antelopes and soon the reunited friends were enjoying their meal.

"So what brings you to the North Lands?" Chumvi asked.

"We were heading back from the jungle from visiting Timon and Pumbaa." Simba explained. He then cleared his throat as he looked down awkwardlyat his paws, his ears dropping slightly. "Uncle Max passed away."

Kopa frowned. He had many happy memories with the older meerkat from his cubhood. He was a very paranoid animal but he seemed to get along with Kopa. "How is Timon taking it?"

Simba sighed. "Better then I thought he would. We spent a few days with them before heading home. But we figured we'd take the long way to visit to visit our favorite oldest son."

Kopa rolled his good eye at their humor.

Suddenly, he remembered something. "Wait, Kovu and Kiara have been been in charge of the Pride Lands for this long? Do you think they can handle it?"

"They've both grown up quite well these past few moons." Nala assured. "They were ready for the responsibility. Besides Kion and the Guard are there, so they have plenty of help."

"Yes, except for their fastest member of the guard." Simba frowned.

"Fuli? What happened?"

Nala frowned. "There was a storm a few moons ago, they were assisting a herd of zebras over a dam when it broke. She was separated from the Guard. Ono tried to find her. They searched for over a moon."

Simba nodded. "The river that formed from the dam ran through the Pride Lands. I had every hippo, Water-Buffalo and crocodile searching."

"When was this?" Chumvi asked.

"A few weeks before Mufasa and Kuona were born." Simba said.

"Great Kings..." Kopa replied, softly. "And Kion?"

"Heartbroken. Fuli was his second-in-command. He's been keeping himself and the Guard busy with missions around the land. He doesn't know it... but I catch him sometimes on patrols alone searching the border rivers."

The group sat in silence for the cheetah before they heard squealing outside the den where Mufasa and Kuona were enjoying their play time when Muffy ran in and tripped over his father's tail.

"Grandpa Malka!" He cried to Vitani's adopted father. "Will you take us to the water hole so we can practice frog pouncing?"

Nala raised an eyebrow. "Frog pouncing?"

"Come, Nala! You remember Frog Pouncing!" Tojo chuckled.

"I remember hating it. Those things were so slimy! Bleh!"

Kopa chuckled as his mother nudged Malka.

"Come on, my friend, let's show these youngsters how it's done!"

Nala, Kula and Tama laughed as Malka, Tojo, Simba and Chumvi scrambled out of the cave with Mufasa and Kuona.

TLK

"HA! That's 7 for me, 5 for Malka, 3 for Tojo and 0 for dear little Chumvi." Simba said, mockingly as he ruffled Chumvi's chocolate brown lion scoffed. "I would've gotten that last one if Tojo hadn't spooked it."

Mufasa tugged his share of frogs over to the older lions. "Here, Uncle Chumv! You can my share!"

Chumvi smiled as he nuzzled the young cub. "Thank you, my little prince."

"So, has Kopa decided who's going to be his heir?" Simba asked.

"Nope, he's waiting till they're a little older." Tojo explained.

"He doesn't want them worrying about trying to compete against each other." Malka licked his paw. "Can't really blame him. We aren't exactly a traditional Pride, Simba."

"Indeed, we're a band of rogues who formed our own pride. We chose Kopa because he isn't exactly one for tradition either."

Simba nodded. "Yes, I suppose that's true."

"Don't worry, Simba. He'll choose one of them when the time is right. Who knows, though? Maybe they won't even want to be King or Queen."

Simba frowned. "Then what will you do?"

Tojo laughed. "Simba, Simba, don't you remember your Uncles' saying? Hakuna Matata? If neither cub want it, we'll do as we always do and survive. Who knows? Perhaps Kula and Chumvi will be blessed with cubs and they'll rule the land."

As the four friends spoke amongst themselves, no one noticed an unwelcome stranger hiding amost the reeds of the water-hole. Her rough beige coat blending into the grass. Her lips curled into a smile as she eyed the two cubs playing nearby.

"Kisari will be pleased." She said to herself.